HB VIVA GT

ROVER P6

RESTORED TO
PERFECTION!

SERIES 1
3500 V8

"13*-


t

ISSUE 343

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TRIUMPH TR2
...and the Swallow Doretti that it inspired
‡ MORRIS TRAVELLER RESTO
NEW BEETLE ROAD TEST
FIAT 500 PROJECT

BUYING LEYLAND’S WEDGE
PRINCESS & AMBASSADOR

THE ROOTES ARROWS
IRAN’S NATIONAL CAR!

FORD’S LEGENDARY CAPRI
HISTORY IN THE MAKING

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GHOST MOTOR WORKS LTD
Exclusively Rolls Royce and Bentley

1933 ROLLS-ROYCE 20/25 SEDANCA DE VILLE BY H.J MULLINER Finished
in two tone green and black. Beige hide interior. Maintained to the
highest of standards. Without doubt the finest example we have seen.
Perfect for showing and touring..........................................£89,000

1975 Rolls-Royce Corniche FHC finished in Seychelles Blue with Beige
hide Interior 59,000 miles. Spent most of its life in warm climates.
Extensive recent expenditure. 2nd place at Marin Sonoma
Concours d’Elegance. A beautiful ready to show and tour....£60,000

1982 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible finished in Scots Pine
with Magnolia hide. 60,000 miles with comprehensive service
history. One of the finest we have seen......................£78,000

1934 Bentley 3 ½ litre Derby Continental Open Tourer by Vanden Plas
Finished in Red and Black with Black hide Interior. An extremely rare and
well maintained example. Continental Open Tourer Oxborrow & Fuller
.........................................................£145,000

1977 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SHADOW 2 Finished in Champagne with
Beige Hide interior. Covered just 63,000 with comprehensive
history file. Every MOT. An eye catching example in beautiful
condition throughout.........................................................£32,000

1951 Bentley MK VI Mulliner Aluminium Sports Saloon finished in
Green and Cream with Dark Green Hide Interior. Just 2 owners
since the 1970’s. Excellent history with marque specialists. A
beautiful example, driving exceptionally well.......................£48,000

1964 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER CLOUD III Finished in Astral Blue over Shell
Grey, 104,000 miles, Blue Hide Interior, Air Conditioning. Beautiful
original condition...............................................................£78,000

1956 Bentley S1 Aluminium Sports Saloon by Hooper & Co finished
in two tone Green with Green Hide Interior. Very low ownership.
An extremely rare coachbuilt Bentley in outstanding condition
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £68,000

1996 Bentley Continental R Finished in Racing Green with
Parchment interior piped Spruce. Covered 53,000 miles,
known to us since 2006. Head gaskets replaced. Long
ownership. Very well maintained.................................£47,000

1983 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible finished in Tudor Red Beige
hide piped Red interior. Last owner for 20 years. Maintained by
marque specialists. A beautiful example............................£68,000

1984 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit finished in Deep Ocean Blue with
Magnolia hide piped Blue Interior. Just 29,000 miles from new. A
low mileage and well maintained example. Outstanding condition
.............................................................................£26,000

1970 ROLLS-ROYCE MULLINER PARK WARD FIXED HEAD COUPE Finished
in Seychelles Blue with Blue/Grey hide interior. Special factory
specification including cocktail cabinet, cigar box and wool cloth
headlining. An outstanding example..................................£55,000

1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow 2 Finished in Georgian Silver with
Dark Blue Hide. Covered 100,900, supplied by us to its last keeper
keeper in 2008. 2 stamped service books. A very smart and
usable example..............................................................£22,000

1929 Rolls-Royce 20 HP Sedanca De Ville By Windovers finished in Black
over Yellow Brown leather to front, Beige west of England wool
cloth to rear. Impressive history file. Sylvester Stallone’s wedding
car.A stunning example with some very unusual features..£69,000

1990 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit II Finished in Rhapsody Blue with
Parchment hide piped Tahiti. 79,000 miles with Excellent service
history with main agents and specialists. A very eye catching and
attractive example in outstanding condition throughout...£25,000

1921 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST LANDAULETTEALPINE EGLE‘High Speed’
chassis Finished in Black, Black hide front. Fawn cord rear interior.
Purchased from deceased estate. Recently correctly re-wired. A
fine looking motor car in exceptional condition................. £165,000

1988 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit Finished in Cobalt Blue with Beige
Hide interior 155,000 miles, 4 owners from new. A very well
presented and highly usable example.........................£12,750

1924 Rolls-Royce 20 HP Open Tourer finished in Blue over Black
with Black hide Interior. Recent specialist engine rebuild. A
charming example, running and driving extremely well...£69,000

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Classics World, Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court,
Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL. EMAIL: classics.ed@kelsey.co.uk

APRIL 2024 Issue 343

FEATURES
7 Editorial
Introducing a new series of features.

8 News
Including a club that is celebrating 50 years.

12 New Products
Details of the newest must-have items.

14 Letters
More of your thoughts and reactions.

18 Iain Ayre
Celebrating the life of a dear friend.

20 Phil White
Classic car spotting in Gran Canaria.

26

22 Robin Fletcher
This month, Robin is reflecting on Fiats.

26 Rover P6 3500 V8
A car that is well worth aspiring to own.

32 Vauxhall Viva GT
Original hot Vauxhall restored to perfection.

40 TR2 and Swallow Doretti
Two different takes on the roadster theme.

48 People and Places
Mike Wilds: 59 years racing – and counting.

54 Classic Road Test
Behind the wheel of VW’s New Beetle.

74 Subscriptions
Check out some great value offers.

102 Marques & Models
The story of Ford’s Capri from start to finish.

32

108 The Truth About...
The long-lived Rootes Arrow family.

114 Modern Classics
Our pick of modern classics sold at auction.

116 Forgotten Hero
Mercedes’ timelessly elegant R129 SL.

134 Ones to Watch
Scirocco Mk3, Monaro and 124 Spider.

136 Cars for Sale
Are you looking for a new toy or project?

144 Back Issues
Got an issue missing from your binder?

145 Classic Tails
A scrapyard rescue that cost £100.

146 Next Issue
Sneak preview of the bumper Spring issue.

4 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

40
www.classicsworld.co.uk

WORKSHOP
KEEPING YOUR CLASSIC ON THE ROAD

NG
SAVIE
&
TIMNEY
MO

48

76
60

Driver Diaries
More workshop updates from our regular contributors.

76

Project Morris Traveller
Prepping the woodwork on our Morris Traveller.

54

82

Project Fiat 500
Cutting large chunks out of the little Fiat’s floorpan.

88

Project Volkswagen Jetta GTI
Wading into the fuel supply issues on our Mk2 GTI.

94

Buying Guide – Leyland Princess
Buy one of these underrated cars now before it’s too late.

118 Buying Guide – TVR Chimaera
The modern classic that you’ve always promised yourself?

124 Project Bentley Continental
Ignition problems drop us down to a mere 10 cylinders.

102

108

132 Spoil Your – Jaguar XK8
Our recommended mods to make a great car even better.

94

118
116
www.classicsworld.co.uk

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

5

/HU^LSSZVM3VUKVU
ROLLS-ROYCE & BENTLEY SPECIALISTS - EST. 49 YEARS

2012/62 Bentley Continental GT. Bentley Continental GT. Finished
in Extreme Silver with 21 inch 7 spoke polished alloys and Beluga
interior, with Linen stitching, Walnut veneers and Linen stitched Flying
B’s. Only one owner and just 7,700 miles from new. Smells, looks and
drives like new. Very fairly priced at just . .........................£57,950

2011 Model/60 Bentley Continental GTC Mulliner. Finished in
Beluga with a Black Mohair hood and 20 inch alloys. Beluga interior
with Ivory stitched Flying B’s and specially ordered Ivory piping. Only
37,000 miles with FSH. Adaptive cruise control, rear park camera
plus many other features. Totally unmarked...................£42,950

2011/11 Bentley Continental GTC Mulliner 51 Series. Finished in
Granite with Beluga hood and 20 inch Limited Edition alloys, with bright
chromed lower grilles. Beluga interior with diamond quilted inserts
in Porpoise. Too many features to list. Only 42,000 miles with FSH.
Stunning and outstanding value at only...............................£41,750

2008/57 Bentley Arnage T Mulliner Level 2 in Black Sapphire
with latest style Arnage T diamond cut alloys and electric sunroof.
Cotswold interior with picnic tables, rear park camera and electric rear
seats with heating and lumbar. Only 55,000 miles with FSH. Known
to us for 6 years. Immaculate throughout.........................£44,950

2005/05 Bentley Continental GT. Finished in Dark Sapphire with
19 inch split rim alloys, with Portland interior and secondary hide in
Nautic with Nautic carpets. Burr Oak veneers including door and rear
quarter inserts. 97,000 miles with history. Immaculate condition
throughout.........................................................Only £18,450

2014/14 Bentley Continental GT Speed Finished in unmarked
Extreme Silver with red brake calipers and 21 inch Speed wheels
in Dark Tint. Beluga interior with contrast stitching in Linen, with
ventilated front seats with massage. Only 43,000 miles with full
service history. Must be seen.................................Only £48,950

2008 Model/57 Bentley GTC Mulliner. Finished in Beluga with
a Black hood and polished and painted split rim alloys, with Beluga
interior, embossed Flying B’s in Linen and Piano Black veneers.
Fitted with park camera. Known to ourselves for last 6 years.
65,000 miles with FSH. Immaculate throughout.............£33,950

2010/10 Bentley Continental GTC Speed. Finished in Granite
with Black roof and 20 inch Speed alloys. Beluga interior with Linen
stitching, Piano Black veneers and Black carpets, rear park camera
and Convenience specification. Only 49,000 miles with full history.
Immaculate and outstanding value at.......................only £37,950

2014/14 Bentley Continental GTC Speed. Finished in Damson
with a Black hood and 21 inch Speed alloys in Dart Tint. The interior
is in Beluga with contrast stitching in Damson and Black carpets with
Piano Black veneers. Totally unmarked with full history, immaculate
condition throughout................................................... £59,950

2004/04 Bentley Continental GT. Finished in unmarked Cypress
Green with 18 inch alloys. Portland interior with secondary leather
in Spruce, with Walnut veneers and a matching headlining in
Portland. Only 77,000 miles with service history. Stunning condition
throughout and amazing value at only .........................£21,250

2008 Model / 57 Bentley Continental GTC. Finished in
Diamond Black Metallic with a new Mohair Black hood and fitted
with Speed 20 inch alloys. Beluga interior with Piano Black
veneers and just 51,000 miles with a full history file. Immaculate
condition throughout, priced at.........................only £31,950

2006/55 Bentley Arnage T Mulliner Level II. Finished in
beautiful Moonbeam Silver with Le Mans wing vents, quad exhausts
and 19 inch split rim alloys. Beluga interior with contrast stitching in
Cornsilk, Walnut veneers and picnic tables. Only 55,000 miles with
FSH. Immaculate condition and amazing value at ............ £31,950

