Table of contents for September 2018 in Practical Classics

Classic Car Suspension, Steering & Wheels £25 ISBN 978-1-787111-87-5 A step-by-step guide to restoring and improving the suspension, steering and wheels of your classic car. Like PC, it’s packed with useful tips and techniques. veloce.co.uk MG: Made in Abingdon £14.99 ISBN 978-1-787112-68-1 An intimate account of what it was like to work in MG’s Abingdon factory. From tea trolley to production line and from apprentice to manager. veloce.co.uk Subaru Impreza Group A Rally Car £22.99 ISBN 978-1-785211-10-2 This new manual concentrates on the competition history and anatomy of the Group A rally Imprezas that competed between 1993 and 1996, with insight from drivers and co-drivers. haynes.com…

On November 9-11 the PC team will once again be at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show at the NEC. One of the most popular displays at the event is the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership stand and you’re being given the chance to be a part of it. Andrew Evanson, Senior Operations Manager of Lancaster Insurance, comments: ‘We’re inviting PC readers who own a car made before 2000 to get in touch. Their car must have an interesting story or be so unusual that over 70,000 people need to see it.’ necclassic motorshow.com/lancaster-insurancepride-ownership .…

SAT, AUG 11 WORCS Thrill on the Hill: open day at the Morgan factory, WR14 2LL (morgan-motor.co.uk). CAMBS Maxey Classic Car Show, Quarry Lane, PE6 9EE (maxeyclassiccarandbikeshow.com). YORKS The Bradford Classic, city centre (thebradfordclassic.com). SUN, AUG 12 CO DURHAM Classic Cars at Raby Castle, DL2 3AH (markwoodwardclassicevents.com). GLOS Thrill on the Hill: Morgan gathering at Prescott, GL52 9RD (morgan-motor.co.uk). GLOS Cotswold Festival of Motoring at The Cotswold School, Bourton-on-the-Water GL54 2BD (cotswoldfestivalofmotoring.org) ESSEX Battlesbridge Ford Show, SS11 7RF (battlesbridge.com). HANTS Classic Car Show at Breamore House, SP6 2DF (classicmotorshows.co.uk). WILTS Classic car show at Bowood House, SN11 0LZ (classicshows.org). SAT, AUG 18 LONDON Waterloo Classics gathering, SE1 7RG (waterlooclassics.com). DENBIGHSHIRE Ruthin Show, LL15 1PB (deiniolwilliams@tiscali.co.uk). SAT-SUN, AUG 18-19 CHESHIRE Classic Motor Show at Tatton Park, WA16 6QN (cheshireautopromotions.co.uk). GLOS Saabfest…

IN THE NEWS The Duke of Edinburgh opens the Rootes Group plant in Linwood, Renfrewshire, which will build the Imp. The Profumo Affair takes up most of the column inches until August 8, when the Great Train Robbery shocks the nation. IN THE CHARTS With the release of Please Please Me , the country rapidly develops a case of Beatlemania that will take years to wear off. Gerry and the Pacemakers give them a good run for their money though, with How Do You Do It? , I Like It and You’ll Never Walk Alone all making it into the ten best-selling singles of the year. AT THE FLICKS Six years after this, in 1969,…

Stuff SUVs I couldn’t agree more with John Simister on his world car design piece, (PC, August 2018). Car design is too focused on boring SUVs that all look the same; Lotus are planning one too. Instead of jumping on the ‘me too’ bandwagon, why don’t sports car manufacturers stick to what they do best? Darren Smith, Derbyshire These are testing times I was a bit annoyed by your reporting of the recent changes that exempt vehicles made over 40 years ago from the annual MoT test. You failed to counter the claims that ‘115,000 old cars could legally be back on the road without an MoT’. This is simply not the case. In order for a vehicle to qualify for MoT exemption, it must first have its taxation class…

My GT6 MkII was was a Texas car. I had it converted to RHD, the guy who bought it moved to Australia and took it with him (and still has it). So three owners on three continents, well travelled or what!? Andy Guest Many times, but in the opposite direction. There are loads of UK-market classics that we in the States never got, but would love to have! Alex Kwanten I’d like an Aussie-spec MkIV Cortina with the 4.0-litre six-pot and big bumpers. James Potter I imported my Minor 1000 to Canada when I moved here 13 years ago and I’m still driving it today! James Ellis I imported a ’57 Chevy sedan from Arizona back in the early Nineties. The original buyer chickened out, so I took over the…

