Table of contents for August 2015 in Practical Classics

Car Tax – don’t get caught out The FBHVC have issued a reminder that a car’s taxed status ends not with its sale, but with its change of owner. Since the demise of the car tax disc, no ‘current’ tax can be passed to the new owner, even if the car is a gift from one family member to another. If there’s a change of owner on the V5C, apply for tax. www.dvla.co.uk End of the petrol era? The recent G7 summit in Germany included an agreement to phase out all petrol and diesel usage by the end of the century. Even with 85 years to go, it’s ambitious, though Sir Greg Knight MP doesn’t think we should lose sleep: ‘The historic vehicle movement has great capacity to adapt,’ he…

Solihull, we have a problem The Rover P5 Club’s magazine, Take Five, has detailed the first episode of an ambitious and unusual restoration. Tony, Tim and Gus Brooks are the three intrepid brothers rebuilding this Rover P5B camper, nicknamed Apollo for its 1969 build year, and bought at the PC Restoration show in March. Good luck, fellas! MG owner in the hot seat The MG Owners’ Club magazine has an inspriring page about fitting seat-heating pads to his MGC for modest cost and little difficulty. It includes the line ‘I used carpet spray adhesive to avoid any rucking during clenched moments while cornering’. Rubber goods add a spark The Lotus Cortina Register brings a new supply of suitable rubber-cased batteries to the attention of members in the latest issue of…

Nice MkI. Had it for long? ‘Thanks. I bought it in July 2002, so 13 years this month.’ What work have you done? ‘When I got the car it had faded red paintwork, a ripped, leaking hood, the alloys were kerbed and pitted and the interior was also ripped and worn on the front seats. First thing to do was to get the engine running and make sure it passed an MoT, which it did – eventually! The first of three restos began in 2003, then 2007 and the last one was 2011, which saw the metalwork cut out and welded to remove the ever spreading rust. The end result was excellent and I’m still very happy with it 4 years on. In 2012 I managed to bend my old…

Karl’s not riding the crest of a wave The letter from Karl Sheridan in the July issue detailed the disappointment of not having his friendly waves returned by those in passing classics while on a Drive It Day run in his Rover 214 cabriolet. Perhaps the reason for this is that most people don’t consider a 1995 Rover 200 a classic. They do, however, abound in their Midlands home territory – but just as old cars, not classics. Driving a Volvo 122S in the early Sixties always guaranteed a wave from a fellow Volvo or Saab – must be a very Swedish thing! Perhaps we Brits are too reserved. Mike Kennington, by email Disappointed Karl: still disappointed I know I was lucky enough to have my letter printed in the…

• Sadly there is a significant mistake in the May 2015 issue under the mention of the Citroën Car Club in the Club of the Month column. While the dates are right, ie 10-12 July 2015, our National Rally is to be held at Willow Brook Farm, Stamford Road, Peterborough, PE6 7EL and NOT the Skylark Showground near March. I’m not sure where this came from but clearly there could be many readers attending the wrong location, causing them inconvenience! Steph Savill, PR Office, Citroën Car Club, citroencarclub.org.uk • I must point out that in your article on the Triumph Dolomite in the July 2015 issue, the 1850 Dolomite is listed twice as being in production from 1976 to 1980. This is incorrect as I have a 1972 Dolomite 1850.…

March 2006 Stripdown Having been restored previously, the chassis was in good order, but the bodywork was pretty rotten. The front wings were particularly challenging. July 2007 Welding work The entire rear valance had rotted away, so a new panel was purchased. However, most of the other repairs were achieved by cutting out the rot, making repair sections and welding them in. April 2008 Coming together With new floors welded in, the shell begins to take shape. The entire process was done by trial and error, with John learning as he went along. February 2010 Woody hell The frame had been riddled by woodworm at some point in the car’s life, so it had to be treated. July 2012 Nearly done John wasn’t looking for a concours finish. He retained…

I’ve always hated diesels. Compression ignition engines, I reckoned, were suitable only for HGVs, industrial machinery and slow, dull economy cars for the less imaginative end of the lumpen proletariat. And the French. I have a troubling early memory of my mother pounding the starter motor of a diesel Peugeot 205 van with a lump hammer outside my primary school. My street cred had never been high, but I felt this plunged it to new depths. Until a few years ago, the only diesels I’d been unfortunate enough to own were a crude and gutless Austin FX4, a crude and gutless Ford Transit MkIII and a crude and gutless Volga M24. However, I’ve now decided that diesels are great. There are a number of factors behind my flip-floppery. Firstly, I’ve…

