Table of contents for August 2017 in Practical Classics

‘Welcoming members on all levels is just vital’ I’m Chairman of the Letchworth Garden City Classic & Vintage Car Club, which was formed in the late Eighties by a small group of enthusiasts. In 2009, we held a classic car picnic in rural Hertfordshire that led to an upsurge in membership. The event has grown from strength to strength and shows what can be done thanks to a thriving and highly successful club behind it. Naturally, this happens through committed individuals willing to give their time and expertise in managing the admin and organising the programme. There’s a bi-monthly printed newsletter which is later made available online so that members can send copies to friends, whilst email plays a huge role in getting news out to the membership and saves…

My pal Paul introduces son Carwyn to a DS at his first car show. The boy doesn’t seem too impressed! I enjoyed driving this in Austria recently. It’s a 1986 Vixen – creation of DeLorean designer Bill Collins. Convoyed around France with the Citroën Car Club. Citroën Challenge runners suffered zero breakdowns! A rare species in Britain, I spotted this Polo for sale at a German specialist for the equivalent of £5000! For reasons unknown, my friend Dave has bagged himself a Ford Scorpio (with the Cosworth engine).…

Group B Sale A collection of seven Group B rally cars will be up for grabs this month. The cars listed include a Lancia Stratos, Audi Sport Quattro, Lancia Delta S4, Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 and Ford RS200. The collection will go under the hammer on August 18 at Pebble Beach in California. Classic threat Research has suggested fewer young people are buying older cars, due to tempting finance deals on brand new models. A special report by PC’s sister publication Classic Car Weekly suggests the market for Nineties and Noughties cars is diminishing, with drivers opting to spend their £1500-£5000 budget on deposits for a new car PCP deal. Podium Jags Jaguar is celebrating its Le Mans-winning heritage, having kicked off events at the 85th French 24-hour race recently…

Murray Walker launches XKs Over 100 Jaguar XK sports cars were flagged off by Murray Walker OBE on June 12 at the start of the Jaguar XK Club 2017 Round Britain Coastal Drive for charity. Participants will raise awareness and hopefully lots of money for Prostate Cancer UK. xkclub.com DVLA gets gong The DVLA has been recognised for its work to tackle classic car theft. The organisation was rewarded at the National Vehicle Crime Conference for taking on fraud involving social media sites, false paperwork and imports. Javelin rhapsody A 1952 Jowett Javelin bought by Queen guitarist Brian May for his late father is to be auctioned by Barons at Sandown Park on July 18. The car, bought in 1982 and still registered with Harold May’s personal registration, is to…

I’ve seen classic cars advertised as on original tyres and yet with MoTs. It’s madness. JamesMorgan Metrics always terrify me, I’ve seen quite a few old 6-Series BMWs and XJ40s on million-year-old metrics as they are so expensive to buy new. PeterBrightwell I parked next to a P6 at a show once that had been in a collection for most of its life. The owner said the ride was a bit bumpy at first but got better. When he wasn’t about I checked the date on his tyres. Yep, 1978. KeithNoon It’s common to see truck tyres losing their belts on the highways here in Texas. Because of the heat, nobody should ride on tyres over six years-old. AlAbbasi I’ve had six punctures in the low-profile tyres of my 2014…

Fiat 127 This 127 Panorama, resplendent in beige, was parked round the corner from our hotel in Milan. It must be ultra rare now! Francis Marsden, Dunfermline Oldsmobile Cutlass I came across a superb ‘rat look’ Oldsmobile Cutlass in Montmartre, Paris. it was being used everyday and had some great patina. Matt Hindmarch, Manchester Gaz Volga I recently spotted this imposing daily driver Gaz Volga 24 while I was visiting Bansko, Bulgaria. It looked absoluterly superb, too. Ewan Johnstone, Dartford 1966 Minor Van I saw this working Morris van in Lewes – how PC is that! Edmund Nankivell, Hassocks Transit MkII I recently saw this in Ford Transit MkII at the Sunday market in Rome. It looked well-used but was still going strong! Andy Winfield, Canada…

