Table of contents for November 2022 in Practical Classics

This is a time of great reflection for us all. Like most of you, I was born an Elizabethan, and it has been a constant throughout my life – the sudden realisation that our era is over is truly shocking. There can be no denying she was an extraordinary person – hard working, kind, selfless and noble in the truest sense of the word. All of us at Practical Classics mourn her passing. The world, our nation and our national consciousness will change but, hopefully, not our spirit of goodwill and fairness, our sense of history and our charitable enthusiasm. With the support of our partners at Lancaster Insurance we have spent the year searching for great stories of classic benevolence and we have published them with the hope that…

Nominate! Do you know someone age 16-25 who is aspiring to work with classics? Spends their weekends with them, or is involved in a club? We want to hear from you: visit Lancaster.co.uk/competitions/bright-young-sparks and get nominating! A love of classics from birth? Yes, I suppose it was hard to avoid. Dad has always loved restoration, so a love of classics started young, and it never stopped. The workshop is where dad and I spent our time – it’s where I learned things. With that background what else could I do? I was always in the workshop with him. Still am really. So, do you work cars all the time then? Yep. I am an apprentice with PSA and I work in Sheffield at Robins & Day in Hillsborough. It was…

I’m still enjoying a big sulk after being severely reprimanded by a judge at the truly soul exploding 2022 Festival of the Unexceptional. Unless you’ve been hiding in the boot of a Volkswagen Derby for the past five years or so, you’ll know this is now the world’s greatest event for celebrating cars that never really thrilled the hearts of anyone when new. One glimpse of the assembled machinery saw me involuntarily crooning ‘Mandy’ by Barry Manilow. Terror! I had never done that before. Who wouldn’t prefer the original 1971 version by Scott English, in which the lady and tune title are ‘Brandy’ and there’s even a line about riding on a country bus? I was astonished, and very pleased, to see how the Festival had exploded from the original…

We don’t need roads We all know that these wedgy wonders don’t rust, but when have you ever seen a barn-find DeLorean? This 1982 example sleeps under a thick cover of dust, spotted from a field near Hay-on-Wye by Danny Richards from Pontyclun, Wales. It’s been off the road for several years by the looks of it. Datsun 120Y saloon A Datsun 120Y on the Greek island of Kefalonia, seen by John Hart. It’s been hand-painted to disguise its battered shell that’s full of rust. Austin 1100 in a barn Keith Wright has great eyesight. He spied an Austin/ Morris 1100/1300 in a dilapidated garage near Chipperfield Herts, spending several decades waiting to be rescued. Bedford CA A Bedford CA delivery van with sliding-door leads an admirable haul of finds…

1984 Ferrari Mondial 3.0QV Cabriolet ENGINE 2927cc/V8/DOHC GEARBOX 5-spd manual SUSPENSION Front: independent, double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar. Rear: independent, double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar. STEERING Rack and pinion BRAKES Discs front and rear, servo-assisted POWER 240bhp@7000rpm TORQUE 192lb ft@5000rpm TOP SPEED 140mph 0-60MPH 7.5sec WEIGHT 1477kg COST NEW £25,851 VALUES NOW £20K-£40K 1992 Mercedes-Benz E320 cabriolet ENGINE 3199cc/6-cyl/DOHC GEARBOX Four-speed auto SUSPENSION Front: independent, wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar. Rear: multi-link, coil springs STEERING Recirculating ball, power-assisted BRAKES Disc front and rear, servo-assisted POWER 231bhp@5500rpm TORQUE 229lb ft@3750rpm TOP SPEED 140mph 0-60MPH 8.5sec WEIGHT 1710kg COST NEW £30,950 VALUES NOW £4500-£15,000 1990 Saab 900 Turbo Convertible ENGINE 1985cc/4-cyl/DOHC GEARBOX Four-speed man SUSPENSION Front: independent, wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar. Rear: dead axle, trailing links, coil springs, Panhard…

Top job After going to the time, effort and expense of sourcing decent tyres, Ian was rewarded with a huge increase in ride and comfort. 1938 Tatra T97 Engine 1749cc/F4/OHC Power 39.4bhp Torque N/A Gearbox 4-spd man 0-60mph N/A Top speed 81mph Fuel economy 24mpg Work done Four new cross-ply tyres, rim flaps, tubes and balancing. Also in Ian’s garage 1934 MERCEDES-BENZ 130 (W23) Ascending hills now feasible after retarding the ignition 10 degrees. 1968 TATRA T2-603 Front wheel tracking sorted in preparation for new tyres. 2003 PORSCHE 955 CAYENNE TURBO A fine drive… with fingers crossed, because everything’s expensive! So, two hours well spent at Vintage Tyres at Bicester Heritage. Our Tatra T97’s crossplies were comprehensively overdue for replacement. Its worn out rear Blockleys were the wrong profile and…