Dirty thoughts I’m starting to wonder whether the next time I sell a car it would be better to forego the usual routine of buffing it to within a micron of its life. There may be greater profit if I park it in the weedy patch at the side of our driveway, empty the contents of the Dyson over it, let a tyre down and maybe drop something on the bonnet. Such is the fervour for barn finds that people are starting to pay well over the odds for just about any pile of grot. At least when this trend began a few years back, the cars involved had something that made you want to see them saved, like one of the first 1959 Minis, or a Marina coupé once…

1934 Austin Ruby Engine 747cc/4-cyl/SV Power 12bhp@2600rpm Torque n/a Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph n/a Top speed 52mph Fuel economy 45mpg Work since last report Removed, rebuilt and reinstalled engine; serviced, tweaked and fettled everything else. 4 (WKS) TIME 1870 (£) SPENT 2 MILES The engine of my rat-look Austin Ruby has been the subject of nine Practical Classics Engine Rebuild features over the past year-and-a-bit. Under the enlightened guidance of Seven guru Ian Bancroft, it was transformed from an unsightly mess with minimal compression and dismal oil pressure to a handsome unit with better-than-new innards. The rest of the car, meanwhile, loitered unloved and immobile in an oily puddle. Parts and guidance from Ian would clearly be required to fit and fettle the rehabilitated engine. Rather than relying on the…

About Guy Automotive historian, author, publisher, broadcaster and auctioneer. And the man behind the period police force at the Goodwood Revival each year, too! 1958 Jaguar MkI Engine 3442cc/6-cyl/DOHC Power 210bhp@5500rpm Torque 216lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual Top speed 120mph 0-60mph 10.4sec Fuel economy 16mpg First report Broken exhaust and other issues result in Guy returning his much-loved MkI to Jaguar’s spiritual home at Browns Lane in Coventry Work since last report Time spent: Two years Cost: 50/50 split with friend Total distance: 3000 miles I have long loved the simple and purposeful lines of the MkI Jaguar. This is almost certainly engendered by my dad’s boyhood hero being Mike Hawthorn. Mike raced MkIs for John Coombes and then latterly for himself, and the tale ended tragically when he was…

Kim says… SERVICING INTERVALS Every 3000 miles or annually. Variations relating to specific components are identified in the steps. The Giugiaro-penned Volkswagen Golf was introduced to the UK in 1974. Its crisp styling, fine handling and impressive reliability won praise from the motoring press and public alike. The GTI version arrived in 1976 with a fuel-injected overhead cam 1.6-litre engine, uprated suspension, ventilated front disc brakes, wide wheels and a deep front airdam. The mechanically similar GLI Convertible made its debut in 1980. Greater power and torque outputs were provided by a new 1.8-litre engine in 1982. The Golf is well-engineered and straightforward to look after on your driveway – making it an ideal classic for daily use. There’s a generous amount of under-bonnet space and all servicing components are…

Sam Glover Technical editor You name it, Sam has probably rescued it, broken it and mended it. John Simpson Master mechanic Big John has worked at the greasy end of the motor trade since leaving school. Theo Gillam Budget tech guru Diesel pervert Theo has been fiddling inventively with older cars for years. Ed Hughes Workshop genius Engineering teacher Ed maintains a huge fleet of obscure classic cars. Neil Campbell Weekend tinkerer Neil’s an everyday classic driver and enthusiastic weekend mechanic. Kim Henson Technical expert Kim’s been restoring cars for over four decades. BMC vehicles are his speciality. TRIUMPH SPITFIRE Should I fit an ammeter or a voltmeter? QI need to fill a hole in my 1978 Triumph Spitfire’s dashboard. Will a voltmeter or an ammeter be more useful? How…

Parts&Accessories A30/35 BOOT & BONNET, Alpine 1-5 wings, H/D Compressor requires pressures, H/D bandsaw 2ft bed both 1 phase & portable. 175 x14x4 tyres, 165 x 14x4 commercial ply, Viva/Bedford cylinder head, new. John Pocock, West Sussex: 01243 814826 A30 GEARBOX £50, Mini steering rack £20, steel wheels £5 each, Radiator (sound) £15. Reg, Staffs: 01889 271037 BMC/LANCIA, alloys and engine. BMC P.Pot 5J 12 and Lancia 5 ½J 14 (HPE). Mini 1000 engine on subframe, Offers. J Belcher: 01689 872362 CARBURETTORS: SU 1¼” one new one S/H. Suit A40, A60 Mini, Minor etc. £50 and £40. S.U. 1½” Suit various BL. £50. Also, as new Pierburg, Sierra 1800 £50. Post at cost, B Freeman, West Midlands: 0121 7063007 CAR COVER – Classic Additions breathable outdoor. Model ‘ULTIMATE semi fit…

