Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Classics World

GOT A STORY TO SHARE? EMAIL IT TO CLASSICS.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK OR POST IT TO CLASSICS MONTHLY NEWSDESK, KELSEY MEDIA, THE GRANARY, DOWNS COURT, YALDING HILL, YALDING ME18 6AL British legend John Dodd’s 1972 car The Beast was auctioned this month by online portal Car & Classic. Powered by a 27,000cc Merlin V12 engine (as used in supercharged form in the Spitfire fighter plane), this behemoth was once recorded at 183mph and named by the Guinness Book of World Records as 'the world’s most powerful car' in 1977. The Beast’s rolling chassis started life in 1966, built by Paul Jameson as a road-going car originally powered by a 27-litre Meteor Rolls-Royce engine. John Dodd eventually acquired this and had it bodied by Santa Pod Raceway owners Fibre Glass Repairs. The heart of…

Exactly 79 years to the day since a Bristol Blenheim last flew out of RAF Bicester on active service, Bicester Heritage has confirmed that the sole-surviving airworthy Blenheim will be leading the aviation display at its flagship Flywheel event on 17th and 18th of June. It will be a suitably spectacular accolade as part of the best-preserved WW2 RAF bomber base’s tenyear anniversary celebrations in an event that will see a host of classic motoring marques join the displays along the tree-lined avenues of the historic site. See www. bicesterheritage.co.uk…

Price: £624.12 This new manifold and linkage set allows fitment of three Weber 40DCOE carburettors to the Triumph GT6 engine. The kit features stepped manifolds to clear the sloping bonnet, designed and cast in the UK. The set also includes a marine-grade stainless rod linkage system to ensure a smooth, accurate set up and long life. The inlet manifold set and linkage can be ordered as part number MW0091 for £624.12, or it can be ordered complete with three genuine Spanish Weber 40DCOE carburettors as part number PTR304 for £2364. Available directly from Webcon (01932 787100, www.webcon.co.uk) and appointed dealers.…

EMAIL: CLASSICS.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK FIND US ON FACEBOOK: THE LATEST FEEDS AT WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CLASSICSMONTHLYMAGAZINE FOLLOW OUR UPDATES AT WWW.TWITTER.COM/CLASSICSMAG I assume pretty much everyone who buys your magazine likes old cars, but in terms of enthusiasm, which car comes out on top? I have my own afflictions here. I have a very strong passion for one particular vehicle. It has been featuring strongly on recent online video and other postings, and there has been some very favourable commentary. Without wishing to disclose what it is, I started to wonder how the question of what is a top vehicle can be answered. There are so many criteria, but let me propose just one: the number of complete cars that people are moved to acquire. Or hoard. When it goes much beyond one runner and…

PART 10 Apositive attitude is essential for running and working on a classic car. As I drove up the M621 at 70mph in our MGB GT, I knew it still needed work, but felt that we’d accomplished a lot having replaced the rear main oil seal, serviced the engine and brakes, sorted out the cold-start issue, replaced the window regulators and door cards, fixed the leaking alloy wheels and resolved minor niggles such as the driver’s door lock not working. However, we’d left one of the biggest jobs to last, namely some welding repairs to the nearside sill. We’d known about this job from the start, so it was hardly a surprise. In part two of this series (see the October 2022 issue) I had assessed the car’s condition and…

£1500 Z3 CHALLENGE Preventative maintenance is essential to keep an old car reliable and useable, and whilst our Z3 was clearly quite well maintained by its previous owners, there were still a few things that needed addressing. Front dampers are a fairly common wear item and although both of ours had been replaced, they looked grotty enough to warrant removing and cleaning up just to make sure. Apart from the steel brake pipes on the rear trailing arms, the factory brake lines on our car were the 1998 originals and were still good enough to warrant cleaning up and smearing with protective grease – not the usual MoT advisory horror to hide the fact that they are rotten, but cleaned back to good metal and given a light coating of…

The Ford Granada gained a reputation for being a well-built, practical and large family vehicle, and nowadays it makes the perfect classic car to transport the whole family. The Mk1 and Mk2 models, which were manufactured between 1972 and 1985, have a classic boxy shape to them (particularly the Mk2), unlike the later Mk3 that followed in the footsteps of the bubble-shaped Sierra. The Granada replaced the Ford Zephyr and Zodiac models, but wasn’t called the Granada from the beginning of its production life. A legal dispute with British conglomerate Granada Group meant it initially had to be called the Consul, but once this was resolved, only the entry-level models were known as Consuls, and from 1975 onwards all models were known as Granadas. Available as a two- or four-door…

