Table of contents for December 2022 in Practical Classics

You meet a lot of inspiring people in my job. The world of classics, of cars in general in fact, is full of passionate, brilliant individuals who are always willing to share their knowledge and expertise. It keeps my own enthusiasm fresh and connected and means that every day is a school day… I learn all the time. But when that fabulous landscape of bright brilliance is added to with a generosity of spirit, a willingness to share that knowledge and enthusiasm for the greater good, then I learn something more than simply extra stuff about cars and how to restore them; I learn about myself, about the state of my own mental health and about human nature. The way I look at the world is profoundly affected by my…

The team behind a new ‘Repair Shop’ style classic vehicle heritage and restoration centre has begun recruiting staff. Great Northern Classics (GNC) will employ 120 people and train apprentices each year at the historic former Rolls-Royce factory in Derby, where the ribbon will be cut next summer with the help of a £1.25m loan from the city council. Specialist firms at the centre will include anyone from trimmers and bodywork experts to electricians, while visitors can expect shops, car sales and storage facilities in what’s described as a combination of Bicester Heritage and the BBC show The Repair Shop. GNC will operate as two separate businesses – a commercial arm with income from rents and the café, and a training school, which will be a not-for-profit Community Interest Company. Clubs…

Pumping gas C-OOC tanked up at Tatton This summer the Cambridge-Oxford Owners Club came up with the idea of a period garage theme for its stand at the Tatton Park Classic Car Spectacular over the Jubilee weekend. Chairman Eddie Foster said: ‘We recreated the look of a Sixties car dealership called Jubilee Motors, based on old photos of period service stations. We had a couple of reproduction petrol pumps, complemented with pump attendant jackets. Visitors were invited to take selfies while 'pumping gas' and the kids were amazed to learn that it used to be a real job! It all went down a storm and was a great way to entice visitors onto the stand.’ There is more at co-oc.org/jubilee-motors. ON THE RUN The world's longest-running automotive event is set…

It can be easy to lose faith these days. If you believe the news, the online sensationalism that invades our lives every day, the world is full of spite, division and selfishness… we’re all doomed. Yet, back in the real world, particularly in our world, the opposite is true. We are surrounded by decent humans doing great things to help each other, and that is what our Britain’s Favourite Classic Charity competition set out to celebrate. With our mates at Lancaster Insurance Services, we asked you to nominate, and then vote for, your favourite classic car related charities. You did, and now my job is to go and visit each on in turn to find out why they are so special and how we can all get involved. My mission…

Like many of us, my story starts with my dad. He bought a Harvest Gold Cavalier Coupé GLS back in 1976, and I have been on the hunt for one since I passed my driving test in 1995. That included mounting a nationwide hunt to find my dad’s actual car. The search sadly yielded a response from the breaker who, as it turns out, crushed it in 1992. So, I moved on to plan B, to find one just like my dad’s. It only took about an hour! Just after finding out about the demise of dad’s car, I got a message from a bloke on one of the Facebook groups I had been searching through, asking if I wanted to buy his car. It was a Harvest Gold Cav…

Any restoration project is a major undertaking, but to get this 1973 Alfa Romeo Spider 2000 to the award-winning standard you see it in now actually took two or possibly three projects, depending on how you count them. As once Anglia Car Auctions had delivered the car Tony D’Alelio had snapped up for £3200, he realised it was going to need more work than expected and he’d need room to do it properly. Not a man who is easily fazed, Tony took a long, hard look at the commercial greenhouse at the end of his garden that had been used for growing grapes. While the Alfa sat patiently in his regular garage, he spent the next eight months rebuilding the greenhouse and converting it into a large and well-equipped garage.…

The drivers were becoming restless. Marshalled into their micro classic cars for a standing start, the pressure was mounting as the absence of several late-running competitors held up proceedings. Amid the cohort, I observed a sideways glance that was met with a conspiratorial look, the result of which was a non-verbal agreement being made; it was time for mischief. Grins flickered across faces as one sharp toot of a horn was followed by another, and another; it was a most polite and delightful protest. This amicable bunch of impatient pilots, aged between four and eleven years-old, were attendees of Goodwood’s Settrington Cup test day, and I wondered; if given a second chance at childhood, would I want to join them on track? The answer was probably not. Any competitive edge…

