Table of contents for August 2020 in Practical Classics

Heritage is in trouble. Museums, venues, event organisers and specialists are suffering, and with them, so are the economic microclimates that rely on their footfall. Preservation groups and clubs are also finding things hard, even big organisations are feeling the squeeze and, with no big shows or communal activities planned until autumn, this doesn’t look like it is going to change soon. When you hear of big hitters such as the National Trust asking for help, an absence of Goodwood’s Revival being a ‘test’ for the circuit, Beaulieu cancelling the International Autojumble and museums only just being allowed to open on a limited basis, you know things are serious. Smaller, volunteer-run, museums, and heritage railways in particular, are facing dark times indeed. ‘Volunteer-run museums are facing dark times’ Without activity…

If you want your voice to be heard, then why not visit the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) website and answer the current classic enthusiast survey, which aims to generate important insights on the classic automotive sector. The answers you give will help shape the future for historic vehicles in Great Britain. Visit fbhvc.co.uk and click on 2020 Enthusiast Survey. Brighton Council closed Madeira Drive during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow people to use it for exercise. Now, a small minority are lobbying to ban all motor vehicles from the location permanently, which would mean the end of all motor events on Madeira Drive, including the famous Brighton Speed Trials. For more details, or to sign the petition, visit new.brighton-hove.gov.uk and search for Epetitions. Then look for the Reopen Madeira…

Formula 1 Car by Car 1950-59 £50 ISBN 978-1-910505-44-1 An in-depth run through of the F1 teams and their cars throughout the Fifties, from Alfa Romeo’s supercharged dominance in the first two years through to Cooper’s rear-engined monster of 1959. evropublishing.com The All-American Hero and Jaguar’s Racing E-Types £60 ISBN 978-1-907085-81-9 The story of the first E-type campaigned by American racing entrepreneur Briggs Cunningham’s team and how its performances helped persuade Jaguar to use the E-type as the basis for a competition thoroughbred: the Lightweight. porterpress.co.uk How To Build A Patina Volkswagen £30 ISBN 978-1-787115-00-2 From assessment through sympathetic stripdown and renovation to matching patina on repaired panel work, this book shows you how to create a VW with honest, unspoiled character. veloce.co.uk…

It’s an unusual time and things are very fluid. Right now the government have indicated that museums will be allowed to open from July 4 and that means , a lot of venues will become available again. We anticipate a number of classic car shows and regular meets will be announced in due course so keep your eyes open. Check in with you preffered news outlet and get ready to go to a show! SAT, JUL 11 MONMOUTHSHIRE Classic & Vintage Vehicle Show, Llantillo Crosseny, NP7 8TA (tinyurl.com/ yazclspe). SUN, JUL 12 W MIDS Classic Motors at Walsall Arboretum, WS1 2QA (classicmotorshows. co.uk). HANTS Simply Land Rover at Beaulieu, SO42 7ZN (beaulieu.co.uk). LONDON The London Cartel Show, Crystal Palace park, SE19 2AD (londoncartel.org). NORTHANTS/BEDS Winslow Classic Run (winslowclassicrun.org). SAT, JUL…

There’s only one Matt Tomkins I’ve been avidly following the rebuild and supercharging of Matt Tomkins’ Morris Minor in PC . Imagine my surprise when, on a recent journey to London on the A1, I moved over to let a light grey Minor join from a slip road. My interest was raised when said Minor accelerated faster than expected and, when I saw the ‘Supercharged’ script I thought: ‘could this be the one?’ My suspicions were confirmed when the driver flashed his headlights to let me out to overtake a lorry, before overtaking me himself. A grey, supercharged Minor with LED headlights! A driver with a beard! It could only be Matt Tomkins! I was the grinning bloke in the silver Lexus giving him an enthusiastic thumbs-up – thanks for…

