Sommaire pour September 2022 de Classics World

Now don’t worry, because the picture above does not signal a change of direction for the magazine. However, even though my own tinkering is limited to cars and bikes, like most classic petrolheads I love a good steam train too, and this photo was taken on a recent day out with the 1381 Motor Club to the Llangollen Railway’s Classic Transport Weekend. This event featured a wonderful mix of cars, buses, lorries, motorbikes and more, plus of course the railway itself which had both steam and diesel trains running throughout the day. (I can recommend it as a great day out, so keep an eye on www. llangollen-railway.co.uk/events for details of next year’s Weekend, as well as other events the group are running through the rest of 2022.) In addition…

MotoFest in partnership with E.ON Drive is a two-day festival dedicated to the city of Coventry’s motoring heritage. This year the free-to-attend event will once again be based in the city centre, and the curated display has been expanded to include motorcycles and modern vehicles with the entry criteria going from 1950 right up to the modern day to celebrate 70 years of the Queen's reign. It is taking place on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September and will feature a unique blend of racing demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry, transport and the city’s motoring heritage. As well as the dispays across the city centre, all vehicles on static display will also have the opportunity to take part in the now traditional end…

This story started way back. As you may remember from the July issue, I've had hundreds of cars over the years. There have been a few four door saloons, but not many, and in all those years just the one convertible – aMk3 Escort many years ago. Mainly they have been two-door cars as I tend to prefer coupés and the muscle car look. The Dodge Charger came about because, like many guys my age, I had a thing for TV's Dukes of Hazzard. Daisy Duke was obviously one attraction, but I have been into cars since I was a little kid and hand on heart it was really the Dodge Charger that did it for me. I had the models, the Scalextric cars, everything. I remember making a model…

Last issue we removed the Regal’s body from its chassis. Until those two are reunited, that effectively splits the project into two areas of the workshop, one concerned with rectifying damage to the fibreglass body and preparing it for paint, and the other focusing on the chassis and the mechanical components. As ever with a major restoration project, it is very difficult to concentrate only on one job at a time and there is a good degree of flitting from one task to another – the weather, waiting for parts to arrive, delays while components are sent to specialists and let’s be honest our own mood on any particular day all have a role to play here. The advantage of reporting on a project after the work has been done…

If you want a taste of what it’s like to drive a 1930s roadster but with modern brakes, steering and an engine that can more than keep up with today’s traffic, then a Morgan 4/4 has got to be the answer. This entry-level model has been largely Ford-powered since the late 1960s, making it relatively straightforward to maintain and repair. In fact, the 4/4 model line has been available on and off since 1936 (it stands for four wheels and four cylinders), with a range of engines from Standard, Ford and even Fiat. However, for the purposes of our more affordable buying guide, we’re sticking to the models from the 1970s onwards, which were powered at first by the Ford Kent (crossflow) engine, followed by the CVH (carbs and then…

Changing Eras The title attached to this image is simply 'Changing eras,' and really that sums it up perfectly with a bullock cart on the right and an early example of the newfangled Buick motor car on the left. We would suggest it is a Model B or C, but would need your help to be sure on that. Everybody looks rather relaxed in this shot, especially the rake lounging sideways in the Buick's passenger seat. The driver looks a little more tense, but he has probably just been told by the photographer to hold the wheel and look like he is driving. As for the two guys standing up in the cart, we can just see them flying over backwards if the oxen take it into their heads to…

PARTS – BUY THEM WHILE STOCKS L AST If you run a more modern classic, Andrew suggests that a little hoarding is in order Poor quality aftermarket junk parts seem to be everywhere these days, and one of the biggest challenges today for owners of old cars is finding parts that fit properly and last more than five minutes. You do need to be extra vigilant and only buy the expensive option, or even better search out new old stock parts. I mentioned in a recent issue that I own a 1994 BMW 318Ti. This used to be my track car, but it’s been retired from that now, put back to standard and gradually restored to very tidy condition, with a few period enhancements such as the M Technic bumper,…

Jaguar Classic has reached a major milestone in the build programme for the C-type Continuation. Each car will undergo at least 250 miles of physical testing by Jaguar Classic engineers, following a build process that requires 3000 hours of intensive and highly skilled craft. The strictly limited production run is already well underway at Jaguar’s Classic Works in Coventry, and the first vehicle has finished shakedown testing and is now ready for delivery. This, the first customer Continuation, is finished in Pastel Green with Suede Green leather seats and is inspired by the original Jaguar C-type which won the 224-mile long, 50-lap sports car race at the Reims Grand Prix Meeting on 29th June, 1952. This vehicle was the first C-type fitted with disc brakes to win in international competition…

