Innehållsförteckning för October 2024 från Classics World

Bentley Motors has produced their last hand-built, high performance 12-cylinder engine at the company's UK headquarters in Crewe. It concludes a pivotal chapter in Bentley's history, as the last W12-powered Bentayga, Continental GT and Flying Spur cars roll off the production line at the company's Dream Factory. More than 100,000 W12s have been produced since the engine was introduced in the original Continental GT in 2003. The 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 – the most successful 12-cylinder engine of the modern era – will be replaced by an all-new, performance-focused powertrain to mark the start of a new era for the company. That Ultra High Performance Hybrid will combine a powerful V8 combustion engine with advanced battery technology.…

The letter in the August issue by David J F Smith concerning the carriage clock he'd been given for test-driving a new Austin Montego triggered memories of my time with Henlys of Salisbury, who were main Rover distributors. Various gifts were offered for taking test drives in different BL models, but one of the more unusual incentives I remember was reserved for customers taking a test drive in the Rover 3500 SD1. After the initial impact and longer order times had settled down, Rover offered packs of Loch Fyne smoked salmon. The customers received a mailshot directly from Rover. After the test drive was taken, we stamped the voucher and sent it back to Rover, who then arranged delivery to those who qualified. However, although the vouchers were never intended…

I enjoyed reading about the Mk1 and Mk2 Granadas in your September issue, which brought back many happy memories for me. I purchased my 1976 Granada Mk1 Ghia Coupé in 1983 for £1300. Its first owner was the Managing Director of Britannia Airways at Luton, and it was in excellent condition. I went on to become a founder member of the Mk1 Granada Owners' Club and also started showing the car at events, which culminated in a number of awards and which ultimately got me into the concours scene with classics that followed. I ran the Coupé as a daily driver for 13 years and it never let me down. I eventually sold it to a friend for £250 who was going to restore the car, but I don't think…

BIO: Iain Ayre's automotive enthusiasms span everything from Minis to Bentleys. He has prototyped several car designs without commercial success, and has written 18 books on random motoring subjects. He continues to avoid getting a proper job. Buying a brand new or newish car is becoming a worse and worse idea. Apart from the environmental damage caused by wrenching thousands of pounds of raw materials out of the earth and hauling them across the world half a dozen times in dirty diesel ships as they become the parts of a new car, there is the massive and ever rising cost to us of the manufacturers' failure to make enough spare parts for sale for new cars. That's actually illegal, but in the modern corporate world, the law is: 'Who's going…

Peter Simpson Contributor Peter has been a classic car journalist for nearly 40 years, and is a past editor of Practical Classics, Car Mechanics, Classic Car Weekly and Classic Car Buyer. These days he writes mainly about old lorries as editor of Classic & Vintage Commercials, but old cars remain his first love. MY FLEET 1949 RILEY RMB 1955 MG ZA MAGNETTE 1958 HILLMAN MINX 1965 MORRIS MINOR TRAVELLER 1970 ROVER P6 3500 1990 VOLVO 240 ESTATE 1992 ROVER 827 COUPE So the Morris Minor Traveller project had ended, and as you saw in the September issue, for what I thought was a fitting finale I took the car on a 100-mile round trip road test around the North Norfolk coast. But what I didn't mention in that was what…

Classics World editor Simon Goldsworthy and Senior Operations Manager at Lancaster Andrew Evanson each choose one car that they would recommend as an alternative. Simon Goldsworthy – Saab 900 OK, let's assume that you are already well aware of the Ford Capri and suggest something slightly less obvious as a Manta alternative. I'm plumping for the first generation Saab 900, which used the earlier 99's central cabin but with a longer nose. You've got plenty of choice in body styles, with two and four-door saloons, three and five-door hatchbacks and even a convertible. There were some pretty potent engine options too, including a 16-valve DOHC turbo from 1984 that delivered an impressive 175PS. Not to be confused with the 1994-1998 Saab 900, which was usually badged as the 9-3 and…