James Walshe DEP EDITOR 1985 Citroën 2CV Engine 602cc/2-cyl/OHV Power 29bhp@5750rpm Torque 31lb ft@3500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 32.7sec Top speed 71mph Fuel economy 50mpg Work done Body separated from chassis. 2 (hrs) TIME 500 (£) SPENT 0 MILES Also in James’s garage 2001 FORD PUMA 1.7 Due a service as I’ve been using it rather a lot lately. 2004 SMART ROADSTER Why does cruise control not work when I fit the steel wheels? Answers please! My 2CV’s revival commenced a matter of seconds after the insurance payout. The first call was to Gemma at the 2CV Shop in Wiltshire, who priced up the list of essential parts. A boot floor, inner and outer rear wings and rear quarter panels were ordered – plus a new canvas roof to replace…

Why did you do it? Compared to modern cars, classic cooling systems can be marginal in their heat dispersal capability. Add hotter burning modern fuel, warm weather and perhaps some engine upgrades, and it’s a recipe for a needle hovering towards the red. My GT6 is a case in point, with a tightly packed engine bay and larger engine conspiring to make the smallish radiator squeezed in by Triumph seem inadequate. SHINY SOLUTION Alloy radiators are available for many popular classics and offer more heat dispersal capacity than brass and copper types. What’s being done? I’m going through the cooling systems of my classics, first making sure they are in good standard condition, flushed, and filled with suitable coolant. I am upgrading the GT6 with a thermostatically controlled electric fan…

The most beloved of British sports cars, the MGB, has celebrated its 60th anniversary in style with a spectacular bash at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. More than 1200 MGBs and 2500 visitors from all over the UK and as far afield as Australia and the USA attended the event, which was organised jointly by the MGB Register of the MG Car Club and the MG Owners Club. Forming the centrepiece of the event, the museum’s frontage played host to an impressive and informative display put together by Andrew Vigor. A timeline of specially selected MGBs lined up to represent each year of production, enabling visitors to see the evolution of the car, from its conception in 1962, all the way through an eventful life to the end of production…

Nominate! Do you know someone aged 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! What’s your motivation? 'I love old cars. I have done since I was a little kid. I think it is important ‘bread and butter’ vehicles of the Eighties and Nineties are preserved and appreciated especially as time has not been kind to them. They are now far rarer than older classics, with factors like the 2009-10 scrappage scheme resulting in so many being prematurely destroyed.' Where do you find them? 'I live in Surrey, just inside the M25. In London, unusual Eighties and Nineties models, which I love the most, are noticeably more…

Even after many years of writing about classics sometimes a car comes up that has me drooling like a coach-load of dieting Hollywood actresses touring a chocolate factory. ‘Just look at thaaaat!’, said I, brandishing a copy of the Sunbeam Talbot Alpine Register (STAR) magazine and gesturing at the photo of an automotive vision therein. The club has actually bought a 1939 Sunbeam Talbot 3-Litre saloon and just look at it… magnificent flowing lines, fine engineering and a big radiator grille you can fling your arms around like a pet dog. A six-cylinder engine, glorious gear whine and beautifully crafted interior. The essence of a truly joyful pre-war car. ‘Just look at it!’ I proclaimed as just about everyone else rose in a united display of semi-apathy. The car had…

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Why you want one In many ways the perfect representation of a thrusting Seventies executive, the Granada possessed the very best of Ford’s many attributes and performance that saw it dominate the market well into the Eighties. It was the classic three-box exec saloon, filled with soft furnishings and marketed to families with numerous needs – from luxury holiday cruiser to practical estate. Stylish, comfortable and luxurious, the Granada MkII remains as satisfying to own and drive as it ever was. Here, we help you with your prospective purchase… Which one do I want? The first MkIIs were available in 2-litre, 2.3-litre V6, 2.8-litre V6 (with optional fuel injection) and 2.1-litre diesel form. The range went from basic ‘L’ trim, to GL, Ghia – plus the sporty ‘S pack’ additions…