I love the sound out of the two-inch exhaust of my 1500 Triumph engine in the Midget, even more when going through an underpass and shifting down a gear. Sounds way bigger and faster than it is. Ingmar Bakker The ground literally shakes when you start up this Ford Mustang. We took it to Anglesey for a couple of days and the sound going through the tunnels on the A55 – just wow! Gareth Hughes The sound of my 700cc three-pot Smart Roader under hard acceleration and then shifting up to hear the whistle from wastegate... puts a grin on my face every time! Steve Mulroy The symphony that is my Volkswagen Passat W8 with barely silenced, almost straight-through pipes. From an almost Subaru boxer-like throb at low revs to…

Jaguar E-type I spotted this rather nice US specification Jaguar E-type in a quayside public car park in Toronto Canada parked among the usual modern boring stuff. Still turning heads 50 to 60 years on. Geoff Frackelton, Canada MGB GT This MGB GT was in a car park close to where I live in Singapore. I would love an MGB when I grow up! Oliver Ang (7), Singapore 1967 Ford Taunus I saw this Taunus 12M V4 in a car park near Basildon, Essex. Lovely condition and looking like an occasional track car, judging by the tow hitch fitted to the front end. Eddie Boutland, Tonbridge Ford Cortina pick-up An interesting find from Plettenburg Bay in the Eastern Cape. Based on a Ford Cortina MkIV body by the looks of…

Imagine a sea of their chunky little bodies gleaming in vivid colours, the whine of collective gearboxes and an undiluted outpouring of automotive love amidst mass chanting of the: ‘A British Car to Beat the World’ launch slogan. Meanwhile a 1980 Volkswagen Polo is pelted with sell-by date expired Lancashire hot pot as a Spitfire roars overhead. Well, that’s how I imagine things would have gone at the sadly cancelled Metro 40 celebrations. The Metro. A car that I have loved ever since I first saw one. Sadly this wasn’t as a guest at the legendary cruise ship launch party, or via a personal invite to Longbridge, but rather from on the top deck of a Trent Motor Traction Leyland Atlantean bus heading from Swadlincote to Derby as a cub…

MGA Whilst rust hunting around the States recently, our seasoned rust hunter Jack Brands managed to bag a few non-American cars. Most MGAs exported to America must have been soft-tops, so Jack was excited to find this rare fixed head coupé in a yard in the Arizona desert. Mercedes-Benz W114 Mercedes was not spared the US-spec headlight, bumper and indicator butchery. 1977 Dodge Colt It looked Japanese and had a Colt badge, so Jack thought Mitsubishi, but learned it was badge-engineered and sold in the US as the Dodge Colt with different bumpers and grille. Studebaker Zip This quirky little van is a Studebaker Zip, made only in 1963 for the US Postal Service. The model was not available to other customers. Datsun 240Z & 260Z Found in a small…

As a former citizen of Cornwall, I’ve spent a significant portion of my life avoiding camper vans. Thousands of unwieldy white boxes lurch into the county each year and, while their contribution to the local economy is undeniable, so is the inevitability of having to swerve out of their way as they come wobbling towards you on a narrow lane. However, in all my years of negotiating those twisty roads, there’s one camper I never minded being stuck behind at all: the VW Camper. They’ve always looked very much at home there. That said, I’ve never actually set foot in one. Friends had campers but, at the age of seventeen, I chose instead to live out life on the cliff tops in my tent while tearing up the streets of…

TUE JUL 14 Barons Auctions’ Summer Classic, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions. com) SAT JUL 18 Historics at Brooklands, Windsorview Lakes, Datchet, Berkshire. (01753 639170, historics.co.uk) SUN JUL 19 Charterhouse Auctions, Online. Sherborne, Dorset. (01935 812277, charterhouse-auction. com) WED JUL 22 H&H Classics, online, Cheshire. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) SAT JUL 25 Bonhams MPH, Bicester Heritage, Oxfordshire. (020 7468 5801, bonhams.com/ departments/MOT-CAR) SAT AUG 1 Silverstone Auctions’ Silverstone Classic Sale, online. (01926 691141, silverstoneauctions.com) SAT SEP 5 Bonhams Beaulieu Sale, National Motor Museum, Hampshire. (020 7468 5801, bonhams.com/ departments/MOT-CAR) TUE SEP 22 Barons Auctions’ Jaguar Heritage sale, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com)…

