Indice dei contenuti per August 2020 in Classics World

I don’t know for sure because I don’t have a complete set of back issues, but I suspect that this may be the first time Classics magazine has featured a Leyland P76 as its main cover image. This was Leyland Australia’s brave attempt to take the fight for volume sales in their domestic market to the likes of Holden, Ford and Chrysler. There were plans to bring the P76 to the UK as well, but these came to nothing when the whole project was canned prematurely after just 18 months of production. The reasons for this failure will be all too familiar to anybody with a soft spot for BMC and BL cars from the 1960s onwards – a lack of money to invest, a troubled workforce, poor quality control…

The Fiat Panda was first revealed in 1980, when the best-selling single in the UK was Don’t Stand So Close To Me by The Police, the world was gripped by the Rubik’s Cube and everyone found out who really shot JR. The Fiat was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign, and sat on a brand new front-wheel drive platform with styling cues of robustness and utilitarianism. Inside saw a simplistic dashboard and seats resembling hammocks attached to metal frames, bringing the exterior feelings of robustness inside, whilst its ethos was to be easy to maintain and inexpensive to own and run. The name Panda was a late decision and was in honour of Empanda, the Roman goddess and patroness of travellers. At launch the Panda range consisted of a single…

CLARKE PRO DUAL ACTION SANDER/POLISHER Price: £71.98 The Clarke CP150 from Machine Mart is a great sander/polisher kit with a comfort grip handle for ease of use and featuring dual action rotary and orbital motions to produce an excellent polished finish. The orbital motion also produces less heat than pure rotary polishers so there is less risk of swirls or damage to paintwork, especially when the user is inexperienced. With variable speed, the user can choose from six settings (0-6000rpm) as appropriate for compounding, final polishing and waxing. The backing pad is 150mm, and the tool is supplied in a robust carry case with buffing and polishing pads included. Buy in-store, online at www. machinemart.co.uk or via mail order from 0115 956 5555. BRUNO SACCO: LEADING MERCEDES-BENZ DESIGN 1975-1999 By…

“In 1960, the Rover 80 seen here cost £963 brand new. However, there was an additional £402.7s.6d to pay in purchase tax!” Back in the early 1990s, the classic car market had recently collapsed, the stock market was nervous over the prospect of another crash and the UK was sliding into recession, so perhaps it was a good time for John Coultas to purchase a 30-year-old Rover for a mere £800. He was already a fan of the marque, having owned a couple of diesel-engine SD1s. Purchased from a friend in the same village where he lives in East Yorkshire, the history of this 1960-registered Rover 80 included only one previous owner, who lived in nearby Scarborough and had only clocked up some 45,000 miles. Looking at the sales receipt…

Like many people, I have been spending a lot of time in the garage recently, so there is plenty of progress to rattle through here – my apologies to refugees from Triumph World who may already be up to speed on some of this! Starting with the 1946 Standard Eight Tourer, I have been cracking on with the interior trimming. The colour for the interior had been dictated by circumstances, as the box of bits that comprised the Standard when I got it did not include the front seats, and my attempts to buy a pair proved fruitless. I did, though, have a pair of very nice seats in Matador Red that had come out of my Herald when I fitted MX5 recliners to that. I liked the way the…

An engine fire has got to be top of the list of fears for air-cooled, rear-engine VW campervan owners, with engine failure being a close second. I’ve discussed the potential problem with several specialists and discovered there are a few reasons as to why these buses catch fire. For example, it doesn’t help having a fuel tank located in front of the engine as a fuel leak and fire in this vicinity will keep going providing there’s petrol in the tank and oxygen in the air. Another reason is common across many classic vehicles – perished fuel hoses. With a hose routed from the petrol tank to the mechanical fuel pump in the central area of the engine, it’s quite an easy one to inspect and renew, along with the…

An expat motoring author and journo resident in Vancouver, Iain was unable to resist the opportunities that comprise his fleet of projects, but is also unable to muster the focus, energy or organisational skills to complete them. MY FLEET 1947 BENTLEY MKVI OWNED SINCE: 2015 ENGINE: 4.25-litre straight six 1957 BENTLEY S1 OWNED SINCE: 2019 ENGINE: 4.9-litre straight six 1958 CHEVROLET DELRAY OWNED SINCE: 2005 ENGINE: 5.7-litre V8 1972 TRIUMPH TR6 PROJECT OWNED SINCE 2019 ENGINE 2500cc straight six 1974 MINI MARCOS PROJECT OWNED SINCE: 2015 ENGINE: Cooper-spec 1100cc A-series 1984 DODGE CAMPERVAN OWNED SINCE: 2009 ENGINE: 6-litre V8 1990 ROVER MINI COOPER RSP OWNED: since 2016 ENGINE: 1275cc A-series 1992 JEEP CHEROKEE OWNED SINCE: 2006 ENGINE: 4-litre straight six 1992 MAZDA MX5 SUNBURST OWNED SINCE: 2015 ENGINE: 1600cc 199X…