Ian Cushway Modern Classics editor Mazda MX-5 The world's best-selling roadster really needs no introduction and wears its years well. I am talking about the second and third generation model which span the years 1998 to around 2015 (NB and arguably more grown up NC) and there's no shortage of very affordable examples in the classifieds. The 1.6 and 1.8 engines are sweet and reliable and it easily rivals the Toyota in its ability to provide the ideal mix of handling, ride quality, performance and economy. Oh, and it's got a boot! Talking of performance, the more pokey 1.8 does the 0-60mph dash in 8.5 seconds so it's fractionally slower than the MR2, but whether you'd really notice is up for debate. In a nutshell, there's little to choose between…

■ 13-row oil cooler That 167bhp 2.0-litre is a peach, does the 0-60mph sprint in 7.6 seconds and can top 130mph, so we wouldn't bother going mad with throttle bodies or a supercharger unless you envisage spending lots of time on the track. Indeed, apart from a K&N induction kit and maybe a lightened flywheel, we'd be tempted to leave well alone. The only other simple mod we'd consider is fitting a 13-row oil cooler to keep the underbonnet temperatures down. Pug1off sell kits with all the necessary hoses for £163.83. ■ Citroën Xsara VTS rack This is often quoted as the best bolt-on upgrade you can make to a 306 GTi-6 because it will immediately make the steering of your already nimble 306 a lot quicker. They are usually…

A 91 year old former detective from Lancashire has taken a trip back in time behind the wheel of a rare police sports car – the type he first drove way back in the 1960s. John Clark was reunited with the MGA Roadster at the Lakeland Motor Museum in Cumbria. The museum exhibit was one of a small number of MGs supplied to the Lancashire Constabulary for traffic patrol and training duties over 60 years ago, and John drove one of the fleet during his Advance Driver Training in 1962. 'They were happy days,' says John, who joined the police in 1956. 'It was a beautiful car back then and it's still a beautiful car now. They had only just come out when I first got behind the wheel of…

The MG SV Club and the MG Owners Club combined to put on a presentation by designer Peter Stevens on Saturday 10th August. Peter has many notable design achievements on his CV, but his time at MG-Rover has to be rated as among his most productive of eras. MGR used his talents to turn the Rover 25, 45 and 75 into the MG ZR, ZS and ZT, the MGF into the TF and the Qvale Mangusta into the MG XPower SV. The entertaining and informative talk took place at the MGOC HQ in Swavesey, and no fewer than 12 of the MG XPower SV supercars were in attendance, along with examples of all three Zeds and plenty of TFs.…

In reply to Gordon Long's correspondence in the September issue, there are a few misconceptions regarding the Lancia Beta rust scandal. It seems to have become folklore that only the early Beta saloons were affected, but this isn't the case. In summer 1983, I eventually pestered John Hallett of Hallett Metals enough to get a weekend job, having been sneaking in and rooting through their Crewkerne scrapyard since late 1982. They had the contract from Lancia to crush the condemned cars. By then, the Beta recall and destruction programme was well under way and in its second or third year. When I was there, Series 1 saloons were already heavily outnumbered by the 1976-onwards Series 2 cars, and there were plenty of Beta Coupés, HPEs and a few Spyder models…

I tested many Lancias back in the day and, hand on heart, never infected any of them with rust. With the exception of Ferrari, I love Italian cars, especially Alfa and Maserati. Lancia was high on my list too, but a car enthusiast newspaper colleague had his Beta taken away by Lancia because it was disintegrating before his eyes. Of course, Lancia was not alone in making cars that rusted. What made it stand out was that it did the honourable thing and took them back. Was Gordon Lang lucky? Possibly, because many Lancia owners were not as fortunate as him. Lancia's last real push here was with the Dedra (above). As I pointed out at the time, a car maker with a phonetic 'dead' in a model name had…

I have just been reading the Granada Marques and Models in the September issue. You mention that the coupé was not available in the UK. This was not the case – it was available from Ford dealers, but it just did not sell well, hence the limited numbers available. [Andrew Roberts did say that early in the feature, but went on to say that 1974 saw Ford modify the Coupé's lines, and in July the Ghia version became available at a price of £3574 – the sole two-door Granada officially marketed in the UK – Ed.] I remember the Coupé dealer launch well, but not for the normal reasons. As you may remember, in those days a new model was a special event and dealers had a preview evening the…