2013 Model/62 Bentley Continental GT 4.0 V8. Finished in
Hallmark Silver with V8S 21 inch six spoke Black / machine polished
alloys. Beluga interior with cross stitching in Portland and Piano Black
veneers. Adaptive cruise, powered boot and rear camera. Only 50,700
miles with full history. Immaculate condition.....................£41,750

2001/51 Bentley Arnage Red Label. Finished in Peacock Blue
with Barley interior piped in French Navy, Dark Blue carpets piped in
Barley and secondary hide in French Navy, with Burr Walnut veneers.
Known to ourselves for 16 years with full history. ULEZ compliant and
in outstanding condition throughout....................only £23,950

1997 R Bentley Turbo RT. Finished in Black Emerald with Cream
coachlines and 17 inch 5-spoke RT alloys. The interior is like new with
nice fresh Sandstone leather and Spruce carpets, finished off with
Walnut veneers. This car is really immaculate throughout with FSH.
An investment in a real classic car...................................£24,950

2007/56 Bentley Continental GTC. Finished in Beluga with a
Black Mohair hood and 2014 style 21 inch alloys. Beluga interior
with St James stitching and Walnut veneers. 69,000 miles with Full
Service History. Known to ourselves for 5 years and in immaculate
condition throughout ....................................................£28,450

2002/02 Bentley Arnage R. Finished in Silver Storm with 18 inch
alloys and the interior is in Barley with French Navy carpets and Burr
Walnut veneers. Only 63,000 miles with history. A truly beautiful car,
unmarked throughout...............................................£24,950

2007/07 Bentley Arnage T Level 2 Finished in Tungsten with 19
inch polished blade alloys, electric sunroof and retracting Flying B
mascot. Stratos Silver leather interior with Slate secondary hide. Wood
and leather steering wheel and Bentley badges to waist rails. Only
61,000 miles with FSH...........................................only £38,950

1999 V Bentley Continental T One of only 95 RHD cars built.
Finished in Sherwood Green with pristine bodywork and looks like a
new car. Cotswold interior leather with secondary hide in Ascot and
all veneers in Walnut. Only 29,000 miles and maintained to highest
standard with comprehensive history file......................£98,950

2001/51 Rolls Royce Silver Seraph Last of Line. A very rare car
finished in Amethyst with Cotswold interior piped in French Navy and
French Navy carpets. All the usual extras including electric sunroof.
Only 78,000 miles with Full Service History. Outstanding value for
Last of Line.............................................................£42,950

1996 Model Bentley Azure Finished in Masons Black with 17 inch
sports alloys, with Beluga interior with Walnut veneers and Black
carpets. Service history. This car is in superb condition and a real head
turner. An investment at.......................................only £49,999

2008/09 Model Bentley Continental GTC Mulliner. Finished in
unmarked Anthracite with 20 inch alloys and a Black Mohair hood.
Magnolia interior with contrasting stitching, Walnut veneers and a
wood and leather steering wheel. Only 65,000 miles with Full Service
History. Immaculate condition, only .............................. £36,950

1996 Model/N Bentley Continental R. Finished in beautiful
Wildberry with 17 inch Limited Edition wheels. Magnolia interior with
Walnut veneers and embossed Flying B’s. Only 79,000 miles and has
been maintained regardless of cost, with FSH. Immaculate condition
throughout. A future classic and offered at only ...............£46,950

1980 V Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Series II. Finished in 1980’s
classic Walnut with Gold fine lines and London Tan interior. Lockable
centre cocktail cabinet, Walnut veneers and Fawn carpets bound in
London Tan. Only 30,000 miles with lots of history. A stunning car,
realistically priced at only ........................................... £36,950

2 year’s
warranty

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(on all cars pri
over £10,000)

Tel:

OVER 60 ROLLS-ROYCE & BENTLEY IN STOCK
All vehicles have a full 20,000 miles service plus a 100 point check, and 1 year MoT. Together with a 24 month 5 star warranty(parts and labour) For up to date stock list, please call.

BROADWAY, 86-88 UXBRIDGE ROAD, LONDON W7

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sales@hanwells.com Web: www.hanwells.com

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Andrew Roberts, Peter Simpson, Sam Skelton, Paul Wager, Phil White.
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We have a new series starting this issue,
called People and Places. Like all good titles,
that one pretty much explains what the
feature will be about! However, rather than
focus exclusively on the big names who tend
to get all the credit and media exposure, our
series will take a more eclectic approach,
mixing some less well known subjects in
with big names that will be more familiar.
The series kicks off on p48 with a look back
over the amazing career of Mike Wilds, who
has been a professional race driver for half a
century and shows no sign of slowing down.
Elsewhere, we’ve got the usual great mix
of marques, models and eras, a spread that
is exemplified perfectly by two of the four
project cars currently underway – the Bentley
Flying Spur and the Fiat 500. The Bentley is
big, brash, complex and fairly modern (which
is why it is in the new Future Classics section
of the magazine), the exact opposite in every
regard to the 500F from 1969. Indeed, this
issue an ignition fault took out two of the
Bentley’s cylinders, something that barely
slowed progress of its huge W12 engine.
Losing two cylinders on the twin-cylinder Fiat
would in contrast have meant a totally dead
engine and no forward progress at all.
There are other major differences between
the two, not least the fact that the Bentley
requires fettling rather than restoring whereas
the Fiat is rapidly growing into far more
of a project than I had initially intended.
This is usually the nature of the restoration
beast, especially when you are picking up

the pieces of somebody else’s project after
it has stalled for many years. The words
‘unfinished restoration’ can be loaded with
hidden meaning, and all too often you will
find yourself having to undo much of that
previous work and start again. I don’t think I
am in quite that position yet because I have
had the engine running and it seems smooth
enough, but the previous body repairs are
another matter entirely. Fortunately after
many years of watching Alan Denne rebuild
the rusty projects I’ve brought him, this time
I am enjoying getting stuck into the welding
myself. Not that Alan has been left twiddling
his thumbs, because he is already well on the
way to rebuilding our next project, a Morris
Marina (above). And if you think the Fiat is
labour intensive, wait until you see that!

HY
SIMON GOLDSWORTEditor

Email classics.ed@kelsey.co.uk

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– updated daily
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APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

7

NEWS

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THE GRANARY, DOWNS COURT, YALDING HILL, YALDING ME18 6AL

STANDARD MOTOR
CLUB GOLDEN JUBILEE
January 19th 2024 was a
momentous day in the history
of the Standard Motor Club
as it celebrated its Golden
Jubilee. That’s half a century of
dedication to the preservation
of Standard cars and their
derivatives, a milestone that will
be marked at the club’s Golden
Jubilee International Rally in June.
Before that, they plan to have a
four-car display at Birmingham's
NEC on 22nd-24th March for the
Classic Car and Restoration Show
– one of just six known survivors
with coachwork by Swallow on
a Standard Big Nine chassis, the
only known surviving Standard
Flying 20 V-Eight saloon in the
UK, a 1937 Standard Flying 20
straight-six project car and a
very original Standard Eight from
1957 (pictured). As the club says:

8 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

'All four cars are remarkable
survivors and in these days when
so many classic vehicles have
lost their original registration
numbers for onward sale as
cherished numbers, it is quite
unusual and highly refreshing to
see four beautiful cars still with
their original plates.'
Like the Standard marque it
supports, the club has its roots
in Coventry. On 19th January
1974, the late David Hanson
organised for a group of likeminded Standard enthusiasts to
gather in the city. This meeting
took place at the then new
Industrial Store of the Herbert
Museum in Coventry, which was
the forerunner of what is now
the Coventry Motor Museum.
David Hanson then outlined his
ideas for forming what was to be

known as The Standard Register
Trust, and at the end of the
meeting invited those present to
form an orderly queue and pay
their first year’s subscription of
£1. This funded the publication
of a regular monthly newsletter
and the formation of the Spares
Service, both of which are still
going strong 50 years later.
Membership numbers were
issued in order of receipt of
the £1 subscription. Over 20
members formed the nucleus of
founder members on that day
50 years ago. Just two months
later this number had risen to
70 members, and it currently
stands at nearly 1000 worldwide.
Current member Leonard Barr
was present in 1974 as a child of
seven along with his parents, and
remembers the occasion well.

'My father was sixteenth in the
queue and signed up as member
number 16,' he recalls. 'I now
have my father’s old membership
number.'
The Standard Register Trust
formally changed its name to
The Standard Motor Club in
1979, due to repeated requests
from the club’s accountants and
bankers, as it wasn’t actually a
Trust in the legal sense of the
word. Today it has an unrivalled
online spares shop for the
marque, a full-colour monthly
magazine Standard Car Review,
and offers help and assistance to
members who are restoring or
repairing their cars.
More information about
the club and all things
Standard is available at www.
standardmotorclub.org.uk
www.classicsworld.co.uk

SPEEDY SPARES TO CLOSE
Portslade-based Rootes
specialists Speedy Spares is to
cease trading on 28th March
after 58 years in business.
Speedy Spares is the main
parts specialists for all Rootes
Group vehicles. The business
is owned by the same family
as formerly ran R J Grimes of
Coulsdon, who had specialised
in obsolete Rootes parts as
far back as the 1950s. Grimes
closed in the early 2000s, with
the Rootes stock, goodwill and
most importantly the specialist
knowledge all moved to the
south coast.
The business always

provided excellent service
and its loss will certainly be
felt by many. In a statement,
Speedy Spares said: 'This
voluntary decision to close
has been taken after months
of serious deliberation whilst
thoroughly exploring all of
the options. Recent years
have seen many challenges
and Brexit, the pandemic
and the cost-of-living crisis
have all taken their toll. With
increased manufacturing costs,
escalating operating costs and
a dwindling demand for classic
car spares, it has become
impossible to continue trading.

We would like to express our
gratitude to our customers for
many years of loyal support.
We are devastated that we will
no longer be able to provide
our services.'
Speedy Spares will be
open as normal for any parts
orders until close of business
on 28th March, but ask that
any items with a surcharge
which need to be returned
for a refund are received by
18th March. Queries about
the closure, or enquiries about
purchasing remaining stock,
should be emailed to sarah@
speedyspares.co.uk

MERCEDES SL SELLS FOR £340K
Our Forgotten Hero in this
issue's Future Classics section
is singing the praises of the
R129 SL Mercedes, and just
to prove that we are not the
only ones to have noticed this
sleeping giant, a new auction
record has surely been set for
the model when a very lowmileage SL73 AMG (believed
to be one of only two RHD
examples produced) sold
for a whopping £340,000.
Powered by a naturally
aspirated 7.3-litre V12
delivering 518bhp, it left the
www.classicsworld.co.uk

factory as an SL600 before
being converted in period
to SL73 specification for the
Brunei royal family. The car
was recommissioned following

its arrival into the UK in 2017
before being registered last
year. Remarkably, it attracted
73 bids on its way to an eyewatering six-figure sale.

