Table of contents for Spring 2021 in Practical Classics

Morris Cars £16.99 ISBN: 978-1-787110-55-7 This excellent pictorial history explores each of the cars built by Morris from 1948 to 1984. Each model is thoroughly described, illustrated, and accompanied by technical specifications. veloce.co.uk The Michael Turner collection £70 ISBN: 978-1-907085-99-4 Over 300 of Michael Turner’s motorsport-themed Christmas cards, depicting moments from motorsport history have been brought together in this beautiful hardback. PC readers can save 10% by quoting PC10. porterpress.co.uk JCB Scrapbook £20 ISBN: 978-1-913089-17-7 This scrapbook celebrating Joseph Cyril Bamford’s company features more than 400 photographs in a glance through a look at 75 years of JCB’s finest moments. Save 10 per cent with PC10 at checkout. porterpress.co.uk…

The Cortina Mk2 and 1600E Owners’ Club is at the vanguard of parts remanufacturing to keep its members’ cars on the road. Club chairman Jim Payton told us: ‘When the club set up its parts scheme over 20 years ago it kept about £20,000-worth of parts in stock. That figure has now jumped to over £200,000, which is a combination of parts that we’ve had made and original bits that we’ve sourced for our members.’ ‘When getting parts remade our focus is on those that will help Cortinas pass the MOT, but we’ll tackle other items if there’s the demand and we can get commitment. We’re getting lots of rubber parts remade, many from the Far East as the rubber there has a different formula that is more durable in…

My wife, Sharon, had always wanted an XJ6, so imagine her surprise 18 years ago when I told her I’d bought her one. She wasn’t so excited when I told her it was only £200, though. A guy in the office where I worked had this XJ40, which he never serviced, so when it wouldn’t start one rainy day and he was late after catching the bus, he said: ‘I’m sick of the sight of that bloody Jag. I want it off my drive, so it’s yours for £200.’ I nursed it home thinking it was going to cost me a fortune to put right because it ran so badly; the paint was beginning to fade; the lacquer was starting to peel in places; and rust was trying to break…

Your favourite car detail? I love the carbon vents on the superb MG SV-R. Johan Schoonhoven The headlight louvres on the Alfa Montreal always make me need a moment to myself. If you don’t know what car they’re on, you ain’t a classic car fan. Mike Dean VW logo on VW and Audi ABS sensors. Completely pointless as no one will ever see them. But love it nonetheless! Alex Doyle I really like the dashboard details inside the cabin of my Talbot Samba. Terry Curtis Love my Rover 75s interior, especially at night. Christopher Jackson The three enormous switches for hazards, rear screen heater and fog lights on the Golf MkII. They are a perfect example of functional design rather than form. Tim Webb The aeroplane-shaped boot mat handle in…

Clive is right, the inside of a Beta is as perfectly formed as the outside. It’s bright, airy, the cosy driver’s seat hugs your buttocks for maximum feedback and the driving position is pure Italy. Long arm, short leg. Acceleration is brisk thanks to the uprated Lampredi V4 up front and while Clive’s home brewed straight through exhaust might not add many horses, it certainly provides joyful music. You can play tunes in this Beta. The MacPherson strut suspension is firm but compliant and coupled with the short wheelbase teases you to go into tight corners a bit too fast. I play slingshot roulette with increasing confidence. Rear vision is rubbish but you’ll never want to look back anyway, until you get out. Beta stylist, Piero Castagnero, was a clever…

The noddy suit, romper suit, or boiler suit is the uniform of the mechanic. This industrial onesie provides people with a clue as to your line of country or hobby; it creates a shield against dermatitis and A&E; and lends a level of credibility for potential trade discount. Overalls make you stronger and irresistible to the opposite sex, too. These things are well known, of course, but there are some caveats. Firstly, the tailoring of one’s overalls is key. The full boiler suit is favoured for under-car grovelling, not dungarees, as the latter will catch on stickyouty-bits, necessitating the fire brigade to cut you free. Remember that the sizing of overalls is largely done on an ad-hoc basis, the numbers sewn into the collar usually plucked at random by way…