Prices have risen in the past ten years, with the best roadworthy cars being valued well in excess of £50,000 today – more for SPs. The Convertible commands an extra twenty grand, while FFs sell for £100k plus. And what of a project? If that’s the way you want to go, you could always ask PC editor Danny Hopkins, who has spent a decade and many tens of thousands of pounds restoring his, but let’s put it this way, these days even a project car will set you back about £7500. If you’re up for doing the work yourself, you’ll have your work cut out, but the specialist support is there, along with a healthy parts supply… if you’re game.…

James likes... ALL OF THEM I adore the Ka. The basic one has Mini-levels of fun while the SportKa has the barefaced cheek to be as thrilling as cars ten times the price. I would place my bets on a £500 StreetKa though. Forget the tiresome hairdresser gags, sort out the rot now, hang onto it for ten years while enjoying some drop top chortles and watch as the values rise. Matt G likes... THE REGULAR ONE Cheap to buy and run, the Ka’s once unusual styling has stood the test of time well and it’s still great fun to drive – especially the peppy SportKa version. Thanks to the frugal engine, low insurance grouping and affordable Ford servicing and parts, the Ka is also usefully inexpensive to run, too…

What’s all this? Furniture in Practical Classics ? No, I haven’t lost my marbles! Filling time during the lockdown period has sent my imagination into overdrive, resulting in castoff body panels from my Morris Minor being repurposed into useful furniture for my home. Confused? Perhaps I’d better start at the beginning. I’d moved house just a few days before the lockdown came into effect, so when I found myself furloughed, I opted to fill my time by tinkering with my cars. Top of the list were the Minor’s drum brakes, which felt disappointingly spongy despite vigorous bleeding attempts. ‘One last go’ at bleeding the system made matters worse, as I stripped the thread on one of the front wheel cylinders by overtightening a bleed nipple. Oh bother. Rather than simply…

Imagine your car’s designers hooning around a test track. Enthusiasts, who knew exactly how a car should and shouldn’t handle. After much experimentation, they all agreed that it was now very good, and that this was exactly how it should be made. Almost any car, then, should be capable of safe, predictable and enjoyable cornering. The main factors which affect this are the preset angles of the front and rear suspension, the spring rate and the damping of the shock absorbers. Slapdash assembly may mean the suspension angles were never correctly set up originally. Poor-quality repairs or modifications may have made things worse. Age-deterioration of dampers, bushes and joints or trunnions spoils the balance that was carefully designed into the car in the first place. Happily, all this can be…

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:…

‘With the Rover P4, £500 has been raised for NHS charities’ Practical Classics has been busy helping to raise awareness of classics in the front line with the Lockdown Heroes series over the past few issues; now the magazine has gone a step further by raising money for NHS charities directly, with two very special projects. The first is a 1974 Reliant Rebel van that came PC’s way after former Technical editor, Fuzz Townshend, put owner Graham Catchpole in touch. Graham’s impending house move had moved him to offer the rare Reliant to Car S.O.S. for potential completion with proceeds going to two NHS Hospitals, Papworth and Gloucester, which have personal connections with Graham’s family. With a full series of S.O.S. projects, Fuzz thought of PC and the magazine stepped…

Bicester’s new building to open Bicester Heritage has announced the completion of the flagship ‘Building 141’ in the Command Works. Comprising two units, 141A offers a spacious two-storey office and business hub, while 141B, also flooded with light, creates a stunning potential showroom or clubroom space. Diamond geezers Riley specialist Blue Diamond has expanded its team with the recruitment of two new apprentice mechanics. They are Jacob Ewers and Patrick Arney. Golden ticket There are still several unclaimed places on our Millbrook day out. If you received a Golden Ticket in your subscriber copy of PC last issue then please email danny. hopkins@practical classics.co.uk and claim your place. The Millbrook day out will celebrate 50 years of the famous proving ground and 40 years of Practical Classics magazine and places…