Whether they were billed as a Traveller, a Giardiniera or a station wagon, estate cars have always been popular, and since the first shooting brakes were built to ferry the guns and game for Edwardian country gentlemen, estate cars have been an ever-present sight on Britain’s roads. Now, Hagerty’s global car market data analysts have noted the rise in classic estate car values compared to their standard saloon counterparts, and gone in search of examples where the estate is worth more than the equivalent saloon. They turned up the following nine examples, ranging from the exotic to cars that were once relatively mundane daily transport. Audi 72 Station Wagon ‘Variant’ (1965-1969) Average Hagerty Price Guide value: £7200 Difference vs 4-door saloon: +2.5% Austin A35 Countryman (1956-1962) Average Hagerty Price Guide…

ENGLISH AXLE CROWNWHEEL AND PINION SET Price: £300 Burton Power has forged a partnership with a European world leader in spiral bevel gear production to provide crownwheel and pinion sets for UK English axles fitted to various Ford models from the 105E Anglia of 1959 to the Mk2 RS2000 of 1980. Precision manufactured from high quality 8620 alloy steel forgings to Ford O.E. specification and quality standards, the superior Gleason tooth forms on each gear set are individually lapped together to ensure optimum meshing quality. After an exacting hardening process, the gears are finally treated to a manganese phosphate surface coating which forms a long-lasting anti-corrosion shield, gives enhanced lubricity, and protects against abrasion. The gear sets are available in a wide range of ratios from 5.29:1 to 3.54:1. Call…

In 1991, Tony Cleasby happened to be looking for a Mini in which he could teach his wife to drive. When his brother Mick heard that this Primula Yellow Mini Mayfair was for sale, they decided to take a look. The model had been launched in October 1982 to replace the Mini HLE, and was powered by the same 998cc 'economy' engine. However, it had Sundym glass all round, and sported an exterior highlighted by black trim in place of all the traditional brightwork, including bumpers and radiator grill. The interior was updated for the Mayfair too, with the door panels and seats covered in Raschelle knitted fabric, in blue or beige depending on exterior paint. A pin stripe was applied along the waistline, as was the name Mayfair in…

When the bods at Ford were first thinking about a successor to the 105E Anglia, they were influenced by the amazing success of the Mini Coopers and wondered briefly about opting for FWD. In the end they chose to evolve the Anglia’s classic layout of front engine and rear wheel drive with MacPherson struts at the front and longitudinal leaf springs at the back, but they did switch from a steering box to rack and pinion to sharpen up the steering. The styling was all new though, relatively plain but reasonably aerodynamic thanks to wind tunnel testing at MIRA, and also spacious thanks to a clear focus at the design stage on customer comfort. The Escort was to be Ford’s first European car, with design input from their operations in…

Generally, the bodywork at the front end of the Rover looks pretty good. There is clearly a little filler low down in the offside front wing, but feeling behind the panel suggests that this is to rectify some minor dents rather than to cover any rot. A bigger problem at this end of the car is that the bonnet pulls too far to the offside when it is closed. As a result, when you release the bonnet catch you have to push the whole panel across to the nearside to wrestle the bonnet pin free from the catch before the panel will pop up and the bonnet can be opened. Linked to this, the panel gaps are all wrong – the gaps between the trailing edges of the front wings…

Renault’s model history is rather a bipolar thing – its products can be extremely mundane, the kind of fare that used to be dismissed as Euroboxes, or they can be attention-grabbing, maverick and stylistically innovative like the madcap 5 Turbo which burst into 1980 with its lunatic blown engine mounted amidships, gorging on air sucked through huge vents in massively-distended wheelarches, or the Twingo which looked like no microcar I had ever seen. I was in France for a while the year after the Twingo launched, and my girlfriend and I wanted badly to take one back to Britain. Four years later the Mégane appeared, and I took literally no notice of it at all. It was a pretty unassuming car, a slightly less clean-lined evolution of the 19. Like…

The first new post-war Vauxhalls were the 1948 L-Type Wyvern and Velox, but they were clearly derived from the pre-war 12-4 and 14-6. In contrast, the E-Series looked completely different when it debuted on 24th August 1951, and Luton assured potential buyers: ‘Whatever point of view you judge from – performance, appearance, or anything else – you are going to agree that these new Vauxhalls are really something.’ Furthermore, they promised: ‘With the new Vauxhalls, it is love at first sight and love that lasts.’ The unitary bodywork, reminiscent of the 1949 Chevrolet, undeniably had a certain panache. David Jones, the company’s Director of Styling, told the press that the E-Series was ‘Modern, and will be a delight to own, a joy on the modern highway.’ The Wyvern cost £740…

The contents for an exhibition at Beaulieu called The Story of Motoring in 50 Objects have been revealed, after being carefully chosen from over 1.7 million items in the collection cared for by the National Motor Museum Trust. They include some of the most historically important vehicles, motoring artefacts, film footage, images, documents and books from its vast archives. Representing the pioneer days of motoring is the 1903 De Dion Bouton 6hp which started the collection when Edward, Lord Montagu put this car on display in the entrance hall of Palace House as a tribute to his father, the motoring pioneer John Montagu. Of a similar vintage, the 1908 Votes for Women! Shell postcard also made the final cut, as did the precious 1913 racing silks of Percy Lambert, who was…