In August 1992, a team of volunteers, all Rover Group employees, took two near-standard, prototype cars to the Millbrook Proving Ground and broke 37 UK Land Speed Records, 36 of which still stand today. On Sunday August 28, 2022 nearly 30 Rover 200 Coupés returned to Millbrook for a celebration of the car’s record-breaking runs there 30 years ago. The event, organised jointly by the Rover 200 & 400 and Rover Coupé Owners Clubs gave Coupé owners the chance to drive on the high-speed bowl and on the ‘Alpine’ test route. A dozen ex-Rover Group staff attended, members of the ‘Tomcat Affair’ team in 1992, who were able to take passenger rides in the road cars and reminisce with the owners. One of the original record-breaking cars, owned for the…

The future’s bright COB RECHARGEABLE HEAD LIGHT £36.58 This has to be the most futuristic head torch we’ve ever seen. Not only is it actually two lights – abroad beam across the front and a spotlight that fires from the main body – it even contains an infrared sensor that lets you switch it on an off with just a wave of your hand. If that seems like a gimmick now, but it probably won’t when you’re wearing oily gloves. Power comes from a 1200mAh lithium battery that lasts two to six hours and is charged via a USB cable. Both lights have two power settings, plus there's a strobe for emergencies. Part no: 8330. lasertools.co.uk Need a lift? WHEEL FITTING TOOL £47.94 If your classic’s wheels are attached with…

Most splendid Huddersfield Station was built from 1846 to 1850 in neo-classical style with a Corinthian portico. The frontage was described by Sir John Betjeman as ‘the most splendid in England’. Slow delivery With its 33bhp 948cc Standard Ten engine, the original 1958 Atlas was very slow; 0-30mph took 15 seconds and top speed was just 52mph. Trad jazz The Sceptre only had this traditional nose from 1963 to 1965. With the MkII, it adopted a modified Hillman Super Minx style front, but engine size did rise from 1592cc to 1725cc. A smuch as we sometimes look back on the past with rose-tinted spectacles, this summer 1966 picture is a reminder that history was generally quite grubby, too. The monumental mid-Victorian facade of Huddersfield Station here is caked in…

When you find a car covered in weeds and brambles, you can’t just walk away, can you? That’s how I found this Reliant in 2020. It’s a 60,000-mile 1971 Supervan III, which I bought during the first pandemic lockdown after spotting it in a picture on Facebook. You could just about see it, nestling in the bushes and, being a Reliant man, I had to have it. A month later, I travelled to a remote location near Aberdeen where I was shown to the car, which was hidden in a field full of weeds, and was becoming part of a hedge! The reason for it being there was a mystery. I noticed straight away the van was Aberdeen registered, but there was no evidence of signwriting on the back. No…

THE BIG PROJECT Replace your classic’s headlining: Pt.2 ED’S JOB CARD REMAKE A HEADLINING In the previous instalment, I showed how to sympathetically remove a traditional, suspended headlining so that it could be used as a pattern. With the headlining out, we’ll now study how it’s made and how to replicate it. Proper headlining fabric is quite thin, so it should be possible to do this on an ordinary (or at least, an older) sewing machine. We’ll give basic sewing tips here, but you can email askourexperts@bauermedia.co.uk for further tutorial information from the PC archive. EXPLAINER: HOW IT’S MADE A suspended headlining is made in sections, seen from the car interior by the stitched seams running from side to side. Fixed above each seam is a strip of fabric formed…

THE BIG NIGGLE Your classic problems solved My go-to tools for cleaning small parts are wire brushes, old toothbrushes, an airline and an assortment of solvents. I see, however, that ultrasonic cleaners have recently become affordable and I wondered if I should buy one and embrace the modern age? Trevor Lees, Honiton EDS JOB CARD ULTRASONIC PROS AND CONS I’ve smashed the PC piggy bank and bought a baby ultrasonic cleaner, to see whether it justifies spending hundreds on a larger one. It has one 50W ultrasonic transducer in a 0.7-litre tank. This makes it proportionately just as powerful as a larger model: bigger tanks use multiple transducers. I’ll try it out using a variety of cleaning media and techniques, sharing my top tips along the way. EX PLAINER Learn…

It's good to talk The National Motor Museum is marking its half-century with a string of lectures, starting on September 24 with an insight into the museum courtesy of ex-MD Ken Robinson and Chief Executive Dr Jon Murden. On October 15 it's adventurer, racing driver and pilot Roger Nathan, then Richard Skinner tells all on November 19. He'll give an insight into the Bugatti dynasty. The final talk of the year is on December 17, courtesy of Colin Hales who built his own plane and flew it round the world. The last in the series is on January 21, when Steph Jeavons will talk about her time riding a 250cc Honda motorbike around the world. beaulieu.co.uk RACERS RETURN TO BROOKLANDS Top track action promised! The Autumn Motorsport Day at Brooklands…