Matt says… ‘What a machine this Anglia must have been in its heyday, even with a 997cc engine – I like the chopped screen, too. Sadly it has not been taxed since November 1991.’ Ford Anglia Every car pictured this month in Rust in Peace is from a different reader, proving its possible to win the Star Prize with just a single shot! And the winner here is Harry Loader, who spotted this long-forgotten, hot-rodded Ford Anglia when he was making a diesel delivery to a farm next to the River Severn on the edge of the Forest of Dean. £50 STAR FIND Can you do better! Send your high-res images to practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk Ford Capri MkII This horribly-corroded but beautiful Capri was spotted in…

Brown’s Lane Jaguar moved to Brown’s Lane in 1951. Previously, the company had its HQ in Blackpool. The plant sadly closed in 2005, though up until recently Jaguar still had a classic service garage on site. Longbridge Opened in 1905, Longbridge was the home of Austin Cars for most of its life, with the first cars to come out of the factory being the Austin 15/20 in 1906. The plant went on to make the Austin 7, the Mini, A30, 40, 50, 55 and 60, Allegro, Metro and many others. The last cars built before the SAIC years were the 25, 45 and 75 and their MG equivalents, before the lines halted in April 2005.…

‘My collection had reached the ‘too many’ mark again’ Always a pencil-wielding Luddite at heart, I recently came crashing into the modern world. Not only have I finally signed up to Facebook after years of sturdy resistance, I also managed to use it successfully to sell a car – one I thought would be difficult to rehome. Not that there was anything intrinsically wrong with the Volvo 440 SXi that I relieved James Walshe of last year, indeed we’ve both really enjoyed and been surprised by it. I didn’t want to part with the little Volvo at all, but once again my collection had reached the ‘too many’ mark after acquiring another car (see p90). But the thing is the 440 hardly has the largest fan club in classicdom, and…

There are plenty of Z4 projects around, which have been crashed (cat D) or neglected – either badly modified or run without any maintenance. Because good cars are available relatively cheaply it might not make sense to revive a substandard Z4, but thanks to the fact that so much of the Z4’s running gear is shared with the E46 3-series, it’s easy to find usable secondhand parts, while the new parts supply is also pretty healthy. Even better, parts from BMW dealers aren’t always as costly as you might think. If you do much of the work yourself you can return a tired Z4 to the road surprisingly cheaply. WHAT TO PAY? Project: £500-£1500 Runner: £1500-£3000 Good: £3000-£5000…

1950 Riley RMA Engine 1496cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 55bhp@4500rpm Torque 76lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 25sec Top Speed 78mph Fuel economy 26mpg Work since last report Body painted and returned to the PC workshop. Engine rebuild continues. Also in Danny’s Shed 1956 RILEY PATHFINDER Living in sin with Theo… progressing nicely. 1971 JENSEN INTERCEPTOR New engine parts being shipped from the U.S. 1972 TRIUMPH 2000 My weekend chariot. 1983 VOLVO 340 GL New radiator fitted. Front line classic – in daily use. 1987 MAZDA 626 COUPÉ GT Sidelined til the SAAB lives. 1997 SAAB 9000 CDE 2.3 TURBO Brakes rebuilt, undersealed. Needs an alternator. 2003 FIAT MULTIPLA New Davanti Tyres ordered, and a new radiator fitted. My next daily driver. When I acquired my Riley RMA project from Ron Jones in…

1 Static balancing The pistons, gudgeon pins and con-rods are carefully weight-matched. 2 Core plugs New core plugs are fitted, sealed with a smear of Araldite. 3 Head reassembly The head’s decoked, skimmed and fitted with new valves, springs, guides and hardened exhaust seats. 4 New crankshaft bearings The reground and balanced crankshaft fits snugly but spins freely in its new +0.030in undersize bearings shells. 5 Checking tolerances Plastigauge confirms that the big ends are bang on tolerance. 6 Shiny on the inside Sam pieces the engine together slowly and systematically, with copious lubrication.…