10 YEARS AGO We kick off with a double-page spread of a Terry Davey cutaway showing Rover’s SD1. One of our odder but more intriguing group tests feature people carriers – Checker Aerobus, Barkas B1000, Fiat 600 Multipla and others. Motorsport numpties Danny Hopkins and Nigel Boothman have a go sprinting in a Sprite at Goodwood. Nige spins, Danny wins. 20 YEARS AGO David Lillywhite explains the best ways to throw money at your Imp, whether greater speed or just a dash of reliability is what you’re looking for. We also offer one of our periodical ‘how to’ features on MIG welding and two pages of Hydrolastic wisdom from Trevor Kemish. Fancy going slowly in some style? Our Morris Eight buying and driving guide is still very relevant today. 30…

I’m Richard Dredge, Practical Classics’ new clubs contact. If you run a club and you want to be in the mag, get in touch. If you’ve got a major event, weekend or tour coming up, we want to know about it. We also want to hear about changes within your club and heroes deserving recognition, as well as promoting regional, multi-marque clubs – so if you’re involved, let me know. Got a club story? We’d love to know about it. Email practical. classics@bauermedia.co.uk…

How did it start? ‘In 2006 a group of enthusiasts started a classic car club for people living in the Cheltenham area. It’s all about enjoying classic motoring whether your car is worth £100 or £100,000.’ What’s in the club? ‘We have around 160 members from Wiltshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire, with cars ranging from 1904-1994.’ What about meetings? ‘We attend events far and wide throughout the season plus we have a monthly meeting on the first Friday during summer and first Sunday during winter at our clubhouse near Andoversford.’ What’s 2015’s highlight? ‘Our annual day at the club house on July 19. Entry is free but it’s in aid of the Midlands Air Ambulance and local heart unit, so we’re hoping for donations. We’ll have the BBMF Lancaster…

Spluttering into life on a freezing, grimy and early Monday morning in 1991 Swindon, a feeling of smug wellbeing flooded through me. After a couple of awesome breakdowns in borrowed classics, outside was a gleaming new company pool car fleet Volkswagen Golf GTI. Just right for the long journey ahead. Over a big bowl of Kellogg’s Country Store, I recalled the TV advert in which a very nice but fearsome young lady storms out of a Chelsea mews house, shoves her wedding ring through the door, and discards her fur coat, worth at least the sale price of the original spec AEC-engined Routemaster buses coming out of service at the time. After a moment’s hesitation, she decides not to throw away her car keys, jumps into her Golf GTI and…

Thursday July 9 Dorset Vintage & Classic Auctions, Athelhampton House, Dorchester, Dorset (01963 363353, dvca.co.uk) Saturday July 11 H&H Classics, Chateau Impney, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire (01925 210035, www.handh.co.uk) Wednesday July 15 Brightwells’ sale, Easters Court, Leominster, Herefordshire (01568 611122, www.brightwells.com) Sunday July 19 Charterhouse Auctions, Sherborne Castle, Dorset (01935 812277, www.charterhouse-auction.com) Sat-Sun July 25-26 Silverstone Auctions, Wing Building, Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire (01926 691141, www.silverstoneauctions.com) Tuesday July 28 Barons Auctions’ Classic sale, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey (08454 306060, barons-auctions.com) Saturday July 29 H&H Classics, Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire (01925 210035, www.handh.co.uk) Friday July 31 Richard Edmonds’ Pre-war & VSCC Eligible Cars, Toddington Railway Station, Gloucestershire (01249 444544, www.richardedmondsauctions.com)…

The sale of the contents of the much-missed Stondon Museum in Bedfordshire by Brightwells Auctions realised a total of £660,000. The smarter lots drew most interest, with a 1950 Ford V8 Pilot ‘Woodie’ Estate hitting an impressive £21,000. Perhaps the best buy of the day was a 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner for £8800, even though the electrically-powered folding roof wasn’t working. Other oddities included an Enfield Electric city car (£3400), a Berkeley T60 (£2800), a Bond Bug (£3800) and a Nobel Fuldamobile (£1800).…

