Table of contents for April 2020 in Practical Classics

The car show as we know it is great fun and the PC Resto show is the best of the best (I would say that wouldn’t I?). But this year it is also groundbreaking, as this year it has the Practical Classics Classic World, with Discovery. Long title, simple and brilliant set-up. You basically sit in the middle of four zones: Work in Progress, Staff Car Sagas, Barn Finds Revisited, and the Classic World Stage (all you need to know about everything important). In short you are slap bang in the middle of as the very best the classic car world has to offer - including living driving classic cars – it just goes on all around you. It’s basically going to be the best circus you have ever been…

This year Practical Classics and Classic Car Weekly will be joining forces and walking the halls to judge the show. The awards will serve as a thank you to the clubs to make sure their work is appreciated and that there is some token of respect paid to what is a huge shift that they put in at every Resto Show. The Show awards will be handed out at the Practical Classics Classic World Arena and will include the Practical Classics Best Restored Car, CCW Car of the Show, Best Large Stand, Best Small Stand, Best Live Working and Club of the Show. The Practical Classics Restorer of the Year ‘Golden Spanner’ will be awarded on the Lancaster Insurance stand.…

Variety is guaranteed at any Goodwood Breakfast Club, so get along to at least one this year if you can. Although each event has a theme, all classics are welcome and, even better, there’s no charge to attend although each event is ticketed – you can get yours online at tinyurl.com/wqp7b63. On March 1 it’s Vee-Power Sunday, while Everything but The Car takes place on May 3, for any form of motorised transport from bikes to trucks. It’s Supercar Sunday on June 7, Classic Car Sunday on August 2 then on November 1, it’s the season closer, with the theme yet to be announced.…

Typical. You wait ages for a trolleybus, and then four turn up at once. Actually, in this shot of Warlters Road, north London, the electric buses are resting between duties in the quiet urban street. Within a year though, they would be no more; diesel Regent III RTs and Routemasters ousted the last of London’s sparky six-wheelers in May 1962. Still, at least that would free up even more parking where it was obviously at a premium. The vehicles are a mix of private and commercial; the latter perhaps connected with Butler and Crispe Ltd. Outside its entrance is a pre-1958 Series 1 Bedford CA – we can just make out the split windscreen. Keeping it company is a very bright Austin A40 van; OOY 666 being the number of…

Malaise daze I founded the Malaise Motors Facebook group a few years back on a total whim, but now we’re hovering at nearly 9000 highly engaged members. We celebrate the often unloved cars built between 1972-1995. The reason for that particular time frame has pretty much everything to do with US emissions and safety regulations and the effect they had on the world’s motor industry. 1972 saw compression ratios drop across nearly every car line in preparation for unleaded fuel, 1995 witnessed the adoption of OBDII engine diagnostics on nearly all vehicles sold stateside. The influence of this legislation extended well beyond the usual American manufacturers – the heavy and unappealing rubber bumpers installed on the MGB and Midget are just one obvious example. I feel that Practical Classics has…

Greatest job in the world: rebuilding an engine. Ian Nesbitt Wiring is so therapeutic. As is welding properly so it looks like I was never there. Dominic Olds Definitely engine building. So satisfying to do it well and know that you have a fresh and reliable motor under the bonnet that no one else has ever abused! Paul Osborne I recently rewired a Fiat 500 and getting everything working was very rewarding. Ian Allen I’m sad, I enjoy cleaning them! Tims Herbie Nobody likes a heater matrix – especially not today and it’s getting dark already! Nick Graham I think pretty much any job is nicer than scraping off old underseal! Michael Stevens Engine build and tuning. Or possibly lying in a puddle in November, changing an upper rear bush…