1960 MGA Roadster Engine 1588cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 79.5bhp@5600rpm Torque 87lb ft@3800rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 13.3sec Top speed 105mph MPG 30 He’s watching through aviator-style glasses and imploring me to stop. All cylinders are firing, but my focus is fading as a willingness to sleep, against my will, entices me away from the here and the now. ‘Drive safely, sweetheart,’ they’re not spoken, but I can hear his words. I remove my right hand from the steering wheel and use it to slide open the window. Perhaps a tickle of air will help. ‘Drive safely.’ I hear him again, and I’m drifting. Overcome by a profound sense that I’m not in charge, the fatigue of driving for almost two days is dissolving my consciousness. I glance across my left shoulder to…

By serial restorer Glen Williams’ own admission, this stunning Porsche is a car that probably shouldn’t have survived. The fact that it’s still here is due to two factors: Glen’s extraordinary restoration talent, and the strength of the bonds within the Williams family. The story begins in 1998, when Glen’s father David was looking for a sports car and spotted this Guards Red 924 Turbo on the forecourt of a nearby dealer. He thoroughly enjoyed driving the Porsche for almost twenty years before disaster struck on an oily roundabout. The resulting accident caused extensive damage, front and rear, though fortunately no one was hurt. The battered Porsche was recovered home and soon afterwards the insurer declared it as a Category C write off, beyond economic repair. David loves his Porsche…

Charity work was integral to Queen Elizabeth II's reign and she was proud of her nation’s charitable spirit. In 2002, she established The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, it was to be the MBE for volunteer groups, and twenty years later, on the evening of September 8, 2022, the SERV Blood Runners of Herts and Beds were honoured to take official receipt of the prestigious award. Acting on behalf of Her Majesty, the Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Robert Voss CBE, presented chairman of the group, Ian Hunt, with a domed glass crystal. It was a moment of celebration, recognition of the not-for-profit organisation’s H24, 365 days a year service to the NHS, local hospices and donor milk banks, but also a moment of profound sadness. Less than two hours before the…

Noses Each Farina got different front end treatment, from the posh Wolseley to the plainer but still handsome Austin, just like this one. Engine Engines are pleasingly tough and can go for 150,000 miles without a major rebuild, but do check for a noisy bottom end. Cabin Exterior trim is different on each Farina model so if there are missing parts, join the club and check for availability with fellow members before purchase. Seating Inspect the interior closely before you buy that project car. You could be facing a whole world of re-trimming otherwise. The mid-size BMC Farina delighted buyers when it swaggered onto the scene in 1958, with flamboyant fins and a fresh, exotically European style of its own. The work of Italian designer Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina, it was…

Join the conversation @modern classics How many celebratory run-out models are there in motoring? Tens, hundreds even? Few, if any, are ever as special as the marketing claims. Often, they’re a way for makers to shove the last few ageing examples of a model out of the showroom before a shiny new one arrives. Though not all special editions are created equal… To mark not only the end of GranSport production, but also the firm’s historic 2005 GT1 season win, the Maserati GranSport MC Victory backs up its hyperbole with a myriad of modifications over the standard car. The GranSport itself was pretty good, managing to dash to 60mph in a shade under five seconds and top out at 180mph. Though its more refined GT nature – inherited from the…

DIARY OF A MODERN CLASSIC ADDICT I’ve been thinking about Rover 200/400-Series cars this month. Blame it on the good guys at Team PC, who’ve (rightly) chosen it as the subject of this month’s Wise Buyer (see p86), as well as the successful exploits of the Rover 200/400 and Rover Coupé clubs in their brilliant re-enactment of the Tomcat Affair (see p6). I’ve loads of form with the second-generation Rover 200, which us enthusiasts now refer to as the R8, as this was its development code back in the Eighties. It’s a car that’s lived in the doldrums for way too long, its reputation suffering at the hands of the death of its maker in 2005, and its subsequent long and dark fall into Bangerdom. For me, the R8 never…

Magnetos, in some form, have put the spark into the term ‘spark-ignition’ since the inception of internal combustion. Being a self-contained unit without external electrical [A] BASE The base is designed to replicate a distributor’s. Scintilla literature advises that if the magneto is to be inclined further than 30 degrees from vertical, a different base should be chosen with ball-bearings that are better able to accommodate higher radial loads. [B] DRIVE SHAFT At the top of the shaft is the drive that engages with the advance weights and above that is the spigot that engages the bottom end of the pole wheel. A fibre brake disc with a chamfered periphery is pinned to the drive shaft, two anchored steel brake shoes clamping the disc by means of the…