An engine’s coolant has quite a demanding job. It must be able to cope with freezing temperatures to avoid the risk of turning into a solid, which could cause internal damage to the engine such as fracturing a waterway and causing it to leak. During the summer it needs to maintain the engine’s temperature to ensure it doesn’t get too hot, along with help from the radiator and a mechanical or electric cooling fan. And the coolant also needs to prevent internal corrosion of the engine, which can otherwise result in porous waterways and a build-up of silt that can block passageways and the water pump. Most classic cars from the mid-1990s or before use a blue-coloured coolant, also generally called antifreeze. As Witham Group’s Technical Director, Mick Kenyon explains:…

The Z3 was designed to be built inexpensively and the floorpan, suspension and running gear are basically those of the 1994 318Ti Compact, itself a cheaper E36 that used the old E30 style semi-trailing arm rear suspension and not the Z axle used on the regular E36. That saved weight and was cheaper to produce, and it could be tuned to give very good results. Production started at the Spartanburg plant in Carolina in September 1995. Previewed by the 007 film Goldeneye in November 1995, the Z3 was launched to the public not long after with a waiting list of some 15,000 cars by early 1996. By the time the car was launched in the UK in July 1996, desire was at fever pitch. Under the bonnet was BMW’s new…

Phil McCumisky is the current registrar in the Leyland P76 Owners Club of Victoria & Tasmania, and his latest P76 is a top-of-the-range V8 Executive built in November 1973. It is still in its original Country Cream paint, and the interior is original. The original engine was recently overhauled and reconditioned, and a number of modifications made to bring the car up to modern standards, as Phil explains. ‘I put heavy-duty front and rear anti-roll bars on it to improve the handling a bit, and I’m just waiting for a set of 15in Minilites to turn up. I’ll still keep those original wheels and tyres so that if and when the time comes to sell, the next owner’s got the original gear to put back on the car if he…

The events calendar for 2020 has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with uncertainty and cancellation surrounding every type of gathering. Some organisers have tried adapting to changing government rules and guidelines, others have made an early decision to shut up shop for 2020 and hope for better things next year. We cannot list all the various changes here, but some of the blue chip event announcements this month have mirrored decisions taken elsewhere and give a fair indication of the state of play across the country. For example, Beaulieu has been hosting motoring events in the parkland surrounding the National Motor Museum since 1952 when it held the first veteran car rally, and each year it now welcomes over 100,000 visitors. The pandemic halted the 2020 programme when the…

Newton Commercial, manufacturers of British and European classic trim products, has been involved in design, manufacture and distribution of PPE for local NHS, care workers and key workers since the lockdown in March. Joining forces with Andy Gardiner, a furloughed local teacher who was making face shields at home, they set up a GoFundMe page, a website and a distribution network of over 50 volunteers making and distributing PPE. They used their factory to source materials, develop and manufacture items including scrubs, face masks and face shields. A network of scrub hubs was also set up to help make up this PPE and distribute it to key workers in Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk. Over 10,000 pieces have been made to date, and they have raised over £7000 from local business…

Riley specialist Blue Diamond has expanded its team with the recruitment of two new apprentice mechanics. The specialist workshop for vintage and pre-war Rileys is a long-term supporter of both apprenticeships and the Heritage Skills Academy’s Historic Vehicle Restoration Course, and Blue Diamond Riley Services has been working with apprentices since its doors first opened. The two new apprentices are Jacob Ewers who completed a two-year course in Motorsport Engineering at Bicester and Banbury College, and Patrick Arney who joined from a course in Automotive Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University. Patrick has even shown his enthusiasm for the marque by purchasing a 1933 Riley 9 Monaco (pictured above), which he has made his daily vehicle getting to and from work.…

THE WAY THEY REALLY WERE I’ve spent all my life in the motor trade, indeed I am still a part-time MoT tester, and I’ve just really enjoyed reading Classic Tails in the July issue – indeed they don’t 'make ’em like they used to.' My grandfather was a school headmaster with a love of cars, and for many years he had a new Vauxhall each year. He started with Vivas. I remember going to his house around 1978 to see his new 1300GLS – all very smart with twin headlamps and the Magnum style dashboard, very fetching in dark blue metallic. However, it was sitting slightly strangely after being delivered to his house by Batchelor Bowles, Leicester’s Vauxhall main dealer, who had failed to notice that both rear springs were…