1966 Karmann Ghia Type 34 I spotted this Karmann Ghia ‘Razor Edge’ in the grounds of Champneys in Tring while out cycling earlier this year. I had heard of it, but not seen one until now. It was in fantastic condition. Jon Rollit, Berkhamsted DeLorean DMC-12 This DeLorean is still in daily use. I saw it at the back of the Mug and Anchor pub, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. Andy Winfield, Nova Scotia Jaguar E-type I saw this gorgeous Series 1 E-type roadster near the Petit Train terminus on the front in Juan-Les-Pins, Southern France. Stephen Astbury, Grantham 1950 Citroën Light 15 I spotted this 1950 Light 15 in Winchester – a lovely looking car and in regular use as well. Andrew Whittington, Dorset Zaphrozets 968M I found this 968M…

My first attempt at Range Rover P38 ownership was a train-wreck. It was a 2001 4.0 HSE in excellent condition, with a mileage of 80,000 and a full Land Rover service history. A new set of prophylactic airbags and a pump rebuild did nothing to prevent regular and diverse suspension failures. It chewed through its centre diff, its front final drive and a front wheel bearing. Lubricants got out and rainwater got in. Key plastic parts – like door handles – snapped off. Its heater matrix burst, its dashboard display babbled incoherently and its electrical system was a war-zone. Finally, a slipped cylinder liner found its way through a head gasket. All this in the space of 14 months and 8000 miles. Nevertheless, I’ve come to look back on owning…

Practical Classics’s prices are researched rigorously using multiple sources, including clubs, auctions, the trade, adverts online and in print. 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 lot of work, but may be driveable and MOT’d. Our guide is often accused of undervaluing some classic cars. This might be true of a handful of classics that have enjoyed volatile price increases in recent times,…

Recently there’s been much doom, gloom and, at best, uncertainty around the classic market. Less so at the more affordable end, to be fair, though some Ford and Jag values, for instance, have been a bit wobbly. But it could be worse. At the expensive end, anyone who invested their pension fund in Ferraris or other exotica in the past five or six years is registering somewhere on the gloomy scale about now – prices have really bombed. So, what on earth happened at Anglia Car Auctions on January 25? I was glad to be able to take refuge in the press box as you could barely move in the sales hall thanks to the record crowd of 2400 people who turned up. Among them I also spotted a number…

1947 Rover 16 Sports Price: £11,500 In lovely condition and used regularly – recently for a wedding. 83,000 miles. Sadly, loss of garage and ill-health forces sale. 1989 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6 Price: £7995 A forever car – top spec, just 101,000 miles and full history that shows a whopping £20,000 spent on it at top specialists in the last eight years. 1962 Volkswagen Beetle 1200 Price: £10, 650 Has been treated to a full restoration, with the original engine completely reconditioned. MOT and tax exempt. Reliable, fun and a real head-turner.…

Values got rather silly a few years ago. The market overheated and values have dropped again, but these are still costly cars to buy. An E-type’s worth is dependent on its bodystyle and where the steering wheel is, while the earliest (flat-floor) cars fetch a premium, but generally it’s the 4.2-litre models that are the most sought after. A fixed-head project needing a complete restoration can be picked up from £25,000; equivalent roadsters are £30,000. Usable (but tatty) Series 1 and 2 coupés cost from £60,000; comparable roadsters are £70,000.…

David Boon bought his Exige brand new in 2002. He told PC: ‘These cars are known for being uncompromising, but they’re more usable than you might think. The hardest thing is getting in and out, but once in there, it’s comfortable and civilised enough even at motorway speeds. My car is standard apart from an Emerald ECU that makes the car more driveable at low speeds. Although I’ve taken part in sprints and track days, reliability has been great. The head gasket was replaced two years ago but, apart from routine maintenance, that’s all the car has required.’…