CLASSIC
CAR LOAN
SUCCESS
The Classic Car Loan Project has
enjoyed yet another success,
with the most recent custodians
of the CCLP’s Riley Elf having
now bought their own classic
to enjoy. Emma Merryweather
and her husband first heard
about the CCLP at the NEC
Restoration Show, just after
they discovered they were
expecting their first child. 'I
have always liked the Riley Elf/
Wolseley Hornet shape, so to
be given the chance of having
an Elf for a year, kindly offered
into the CCLP by the Riley
Heritage Trust, seemed too
good to be true,' said Emma,
'and even more so when we
found out we were successful
with my application.' The key
handover formally took place
at the British Motor Museum
the following year, members
from the Riley Motor Club
having kindly fitted inertia reel
seatbelts into the front so that
the couple’s now six-month-old
baby could travel in her car seat.
'From our home just south
of Bristol we have managed to
take the Elf (nicknamed Elfred)
to some local meets, as well as
those further afield such as the
Riley Rally at Leamington Spa,
the Water and Wheels event
in Coventry, the South Wales
Car Festival and the Riley Motor
Club stand at the excellent
Historic Vehicle Gathering at
Powderham Castle,' added
Emma. 'Elfred also took pride of
place on the Riley Cars Archive
Heritage Trust stand alongside
some Riley racers at Prescott
Hillclimb. As a result of having
the Elf, we have now bought
our own Riley – a 1962 One
Point Five saloon – so we can
continue our classic car journey.'
For further information
about the CCLP, visit www.
classiccarloanproject.co.uk
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

9

NEWS

GOT A STORY TO SHARE? EMAIL IT TO CLASSICS.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK
OR POST IT TO CLASSICS WORLD NEWSDESK, KELSEY MEDIA,
THE GRANARY, DOWNS COURT, YALDING HILL, YALDING ME18 6AL

HALF A CENTURY OF GOLFS
In 1974, the Golf succeeded
the Volkswagen Beetle and
quickly became a pioneer in
its class. It was an automotive
revolution when Volkswagen
presented the first Golf, and thus
the successor to the legendary
Beetle, with front-wheel drive
and versatile packaging thanks
to the large boot lid and folding
rear seat backrest. In addition,
the straight-line design created
by Giorgetto Giugiaro helped
Volkswagen adopt a new style,
and the first million units had
been sold as early as 1976.
Another seven Golf
generations followed, and more
than 37 million have been sold
across all eight generations.
In the anniversary year 2024,
Volkswagen will present the
evolutionary development of
the eighth Golf generation.
Volkswagen Classic will also
present historic Golf models
from the Volkswagen collection

on numerous occasions. These
started from 31st January
to 4th February at the Salon
Rétromobile show in Paris. This
was followed immediately by
the Bremen Classic Motorshow
from 2nd-4th February, where
Volkswagen showed a Golf 1
and the unique EA 276 concept
car pictured below – the
Golf predecessor from 1969
developed in Wolfsburg.

FOTU'S 10TH B'DAY

Hagerty’s world renowned Festival of the Unexceptional celebrates
its 10-year anniversary at Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire on
Saturday 27th July. The show dedicated to great everyday classic
cars was launched by Hagerty in 2014 to showcase much-maligned
and long-forgotten ‘ordinary’ classic cars of the 1970s, 1980s and
1990s. Since its launch, FOTU has grown from a small gathering of
cars and their enthusiastic owners to an event where thousands of
guests and cars gather, many travelling from far flung corners of the
world. To celebrate 10 years of success, the 2024 event will offer an
amazing array of attractions, special guests, unexceptional cars and
plenty of anniversary celebrations soon to be announced.
Tickets for the 2024 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional are on
sale now from www.eventbrite.com, priced at just £35 per car.
(Guests are reminded that all passengers within the car enter under
a single ticket.) New for 2024 is an earlier opening time – owners
of Unexceptional and Classic vehicles can now enter from 7.30am,

DREAM GARAGE

10 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

allowing more time to enjoy the event. Music, entertainment and
catering will also continue into the early evening to allow guests a
more leisurely departure after the prize-giving ceremony.
Nearly two-thirds of UK
motorists (65%) would consider
moving house for the perfect
garage, and they’d be prepared
to pay 4.9% over a property’s
asking price for the dream
layout – that’s according to the
latest research by eBay. While
91% of respondents to the poll
had a garage big enough to
house a car, only half (51%) used

their garage for this purpose
– with clutter preventing 60%
of motorists from making the
best use of the space available.
The study also revealed that the
Aston Martin DB5 (22%) is the
car respondents most wanted to
have in their garage, followed by
the Jaguar E-Type (18%), Porsche
911 (17%) Ford Mustang (17%),
and Audi R8 (17%).
www.classicsworld.co.uk

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MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION
NUMBERS OF GREAT BRITAIN
1974-2001 By Jonathan Del Mar
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spent many years repairing and restoring classics, and
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Triumph Spitfire 1500 and a 1962 Triumph Spitfire 4.

12 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

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LETTERS

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FIRSSS
CLA
T

NEVER MIND THE FUEL BILL,
JUST FEEL THE QUALITY!

I have just finished reading the March issue,
and write to congratulate you on a well
put-together and refreshingly informative
magazine. This is the first time I’ve bought
Classics World, but recognizing David
Gianessi’s blue Peugeot 504 on the front
cover, I was persuaded to part with the
requisite cash. You see, I live not so very far
from David, and have admired his Peugeot
at close quarters before.
In the March editorial you asked for
contributions about cars we once knew. I’ve
owned an eclectic mix of interesting motors,
from a Bond 875 three-wheeler to a Jensen
Interceptor and a Lloyd LS600 Kombi-Wagen
(the only one in the UK) to a Vauxhall
Royale Coupé. However, I’m writing today
about a Daimler Double-Six which figured
prominently in my formative years as a
motorist. I hope it might be of some interest.
Upon leaving school, my first real job was
at a used car showroom in Gloucester and
for a young lad, the provision of a company
car (from the showroom stock) was always
a major attraction. I was just 18 when I first
ran this top spec Daimler as my personal
'smoker;' the car would have been ten years
old at the time. Part-exchanged against a
new Silver Shadow at Broughtons, the RollsRoyce agents in Cheltenham, it hadn’t taken
long for GDF 820L to find its way down into
the Trade. We generally had at least one XJ
for sale in the showrooms, yet this Daimler

was always that bit special. Older by half
than the six-cylinder Series Twos which were
our usual stock in trade, this was a V12
and came fully loaded: the electric sunroof,
central locking and air conditioning all being
extravagantly opulent features back then.
At a time when most of my mates were
running around in ratty old Mk1 Escorts,
wafting along in ‘my’ Daimler Double-Six
Vanden Plas certainly did feel special!
Over the next couple of years, we sold
that Daimler (and subsequently took it back
again) no fewer than four times, each new

A youthful John Parker in 1982, posing as a bonnet mascot on a Mk3 Ford Capri.

14 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

owner being seduced by dreams of luxury
and performance, only to trade the car back
in once the reality of running this ageing
V12 leviathan hit home. And it’s true, that
Double-Six was seriously thirsty: 10mpg in
general use, dropping into single figures
should you feel brave enough to sample the
air con. Indeed, whenever I was running it,
almost all of my wages went on petrol.
I remember once selling the Daimler to a
travelling sales rep, who perhaps thought
that pulling up in a posh Jag should impress
his clients. He hadn’t reckoned on the fuel
bills though, and over the next few months
that car practically ruined him. Eventually he
threw the Daimler back, straight-swapping it
for a Mini!
The next owner was a long-distance lorry
driver, who chopped in a battered BMW E3
for the Daimler. Neglected from the outset,
the Double-Six soon fell into a similarly
parlous state, but when the trucker began
to neglect his HP payments too, it wasn’t
long before the Daimler came back as a
repossession. A service, fresh paint and a full
valet swiftly followed.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

The showroom (above) which the Daimler Double-Six (below ) visited regularly.

One potential owner who might not
have been fazed by its running costs was
the retired West Indian chap who dropped
by to inspect the Daimler each time we
had it back in the showroom. Already the
‘gentleman pilot’ of a Bristol 408, albeit a
time-worn and tattered example, I admired
his style for running such a beast on a
government pension. I think the old boy
might have gone for the Daimler too, had
we been able to offer a sweeter deal on
his part-ex. It seems incredible now, but in
those days his shabby old 1960s Bristol was
virtually worthless.
Keeping cars in a closed showroom,
repeatedly starting them on full choke
only to then shut them down again a few
moments later, was never good for an
engine and often the bigger cars – and
always the Jags – would soon foul their
plugs and misfire. Having sold the DoubleSix (again), I was at work early one Saturday
morning to give it a blast along the bypass
before handover to its next new owner at
nine. Having worked my way around the city
ring road, there came a three-quarter mile
dual carriageway stretch between the Wall’s
ice cream factory gates and what is now
the C&G roundabout. I was almost a third
of the way along this straight when I had
the sudden urge to really ‘give it the gun.’
Traffic was light, speed cameras nonexistent
and spurred on by the foolhardiness of
youth, I buried the throttle pedal deep into
the Wilton, almost managing to get three
figures up on the speedo before braking for
www.classicsworld.co.uk

the roundabout.
I remember the V12’s acceleration
as being exhilarating: a relentless surge
of power, yet delivered so serenely and
without fuss. With today’s top XJs putting
out over 500bhp, perhaps the Double-Six’s
performance no longer seems remarkable.
Yet to me in those days, being able to
muster 270-odd horses simply by flexing
the toes of your right foot was simply
mind blowing. Certainly, I had never driven
anything quite like it at the time.
Circling the C&G roundabout and heading
back the way I’d come, I was determined to
crack the ton on the return run, but slower
moving traffic ahead baulked my progress,
forcing me to lift off. That was a blessing as
it turned out, for fast approaching the Wall’s
factory roundabout in the righthand lane
and still carrying some considerable speed,
I planted my right foot squarely upon the
brake – but absolutely nothing happened:
the pedal was suddenly rock hard!
Snatching a glance over my left shoulder
I hurled the car across to the nearside lane,
simultaneously wrenching the auto selector
back to 2nd whilst standing on the brakes
with both feet. My heart was now leaping
at my throat! With the engine howling
in protest amidst a squealing chorus of
support from the tyres, I just managed to

slew the car half-sideways and barrel across
the intersection without actually hitting
anything, but I must confess it was more by
luck than judgement.
Still, brake servo failures aside, it wasn’t
long before the Daimler came back to
us once more, as ever traded against
something less incumbent upon the wallet.
Eventually the boss tired of seeing the old
Daimler sitting around the showroom.
Knowing how much I liked the car, he
offered me the chance to buy it for what it
then owed him: £600. Hard to believe now,
but I actually declined his offer, the sheer
complexity and the running costs scaring me
off. With hindsight, I’m sure that DoubleSix would have proved a canny purchase,
though perhaps any one of the souped-up
Fords my mates were then running might
have proved a smarter investment still.
Moved on through the Trade, I have
no idea what eventually became of ‘my’
Daimler, but I very much doubt it has
survived. Little did I realize then this was one
of just 342 Series 1 Double-Six VdP models
built, and so a very rare car indeed.
Forty years on and the car showrooms
are no more, the building most recently
incarnated as a Polish supermarket. I’ve
often wondered over the decades since
whether, had I bought the Daimler when I
had the chance, would I still have it today?
Possibly, but it’s fair to say that car did make
a lifelong impression upon me. Today, my
classic ride is a Series 2 XJ6 (3.4-litres and
somewhat less thirsty than that old DoubleSix!) whilst my everyday drive is a 20-yearold Jaguar XJ8.
John Parker