The MGB was quite a revolution for MG when it was launched in 1962, replacing the MGA’s separate chassis construction with a new monocoque design that featured a smooth cigar-shaped profile. The styling at the front was influenced to some degree by the Renault Caravelle/Floride, and indeed the French company did later threaten legal action, but nothing ever came of that. The body – over-engineered in some regards and extremely strong – was productionised and produced by Pressed Steel in Swindon. Engines were originally intended to be from a new family of narrow angle V4 and V6 units, but these never made it into production and so power came instead from a newly enlarged 1798cc B-series. Suspension was largely derived from that found on the MGA, with independent coil springs…

Simon always has too many projects on the go, which means progress on individual cars can sometimes be slow. On the bright side, it does mean he never gets stuck watching telly of an evening. He like virtually all classics, but has a weak spot for anything small, basic and generally overlooked. MY FLEET 1946 STANDARD 8 TOURER ENGINE: 1009cc sidevalve four OWNED SINCE: 2013 1967 MORRIS MINOR ENGINE: 1098cc OHV four OWNED SINCE: 2019 1983 ACCLAIM ENGINE: 1335cc OHC four OWNED SINCE: 2015 1989 VOLVO 340 ENGINE: 1397cc OHV four OWNED SINCE: 2020 THOUGHT OF THE MONTH My three children have returned to the nest for the duration of the lockdown, and so I have insured them to drive the Acclaim. Although ‘children’ is not really accurate any longer…

Rob confesses to a borderline addiction for cars, especially ones he can tinker with, which has inevitably resulted in him owning a variety of classics. He’s not a purist when it comes to originality and is always keen on modern upgrades, admitting he wouldn’t refuse an electric-converted classic. MY FLEET 1977 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER ENGINE: 1584cc air-cooled flat-four OWNED SINCE: July 2010 1998 MAZDA MX-5 MK2 (NB) ENGINE: 1840cc inline-four OWNED SINCE: May 2012 THOUGHT OF THE MONTH If your classic car has a common problem that affects most owners, don’t assume it won’t happen to you.…

When the fastback-shaped Ford Pinto was launched in the USA in 1971 powered by a cast iron single-overhead-cam four-cylinder engine with flat top pistons and a five main bearing crank underneath its bonnet, little did anyone expect that this engine would become more popular than the car, or that it would adopt its name. It wasn’t until 1973 that the UK had the opportunity to appreciate this engine in the MkIII Cortina 1600GT. With a displacement of 1592cc, it produced 88bhp at 5700rpm, whereas the larger and now more readily available 1993cc version had an extra 10bhp at 5500rpm. With many engines having been rebuilt or modified over the years and few remaining in original condition, it’s often difficult to identify them, although markings such as 2.0 or 1.6 on…

DON’T JUDGE ME – I WAS ONLY YOUNG! A few issues back, I rattled on about a sort of ex-Works Escort Sport that I built from bits in 1987. A year before, I’d built a Mini from a bare shell, and there was a rather tenuous ex-Works connection to that as well. What happened was that in the summer of 1986, I’d bought a Mini Clubman Estate that despite its V registration (DTF 455V if I recall correctly) was in fact a 1974 model. It had been accident damaged, but was appealing because it was free. It turns out that it was a Belgian assembled 1100 model, imported in 1979 and converted to RHD, which would explain the misleading number as back then cars were given a plate that reflected…

A new online Concours Virtual is now live, detailing the 17 concours classes, the sponsors and the commercial partners already involved, with the aim of raising £100,000 for Unicef. From 30th June to 9th August, Concours Virtual Presented by Hagerty will show off some of the greatest cars ever made. Normally, such cars would be appearing in prestigious Concours d’Elegance events around the world, were it not for the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, these cars, from the early 1900s to the present day, will star on the website and social media of Concours Virtual, to be judged by an all-star team of more than 40 expert motoring personalities. Judges include Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, five-times Le Mans winner Derek Bell, Chasing Classic Cars TV star Wayne Carini, Goodwood Festival of…

The mighty Bentley 6¾-litre V8 engine – the longest serving V8 design in continuous production – has finally reached the end of its handcrafted manufacturing run. The final engine was assembled in Crewe at the start of June by the dedicated team of seven people, who between them have a combined experience of 105 years building Bentley’s iconic V8 engine. In production for more than 60 years, and with the same configuration and bore spacing as the very first version from 1959, the last L-Series engine will spend its life powering the 30th and last specially commissioned Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner. This bespoke series closes the Mulsanne’s production run, and celebrates the life of its iconic engine with a myriad of V8-inspired details including badging, blueprint graphics and even…