Join me luxuriating in the amazingly original interior of a 1946 Morris 10M. Apart from my big muddy footprints (sorry!), the string activating the rear window blind seems to be the only item not installed by William Morris’ team of ’46. Even the carpets seem to be the very ones stitched by Cowley’s Gert and ‘Flo, sporting headscarves and a great sense of pride in what they were doing. Sculpted Bakelite is in abundance, all lovingly preserved, from the dashboard down to the ashtrays and the two knobs activating the windscreen wipers. Lovely leather seats add to the frenzy of nostalgic joy. The sun has come out. Only steep hills put the Morris out of kilter but otherwise the 21st century North Yorkshire lanes (the car was due to be…

Danny says ‘Surely the most exciting finds of all are those that are saveable. The one where you know a brake rebuild and some fresh petrol might just see it live again. I’ve done it a few times.’ Renault Juvaquatre Delivery Van Our regular contributor Jack Brands has been roaming the French countryside this month. Seen through the window of a time-worn establishment, this brightly coloured Renault Juvaquatre delivery van looks tidy, complete and ready for sympathetic recommissioning. Citroën Mehari Inside another French establishment Jack found a selection of collectable French oddities. This Citroën Mehari – a once-popular 2CV-based jeep made from ABS plastic – is one of two hidden away. Renault Ondine Much rarer than its Dauphine sibling, this is the remains of a Renault Odine that was the…

SUN JUL 16 Charterhouse Auctions, Sherborne Castle, Sherborne, Dorset (01935 812277, charterhouseauction.com charterhouseauction.com) TUE JUL 18 Barons Auctions’ Connoisseurs’ Sale, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com) WED JUL 26 H&H Classics, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambs (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) FRI JUL 28 South West Vehicle Auctions, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset (01202 745466, swva.co.uk) SAT JUL 29 Silverstone Auctions, The Wing Building, Silverstone, Northants (01926 691141, silverstoneauctions.com) THURS AUG 17 Brightwells Modern Classics, Easters Court, Leominster, Herefordshire. (01568 611122, brightwells.com) SAT AUG 26 Anglia Car Auctions, The Cattlemarket, King’s Lynn, Norfolk (01553 771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk angliacarauctions.co.uk) SAT SEP 2 Silverstone Auctions’ Salon Privé Sale, Blenheim Palace, Oxon (01926 691141, silverstoneauctions.com)…

Later Smart evolution plus some special editions 2002 Facelifted car gets revised front and rear lights along with a much larger capacity fuel tank – up 50 per cent from 22 litres to 33. 2002 Open Crossblade is a madcap hoot – as long as it doesn’t rain. 2003 Coupé and Cabrio are renamed ForTwo. 698cc engine replaces 599cc unit. ESP now standard on all cars. ForTwo Brabus appears. Plus Star Blue (2003), Orange (2003), Spring (2004), i-Move (2004), Truestyle (2004), Pink (2005), Grandstyle (2006), Red (2006).…

I’ve known my little Conk-box for several years. It used to belong to my friend Shelley, who swapped it with Craig Cheetham for a Metro. When Craig needed caravan storage, he offered me £20 per month to keep it in my garden. I knew he wanted about £250 for the Honda, so I told him that if he wanted I’d rid him of the Honda for the first year’s storage. So what exactly is it? Well, basically it’s a Rover 216GTi with a Honda badge. The Concerto was a badge-engineered R8, and this model uses the 1.6-litre twin-cam unit from the 216GTi and the Honda CRX. With 130bhp to play with and 60mph in under nine seconds, it’s fast… but blue Dralon trim and wheel trims mean it looks far…

1971 Citroën D Spécial Engine 2175cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 105bhp@5500rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 12.5sec Top speed 107mph Weight 1310kg Work done New fuel tank and starter motor fitted. Also in James’s garage 1980 CITROËN DYANE Getting ready for the Dyane’s 50th birthday adventure. 1988 CITROËN CX 22 TRS Currently very broken and awaiting diagnosis. 2004 SMART ROADSTER Buzzing in the summer sun. ‘The Citroën is cheering up my fellow townsfolk’ This time last year if you’d suggested I would be commuting to work in a Citroën DS, I wouldn’t have believed a word of it. A few weeks of driving the same route at the same time each day appears to be tickling the fancies of both myself and that of other road users. Any old car in modern environs is…