John's current classic ride is a Series 2 XJ6 with the more frugal 3.4 engine.
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

15

LETTERS

EMAIL: CLASSICS.ED@KELSEY.CO.UK
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Classics Wo
Kelsey Me rld
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FIRSSS
CLA
T

A TALE OF TWO RILEYS

This tale involves my late father's 1947
1.5-litre Riley and my 1964 Riley Elf.
The one and half litre Riley, registration
number DBX 425, was registered in
Carmarthenshire in 1947, the year I was
born. My father purchased this vehicle
secondhand in approximately 1953 from
a Riley dealer called Rex Neate in Botley,
Hampshire. We understood that the first
owner was a doctor from Carmarthen.
This car was to replace a Riley 9 Monaco of
which dad was really proud.
The picture on the right was taken in
approximately 1955 at the mainland end of
Telford’s lovely bridge spanning the Menai
Straits. We were nearing the end of our
touring holiday around North Wales, hence
the Riley is very dirty, which was rare as
my father always strived to keep the car
immaculate. I am the young lad standing
by the fence and my mother is standing by
the side of the car. We had stopped here to
have a look at the bridge, and also H.M.S.
Conway, a large cadet training sailing ship
that had gone aground on 14th April 1953
close to the bridge on The Platters rocks in
the Swellies in the Menai Strait.
I always remember the Riley as having a
lovely pale green leather interior and being
fitted with a walnut dash containing round
instruments. Looking back, I do remember
that the car did not have a heater, so some
trips in winter could be cold. Dad rebuilt the
engine after a couple of years to re-white
metal the bearings etc. Mother was not too
pleased to have a Riley engine under the

16 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

kitchen table whilst awaiting for some spare
parts to arrive before it could be fitted back
into the car!
Sadly, when the Suez crisis arose in 1956
and petrol was subject to rationing, dad
thought it wise to sell the Riley and purchase
something more economical. This was a
mixed blessing, because we ended up with a
lovely Morris Minor which provided us with
the luxury of a heater! My father always
intended to purchase another Riley, but sadly
fate did not let this happen. I wonder if his
car still exists?

The second Riley (below left) is the classic
car that my wife Sue and I purchased after
retirement – a 1964 Riley Elf Mk2 which
we acquired after a recommendation
from Steve Harris to contact a man called
Alistair who lived near Swansea – Alistair
had restored the Elf to a very high standard
and incorporated an engine that Steve had
tuned. He was selling the car to finance the
restoration of a pre-war Triumph. The Riley
Elf has had three owners from new, and all
lived within the South Wales area – two of
the previous owners lived in Ammanford
and one in Swansea.
The Riley Elf was supplied new and first
registered by T K Beynon of LLandybie
Road, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire on
the 17th August 1964. I am led to believe
the garage is now a Vauxhall dealership.
The nice feature that helped to persuade
us in the end to buy it is that ABX 679B is a
Carmarthenshire registration number, as was
DBX 425 on dad’s Riley.
Our Elf has quite a few upgrades and
modifications. Until the lockdown in 2020,
we had taken our car to many classic car
shows and gatherings, where the sight of
such a rare vehicle always brings a smile
to people’s faces and we have had many
interesting conversations. The car is finished
in Birch Grey with an Old English White roof.
Birch Grey is a lovely colour, and this shade
of grey was also used on Riley 1.5 vehicles.
Interestingly, in certain light conditions this
colour portrays a hint of green.
Alan Haddock
www.classicsworld.co.uk

MK1 ASTRA
Just reading your piece on the
Mk1 Vauxhall Astra in the February
issue. I agree with what you say,
apart from when you say there is
absolutely nothing wrong with the
cabin. I borrowed one from Skipper
of Gloucester, neighbouring dealer to
Haines and Strange of Cheltenham
whose plates are attached to the yellow
car in your pictures. My test car for the
Gloucester Citizen, a car from initial
launch stock, was a pea green estate
and I can still hear the engine rasp as
I read your words. However, the early
cars seemed to have a problem with
the sun visors. They folded down OK,
but try to turn them sideways and the
stem snapped so the visor came off in
your hands. It happened both on the
estate and on a hatchback sent down
from the Vauxhall press fleet.
That said, I preferred its style to the
Mk2, which of course was reborn as a
Daewoo, a brand with non-negotiable
list prices that relied on trying to screw
more out of the dealer for the trade-in
while they were not allowed to offer
more than trade guide valuations.
I'm not sure it's a method that would
work today for those companies selling
directly online without dealerships. Only
a fool would part with money without
first trying the product in the metal.
We all joke about car dealers, but
the buying experience will be poorer
without them, and so will we.
Maurice Hardy

THE COMMANDO CARRIER
I recently came by a wonderful 1960s
brochure from Citroën, issued to celebrate
the 35th anniversary of its factory in Slough.
It has photos of the production line in the
building which covered four acres. The
publication features pictures of the DS,
the Safari and the unusual Bijou. However,

I was particularly intrigued by the small
pick-up pictured here, which was trialed
by the Admiralty and is being lowered
onto an aircraft carrier. I wonder if any of
your readers might have used one of these
vehicles during their Royal Navy service?
Roger Bowen

OLD SCHOOL TECHNIQUES AT JAGUAR
Peter Simpson’s description of Morris
Minor door fitting in the March issue
took me back to the late 1990s when
a friend invited me to accompany him
on a day out by coach, organised by the
Sussex branches of a Jaguar club, to visit
the factories at Browns Lane, Coventry
and Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. At
the latter, we were given a tour of the
automated assembly line for the S-Type,
with components reaching the line just as
they were needed and the bodyshells being
assembled and welded together by robots.
Just after the four doors had been

www.classicsworld.co.uk

lifted into place, there came the one point
when things went ‘old school.’ There
was a gentleman in a lab coat who had a
bench on which were various hand tools
and a selection of pieces of wood. He
tried closing each door in turn and, if he
was not satisfied with the fit, he selected
some pieces of wood which he wedged
in the hinges before closing the door with
his bum. He then removed the wedges
and checked the fit again, if necessary
repeating the process until he was satisfied.
I also read your road test of the
Marina, which I think is very fair. My only

experience of driving one was when our
Rover 95 (then Aunt Helen’s) needed a
new clutch while Helen, Gran and I were
on holiday in the Lake District and the local
garage lent me a well-used Marina 1300
four-door for three days while they did the
Rover clutch. It was perfectly satisfactory
if a bit plain transport, but the two ladies
were very pleased to get back in the Rover!
Finally, Alex Parrott’s comments in that
feature are very much on the point, and
how nice to read his very sensible approach
to driving older vehicles.
Richard Bryant

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

17

COMMENT

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.

IAIN AYRE

IAIN AYRE
HELEN POON – RIP

R

egular readers will be familiar
with the name of Helen Poon, my
Canadian partner in many road
trips and automotive japes. You
will remember reading about our fairly silly
road trip last year in the Reliant Robin to
the Isle of Man, and last month the much
more sensible and civilised trip to France in
the Rover 95.
I’m very sad to have to report that
Helen was involved in a serious crash on a
road trip in New Zealand in January while
driving an Audi TT, and that she did not
survive her injuries. She had been a close
friend of mine for more than a decade,
although she was only in her mid-30s. The
first trip we did together was top fun: I was
the Prime MINIster of the Vancouver Mini
Club at the time, and we thought that the
club’s Fall Escape weekend tour to the BC
interior would be more entertaining if we
used her patinated 1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30
rather than my Mini. We were right, it was
a lot more fun, although we couldn’t keep
up with the Minis. The group photos of
a line of little classic Minis and one large,
stately and faded old Rolls looked very silly,
but also perfect. Mini people don’t take
themselves too seriously.
Helen was the fine sort of friend who
would show up for an overnight visit
bearing a bottle of serious malt whisky

18 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

and a box of Havana cigars, and she
introduced me to the pungent peaty
and smoky Western Isles whiskies. They
can be an acquired taste, but I have now
acquired it. I just discovered Spirit of Hven,
a truly excellent Swedish malt, and my first
thought was to send her a bottle. But now
of course I can’t.
During one such virtual evening tour
of the western Scottish island distilleries
about ten years ago, I was grumbling
about the bodged and nasty condition
of my 1938 MG TA Midget, and she said:
'I’ll swap you my Bentley for it.' We had
already used that 1947 Bentley for a Rush
to Goldbridge rally tour – google Classic
Car Adventures – and due to a navigation
foul up, we ended up driving it 500 miles
in a day without significant ill effects and
without any exhausted squabbling, so the
car had quite impressed me. Swapping it
for my disappointing MG seemed like a
fine idea, and when we woke up sober the
next day, it still seemed a good idea. I have
had my MkVI Bentley ever since.
I actually can’t remember how many
of Helen’s official club trips and random
informal trips and car meets I have joined
her on, but it was a lot. She was active in
the Rolls club, as well as many other local
car clubs and groups. She would happily
lend cars to friends, and also gave a few
away if somebody needed one.
When she phoned me last year and
said: 'Do you want to drive to the Isle of
Man in a Reliant Robin?' I said: 'Yes of
course I do, that sounds like a fine idea.'
She was a fan of Britain, and we were
looking for a car to buy and put in storage
near me in Glasgow for future European
and UK driving adventures. We were also
planning at some point to go halves on
a single-cylinder Bond Minicar, because
the Robin was too practical and sensible,
and nowhere near mad enough. We
were also in the middle of looking for a
suitable classic for our next road trip, to
Ireland this time, and also for her to use
to take her parents on a tour of Europe.
Ironically she wanted a safe, heavy, solid
car with head restraints for that trip. We
had been looking at Citroën CXs, DSs and
a tempting Bristol 401, but had progressed
to thinking about a good later Silver
Shadow as a relatively sensible choice.