I’ve been under a TR7 for most of this week. During the run around Britain last year I noticed, along with the regular bouts of overheating and coolant loss, an unpleasant clonking from the rear end and uncomfortable vibration underneath. A knackered gearbox mount and squigged, hardened bushes all round had me on the phone to Robsport for the mount and Polybush for the TR7 bush kit. Everything turned up within a couple of days and I was off to the PC workshop for some down-under fettling. The Triumph gave up its rubber without complaint and, to be honest, once pressed out, the old bushes didn’t look too bad, low mileage and little use having preserved their shape. However, age meant that while the bushes were in original condition visually,…

1956 Riley Pathfinder Engine 2443cc/4-cyl/DOHC Power 110bhp@4400rpm Torque 135lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed man+ o/d 0-60mph 17.5sec Top speed 100mph Fuel economy 20mpg Work done Engine removed from carand taken to the PC Resto Show Story so far… PROJECT PATHFINDER Editor Danny started with £350 in his hand. Over the next year he made it grow into a Pathfinder by buying and selling terrible cars. The Riley he found (called Katy) came from Alec Gatherer, who had kept it for many years. It had been vandalized and, while the structure was OK and the engine turned, every panel needed replacing. The interior still sodden, its first outing was to the Carole Nash barn find exhibition at the PC Resto Show 2016 – where it was noted for its smell. Since then…

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 taught 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. VOLKSWAGEN GOLF ECU faults are not always electrical… Q The ABS light on my 1997…

When I worked for British Leyland, we had a number of Jaguars that kept warping their brake discs repeatedly. This was due to their owners’ bad habit of sitting stationary for long periods with the footbrake clamped onto hot discs. My father gave us the solution. He advised that the castings had de-stressed themselves and wouldn’t warp further, so we should simply skim the ‘defective’ discs and refit them to the cars. He was right: none ever returned after this treatment. Peter Harries, via email…

Is your classic’s instrument lighting rather feeble? Bulbs blacken with age and electrical connections can deteriorate over time. A gentle afternoon’s fiddling around should fix this – or at least identify where the problem lies and what to do about it. In most cases, it should be possible to restore full operation by simply cleaning connectors and making sure the correct lamps are fitted. It can be fiddly to gain access to the instruments without causing damage to the panel or surrounding trim, so consult your manual and don’t be heavy-handed. If you can’t work out how something comes off, sit back and think about it rather than gouging at it mercilessly with a screwdriver. We removed our car’s steering wheel for ease of photography – but we also found…

Prices are researched from several sources, including clubs, auctions, the trade and advertisements online and in print. 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 full rebuild, but may be driveable and MoT’d. PLEASE NOTE You can’t value any car without seeing it – don’t buy blind. KEY auto: automatic cab: cabriolet con: convertible est: estate lhd: left-hand drive lim: limousine rwd: rear-wheeldrive sal:…

Rover in river Firefighters in France have assisted in the recovery of a Rover 105R from a river between Beaune and Pouilly-en-Auxois. Divers broke the ice and passed straps beneath the stricken vehicle. There were no casualties. Classics out on loan A 1933 Morgan three wheeler and a 1954 Alvis TC21-100 have been added to the Classic Car Loan project and are on offer to young drivers for a year, bringing the total cars on offer in 2020 to 18. For more information, visit classiccarloanproject.co.uk. Machine Shop A new work space has been launched in Hinckley, filled with £25,000 worth of kit including work benches, welders, parts washers, guillotines, pipe benders, lathes and tyre balancers. Access is available from just £40 per month and time can also be booked with…

There are just a few Sunday Scrambles at Bicester Heritage each year and every time one takes place it’s a sell-out. It’s easy to see why, too; few other classic car gatherings offer such variety and the central location means people come from all over so you just never know what’s going to turn up. Take the meet on January 5 for example; some of the rarities included a Tatra 603, Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, plus an array of pre-war classics that looked fabulous in their WWII setting. There are three more Scrambles to come this year: log on to bicesterheritage. co.uk for more info.…