Gerald Palmer joined the Morris drawing office in 1936 and took on responsibility for the MG Y-Type saloon. He moved to Jowett in 1942, before returning to the Nuffield Group in 1949. He later recalled: ‘All I had to do was produce new cars for Riley and MG. There was no product planning, nothing. All I had to do was come up with ideas which I hoped were accepted. Luckily, they were!’ His first challenge was to create replacements for the Wolseley 4/50 and the MG Y-Type. Abingdon originally intended a 1940 launch for its Y-Type, and when it finally debuted in 1947, its bodywork already seemed faintly dated. Both new models were to be powered by the Y’s 1¼-litre XPAG engine, but the 1951 Austin/Nuffield merger to create the…

We had a picture of a rusty car in this spot last issue, and now we’ve got another – anyone would think we were obsessed with old wrecks! But in all honesty, there really is something quite mesmerising about a classic car that’s been dragged out of long-term storage in this sort of condition. I think my own fascination is caused by a mixture of amazement that such a car has survived at all and dreams of what it could yet become. That last point is important, because to my mind a car like this has to be taken on by somebody with the time, the skills, the determination and the money to restore it. To have survived this long, it must have been squirrelled away by somebody with either…

A new headline exhibition at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu called Motopia? Past Future Visions will showcase a journey through 130 years of future thinking about automobility. Opening on 20th May, the exhibition will run until 14th April 2024. Jon Murden, Chief executive of the National Motor Museum, said: 'Concept cars, visions of the future at the start of the 20th century and ideas on how we travel and power our vehicles will be on display, and we’ll be encouraging visitors to explore ideas for an ideal way of living and getting about. It’s the first of a series of exhibitions at the museum that will focus on the future as well as the past of automobility. We’ll explore how radical motoring concepts from the past remain relevant today…

GOT A STORY TO SHARE? EMAIL IT TO CLASSICS.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK OR POST IT TO CLASSICS MONTHLY NEWSDESK, KELSEY MEDIA, THE GRANARY, DOWNS COURT, YALDING HILL, YALDING ME18 6AL The Rover Sports Register is celebrating its 70th birthday this year, and to mark the occasion they have organised a very special Platinum Anniversary Rally over the weekend of 9th-11th June. It's all taking place at the Abbey Hotel in Malvern and Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, and is open to members and nonmembers alike. Participants can book for the full three days, or select just those activities they are most interested in. Saturday's events will include a visit to the Morgan factory, road runs through the Malvern Hills and a gala dinner in the evening to round off the day. Sunday will see…

I have just had a little time to scan through the Spring issue, with hopefully time to read it properly in the next few days. I just felt a need to make a couple of quick comments to clarify the aspect of flammability between traditional glycol brake fluid and petrol that Iain Ayre raised in the March issue. Reader Crispin James quoted Iain when he said: 'Modern fuels are generally less flammable than brake fluid. Really?' Yes really is my response! I do not recommend that you try this at home, but I can assure you from being able to do this simple test on a rig-mounted petrol engine with fire service supervision to demonstrate the hazard, if you drip normal brake fluid onto the hot exhaust of an engine…

Iwent trail riding in my local forest recently. My mate and I came back thoroughly soaked, and very cold. Leaving our bikes to drip in the boot of my car, we retreated to a pub. A pint and some lunch revived us, and we emerged distinctly warmer and more content. And there, lying on the pavement, was a magazine. I guess it had fallen from somebody’s pocket. As that somebody was nowhere to be seen, I picked it up. This wasn’t just any magazine. It was a very intact copy of The Motor, published on 21st May, 1952. Back home, I made a cup of tea and had a rifle through this treasure. When I reached the Editorial page I burst out laughing. It could hardly have been less appropriate…