A flying start Brightwells’ first sale of 2021 A series of postponements and cancellations meant a late start for the 2021 classic auction season. Brightwells finally kicked things off with a timed online sale held from Feb 13-18 and offering 89 vehicles. That’s a few less than normal, but what’s normal anymore? The good news is nothing’s stopped people wanting to buy classics, with prices pretty healthy across the board at Brightwells. One of few bargains was a smart ’00 Alfa GTV 2.0TS snapped up for £1825. Many other prices went the other way, like the remarkable £7050 paid for a Ford Prefect 100E, nicely presented but lacking in documentation for the work that had obviously been carried out. Presale it looked like the £4000-£6000 estimate had it covered. Even…

with James Walshe Pre-production Velars, suffix-A chassis cars and CSKs command £30k+ for a good example and £50k+ for the best. Other models depend on condition: a nice mid-range car can be had for £10k if you search hard. Not so sought after despite better economy, a really good 300Tdi may reach £15,000, but usable diesels are around for less than £5k. Soaring values are making specialist restoration worthwhile, and if you want to dodge the DIY restoration, a plethora of specialist restorers has appeared in the past few years turning out some exceptional restored cars. For the rest of us, there’s great specialist and club support, so get looking for that project car now! ‘There’s great specialist and club support available’…

with James Walshe With coupés currently out of fashion in the new car market (the Scirocco was replaced by the T-Roc SUV), it’s hard to say what will happen to values of cars like the Corrado. However, with the rising values of both the Golf MkI and MkII making Corrados look even better value than they already are, it would be wise to take the plunge sooner than later. We’ve put values of both 16v and VR6 on the left so you can see how the latter will always be worth the most, by some margin. We suspect the G60 will become a sought after curiosity, so that leaves the brilliant 16v as the best value option by far. Pay £4000 and smile!…

1 Stripped down With the body held rigid in a jig, the distributor is stripped and cleaned ready for assessment. Every component is carefully checked for wear and damage. 2 Wear and tear The weights, toggles, shaft and points cam are all inspected for wear. Cumulative wear on all six pivot points means even a little wear is significant. 3 New bits This new main shaft and cam are CNC machined from steel billet by an aerospace company local to the Distributor Doctor. 4 Built up After a thorough cleaning process, the body is painted/fitted with new bushes before the new shaft, cam, weights, springs and toggles are installed. 5 Internals installed The new baseplate is loaded with high quality points (with a Tufnol heel and correct spring tension) and…

NIGEL’S JOB CARD REPLACE DISCS AND PADS Today, we’re replacing front discs and pads on a modern classic. Our guide shows the front brake overhaul procedure for a BMW E46 3 Series, but the job is similar for most classics built since the early ‘Nineties. It’s an easy, logical DIY job and with new discs as well as fresh pads up front, your modern classic’s stopping power should be assured for many years to come. How tough? You’ll need: ► Basic tools, socket set, caliper piston spreader or rewind tool, torque wrench. Specialists: ► Euro Car Parts, eurocarparts.com ► GSF Car Parts, gsfcarparts.com START STRIP DOWN 1 HOUR 1 Getting started Jack up the front of the car and secure with axle stands before removing the wheels. Disconnect the pad…

EXCLUSIVE A new visitor attraction, the Great British Car Journey (GBCJ), is finally set to welcome families, enthusiast and clubs to its Derbyshire site from summer 2021. Progress on the attraction had to be halted last year due to flooding, ill health and then COVID-19. The announcement follows the signing of a lease on the former Wire Works site in Ambergate, which is located just off the A6 in between Derby and Matlock. The attraction is the brainchild of former Auto Windscreens and Blyton Park circuit owner, Richard Usher. He explained: ‘Signing the lease puts us on track for opening. The enforced break means Great British Car Journey is coming back with even more fantastic British made and designed classic cars.’ Great British Car Journey will take visitors on an…