IN THE NEWS Britain was rocked by several espionage scandals during the Fifties and Sixties. In 1961, it was the turn of MI6 operative George Blake to be exposed as a double agent working for the Soviet Union. Sentenced to 42 years in prison, he escaped Wormwood Scrubs in 1966 and fled to Moscow. AT THE FLICKS Audrey Hepburn was already a big star by 1961, but it was playing Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s that most defined her. The image of her in a ‘little black dress’ with ultra-long cigarette holder remains truly iconic to this day. And to think author Truman Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe in the role. IN THE CHARTS And speaking of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the song written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for…

Torque wrench, back in the box still set at a torque figure. Henry Message We had a rather nice Mitutoyo surface block in one of the workshops where I last worked. One bloke thought that it was just a brick and used it to mix up batches of Araldite epoxy. Michael Stevens Digital vernier calipers as a precision odd-leg scriber. The vernier was £10 from Lidl, but I still feel bad when I do it! Chris Ryder I caught my housemate using my torque wrench as a hammer once. That was a ‘fun’ conversation! Denzil Penberthy Grinding with a cutting disc! Ian Law Starting a milling machine with the chuck spanner still in. Then wondering why everyone hit the deck. Phil Stott Using an air gun before hand turning bolts…

I have gone green without the use of electric. Dave Robins Gutting a perfectly good classic, no, not for me. As a restoration option then I’m open to it. Rudy Manchego I wouldn’t mind converting one of my MGs to electric. Either the MGF or the MGB roadster. Hopefully as prices for motors and battery packs become more affordable, I’ll be able to afford to try it outy on the ’F first. Kevin Singh If it keeps another classic on the road, I cannot see the harm. Philip David Hodges I’ll just continue to drive this, look a muppet and feel great. I’m 70, so why should I care? John Butler…

Ford Cortina MkI Jack Brands from the Netherlands was privileged to be shown a private stash from a scrapyard in Sweden. The tour began with this Cortina MkI. It’s due to be recommissioned and will hopefully be back on the road fairly soon. Austin A35 There is what looks like a very old parking ticket under the wiper of this Austin A35, but this one will be used as a spares car only. Renault 10 A second-generation Renault 10 in rustic but saveable condition. These cars particularly amuse Jack. ‘How to make a bigger car the French way? Take the cramped middle section of a Renault 8 and add extra length to the front and the boot and hey presto: bigger car!’ DAF Daffodil Predecessor to the DAF 33, this…

1 Mix and match Marina torsion bar (top) is thicker and is, therefore, stiffer. Ends are different though. Top needs to look like bottom (Minor torsion bar). 2 Measure twice… Minor torsion bar (bottom) measures 950mm long to the end of the splines. Finished Marina bar plus adaptor needs to match this. 3 Cut twice, too… Mark and lop off 10mm from end of Minor bar. This will form the adaptor piece that bolts through centre crossmember as per the Minor original. 4 Lop it off Mark and cut the back off the Marina bar taking the total length down to 940mm (950mm total length required minus the 10mm adaptor length). Work carefully and cut slowly. Turn the torsion bar regularly for a straight cut. 5…

The longest-lived engine currently used in a production car is no more. Bentley’s 1959 L-series V8 was also shared with Rolls-Royce. A decision to exempt historic vehicles from a proposed emissions ban in Brighton has yet to be made. Thousands of classics visit each year. Guest designers and engineers will gather at Thruxton to celebrate 50 years of the Range Rover. The event takes place on June 6-7. The Mini raced by Paddy Hopkirk was the first car to leave the start ramp at the Monte Carlo Historique Rally UK start in Glasgow city centre. Five decades of the innovative Citroën GS and Maserati-engined SM were marked with special displays at this year’s Retromobile in Paris.…

At the very last second we can announce that, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Practical Classics Magazine, we have managed to find and secure the three main feature cars from the cover of our very first issue. On the PC stand and together for the first time since 1980 will be our first ever restoration – the Pat Moss A40 ‘XOE’, the giveaway Frogeye Sprite and the Triumph TR3A that showed off its engine bay on the cover of issue number one. Book your tickets now to enjoy the early bird discount. necrestorationshow.com…

