Inhaltsverzeichnis für July 2017 in Classics World

If everything goes according to plan this will be the last time you’ll see me at the wheel of a Morris Minor in the corner of this page, as exactly 33 issues after taking the grandiose title of Editor In Chief, I move on and leave Classics Monthly in the care of our current Managing Editor Iain Wakefield. I’ll still be hanging around in the background though, mainly because I still have the keys to our MGF project, which is currently sitting in my garage awaiting the replacement of most of the cooling system – and you’ll read why in this issue. And on that subject, it’s been the project cars which have been one of the most enjoyable aspects of working on Classics Monthly, from the struggle which was…

“Other jobs included resetting the brakes and all those small tasks we always put off to the end of the restoration” Three years after convincing my dad to take on the Frogeye Sprite project, the car now possesses a valid MoT certificate! A final mail order delivery arrived the other day containing all those little bits and bobs we needed, so a Saturday morning was cleared to finish all the nagging little jobs – the ones I’ve been putting off for too long. These tasks entailed fitting the grille, as this had been delayed and is a hard job to do without damaging the paint. The next job was tightening the over riders and rear number plate. This is definitely a two-person job, as it requires someone to go potholing…

“The Tourer is shaping up to be a really exciting project and it’s hard to resist cracking on with it now” As I write this I’m just a few days away from my final exams and much as I’ve enjoyed studying I’m looking forward to a new adventure. Revising has meant I’ve had to spend the majority of my time with a head in a book, rather than in the engine bay of a car. Nevertheless, I managed to nip into the shed and push the Lowlight on a little. However, it’s looking increasingly like I’ll need a Stakhanovite (legendary Russian coal miner who dug 41 tonnes a shift!) effort to get the car finished for the National rally. After my problems with the Smiths heater matrix, I managed to…

After harping on last month about how well our Triumph 2500TC estate was running, the departure of the car’s rusty tailpipe while driving down the A1 last week came as a sharp reminder of how classic motoring is never without its problems. The heavily corroded tail pipe on our big estate had fractured around the weld where it exited the back box and had even managed to take out the rubber mounting with it. This left the remains of the back box dangling in mid air, so a temporary repair was made to secure the remains using a couple of handy plastic cable ties, which eventually melted and fell off. As the mid section of our Triumph’s exhaust system looked to be in reasonably good condition, a new stainless steel…

2017 marks 50 years since the formation of Honda UK, and to celebrate, Honda Heritage will be putting together a very special display of classic vehicles, which will form a unique area at The Peter James Insurance Bromley Pageant of Motoring As well as N600s, S800s, Beats and NSXs, the display will feature some more conventional Hondas, including multiple generations of Civics, Preludes, Integras and some early Accords. In addition, the exhibition will include Hondas with fewer than four wheels, including bikes, scooters, stationary engines and outboard motors, all celebrating the diversity of the Japanese brand – indeed, it’s a little known fact, but thanks to the multiple types of product it produces, from lawnmowers to motor boats, via bikes, cars and leaf blowers, Honda is the world’s largest manufacturer…

An LPG conversion on a gas-guzzling classic car can transform it into an affordable vehicle that doesn’t make you wince every time you floor the accelerator pedal. There are now numerous classic cars running on LPG, and many have changed hands since being converted. As these conversions become older, there are a number of common problems that can arise with them and several important installation rules that should be followed. The following pages provide an overview of the typical problems that can arise on older LPG systems, particularly those fitted to older cars, and outline many of the rules that should be followed that concern an installation. Some problems are not associated with the age of an LPG system, but how well it has been fitted. Buying components from a…

Its basic simplicity means the K-Jetronic system is generally pretty reliable, but as it ages, problems can appear. Chief of these is contamination in the metering unit, caused either by poor filtration or moisture in the fuel itself – which is why the rusty filler neck so common on the Golf was bad news. This can cause corrosion on the plungers inside the unit with predictable results. The fuel pressure is also critical, since the injectors won’t open until 47.5 psi is reached, but most problems are down to dirty or clogged injectors. They should fire an even cone-shaped pattern of fuel and many workshops will have the right test rig to observe their operation. Dribbling injectors which continue to leak fuel after the engine is turned off can also…

