Table of contents for May 2025 in Practical Classics

Campbell renewed The legendary feats of the Campbell family have been given a new lease of life at the Lakeland Motor Museum in Cumbria, where an exhibition to the life of the Campbells has seen a cash injection of £10,000.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk Tram team A team of restorers at the National Tramways Museum, Crich have restored an Albany high top van to work as a coffee shop, and it may be the last remaining example of this small production vehicle. tramway.co.uk Vroom launches Vroom Classics is a new online marketplace dedicated to the classic lover. They don't trade in cars, but are trying to bring together all the ingredients – products, services and knowledge – that classic car lovers want in a single, easy-to-find place. vroomclassics.com Classic Stony A new event has…

NSPCC to ring up more funds for Childline Northern Ireland The NSPCC in Northern Ireland will once again be organising a series of events for Drive it Day on April 27. Last year, over £2600 was raised for Childline – which has two bases in the country – through the support of car clubs across Ulster. Auto Lass offers up her Calibra Jody Bevan, a car restorer also known as Auto Lass on social media, will soon be selling her latest project – a Vauxhall Calibra – for Help for Heroes. We’ll bring you more details on the build in the next issue of PC. New venue for Drive’n’Dine The Hunting-donshire-based Drive’n’Dine 4 Cancer event has a new home for 2025, having outgrown its previous venue with a record attendance…

It’s almost time for one of our favourite events of the season, as part of a series of fixtures this year. The Beaulieu Spring Autojumble takes place on May 17-18 and, as always, it’ll be packed with opportunities to buy pretty much anything motoring-related. The event has grown in recent years to become more of a show than just an autojumble, so this year the Dorset branch of the MMOC will be putting on a display called Morris through the decades, with more than 200 classics taking part. We don’t see enough classic caravan action at events, but Beaulieu is looking to change that, with 75 years of Sprite caravans being celebrated at the Spring Autojumble. Also part of the mix will be the Automart with cars for sale, along with the…

Across 6 A more powerful Renault 8 variant soon followed by the Gordini version (5) 7 TR2-based Swallow sports car (7) 9 Body style of the Alvis TE21 as well as saloon (8,5) 10 Cars like AC Greyhounds, as regards capacity (4-7) 13 Classic Toyota offroader for more than 60 years now (4,7) 17 Luxury Jeep 4x4 model (5,8) 19 Mercedes-Benz 600 limousine – one synonymous with luxury train travel? (7) 20 Which marque gave America the Bearcat and Blackhawk? (5) Down 1 Popular open-top versions of the Ford Escort, for short (7) 2 Classic performance version of the Mini (6) 3 Colour of the alloys on the Renault Clio Williams (4) 4 Plush car upholstery fabric (6) 5 Post-war MG model (1-4) 8 Fabled car from Honda? (6) 11 Falcon-inspired…

Q You’re from quite the motorsport family, I understand? ‘Yes, my dad has quite the trophy cabinet! He used to campaign Hillman Imps in production car trials, so I would go along with him and therefore became involved in motorsport from a young age. Dad was very successful, winning five British championships and five BTRDA national championships. I was sat alongside him when he won two of those, which was a really amazing experience, and absolutely contributed to my motorsport obsession. Dad also now owns ‘Zoey’, the ex-Pat Moss A40 first featured in PC in 1980 (see PC, Spring 2025).’ Q How did your driving career get going? ‘When I was old enough, I got involved in production car trialling myself at the wheel of both dad’s Hillman Imp and…

Somewhere between the process of running a modern car until most people’s car-owning economics say it’s time to get rid and taking on an old car as a restoration project, is what we at PC call ‘Bangernomics’ (see p96). It’s one of the automotive activities that those with knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, a car’s entrails sometimes enjoy most of all. The PC workshop features many second lifers. Recently my own garage has, too. Most modern (that is, post-2000) cars go through the normal life cycle of newness, dependable invisibility, financial liability, disposal and probably death. The danger zone is when age, mileage or bad luck bring on expensive maladies that 99.9 percent of owners lack the ability to fix, or the inclination or funds to get fixed. Or, simply,…