EV classics – for the young I’ve started restoring an MGB GT and it was illuminating to see how my 18-year-old son reacted to it – initially underwhelmed. However, once he helped me do the timing, balance the SUs and adjust tappets, he found it exciting. He now wants a ‘classic’ for his daily. We must encourage young people into our world and maybe for those who want the looks and the green credentials, E-classics are the way to go. Tony Pemberton, Deeping St James UNSCRUPULOUS MOT TESTER I have run Volvos since 1974. I bought the last one four years ago and was disturbed to learn its story. The 1991 estate was immaculate and had never been taken out in the rain. The original owner of 25 years had…

Clues Across 1 Like the suspension, brakes, steering, etc of the Citroën DS (9) 6 See 20 across 8 An engine type reminiscent of skates? (6) 9 XMs, AXs, etc (8) 10 Tap in a phone number to the dashboard instrument (4) 11 Which car maker has used names such as Carlsson and Aero? (4) 12 Vauxhall Chevette 2300 ___, homologation special (3) 13 ___cooled, like the Tatra 613’s engine (3) 14 ___cam, the Lamborghini Countach’s V12, for example (4) 16 High-spec trim on Fords (4) 17 Isuzu off-roaders (8) 19 ___Bristol, rare sports racer from the Fifties (6) 20 & 6 across ABS-style brakes (4-4) 21 They formed part of Opel’s KAD range (9) Clues Down 1 French coachbuilder famed for his Citroen convertible conversions (5,7) 2 Makers of…

Herbert, later Lord Austin, founder of the Austin Motor company, was best mates with Henry Ford, flicked a coin to make major decisions, had a favourite slogan, ‘Most everything worthwhile is born of some dreamer’s dream’ and possessed an air conditioner. All this is apparent from a visit to Austin’s office, almost perfectly preserved from the time he left it on his death 80 years ago. What an insight into the great man’s character! A signed photo ‘from your friend Henry Ford’ and the half crown coin allegedly tossed by Lord Austin with the company facing bankruptcy. Throw in the towel or suggest employees could save the firm if they wouldn’t mind not being paid for a month or two? The coin chose the latter. Who did Austin ring on…

In association with Surface Processing Ltd surfaceprocessing.co.uk, 01384 242010 £50 STAR FIND Can you do better! Send your high-res images to practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk…

‘The very best car that you ever bought?’ Obviously buying cars is never far from my mind. My position on the masthead here is a bit of a giveaway there. But it dawned on me the other day that actually buying one hasn’t happened for almost exactly two years. Withdrawal symptoms are starting to appear. Anything that pops up on one of my FB groups is eagerly clicked through for more info. Involuntary twitches start as each new auction catalogue is published. The realisation was triggered by one of those open questions often posted online: What’s the best car you ever bought, and also the worst? I never got round to responding. Clicking open a list of the 50 cars I’ve so far owned proved too much of a distraction.…

Fiat Panda Values of the four-by-four version have been flying for some time, but now it’s the turn of the humbler Panda. As charmingly basic as modern motoring gets, the best are now topping three grand and rising fast. Toyota MR2 Roadster (MkIII) You need to beware of some rust issues, but these pretty little mid-engined roadsters are a proper bargain - especially as you can now pick one up for a similar price to a Fiat Panda. Even the finest rarely top £4k now.…

‘Journalism matters’ There was a time when the only way to discover the latest automotive developments was to pop to your local shop and buy a magazine. Trained and trusted journalists poured countless hours into the logistics, research and creation of news and features. It’s how this magazine is still produced. Now, we’re living in the age of the ‘influencer’, the bedroom vlogger with the power to shape industry. Why does that matter you may ask? Well, it matters because of a little thing called impartiality. Training in journalism teaches you to spot PR hyperbole and assess a product on its merits. Gaining sponsorship for your YouTube channel might fill out your bank balance, but simply regurgitating said sponsor’s press release verbatim doesn’t count as journalism. The gravy train of…

