Table of contents for March 2022 in Practical Classics

New year, but the same old COVID-19. The boredom of having to put up with further weeks of uncertainty and potential restrictions can only be matched by the excitement that a future without the virus controlling our lives is on its way. Roll on summer, it’s time to play the long game, which is where this issue mightjust be helpful. Rather than sitting in and binge watching something mediocre on the telly, why not pay yourself back some of that project money and give the classic you love the attention it deserves before spring comes along? Payback, how? Do it yourself, obviously. Follow our cash-saving guide and you’ll have a healthier, happier car this summer, plus you will have saved over £1000 on what you would have paid a specialist…

Classic car enthusiast and friend of PC, Alex Orchin says he’s ready for the next big adventure, after completing his 1000-mile road trip across the UK in the world’s smallest car. 31-year-old Alex Orchin from East Sussex embarked on the trip from John O’Groats to Land’s End aboard his Peel P50, raising more than £10,000 for charity and travelling a total of 1488 miles, and it has given him a taste for life on the road. ‘I’m already planning my next big trip, having effectively done a zig zag down the country in the Peel. I was invited to all sorts of places along the way by people keen to donate money.’ He says highlights were hard to pick, but a few moments stood out. ‘Knockhill was incredible, as was…

Dartmouth, Autumn 1976 Technically, although we’re overlooking Dartmouth here, the photographer was actually standing in Kingswear. The two Devon towns are separated by the River Dart, with Kingswear on the east bank and Dartmouth on the west. Three ferries link them; this is the Lower Ferry, which has been in operation since at least 1385. On this grey autumn day in 1976, the ferry is just disgorging its full load into Kingswear. Leading the troops ashore is a 1974 Renault 6, an angular upmarket reworking of the curvy Renault 4. It’s being shadowed by a 1970 Austin 1800 MkII; given the harbour’s reputation for quality crustaceans, this Landcrab would be in its element. Honeycomb and trapezoid grilles Just about to slot in behind its bigger sibling is a Harvest Gold…

I loved reading about the amazing exploits of the PC team at the recent NEC Classic Motor Show. I was sitting in the audience at the Live Stage for the duration and loved every second. What I didn’t see was the work that was done backstage, the detail stuff I suppose you would call it, which is where the magazine comes in. Just well done to all… particularly for getting the Marina’s original owner to the show to start the car up for the first time in 30 years. With the background of the pandemic and restrictions we are all enduring, to get this job done was nothing short of miraculous. Only PC can do this… it reaches the parts that other classic mags simply cannot reach. Donald Gregson, Hawick…

Now past its 21st birthday, the Peugeot 206 Coupé/Cabriolet (CC) is starting to poke its nose into classic auction sales. Are we ready for it in PC? It’s certainly a cute little thing, plus that foldaway metal roof is a great party trick that is bound to always raise a smile – unless it needs fixing. Quite tasty on the road in 138bhp 2.0 form, too, though the 110bhp 1.6 is hardly boring. And you can pick up a nice low-miler for under £2000, which is interesting.…

Why do you want one? Before we get to the obvious bit, can we recognise just how good looking the Amazon is? It is a rare thing – a typically hefty Fifties saloon that has not only great presence, but is proportionally elegant. The Amazon was the work of Volvo’s much-loved Chief Designer Jan Wilsgaard (1930-2016), who styled all versions, including the Station Wagon you see here, complete with clever two-piece tailgate. Instantly recognisable, the 120 Series was first unveiled in 1956 as a replacement for the PV444 and they survive in their thousands thanks to supreme build, worldwide popularity, and considerable rally pedigree. If you’re looking for a seriously tough classic that can take pretty much anything in its stride, from family motoring to historic rallying, few cars fit…

For me, the name Ginetta conjures up images of teenagers howling around a circuit on a BTCC weekend. The Ginetta Junior Championship – probably the format by which most of us (under 60) have encountered the name Ginetta – remains a hugely popular feeder series that’s been on our TVs for years, in between either British Touring Car or British GT Championship rounds. The mechanical stars of the series are made by a company with a long and fascinating history. Trading on its motorsport success in recent years, Ginetta has also made several past attempts to crack into the road car market; with varying degrees of success. One of its near misses cropped up via The Market this month. To get your head around the Ginetta G32, simply think of…