1969 Morris Minor Traveller & 1971 Thomson Mini Glen Engine 1098cc/4-cyl/OHV Gearbox 4-speed manual Differential 4.22:1 Fuel economy 22MPG (Towing) Work done Replaced distributor; changed differential; replaced car and caravan tyres; drank tea. Also in Matt’s garage 1992 MINI MAYFAIR Restoration edging ever closer. 1992 EUNOS ROADSTER Has to go. Make me an offer. 1999 MGF 1.8 VVC Also up for sale, sadly. With two weeks touring in France rapidly approaching, I’m delighted to say that the restoration of my 1971 Thomson Mini Glen caravan is nearly complete. So near, in fact, that it was ready for a test run. I’d finished wiring both 12v and 240v circuits, given it a lick of paint both inside and out, and followed Ed Hughes’ Skill Shack course of the basics of machine…

1972 Triumph GT6 MkIII Engine 1998cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 98bhp@5300rpm Torque 108lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-spd manual + o/d 0-60mph 10.1sec Top speed 112mph Fuel economy 27mpg Work done Even more welding has been carried out and some chromework replated. Also in Nigel’s garage 1970 TRIUMPH TR6 Tempting fate to say it, but running well and looking fine. ‘Every component imaginable was going through the plating baths’ Jamie at Complete Car Care has been busy on the GT6 again this month, replacing more and more rusty metal with solid new steel. The repairs on the nearside had already been completed last month, but over the past few weeks he has finished repairs to the boot floor, rear end and also the offside wing. Currently Jamie’s working on the offside A-pillar. After removing the…

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 single-handedly 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. DIFFICULTY LEVELS One to two spanners An easy job that’s well within the reach of…

You will need Trolley jack, axle stands, oil pan, AF spanners, long lever, test lamp or multimeter, grease gun, oil can. What’s it like to work on? The engines take up a greedy amount of under-bonnet space but their inherent simplicity makes them straightforward to work on. The same goes for almost every other aspect of the car. No specialist tools are required for servicing. Parts and support Everything needed for servicing is available at competitive prices from a number of specialists. The Austin Healey Club (austinhealeyclub.com) is large, friendly and helpful. Hinges and catches Lubricate all catches and hinges sparingly with oil or aerosol grease. Suspension dampers Bounce each corner to make sure that the lever-arm dampers still function healthily. Propshaft Check the universal joints for play and administer…

If your club’s contact details have changed, please let us know! A 750 MOTOR CLUB 01379 741641 AC OWNERS’ CLUB 07768 363250 AMERICAN AUTO CLUB (UK) 0845 644 0345 www.americanautoclubuk.com AMBULANCE PRESERVATION SOCIETY www.southambpres.org.uk CLASSIC AMERICAN AC (GB) 020 8286 1120 PRE -’50 CLASSIC AMERICAN 01530 831170 AEC SOC yellowayreliance@hotmail.com ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA REGISTER www.giulietta.com ALFA ROMEO OC www.aroc-uk.com ALLARD OWNERS’ CLUB David Moseley, 19 Bramham Gardens, London SW5 0JE ALVIS OWNER CLUB www.alvisoc. org ALVIS REG 01509 412289, www.alvisregister.com ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY OC 0121 459 0742, www.siddeley.com, www.siddeley.net A-SERIOUS (A-SERIES ENGINED CARS) http://aserious.freeforums.org ASSN OF OLD VEHICLE CLUBS OF N IRELAND 028 9146 7886, www.aovc.co.uk ASTON MARTIN OC 01865 400400 AUDI 100 COUPÉ S CLUB GB 01702 461513 AUDI OC 07788 588449 , www.audiclub.co.uk CLUB…

Jaguar Land Rover has opened a new facility in Coventry, bringing all its classic vehicle operations under one roof. The project brings together ten teams, including Jaguar and Land Rover’s Reborn programmes, resto and service work, plus the Heritage collection. In an impressive launch this month, managers of the new Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works say the facility will focus on four aspects of the business; Sales, Service, Parts and Experiences. JLR Classic chief Tim Henning said that the company was actively expanding its classic plans. ‘We want to broaden our range of classic parts, filling gaps in our current stock. Our so-called Reborn programme creates continuation models, our parts division is expanding, we’re offering more Jaguar Land Rover experiences by the day and we now have the facilities to…