Celebrations are being planned throughout 2020 to mark 40 years of the magazine you are currently reading. Starting with an ‘Issue One’ cover car reunion birthday display at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration show. This will be followed by a birthday bash at the Beaulieu Spring Autojumble on May 16-17. The May issue, our official 40th anniversary issue, will be an extra special bumper edition with a very special guest editor: Paul Skilleter – the man who was managing editor on the first issue back in May 1980. This will be followed by a classic summer in our newly-restored VW camper van, on a jaunt around the coast of the UK visiting the beaches that you vote ‘Britain’s Best’, and finally there will be a very special ‘Golden…

Betting on a miracle ISBN: 978-1-098659-86-8 £10.75 amazon.co.uk Following on from Chronicle of a Car Crash, this book tackles the BL Limited era and follows the fortunes of the firm. It follows products as well as politics and overseas fortunes and is a fantastically informative and historically accurate read. Peugeot 205 ISBN: 978-1-445665-28-3 £14.99 amberley-books.com This book covers the engineering and design features that made the 205 so special, focusing particularly on the GTi ‘hot hatch’ versions. Drawing on his personal experience, author Matthew Corrigan also provides advice on restoration, parts, values and other useful ownership tips. The number plate book ISBN 978-0-9004-77-5 £7.95 newbybooks.co.uk A clear and informed explanation of the British vehicle registration system from 1903 and the different sorts of plates that are issued. It also includes…

We love it when Race Retro takes place, as it means the classic season is about to kick off with a bang. Centrally located at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire (CV8 2LG) so it’s easily accessible, this annual homage to motor sport (February 21-23) is a great place to ogle over priceless historic machinery and to see fabulous classic rally cars in action on the live stage. There’s also a live stage inside the halls, where motor sport greats are interviewed and you can top up your autograph book. More at raceretro.com .…

THURS-SUN, FEB 20-23 LONDON London Classic Car Show at Olympia, W14 8UX (thelondon classiccarshow.co.uk ). FRI-SUN, FEB 21-23 WARKS Race Retro at Stoneleigh Park, CV8 2LG (raceretro.com). SUN, FEB 23 MIDDLESEX Rover Sports Register day at Whitewebbs Museum, EN2 9HW (thersr.co.uk). MANCHESTER Morris Minor Day at the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport, M8 8UW (gmts.co.uk). SOMERSET Great Western Saabs February Stroll at the Helicopter Museum near Weston-super-Mare, BS24 8PP (facebook.com/groups/ greatwesternsaabs). THURS, FEB 27 ESSEX Chelmer Valley Car Meet, The Lodge, SS11 7QT (chelmervalleycarmeet. co.uk). SUN, MAR 1 GLOS Cotswold Classic Car Club Meet, at The Frogmill, Shipton Oliffe, GL54 4HT (cotswold classiccarclub.com ). CHESHIRE Knutsford Motor Club Tour of Cheshire (historic road rally), SY14 8BE (tourofcheshire.co.uk). NOTTS Newark Autojumble, Newark Showground, NG24 2NY (newarkautojumble.co.uk). TUES, MAR 3 DORSET Transport…

I loved the photo of High Street Oxford (ML, PC , Feb 2020). However, I think you’ll find that the Wolseley 6/80 parked behind the Model Y Ford is the rare Wolseley 4/50, which had a shorter front end as it was only a four-cylinder. Pete Foster, Spalding In Rust in Peace ( PC , March 2020), you do not mention the car in the foreground of the picture, bottom left-hand corner, which appears to be an example of the final version of the Rover P4. Two-tone paint suggests a 110 rather than 95. Derek Bevan, Swanwick…