I well remember a Modern Classics meeting where I put forth the idea of the original BMW Mini Cooper S being a car worth coveting. It was a few years ago now, so as I recall the looks of horror, I equally understand the sentiment. ‘A new Mini a classic?’… That shape (factory designated R53) was seemingly everywhere back then. So, what’s so great about that early generation then? Well, for a start, that Cooper S had a supercharger rather than a turbo. Its evocative whine rising above the background noise right from the first twist of the key. It also provides prodigious shove in the mid-range. For a relatively modern car, the Mini is still pretty light – its magnificent chassis setup making it a joy to hurtle down…

Tristar trio None of them work but, hey, it’s a £750 Mercedes stable Three Mercedes have happened to me and none of them work properly, but then again, what do you expect for under £1000? (all of them, not each). I say ‘properly’ – they all work, but have issues, most of which are electrical. The C180 came with a pile of history and had been looked after well by its previous owners. The bodywork was reasonably intact, unusual for a Mercedes of the era, but it needed a new bonnet mascot (replacement described on next page) and had a niggling electrical issue (Nineties Mercedes owners begin nodding sagely in agreement at this point). Overnight it would discharge the battery, or at least render it unable to start the car,…

UK-market Samaras were heavily ‘improved’ to give them extra showroom appeal. Mine, a mid-spec model, was moderately afflicted by this. Beige already, it had orange and brown side stripes added with a weird kick-up effect like a sort of visual misfire. A subsequent owner had embraced this dismal palette and painted the wheels beige, too. It was too much. The importers also installed much shorter springs. Lowering the car had not improved its looks, nor its capabilities over rough roads. As a result, it had destroyed its bump stops. At the back, a well-made red, reflective numberplate surround probably looked natty in 1988, but now looked like it was trying too hard. I set to work. The stripes were the first to go. This made the body appear less long,…

QUALITY These universal joints have an extremely hard life (much worse than propshaft UJs) so buy good quality ones. TOOLS You won’t need any particularly exotic tools for this job, but a workbench and vice will make your day considerably easier. SAFETY The car will need to be supported carefully, and pay attention to its stability when putting the rear suspension under load using the jack. NIGEL’S JOB CARD REMOVE AND REPLACE REAR SUSPENSION UNIVERSAL JOINTS Replacing universal joints before wear becomes too serious is vital. Fortunately it can be tackled at home, and learning to do it yourself is a key skill if you own a small Triumph. The procedure is the same for all small-chassis Triumphs, except late ‘Rotoflex’ Vitesses and GT6s. Uprated versions are available and worth…

All you need to know about everything important Enthusiasts from across Europe are expected to descend on Gaydon on September 25 to mark six decades of one of the world’s most popular sports cars. Organised by the MGB Register of the MG Car Club, in association with the MG Owners’ Club, the event will feature hundreds of visiting MGBs, as well as a timeline showcase of cars built during its remarkable 18-year production run. There will also be club stands, a special MGB60 display of cars and a range of trade stands at the British Motor Museum. The first 400 MGB owners to purchase a commemorative rally plate will get reserved parking in front of the museum. The MG Car Club’s MGB Register Chairman, Graham Dix says it’ll be a…

If you’re a regular reader of PC you will know that we scour the land for the finest home restorations. Our restorers must have done the bulk of the work themselves and produced quality as good as any pro. It’s a tough ask, but we are amazed at what we find every year. And 2021 was no exception. Practical Classics Restorer of the Year remains the only classic car restoration competition of its type. It celebrates the Herculean efforts of those who lock themselves away to bring classics back from the brink and return them to the roads. This year our team of experts will select the top five cars from this amazing list for display on a dedicated stand at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show, with…

2001 Merc E430 Engine 4266cc/V8/OHC Power 275bhp@5750rpm Torque 295lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 5-speed automatic 0-62mph 6.6sec Top speed 155mph Fuel economy 25mpg Bought for £200 Spent £205.37 1968 Morris Minor Saloon Engine 1098cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 48bhp@5100rpm Torque 60lb ft@2500rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual 0-60mph 24.8sec Top speed 77mph Price at launch £723 Bought for £800 Spent £313.08 2000 MGF Engine 1796cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 110bhp@6250rpm Torque 1071b ft@4700rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual O-60mph 8sec Top speed 123mph Fuel economy 32mpg Bought for £150 Spent £429 2001 Ford Puma 1.7 Engine 1679cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 123bhp@6300rpm Torque 116lb ft@4500rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual Fuel economy 29mpg Bought for £100 Spent £699.78 We’re at it again. Every year the PC team tests its own buying, selling and fixing mettle by actually buying fixing and, sometimes, selling our own classics. In other…