The Woldinghamring Classic is a long-established monthly gathering in Surrey. Its organiser is Ian Dixon-Potter, who got in touch to say: ‘The event is now going to be held on the first and third Saturdays of the month, and it’s been renamed the Four Counties Classic. But it will still take place at Botley Hill Farmhouse (CR6 9QH). The event is a static gathering in the midst of some some wonderful driving roads though the scenic North Downs. Subject to Government guidance, the next meet could be as soon as July 18.’ You can contact Ian via xkeidp@gmail. com or through his Facebook page at tinyurl.com/ y9tyrlgp.…

Usually held on the second weekend in May, this wonderfully informal fund raiser is organised by Winchcombe Rotary Club, which puts on a tour of the Cotswolds on the Saturday then classic owners can take their cars up Prescott hillclimb on the Sunday. This year the day was set to happen on May 10 and, while things didn’t quite go to plan, things haven’t gone completely to  pot as the Open Classic is now scheduled to take place on September 19-20. You can do one day or the other, or both – and it’s not expensive. To see if there are places left, take a look at tinyurl. com/y9ekd5q9; even if all the places have gone, you can still turn up to take a look at the cars.…

Inspiration As a designer I am always most inspired by the opportunities that new technology can bring. Modern retro Marketeers often look at a manufacturer’s back catalogue as a dressing up box full of ideas. If it works, you get FIAT’s original Panda – brilliant design by Guigaro that evoked the simplicity of the 500. If it doesn’t work you get the bloated joke that is the 500L. Good car design It should start with the manufacturer knowing exactly what they want to achieve with the project. The simpler that remit, the more focused the design process will be.…

Complete boot floor/rear seat base and arches with rear quarters on a Mini. Interesting and I learned a lot, but never again. Richard Steadman Trying to fit a new door pillar to the sill while making sure the wing fits front to back and the door doesn’t foul on it on an A series Opel Manta. It has been over a week now of adjusting, checking, rechecking walking away, cup of tea and checking again! Just can’t commit myself to tacking it down! Alan Biggs I’m scared to even share a picture! The rain tray/ firewall of my Datsun is gone. I have yet to come up with a way or tools to repair it, but I will… some day. Jack White Door pillar out along with the remains of…

‘I should have read the buying guide first…’ ‘It took me two years to decide whether to get the car restored’ 1989 Porsche 944 Matt Wood, Kidderminster, Worcestershire When I bought my Porsche 944 back in 2014 the owner gave me the copy of Practical Classics that it appeared in as the subject car of a 944 buying guide in May 2011. I think I should’ve read it before I bought it! I had a good year with the 944, but that came crashing down when it came to MOT time. She was off the road for two years while I decided whether to take the plunge and spend the money required to save the car, or cut my losses and get rid. Finally, I decided to get her done…

‘It’s my family support vehicle’ VW Beetle Felix Camfield-Walker, Hertfordshire I've been using my Beetle to travel around Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire delivering shopping and collecting prescriptions for older members of my family: two sets of parents and my grandmother, most of whom can't leave their houses due to medical conditions. ‘Larry’s been keen to help!’ 2002 Land Rover Discovery TD5 Aaron Brown, Swansea. I’ve been using Larry the Land Rover to deliver prescriptions and shopping for those self-isolating. His substantial boot swallows everything, as you can imagine! Normally he’s putting his four-wheel drive system to good use at Nantymwyn, an abandoned lead mine where I’m taking water samples for my PhD, but lockdown means no fieldwork so I’ve been keen to help. My other classics, Scampi the Spitfire and Doris…

Have you ever seen a tribute band and come away feeling ‘that may be better than the real thing’? Trevor Gammage’s replica Alpine Rally Austin-Healey 3000 is like that, and it all started from a picture. During the previous ten years he’d owned and fully restored a Frogeye Sprite, but his passion for Donald Healey’s cars demanded more. The obvious answer was a bigger Healey, but even that wasn’t enough. Nothing less than a perfect replica of the famous works Alpine Rally Healeys from the early Sixties would suffice, just like the one framed on his garage wall. His first Austin-Healey, the Sprite MkI, was bought twenty two years ago ‘with an imaginary MOT’. The front kingpins were completely shot and in Trevor’s words, ‘the car was all over the…