1998 BMW 323i Coupé Engine 2494cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 168bhp@5500rpm Torque 181lb ft@3950rpm Gearbox 5-speed automatic 0-60mph 9.0sec Top speed 139mph Fuel economy 28mpg Work done The BMW E36 Coupé has a big makeover and the GT6 gets brighter rear lights. Also in Nigel ’s garage 1970 TRIUMPH TR6 Clocking up lots of top-down miles. Due a service soon. 1977 RELIANT SCIMITAR I need to change the oil before it takes us on holiday. I bought Trigger the BMW 323i coupé almost five months ago as a cheap, slightly tired car that could provide daily transport and a bit of fun. It has done this admirably, following a thorough service and a few simple mechanical fixes. In fact Trigger still feels like a new car with 100,000 miles on the clock. I’m…

‘It seems right to add my classics to my will’ Thankfully I’m not quite circling the drain yet but lately I have been casually wondering what would happen to my classics if I was hit by a bus tomorrow. Unexpectedly, they’ve become fairly valuable assets and so it seems right to add them into my will. But some important assurances are needed first. I fear the dreaded ‘Hoarder’. This is the kind of person who is okay with dumping a classic vehicle outside in a field, leaving it vulnerable to the elements. In the event of my kicking the bucket, these people are a threat to a lifetime’s hard work and commitment to my hobby. I don’t want them anywhere near my classics. Some, with the best will in the…

SULPHURIC ACID RECLASSIFIED As of July 1, 2018 members of the general public are no longer allowed to purchase battery acid without a valid Explosives, Precursors and Poisons (EPP) license because sulphuric acid has been reclassified as a regulated substance and as such MUST NOT be sold to retail customers by law. As it is unlikely that a private individual will apply for an EPP license to purchase battery acid, specialist suppliers are only permitted to supply dry charged batteries by mail order without battery acid in them. Following supply of dry charged batteries the customer should make arrangements with their local workshop/supplier to fill it on their behalf with the correct battery acid (which should be 38 per cent by volume to avoid invalidating any warranty). Pre-filled wet charged…

Westbury, Wilts, August 25-26 This year is the eighth running of the White Horse Festival in Westbury (Wilts), but it’s the first time that classic vehicles have been a part of the event. Says organiser John Holcombe: ‘Until now the focus of the weekend has been music but this year we really want to embrace classic cars, too, and we’re keen to get as many pre-1994 cars there as possible. Car owners can get in for free, camping is available for just £10 per night and there’s loads to keep everyone amused.’ You need to book your car in by August 17 (via whitehorsefestival@gmail.com ); for more information log on to whitehorsefestival.com…

Got to be the Rover SD1 estate and the Triumph Lynx. What wasted opportunities! A big luxury Volvo-style estate and a proper Capri rival, things BL really needed. Adam Floyd I know they were made in small numbers, but I think the world would be a better place with more Preston Tucker Torpedos and better built DeLoreans. Imagine what these companies would be building today if they had been successful. Daniel Coppock Jaguar XJ13. Just look at it and seriously tell me you don’t want it. Pete Arundel MG EXE could/should have been a world-beater. Richard Moss Bertone’s Citroën BX 4TCbased Zabrus was a superb piece of design. They could have easily developed that for production. Philip Chidlow I always loved the Pininfarina 1800 concept you featured in the mag…

I wouldn’t mind an FSO Polonez while they’re still really cheap . Myles Cartwright I worked in a Lada dealership for 16 years and they were built like tanks. I put up with a lot of abuse but not once did I get let down and left stranded in a Lada. Keith Walton I had a Lada Niva 4x4. All the neighbours used to snigger until winter when I had to pull-start and jump-start their cars – and when it snowed they all wanted a lift! Shaun Matthews The 2CV might have been old tech by then but it still had superior engineering to most budget vehicles of the era. It’d be my choice! Jim Harvey…