1986 Reliant Scimitar GTC I saw this Reliant Scimitar GTC with hard top near the Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester. Graham Lomax, Greater Manchester 1993 Ford Mondeo Si This Si with the factory RS body kit is a seldom-seen beast. Only 76 are left… a Mondeo MkI is a ridiculously rare car now. Cillian Dowling, Ireland 1979 Merc-Benz 280SE I spotted this good-looking 280SE in London… it looked to be a daily driver to me, too. Richard Smith, London 1985 Bedford CF This late Bedford CF lives in a housing estate in Winchester. Chris Tubbs, Winchester Morris Oxford On our last visit to Sri Lanka, I came across this Morris at a cafe/bar in the centre of Galle. John Goff, Calne 1989 Audi 100 I was off to get my…

Secret garden It has been a long wait after lockdown restrictions but finally our resident rusthunter Jack Brands was able to travel again recently, He has been uncovering tantalising collections of rusty relics for us, such as this Volvo 144 in the front garden of a property in Sweden. Opel Commodores A pair of Opel Commodore coupés are on the Swedish site too, the red one modified for racing in a former life. Opel Rekord C Coupé This Rekord Coupé could still be saved. Hillman Hunter This Hillman Hunter was family transport when this family moved from Norway to Sweden in the Seventies and been in the garden since, minus its cylinder head. Austin A30 An Austin enthusiast had this A30 saloon bolted to a rock in his front garden…

Ten years ago, on Christmas eve 2011, CDRC was born. Not in a stable, but in a garage at home. Four years later and needing bigger premises, it moved to an industrial unit in Saxilby, Lincolnshire. The first product offered by the company, a discrete electronic voltage regulator concealed within the body of an original points-controlled unit, continues to be a best seller to this day, while dynamo rebuilds, rewinds, 6-12v conversion and proper three-to-two brush conversions complement these regulators to give customers efficient, reliable, fully controlled charging for their classic and vintage vehicles. Pete Jury, who runs CDRC, explains: ‘Our regulators allow maintenance-free, properly controlled charging for classic cars all hidden within an original casing, meaning that originality needn’t be compromised to ensure reliable and efficient charging. The units…

1 It seems your Amazon is particularly tough! ‘Lola the Amazon has 900,000 miles behind her and she’s still going strong! Most of the mileage was at the hands of the first owner, who was known to drive back and forth to the south of France, complete with roof rack and trailer. It has been in regular use since then, flying the flag for the Amazon’s well-deserved reputation.’ 2 So it’s as useable as they say? ‘I’ve never owned one that’s been so on the button. You can replace your everyday modern car easily with one. I also like how we can chuck stuff in the back and sleep in it. We love taking it on picnics near where we live in Derbyshire. And the Scandinavian heater, which we call…

Lada Riva 43 LEFT ON UK ROADS Many likely won’t shed a tear at the passing of this combination of Latin/Soviet comradeship. Understandably perhaps, as to Clarkson’s Marina-mashing militia, it will always remain a machine to make fun of. A sort of ‘look how rubbish the Russians were’, while conveniently overlooking the fact that the Lada Riva, in particular, sold very well here in the West. As cheap and rugged transport – favoured by the ravaged mining communities of the North of England in the Eighties – Ladas were an essential tool. They weren’t glamorous, they certainly weren’t pretty, but they were a lot more reliable than history cares to recall. Of the circa 300k Ladas sold in the UK, most were Rivas, which makes the surviving 43 left taxed…

‘If you get offered a £50 Merc you don’t say no’ Danny experiences the C in Class (and cheap!) Danny Hopkins A 1995 C180 Elegance with a slush box is at the quiet and sensible end of the Mercedes classic car park, but don’t let that, or the talk of rampant rust and build quality issues put you off. If you find a good one, it’s a heck of a car. It is slow though, which is the first thing I discovered after picking it up from previous owner James Shepherd. Relaxing and frugal is a more positive way to look at it, with 30+ mpg and the ability to easily dispatch motorway miles at appropriate speeds. It is never less than a comfortable and relaxed place from which to…