BIO: Phil White's first job, at 15, involved restoring classic cars. A decade later he began writing about them in magazines. 35 years on, he's still at it. He plans to grow up at some point, but in the meantime climbing rocks, running, cycling and, you know, writing about classic cars, seem to get in the way. You never quite know what you're going to get when you rent a vehicle. For one thing, you haven't a clue what model you will be handed the keys to. Despite this, you can be fairly certain that it will be inoffensive, possibly rather bland, but will with a degree of competence do the job of transporting you. Occasionally, a rental will display an interesting quirk of sorts. I am at this point…

Simon Goldsworthy Editor Simon always has too many projects on the go, which means progress on individual cars can sometimes be slow. On the bright side, it does mean he never gets stuck watching telly of an evening. He likes virtually all classics, but has a weak spot for anything small, basic and generally overlooked. MY FLEET 1968 RELIANT REGAL OWNED SINCE: 2022 1969 FIAT 500 OWNED SINCE: 2022 1970 MG MIDGET OWNED SINCE: 2019 1984 ACCLAIM OWNED SINCE: 2020 1997 RELIANT ROBIN OWNED SINCE: 2023 2000 VW BEETLE OWNED SINCE: 2023 There is a slight change of pace for my Driver Diary this month, as I am moving away from my garage and taking a peek inside one belonging to a friend, Roger Parker. There is a good reason…

We are sad to report that Chris Cunnington, a true Triumph enthusiast and a gentleman, died this month after a lengthy illness, just short of his 80th birthday. For many years Chris was Chairman of the TR Register, a leadership role he cherished and to which he brought new ideas and great enthusiasm. Later he was elected as Chairman of both the Standard-Triumph Forum and the Federation of Historic British Vehicle Clubs. In both roles he was extremely popular, and both organisations benefitted greatly from his experience, knowledge and organisational capabilities. Wayne Scott, PR Officer and former magazine editor for the TR Register, said: 'Chris was always on hand to advise and give clear direction when needed, but always in a supportive and warm manner. I'll miss the ability to…

BOTTOM-END GASKET KITS Price: various Tex Automotive has added a range of bottom-end gasket kits to its growing catalogue of classic car parts. The high-quality parts are made in England and suitable for various classic Mini, MG and Triumph engines. The kits contain all the gaskets you need to service or rebuild your engine's bottom end (seals are not included). Models covered are the MGA, MGB (five-bearing crankshaft), Midget, Mini, Triumph TR2-6, Spitfire and GT6. Available from 300+ approved stockists worldwide. Call 01993 893500, email: info@texautomotive.com or visit: www.texautomotive.com TOOL FINANCE Machine Mart have partnered with Omni Capital to provide a credit offer for all single or combination purchases which exceed £300. Now available for 12 months in addition to 24, 36, 48 and 60 month terms to offer a…

I was intrigued to see the Chrysler Neon on p108 of the August issue. I haven't seen one for about 20 years, because they were rubbish mechanically and bodily —someone I knew had to spend £3000 to get his through only its second MoT, a terrific amount of money back then. Moving on to the Chrysler 180, I used to work at the Chrysler plants in Coventry. I was a telephone engineer for an outside company, but we could get discounts the same as the employees. They were mostly building the Avenger at the time, but a colleague bought a 180 – he didn't keep it very long as the build quality was worse than the Avenger, and they were poor. Interestingly, the workers were well paid. The senior engineer…

I picked up a copy of the July issue primarily for the article on the Z4, and then noticed the piece on the Leyland Commercial Museum, particularly the photo of the Pease & Son Foden steamer. In the early days of the museum, I had some involvement in getting a collection of vehicles transferred there, so long story short… In the early 1980s I was working as Planning Manager for Tate & Lyle Transport, the distribution company owned by the sugar processor. Earlier, in a putative publishing career, I had been involved with the National Motor Museum (NMM) and its huge photo archive, where I met Mike Ware the curator for the first time. When I arrived at Tate & Lyle, I discovered that we had loaned the NMM three…