I don’t know how many cars Helen
had, I would think between 20 and 30 as
of last year. The collection has included
exotica such as a 1920s supercharged
Italian OM, a rear-engined air-cooled V8
Tatra, Rolls-Royces from various periods,
some Porsches and older Mercedes, a
Deux Chevaux, a Lotus Seven, a Mini, a
Ferrari, an Intermeccanica, a Dodge Viper
and some delightful oddballs such as a
1950s coach-based diesel motorhome,
a Fiat Jolly, a Bombardier/VW Iltis
military jeep and a Russian motorcycle
combination. Her favourite car during
the last year or so was her Citroën 2CV,
because it was more involving and
entertaining than her automotive exotica
and erotica. She particularly enjoyed
taking the 2CV out to play in the snow,
because the low weight, perfect engine
position, high ground clearance and skinny
tyres meant it would charge past stuck
Jeeps and Land Cruisers, and it would be
maximum fun to offer the stranded 4x4
owners a ride in a tiny French classic.
The funds for this large and constantly
changing collection came from property
development, providing decent homes
at the low end of the market. When a
friend wondered about the economics of
building a relatively luxurious bathroom
in a bottom-budget East End residential
hotel, she said: 'Just because they’re poor
doesn’t mean they should have to live with
a rubbish bathroom.'
Helen served as a councillor in Port
Alberni, a small town in the Vancouver
Island boonies that she had adopted, and
she left the place better than she found it.
She made friends wherever she went, and
it’s going to take a long and depressing
time for this bad news to percolate around
the world to reach everyone who liked her.
The world is diminished and less colourful
without her.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

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A

53 AA
487 AAA
592 AAE
AAW 333
AAZ 855
ABB 364M
ABH 497C
B741 ABH
A858 GAL
804 ABK
24 BLE
ABO 77T
AB07 TTT
AB07 TTS
477 ABU
ABW 806D
8169 AC
ACC 994A
LAC 70N
KAC 70N
AAC 70N
ACU 447L
ADV 401X
ADY 569D
X21 AEC
AES 195T
AEW 994A
G454 AFW
302 AFW
AFW 982A
AGU 35T
AGW 59N
6484 AH
212 AHK
754 AHR
J29 AJS
628 AKV
RAL 41N
HAL 4N
JOA 14N
4 LFE
A111 COT
JAL 150P
A11 COT
DAL 107T
CAL 150P
ALM 274B
R29 ALY
ALZ 559
PAM 11D
465 AMJ
AMJ 40L
C23 ANK
C24 ANK
E24 NNA
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4784 NT
ANT 287
ANT 177A
ANV 199A
A417 WAR
ANZ 377
6989 AP
APA 13Y
APP 520J
APP 567J
APP 13S
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ARA 122A
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ARC 116R
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AS 3333
A5 FAD
H15 HBY
973 ASM
ATL 199A
G151 ATL
669 ATO
ATV 36Y
AUD 135V
AUD 151V
AUD 145V
936 AUG
AVG 504D
788 AWA
AWF 732
AWG 400
720 AWN
AWT 461
YEL 848S
G84 CON

B

BAD 57T
BAG 909S
9 BAG
6 BAG
BAG 935S
BAH 192W
BAH 77T
K8 ANK
B4 NEY
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BAR 121K
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842 LOW
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8 ATY
730 BAX
BAZ 668
BAZ 1657
BAZ 996
BAZ 993
BAZ 933

BBC 929B
200 BBD
BBH 799P
BBK 589M
BBK 69
BBM 628
296 BCJ
555 BCJ
82 BCJ
BDK 85
49 BDL
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86 ND
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BF 7561
569 BFM
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3333 BG
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BGR 36
3374 BH
9301 BH
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BHW 526A
BIG 188
B16 GER
BIG 8411
BIG 655
YEL 816S
BIG 699
J81 GGS
A81 GGS
81 MBO
BNG 114M
B125 TAL
A81 RKE
B15 CHO
5555 BJ
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A959 BKU
BLA 993Y
KBL 41N
E81 AKE
B115 ETT
544 BLO
810 CKY
BLO 77S
3333 BM
YGY 320S
YEL 820S
Y840 ONY
BNR 8Y
S144 BNT
5555 BO
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562 BOB
280 BOB
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BOD 56Y
801 L
BOL 77S
751 BOL
BOL 701V
BOL 701N
Y848 ONY
Y828 ONY
13 ONS
BON 533R
K28 ONE
BOO 856X
B60 OTH
BOO 853X
BOP 50S
BOR 152V
ROT 80S
FAB 805S
SBO 55Y
BOB 805S
POW 805S
PEE 805S
SHT 805S
CAB 805S
REE 805S
1305 S
BOU 108H
BOU 107H
BOW 967E
BOW 36N
WAC 180X
LON 680X
WWW 80X
FUM 80Y
5018 BP
8713 BP
7334 BP
3722 BP
5061 BP
BPR 655A
674 BPW
957 BPW
BRA 77T
BRA 550K
BRA 991T
BRA 7T
BRA 17T
BRA 99
BRD 996
B21 EAD
BRE 51N
BRE 70Y
B22 EAD
BRE 14D
BRE 771Y
BRE 770T

BRE 35Y
BRE 78Y
GBR 199S
GBR 150N
EBR 199S
821 CKS
BBR 166S
FBR 199S
RB21 GHT
MB21 DGE
TB21 DGE
PB21 DGE
GB21 DGE
AB21 GHT
PB21 GHT
996 BRL
11 BRS
BRU 116A
BRU 3L
BRY 110T
CBR 750N
BRY 417T
B168 RYN
BSK 994
526 BSR
BSV 659
126 BTA
BTM 92L
368 BTP
BTW 756
A18 UNK
K13 URN
SBU 12R
TBU 12R
BUR 61S
B1 JST
BBU 7T
PBU 7S
JBU 770N
CBU 7T
EBU 7T
ABU 7T
BVG 458E
BVP 629
63 BVT
BVV 376S
563 BWD
300 BWK
BWP 888M
800 BYE
AB19 BYK
5 BYL

C

CAB 608W
CAB 574R
CAB 50N
CAB 805S
CAB 135H
K28 CAB
CAC 53Y
CAD 50N
CAE 110S
CCA 116W
XCA 10W
C4 LEL
C411 LOW
WCA 10W
BCA 10W
CAL 110W
J24 CAM
J23 CAM
K24 CAM
J29 CAM
CAN 1F
C4 NES
C412 SFE
C4 REN
CAR 15N
CAR 185T
C412 ONS
CAR 6N
CAR 105K
CAR 14A
V8 OAR
PCA 123Y
DCA 120L
CAR 70N
BCA 120L
N411 CAR
PCA 50N
CAS 579A
UCA 551D
RCA 53Y
CAS 11W
C47 ONS
K28 CAT
CAV 380Y
CAZ 5044
542 CBK
952 CBK
353 CBK
567 CBM
CBW 32V
CCA 749M
401 CCE
536 CCE
CCN 580B
5715 CD
9999 CD
7996 CD
X389 CDA
CDM 203M
CDV 805S
CEH 785Y
8888 CF
208 CFC
C974 CFG
CFM 112W
7777 CG
CG 4844
CG 3478
RCH 41M
CHA 210T
RCH 34M
RCH 33M
CHN 430B
C11 OKA
CHO 74L
CHR 930
CHU 88Y
C22 DER
CIL 6575
C12 RON

NU
W MB
AN ER
TE S
D

545 CJO
796 CKA
37 CKA
CKE 188
W7 CKL
821 CKS
810 CKY
2222 CL
9999 CL
TCL 41R
WCL 45S
APC 134N
CLU 88S
798 CML
CO 5095
COA 57S
COA 77S
YEL 427S
G6 COD
COE 693
303 COJ
COL 30V
COL 173R
CON 311V
COO 165T
COO 180X
333 COP
KCO 2T
T38 COS
F666 COV
COV 80S
COV 800K
COV 311S
S900 COX
COX 576V
COX 792C
M311 COX
COX 31V
CPA 107T
CPE 76
CRA 138L
CRE 4T
CRE 59Y
CRE 3T
CRE 45T
CR15 PCO
C915 CRU
CSH 824E
CSJ 215
CTC 569M
308 CUP
CUP 5C
CUR 715E
H21 CUT
CUT 53T
JCU 77S
CUT 810W
CVG 799F
17 CVJ
894 CWL
CY 5241
CYB 46
CYN 700

D

222 DA
5833 DA
906 DAE
DAH 107F
DAK 117S
A99 DAL
DAL 113S
G509 DAN
OAN 16L
E859 DAN
E290 DAN
768 DAN
DAN 316
DAP 494B
DAR 12T
DAR 7S
OAS 70R
D4 SSU
M737 DAV
DAV 15F
DAV 135D
DAV 15L
DAV 135V
DAV 3N
DAV 135N
DAW 54T
DAW 17T
720 AWN
529 DAY
DB 2242
DBC 766T
477 DBM
J317 DCD
729 DCH
DCK 92B
DCK 231B
DCM 94Y
8553 DD
7479 DD
9000 DE
DEB 501V
DEE 41L
DEL 661T
DEL 128Y
DEM 953Y
P733 DEP
D111 ERY
DES 1N
6044 DF
8422 DF
9074 DF
2986 DF
46 DFC
360 DFH
DFW 99
2733 DG
DGW 429B
DH 9336
DHJ 818B
DHK 499
Y359 DHN
Y361 DHN
D34 BLO
DIL 6646
DJI 7757
DJO 946R
4859 DK
947 DK
3333 DL

DLZ 3850
77 DMR
DN 3754
6462 DN
2800 DN
E149 DNB
DNG 34
DNP 481N
DOD 580Y
K21 DOG
K27 DOG
K23 DOG
443 DOL
DOL 50N
DOL 781
F636 DOM
DON 875V
518 DOR
DOR 668
454 DOR
DOU 6K
DOV 688
DOW 17S
5905 DP
5469 DP
DRR 499E
DRA 96R
D21 AMA
D22 AMA
DRE 5S
DRE 64N
DRR 504B
S90 DRU
DSD 44
DSJ 852
DSU 378
8908 DT
3049 DT
75 DTB
872 DTP
671 DTT
L20 DUB
P598 DUD
H634 DUF
DUG 528C
DUG 55S
DUJ 240T
DUR 120Y
DUT 81C
A907 DUX
DV 9195
DVG 569G
60 DYB
DYL 101V
DYW 15

E

R178 EAL
R97 EAL
EAL 57
EAM 518
F8 EAN
M26 EAN
F6 EAN
K31 EAN
EAS 153X
JEA 501V
SEA 701V
GEA 70N
J5 EAT
E17 VES
EAZ 998
EB 9035
659 EBE
153 EBK
Y836 ONY
667 ECD
148 ECD
C21 EDA
B16 EDD
EDD 11T
EDD 171T
EDD 17T
AB19 EDD
E6 ENS
EE 9471
EE 1329
EE 9941
EEL 540T
EFC 308A
EFC 416
EFC 794
Y9 EFC
405 EFH
4 EFJ
EFX 355C
509 EHA
EHL 50
EHN 328H
548 EHR
EJT 119C
EJT 106C
3 EJU
EKJ 348
6284 EL
YEL 476S
LEL 150N
SEL 150N
YEL 114S
ELL 187T
ELL 4Y
ELL 152J
ELS 16W
SEL 50N
ELW 15Y
ELY 823C
ELY 107T
5411 EM
3333 EM
EMA 53X
EMA 635S
EMA 65K
EMH 4
EMV 495T
ENG 147D
ENN 73
90 ENR
ENR 38
ENY 4S
ERG 73
Y978 ERH
Y905 ERH
999 ES
ESE 536

