Innehållsförteckning för July 2021 från Classics World

Newton’s third law of motion is widely quoted as saying that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. Since he died in 1727, I’m pretty sure that good old Sir Isaac knew as little about classic cars as I know about physics, but I do wonder if we are seeing proof of his science within the classic car movement. Last issue I mentioned the astronomical sums that some people were prepared to pay just for a personalised number plate. In a similar vein, we have become accustomed in recent years to seeing reports of Ferraris and the like selling for many millions, certainly far more than anybody could justify if it was ever intended to use the thing for its intended purpose. More recently, I’ve noticed the…

There is a buzz of excitement within the VSCC, as the Light Car race will be re-established at the club’s 10th July Oulton Park race meeting. This will be a 40-minute endurance race, contested by an amazing array of weird and wonderful light cars and cycle cars, the likes of which has not been seen this century. Back in the early days of motoring, small capacity lightweight cars and cycle cars were the order of the day, with cotton-and-bobbin steering, air-cooled engines, and just one or two cylinders powering cars whose transmission was often dealt with by belt or chain drive. This new race is the perfect antidote to the current celebration of fabulous cars such as a Ferrari 250 GTO fetching astronomical sums and Bugatti Veyrons being capable of…

The Honda Technical Research Institute was set up by Soichiro Honda in October 1946, and two years later it became the Honda Motor Company. Like many car manufacturers, Honda started out fitting engines to bicycles, in this case surplus two-stroke units that had been used as generators for field communication equipment in WW2. Things soon developed from there, and in 1958 they introduced the legendary Super Cub, a model that was sold in the UK for many years as the C90, but was commonly referred to as the Honda Clunk because of the way its semi-automatic gearbox engaged. It gets a mention here because in 2017 the 100 millionth Super Cub was built, making it the most popular motor vehicle the world has ever seen. Although the Honda name can…

With the windscreen and suspension sorted as detailed in previous issues, the erratic warning lights on Lancaster Insurance’s Escort XR3i were the next item to get on our nerves enough to move them to the top of the list of jobs to be done. Ever since we’d called in the professionals to restore forward vision on the XR3i courtesy of a new screen, the Escort had been sitting unused and locked away in our company car park. I made arrangements to meet up there with Kelsey Chief Operating Officer Phil Weeden and collect the remaining project cars. We flipped a coin to choose cars and I’m still unsure which of us won in the end, but I ended up with the keys to our Honda CRX while Phil drove off…

FORD CORTINA SPEEDO FAILURE Q I have a 1962 Ford Cortina 1200cc, and I have been having a problem with it for a while now. A couple of years ago the speedometer packed up, and upon inspection I found the nylon speedo drive gear was worn so badly that the teeth were missing. I replaced the gear and the speedometer then worked fine for the rest of the summer. However, after a few trips out the next spring, the speedo failed again. I checked and found that the drive gear had failed once more. I have now replaced the gear three times and have also ensured that the speedo cable is spinning freely. I suspect that the drive gear is damaged and causing the problem, but can I replace this…

This has been a strange and challenging project car to cover, but thanks largely to a pandemic rather than any particular foibles with the MINI. As a result of this, I’ve been unable to follow jobs at workshops as thoroughly as I’d like to, and even something as simple as taking a car for an MoT test was delayed. However, with the help of other magazines, namely Car Mechanics magazine and its editor Martyn Knowles, the MINI One project has been completed and successfully MoT tested. All of the repair work on this car was conducted in advance during the latter half of 2020, allowing plenty of time for plans to change and things to go wrong before the project series appeared in print here. Consequently, anyone wishing to check…

Like so many of the world’s greatest cars, the Bentley Turbo R almost didn’t make it into showrooms. The story goes that the then-MD of Rolls-Royce, David Plastow, was keen to explore the idea of turbocharging as early as the late 1970s and, disregarding the protests of the engineering department, procured a timeworn Silver Shadow development hack and sent it off to race team Broadspeed. There a blower was strapped to the side of the venerable V8 and the car returned with 10% more power, but crucially 50% more torque. Unsurprisingly, this made it a hoot to drive and the idea was refined via at least one turbocharged Camargue into a production-ready form. Launched as the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo in 1982, the car astounded testers with its straight-line speed and…