‘There was a bean tin sculpted within the filler’ 1958 MGA Peter Court, Paignton I bought the car as a quick renovation project about 15 years ago, but I soon realised that it required more than that. It sat around for twelve years until I could find time and funds to crack on with it in earnest and it soon escalated into a total body-off chassis nut-and-bolt rebuild. I stripped it down completely, lifted the body from the chassis and began by having the body sandblasted. It revealed a huge amount of rot – with even a bean tin sculpted ‘Your within the filler. It’s had all of the rot cut out and replaced with new metal – much of which had to be hand-fabricated, the engine rebuilt and a whole…

Yesterday, as I write this, was New Year’s Day. As is the tradition among my car-nut friends, a posse of us drove to the New Year gathering of ageing cars and warmly dressed enthusiasts at Brooklands. This year we had an MGB, a Chevrolet Corvair Corsa, a Porsche 911 2.7 RS Carrera, a Citroën Traction Avant and my two-stroke Saab, the Rover 2000 TC being in pieces and unable to play. As we munched hot bacon-and-sausage rolls and drank coffee by the pop-up Paddock Café, we contemplated the year ahead and what it might hold for our old-car activities. On the far side of the world, south-eastern Australia burned. A pre-Christmas documentary called ‘The Last Igloo’ showed how receding Greenland ice has rendered past hunting traditions impossible. Fossil fuels are…

SAT FEB 22 Morris Leslie Classic Auctions, Errol Airfield, Perth, Scotland. (01821 642574, morrisleslie.com) TUE FEB 25 Barons Auctions’ Classic Winter Warmer, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com) WED MAR 4 Brightwells’ Classic & Vintage, Easters Court, Leominster, Herefordshire. (01568 611122, brightwells.com) SAT MAR 7 Historics at Brooklands sale, Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire. (01753 639170, historics.co.uk) SAT MAR 14 Spicers Auctioneers, Sledmere House, near Driffield, Yorkshire. (01377 593593, spicersauctioneers.com ) WED MAR 18 H&H Classics, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambs. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) THU MAR 19 Dorset Vintage & Classic Auctions, Henstridge Airfield, Henstridge, Somerset. (01963 363353, dvca.co.uk) SAT MAR 21 Bonhams MPH, Bicester Heritage, Bicester, Oxfordshire. (01869 229477, mph.bonhams.com)…

James likes... HIS SPINE I drove an Exige for a sports car mag once and placed it first in a ‘pure driving thrills’ test against a Caterham. Both were huge fun but at least the Exige had a proper roof. It was incredible on track – UK roads might drive you a bit potty in the end though. Driving one every day would be a bit like playing chess while wrestling a goat. Matt G likes… THE NOSTALGIC ONE My first Lotus experience was as a passenger in a friend’s car on the way to the Le Mans 24 Hour race when I was just 17. Safe to say, I was blown away by the performance it offered up in spades, leading me to state that ‘Some day, I’ll own…

With the sill internals repaired and solid once more ( PC , March 2020), it was time to make good both the outer sill and the leading edge of the rear wheelarch. Triumph panel hero, Lloyd Reed, of South Wales Triumphs kindly supplied a fabricated full outer sill, which I cut down to two thirds of its original length and trimmed to marry up with the hole that needed filling. David Kingerley of Longbridge Motor Spares managed to supply a NOS rear wheelarch repair panel that, once the rotten incumbent section had been removed, was also cut to size. Both panels were then treated to a quick coat of Rustbuster Weld-Thru Primer on their internal surfaces. Before the new metal could be neatly welded into place, we also had to…

I’ve tried to carry on my mission to bring the Spitfire reasonably close to mechanical perfection, figuring it’s best to wait for warmer weather before tackling the crusty bodywork. However, I quickly got distracted from the quest for mechanical excellence. I’d started well, replacing half shaft universal joints and rear trunnion bushes; both jobs will appear in detail in forthcoming PC technical features. The car was driving well enough, but I always like the independent verification of an MOT test, particularly as this MOT-exempt Spitfire hadn’t been tested for a few years. So, off we went to Lutterworth MOT Centre. Test centre proprietor and fellow Triumph owner James declared himself impressed, despite the car’s scruffy exterior. The MOT examination revealed that the Spitfire is basically sound, but there was a…