E551 TON
EST 116D
8361 ET
1306 ET
ETA 18
ETH 310V
ETH 307V
ETH 313V
F114 ETH
EUI 20
8619 EV
EVE 383
EVG 559H
EVL 505
32 EWD
7 EYL

F

4428 F
FAB 118S
FAB 59S
141 FAE
F46 ANS
FAJ 53L
S459 FAJ
5 FAJ
FAJ 56L
S499 FAJ
FAJ 51L
FAK 13Y
FAL 805S
TFA 12R
FAR 7Y
FAT 138Y
FAT 80Y
B10 FAT
FAV 147C
FAX 11V
FBR 83
2222 FC
6666 FC
533 FCG
FCR 888
62 FCY
9229 FD
1 FDG
F36 ANS
HFE 1N
FLE 517Y
RCA 550B
FET 332
FEY 308D
FEZ 9999
FHH 396K
1989 FL
700 FL
FL 3887
91 FLA
FLA 91T
FLA 66S
645 FLD
FLE 33T
86 FLF
FLY 440T
8179 FM
3588 FM
FMA 575F
FMB 840F
441 FMC
FMW 114J
2641 FN
7553 FN
FNB 441C
FON 6L
FOO 711E
YGY 460S
AFO 12D
FOR 883S
FOR 576R
FOS 733R
572 FOT
FOW 153X
FOX 720N
FOX 245L
7 FPP
361 FRH
F21 TTS
FRO 664T
FRO 64T
FRO 661T
FRO 57T
FRY 5S
FRY 5V
FSU 361
FUG 3Y
SFU 110N
FUR 70N
FUR 12Y
477 FUR
F577 FVF
FVG 570J
A128 FVO
9999 FW

G

G 1002
5555 GA
174 GAB
LSG 41N
T264 JAL
GAL 73N
GAM 811N
A635 GAP
GAR 1H
GAR 1X
GAR 1D
G4 ROT
GAR 501N
GAR 189L
T6 ASK
TPG 4S
GAT 3N
GAV 117S
GBA 69
GBH 185
GBR 499
GCN 254
GDE 444W
1111 GE
2222 GE
GE 1414
GEE 567
GEF 340V
GEJ 20

GEN 77S
GER 1A
166 ERY
63 RRY
68 GFR
GFX 488D
GFX 125L
3 GGJ
9999 GH
GHB 739V
89 GHN
GIB 69
GIL 15
GJI 4728
GJK 608
GJT 126D
GJY 401
5555 GK
527 GKB
GKC 50
4444 GL
GL 5918
2222 GL
GLA 231T
GLE 350N
697 GLW
GLZ 2222
4 GMT
GNJ 63
GNR 74
GNT 271M
Y106 OAL
Y46 OAL
GOB 81L
GOB 5W
GOB 58N
OOO 560D
T260 JAL
548 GOK
GOL 50N
GOL 81N
90 LF
GOO 1E
GOR 84N
GGO 55S
GOV 88W
GOW 9N
999 GP
P154 GPE
P275 GPF
G21 AND
G22 ANS
GRA 78N
GRA 758N
GRA 713V
GRA 990N
GRA 70N
624 CE
GRD 23
83 GRE
GRE 169N
GRE 950N
GRE 610N
GRE 609N
HGR 33N
GRE 16K
GRE 50N
GR69 VES
G21 OUT
264 GRP
6 RUB
146 RUB
GRZ 999
2222 GS
GSK 337
GSK 741
GSK 535
GSL 734
GSU 933
R13 GSX
76 GTG
772 GTW
55 GU
GUI 1
GUN 58N
GUR 111T
GUS 74R
GUY 534L
456 GUY
GVG 619K
9999 GW
T8 GYM

H

66 HA
3207 HA
8473 HA
7629 HA
HAB 86N
HAB 18J
HAB 18N
HAB 84S
HAB 40S
HAB 40J
HAG 3E
HAH 610T
478 HAJ
HAL 77S
HAL 550N
HAL 4N
HAL 58N
HAL 350V
D114 NDS
J114 NDS
H417 SEN
HAN 120W
HAN 444B
T114 NDS
114 NDS
HAP 3N
H22 LOW
HAR 19Y
WHA 121S
HAR 153N
VHA 121S
HAR 87S
KKH 778N
HAT 837
H4 TAC
GHA 770N
HAT 58N
KKH 776N
HAV 80Y
HAW 53Y

HAW 50N
HAY 796V
HAY 733V
851 HBC
HC 7831
HCK 144E
HCK 345
HCT 58
HDS 733H
6502 HE
HE 4948
KHE 4P
MHE 4P
BHE 4P
HED 63N
HEG 50N
H21 GHT
HEL 317V
HEL 41V
HEL 317S
HEL 31V
HEM 58Y
HEN 570N
HEN 71N
HEN 70N
HER 56F
HES 70N
HES 46
HET 215
HEW 177W
HEW 377S
HEX 3N
G350 HEX
98 HFK
38 HGG
N111 HHH
ADH 188S
AAH 188S
S111 CKS
HIL 998
200 HKJ
HL 8674
HLZ 5555
HN 5141
HNM 5
HNO 8N
HNZ 3333
HO 1234
HOB 50W
HOB 85L
JHO 850N
HOB 85H
HOB 135N
HOB 850N
HOD 937T
HOD 635N
HOL 101W
HOL 73N
HOL 7W
HOL 78N
HOL 70N
NSX 352A
HOO 50N
HOO 531N
F110 RNE
HOR 702N
HOR 701N
HOR 58N
HOR 733N
HOR 53N
HOT 711L
HOT 70N
448 HOV
HOW 117T
HOW 477J
HOY 733N
8927 HP
764 HPA
5555 HR
HRT 81
HSH 934Y
HSH 997Y
HSH 995Y
222 HT
76 HUA
HUB 42D
HUG 35N
HUG 637S
HUG 637T
HUI 19
HUM 33R
HUM 813S
HUN 7N
HUN 71N
HUP 1N
HUR 7Y
HUR 57V
144 HUR
HUR 57T
CHU 25T
CHU 770N

HUT 71N
HUT 76N
HUT 701N
WHU 770N
HVG 840L
HVK 690C
HVS 58N
HWR 128G
1004 HX
9 HYE
HYE 28
M420 HYS

I

IIL 9999
K21 NCE

J

JA 3638

D6 JBR
JBW 664Y
JBX 472N
JCC 152N
JCR 999P
JDK 228N
JDY 200
JEL 50N
JEM 41
JE22 YSS
JE22 ALD
JES 1W
RJE 5S
JES 773R
JEU 106
JEY 749Y
JEY 516F
J324 RDS
JG 8696

JS 4835
JSA 228G
JSK 204
A163 JSO
A103 JSO
JST 284N
552 JTA
326 JTB
469 JTO
232 JUB
JUD 68S
JUF 648
JUK 5W
JUL 104N
JUL 106N
JUL 113N
JUL 16N
5 JUN
JUV 176K

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860 JBM

C359 JGL
59 JGN
JGU 662C
J111 SUK
JIW 1537
JIW 653
JKH 910L
641 JKO
JKW 6
JLX 24
JM 8753
JM 4045
JMA 922K
JMB 444C
JMB 277T
JMB 733Y
737 JMB
JMR 702
JMW 693
JN 3773
4407 JN
JOA 14N
JOA 17P
JDB 50N
JOB 8S
683 JOE
C233 JOE
92 JOF
JOG 3R
JON 135W
JON 1K
JON 53N
86 JON
JOY 91V
JP 13
JPA 261V
JPY 27
JR 8891
532 JRR
684 JRR
JRS 971

JUX 508V
JUX 351D
JVG 959M
JVV 896
JW 9206
8783 JW
JWE 738C
JWR 458Y
JWR 916Y
JY 632
JY 4635
JYC 25
JYW 59

K

464 K
KAB 354N
KAJ 53N
KAL 550N
KAR 12Y
KAR 317V
KAR 317P
29 KAR
KAS 839
KAS 802
KAS 160
KAS 842
KAS 136
K25 SON
KAT 35V
KAU 550N
KAW 53N
KAY 83V
KAY 537V
KAZ 998
KBD 76
KBL 35N
817 KBM
73 KBP
87 KBP
742 KBP

KBS 3
KBS 5
564 KC
KCH 55N
B16 KCH
KCH 74N
KCH 38N
KCK 897F
KCW 335
KCY 847
KDG 89
KDG 977
KDZ 911
69 KE
KEA 524
KEL 10G
K21 VYN
KEN 33P
KEN 14P
K3 NOC
KEN 54P
S30 KEN
402 KEW
KFC 47
KFM 73
KFX 565F
111 KGE
58 KGG
KGL 83
KGY 502V
KGY 466V
KHH 459C
K1 DUM
K25 NGS
KJ 1673
KKH 798N
106 KKR
N658 KLA
N250 KLB
342 KM
252 KMA
8 KNW
491 KOD
KOL 766
KOR 12Y
KOT 6Y
889 KOV
4884 KP
2258 KP
KPR 41
KPW 254N
364 KRA
93 KRD
KRG 99
F837 KRM
KRU 25L
KRW 724
KS 5531
KSA 178F
KSA 398
KSC 224D
KSV 777
700 KTF
C540 KTH
KTS 245
90 KTW
KUC 144
KUG 123
KUN 189
KUO 3
KUR 26
KV 4505
KV 2156
2591 KW
KWA 83
KWC 688
84 KYD
KYL 13S
KYL 38K
KYL 13M
KZ 7687

L

801 L
LAB 377E
LAB 37T
LAL 14W
LAM 222A
LAR 99E
BUY 14W
LAZ 8
31 LBF
LBF 57
LBS 105
1884 LC
LCC 663P
LCK 348N
LCL 876A
LCR 539
LDD 87
46 LE

WINTER CLEAROUT

ALL NUMBERS ARE PLUS 20% VAT
+ £80 TRANSFER FEE
Can be transferred immediately subject to terms
or supplied on a retention certificate

ALL £50

LKK 259B
BVG 562E
ORR 830P
G905 UNU

S943 SBD
N524 PVL
CVG 552F

ACU 447L
F577 FVF
JWE 738C
TAO 469S
C540 KTH
T504 MAU
PMY 482W
ORR 174P
TRJ 634R
PVL 366V

BBH 725P
Y921 ONY
P872 LSM
W576 NDA
T869 UEE
OCL 106V
S499 FAJ
A103 JSO
URM 344X

HVK 712C
P301 GPF
T658 NWL

ALL £100

F992 OFG
NWT 178A
A716 GAP
B741 ABH
C397 SFE
C915 CRU
CFM 112W
E149 DNB
E697 MPV

Y366 RVU
C359 JGL
C974 CFG
OGU 754D
EEL 209T
F567 FVF
G919 UNU
GVG 698K
H977 NRU
HGU 889J
JVG 817M
KFX 565F
LVG 688B
OGU 767D