Renault should have known it was on to a good thing when orders for the Mégane Scénic began in advance of its launch. Having seen great success with its pioneering MPV the Espace, in 1996 the company spied an unoccupied niche for a smaller, five-seater family car with adaptable seating. The result was the Scénic, sales of which quickly surged way ahead of predictions. A couple of years later Renault’s design supremo Patrick Le Quément was talking up the mini MPV as the five-door hatchback of the future. Instead of scaling down the Espace – which by 1996 was in its third generation – to create a compact version, Renault did the opposite and developed it as part of that year’s Mégane range. This was a set of FWD models…

A FEW MORE THINGS ABOUT HONDA... Andrew picks up on this issue’s Top Ten Trivia with his own thoughts on the Accord As I write, it is 45 years to the day since the first ever Honda Accord was launched. And if you take a look at what else was available to the British car buyer in May 1976, you’ll understand what a momentous occasion this was. Japanese cars had already taken a serious foothold in the market by then, not just in the UK but also in America. It was a tiered system. Datsun were at the bottom with cheap and cheerful cars like the (excellent) 100A Cherry, as well as the perfectly assembled and well equipped Violets and Bluebirds with their chintzy styling and often alarming lack of…

Making the once ordinary extraordinary, the Great British Car Journey is packed with British marques and models that dominated the roads for nearly a century. Motors fixed in our memories like the Morris Minor, the Ford Capri and many others that were once commonplace but which are now rare fill a former wire works factory on the banks of the River Derwent in Ambergate, Derbyshire. Richard Usher, CEO of Great British Car Journey, explained: 'Four years ago, when I owned and managed Blyton Circuit, a gentleman approached me asking if I’d like to buy his 1989 Austin Maestro in mint condition with just 10,000 miles on the clock. My first thought was no, but it then got me thinking about when I last saw an Austin Allegro, Metro, original Mini…

Great cars from across motorsport history will gather at Shelsley Walsh for the Classic Nostalgia meeting on 17th-18th July. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the popular annual event, which features a spectacular blend of competitive action on the famous hillclimb, historic car demonstrations, classic car displays, trade stands and vintage-themed entertainment. It is the perfect event at which to hold an annual car club gathering, and all registered clubs can reserve their own designated display area in the heart of the event. Find out more via www.classicnostalgia.co.uk, or call 01886 812211.…

CM: When did you buy this wonderful Land Rover, and what sort of condition was it in at the time? Les Woods: I bought it in around 1990, so it would have been 17 years old at the time and was in a bit of a state. You could see in the back where it had been patched in four places that I assumed was because a roll cage had previously been fitted, so clearly it must have had quite a colourful life. The chassis had rusted through as well, to the extent that it flexed when I got in. On the bright side, that extra flex did make it the most comfortable Land Rover I'd ever been in! CM: And did you know what you were getting into when…

As we explained last issue, after the extensive bodywork repairs to date, we need to pick up the pace on this Midget project if we are to bring it to a conclusion in the planned 12 chapters. That means skipping ahead on some of the mechanical aspects, but that is no big deal because these are adequately covered in the workshop manual. So instead of attempting to recreate the whole step-by-step sequence of each job, we will aim instead to give a flavour of the work, and to highlight any issues we found or any little tips that might help you. This time around we are looking at the front brakes and suspension. Overall, the mechanical condition of the Midget was pretty good, and a credit to the previous long-term…

The past few weeks have been mostly about working on my son David’s Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s a great car, which I liken to being the automotive equivalent of a hammer – there’s nothing too pretentious about it, it’s just a tough old beast that does a great job of work. However, being tough doesn’t mean that things don’t wear out. With the MoT looming, David and I felt that it would be sensible to have a good look at the Jeep and see if there was anything that needed doing first. To be honest, for some time now the Jeep’s rear end has been a lot less stable than it should be, which suggested to us that a worn rear suspension was likely to be the culprit. Upon investigation,…