Where the original 1968 introduced XJ6 had been a consolidation of conventional engineering solutions and the XJ40 had been simply a more modern version of the same thinking, the 2003-launched Jaguar X350 was a complete break with tradition. The V8 engines and graceful front-end curves may have been carried over from the XJ40-derived cars but the aluminium structure of the new XJ’s monocoque was itself a high-tech affair and the equal of any other maker. Interestingly, although Audi and Honda were already building aluminium automotive body structures, these were based on extrusions whereas Jaguar took a different approach with an epoxy adhesive bonded and self-piercing riveted construction. Similar to that employed by the aerospace industry and by Lotus for the Elise, this technique allowed the X350 to weigh in at…

A rare example of a sports car styled by Harris Mann while he was ‘moonlighting’ from his day job at BL, and which was rebuilt after being crash-tested at MIRA as part of the model’s type-approval process, is now nearing the end of a restoration from scrap condition by Neal and Nigel Davis in Norfolk. The Strada JB 4/88 dates from 1974, and although the company was gearing up to full-scale production and had displayed a car at the 1974 Earl’s Court Motor Show, just three cars were made. The story starts with two Suffolk-based Johns, John Hiller and John Brighty who, in 1970, on hearing a rumour that Lotus was planning to drop its Europa, decided to design and build their own sports car in the Colin Chapman tradition.…

DCOE FOR GT6 Webcon has reintroduced the now very rare triple manifold set to allow fitment of Weber DCOE carburettors or throttle bodies to the GT6 and Vitesse. Part number MT0091, the kit is supplied with studs, nuts and soft mounts, as well as the major linkage components, and features the correct stepped manifolds required to clear the sloping bonnet of the GT6. The kit is priced at £462.38 inc VAT available directly from Webcon or from Webcon dealers. For further details contact Webcon UK on 01932 787100 or visit www.webcon.co.uk. TRIGGER DISC KIT FOR JAGUAR E-TYPE Webcon has just released a complete trigger disc kit to suit the Jaguar E Type 4.2. The Trigger Disc Kit WTK006 is essential when fitting mapped ignition or a full engine management system.…

I was only joking about the Integrale,” laughed Craig Price when we asked him how he'd ended up with a Lancia restoration project which had been standing for years. A self-confessed fan of old cars, Craig already had a few Minis to his credit at that time and was on the hunt for his next project... but what he had in mind was a Mini van rather than an Italian rallying legend. The Lancia had been sat in a friend's bodyshop for the best part of five years having not been MoT'd since 2007 and after joking about the Lancia, Craig somehow ended up buying it instead of a Mini. Not that this was a hardship, since like many of us who developed our interest in cars and driving during…

“After removing the old alternator drive belt it was obvious it had endured a hard life, with signs of overheating due to the belt slipping” I am the secretary for the local Triumph club – TSOAQ (Triumph Sports Owners Association of Queensland), which has around 150 members and caters for all Triumph vehicles as we have a relatively small number of Triumphs in Queensland. Meetings are held in shared clubrooms about 35 miles south of my home and much of the journey is on motorway, so depending upon traffic volume the travel time is around 40 minutes. As sections of the motorway are being upgraded with most of the work is being completed at night, I use a different route home to avoid these sections. Just prior to Easter at…

After topping up the 1988 XJ40 Sovereign’s power brake boost hydraulic system fluid reservoir recently, I checked for leaks and found none so imagined that the problem was solved. Stupid mistake. A couple of weeks on, when moving the car from where it had been parked, there was a puddle under the car. There was a fine split on the rubber flexible pressure hose running between the Girling valve block on the inner wing and the pump on the nose of the engine. These hoses are expensive and difficult to find, but Naki at Black Cherry Jaguar (info@blackcherryjaguar.com) had a used hose in good condition for £23.50 delivered, so that was okay. I sprayed the unions at each end with WD40 and then left them to soak for a few…