Hot hatches stole the headlines in the early Eighties, but it was also decade in which affordable high-performance saloons clawed their way to prominence. Interest in go-faster three-box designs was high but it was a wish to enter the 190E into motorsport that led Mercedes-Benz to ask Cosworth to work on a suitable engine for its compact saloon. Originally envisaged for rallying, the 190E 2.3-16 found its natural home in touring cars instead, starting in 1984. Homologation rules meant a road-going version needed development. It was launched with quite some fanfare – Mercedes invited a group of F1 legends – both young and old – to a one-off race at the then-new Nürburgring GP circuit. And new boy on the block Ayrton Senna ended up trouncing the lot of them.…

Cars have personalities. I am convinced of this. After a lifetime of messing about with them, I expect it. So, when my BMW 328i spat its dummy out (schnuller in German), I wasn’t at all surprised. As that day was an important day, the first big journey after winter storage, a trip to its new owner in fact, Allan Symes in East Yorkshire. The fault manifested simply and efficiently as my clutch pedal descended to the bulkhead without resistance and remained there. Quite the party trick given that I had driven it back from Sussex the previous week and enjoyed every inch of its six-cylinder loveliness ever since. The expert storage over winter at Birch had delivered a car as mint as the day it went in, and as Zaak…

It’s no secret that the cooling system of an MGF is somewhat fragile. Pub bores will tell you that these cars pop cylinder head gaskets for fun and that you should only buy one if it’s had the gasket swapped for a Multi Layer Steel alternative. Well, there’s some truth in that (although an MLS gasket is not always appropriate and liner height should always be checked and adjusted accordingly to ensure longevity), but this really should not be the defining feature of these fantastic little sports cars. Granted, the ’F has very little in reserve when it comes to keeping its cool, and more often than not any overheating incident can spell disaster. But it’s often under the body of the car, not on the top of the engine,…

When a part on your classic fails, you can pinpoint the problem, replace the dead component and you’re on your way. But when something works sporadically, it’s in the lap of the gods whether you can work out what to do. And so it was with my E320, which began to have intermittent starting problems a while back. Usually, it would fire up and run perfectly, but sometimes it wouldn’t, so I lost confidence in it and, with little time to learn what the problem might be, I stopped using it. However, the promise of adventure sent me back to the garage, determined to solve this conundrum. Many PC readers will know British Leyland/Austin Rover obsessive Tanya Field; few know that her family owns a chateau that anyone can hire…

Some 26,958 enthusiasts filled the halls of the NEC over the weekend of March 21-23 for the 2025 Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show. The event lived up to its reputation as ‘the friendly show’ with 160 clubs and as many specialists demonstrating skills in front of a live audience. The stands were buzzing as everything from lead loading, to ash frame construction on a Jowett Bradford – engine building (and swapping) to panel beating made for epic entertainment. The Practical Classics World area was no exception as our project 124 Spider roared into life for the first time in 20 years. Meanwhile, the cars brought to the show by PC writers were inspected and the Restorer of the Year ‘Theo’ award was presented to Bob Meldrum and his Viva HB.…

A 70-year-old Land Rover enthusiast is currently circumnavigating the British coastline to raise money for money for Alzheimer’s UK and Bowel Cancer UK. Derek Hernaman from Tippacott, Devon, is aiming to cover 3500 miles with his trusty companions: George, a 1956 Series One Land Rover, and Mildred, a 1946 Safari Minor caravan. Derek has been a lifelong Land Rover fan, and his fundraising adventure was inspired by his son, Dara, on the back of a Christmas gift. ‘My son Dara gave me The First Overland and The Last Overland books for Christmas,’ Derek said. ‘They tell the story of an Oxford and Cambridge University Land Rover expedition to Singapore. That journey really inspired me, and it got me thinking—why not do my own trip around Britain?’ Derek’s mission evolved into a…