It was on a jolly gal’s day out to Goodwood when I first heard the donk. It was a dull and intermittent new noise that reverberated its way up to the cockpit, from way down below. At low speeds and at high speeds, on bumpy roads and on smooth, the donk audaciously interrupted our quality mother and daughter time and I felt aggrieved when I had to pull over in an attempt to determine its cause. As Shazam for diagnosing weird and unwanted classic car sounds hasn’t been invented yet (although Škoda has released a smartphone app that uses artificial intelligence to listen to an engine, determine its fault and suggest a fix) I had to do it the old-fashioned way. With my back to the Tarmac I shuffled beneath…

Dealers are reporting a surge in sales brought on by the pandemic, with last year’s lockdowns causing an increase in enthusiasts browsing the web for classics. A 1982 Marina pickup stashed away for 30 years is up for grabs at next month’s Morris Leslie’s auction. It was put in dry storage after clocking up just 78,000 miles. The latest series of Salvage Hunters: Classics Cars has kicked off on Quest TV, with the PC team featuring in the show, hosted by Drew Pritchard and Paul Cowland. Tributes have been paid to Lotus co-founder Hazel Chapman who has died aged 94. Hazel met husband Colin in 1944. Picture: Colin Chapman Foundation. Planning is now well underway for the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with tickets on sale for the…

The journey through Scotland took in all the most iconic architecture and sites of engineering intrigue. Alex was invited to take his Peel to the top of the Blackpool Tower. He only just squeezed into the lift! Warwick Castle welcomes the Peel. Care had to be taken while negotiating many priceless artefacts. Alex introduces his P50 to the example on display inside the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. En-route, fans invited Alex into their homes, offering him drives of their cars, including this DeLorean.…

Wax on, wax off! RACE GLAZE GRAPHENE WAX £59.99 (200ML JAR) Premiered in the UK by PC live on stage at the NEC Classic Motor Show, this new wax represents a breakthrough development of Race Glaze’s Hybrid Blue carnauba/polymer blend base wax, but with Graphene instead of the polymer.Graphene promises to add real durability and shine, with exceptional beading and sheeting properties. A little goes a long way, giving great economy even when layering. And application doesn’t require any special conditions, infra-red lamps or ability. Just wipe on, cure for 10 minutes and buff off before admiring the highly reflective shine. raceglaze.co.uk Gloom buster CLARKE COB10CR WORKLAMP £31.19 This 650-lumen floodlight should be just the ticket for illuminating your workspace during the long winter evenings. It’s portable, with a lithium…

Across 6 Mercedes tuner founded in 1977 (6) 7 Classic American SUV that Ford released in 1966 (6) 9 Honda model – basis for the Rover 200 series (7) 10 Performance version of the Honda Integra (4-1) 11 Peugeot’s big cat logo (4) 12 See 17 across 16 EightiesLambo model (5) 17 & 12 across It was the Vauxhall Nova’s European cousin (4,5) 21 Twin-carb version of the Singer Chamois (5) 22 These Toyotas switched to FWD for the fourth generation model of the mid-Eighties (7) 23 Bentley-badged twin of the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph (6) 24 Noted range of Mercedes saloons that included the 280 (1-5) Down 1 British marque of the Thirties (7) 2 Well-known name in fuel injection and electrics (5) 3 & 8 down BMW bought Rover…

THE RESTORER Adam Ruck runs an engineering consultancy and is director of Toiletries Amnesty, which aims to alleviate hygiene poverty. He has always fixed his own cars, from a Fiat Uno to numerous Cavaliers among others. ‘With the Elise, once you get past the aluminium and GRP, you realise its mechanical elements are really very simple.’ The Elise ownership experience got off to a shaky start for Adam Ruck. His partner Karen bought an S2 in 2007, which he promptly crashed. ‘Together, we compete in the Lotus Cup UK Speed Championship and at one sprint race, having nailed the fastest practice lap, I found myself getting a sniff of a first-place trophy. Unfortunately, I went sideways, ran out of talent and dragged the back end of the car down the…

Having failed in my quest to embrace modern motoring (Starting Handle, PC Feb 2022), I’m back in my comfort zone. When a friend asked me to cast an eye over his Land Rover 90, as it needed to go, I found the bulkhead and chassis both required serious MIG time and the engine smoking spectacularly through the inlet and oil filler, with plenty more faults besides. So, naturally, my wife and I are now proud owners of a broken Land Rover, which we plan to restore as a joint project. ASKING PRICE Offers PAID £1350 VERDICT Time to get friendly with Land Rover Owner mag!…