Founded by Charlie Mullins in 1979, Pimlico Plumbers is now one of Britain’s best-known building trade businesses. It has more than 270 staff members, and as well as plumbing, also carries out electrical, roofing, bricklaying and carpentry work, all undertaken by skilled and fully qualified tradespeople. In all, Pimlico carries out more than 80,000 jobs every year, all with totally transparent charges that are clearly displayed on its website ( www.pimlicoplumbers.com ) and guarantee to arrive for emergency repairs within one hour of being called. It also has, for the trade, its own plumbing and heating merchants business. Pimlico operates a fleet of 160 vehicles from its premises in SE19, and also have a couple of preserved/restored historic vehicles; a 1959 Morris Minor and a 1958 Fordson, both…

Many classics suffer from sagging headlinings, Jaguars in particular being prone to deterioration over time. Apart from being unsightly in extreme situations this can make driving the car dangerous. With many vehicles including Jaguars, it is usually necessary to remove either the front or rear screen in order to replace the headlining as the original item is brittle and will be destroyed if bent. Paul Banham at Myrtle Productions however (www.myrtleltd.com), has developed a foldable replacement headlining assembly for several Jaguar models including the Jaguar XJ40 which allows it to be replaced by passing through a rear door aperture, thus allowing both screens to remain in situ. This all came about as a result of the wrong batch of fibreglass matting being delivered to Paul’s company one day. A batch…

Much has been written about the Rover K-Series engine over the years and despite its detractors it remains a high point of Rover’s all too brief golden era. Far less fuss however has been made of its six-cylinder sibling, known as the KV6 which first appeared in the late-model Rover 800 and in modified form went on to power the Rover 75. It may have been produced in far lower volumes but remains a fascinating part of the whole Rover soap opera and was just as impressive as its four-cylinder stablemate – at least, once the teething problems had been ironed out. The story of the KV6 starts with the Rover-Honda collaboration which began with the Acclaim and brought us world-class cars like the ‘R8’ 400 and the 800-Series before…

When the MGB broke cover in 1962, a period road test reported that ‘everything (about the MGB) is new – except for the octagon’. Although the styling of Abingdon’s latest creation may have appeared bang up to date on the surface, underneath the MGB’s flowing curves all the underpinnings – suspension, engine, gearbox and rear axle – were virtually identical to the tried and tested mechanicals found in the outgoing MGA. The big difference, however, was that the MGB’s attractive body followed the style of the earlier launched Midget and was of a similar complex unitary construction rather than the MGA’s separate body/ chassis configuration. The MGB’s appeal was broadened in 1965 with the arrival of the fixed head GT and this fun-to-drive sports car’s image was toughened up in…

An important change has been announced to the rules governing entitlement to free Historic Vehicle road tax, otherwise known as Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). This is now a rolling entitlement given to vehicles over 40 years old, and currently those registered on or before December 31 1976 qualify. Until now, vehicles registered early in the year after the cut-off have also qualified, if the owner provides evidence from the manufacturer or another recognised source that the vehicle was actually made in the previous year; in such cases DVLA have added a note to the V5c stating year of manufacture. This arrangement was negotiated by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) when free tax for Historics was introduced. However DVLA will no longer amend registration documents in this way,…

Europe’s first – and so far only – classic Mazda museum outside Japan opened on Saturday, May 13. Mazda Classic – Automobil Museum Frey, a project led by local Mazda dealer Auto Frey with the support of Mazda Germany, details Mazda’s near century of progress from auto rickshaw maker to multinational car manufacturer. The museum's centrepiece is an exhibit of 45 vehicles, including classic Mazdas officially sold in Europe as well as exceptionally rare models available only in Japan. Upon opening, visitors took in a 1967 Cosmo Sport L10S, a 1969 Luce R130, several generations of RX-7 and other rare Rotary vehicles like a surviving Parkway bus; Mazda’s historical use of Felix Wankel’s pistonless engine is showcased extensively. Other highlights include a 1960 R360, the company’s first mass-produced passenger car,…