Time, it seems, can move forwards and backwards simultaneously. The car now brightening my driveway with its brilliant metallic gold paint, here because it’s brand new and its maker hopes I will consider it for the next European Car of the Year shortlist, is a Dacia Duster. It’s said to be all-new although it looks much like the previous one launched in 2009, give or take some obvious visual tweaks of a facelift nature. So why is it in PC ? It drives uncannily like a classic, while most new cars are remarkably rapid. They rocket away from junctions, zoom up hills and leave old-tech machinery in their wake, usually because they are turbocharged. But not this Dacia. That’s because it is that increasingly rare thing, a petrol-fuelled new car…

REVIEW The Peel succeeds Brightwells does well with some Despite the World Cup distractions, Brightwells did well with its July 11 sale. Much of it down to an excellent catalogue filled with plenty of rarely seen affordable classics. The offer of something you might not see again for a while gets people moving. The star turn was one of fifty Peel P50s built on the Isle of Man in the Sixties and made famous by Clarkson driving one around the BBC on Top Gear. Bought by the vendor for his daughter in 1978, then used for an art project, it was now a restoration project, if only a tiny one. But the winning bid wasn’t tiny: £49,500 against a £30,000 top estimate. Another good performer was one of just 12…

1954 Austin A40 Somerset Price: £3300 A car of character, structurally sound but with plenty of patina. Recent work includes a head gasket, radiator recore and better carburettor. 1957 Sunbeam Supreme MkIII Price: £9950 Past prize-winner with 36,000 miles, current owner 27 years. This is one of the very last built and is very original and well-maintained. 1989 Lotus Excel SE Price: £8950 In lovely condition – only 37,000 miles and three owners. Fresh MoT and big service with belts last year. Still has the factory Blaupunkt stereo fitted.…

2006  Facelift Roadster models arrive, with new 2.5-litre 218bhp and 3.0-litre 265bhp engines. Z4M Roadster debuts, with 343bhp 3.2-litre. 2006  A Z4 Coupé appears, with choice 265bhp 3.0-litre or 343bhp 3.2 petrol engines. 2008  The Edition Exclusive and Edition Sport specials, limited to 300 apiece and 2.0 petrol engine. 2009  An all-new Z4 coupé-cabriolet arrives. More elegant styling, retractable hardtop, two 3.0-litre sixpots, 255bhp and 300bhp.…

Russ Smith I really didn’t need to take on yet another car. Truth be told, cutting my current fleet from four to three golden oldies would have made much more sense. But then you just have to make an exception when a genuine heirloom comes along; a car that has meaning beyond its materials. This 2000 Peugeot 306 LX has been in our family for 17 years now and is that is where it is staying. Because it was my father’s car for all those years, and because I’ve always loved its Diablo Red paintwork. To be fair there was probably no point trying to sell it to anyone else anyway, even with under 39,000 miles on the clock. Unused since late last year, what greeted me on the driveway…

1993 Talbot Express Engine 1905cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 68bhp@4600rpm Torque 89lb ft@2400rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph How long have you got? It takes a while! Top speed 75mph Fuel economy 35mpg Work done Fresh tyres; extensive rear wheelarch repairs to pass the MoT. Washed ready for sale. Also in Matt’s garage 1971 TRIUMPH TR6 Sadly progress has stalled due to a busy work and social calendar of late. I hope to get back on it soon. 1972 TRIUMPH 2000 Filled in admirably while the 205 was out of action – I love this car. Fitting a tow bar is the next job. 1993 PEUGEOT 205 JUNIOR Leaky coolant hoses replaced. Will be sold soon as I need something more spacious and better suited to towing. It has been some time since I’ve…

‘The Convertible’s subtle upgrades shone throughout’ 1960 Morris Minor Convertible Engine 998cc/4-cyl/OHV Power Plenty Torque Unknown Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph Yes Top speed Sufficient Fuel economy 42mpg Work done Driven and enjoyed Also in Matt’s garage 1970 MINOR SALOON Now in the PC workshop – more next time. 1992 ‘BEAN’ MINI Pre-sale prep starts soon. As I boarded the ferry to Santander in Portsmouth and settled down for the crossing, an enormous sense of pride rushed over me. A three-year nut-and-bolt rebuilt was finished, and the car was nestled below deck, ready and waiting to make memories. My girlfriend Emmy and I were soon joined by the friends who would be accompanying us on the trip. Tom Morris was in his 1275-powered convertible and Matt Rathbone was driving his ‘Harlequin’…