A refreshing breeze of normality blew over my town last weekend, just as we are able to move and meet a bit more and our car-lives gently resume. I’m talking about a car purchase, that of a local friend who has just bought a Caterham Seven. It’s absolutely brilliant, a K-series-engined version in the metallic dark red with silver stripe that marks its status as a 40th-anniversary model. Fortieth anniversary of what? Of the 1957 launch of the Lotus Seven that morphed into the Caterham in 1973, although there has since been another 40th-anniversary Caterham to mark that morphing. Two bites of the cherry, then, in 1997 and 2013, but the second one was painted in a brighter, solid red. Still sharp in middle age One of the many great…

So much has changed in the world this year but, happily, some things stay the same. Among them is the fact that when the sun comes out, the tops come down. Open air motoring, driving in its oldest and most natural form is, for many, the ultimate thrill. In a world devoid of such fripperies as roofs, there are plenty of choices for the enthusiast, and now, in a slow market, is the time to buy. So we have been to the virtual cashpoint, created some spurious categories and gone mad with money we don’t have. Here’s what we chose - our very own Open Championship including some alternative soft top tin, chosen by Pam, our Editorial assistant, who knows a thing or two about fun in the sun. £9k…

In what are the oddest of odd times, it’s hardly surprising that the classic car market has become more unpredictable than ever. Stuff is selling, and better than expected, but there’s a much higher percentage of both crazy prices and bargains at either end. All well and good when you have stories to write, but it is also nice to know that there’s some kind of safe refuge to hold on to, where things are just as they were before. And for classic car nuts we have sporty Fords. ‘A top Escort Mexico is now more valuable than an Elan’ This especially applies to Escorts, which have continued to rise in value at around the same rate they have enjoyed for the past decade or more. These cars were once…

1959 Austin A35 Price: £5500 This 55,000-miler is said to have no rust, perfect chrome, new tyres and an unleaded cylinderhead. It’s painted in the right colour, too. Hard to resist! 1988 Alfa Romeo 75 V6 Price: £5999 Much recent work including propshaft, rear brakes and suspension, radiator, water pump and timing belt. Must go, lost storage. 1963 Austin-Healey Sprite MkII Price: £11,500 In exceptional condition with great paint and panel gaps. Seats are unrestored and still good. Retains original 1098cc engine.…

Matt Lee Rarely needing an excuse for trailing through cheap car ads, I finally had a real reason when my daughter needed a car. Reluctant to learn to drive, but unable to rely on public transport for her new job, the requirements were for something safe and economical but still cool enough to inspire a 20 year-old – I’d already been told that a Renault 4 would not be acceptable. Gleefully throwing myself into a search of local vehicles, I drew up a shortlist of good potential cars. Having high levels of enthusiasm and theoretical (yet untested) knowledge of vehicles, I was quite looking forward to the chance of some mechanical tinkering, but was admittedly scared of rust. Having discounted a couple of Ford Kas because of the scary rust…

Joel Willis was a child when the Ka was launched and says it had quite an impact. ‘It is the most recent car launch that I can remember causing a stir. The Ka has a simplicity and clean-cut design you just don’t seem to get anymore.’ Joel has five of them. ‘The oldest is a September 1996 base model, built in the first month of production and one of 14 left of its kind. In contrast, I also have a ‘Ka Finale’ – number 282 of the last 400 made. They are cheap to run and so much fun – all in their own way. The Endura engine has a totally different feel to the later Duratec. The 1.6-litre SportKa is like a excitable puppy! I really do enjoy driving…

1 Metalwork mods Rough rear door shells were the starting point. Rotten lower edges were replaced with box-steel. Hinge bolts were re-used for linking bars. 2 Cutting a dash Dashboard panel made the perfect desk topper. Sill panels were welded to sections from an old toolbox, before finishing with two coats enamel paint. 3 Mapped out Desktop made from cast-off chipboard was covered with a mosaic of old OS maps, coated with two coats of clear varnish. Repurposed Minor parcel shelf bar was screwed to the front edge. 4 Trim-tastic New trim panels were made from fibreboard and material from an old tablecloth. Cup washers and screws fix them. 5 Hey presto! Evocative of classic motoring adventures, the finished writing desk may encourage daydreaming. It…