1970 Triumph TR6 Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 150bhp@5500rpm Torque 164lb ft@3500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual + o/d Top speed 119mph 0–60mph 8.2sec Fuel economy 20mpg Work since last report Mainly driving this month, plus a repair of the TR6’s fuel pump electrics and a full scale rewire of the rear lights for the Scimitar. 1 (DAY) TIME 35 (£) SPENT 1800 MILES This month is about driving. Using a classic daily is an absolute delight, making every journey special. The TR6 took me for a weekend away in Bournemouth, a round trip of 340 miles. For the most part the driving was blissful, cruising easily in overdrive with sun shining, roof down and few traffic hold ups. But it didn’t all go according to plan; after a sandwich stop in the New…

The Polish version of the Fiat 126 outsold its parent model several times over. This was mainly because it stayed in production for two decades longer. The little twin-cylinder air-cooled unit was assembled and later manufactured at Bielsko-Biala and (appropriately) at Tychy. The 126p was an almost exact clone of the Fiat, though, so a close examination its engine applies equally to the Turin-built car. Production stretched from 1973 to 2000. The original 594cc expanded to 652cc, before being replaced in 1987 with a new horizontally-mounted water-cooled 704cc unit in the 126BIS. This BIS engine still shared various parts with its ancestor, maintaining a lineage that stretched all the way back to the 1957 Fiat 500. [A] FAN AND PULLEY The fan is not mounted directly to the engine but…

Ed says… Remove clutch dust with warm, soapy water. Never air-blast or dry-brush it away. Clutch judder is at best annoying and at worst can render your classic undriveable. It’s a high amplitude oscillation that rapidly and repeatedly lifts and drops the engine and gearbox when setting off from rest. The judder car be magnified by the flexible engine and gearbox mountings, and by the cushioning springs fitted to the clutch friction disc. It may occur in first or reverse gear, or both. The friction plate of the clutch is pressed between the flywheel and the sprung pressure plate. The smooth slipping of the clutch when setting off relies on steady control from the pedal linkage (rod, cable or hydraulic) and completely clean and uniform rubbing surfaces throughout all parts…

I love Triumph adverts from the Sixties and Seventies. They’re simple, cheeky, cheesy and knowing. This one is typical… a heady mixture of macho fantasy and forward thrusting futurism. It’s also enjoyably rubbish. I particularly like the orange traffic beacons in the foreground. It makes me think the Triumph publicity unit saw an opportunity and jumped at it before the security guard realised they were taking a picture and told them to bugger off. This ad closely pips the marvellously misogynistic Herald advert that proclaimed ‘The air stewardess gets dated, the Triumph Herald doesn’t.’ I can just see Triumph’s crack PR team going down the pub for a Hamlet and a Watney’s after thinking that one up.…

The competition to win Practical Classics’ newly completed Westfield kit car is still ongoing. It could be you! The green machine has demanded blood, sweat and tears from all concerned, but the long awaited build is now finally complete (with thanks to CBR (Andy Waters): www.cbrmotorbodies.co.uk ) and the only thing that stands in the way of the car hitting the open road is the registration document from the DVLA (in process, see p114 for more). To enter into the draw and give yourself a chance of becoming a Westfield owner, all you have to do is fill out the competition entry form below and send it back to us at the magazine address (see p28) by September 3, 2015. ** Enter this information so that Practical Classics…

PCwent on the Mendip Tour and found these beauties. Which would you take home? The MkIV Cortina. My father had these when we were young and they were fast, comfy and reliable cars. I’d consider the Escort though! Dan Taylor It’d be the Fiat for me every time! So cute. Makes you smile like no other car. Sarah Bates The Rolls-Royce of course. When all the others are giving their owners backache and their fillings are falling out, I would simply waft past in my Rolls’ while relaxing in luxury! Leo Thomas I want all the Fords. I want all the Fords in the world! Harry Edmunds I’ve been looking for a MkIV Cortina for ages now and they’re virtually extinct. Found a few MkV models – a nice Crusader…

Neil Campbell goes for a ride I have a confession: I love Austin Sevens. I love the way they look, the way they feel and how they behave on the road. If you’ve not driven a pre-WWII car before, a Seven is the best starting point. There’s nothing to fear here. The controls are where you’d expect them to be and the Girling brakes, as fitted to the Ruby, are more than up to the job. The narrow track and tyres do lead to tramlining, but the lock is pretty good and it’s not too bad to manoeuvre at low speeds. You feel mechanically connected to all aspects of the car, and the bouncy ride is nothing but charming, as is the view from the cockpit.…