LEE 366
LEG 37T
LEG 6P
LEG 785W
YEL 499S
LEN 941H
LEN 297P
LEP 84
LES 13R
LE22 TER
L355 TER
YEL 377S
LET 810
LEV 177J
LEV 177Y
LEV 177V
LEW 847H
4 LFE
LFM 380N
LFM 457N
D620 LFX
LGT 709N
7777 LH
568 LHA
1 YMO
LJ 5961
H653 LJA
H660 LJO
LJR 691
LKK 323B
LKO 555
753 LKP
400 LL
7777 LM
LMO 51
96 LN
LNB 269
LNH 979
LNO 901
LOC 41X
LOM 45S
LON 680X
K31 ONG
630 LOO
708 LOP
B10 PES
LOR 3R
C23 LOT
LOU 158P
B10 UTH
LOV 3P
59 LOV
12 LOW
LOW 312Y
842 LOW
70 LOW
LOX 500
541 LPT
LRE 8P
LSA 425
LSD 578
LSD 823
LSG 47N
P872 LSM
LT 879
874 LUB
LUE 5P
LUE 7V
LUG 70P
LUN 45S
LUR 4L
LVA 11
LVG 910B
LWG 66
LYB 11E
LYC 3E
LYL 3N
LYN 200P
LYN 78P
E282 LYN
LYN 87X
LYN 21P

M

M 1212
MAB 837T
MAB 813Y
MAC 346V
832 MAE
938 MAE
NMA 660T
MAH 41P
MAH 41E
MAH 33D
C701 MAK
OMA 110Y
MAL 980P
MAL 261W
MAL 338W
MAL 357P
C54 MAL
MAP 55S
MAP 408
M425 HAL
MAR 63P
MRR 10W
MRR 19W
MAR 63L
MAR 647E
MAR 771V
MAR 9E
LFM 454N
MAS 537
MAS 6Y
MAT 235S
T503 MAU
MAZ 366
MAZ 399
853 YMB
MBW 911E
MCC 427
MCV 4N
MCW 94G
MCY 92E
MCY 596G
MDM 689G
4444 ME
3511 ME
MEL 145P
NME 110R
A873 MEL
LFM 310N
MEL 15F
E390 MEL

MEP 127A
ME21 VYN
M35 HEL
MES 53Y
LFM 354N
MFA 870
MFA 54
MFO 283
MFX 455G
MG 5725
MGL 976
3165 MH
2241 MH
9267 MH
MIG 4444
CFM 115S
MJI 551
MJI 344
MM 7777
6728 MM
5312 MM
167 MMT
MNH 138K
MNN 34D
S41 MNP
1155 MO
MOA 72X
K21 MOD
MOE 333X
MOE 566X
MOE 856P
985 MOE
MOG 735X
MOG 331P
RMO 113R
MOL 73N
MOO 14H
MOR 155R
MOR 318Y
MOR 73R
MOS 55S
MOS 51S
MOT 3L
CMO 713Y
MOT 76Y
MOV 13X
MOW 3R
MOW 13R
MOW 9R
MOY 124P
6 MPR
E697 MPV
5555 MR
MRC 46P
MRR 45W
MSV 878
MTJ 26
MTU 41C
MU 550
MUD 1D
MVG 740C
2000 MW
MW 8743
R6 MWC
MWJ 292
MWL 45
MWV 229F
777 MYC
MYR 4P
999 MYX

N

333 NA
N48 EER
NAD 99M
NAJ 18W
NAJ 18P
Y998 NAL
NAL 368E
Y996 NAL
65 NAN
NAN 70N
N934 NAP
NAS 386
NAS 628
NAS 54R
NAS 70R
N45 EER
NAS 13R
NAS 377
NAS 385
NAT 11S
NAV 306F
NAV 330S
NAV 309F
NAV 300F
NAZ 255
N42 EEM
6506 NB
NBD 52
NBN 50
96 NCG
6553 ND
86 ND
W576 NDA
NDD 958
NDV 506F
6887 NE
4571 NE
73 NE
8969 NE
NED 87P
NEE 42
EHN 335H
NEJ 64R
NEL 870
NEW 31P
NEW 55S
NEW 574R
NFC 357S
NIB 3333
N13 LEW
N25 SAN
NJ 4544
NJ 364
NJT 477H
NJW 254P
204 NKE
NKO 886
840 NKR
1 NLG
9999 NM
NMA 994T
805 NNN

95 NNO
NNW 5
NOB 13X
NOB 56X
NOB 80X
279 NOB
NOH 712
JNO 74Y
NOW 938
17 OYE
NPA 910
570 NPE
NR 5
NRG 71
H964 NRU
NS 4570
NSX 390A
NSJ 871
NST 270Y
NSX 368A
83 NSY
NTG 269P
79 NTW
5180 NU
NUS 7Y
NUT 1E
NUT 741S
NUX 208W
NV 850
NV 9830
T658 NWL
NWT 5
NWT 178A
NWX 5
NY 2364
A150 NYA
E6 NYC
NYK 5Y

O

O 3012
OAK 3S
Y76 OAL
OAN 20
B1 OAP
R348 OAY
OBH 513
OBU 311P
C357 OCD
OCL 106V
OD 7902
OD 620
ODE 119F
OER 1M
F992 OFG
OG 7375
OGU 767D
OK 310
OLY 268P
OMY 456P
ONE 7L
ONE 41L
ONO 73V
13 ONS
1942 OO
500 OP
OPP 992V
47 OPS
ORR 174P
20 OSM
13 OSM
OVV 377P
OVV 380P

P

P20 000
PAD 260W
PAD 63T
PAD 1P
PAE 49
PAG 33E
PAL 70R
819 PAL
PAM 14R
E5 PAM
PAM 11D
PAM 153R
D872 PAM
PAM 15R
PAO 108P
PAR 37H
PAR 53L
PAS 5S
PAS 533S
PAT 31S
PAT 18M
E3 PAT
E5 PAT
A972 PAT
PAT 34M
D735 PAT
A460 PAT
S121 PAT
A709 PAT
PAU 144R
PAV 62J
PAW 903
MPY 17E
PAZ 6
PAZ 1
PBE 39
PBJ 49
994 PBM
PBN 822
PCD 667
PCR 8M
PCS 81R
PEA 133R
PEA 73R
PEE 805S
PEG 555
PEG 5R
PEG 199
PEN 677S
PEN 155S
PEP 3R
PEP 53Y
PER 121N
PES 183M
PET 80Y
RPE 73R
PET 73R
RPE 76R
2620 PF

PFB 112
PFE 792P
19 PFM
PFN 25S
5695 PG
246 PG
9074 PG
F11 PGH
S6 PGJ
8 PGJ
PGU 957K
1531 PH
PHA 998
748 PHA
PHH 57P
PHH 541P
P111 LUK
P111 LOK
PHO 563
59 PHW
PIA 9746
PIJ 3252
PIL 111
PIL 15
PIL 4
3588 PJ
7461 PJ
7612 PJ
5189 PJ
655 PJH
701 PJH
PJT 589J
G11 PJW
PKH 130P
3546 PL
PL 5049
P147 TSY
APL 47T
BPL 47T
PLA 73R
PLE 888
PLM 69
PMY 482W
PM 9510
H9 PMC
PN 7018
1111 PN
K2 PNA
A112 PND
PNS 6
LPO 111Y
POM 3Y
POM 333Y
A911 DUX
POT 312S
POW 311F
POW 805S
4288 PP
2688 PP
482 PPE
PPM 449
P125 PPO
P64 PPO
PRE 553R
PRO 553R
PRU 783
PSN 690H
PTA 827
PTH 37S
PTH 51S
PTK 90
7 PTS
PTT 444
843 PTT
PTU 1
PTU 973B
PUA 456D
PUB 186D
PUE 236
PUI 3333
PUL 70N
PUL 58Y
PUL 14N
GPU 113N
A6 PUM
922 PUO
PUT 73R
PUT 3R
PUT 71N
PVL 382V
N524 PVL
PVV 368D
6795 PW
52 PWC
PWN 900R
PWN 6Y
PWU 144P
PXK 6
49 PYD

R

9498 R
6524 R
R 5587
1924 RA
897 RAE
752 RAE
RAE 785G
JRA 63N
RAG 55S
RAJ 599X
RAL 91F
Y276 RAL
Y141 RAL
RAM 518
RAN 737E
RAN 386L
N934 RAP
N936 RAP
RAR 50S
RAS 74S
RAS 916
RAT 113R
472 RAT
RAV 934R
RAV 276X
RAV 769X
RAY 84R
RAY 162M
RAY 93R
RAY 213R
RAY 729N
RAY 45G
RAY 697

TEL: 0116 235 0116
Gynsill Close, Anstey, Leicester LE7 7AN
8.00am to 8.00pm 7 Days a Week

RAZ 59
555 XRB
RB 1749
RCA 316Y
RCA 528B
RCD 458G
RCH 42D
RCH 510M
RCS 18
RD 3197
RD 8371
RD 3350
224 RDV
751 RDV
RE 8979
916 REA
R234 EAL
REC 703R
REE 744S
REE 805S
REG 428G
REG 417M
REG 417X
REG 51R
REG 417R
RET 120F
RET 20D
RET 20S
RET 20C
RET 20E
REY 360S
REY 4T
333 RFM
RFM 828L
RG 3805
RG 8305
RG 6659
6666 RG
RGO 964
RHR 256C
R185 EAL
R188 NGN
R133 EAL
G21 CHY
D21 CHY
B21 CHY
G21 DGE
A21 GGS
G21 GHT
C21 GHT
E21 LEY
C21 LEY
J21 LEY
DR21 LEY
K121 LEY
K21 VET
RJB 70P
RJG 176G
RJI 211
6475 RK
9401 RK
267 RKJ
A8 RKM
RKY 64
RMA 498
207 RML
RMO 415
RMO 112R
RN 908
RNR 80P
ROB 135
ROB 83Y
ROD 53N
ROG 33R
ROG 63R
1206 ER
R86 ERS
ROH 17B
ROJ 570
ROM 93Y
RON 581R
RON 843M
RON 579Y
RON 851Y
Y812 ONY
RON 862M
ROO 173Y
TED 120S
K21 OSS
ROW 113Y
ROW 417S
F843 ROY
RPE 8
RPF 9
866 RRB
RRH 790M
RRH 874
RRS 621X
H362 XRS
RST 855S
RSY 4L
P22 RTS
743 RTW
2020 RU
RUB 83R
ARU 8Y
RUB 3R
RUG 3R
RUG 504
RUG 8R
RUG 63R
RUL 911E
RUS 31W
LRU 5H
RUS 683M
RUV 41N
RUX 75
Y366 RVU
227 RW
8 RWG
RYK 895
RYL 3S
RCA 544B