1979 Triumph Dolomite 1850 Engine 1597cc/4-cyl/DOHC Power 115hp@6000rpm Torque 90lb ft@6500rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph Lots of seconds Top speed 110mph+ Fuel economy 30mpg-ish Work done It’s more about planning… Also in James’s garage 1967 FORD MUSTANG Perpetually in primer. 1994 MAZDA MX-5 Paintwork still terrible, but insane reliability on tap. 1996 TOYOTA SUPRA Has a leaky turbo. Well hello there readers, it’s been a while! My fleet has grown since my last entry, so allow me to make some introductions. I’ve recently learned that sometimes the steps we take to procuring a new classic car are not straightforward, so here are two very different examples: Number one: simply drink several beers with your friends and ask Matt Tomkins: ‘So when are you putting JLO back together then?’ To which…

You will need Brake union spanner, brake bleeding device or hose, copper grease, brake fluid. Freeing off a union If a pipe’s rusted into the union, soak with penetrating oil and twist the union a little back and forth to free it off. Buy sealing washers Sealing washers are seldom supplied with hoses. Establish the correct size and buy them separately. Use copper grease Give the threads a light smear of copper grease. Keep it well clear of pipe flares and sealing points, so it doesn’t find its way into the hydraulic system. The brakes of a car are connected to the rigid copper or steel hydraulic lines by flexible hoses. These brake ‘flexi-hoses’ have a typical lifespan of five to ten years. They should be considered disposable items, regardless…

John Frye, who recently retired as Morris Minor Owners Club chairman after 40 years, took his 1969 Minor Traveller to South Africa when he went out there to lecture back in 1973. Due to a dock dispute, the poor car rotted on board the ship. He found the shell of this Series II saloon in Randburg, a suburb of Johannesburg, and bought it for 15 Rand (about £8) before spending a year transferring parts from the Traveller to the Saloon, which would become known as ‘Victoria’ after his grandfather Victor. John went on to drive the car tens of thousands of miles including four times to Zimbabwe through Beitbridge. John told PC : ‘One memorable breakdown was in Orlando, a suburb of Soweto, not long after the shooting of two…

The Practical Classics competition Triumph Spitfire MkIV has been won by a school in Edinburgh after students made a successful application. St George’s School for Girls made the bid through the school’s Head of Science and PC reader Mark Ashmore. The judges decided to award the car to the school for a number of reasons. The car will be restored by sixth form students who want to go into engineering and will work closely with the magazine as the project progresses, plus the school also has Spitfire connections of its own. Sir Robert MacLean, who was chairman of Vickers Aviation before WWII, named the plane after his spirited daughter, Annie Penrose - nicknamed ‘Spitfire’ Annie or ‘Little Spitfire’ - who attended St George’s. Mark told PC after the application had…

I enjoyed a fine midnight sky in my Smart Roadster on Midsummer’s Day. What a great summer so far! Not often you see a Veyron in these pages but there were plenty of Bugattis at La Vie en Bleu at Prescott. I met UWE students and their latest project racing car at the spectacular Aerospace Bristol museum. Highlights of the excellent Peugeot Festival 2018 included track driving and this two-door 405 concept. The Citroën Car Club presented its own run of beer at its annual rally. I was only too happy to try some!…

Oh blast! SODA BLASTING PISTOL PISTOL: £60.94 SODA BLAST MEDIA: £27.43 This soda blasting pistol from Laser Tools plugs into your compressor and gives impressive results with no damage to the substrate. Soda is a very soft abrasive and soda blast cleaning is non-destructive — the soda particles shatter upon impact providing a thorough cleaning action that leaves a harmless and safe water-soluble residue. It’s ideal for a great variety of tasks on your classic including engine components and body panels; it cleans, degreases and removes carbon deposits effectively without heating up and causing distortion, and is completely harmless on aluminium components. Part no: 7137. lasertools.co.uk Stop box PLUG LOCK OUT BOX £45.10 Almost every workshop will contain a potentially dangerous piece of equipment, be it a lathe,…