Group Editor at Kelsey Media, Paul heads up the team which brings you our weekly paper Classic Car Buyer and the monthly Classic Car Mart, as well as being unofficial marshal of the company’s eclectic and ever-changing fleet of classic project cars. Ranging from Honda CRX to Bentley Turbo R, the collection temporarily includes this Escort XR3i, while Paul’s own Alfa Spider has recently been changed after 23 years of ownership for a modern classic in the shape of a Honda S2000.…

TTD912TXN £107.88 A 12 piece TX driver set covering TX6 through to TX45. Features include TTMV PLUS steel blades and ergonomically designed bi-material handles with hanging hole and T drive facility for added torque and comfort. The set is supplied in a unique Teng Tools TC tray and can be used either on its own or as part of the Teng Tools TC control system. MD910N £92.28 10-piece screwdriver set for slotted, Phillips and Pozi drive heads. The screwdrivers feature TTMV PLUS steel blades and ergonomically designed bi-material handles with hanging hole and T drive facility for added and comfort. torque rail facility for adding extra sockets. 6510A £83.88 10-piece metric combination spanner set. The spanners are supplied in a plastic holder for carrying away or fixing…

If you are running any kind of Rolls-Royce or Bentley, then Flying Spares is a name you’ll want to remember. The firm can supply everything from recycled used parts to brand new spares for the whole range of Rolls-Royce and Bentley-badged cars, which can make a big difference to the cost of running them, especially if you’re prepared to get stuck in with the spanners for the smaller jobs. Having made its name with the older cars, Flying Spares now covers the modern generation too, and can supply everything you might need to bring something like a tired Continental GT back to life.…

Although we are focussing today on the Fiat 500 of 1957-1975, we really have to begin this story with another Fiat 500 – the one affectionately known as the Topolino (or little mouse) which was introduced in 1936. This was the first car designed by a young engineer and draughtsman called Dante Giacosa, with bodywork penned by Rodolfo Schaeffer. It featured a four-cylinder, water-cooled, sidevalve engine of just 570cc mounted ahead of the front wheels (the radiator was sited between the engine and the bulkhead). It was designed to provide comfortable and economical motoring for two people, and that is exactly what it did with a top speed of 53mph and average fuel economy of over 45mpg. It would also cruise happily all day long at 45mph, and while those…

A new exhibition at the Market Hall Museum in Warwick that will run from May 2021 to Spring 2022 and is called Healey: Cars for Speed and Glamour, tells the remarkable story of the Donald Healey Motor Company using rarely seen archives, photographs and artefacts. That is inextricably wound up with the story of Donald Healey himself, from his time competing as a rally driver right through to the consultancy business he ran with his son Geoffrey in the 1980s. Some of the highlights to look out for are a typed letter from Donald Healey to one of the Riley brothers in 1945 right at the dawn of the founding of the company, a Gerry Coker design for the Healey winged badge, a report written by Geoffrey Healey verifying the…

A 1981 Ford Capri 2.8 injection created specifically for Henry Ford II was auctioned on April 23rd by online specialists Car & Classic. Starting life being hand-picked off the Cologne production line, this very special Capri then underwent a transformation that included additional layers of paint, stricter quality control and comfort features such as a C3 automatic transmission and wider, leather trimmed seats and door cards. Grandson of founder Henry Ford, Henry Ford II was a key driver of Ford’s Total Performance programme that led to projects including the Ford GT40 and Mustang that were a catalyst for the company’s success at the time. It was critical that Henry Ford II was available for dealer and supplier visits in the UK, hence his need for a bespoke Capri to use…

NUMBERS AND MX5S Firstly, may I congratulate you on an excellent publication, one of my two salvation magazines during the last 12 months of lockdowns, and both of which I have been able to purchase on our weekly supermarket shop at our local Tesco's. (I know, I should take out a subscription!) I too share your views on personal registration numbers, and the costs involved. What we could do with £200K – so many desirable cars that could be bought. One of the most famous plates was registered in Birmingham in 1965. In that year Gravelly Hill Garage registered a new black Austin 1800 with the number COM 1C. It was registered through the then local Birmingham Tax Office. That number plate has since passed through many famous comedians' hands,…