I have to admit that if I were to choose a cheap two-seater sports car, a Triumph Spitfire would be pretty much top of the list. Sprites and Midgets are OK but I find them a bit cramped and hard-riding, plus to my mind they don’t look as pert as a Spit. My first choice would be a low-bumper early model such as a Spitfire 4 but they’re so rare as to be almost extinct so a 1970-onwards MkIV with the 1300 engine would be the sensible choice - after all, the early ones are worth big(ish) bucks now, kind of defeating the object of a cheap sports car. No, the Stag-tailed MkIV with 65 bhp powering a laughable 734 kg will do just fine – I remember these mainly…

To-do list • See how the 1100 performs on the rolling road • Mazda cosmetic still attention needs , some but I haven’t stopped driving it long enough • Get some miles on the Landcrab THOUGHT OF THE MONTH Working on the 1100 took me back to my youth, where we’d constantly be chasing more power from our Mini 1000s and Escort 1.1Ls. Sadly our budgets never matched our ambition, and I’m sure our make-do-and-mend ‘tuning’ just made our old bangers noisier and slower. The beautiful ignorance of youth… “Trying to piece together clamps, fittings and hangers while balancing the system on your head is not a good idea” Moving lockups forced us to reconsider the progress of all the cars we had been storing. The Austin 1100 was bought…

Visitors to this year’s Peter James Insurance Bromley Pageant of Motoring will be offered the opportunity to win themselves a restored classic Mini, in association with Carole Nash. The limited edition 1996 Mini Equinox is one of only 750 made, and comes with charcoal grey metallic paint, half-leather trim, a 1275cc SPi fuel-injected engine and is mechanically well sorted and fun to drive. The ‘Equinox’ edition of the diminutive car was offered in 1996 only and had distinctive ‘moon and stars’ interior trim, as well as chrome bumpers and grille and opening rear quarter windows. The car will be on show at the ‘Win a Mini’ tent in the main show field, where tickets will be on sale for just £3.00 each, and the winner will be announced at Mini…

With the “Hot Rod Review” now in its 5th year here at The Peter James Insurance Bromley Pageant of Motoring, it is the perfect opportunity for the British Hot Rod scene to showcase their best! Not just established car builders with their amazing machinery but up and coming talent. With the best of the best on display judging is very tough and will be undertaken by someone with over 30 years experience in the scene to make sure it all runs smoothly. Make sure you check out the cars in the main arena displays.…

All engines wear out eventually, and a full rebuild is pricey even on prosaic stuff and even if you do it yourself. Engine wear comes in many forms – oil smoke, crankcase breathing and bottom end rumbles plus big end knock. Valve issues On many cars, you can do something about it with the engine in place and often without spending much money. Oil smoke and crankcase breathing are both caused by worn rings and bores – or are they? Very often, oil smoke that puffs out after a few seconds on the overrun can be caused by worn valve guides and even then, knackered stem seals can be the cause. Let’s say you’ve got an Anglia 105E that gallops through oil but it still goes quite well. The first…

Readers who can recall the BBC documentary series Tales of Modern Motoring will doubtless remember the highlight was the episode on company car drivers where the hallowed ‘i’ on the bootlid, along with the coveted front foglights was held up by the late ’80s driver as a symbol of one’s status in life. Back in the early ’90s, that word ‘injection’ conjured up a mystical world of high-tech and high-performance, lusted after by keen drivers and equally feared by traditional mechanics used to SU dashpots and Weber jets. In reality the idea of squirting the fuel directly into the cylinder rather than relying on a carburettor to mix it with the incoming air wasn’t that new. Indeed, diesel engines had always operated that way and the early fuel injection systems…

In late 1989 the Ford Motor Company narrowly beat General Motors to the wire when it completed the purchase of Jaguar Cars for £1.6 billion with a promise that it would ‘build on Jaguar’s strengths and expand sales in Europe and the US’. Despite all the corporate hype, the management at Ford was still reeling from the high price it had to pay for Jaguar. To justify the sale, Sir John Egan, Jaguar’s CEO at the time, brilliantly summed up his company’s worth by explaining to ‘Red’ Poling, the new boss at Ford, how Jaguar was made up of $500 million of ‘sausage’ and $2 billion of ‘sizzle’! Egan’s eloquently put metaphor translated into Jaguar’s plant and equipment being the ‘sausage’, while the ‘sizzle’ element represented the iconic car maker’s…