In the March 2016 issue, we told you about the Rootes Archive Centre Trust’s quest to raise £165,000 to buy a permanent home for the tens of thousands of design drawings, blueprints and artefacts, rescued from the factory. The Trust has now exchanged contracts on land which will become the site of the new Archive Centre in Wroxton, Oxon. Completion is due in September. If you’d like to donate, contact trustee Matt Ollman on 01869 331552.…

FRI-SUN, JUL 14-16 CAMBS Citroën Car Club national rally, Abbots Ripton, PE28 2PF (citroëncarclub.org.uk). S AT, JUL 15 LONDON Waterloo Classics, Lower Marsh Street, SE1 7RJ (waterlooclassics.com). SUN, JUL 16 NORTHANTS Earls Barton Classic Car and Bike Meet at Whites Nurseries, NN6 0EP (classiccarmeet.co.uk). CORNWALL Wheels 2017 at the Royal Cornwall Showground, PL27 7JE (wadebridgewheels.co.uk). CO. DURHAM Classics at Durham Castle, DL14 0DE (durhamautoclub.co.uk). LIVERPOOL Anglo-American Transport Rally at the Veterans’ Garage, City Airport, M30 7SA (classic-booking.uk). W MIDS Classic Motor Show at Walsall Arboretum, WS12 2QA (classicmotorshows.co.ukclassicmotorshows.co.uk). GLOS Berkeley Castle Car Show, GL13 9QL (berkeleyclassic-car-show.comberkeleyclassic-car-show.com). DORSET The Weymouth Vehicle Preservation Society’s Dorset Classic Car Tour; Lodmore Country Park to Weymouth Pavilion (wvpsclassiccars.co.uk). LANCS Fleetwood Festival of Transport, town centre (tramsunday.co.uk). WARKS Old Ford Day at the British Motor Museum,…

You could see 1960 as the year that the Civil Rights movement in America kicked off, when demonstrations and sit-ins persuade a Woolworth’s lunch-counter in North Carolina to serve a meal to a black customer. The Olympics take place in Rome where one Cassius Clay takes light-heavyweight gold, and the space race hots up as the USSR sends Sputnik 5 into orbit. AT THE FLICKS Nowadays we don’t think of the cinema of 1960 as featuring much horror, but as a genre it was gaining ground fast. The big splash was made by Psycho and Peeping Tom but The Fall of the House of Usher , The Village of the Damned and…

OVER-POTTED HISTORY It was great to have an article on the Ford Model A (Nick Larkin column, PC, June 2017). These were the Austin 7 of the USA and parts availability is still excellent. My friend has one and rallies it, as it’s a very capable off-roader. Nick gets it a bit wrong at the end of his article when he says he is impressed by the six-cylinder Model A, however – they were always four-cylinder cars (see picture of my friend’s engine, right). Walter Clough, Redcar Electrical positives I’m writing to report some great service from Eurolec components. I’m an ex-professional car mechanic who looks after a number of friends’ classic cars and have fitted this company’s products to many of them. Over the last ten years I have…

I took the advice of Practical Classics and sunk £650 into a Ford StreetKa. It’s rather like someone has spent £50k remodelling an MG Midget. I can’t remember having as much fun in any car. PeteLonsdale Early MX-5s have surely got to start appreciating rapidly soon. RobBaker Rover 220 Coupé Turbo! MarkusTanner Saab 9-5. Vanishing fast into the horizon. NeilObbard Volvo C70 Coupé MkI for sure! Five-pot engines, gorgeous looks, can be had on the cheap, plus engineering done by none other than TWR. I’m currently lightly restoring C70 Coupé back to her former glory. AlexJebson X-Type – cheap to run and can be had for pennies at the moment. NeilKidby Peugeot 406 Coupé, 306 Cabriolet, Citroën Xantia Activa, Citroën XM, Renault Megane Coupé, Fiat Coupe, Fiat Barchetta, Lancia Kappa…

‘The irony is that the cars affected were among the most popular on our roads’ Tyres. A ticking time bomb, on two counts. Once past a decade old, they should really be replaced. Actually, the tyre industry suggests five years, but on a classic stored in a dark garage they should last longer than that. So, with what new tyres do you replace them? It’s entirely possible that you won’t have a choice or, if you do, that the choice includes some very expensive rubberware. It’s all about supply and demand. Some favoured classics are well catered for but others, notably at the modest end of the scale and likely to be owned by less-affluent enthusiasts, are facing a tyre famine. The irony is that some of these cars were…