Matt Tomkins PROJECTS EDITOR Our resident workshop whizz, Matt has much expertise in Morris Minors and A-Series engines. 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 single-handedly 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. TRIUMPH HERALD Why are my brakes spongy? Q I’ve just rebuilt my Triumph Herald’s brakes. I had great difficulty in getting…

Spark plugs Clean the electrodes with a brass wire brush and set the gaps every 6000 miles. Replace every 12,000. Put a dab of copper grease on the threads before fitting. Take care not to cross-thread the plugs, which are in deep tubes. The M42 1.8 iS engine has a separate coil pack for each plug: undo the 10mm screws to remove it and access the plug. Cambelt If your engine has a cambelt rather than a timing chain, renew it every 36,000 miles or every few years. Engine oil Remove the sump plug to drain the oil with the engine warm. Refit the plug with a new sealing washer, if necessary. Oil filter (screw on) Unscrew the old filter, clean the mounting face on the engine block, fill the…

Thousands of pages of car magazines have been filled with images shot at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground. The same goes for all the major car TV shows. That rich history is about to come to an end when, in August, Bruntingthorpe closes its doors to car tests and, more worryingly, will ask the historic jet aircraft that also inhabit the site to find new homes. The site has been acquired from C. Walton Ltd by Cox Automotive, an automotive services business, whose plans for the former RAF base do not include vehicle photoshoots or aviation services. The new owner is still planning to hold the Cold War Jets – Fast Taxi Day in August, which could be the last time for the public to see many of the historic jets in…

In the March issue we told you about the Bug Club’s plans to celebrate 50 years of the Bug, and when COVID-19 put paid to any gatherings, a run-out was hastily arranged instead. Club chairman Karl Russell told us: ‘With the Bug unveiled to the world at Woburn Abbey on June 2, 1970, the Bug Club marked 50 years of Tom Karen’s brilliant design by gathering five cars that drove the 100 or so miles from Tamworth to Preston, avoiding major roads where possible. We’re now aiming to celebrate 50 years of the Bug next year, when it will also be the club’s 30th anniversary.’ See bondbugs.co.uk for more information.…

IN THE NEWS It’s Action, Man! Literally. Palitoy’s Action Man figure – ‘the moveable fighting man’ – was launched, copying the USA’s GI Joe model. Available as a soldier, pilot or sailor, hair colours were blonde, auburn, brown or black, with vinyl heads that tended to shrink. AT THE FLICKS Michael Caine continued his cheeky Cockney rise to super-stardom with Alfie, about a young happy-go-lucky man who spends his life womanising, until dramatic events cause him to rethink his ways. At the time of the film, the subject matter was considered to be somewhat risqué, and actors like Richard Harris, Laurence Harvey and Anthony Newley all turned the lead role down. Instead, Michael Caine was nominated for an Oscar for it. IN THE CHARTS As well as succeeding at the…

MG basically wanted to put a badge on the existing Mangusta – that was the S80 really. I said No. I was asked what I could do for £10 million. I told them they could have a car they could drive ready in 12 months. It was incredibly complex to build but all the suppliers did their bit, we assembled the cars in Italy and complete cars were delivered to MG Rover just needing their interiors. We made 82 of them, at a retail price of between £65,000 and £85,000, before the whole of MG Rover collapsed.…

This was my grandads set of tools – maybe Forties or Fifties. I repainted (rightly or wrongly) the case as it had lost most of the colour. One day when trying to undo a 36mm hub nut, I tried the ratchet, I broke it stupidly using an extension. I was gutted. In the end I contacted Elora in Germany and explained what had happened. They said their tools hold a lifetime guarantee and repaired it free of charge! Paul Clark All well and good to have a digital torque wrench that vibrates and beeps,but one day you switch it on and it does the tool equivalent of ‘go away, I don’t want to know.’ Manufacturer won’t fix it as it’s an electrical fault! And not covered by the warranty! Daniel…