There are national rallies and there are national rallies. Pug Fest ‘18 was a total blast, with hundreds of Peugeots of all eras in the picturesque Cotswold setting of Prescott where owners were invited to drive their cherished cars up the hill circuit – in either leisurely fashion or with a fair degree of verve, depending on the car or driver. The event was proof a club event doesn’t have to be just a bunch of cars in a field. Along with a 405 30th birthday celebration display, Peugeot Sport Club UK pulled a blinder in July, with smiles and excitement from beginning to end.…

Following hot on the heels of the Austin Healey Club’s Shelsley Walsh-based celebration of 60 years of the Frogeye Sprite, the Midget and Sprite Club’s own homage to the original affordable sportster is set to take place at Wroxall Abbey in Warwickhire (CV35 7NB) on Sunday August 26. The club’s Clare Nedin comments: ‘Based near to Healey’s Cape Works in Warwick, the day will see a huge variety of Sprites and Midgets assemble at Wroxall Abbey – from the earliest Frogeyes to the newest Midgets.’ For more, log on to midgetandspriteclub.com/sprite-60th.…

Heathrow Airport, 1963 This splendid view of Heathrow airport’s main car park, as it was in 1963, is looking north towards the entrance to the tunnel under the runway, and out towards the A4. Rather surprisingly the tunnel seems to have been sponsored by Rothmans, whose name and enormous model fag packet is just visible over the entrance. This is barely ten years after the first tent-like terminal was replaced with a permanent building, but the airport is growing fast. From the left in the front row we have a two-tone Austin-Healey, an MGA with a hard-top, a Riley RME, an Austin A55 Cambridge, a Ford Zephyr MkII, an Austin Mini Countryman, a Morris Minor MM, a smart new Cortina MkI, another MGA and an Austin (Mini) Seven. Second row,…

‘The blue one is the first production Ant to leave the line’ 1967 Reliant Ant, 1984 Reliant Ant, Mark Saunders, Leicester 'My 1967 Ant is confirmed as the first production vehicle to leave the line at Tamworth, still carrying its original registration too. It was also used as a press vehicle as seen in Commercial Vehicle Magazine from September 1967. I acquired it in 2016. The glassfibre had a few areas of damage, some suggesting it had been lifted up by its body at some point. The gearbox required work along with electrics and various areas of welding to the chassis were also needed. It had received a large alloy rear body that just didn't suit it or its small Reliant engine. I would like to return it as close…

Audi 100 Coupé I snapped this rarity on the road in leafy West London recently. Can’t remember the last time I saw one. Dave Wakefield, Surrey 1973 Ford Mercury I found this huge Mercury basking in the sun at Tesco Hampton, Peterborough on a Monday lunchtime recently. Mel Holley, Peterborough Renault 7 I spotted this Renault 7 in Es Castell, Menorca. I can’t recall ever seeing one in the UK. A little tatty but clearly in daily use. Huw Lamburn, South Wales Panhard Dyna I saw this lovely Dyna parked outside a boot sale at Pouille Vendee, France. Dennis Le Worthy, Devon 1971 Morris Oxford While taking a coach party to Skegness recently, I had a wander about and spotted this Oxford in a car park. Alan Woods, Peterborough 1976…

1100/1300 range but you don’t notice the weight of the Apache’s bigger bum. Helped by that magic suspension, the car bowls along with great composure. Bumps that would send your Cortina skipping across the tarmac in bends are dismissed by Hydrolastic. Plus, you know you’re driving something special. There’s only one other car in the UK that gives Step inside and it’s all familiar – and yet not. The red South African-spec vinyl is of a quality beyond that of standard BL vehicles and has lasted very well. With light refurbishment, Ian has retained the Apache’s original cabin while cunningly using standard BL bits to repair and replace numerous parts. A cracked dash top was replaced with one from a 1977 Leyland Princess, for instance. The 1275cc soundtrack is familiar,…