I was reading your Marketplace article on the Seat Marbella (Spring 2017 issue) and totally agree what a fun classic it is. I found my turquoise one on a used car lot the day after it came in as a part-ex against a new Panda. It’s a left-hand drive car, originally from Germany. It still had six months’ MoT and I managed to buy it for £150. Admittedly it was rough around the edges and very dirty, with a dent on the passenger door, but I fell for it straight away. It didn’t take much fixing up and I’ve since taken it back to meet the original lady owner and she was so happy. Send your buying story to: russ.smith@gmx.com…

If a car needs to break down to be interesting, this must be the dullest on the planet. But if you appreciate one that soldiers stoically on for year after year, and doesn’t cost a penny more to run than is absolutely necessary, they don’t come better than this old Focus. I’m enormously indebted to it. I’ve lost track of the number of nights I’ve slept in it, crossed the Highlands in it, carted rubbish to the dump in it, filled it with friends and hiking gear and headed for the hills in it… and gone to work in it for three years. It’s been in the family since 2009, and most of its 170,000 miles are my own. Last year I clocked 5000 miles in six weeks without missing…

1945 Austin Sixteen Engine 2199cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 64bhp@2200rpm Torque 108lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual Top speed 75mph 0-60mph 18.6sec Fuel economy 22mpg Work done Engine issues diagnosed and sorted by way of a complete stripdown and rebuild. Electric fuel pump fitted. Supported by The Sixteen had failed on our round Britain test run ( PC , Spring 2017) and had to be brought back by the AA. Having mentally thanked my Guild of Motoring Writers’ membership for the free recovery, I stood looking at the Sixteen in her state of non-running and wondered exactly what we had to contend with. It became clear that my theory about a head gasket was right but also that the radiator needed sorting – it just was not allowing enough coolant to flow. Work…

Mention the Yorkshire marque Jowett and people think of the daring flat-four overhead-valve Javelin and Jupiter. However, Jowett’s first prototype in 1906 was powered by a sidevalve flat-twin. A production version arrived in 1910. The capacity rose from 800cc to 907cc in 1921. It was ‘modernised’ in 1930, then expanded to 946cc in 1937. It grew again in 1946 to the 1005cc unit we see here. The Bradford was essentially a vintage-style light commercial that could be bought with seats and windows, in which form it was known as the Utility. The Javelin re-invented Jowett, but it also lost money. The profitable Bradford outsold it 4:3, offering a sturdy combination of reliability, durability and plodding indifference to hills. ‘The little engine with the big pull’, as the slogan went, described…

You will need Socket set, breaker bar, torque wrench, scrapers, electric drill with brass wire brushes, thinners and rags, long steel rule, gasket sealant. Easy cleaning A brass wire brush in an electric drill is ideal for cleaning pistons and gasket faces. It cuts through the muck without damaging the surface. While you’re there… Inspect your head while it’s off. Now’s an ideal time to replace the valve stem oil seals, treat it to a decoke and lap the valves in, or even fit hardened valve seats. Disconnect battery Undo the battery’s earth terminal before you start work to avoid accidental sparky accidents. If you campaign a six-cylinder Triumph, you’re bound to have to replace the head gasket at some stage. The rugged cast iron engine block and cylinderhead mean…

VEHICLE EXCISE DUTY DVLA changed its registration system to the V55/1 form in 1976/7, so cars are deemed by dealers to be new and unused at the point of sale. This ties the build date to the registration date and means cars built in a year of tax exemption may have to wait before they can claim. MODIFYING VEHICLES DVLA has stated that registration marks can be withdrawn from monocoque cars where the structure has been modified significantly, for instance home-made pickup or convertible conversions. VEHICLE IDENTITIES The FBHVC wishes to remind people that a vehicle identity is set by the serial number. This means the chassis or VIN number. If this is lost or changed, the car loses any right to the registration mark.…

Time is running out to pick up a copy of the latest Practical Classics special issue – Guide to the Jaguar Mk2. The special publication provides an in-depth look at the iconic Jag, with exclusive PC content and archive material. Next up in the series of PC special issues will be on the subject of the Austin 7. Curated by PC Technical Editor and Austin 7 owner Sam Glover, the Practical Classics Guide to the Austin Seven is on sale from July 19. greatmagazines.co.uk…