It is something of a cliché I know, but like many people, my introduction to the Volvo P1800 was through watching the 1960s series The Saint on TV starring Roger Moore. He drove a P1800S and I loved the car's looks and its interior style. My uncle later owned a 1966 Volvo P1800, and after riding in that I was totally hooked. I got one of my own about 15 years ago, but that was an 1800ES, the sports estate which was in the mould of Reliant's Scimitar GTE. In the end I had to sell that to get a small runabout in which my sons could learn to drive. It was my eldest son who pointed this one out to me in 2019. It was for sale, and he…

VANDEN PLAS 1.7 PART 3 As we explained in the opening instalment of this project, our Vanden Plas 1.7 appears to be structurally in good shape after an extensive body restoration some years ago, although its Denim Blue paint is now badly micro-blistered. However, standing back and looking the car over, one or two minor issues became apparent. At the front, I noticed that the number plate was over to one side of the car rather than being central. This appears to be because the two fixing holes were drilled different distances in from the edges, compounded by the fact that the hanging brackets were wildly different lengths. While investigating this, I noticed that the front bumper was not sitting squarely. In fact it was bent up at the nearside…

Ihadn’t consciously noticed a Citroën Xantia for what seems like years, until the day the editor asked me to write this piece. After answering my emails, I had to walk into town to do some errands. As I crossed the high street, an immaculate maroon Xantia saloon glided past, pure coincidence in motion. Since then I have seen it several times. It is rather a gem. Set against the bloated automotive population of 2023 it looks lithe, cleanlimbed and very definitely French. I admit that I failed to appreciate the Xantia much during its manufacturing life, but its virtues are manifestly more apparent 21 years after it ceased production. When it was launched in 1992 the Xantia had a job to do. For most of the 1980s the BX had…

The Vauxhall marque goes back a long way. Alexander Wilson, a Scottish marine engineer, founded what was to become Vauxhall Iron Works as early as 1857 in Vauxhall, London. Pumps and marine engines were produced from 1897, and the first car appeared in 1903. Production was transferred to Luton in 1905, and by 1907 the company name had changed from Vauxhall Iron Works to Vauxhall Motors. From 1913-1927 the 30/98 Velox was the principal model, being a notably fast sports tourer. General Motors of the USA took over in 1925, at a time when Vauxhall was producing only 17 cars per week and was in a financial mess. A complete change of direction ensued, with the company moving into the middlepriced market making smaller and more economical cars in far…

GOT A STORY TO SHARE? EMAIL IT TO CLASSICS.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK OR POST IT TO CLASSICS MONTHLY NEWSDESK, KELSEY MEDIA, THE GRANARY, DOWNS COURT, YALDING HILL, YALDING ME18 6AL Around 160 car clubs from across the UK showcased their members’ vehicles at this event, from barn finds to fully restored classics. Most clubs also offered live demonstrations, with project cars undergoing work and restoration ranging from bodywork and welding to engine rebuilds and re-wiring. Visitors were also treated to interviews and expert panels featuring Wheeler Dealers' Mike Brewer, master mechanic Ant Anstead and Car SOS’s Fuzz Townshend. Actor and Classic Obsession host Gary Mavers also made his show debut, appearing on stage. The Footman James Barn Find display saw 20 unearthed classics vying for the visitors’ votes, Andy Longfield’s 1960 Mini 850…

The Donington Historic Festival on 29th and 30th April will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1993 European Grand Prix there, when fans across the globe watched in awe as triple World Champion Ayrton Senna gave a masterclass in driving in the wet. His extraordinary performance included the opening ‘lap of the gods,’ which has been hailed as perhaps the greatest ever in F1 history. The Festival will pay homage to that unforgettable occasion with F1 track demos and displays. There will also be worldclass race action, track displays and parades, an open-access paddock and pit lane walks, a trade village, plus the presence of hundreds of cherished classic cars in displays staged by dozens of car clubs. www. doningtonhistoric.com…

Morris Commercial, the UK-based automotive engineering and manufacturing start-up, has completed a significant funding round bringing new investment to the project alongside the capital secured from investors since the project was first announced in 2019. Based in the Midlands, the company unveiled its first concept prototype Morris JE in November 2019, showcasing a fully battery electric van for the 21st century with the style, charm and charisma of the famous 1950s Morris J-Type upon which it is styled. The vehicle is now close to production readiness, with the completion of various prototype and development vehicles featuring an ultralight recycled carbon fibre body and lightweight aluminium chassis. The Morris JE will now be subject to further R&D, engineering validation, certification, and productionisation, with first deliveries said to begin in early 2024. For…