1999 Mazda MX-5 MkII 1.8 Engine 1840cc/4-cyl/DOHC Top speed 129mph Fuel economy 31mpg Work since last report Winter tyres fitted.. I’ve got a confession... I blew the budget on my winter challenge MX-5, but it was completely out of my hands, and I have to say, it was also a really wise move. The money went on tyres, which were very much required (see pic). I didn’t skimp either, in fact I went full on winter specification, ordering a set of excellent Riken snow tyres from Ben at Vintage Tyres. Why the huge extravagance? Well, put simply, I’m not selling it. You see, usually our winter jaunts are followed by a selling frenzy where we try to claw back some of the money we have spent saving our classics and…

Matt Tomkins PROJECTS EDITOR Our resident workshop puppet master, Matt has Morris Minors and A-Series engines in his blood. This month: Has been relining a set of brake shoes for the Austin 7. Martin Domoney WORKSHOP EDITOR Former JLR technician, Martin, knows his modern classics inside and out. This month: Installed two-post lift in his shed to save his back. Theodore J Gillam ENGINEERING EXPERT Former Motor Vehicle lecturer and classic fiddling perfectionist. Has a love of compression ignition. This month: Has had a major tidy, ready for Rebel progress. Ed Hughes WORKSHOP GENIUS Ed singlehandedly keeps a fleet of obscure classics on the road. He’s never owned a modern and will keep it that way. This month: Has wept into our VW’s crankcase. See page 124. Nigel Clark DIY…

MATT’S JOB CARD TAKE BETTER PHOTOS OF YOUR CLASSIC Have you ever seen a lovely car, grabbed your phone or camera, taken a shot and then looked down at the screen… only for a wave of disappointment to hit you? The shot wasn’t worthy of hanging on the wall, so you hit delete. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, you have already proved you have the potential to improve… EXPLAINER: HOW THEY DO IT Every pro photographer works in pretty much the same way: we imagine how we’d like a photo to look before we press the button, we then set the photo up so it looks as close as possible to how we imagined and then we press the button. Then we analyse the picture we’ve just taken and most importantly…

► E10 COMING BUT E5 REMAINS The Government has committed to guarantee supply of low ethanol E5 fuel at forecourts in Britain when E10 becomes available from September 2021. The low ethanol petrol for classics will be supplied via the higher octane ‘super’ grade, which reflects the representations from the All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group. It is expected that this fuel will cost more than E10. ► DVLA OUTBREAK A significant outbreak of COVID-19 at the DVLA offices in Swansea has caused delays to a variety of services along with the apparent suspension of policy discussions with the Classic industries representative body the FBHVC. During the pandemic, the Federation has been pursuing five policy areas of DVLA policy concern including nonacceptance of ‘Date of Manufacture’ number marked on vehicles and…

Castrol’s oil finder tool Most enthusiasts still need to check their car’s sump capacities and categorically state the correct oil, fluid or grease for the rest of the driveline. Thankfully, help is at hand. Castrol has created an online oil finder tool containing model listings for 81 makes from 1900 to 1980. Visit oilfinder.classicoils.co.uk for more information. Show you care again Following the success of last years’ two Classics for Carers at-home motor shows (fundraising £17,500 for NHS charities) and winning an RAC Historic Award, a third event is planned on March 20, which is focused on NHS well-being and mental health. For event details, donations and purchases, visit classicsforcarers.com. Defender is back Land Rover is building another 25 old school Defenders with proper expedition roof racks, big V8s, LED…

‘Most forward-thinking clubs have thrived’ Some of the most pro-active classic car clubs are now turning over hundreds of thousands of pounds per year by remaking obsolete parts on behalf of their members. Not only does this provide valuable income, but it also keeps classics on the road where they belong, which is surely what clubs are all about. Of course, there are potential pitfalls around maintaining quality, product liability and insurance, but none of these are insurmountable and the most forward-thinking clubs have thrived as a result of investing in these schemes. A big round of applause! Expecting just a few clubs to respond to our round-robin email, we were swamped with responses. We can’t write a story on each one, but alongside the clubs elsewhere in this feature,…