E-type Six-Cylinder Guide £114 ISBN 978-1-85443-284-1 A bible for E-type Jaguar lovers, this reference book helps the reader to analyse every component of these classic cars, including everything from the engine to air filters over 516 pages and 1500 pictures. sngbarratt.com Classic Car Electrics £19.99 ISBN 978-1-90370-664-0 Extensive and well-written, this book takes you through the basics of how and why things work and helps you when they don’ t. Upgrades and repairs are covered in detail with colour illustrations and diagrams. veloce.co.uk Automotive Detailing In Detail £27.50 ISBN 978-1-78500-242-7 Just as it says on the tin, this is an in depth look at the art of vehicle detailing from the experts. From the pre-wash, wash and preparation stages, through machine polishing to paint protection and maintenance, every detailing stage…

I love both, but the Mini is pretty much my absolute favourite car of all time, so I’d have to say Mini. FinnCassianSawyer Got to be Mini… way more reliable and innovative. AndrewWillder The 500 every time – the only one of the pair in which I could get my 6ft 1in frame comfortable. (I also had a ’59 convertible – so good for carrying large objects!) GlennMcKenzie Fiat 500 any day, but prefer the 126 myself. MarcCoker Mini, as long as it’s the early one with sliding windows and poverty-spec interior. My sister had a Fiat 126 many years ago and that was great fun too. MikeFuller Always a MIni – THE original people’s car! AdamElphick As I’ve already got a Mini, I will take the Fiat. MikeStanley Topolino…

‘We found ourselves sitting face-to-face with the chairman of the board’ Beach holidays have never appealed. When Ed Hughes, Julian Nowill and I found ourselves in Odessa, Ukraine, with a few days to kill, we quickly bored of sun, sand, sea and mafia-types in Speedos. A more stimulating holiday activity was needed. We decided to hire a car and investigate the state of the Ukrainian automotive industry. We mounted a flesh-red Dacia Sandero Stepway at Odessa airport. It was a rather undignified conveyance for three grown men, but it was functionally adequate and borderline likeable. We followed the south bank of the huge Dnieper river to Zaporizhia – a beautiful route through the Ukrainian equivalent of ‘duelling banjos’ territory. Zaporizhia is Ukraine’s Detroit, and it’s showing similar signs of fraying…

‘Fancy MG, Riley or Wolseley models are very popular today ’ One of the joys of the classic car scene is the regular plot twists that it throws at us. For years, possibly decades, the ageing membership of the Cambridge-Oxford Owners Club has worried about the future for their cars. ‘There are no young enthusiasts for them.’ ‘Who’s going to want them when we’re gone?’ And prices for all the various BMC Farinas have remained depressed – until now that is. In what seems like the blink of an auctioneer’s gavel, people want Farinas again. Prices have jumped over recent times – you’ll need at least five grand for a half decent one now, more if it has a fancy MG, Riley or Wolseley badge and grille. Auction houses no…

1966 Saab 96 Price: £6950 Rare two-stroke UK market right-hooker, recently restored with the last NOS panels. Entered and ran well in this year’s Kop Hill Climb event. 1989 Porsche 944 Lux Price: £6495 2.7-litre model with 76,100 miles on the clock and a full service history to support. Short MoT but looks good value in the rising market for 944s. 1974 Jensen Healey Price: £6950 Bodywork described as ‘reasonable’, only 40,500 miles, cylinderhead and valves refurbished, good oil pressure. Just needs a little TLC now.…

On a mission from my dad, I was sent out into the car buying world to spend his money and purchase a new (old) Jaguar. Dad loves Jaguar saloons and having now owned an XJ40 and an X300 Daimler, he wanted to explore the delights of the next in the series – the X350. The only stipulation was it had to be a V8 and cost under £10k. I set sail onto the interweb and started lining up my prey. There are lots of cheapish dealer cars out there and my first experience saw me wobbling around in a high mileage 3.5-litre. It had a full service history but stunk of cigarettes and felt like it had been used hard. Suddenly £4995 looked steep. I had a go in a…