When a particular model of car has a facelift or undergoes several revisions, such as larger wheels or an increase in engine size, it is rarely a seamless process. After all, old parts need to be used up, so often there is no clear cut-off point. The 1275 GT seen here could be one such example of this blurring of lines. It was registered on 20th December 1974, but appears to have some original pre-’74 features. For instance, it has the smaller 10in diameter wheels, which were replaced in 1974 with the larger 12in items. It also has the smaller 7.5in diameter solid brake discs and two-pot calipers from the Cooper S, which were also replaced in 1974 with the larger 8.4in discs and two-pot calipers that were still being…

Our Morris Minor has been the subject of extensive restoration in the past. The very word ‘restoration’ can have different meanings to different people, though. In this case, it was an enthusiastic home project rather than a no-expense-spared professional job with an eye on wining concours trophies. And that is just fine – we didn’t pay concours money for the car, so we can hardly complain if it is not immaculate. In many ways I prefer a car that has a slightly lived in feel anyway, as you are more likely to use and enjoy it without worrying about every car park ding or stone chip. As such, I wasn’t too bothered about the rust bubbling up in the lower skin of the passenger door. After all, it was hardly…

After working on the Jaguar window regulators, now was time to investigate the slow operation of the Stag passenger window. It was proving more difficult to open than close which seemed strange, and had recently got worse so that you could only fully open the window with the engine running so that the alternator was charging at 14 volts. The investigation revolved around checking the performance of the regulator and the motor, the wiring and movement of the glass in the frame, so the first task was to remove the door trim to access the internals. The quarterlight control knob and door handle escutcheon were removed, followed by the one screw in the centre of the armrest that secures it to the door frame – both ends of the armrest…

Peter Love is Kelsey Media’s group editor-at-large: he created its tractor and commercial vehicle titles starting with Tractor & Machinery some 25 years ago. However, he is also a keen steam and classic car owner and loves working in his workshop on his two Allards when time allows. MY FLEET 1948 ALLARD M DROPHEAD COUPE 674G ENGINE: Ford V8 Flathead 21 Stud 3622cc 85hp OWNED SINCE: 2016 1949 ALLARD P1 SALOON 1517 ENGINE: Ford V8 Flathead 21 Stud 3622cc 85hp OWNED SINCE: 2017 THOUGHT OF THE MONTH Historic events that use Madeira Drive are under threat from Brighton & Hove City Council, which has refused to rule out the inclusion of historic vehicles in the proposed centre city emission ban. The ban would be devastating for our movement which is…

I’ve run a 1992 Mazda MX5 NA (1989-1997) for several years as a daily driver, and have taken the mileage past a quarter-million kilometres, or about 155,000 miles. My engine burns some oil and doesn’t feel new, but it’s still reliable. The local Miata club only really organises runs rather than tech sessions – the cars go wrong so seldom that there’s no hands-on aspect to the club. You can expect to keep one of these cars indefinitely, if you like it. It’s a copy of a Lotus Elan, but executed in steel and screwed together properly, so you will definitely like it if you haven’t tried one yet. As to whether they’re a proper classic car if you can drive them without having to fix them, that’s your decision.…

Last issue we detailed how the guys at The Figaro Shop in Didcot had helped us remove the dash from our Figaro in preparation for replacing the cracked top with one of their leather-covered items. This issue, TFS’s Ant Absolom showed us how to fit the new top, and also how to retension the seatbelt – the driver’s one has always been slow to retract, not enough to be dangerous or fail the MoT, but enough to make it more vulnerable to getting shut in the door. This is apparently a common problem on Figaros. While the dash was out, we also took the opportunity of replacing the dash light bulbs with brighter LEDs, as the dials had always been difficult to read at night. We have a lot to…

1997 was rich in notable events – the birth of Dolly the cloned sheep, the ascent to power of Tony Blair and the untimely demise of Princess Diana, to name but a few. However, for myself and many other car lovers, September brought the year’s standout development: Frankfurt‘s Motor Show, and the launch there of the most beautiful saloon car we had seen in rather too long a time – the Alfa Romeo 156. For at least a decade and a half the Turin-based manufacturer had turned out a series of models which shared three common characteristics: immense charm and character, dubious build quality and reliability, and styling that seemed to spring from the fingers of a highly-skilled origamicist. Even the Arna, which was for the most part a Nissan…

The P76 has earned an undeserved reputation as the car that killed Leyland Australia. However, today it is being reassessed in a better light as a small army of enthusiasts gradually re-educate the public about the car that was meant to save the company from oblivion, but never really stood a chance. The story of Leyland Australia’s all-Australian car actually goes back to the beginnings of the Australian factory in 1948, as an assembly plant for CKD Morris cars in the inner-Sydney suburb of Waterloo. A major £12million expansion of the factory in 1957, under the recently-formed BMC Australia, enabled full manufacture, but the British-designed cars were not robust enough to meet local conditions, where most roads outside of the major cities were unsealed and often very rough. Engineers at…