I’ve just been reading with interest the first instalment of the Vanden Plas project, and I wasn’t surprised to read about your paintwork problem of microblistering. It is a problem I never encountered when working at the BL dealership, but one I did see several times on Denim Blue BL cars a few years later in the used car trade. Denim Blue for some reason did seem prone to microblistering. I also unfortunately learnt the hard way that just removing the colour coat and repainting wasn’t very successful as the microblistering would return a few months later. The only successful way I found to deal with it was to remove the paint down to metal, then re-etch, prime and top coat. I doubt you really wanted to hear that, but…

We met up with Kevin and Sheena Lobo on a wet winter day in the depths of January on Wray Common in Reigate. The bright red Porsche 944 Lux they had brought along for us to photograph brightened up the day and made the looming black clouds seem less threatening, while it was clear from the smiles on their faces that this couple were bubbling with enthusiasm for their own slice of classic nostalgia. Not that this was much of a surprise, because our introduction to them and their car had started with an email from Kevin. Along with a few pictures of the Porsche, there was a note to say: 'I am delighted to showcase our first classic car. After many months of scrolling the advertisements in search of…

This twin test has been inspired partly by circumstances and partly from curiosity. Many of you will recognise the Fiat Panda because this was the car we rescued and restored over many months, the work being detailed from the October 2021 issue until the May 2022 one. Since then it has made occasional appearances in the Driver Diaries, and only recently (and shortly after this photoshoot) has it been sold on to a new owner. Those who have been following its progress in the magazine will know that it has been insured for my three kids to drive, and their collective trips have included blasts from our south Lincolnshire base to Glasgow and to Nottingham. That is my daughter Megan who is pictured with the Panda, and who is going…

PROJECT RELIANT REGAL 3/25 DE-LUXE PART 12 As you can see, we are now on the home straight with our Regal project. It is all back together, trimmed on the inside and road legal. Getting from 90% finished to 99% finished always seems to take longer than you expect (projects are never 100% finished!), and on three separate occasions I went down to the workshop wondering if this would be the day that I had my first drive, only to head home disappointed. Well not really disappointed because each time we had made good progress, but I’m sure you know what I mean. The thing is, I really didn’t want to rush these final few steps because I know that once I get the Regal back on the road, then…

PROJECT LAND ROVER SERIES IIA 109 SAFARI PART 6 With our cylinder head still stuck in the machine shop and regular correspondent Jack Grover temporarily busy with other duties, the Land Rover has switched into low range gear mode this month and only inched along slowly. However, while it was sitting in the workshop, I decided to have a look at the non-standard arrangement for the horn. After all, how hard could it be to reinstate it as original? You may remember that the Land Rover came originally with a horn push in the centre of the steering wheel, which is where it belongs in an emergency. There was an alloy Tex Magna-Lite indicator stalk unit attached to the steering column, but a previous owner had added a multi-function stalk…

Triumph Vitesse In the February 2021 issue we pictured a Vitesse with the registration number 5VC, of which the late Graham Robson said: '5VC on a Vitesse was a lash-up. The number had already appeared in its proper place on a TR4 on the Tulip Rally of 1962, before the Vitesse was announced... For the sake of that new-model launch, some lackey chose three numbers (3VC, 4VC and 5VC) at random whose plates were already sitting, unused, in a corner of his office.' This image shows the car that was loaned the 3VC number. And while their hair has been done differently, we suspect that the two ladies are the same models as pictured previously in 5VC. Well, Graham did say that they worked for the company a lot in…

Reader Stephen Pye read my praise (with reservations) about the Hillman Avenger and very kindly sent me a February 1976 copy of Autocar. This was from the time that the Ryton factory was still making cars designed when Singer, Sunbeam and Humber were a thing, but 1976 was the year that Sunbeam and Humber both got the bullet. None of this had been publicly announced on February 14th 1976, but Hillman would soon follow. It was the end of an era. One of the cars featured was a two year old long-term test 1974 Hillman Avenger GLS that had racked up 13,000 miles. Much is said about old cars, particularly British ones and how ‘they weren’t that bad really.’ Oh yes they were. Autocar made a point of buying their…