After seven years of spasmodic fumbling, my MGB ‘GT6’ was finished. Actually, that’s a lie. The heater was permanently on; the header tank was attached with cable-ties; there was a hole in the transmission tunnel; the screenwash reservoir was a smoothie bottle; the front carburettor overheated in traffic; the interior was semi-derelict and the bodywork was a disgrace. It was, however, finished to the point that was safe to use and broadly functional. For those who haven’t followed the project, I’ve fitted the MG with a Triumph 2500 engine and overdrive gearbox. The engine was built by Jason Wright at TRGB, boasting 10.45:1 compression, Hepolite pistons, a Kent TH5 ‘fast road’ camshaft, a Stage Two cylinderhead, a lightened flywheel and both static and dynamic balancing. Jason reckoned it’d be good…

Cowley The first Morris was built in Cowley in 1915, and over the past 103 years it has seen all manner of models emerge from its gates including the Morris Minor, the Maxi and Marina, the Triumph Acclaim and the Maestro/ Monetgo range. The last ‘BL’ car to come out of Cowley was the Rover 75, whose production switched to Longbridge in 2001 when BMW sold Rover but kept the plant to build the MINI. Solihull Formerly ‘The Rover’, Solihull was once the only plant from which Rover models emerged. It was home to some truly iconic cars – the P4, P5, P6 and SD1 were all built here, along with every Land Rover model built before 2007, when production of the Freelander moved up to Halewood.…

SAT AUG 25 Anglia Car Auctions’ classic sale, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. (01553 771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk) SAT SEP 1 Bonhams, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, Hampshire. (020 7468 5801, bonhams.com/cars) WED SEP 5 RM Sotheby’s, Battersea Evolution, Queenstown Road, London SW8.(rmsothebys.com) THURS SEP 6 Brightwells Modern Classics, Easters Court, Leominster, Herefordshire. (01568 611122, brightwells.com) SAT SEP 8 Bonhams, Goodwood Revival sale, nr Chichester, West Sussex. (020 7468 5801, bonhams.com/cars) WED SEP 12 Charterhouse, Royal Bath & West Showground, Somerset. (01935 812277, charterhouse-auction.com) THURS SEP 13 Dorset Vintage & Classic Auctions, Athelhampton House, Dorchester, Dorset. (01963 363353, dvca.co.uk) SAT SEP 15 Classic Car Auctions, Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa, Warks. (01926 640888, classiccarauctions.co.uk)…

The Z4 may be a two-seater but that doesn’t make it impractical. There’s ample space for a week’s touring, the seats are comfy and refinement is great too. The only drawback is the firm ride which makes poorly surfaced roads a pain, but switching from run-flat tyres or fitting smaller wheels can help here. The icing on the cake is how easy the car is to work on – access to most bits is good and few special tools are needed so you can run a Z4 surprisingly cheaply.…

David Smitheram loves Z4s so much he’s written a book about how to buy one. Launched in July 2018, it’s published by Veloce (ISBN: 978-1-787111-96-7) and draws on David’s experiences with his own Z4M which he’s used for commuting, European touring and track days. SPECIALISTS BMW dealers, via bmw.co.uk Euro Car Parts, 0203 474 0500, eurocarparts.com German, French and Swedish, 0121 626 7981, gsfcarparts.com OWNERS’ CLUBS BMW Car Club bmwcarclubgb.uk Z4 Forum z4-forum.com Z4 Owners’ Club tinyurl.com/y73fgzg8 zroadster.org…

With our daily driver off the road due to an ominous electrical fault, we were faced with a dilemma – hire a car in the hope the Golf can be fixed, or buy a cheap alternative? Three weeks in a rented Corsa costs around £500, and not wanting to pay actual money to take the kids to school in a Vauxhall, we started browsing the web. It needed to be local, have four wheels and a long MoT. After spending a sunny afternoon trawling cheap rubbish online, we gave up and drank some Prosecco. Fuelled by a renewed confidence, I carried on into the small hours, adding items to my ‘watch’ list and making offers. It was a bit like fishing. Sure enough, the next morning, we’d caught a big…

1965 Volvo ‘Amazon’ Engine 1780cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 90bhp@5000rpm Torque 105lb ft@3500rpm Gearbox 4-spd manual + o/d 0-60mph 14.4sec Top speed 100mph Fuel economy 25mpg Work done Engine stripped, machined, reassembled and refitted; new fuel tank installed. Also in Sam’s garage 1934 AUSTIN RUBY Wobbling along excellently. 1968 CHEVROLET CORVAIR On the road and running well after a minor birthday. 1982 WARTBURG 353W In daily service. Quite possibly the finest car ever made. I’ve moaned at length in Practical Classics about my Amazon’s disappointing B18 engine. To recap: it had been ‘rebuilt’ by a ‘specialist’ around 20,000 miles before I bought the car. Routine removal of the cylinderhead led to a voyage of discovery that saw the engine reduced to a pile of component parts, many of which were in some way…