REVIEW The Virage is seen by many as the final, hand-built model of old-school – read financially chaotic – Aston Martin. In 1988, just as the Virage was ready to be shown to the world, the famous Newport Pagnell firm was absorbed into the Ford Motor Company. The Virage therefore became the first to be showcased under the stewardship of the American automotive behemoth. Taking plenty of its influence from the wedgetastic Lagonda saloon, this new and forward-looking Aston GT’s design was the work of Ken Greenley and John Heffernan. It might have looked all new, but plenty of the peripheral parts fitted to the Virage came from budget-friendly manufacturers – Audi 200 headlights, VW Scirocco rears and Citroen CX mirrors, we could go on... Thankfully, the important bits were…

Seeing the Vauxhall Cavalier Coupé (p46) being treated to a full and loving restoration is an absolute joy. I’ve owned two near-identical models, both in Bright Copper Metallic like this one, and they figure highly on the list of all-time favourite cars I’ve owned. I mean, look at it – what a handsome devil it is. Believe it or not, I do identify myself as a classic Vauxhall fan, with cars in the marque’s back catalogue really tugging at my heartstrings. A Chevette was one of my very first cars, and a Cavalier saloon run on a shoestring just after passing my driving test taught me a thing or two about driving and car maintenance. But for me, something went badly wrong for Vauxhall along the way. Writing this column…

WIPER MOTOR Wiper speed could drop off gradually over time due to the gearbox grease solidifying or the motor’s brushes wearing out. CRANKCASE BREATHER Many cars have positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) systems that can become clogged depending on mileage. ENGINE MOUNTINGS Rarely on an official schedule, but older classics’ powertrain mountings will degrade over time. THEO'S JOB CARD JOGGING THE MEMORY BANK Today we’re going to be working around some fairly modern classics and identifying the various service points that are often overlooked. We’ll start under the bonnet and look at what’s in the sump and radiator, and the timing belt. Other points often missed are spark plugs, the power-assisted steering fluid, and the state of the screen-wash reservoir. Elsewhere on the car, we’ll consider the transmission and long-life lubricants,…

Starting HANDLE James Walshe mourns the loss of the new car sales brochure Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but I absolutely love the new Audi eTron GT. It’s a huge, obscenely fast, beautifully svelte electric thing with muscular Quattro-esque flanks. I like it so much, I tried to order a brochure. However, it seems car makers have twigged how pricey it is to send sales material to time-wasters like me. Brochures are evidently online only now. I have tonnes of sales material from the Fifties through to the early Noughties. From flaky Seventies Vauxhall price lists and Eighties Ford upholstery charts to pleasingly thick, glossy hardback Mercedes booklets from the Nineties, I hoard a vast array of brochures plucked from showrooms and motor shows. I was one of those kids…

Show your engine in a good light UNDER-BONNET INSPECTION LAMP £75 This is a bit of a whopper. It’s Ring Automotive’s new rechargeable lamp (part no. RUBL2000), and it delivers 1200 lumens for two hours; alternatively, switch to half power and it’ll give 600 lumens for four-and-a-half hours. They’re aiming this at pros, so it promises to be 60 per cent brighter than the outgoing model, plus it has an IK07 impact rating – so it should survive being dropped a bit. The lamp is extendable to 1.8 metres, and its grab hooks attach helpfully to the underside of your bonnet. The spread of light can also be swivelled through 360 degrees, so there’s always light where you want it. ringautomotive.com BRIGHT! This light is a seriously handy hands free…