Online classic and specialist vehicle marketplace Car & Classic have sold an original, one-owner Vauxhall Astra GTE for a record-breaking £22,250. Having recently been through a comprehensive restoration process, the 1983 Mk1 Astra GTE (one of only six currently on the road according to www.howmanyleft.co.uk) was offered in complete, original factory specification. '1980s hot hatches such as this Astra GTE are usually found in conditions which are in various degrees departed from the original specs due to their sporty nature, which lends itself to modification and tweaks,' said Car & Classic Head of Editorial Chris Pollitt. 'Finding one which hasn’t been tinkered with is almost as rare as the model itself. Perhaps, in an age where modern cars become heavier and heavier, classic car enthusiasts appreciate even more the fact…

The craftsmen responsible for building replacement Mini and MGB panels and bodyshells at British Motor Heritage (BMH) are among the most experienced in the thriving classic car industry. However, new blood is essential if their skills are to be passed on to the next generation, which is why the company appointed two new apprentices earlier this year, and has now enrolled them on the coachwork course run by the Brooklands-based Heritage Skills Academy (HSA). Established in direct response to the demands of Britain’s classic car fraternity, the 42-month block release course majors on the traditional coachbuilding skills which are lacking in modern apprenticeship schemes, but still very much in demand for classics. Find further details on BMH and its products at www.bmh-ltd.com and on the HSA apprenticeships at www.heritageskillsacademy.co.uk…

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the July issue. Well I enjoy most issues of your magazine – when you feature cars such as the Reliant Regal 3/25, Triumph Acclaim, Jaguar Mk10, Allard, Rover P4 and the Ford Capri, what is there not to like? The write-ups on the TR7 convertible projects and Romer Adams the car salesman were most interesting. When I first got into older cars in the 1980s, I would always buy Practical Classics, then moved on to Popular Classics and now yours is the only one that I buy. As a buyer of magazines for over 40 years I understand that you have to try and cater for all tastes, but articles featuring MGBs, MX5s and the like are a real…

Panhard et Levassor made their first petrol-engine vehicle in 1890, which makes them France’s oldest car manufacturer. By the 1930s, motorists across the country chiefly associated Panhard's Avenue d’Ivry factory with transport for the Grande Bourgeoisie. However, the post-war French government’s Plan Pon emphasised volume production over specialised vehicles, so Panhard introduced the Dyna X at the 1946 Paris Motor Show. This featured a lightweight aluminium body (as steel was then heavily rationed), an air-cooled flat twin alloy engine of either 610cc or 745cc, and front-wheel drive. Sales were promising, despite the price being 50% higher than its Renault 4CV competitor. In 1952 the Dyna X gained an 851cc power plant, but by then the development of its successor was underway. Panhard’s management decreed that the new car should be…

‘It’s only done 6000 miles,’ remarks Wayne Courtenay of The Blue Oval Rescue Centre as we look at the 1.6-litre CVH engine bolted to an engine stand that’s awaiting stripdown. The engine in question has been removed from a 1986 Mk2 Ford Fiesta XR2 which had been mothballed for most of its life, hence the low mileage. However, the owner is rightly concerned about perishable items such as oil seals, and has asked Wayne to replace the hardened valve stem oil seals, renew the clutch, fit a new timing belt and tensioner and investigate why cylinders two and three are low on compression. As you’ll see over the following 36 steps, we discover more than we bargained for, some of which is typical of an engine that was assembled 36…

We’ve all heard of cars being called ‘as aerodynamic as a house brick,’ but have you ever wondered just how aerodynamic a house brick really is? Well, the coefficient of drag (or cd for short) is used to measure how easily a shape slips through a viscous medium, which in the case of a car means the air, and I can tell you that a smooth house brick has a coefficient of drag of around 2.1. Back in the 1920s, a figure of 0.7 would have been good going for a car, but by the 1980s somewhere between 0.3 and 0.4 was more normal, although extra-slippery shapes such as Citroën’s CX achieved 0.33 as early as 1974. By the early 2000s most cars were between 0.32 and 0.38. All of…

The TRUTH about... Daimler & Jaguar The Daimler name is not English but German, Gottlieb Daimler having begun by producing small motor launch engines. Daimler engines were later fitted to a number of Frenchmanufactured cars around the turn of the century, and British companies were involved in the production of Daimlerpowered motor launches and subsequently motor cars, using the Daimler name for which rights were secured. Early in the twentieth century all ties between Daimler at Bad Cannstatt and Daimler in Coventry were severed and the British company soon began to develop the Knight sleeve valve engine and used that in all of its cars from 1908. This design did not use the more common poppet valves and was very quiet in operation. However, its oil consumption was relatively high…