1997 Citroën Xantia 1.8i LX Engine 1761cc/4-cyl/DOHC Power 110bhp@5500rpm Torque 114lb ft@4250rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 10sec Top speed 118mph Fuel economy 32mpg Work done New chrome strips, service, MoT, clutch cable. Also in John’s garage 1934 SINGER LE MANS Nearly finished and looking remarkably good. 1961 SAAB 96 Headed to France for Guild of Motoring Writers Euroclassic. 1968 SUNBEAM STILETTO New factory-original clutch and gearchange coupling. Nine months on from my rediscovery of oleopneumatic serenity via purchase of a proper green-blooded Citroën, my 1997 Xantia is continuing its calming cleverness. I’m just in less of a hurry when I’m floating on its nitrogen-filled spheres. It’s an unsung hero of Nineties car design, more handsome and more intriguing than any rival repmobile, and made to a far better quality than…

1959 Peerless GT Engine 1991cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 110bhp@4800rpm Torque 117lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-spd manual + o/d 0-60mph 10.8sec Top speed 120mph Fuel economy 28mpg Work done Seat belt mounts fitted. Caliper bridge pipes replaced, rear cylinder seal replaced, sound deadening applied, numberplates and front and rear badges fitted. Best laid plans and all that. One thing I didn’t mention last month was my quiet determination to finally get the Peerless to Le Mans Classic. It was the 60th anniversary of a Phase 1 car competing, and finishing, at the event, so plenty poignant. With about eight days to go before I should have been heading towards a Portsmouth ferry, I had to concede the car wouldn’t be ready. Eight days was enough time, but not when work and family commitments can’t…

Sam Glover TECHNICAL EDITOR Sam has broken down in a gigantic variety of classics over the years, then worked out how to fix them. John Simpson MASTER MECHANIC Big John has worked at the greasy end of the motor industry since leaving school. Theodore J Gillam TECHNICAL EXPERT Theo teaches automotive engineering and makes amazing things in his shed. Ed Hughes WORKSHOP GENIUS Ed singlehandedly keeps a fleet of obscure classics on the road. He’s never owned a modern car. Kim Henson CLASSIC CAR GURU Kim’s been restoring classics for over four decades. BMC vehicles are his speciality. Nigel Clark DIY RESTORER Nigel’s driveway achievements rival those of professional mechanics. He’s our resident Triumph expert. NSU PRINZ Should I mollycoddle my classic car... or just drive it? QI bought an…

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:…

If your club’s contact details have changed, please let us know! A  750 MOTOR CLUB 01379 741641, 750mc.co.uk AC OWNERS’ CLUB 07768 363250, acownersclub.co.uk AMERICAN AUTO CLUB (UK) 0845 644 0345, americanautoclubuk.com AMBULANCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY southambpres.wordpress.com CLASSIC AMERICAN AC (GB) 020 8286 1120, classicamericanautoclub.co.uk/ PRE -’50 CLASSIC AMERICAN 01530 831170, pre50aac.com AEC SOC aecsociety.com ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA REGISTER giulietta.com ALFA ROMEO OC aroc-uk.com ALLARD OWNERS’ CLUB allardownersclub.org ALVIS OWNER CLUB alvisoc. org ALVIS REG 01509 412289, alvisregister.co.uk ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY OC 01225 723809, siddeley.org A-SERIOUS (A-SERIES ENGINED CARS) http://aserious.freeforums.org ASSN OF OLD VEHICLE CLUBS OF N IRELAND 028 9146 7886, aovc.co.uk ASTON MARTIN OC 01865 400400, www.amoc.org AUDI 100 COUPÉ S CLUB GB 01702 461513 audi100coupes.angelfire.com AUDI OC 07788 588449 , audiclub.co.uk CLUB AUDI…