Table of contents for August 2018 in Practical Classics

Practical Classics|August 2018

WELCOME TO THE WORKSHOP

The end of a protracted restoration is sometimes a bit of an anti-climax. If you have grease in your blood, once a job is done, then the interesting bit is over. That was never going to happen with our Austin Westminster Countryman. When we teamed up with Anglia Car Auctions seven years ago and agreed to pilot the restoration, we always knew the biggest moment in the Westie project was going to be when it was finished. That’s when we would find out if the publicity we had given the car was going to pay off for the kids who really needed it. And it certainly did. At the auction, on June 16, the car raised £35,000 for the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund. All the partners who made it happen…

2 min

Practical Classics|August 2018

Starting HANDLE

‘Tax real-world car use, not ownership’ I understand the need to improve air quality in London and other large cities and I get the idea that we all need to share that burden, but a prerequisite for any restrictions on car use is the upgrading of public transport as a viable alternative. Public transport in London is expensive, often unreliable and, since TfL started pulling staff out of stations, not as safe as it should be. Should we not demand that bus and lorry fleets be upgraded before we penalise owners of older cars? And why not increase London’s runway capacity at Gatwick rather than Heathrow? The Ultra Low Emissions Zone, as revealed by Mayor Sadiq Khan, represents a regressive flat tax and it sends a simple message: you’re welcome…

2 min

Practical Classics|August 2018

DULL BUT IMPORTANT

We spoke to a number of enthusiasts with cars that are newer than any proposed exemption, as well as owners of older vehicles who rely on them for daily transport. It’s clear that many who don’t live anywhere near the ULEZ fear other towns and cities will follow London’s lead. Alex Sebbinger-Sparks, a PC Shed Hero who is chairman of the Rover 800 Club and lives in Somerset, said: ‘If this goes through it’ll be the thin end of the wedge and we can watch it get rolled out across other cities and large towns.’ PC reader Chris James, who lives in Norfolk and drives a Skoda Felicia, added: ‘Public sector workers, nurses, police, etc, who have to drive older vehicles for budgetary reasons and need a car because public…

Two barriers stand between the novice and metal-shaping success: one is the witchcraft conjured up by proponents of the art, the other is the use of fancy tools that cost a fortune and take up acres of space. We’re aiming to remove both barriers in this new series of back-to-basics metal-shaping features. We’ll prove that beautiful bodies are built by science and not by channelling mystical forces from the dark side. All of us can achieve excellent results with a little trial, error and practice. We’ll show you that you don’t need lots of fancy tools to make the compound curves that create the aesthetic loveliness and eggshell-like rigidity of a classic car’s body. Over the next few issues of Practical Classics , we’ll demonstrate the basic metal-pummelling techniques you’ll…

6 min

Practical Classics|August 2018

Westie makes £35k for the kids!

Practical Classics’ most complex restoration project ever, the unique Austin Westminster A105 Countryman automatic, sold for £31,000 at Anglia Car Auctions in Kings Lynn on June 16. With ACA waiving its commission this means the sale raised £35,000 for Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund. The seven-year restoration, which started in our October 2011 issue, required a total reconstruction, but thanks to industry partners, readers and well-wishers, every barrier to completion has been broken down. Rob George from ACA told PC: ‘I’m very pleased with the result. We thought it would go well but breaking through £30k is beyond our expectations and a meaningful amount of money for Lennox.’ A crowded auction room saw the bidding start at £16,000 and quickly reach £28,000. A telephone bidder and two ‘live’ bidding competitors in…

2 min

Practical Classics|August 2018

Cable ties £1.50 upwards

Invented by electrical company Thomas and Betts in 1958, the cable tie (or Ty-Rap as it was originally branded) has got many a classic owner out of a pickle. Used for a vast array of repairs (although perhaps under-used when it comes to actually tying cables!), on our recent Britain’s Best Classic Destination road trip we used four of them as a makeshift fanbelt for a Frogeye Sprite. They travelled 40 miles before we removed them and, on inspection, they were in perfect condition. All hail the humble cable tie! TRIED AND TRUSTED These are so handy for all sorts of jobs – even tethering cables, so we’re told.…

1 min

Practical Classics|August 2018

MY MONTH IN 5 PICTURES

Magnificent MGLive! was the best yet. Silverstone was rammed and there wasn’t a dull moment. A huge undertaking by the excellent MG Car Club. I met up with the MG design apprentices from Longbridge who have just completed this MGB GT with modern MG GS running gear and a turbo engine. My old ZT, the prototype auto, came face to face with the prototype turbo, separated by only one number plate. First time together since the factory? A big open day marked the 25th anniversary of the Vauxhall Heritage Centre. Birthday cars were Viva GT (50 years old) and Chevette HS and Royale (both 40). Tech Tip: Dishwasher tablets really can clean out a car’s cooling system. But expect bubbles and lots of them. My Volvo 340 is now running…

Prices in this guide are researched from several sources, including clubs, auctions, the trade and advertisements online and in print. These prices are reviewed and updated every issue. Our C/D rating is a basic guide to what you can expect to pay (£) for the best examples of a model, a concours car or something from a dealer. CONDITION 1 means well-presented cars that have no obvious faults. CONDITION 2 cars are capable of regular use. They have a current MoT certificate but will need work and/or original parts. CONDITION 3 cars usually need a complete rebuild, but might be driveable and MoT’d – candidates for restorations. PLEASE NOTE You cannot accurately value any car without seeing it in the flesh. Don’t buy blind. KEY auto: automatic con: convertible lhd:…

1 min

Practical Classics|August 2018

THE WESTMINSTER STORY

Two Westminster Estates for sale at ACA in Sept 2011. Banger racers wanted ‘em… we got ‘em. The car on the left for spares, the unique automatic is on the right. Stripdown at Body Shop Wisbech. The team comes face to face with the magnitude of the task. The car is rotten and everything will need replacing or rebuilding. In steps Les Ely (right) owner of CL Panelcraft who did the detailed body restoration, prepared the car and painted it to an exceptionally high standard. Freshly-rebuilt engine and autobox delivered to CBR Motor Bodies, who completed the entire fit-up (along with all our other partners) entirely free of charge. Body ready for building up. It was missing some vital parts many of which were made from scratch in CBR’s workshops.…

1 min

Practical Classics|August 2018

‘Stealth’ tax to bar classics

Under proposals to widen the 2021 ULEZ beyond the centre of the city – a move that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says is ‘tackling lethal air and safeguarding the health of Londoners’ – the vast majority of cars built before 2005 will be forced to pay a daily charge of £12.50. This would include those belonging to residents, though Transport for London is suggesting a delicately named ‘sunset period’ in that those who live within the zone would be granted a 90 per cent discount for up to two years after the ULEZ begins – ‘during which they can review their transport choices’. ‘I can’t afford to shell out for a brand-new shiny vehicle’ Vehicles liable for the daily charge include motorcycles that don’t meet Euro 3 standards, petrol…

2 min

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