SUN, APR 13 DERBYS Italian Car meet at the Great British Car Journey, DE56 2HE (greatbritishcarjourney.com). SURREY London Bus Museum Spring Gathering at Brooklands, KT13 0SL (brooklandsmuseum.com). HANTS Classic Car meet at Port Solent, PO6 4TP (tinyurl.com/4cbejdk7). SURREY Guildford Lions classic car display, Guildford High Street, GU1 3DS (guildfordlions.com). WED, APR 16 NORTHANTS Earls Barton classic car meet, NN6 0EP (classiccarmeet.co.uk). SAT, APR 19 SURREY Easter classic car gathering at Brooklands, KT13 0SL (brooklandsmuseum.com). WARKS Jaguar Breakfast Club at the British Motor Museum, CV35 0BJ (jaguarbreakfastclub.org.uk). LONDON Classics on Lower Marsh, SE17 7AE (waterlooclassics.com). SUN, APR 20 W YORKS Huddersfield Auto Retro Jumble, HD1 1RY (phoenixfairs.jimdofree.com). KENT Sevenoaks Monthly Motor Meet at The Wheatsheaf, Bough Beech, TN8 7NU (tinyurl.com/bscxdxuj). HANTS VW camper van and bus meet at Port Solent, PO6…

Word from The Creator I imagined the 45th birthday of Practical Classics wouldn’t be worth much of a mention and then the current issue arrived (PC, Spring 2025). You have certainly done the occasion proud, especially in terms of Zoey (the ex-Pat Moss Austin A40 Monte Carlo works rally car). It was great to have the story of the car continued by Matt Tomkins. I must admit I was pleased to be mentioned several times – not least with my words on how Zoey came to be the mag’s first project car! Sometimes, being in my 80th year now, I feel we should all really move on and not dwell on past glories, but maybe Practical Classics is different. It was always more than 'just' a magazine. Thank you for…

‘It will never leave me… fate brought us together’ 1974 Volvo 145 Graham Silverton, Horncastle I've got this car in this colour combination as my mum and dad bought one exactly the same, brand-new, in 1974. I didn’t think much of it, then got to an age where I started to wonder if one still existed. This was where fate played a hand. My wife and I were on holiday in the Highlands, and I spotted this 145 for sale, the ad saying no more than it was in Scotland. It was in the village where we were staying! And last year, I sent an email to Practical Classics about Volvo estates, and the picture you used, without knowing, was of my dad under his Volvo. It came through the…

The notion of a night sleeping in a fire engine wasn’t exactly on my bucket list until I was recently invited to experience a new venture involving an unlikely array of camping ‘pods’. Nestled in the picturesque Lincolnshire Wolds is ‘The Layby Lincs’ – a glamping site where, instead of modern RVs or beige Teepees, you’re greeted by converted classic vehicles that have been repurposed into unique overnight stay experiences. The owners, Alex and Louise, are classic car fanatics, with Alex’s passion being all-things Volkswagens. This would explain the presence of the site’s unusual guest book, which takes the form of the shell of a VW Beetle. Mooching around the site, there were several accommodation types to choose from including ‘Alabama’, a 1971 Chevy Mobilux RV. Pleasingly, it has been…

FANCY A PUNT? WITH RUSS SMITH ‘Hopping from one foot to the other’ Being asked for advice on both the values of and the best ways to sell classic cars is an occupational hazard I’m used to. It can be pretty random, too: at parties, funerals, even on a riverbank. But the oddest of all happened the other day. Our regular window cleaner, a small excitable Scot well past retirement age, was at the top of his ladder cleaning my (upstairs) study windows when I heard a tap from his squeegee. I nervously slid open the moveable pane so we could hear each other, acutely aware of matey’s propensity for hopping from one foot to the other once he gets talking. The story was that a friend of his was…

‘Guilt-free motoring’ Depending on your political viewpoint, you may or may not have any issues with telling people you love driving old cars. For some of us, however, it’s starting to present a dilemma. If you’ve an ounce of social conscience, you can’t help but notice the image of old cars has taken a hit. Internal combustion-power is often blanketly portrayed as bad, with all old cars seen as dirty polluters. By extension, anyone who loves them must be a chain-smoking, litter throwing, oligarch’s puppet. All reductive nonsense. It doesn’t help that some of the most vocal supporters of fossil fuels are also highly divisive figures. We must be careful not to get lumped in with these. It’s our responsibility to educate about the miniscule effect classic car emissions have…

Danny Hopkins I’ve gone back to Land Rover, a Freelander this time. My previous one was a pre-facelift ‘Hippo’ 1.8 petrol that was a rough and ready £600 street purchase. I ran it as a family car for three years and went through all the usual challenges. I removed the propshaft after the continuously rotating viscous coupling wore out. I replaced the head gasket and bolts and I went through two sets of droplinks. But, all in all, ownership was a happy experience. So, going back was easy, particularly because this time I wouldn’t have to worry about the sensitive nature of the K-series engine. My new purchase was a 2.0TD4 facelift, a 2003 model with 109,000 miles on the clock. With a failed MOT and no V5 it was…