IN THE NEWS A big hole opens up in Rutland with the completion of Rutland Water, the largest reservoir in England. A total of 4.19 square miles of England’s smallest historic county disappears under water, including the villages of Nether Hambleton and Middle Hambleton. The top half of Normanton Church is left sticking out into the lake on a small promontory. AT THE FLICKS This year sees the passing of one of Britain’s best-loved screen stars when Sid James has a heart attack while on stage at the Sunderland Empire Theatre, aged just 62. The South African – no, he really wasn’t a Cockney – starred in 19 Carry On movies, from Constable to Dick. IN THE CHARTS Fittingly, given our two Volvos at Pegwell Bay, 1976 is the year…

‘It turned up in boxes and we built it ourselves’ 1958 Jaguar XK150 Dianne and Bryn Griffiths, Lowton, Warrington DIANNE I remember the car from the Pretty Polly advert. I said to Bryn at the time, ‘that is one car I would love to own’. He said ‘that is a car we will never be able to afford to own’. Then we found this – all of 26 years ago. We found it as a failed project from a guy who had originally imported it from Texas. BRYN It was in boxes in bits – that was the only way we could afford it. So we set about it. I went on a course to learn trimming and did the lot myself. I built the dream car for us, it…

In this issue you’ll read about the last cars to bear a now-defunct marque name (see p54). One of them represents something else that has also died, although not with that particular car. It’s the NSU Ro80 and its rotary engine, an idea then pursued with determination by Mazda right up to 2012, when emissions rules made it impossible. Mazda mostly fixed the rotor tip-seal problem, although the engines still used quite a lot of oil and owners, being ever less inclined to check the oil level given that most new cars consume hardly any lubricant nowadays, still found themselves with ruined rotaries on their hands. For Mazda, the rotary’s main purpose was to show the world that it was keen to innovate and not follow the herd. Nowadays, the…

THU FEB 18 Brightwells’, timed online, Leominster, Herefordshire. (01568 611122, brightwells.com) FRI FEB 19 Bonhams’ Legends of the Road, New Bond Street, London. (020 7648 5801, bonhams.com/departments/MOT-CAR/) SAT FEB 20 Morris Leslie Classic Auctions, Errol Airfield, Perth. (01821642574, morrisleslie.com) SAT-SUN FEB 27-28 Anglia Car Auctions’, The Cattlemarket, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. (01553771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk) FRI MAR 5 Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro Sale, live online, Warks. (01926 691141, silverstoneauctions.com SAT MAR 13 Spicers Auctioneers, Sledmere House, Driffield, Yorkshire. (01377 593593, spicersauctioneers.com) SAT MAR 20 Historics, Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire. (01753 639170, historics.co.uk) SAT MAR 20 Bonhams MPH, Bicester Heritage, Bicester, Oxfordshire. (020 7648 5801, bonhams.com/departments/MOT-CAR/)…

1976 Ford Capri 1.6 GL Price: £14,995 This MkII looks really sharp after a windows-out repaint in Saluki Bronze. Smart, if rather brown, interior as well. Ready to show. 1995 Aston Martin DB7 Price: £14,950 It might need a little attention to the body and paint, but we are talking about an Aston Martin with bags of history for less than £15,000. 1965 Singer Vogue estate Price: £7295 From the land of Find Another. Has a believable 40-odd thousand miles and was with the original owner for 43 years. Some room to improve, too.…

1991 CITROËN AX GT5 Ian Chambers, West Sussex Ian’s featherweight Frenchie makes for fantastic fun. It’s an exclusive one, too. 1992 FERRARI MONDIAL T Steven Sanders, East Sussex Steve’s Mondial is his dream drive – with a transverse 300bhp V8, we can see why. 2004 RENAULT CLIO V6 PH2 Paul Todd, Gloucestershire Mid-engine monster with most of the fright taken out. Some, like Paul, prefer the softer Phase-two V6. We can help… ‘We can quote you on all the above. If you have a modern classic,get in touch with our team of experts for the best deal possible.’…