1994 Vauxhall Cavalier John Radford, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire. I was looking for something cheap and cheerful. After owning a few Cavaliers, I bought this one for £300. The fact it didn’t have any service history didn’t put me off as it was tidy and only had 98,000 miles on the clock. Using a car of this age every day doesn’t bother me at all – it’s quite basic and this means it’s easy to maintain. I decided to lower the car 60mm and replaced the original 14in steel wheels with 17in alloys, so I could run a bigger tyre and enjoy improved grip. The MOT garage discovered the carburettor had two corroded pipes and another was blocked, so they sorted this, I fitted new brakes and it passed. There are some…

1 My favourite tool Trevor learned to use a Vernier caliper as an apprentice at Hawker Siddeley. Though he’s acquired more modern calipers over the years, he still uses his very first caliper almost every day. He says: ‘it’s such a versatile workshop tool, you just pick it up and read it. It’s a piece of cake, so easy to use and accurate as well.’ 2 My hardest task Trevor admits getting the duct from the front grille to the radiator correct was tricky; he hated the look of pop-riveted ducts on other big Healeys. He’s happy with his results, with the alloy duct now showing sculpted curves without any visible fasteners. 3 My biggest fail Trevor looked at tyre options with help from Longstone Tyres, who let him take…

If you ever need to differentiate between a car person and a non-car person, it may be necessary to apply the Recaro Test: do they refer to the seats in a car as ‘chairs’? Or ‘sofas’ as someone called some bench seats recently. How quaint. It may sound desperately picky, but cars definitely have seats; chairs are the sort of thing you fold up in the boot in case you feel the urge to sit uncomfortably in a field and consume a Scotch egg in the lee of your boot lid (or tailgate, of course), or as a perch for one’s microcar while removing the engine (and yes, it does actually say that in a Heinkel manual). If seats versus chairs don’t sort the wheat from the chaff, the reference…

2CV There’s nothing like it. It is a world beating design. It will put a massive smile on your face. 306 Conv So cheap for what you get. Beautiful lines for a four seater convertible. A perfect daily driver, too. Audi 80 Conv Find a good one and it will last forever. Looking cooler with every year. Another sensible daily. TR6 You’ll forego a top notch car, but a rather timeworn TR6 is achievable for £9k. You’ll thank yourself for the exhaust note alone. Spitfire Stylish, economical and serious fun to drive. You are so low down you feel like you are moving standing still. Midget A perfect pocket-sized piece of perfection. Economical and easy to live with and love. Just like the Spitfire. Austin 7 special Doing 40mph in…

Hillman Imp Values of all small Sixties saloons have been doing well but the Imp, in its various forms, has outpaced most of them. The best is now firmly over the five grand mark, more with a Singer or Sunbeam badge attached. VW Type 2 ‘Bay’ Camper Though the more collectable pre-‘72 models are holding up, values of Bay-Window campers have finally slipped from their peak. A flood of imports in the past decade must take some of the blame – too much supply.…

1 If there’s no rot around the fuel filler flap, it’s either been cherished or restored. You can buy a repair section for a few quid but it has to be carefully fitted. The rust can be cut back to good steel, the rear quarter panel joddled and the repair section fitted using high impact panel adhesive and rivets before being filled and painted. 2 You must get under the car. Some are so rotten underneath as to seem totally beyond repair, with water traps causing all sorts, from rusty footwells to crusty sills. Damp carpets are a sign of problems. Also inspect the A-pillars closely. Ford didn’t bother to paint the insides of them. 3 Check thoroughly for rust behind the rear bumpers. If corrosion has got too close…

A good two years ago, I started my Zaporozhets, only to hear a noise like someone had stolen the big-end shells overnight. Testing oil pressure, then stripping the bottom end revealed no issues whatsoever. Recently, I decided  to put it back together again – but first to individually balance the pistons and connecting rods (see also: Titanic; deckchairs, rearranging of). Removing the gudgeon pins revealed them to be split from end to end. Each had sprung open, seizing the pistons, little ends and con-rods into one angry, clattering mass. Maybe that absurdly low rev limit was there for a reason……