What on earth am I doing? I never cared about these old French boxes ten years ago, so why now? Am I getting old? Have I lost the plot? I used to own a Citroën DS, for goodness sake. And now, here I am, using a watering can to see if my 26-year-old Berlingo leaks. I suppose it’s to do subconsciously with the pursuit of a simpler life. I have the 2CV, which is my ‘classic’ classic and my ageing Smart Roadsters can be every bit as demanding as a classic (far more so than the 2CV, in fact). So, to own a simple old van with windows as my daily driver – a vehicle that can be fixed at minimal cost and with so little hassle – makes sense.…

A Wartburg has a coil, condenser and contact breaker for each of its three cylinders. Perfectly synchronising them (using a depth gauge in the spark plug holes) is a regular chore. Electronic ignition was a useful Eighties refinement: three optoelectronic switches signal three transistor circuits to turn the coils on and off. Good news: ignition failure usually only affects one cylinder. Bad news: three ignition systems mean three times as many potential faults. I fitted an electronic set when I originally recommissioned the car. The set’s previous owner reported that it only ran on two. He very kindly let me have it for free. Unfortunately, at some point he'd removed the cover to investigate and then reversed a car over it. The crumpled chassis and shattered circuit board therefore presented a…

Matt Tomkins PROJECTS EDITOR Our workshop puppet master, Matt has a penchant for restoring British classics in particular. This month Stripped and rebuilt a larger SU carburettor for his Austin Seven racing special. More on how to fit it next time. Rich March PRO BUFFER New recruit Rich runs UK Detailing Academy. Our expert at making things shiny. This month Has been busy writing a feature on convertible roof refurbishment ready to be published next issue. Ed Hughes WORKSHOP GENIUS A former teacher, Ed singlehandedly keeps a fleet of obscure classics on the road. He’s never owned a modern car and intends keep it that way. This month Stalled half way through a brake overhaul. Now intends to remove and sandblast crusty running gear. Nigel Clark DIY RESTORER Nigel’s driveway…

ED’S JOB CARD UNDERSTAND FUEL SYSTEMS Today we'll look at the fuel system, from filler cap to exhaust pipe. I'll begin with an overview, showing all the parts and what they do. The last two pages detail what you might look for if a car isn't running very well. Many problems result from years-long long layups (rust, sediment); others from age (perished or hardened rubber). As usual, a stem-to-stern service will fix most issues in one fell swoop. How tough? You’ll need ▶ Small tool kit ▶ Workshop manual ▶ Fuel pressure gauge Will take (HRS) 2 Will cost (£) 0 EXPLAINER THE SUM OF ITS PARTS To many people, the fuel system of an older car is just the carburettor. However, it can't excel without a number of other supporting…

It was a wonderful Resto Show, but there was a great big hole right at its heart. No Rosie. I’ve been at PC for 25 years and can’t remember an NEC, or any event where Morris Minors are present, when I haven’t been accosted by this force of nature. Interactions with Rosie Hamilton, the no nonsense, straight talking, pocket whirlwind, full of energy and affection were, typically, as follows. She would call my name, look at me with ‘that’ grin, punch me on the arm, tell me off about something, ask me a difficult question, twinkle at me and then tell me a story that she probably shouldn’t tell me. Then she would give me a proper hug, before sending me on my way. Brilliantly inappropriate, always unforgettable and full…

Barmouth, Gwynedd, June 1988 The impressive crags of the Snowdonia National Park form an imposing backdrop to this shot of The Quay at Barmouth. Passing over the bridge is a Provincial Railways’ Class 150/1 ‘Sprinter’ diesel multiple unit on the highly scenic Cambrian Coast Line. But those who’ve chosen to drive instead will have had just as picturesque a trip, too. Heading out of town beyond the Isis sign is a Vauxhall Cavalier, C153 CBP. This MkIIa 1.6 GLS five-door hatchback was registered in June 1986 and survived until circa November 1992. Just ahead, there’s a brief glimpse of its mustard-coloured MkI predecessor. Posh black vinyl Parked over on the right, with its blue paint matching that of the DMU rumbling overhead, is a Ford Granada MkI. With that black…