James likes... THE BLUE VR6 When I was 17, me and my mates went on random drives in the country and, with Sven Vath blaring on the stereo, we’d imagine we were thundering down the autobahn in a VR6 – very much the car of the mid-Nineties. Those alloys and that engine – what a car. Matt G likes... THE OTHER ONE Without wishing to be controversial, I’d rather have a sporty Golf – a MkII, naturally. The Corrado is basically a Golf dressed up in a sharper suit, but I happen to think that the MkII shape is a classic in its own right. Why jazz up what was already perfect? Matt T likes... THE PROJECT With good parts availability from the likes of the Heritage Parts centre, and…

What has happened to the £1000 car? If you’re on the hunt for a cheap runabout that ticks the classic box, there are plenty of people out there who will tell you that things are looking a bit thin on the ground at the moment. They spout doom and gloom about scrappage victims and bemoan a paucity of interesting cars in the classified ads, and it’s easy to start to believe the bad story, the more you listen to it. I disagree. There are plenty of cars to choose from, and the good news is that, unlike when I was going through my formative car years, cheap cars aren’t likely to have fist-sized corrosion holes in them, a diff full of sawdust, or be useless on the road. Back then,…

Progress on the body has slowed this month for various reasons, however that gives me a great opportunity to bring you up to speed with the progress that’s been made on the mechanical side of things during the past six months. Vapour blasting the aluminium crank case showed up damage to the front bearing lip, a common failure point. This was quickly resolved by local engineer and renowned Austin Seven engine builder Ian Bancroft. Ian used a specialist tool to expertly skim off all remnants of the original bearing lip, leaving a perfectly flat surface before drilling and tapping the threaded holes for the outer bearing retaining plate and fitting four M6 Helicoils. Ian then bolted a laser cut steel plate to the inside of the crankcase with long countersunk…

Nigel Clark CONTRIBUTOR 1972 Triumph GT6 MkIII Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 130bhp@5500rpm (estimated) Torque 140lb ft@3000rpm (estimated) Gearbox 4-speed man + o/d 0-60mph 8sec (estimated) Top speed 120mph (est) Fuel economy 22mpg Work done Laycock overdrive overhauled for transmission upgrade. Also in Nigel’s garage 1970 TRIUMPH TR6 Still stuck in the garage awaiting better weather. 1977 RELIANT SCIMITAR GTE Interior is very damp, probably from a leaking tailgate seal. 1997 BMW Z3 ROADSTER Also tucked up waiting for the weather to improve. 2002 BMW 325i TOURING My go-to car for bad weather, thanks to its winter tyres. Let’s start this by getting my guilty admission out of the way: a prolonged spell of cold weather has kept me out of the garage, so the new differential (see PC, April 2021) hasn’t…

In January’s Ask Our Experts, a reader was having trouble lubricating a trunnion. Be aware that when doing this to an old part that is dry and worn, the grease could allow the trunnion to be forced apart when driving over, say, a sunken drain – causing the suspension to collapse. This used to be a regular fault on neglected Minors and Marinas. Jim Collin, Peaslake If a gear lever rattles and buzzes at certain engine revs, try removing the boot and packing the mechanism with grease. It may simply have dried out. If there are rubber parts involved, then use only silicone grease. Kevin Hadley, Dublin…

‘There’s nothing wrong with the 1584cc Type 2 engine, but if you are going to the effort of renewing pistons and barrels, it makes logical sense to slap another 57cc in the mix and make it 1641cc. This is a really common upgrade, and can be run with a standard Solex carburettor if required, although a pair of Weber/EMPI 34 ICT carbs is the well-trodden path to release a few extra horses. Rounding up the popular tuning package is a camshaft swap. This combination will ensure long distance driving becomes a little more pleasurable and make hills less of a daunting prospect. It goes without saying that, while you are down there, you should at least inspect the rest of the engine internals. There’s no point putting lipstick on a…

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. Russ says ‘Buying and selling should be fun, but sometimes, it’s a nightmare. Follow these three rules…