2001 TVR Tuscan Speed Six Red Rose ENGINE 3996cc/6-cyl/OHC GEARBOX 5-speed manual SUSPENSION Front and rear: independent, double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers, anti-roll bar POWER 400bhp@7000rpm TORQUE 315lb ft@5000rpm TOP SPEED 180mph 0-60MPH 3.9sec BRAKES Discs front and rear STEERING PAS rack and pinion ECONOMY 20mpg 1966 Triumph TR4A ENGINE 2138cc/4-cyl/OHV GEARBOX 4-speed manual + o/d SUSPENSION Front: independent, wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers. Rear: independent, semi-trailing arms, fixed-length halfshafts, coil springs, lever-arm dampers. POWER 104bhp@4700rpm TORQUE 132.5lb ft@3000rpm TOP SPEED 111mph 0-60MPH 11.4sec BRAKES Discs front, drums rear STEERING Rack and pinion ECONOMY 25mpg 1987 Toyota MR2 ENGINE 1587cc/4-cyl/OHC GEARBOX 5-speed manual SUSPENSION Front: independent, MacPherson struts, lateral links, coil springs, telescopic dampers, anti-roll bar. ear: independent, Chapman struts, lateral links, trailing arms, toe links, coil springs, telescopic…

Sure, the word ‘icon’ is thrown around the place these days, but the Z-car is just that. This superstar sports car brand put its maker on the map worldwide and gave us some true greats. Six generations of Z-cars have been built since 1969, when Nissan unveiled their first interpretation of the affordable Japanese GT. Badged Nissan Fairlady Z in its home market and Datsun 240Z elsewhere (to distance itself from the association with Nissan-badged military vehicles), the car proved to be a major hit from the very beginning. Sure, some were sportier than others, while the likes of the ’89 300ZX was downright jaw-dropping to look at, but the spirit of the Z-car was always to be found in the way it drove. To that end, 2002’s 350Z is…

With the inevitability of an unloved season, I have found myself buying another car this month. And, almost in a repeat of my recent Skoda Fabia vRS purchase and subsequent caper, this one came from my mate Tim Burgess in Scotland. However, unlike last time, I did the sensible thing and took a day off to go and get it, caught a train, and drove home in a car with more than one day’s worth of MOT left on it. The car in question is a Lancia Delta. And before you get too excited, it’s not an Integrale. Nor is it a Giugaro-styled original. Instead it’s a 2012 MkIII, which is dangerously close to being a bit too modern to be considered anything other than a boring appliance. It’s a…

1985 Citroën 2CV Special Engine 602cc/2-cyl/OHV Power 29bhp@5750rpm Top speed 71mph Work done MOT pass and a set of boingy new dampers. I’ve bitten the bullet and rented a couple of local garages for the other members of the fleet. The CX already lives indoors, but I’m giving my Smart a home inside for the first time in fifteen years of ownership, while the Puma is ready for its new home (Nineties Fords rust a la Seventies Citroëns). The 2CV continues to live outdoors, where it has been for almost 37 years. The body is easier and cheaper to repair than the others and also, unlike the other cars, I use it most days. With that in mind, cabin heat is required for the winter months, so I’ve removed my…

Our two oldest cars, at 87- and 83 years-old, probably won’t come across as very ‘practical’ picks, partly because they’re rare enough not to be ‘classic’ in the American ‘benchmark’ sense, and mainly because keeping cars only 46 and fifty years younger than the car itself running on todays roads, particularly foreigners, may not sound like a very practical proposition, but there’s the surprise. On the one hand, our Czech 83-year-old that’s been driven to Germany and three times to the Netherlands, now has a smoke-free dyno-tested engine, a gearbox full of brand-new bespoke internals and a re-engineered clutch arrangement that gives an atypically smooth action. All relatively affordable, too (it’s who you know!). And, on the other hand, my 18-year-old premium SUV daily driver, confidently introduced here in Staff…

PC GOES RALLYING! Find out what happened when our team’s budget classics tackled Wales, in Winter Warmers Pt.2 PAY LESS AND NEVER MISS A COPY! See p72 Capri resto Owned, sold, then rediscovered, bought, restored and enjoyed Elan essentials We show you how to buy the best Lotus Elan out there Tech tips Essential tech tips including how to maintain your Lucas PI system PLUS We visit a former Rust In Peace car which is back from the dead, we tell you how to bag the best Herald, treat ourselves to a 12-cylinder symphony on Fantasy Forecourt and delve deep into the PC workshop with top tech advice from our team of experts, including how to change from positive to negative earth and how to fit a Webasto sunroof. APRIL…