Best cheap car you’ve bought? This Focus! I paid €600 at the end of 2019 and I've put 120,000km miles on it since then. It’s got over 200,000km now, and my eldest is learning to drive in it! Anthony Cullen Paid £50 for this Laguna in 2006 and had two years of trouble-free motoring. The footwell filled with water when I l went away for a fortnight before I sold it for £50. I now judge everything (value-wise) in terms of ‘how many Lagunas’. Ryan Thomas Before getting married in Gretna Green (we lived in South Wales), I found a cheap Merc 230 Coupé. Crusty round the edges but had full service history and was under a grand. Did 2500 miles on our honeymoon! Next MOT, all it needed was…

Chrysler Avenger I saw this in Settle, Yorks. I'm not sure if this Avenger is in regular use, as it was rather dusty. Graham Lomax, Greater Manchester Volkswagen Beetle Marathon This special edition Bug was seen in the old High Street Hemel Hempstead and it looked immaculate. Ian Smiles, Herts Toyota Celica Spotted in Tokyo, this immaculate Celica is in regular use. Peter Sell, Singapore Austin Seven When the sun makes an appearance, this fabulous Austin is often seen driving around Retford. Eynon Shawe, Lincs Peugeot 304 Decapotable I spotted this wonderful Pug on a street in the centre of Florence recently. It’s possibly a daily driver, if the bash on the front wing is anything to go by! Eddie Boutland, Tonbridge Subaru 360 Super Deluxe I was recently in…

Bentley S2 William Mitchell did a double take when he drove past a collection of Rolls-Royce and Bentley classics near London, Ontario, Canada and stopped to take photos. Jaguar XJ40 An old-school collection of corroded classics from an undisclosed part of the UK, spied by Jack McLean. A forlorn Jaguar XJ40 lies discarded in one corner. Hillman Super Minx This Hillman Super Minx (or Singer/Humber derivative) is shielding a long row of classic Fords. They are almost impossible to see but Jack could just about make out a Granada, Consul Coupé and Capri. Seat 600 An expired Seat 600 used as an advert for businesses on the main shopping street in Cala Millor, Majorca, this one advertising a tattoo parlour. Austin 1100 A bashed-up bright yellow Austin 1100 MkII seen…

James’ pilgrimage to Paris (see p22) is a bittersweet read for me. A couple of months ago, I accidentally came across some very sad news regarding the historic location of one of my favourite car companies. A small story in the Blackpool Gazette caught my eye – the final few buildings that made up the TVR factory on Bristol Avenue have been pulled down. And with that, for me, the curtain had come down on the story of Blackpool’s (second*) most famous car company. The story showed a JCB pulling down the remains of one of the single-storey offices to the far end of what was the factory. It was a sad sight for a petrolhead like me with a real emotional link with the firm. Back in 1979, and…

Last month, my ‘new’ BMW had just arrived at the Practical Classics workshop and was looking a little sorry for itself, covered in moss and grime after sitting unused for 18 months. A session with the power washer was definitely required, but first I decided to put the car in for an MOT test. Potentially a foolhardy decision, given that 18-month period of inactivity and the fact that all I’d done with the car was back it off the trailer and run it up and down the yard to check that it would stop and go as it should. But hey, what could possibly go wrong! As it happens, the test went fairly well, with the only thing preventing a fresh MOT certificate being the nearside headlamp, which proved incapable…

I had always wanted to own a Jaguar, loving the style, performance and sheer excitement of the brand, from the XKs to the X300/308 ranges. My enthusiasm was encouraged further by being given a wonderful ‘Corgi’ model of the MkX, when I was 10 years-old. My chance to become a Jaguar owner came in 2015, when I was offered a 1995 X300 3.2 Sport. To me this car retained the hallmark sporting good looks and luxurious image of its predecessors. Having road-tested new examples in my writing life, I also knew how competent and comfortable they were in their day. The X300 was the first Jaguar model to be developed/introduced under Ford ownership, and was highly regarded, especially in terms of ahead-of-its-time electronic control systems – although as these cars get…