1938 Standard Flying Fourteen Touring Saloon Engine 1776cc/4-cyl/SV Power 49bhp@4000rpm Torque 83lbft@2300rpm Gearbox 4-spd manual 0-60mph 30+ sec Top speed 70mph Fuel economy 22–28mpg Work done Reconditioned distributor installed; bodywork ancillaries removed in advance of bare metal respray. Also in Kim’s garage 1938 AUSTIN BIG SEVEN Very enjoyable on local runs. 1955 AUSTIN A50 CAMBRIDGE I’m still in search of rear door window glasses. 1956 AUSTIN A50 CAMBRIDGE (DE LUXE) Many local drives undertaken. 1959 AUSTIN A55 CAMBRIDGE MKII I’m seeking a rear ‘deck’ panel. 1964 AUSTIN A60 CAMBRIDGE Has enjoyed several long-distance drives recently.…

A friend dropped off a pair of calipers from a Volkswagen Type 2 for me to attend to. Both bleed nipples on each had snapped. Splitting calipers is generally a bad idea, so I welded M6 nuts to the cleaned stubs, there being no space between the clamping bolts for bigger nuts. After a palmful of failed attempts, I gave up and looked at the internet. It told me that the calipers could be split without fear – so I did so, welded on M10 nuts and achieved success after another two hours. Tragically, upon removing the other caliper from the box, I discovered that the first one was made by Girling and the second by ATE. A correct ATE caliper is now being sought. Who wants to bet that…

There are all sorts of things you can do to tart-up and preserve your classic’s chromework, as we’ve demonstrated on numerous occasions in Practical Classics . Sometimes, though, original chrome is simply beyond rescue. If corrosion is eating away at the metal beneath the plating, splashing out on rechroming is the only truly aesthetically-pleasing way of ensuring the component’s long-term survival. Rechroming is also justified if you’ve restored the rest of the car to a very high standard, as even slightly dodgy chrome will stand out conspicuously. Chrome is commonly applied to components made of steel, stainless steel, brass, copper and various forms of Mazak or ‘monkey metal’ castings. The chrome itself is exceedingly thin, providing a mirror-like surface over a thicker coating of nickel, which performs the more important…

Triumph’s ‘small chassis’ Herald and Spitfire models were first envisioned with modest straight-four engines. Three years after the Herald’s launch, however, the Vitesse demonstrated that a 1.6-litre straight-six fitted under the Herald’s bonnet. This opened a world of possibilities to power-hungry enthusiasts. Triumph repeated its clever packaging trick in an even tighter space in 1966, when the Spitfire grew into the 2.0-litre GT6. A year later, Triumph increased the capacity of its six-pot to 2.5-litres for the TR5 and 2.5PI saloon. The TR5 engine produced 150bhp and its longer stroke led to an ever greater increase in torque. Suddenly all the parts were on the factory shelves to more than double the capacity and quadruple the power of a Herald. And it wasn’t just about the engine: Triumph also developed…

As editor Danny professes (see p64), the Stag is a real practical classic. Open-air motoring for all the family, a soundtrack to die for and great road manners. As a grand tourer it’s superb, you’ll be cruising in modern traffic with ease, plus there’s oodles of club and parts support. And yet, it’s still possible to get an on-the-road example for six grand – and the best for not much more than double that! The advert above told buyers in 1974 that they’d need deep pockets to be able to keep up with a Stag… the same is true in 2020. Yes, you could go out and get yourself a Merc SL or a Jensen interceptor convertible for the four-up V8 drop-top experience, but purchase price aside, Stag maintenance costs…