Swedish is a hard language to understand. When I bought my 1961 Saab 96 two-stroke in 2001 and drove it home from Trollhattan, I got hopelessly lost in Gothenburg. That’s because I’d look at the map, try to remember the names of the streets and then, as soon as I put the map down, the names would be gone again. Vanished, in a puff of mental vapour. Every quarter I get the magazine of the Svenska Saabklubben. It’s largely incomprehensible beyond a few words of obviously non-Swedish origin, but full of pictures of people doing fun things with old Saabs. So, what do you think på taket means? You want your father to take something away? No, it means ‘on the roof’. That was the sobriquet of a genial, fast…

1970 Morris Oxford Price: £2525 Only three owners from new. Refurbished 13 years ago and still solid underneath, but in need of a little TLC. Good leather seats. Alternator conversion. 1985 Porsche 924S Price: £3645 Recent £2000 gearbox rebuild, cambelt service, new engine mounts and carpets. Fitted with leather, electric 944 seats. 77,000 miles. 1977 Triumph Stag Price: £9250 Manual with overdrive, original hard-top, full Triumph specialist history going back to 2004. Stored in air-controlled environment. New MoT. Tips for sellers No 18: Don’t rush… If someone is coming to view your pride and joy give then them time. Don’t plan to do stuff, make sure your buyer is comfortable and unhurried. Tips provided by Silverstone Auctions…

2006 Westfield Seven Engine 2091cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 148bhp@6000rpm Torque 140lb ft @4500rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual Top speed 100mph (approx) 0-60mph 6sec (approx) Fuel economy 28mpg (approx) Work since last report Prepared for IVA test. Tested. Failed. LOT (DAYS) TIME 450 (£) SPENT 0 MILES The Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test, that a kit-built vehicle needs to pass before it can be registered, is very big on detail – weights, shapes, radii and decibel levels are just a few of the areas that the VOSA man checks. Here at Practical Classics we can cope with the concept and necessary rigour of the MoT test, but a first-time bash at the IVA, unaided, looked like a route to the longest failure sheet in history. We needed help, so we turned to Andy Waters…

1972Reliant Regal 3/30 saloon Engine 701cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 29bhp@5000rpm Torque 34lb ft@2500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60 mph 25+ sec Top speed 75 mph Fuel economy 55mpg Work since last report Interior thoroughly rejuvenated, door and boot aperture seals renewed, ignition system components upgraded to cure misfire, fuel system sorted to eliminate leaks and blockages, cooling system chemically flushed (yet again), heater/fan assembly changed. 3 (DAYS) TIME 90 (£) SPENT 450 MILES Despite my best efforts, as departure time for my long-planned classic car adventure to France approached, it became clear that the Reliant was simply not yet fit for a long journey. This was disappointing, but the correct decision. My wife and I took our Austin A35 instead. Trying times There were still multiple difficulties to resolve on the Regal, especially…

Theo says… If a tyre has cracks, bald patches or bulges, DO NOT use it on the road. Check all tyres carefully before fitting them. The ability to change your own tyres was essential in the days when roads were fierce, tyres were frail and inner tubes were in fashion. Although it’s no longer a fundamental requirement of motoring, mastering the technique can still save you money and spare you aggravation. With the increase in popularity of Internet shopping and specialist tyres pushed through your letterbox, tyres often have to be fitted by someone who didn’t supply them. However, in recent years, major tyre dealers have become very reticent to fit a customer’s tyres to their rims. They can be even more grumpy if the tyres aren’t new. The cost…

Ed says… It’s vital to keep all parts clean and grit-free. Keep your workspace totally spotless at all times. We showed you how to strip and assess your rear-wheel drive classic’s gearbox in the Spring and July issues of Practical Classics . Now it’s time to put it back together again. If you’ve made it this far, reassembly shouldn’t present too many challenges. There’s a lot to do – but it’s all pretty straightforward. There’s no need to worry about shimming or adjustment, because the components are held in fixed positions by pre-drilled holes, the clamping effect of the end casings and springy convex washers and circlips. Consult your drawings and photos of disassembly as you go, because workshop manuals can be infuriatingly vague about which way round things are…