Having read the New Products page in the September issue, I noted The Rover Story by Graham Robson. I bought a copy, but upon receiving the book I found that the cover photographs are misleading – one is a picture of a 1998 Rover 75, but sadly there is no mention whatsoever of the Rover 75 in the book, which was disappointing. It is obvious that the agency producing the cover photos had not read the book. It should not be on the cover because that suggests to prospective purchasers that there is 75 content, which is actually why I bought it. Admittedly it makes for interesting reading, but although I am aware that it is a reprint, I nevertheless felt a little miffed. I know that there are other…

BIO: Welcome to journalist and editor Robin Fletcher, who is our newest columnist. Robin has never worked in the motor trade, but he loves cars, has driven in 12 different countries and once changed the front brake pads on his first Metro. I can't be the only person of a certain age who found his way to Jersey thanks to Jim Bergerac. Sunday evenings in the 1980s and 1990s were set aside for his escapades on behalf of the fictional Bureau Des Étrangers, while trying to maintain good relations with his ex-wife Deborah, avoid millionaire former father-in-law Charlie Hungerford and occasionally find time to visit his girlfriend Susan. John Nettles' portrayal of the sexiest sergeant in the Channel Islands made him something of a heartthrob at the time. I certainly…

READERS' CARS AUSTIN MINI DE LUXE It would be fair to say that Minis have long played a large part in Graham Gardner's life. It's also something of a familial passion. Son Tim, former race/workshop mechanic at Classic Team Lotus and now at historic specialist Mirage Engineering, also owns a Mini, but one with a difference. 'I was building a Mini for Hannah, my daughter, but it wasn't quite ready when she needed it,' remembers Graham. 'So Tim, who was 17 at the time and car mad, took the project on and with my help that former Mini City was fitted with a Zeemax body kit, but a standard 998cc engine due to his age. He went on to use it as a daily driver for three years. 'Tim still…

Iain Ayre Contributor An ex-expat motoring author and journo previously resident in Vancouver BC, Iain culled his fleet and shipped the survivors to Scotland, which unlike British Columbia is neither on fire nor under water. Here he hopes to make more progress with grand project plans, as well as bimbling around in his old Bentley and (theoretically) blatting around in his now completed Mini Marcos. MY FLEET 1947 BENTLEY MKVI OWNED SINCE 2015 ENGINE 4.25-litre straight six 1957 BENTLEY S1 OWNED SINCE 2019 ENGINE 4.9-litre straight six 1974 MINI MARCOS OWNED SINCE 2010 ENGINE Cooper-spec 1.1-litre A-series CHEVY/GMC RALLY VAN OWNED SINCE 2022 ENGINE 5.7-litre V8 1952 MKVI BENTLEY BOAT-TAILED SPECIAL, PROJECT OWNED SINCE 2014 ENGINE supercharged 4.9-litre straight six 1953 R-TYPE BENTLEY SPECIAL, PROJECT OWNED SINCE 2020 ENGINE 2.5-litre…

Earls Court Motor Show We are starting off this month in London, at the 49th British International Motor Show at Earls Court, which by our reckoning would make it 1964. That would tie in with the two cars on the road outside the venue, both of them BMC Farinas. In fact, BMC were promising visitors no fewer than 40 cars to choose from, starting at just £469. Meanwhile, Vauxhall were shouting about their new Victor 101, AKA the FC Victor that was claimed to have 101 improvements over the outgoing FB. As for Earls Court, in a shocking act of corporate vandalism, that was demolished in 2017. Mercedes 300 SEL We are moving on to 1971 now and to Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium for a 24 hour event, and a most…

Despite a bit of a hoo-ha as to whether he actually said it or not, Henry Ford's quote 'Any colour, as long as it's black' has become folklore. Yet ridicule its relevance at your peril, because it seems virtually every new car these days is a shade of dark, be it black, grey or silver. See for yourself the next time you venture into a town centre or travel down a busy motorway. According to industry research, geography plays an important part when it comes to colour options. It was found that each country has its favourite hues, dependent on taste, regional traditions and social connotations so designers have to do their homework to find out whether a proposed new colour is desirable, tolerated, forbidden or even venerated. Obviously climate…