1999 Rover 216 GSi Engine 1589cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 109bhp@6000rpm Torque 106lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 9.3sec Top speed 118mph Fuel economy 37mpg Work done New panels welded and fitted to car. Painted. In Danny’s shed 1950 RILEY RMA Engine being rebuilt. 1956 RILEY PATHFINDER Slowly getting on with body shell metalwork. Slowly. 1971 INTERCEPTOR Ready for final fettling. 1972 TRIUMPH 2000 Enjoyed a steamy day out. ‘The 216 GSi was the top of the range, like the VP Austins that preceded it’ The big restorations usually take centre stage in my Sagas so I thought it would be worth having a look at the three classics that do the donkey work in my car world. None are what you would call modern and all three come from the cheaper end…

1972 Triumph 2000 Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 135bhp (est) Torque Sufficient Gearbox 4-speed man + o/d 0-60mph Unknown Top speed 112mph Fuel economy 28mpg Work done Fitted alternator – thanks Ellis. I’m going to have a go at rebuilding the old unit myself. Also in Matt’s garage 1971 VW KARMANN GHIA Contemplating offering it for sale due to a lack of use. Decisions, decisions. 1972 VW BEETLE 1302 S Sold to the nice man from Manchester… more details in a future issue. 1972 TRIUMPH TR6 A fresh MoT certificate has been secured and the running-in process has begun. A few niggles have presented themselves already… ‘I didn’t get to bed until gone 1am – but our trip was back on track!’ Best laid plans and all that… after solving my clutch…

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 Inner filler neck covers, body tub components cleaned, prepared and coated. Also in Gary’s garage 1958 RENAULT 4CV I’ve begun work on this 4CV… it is in my workshop to have its faulty x Solex carb xx addressed xx. 1980 SAAB 99 TURBO TWO-DOOR Next in line for full restoration once the Peerless is finished. ‘All the body repairs and improvements have now been completed’ There’s always a few jobs to do on any restoration that can’t be avoided, however much you might like to. Removing decades old muck, oil and grime is very much one of those jobs. When it’s on coarsely finished glassfibre…

1991 Peugeot 205 Trio S Engine 1124cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 60bhp@6200rpm Torque 65lb ft@3800rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 14.5sec Top speed 102mph Fuel economy 50mpg Work done Ball joint gaiters renewed. Fusebox re-secured. New cylinder head gasket, head bolts, cam/timing belt and water pump fitted; fresh coolant. Also in Kim’s garage 1938 AUSTIN BIG SEVEN Short local outings lately. 1938 STANDARD FOURTEEN An enjoyable steed for cruises in the countryside . 1955 AUSTIN A50 CAMBRIDGE Long-term restoration; more components bought. 1965 AUSTIN A35 ESTATE Long-term project; engine started; clutch/gearbox operated in the driveway. After previous attention my low mileage Peugeot 205 was looking and driving much better, but, as mentioned last time, problems with the cooling system persisted, notably highlighted by illumination of the low coolant warning lamp. So, further investigations were…

1916 Ford Model T Engine 2897cc/4cyl/SV Power 22.5bhp@1600rpm Torque 82lb ft@900rpm Transmission 2-spd epicyclic Top speed 45mph 0-60mph No chance! Fuel economy 20mpg The story so far Richard Skinner of Tudor Wheels and Practical Classics started restoring this 1916 car in its centenary year. Saved from a scrapyard in Colorado, it was imported into the UK in 2015 and Richard is carrying out a complete rebuild. Katy’s power plant needed some serious work. The engine fitted to the Ford Model T had to be a strong and reliable unit capable of powering four people at 40mph using only a two-speed transmission. The in-line ‘four’ of 2.9 litres or 177 cubic inches is a robust design with side valves and capable of producing a healthy 20hp. It has no oil pump,…

You will need Socket set, breaker bar, torque wrench, old fan belt, large hammer, clutch alignment tool and bearing puller (or DIY equivalents). No bearing? A few cars have a short gearbox input shaft and no spigot bearing. Check your manual before trying to order one… Check before fitting Make sure the new bush/bearing fits the gearbox input shaft before fitting it. If you can’t find a correct bush, an engineering shop will be able to make or adjust one. Lubricate bush Soak the bush in oil for 24 hours – many have a sintered construction (eg, ‘Oilite’) that absorbs lubricant. Lightly grease it after installing. We’re all familiar with the standard three-part ‘clutch kit’ comprising a release bearing, a friction disc and a pressure plate. But there’s another equally…