Bournemouth, Dorset, Summer 1984 Taxi! There’s certainly a good selection here, outside Bournemouth station under the watchful gaze of the parked private cars opposite – such as a Mini, pre- 1981 facelift Ford Granada MkII and Triumph 2000/2500/2.5 MkII saloon. The hire vehicles waiting for summer tourists at the Dorset resort’s main rail hub begin with a 1979 Morris Marina MkIII 1700L estate in glorious Sandglow shadowed by a 1975 Ford Cortina MkIII 1.6, before we get to a ‘proper’ taxi – an Austin FX4 cab. We’re back in Marina territory again with the white MkI estate; that body-coloured grille panel denotes a 1.8. The black sills and front valance suggest the seaside climate has not been kind to it. Nestling behind it is a Granada MkI-shape four-door Ford Consul,…

COST NEW £5569 VALUES NOW £150,000-£300,000 1971 Ferrari Dino 246GT ENGINE 2418cc /6-cyl/OHC GEARBOX 5-speed manual BRAKES Front and rear: ventilated discs, servoassisted SUSPENSION Front and rear: independent by wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar and telescopic dampers. STEERING Rack and pinion POWER 195bhp@7600rpm TORQUE 167lb ft@5500rpm TOP SPEED 148mph 0-60MPH 7.1sec ECONOMY 19mpg WEIGHT 1258kg COST NEW £29,445 VALUES NOW £10,000-£30,000 1988 Audi Quattro MB ENGINE 2226cc/5-cyl/OHC GEARBOX 5-speed manual BRAKES Discs front and rear (ventilated front), servo-assisted, ABS SUSPENSION Front and rear: MacPherson struts, lower wishbones, anti-roll bar. STEERING Rack and pinion, power-assisted POWER 197bhp@5500rpm TORQUE 210lb ft@3000rpm TOP SPEED 138mph 0-60MPH 6.4sec ECONOMY 25mpg WEIGHT 1300kg COST NEW $5231 (£1868) VALUES NOW £20k-£35k 1958 Cadillac Model 62 Coupe de Ville ENGINE 5954cc/8-cyl/OHV GEARBOX 4-speed auto BRAKES Drums front…

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES By the end of this article, you should be able to state the main principles a carburettor’s operation, including the characteristics of petrol, air pressure, and the makeup of air. You should also be able to name and identify the function of the main parts of the carburettor, and appreciate the way each part combines to make the carburettor as a whole, in order to provide fuel/ air mixture to the engine under different loads and conditions. In addition to this, you should be able to identify different types of carburettor and their basic operation. Weber 32 ICEV Carburettor This is a fairly advanced downdraft, fixed-jet carburettor fitted to small Fiats in the Nineties, and is similar in basic concept to carburettors manufactured for decades before. Different…

ED'S JOB CARD HEADLINING INSTALLATION Today, I'll give an overview of how to fit a headlining. This could be one you made yourself or one bought from a marque specialist. It's more a show-and-tell than a step-by-step because all cars are different, so make notes during removal! I'll finish with a nice little step-by-step project on how to retrim sun visors to match the new lining, and I'll show how to get the proper 'hidden' seam all the way round. How tough? You’ll need Scissors and sharp knife Contact adhesive (not aerosol) and a brush (for the headlining). Fabric, sewing machine, needle and thread (visors). Specialists Woolies: 01778 347347, woolies-trim.co.uk Will take: (HRS) 10 Will cost: 20 (£) Cash saved: 500 (£) SPECIALIST VIEW: RICHARD WALKER Half the battle when…

PAY LESS AND NEVER MISS A COPY! See p60 Herald resto The Coventry rust bucket turned Triumph show winner Fantasy classics We open our imaginary wallets and pick our favourite supercars Marina to Paris Steph Holloway celebrates her PC debut by breaking down in Paris… Two incredible restorations in the form of an MGB GT and a showroom fresh Rover P6, alongside a detailed guide to the Mercedes' R107 range. Danny marks 25 years of the second-generation MX-5 with a trip to France and, of course, we bring you dozens of technical tips and guides including how to recondition your final drive, unseize a clutch and rebuild a dual circuit master cylinder. JAN ISSUE ON SALE NOV 23 Practical Classics magazine, ISSN 0957-6975, (USPS 9080) is published 13 times a…