For the last 20 years, Tom Smith has been competing in 297 EFU, the MG Motorsports MGB prepared for him by his father, Doug. Entering between 15 and 20 events each year, Tom has enjoyed countless class wins, as well as success in the Birkett 6 Hour Relay Handicap in 2003 and 2005. He also won the HSCC Guards Trophy outright in 2011. In fact, Tom and the MGB have now won over 108 races, which is an incredible feat. The MGB typifies the rugged good looks of a 1960s British sports car, and I have had a soft spot for the model for more years than I care to remember. Therefore, when Doug and Tom offered to let me have a drive of this car, I was over the…

TTXPB3A: Three-piece heavy duty pry bar set with Power Thru handles – £79.08 HMSF: Top quality rubber and soft face hammer – £38.28 TTEAF62: 62 piece set containing AF combination spanners and socketry covering 3/16in to 1¼in – £474 PPS06:  six-piece punch set with 150mm high carbon steel parallel pin punches – £41.88 TTX1292: 1/2in drive torque wrench (40-200Nm/30-150ft. lb) – £73.14 With thanks to project partner Teng Tools Telephone: 015257 11500 Email: sales1@tengtools.com www.tengtools.com…

When I acquired LKR 963, my 1949 Allard L, last year, the ‘waterfall’ grille assembly needed work. I have tided it up somewhat, but one of the irritating aspects was that the side grille cheek pieces were missing. Roger Murray-Evans kindly came up with one possible cheek piece and John Peskett another, but the pieces were handed for the same side and both needed the works. I advertised in the AOC News and a member very kindly sent me a pair that was beyond reuse, being very thin and having been drilled to take a nut and bolt to hold them onto the car. I also concluded after detailed inspection that every grille on every Allard is slightly different! This applies in the position of the bars to the frame…

At last, after months and months of preparation, our 1970 Morris Minor Van was ready for the topcoat. We opted to trailer it around to the spray shop, but before doing this we took the engine and gearbox out as they are going to be changed for better ones from Lily, my 1967 four-door Morris Minor, anyway. To save work we decided not to have the under-bonnet area sprayed, as this can be made reasonably presentable with the careful use of some red paint brushed on. A couple of days later the spraying of primer was complete, and we were invited round to flat off the final primer coat with 400-grade paper. Really this primer was just to cover the scratches left by the 150 grit paper used on the…

Over the years, every bit of advice I’ve ever given in print or received from a specialist concerning the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and its Bentley Mulsanne sibling is that in order to avoid a potential money pit of nightmarish proportions, it is essential to have a professional assessment before purchase. These cars may appear conventional in many ways, but Crewe very much ploughed their own furrow when it came to the engineering detail. And, of course, it’s the hidden faults which will trip you up financially and which mean that the modest cost of a specialist inspection can often be repaid several times over if it directs you to the right car. All sensible stuff of course, which is why quite naturally we threw caution to the wind when acquiring…

The Mk4 and Mk5 Cortinas marked an era of steadfast popularity for Ford. From 1976-1982, they were the all-round family car that showed it was possible to cover thousands of miles a year in comfort with the added bonus of built-in reliability. Over 1.1 million of them were built, but typical of anything that’s popular and seemingly disposable, good examples are now hard to find. Of the few that are for sale, there are potential difficulties to be aware of, so the following pages aim to arm you with the essential knowledge. Model differences Launched in September 1976, the fourth generation of the successful Cortina saw a return to the three-box design of the Mk1 and Mk2, instead of the more curvaceous and flowing Mk3. However, many components were retained…

FERGUSON A tractor in Classics Monthly? Well yes, but then again it is a Ferguson that was built by the Standard Motor Company. The HRT registration numbers were issued by East Suffolk County Council from March 1948, making this an early example as production only started at Banner Lane in Coventry in late 1946. That would mean this example is powered by Standard's petrol engine, as the TVO option did not arrive until 1949, and diesel not until 1951. We are not sure when this snap was taken, but suspect in the later 1950s as the Little Grey Fergie is looking a little work-worn. FORD We are back on familiar marketing territory with this Mk5 Ford Escort of 1992, the manufacturer hoping that some of the glamour of aviation will…