S

S17 JNA
T254 JAL
SAL 7T
SAL 73R
H541 MON
WSA 11Y
LSA 11Y
SAN 580Y
E54 NDS

W54 NDS
SAR 81R
SAY 170R
SAZ 1
SAZ 996
20 SB
S544 SBD
283 SBJ
4396 SC
SCA 73P
SCA 12R
SCA 73R
SCA 83P
SCA 84P
SCO 713L
SCR 33N
SCW 769L
SCW 736L
8888 SE
R95 EAL
SEA 820K
J5 EAT
M26 EAN
R145 EAL
R135 EAL
K25 EAL
M53 LBY
SEL 50N
SER 141S
F145 ETH
NET 53X
COO 153X
VEG 53X
UNE 53X
RUF 53X
SEY 63L
C411 SFE
SGN 700
SGU 985L
SH 7640
SHA 1G
SHA 61N
SHA 24R
SH22 ONS
K25 HAW
SH22 RON
SHE 90Y
SHE 12S
SHE 138Y
SHE 24R
SHE 80Y
SHE 458Y
SHE 412S
SHE 12Y
SHH 29
SHT 805S
SHO 12T
S1 HOE
G511 ORT
SHO 128
SHO 127S
K25 HOT
SHP 9N
SHP 510W
SHR 177P
868 SHW
SHY 805S
MS18 SON
TS18 SON
PS18 SON
CS18 SON
GS18 SON
F51 DHU
T251 JAL
D951 MON
LPR 51M
KLJ 351N
SJ 5555
SJT 948
SKE 114M
497 SKJ
SKR 793G
SLA 93R
DSL 473R
SLA 73R
SLG 96
SLK 51R
K25 LOW
SMA 127L
SMA 113R
SM17 HYT
SM17 HYD
SM17 HYJ
SMP 635
SMT 27
41 SN
S17 OWS
SNP 10
SO 9141
S10 AMS
N504 BYA
SOE 8Y
SOE 11B
T250 JAL
SOL 36Y
SON 580Y
Y815 ONY
Y935 ONY
WH05 OUL
J950 UTH
SOU 150N
M25 OUL
SOY 3R
SOY 6R
SOY 43R
SPE 19R
SPU 12R
SPU 12M
SPU 125R
SPY 50N
SPY 80X
8809 SR
SS 3504
SS 4714
SSA 791
SSG 95P
SSG 989P
SSN 691
B57 AGG
N25 TAR
K57 AGG
D15 TEV
FDS 733D
R157 EAL

S701 NES
H57 ONE
W570 KES
STO 788F
W57 OCK
F57 OCK
STR 470N
607 STU
S7 UBS
A451 STU
STU 813L
STU 601R
STU 427M
5 TUD
SUB 3R
SUB 84R
SUB 4R
78 SUE
83 SUE
8025 UE
888 SUE
SUL 114N
SUN 70R
SUS 51R
SUT 13R
SUT 16R
SUT 78N
SV 7757
SV 6078
3333 SW
KSW 413S
SWE 3D
5 WP
SXS 385
SYD 769
SYM 78
9886 SZ

T

215 T
TA 8009
333 TA
74 BBS
TAF 50N
TAH 533N
TAL 181R
TAL 9R
TAL 81R
TAL 87R
TAL 881R
TAL 131R
5 TAM
TAN 14Y
TAN 170Y
TAO 469S
J74 PPA
TAR 44M
TAS 672
TAS 491
TAS 799
TAV 875
TAW 83Y
G2 TAX
TAY 119R
TAY 116R
ETA 710R
TBD 5W
T710 TBD
TBE 95
A849 TBW
TCE 7
5309 TD
82 TDH
TDP 9H
TDU 8
T34 MUK
R197 EAL
TED 298S
TED 978S
TEF 132R
TEF 97R
TEK 7N
TEN 15
TEN 7T
TEN 77T
TES 54K
754 TF
TFC 489
TFO 561
TGU 692E
T11 ATS
THE 984
THH 58R
TIB 8
T188 UEE
TIL 15
TKA 33
97 TKE
800 TKN
TLE 858
TLJ 257R
896 TMK
TNC 7
TNU 700
TNW 81
TOB 813Y
C13 TOD
TOG 3Y
TOL 16Y
TOL 5H
TOM 45S
TOM 45N
CTC 670M
Y917 ONY
47 OPS
TOS 80X
B165 TOW
TOW 117G
TP 926
290 TPE
212 TPL
TPP 813
TPP 1
4407 TR
TRA 173R
T124 CYM
TRD 900
TRD 464
TRE 5G
TRE 113R
TRJ 634R
TRO 73R
TRY 913
TSO 152R

RS
E
N
B
M D O ION
U
N OL ISS
S M
M
CO

COMMENT

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.

PHIL WHITE

PHIL WHITE
ISLAND MAGIC

A

s I drove into town, it was
going in the opposite direction.
When I strolled up to the local
shop for supplies later, it was
parking up by a bar. I have seen it several
times since. It is a Phase 1 Renault 5 GT
Turbo from about 1986. At some point
the plastic bumpers and side skirts have
been painted to match the rest of the
bodywork. It wears the badge of the
ultra-rare, limited-numbers Copa edition,
although I am insufficiently qualified to
know if it is genuine. But it is in beautiful
condition, and it is in regular use.
I am living for three weeks in Playa de
Sardina del Norte, a small beachside town
surrounded by banana plantations in the
north-west corner of Gran Canaria. This
is a gilded time. I am exploring the area
via forays out on my bicycle, and trips
further afield to climb rocks, hike and just
be a bit of a tourist. I like what I see. Gran
Canaria is not enormous – you can drive
round it in about three hours – but I have
never seen such contrasting landscapes
in one place. Up here everything is subtropical. The interior is mountainous.
I have explored laurel forests, volcanic
craters and pine woodlands carpeted
with vivid green vegetation. I have
watched clouds falling into valleys. The
south of the island is barren, rather
resembling the surface of the moon.
And in the south-east corner there is a
sand dune system which evokes the set
of John Mills’ wonderful 1958 desert
adventure movie Ice Cold in Alice.
Nearly two decades ago, my thenwife and I were for a while in the habit
of visiting southern Morocco for a spot
of surfing in January. The Canary Islands
sit in the Atlantic directly to the west,

20 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

placing Gran Canaria about 150km away.
I haven’t been back to Morocco since so
I don’t know whether the automotive
situation has changed there, but I was
most impressed back then by the long life
enjoyed by vehicles. All the urban cabs
seemed to be dust-encrusted Peugeot
205s, while the longer-range taxis were
venerable and stately W123 and W124
Mercedes. Minibuses were Toyotas and
Nissans of various ages – ships, quite
literally, of the desert.
My column in the November 2023
issue reported on old car culture in
Fontainebleau, the forested area to
the south-west of Paris, and Akbük on
Turkey’s Aegean coast. In the former
it was nonexistent, but in the latter,
happily, it was very much alive. Thanks
largely to Turkish manufacturing tieups with Renault and Fiat, cars from (or
resembling) these two marques were
prominent on the scene.
Administratively, culturally and
linguistically, the Canary Islands are part
of Spain, and by extension Europe, but
Africa makes its presence felt in the
flora, the local cuisine, the architecture
and more generally. These islands are
influenced by – but distinct from – both
places. Furthermore, they are islands,
and are therefore unique. Just as there
are over 1600 plants that you can only
find here, the Canaries’ car culture is very
much its own.
Happily, the scrappage schemes that
robbed Europe of so many perfectly
viable ageing cars have had less impact
here. Used car values have always been
higher due to simple laws of supply
and demand, and the climate is entirely
conducive to vehicles remaining rust-

free for decades. Even French and Italian
ones. Outside our apartment block
is parked a Fiat 600. It is a late SEAT
version, produced in Barcelona around
1973. A glance through its engine cover
vents reveals that it was once a jaunty
shade of yellow. More recently it has
been repainted in bright orange and
black. I have seen it in various locations
around town, as it is plainly in daily
use. Sitting opposite is a very tidy Mk2
Vauxhall Astra.
Elsewhere I have seen many elderly
automobiles which are clearly everyday
cars. Unsurprisingly, 1970s and 1980s
Mercedes abound. Also popular are E30
BMWs and Mk2 VW Golfs – depressingly
rare in the UK these days. I have spotted
a remarkable number of 1970s Peugeots,
Renaults 4 and 5, and lots of Japanese
cars from 1970 to the 1990s, including
herds of vintage Toyota Land Cruisers.
As well as using elderly motors on a
daily basis, Gran Canarians support a
thriving scene involving more cherished
vehicles. An internet search reveals a
plethora of classic car clubs across the
island. The most prestigious is based 30
minutes’ drive from here, in Las Palmas,
the capital. Founded in 1992, Club de
Automóviles Clásicos Canarios has several
hundred members who drive everything
from a 1930s Bentley to a Morris Minor
Traveller. As ferries connect the main
islands here, it is fairly easy for enthusiasts
to get together at events across this
archipelago. And because the weather is
fair all year-round, there are lots of them.
I really, really like this island. So does
my girlfriend, who has rather worryingly
arranged to view a house in its eastern
sector in a couple of days’ time. If her
dream of a home here is realised, we shall
require wheels. Needless to say, I have a
plan for that…
www.classicsworld.co.uk

Classic Car Insurance
the Goodwood Way

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I T ’ S A PA S S I O N W E S H A R E
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we dreamt of as children, our relationship with cars shifts gear as life unfolds.
No matter where you are on the journey, you can rely on Goodwood Classic
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COMMENT

ROBIN FLETCHER

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.

ROBIN FLETCHER
THE FIATS IN MY LIFE

M

y late mum and I loved
coincidences. Her favourite
was serving in an antiques
shop and talking to a
colleague about a mutual friend they’d not
seen for years – when of course said friend
then walked through the door.
I thought of my mum the other
morning when I was out walking our mad
cockerpoo called Roarie. While randomly
pondering why my teenage daughter’s
dream car is a teal Fiat 500, I happened
to glance at a row of cars opposite and,
almost inevitably, the first one in line of
sight was of course a teal Fiat 500.
Having never got behind a Fiat wheel
I can’t give a driver’s view on the Italian
marque, but one way or another Fiats
have been a presence in my life over the
past five decades, just like Mars Bars, The
Archers and flu. My earliest Fiat memory
comes from Easter holidays 1971 when,
urged by Cliff Mitchelmore and his annual
TV programme, we somewhat daringly
took a family flight to Portugal. It was my
first plane trip, and although only five I
remember it as though it was yesterday.
At the airport my dad bought my older
sister a solitaire set to keep her amused,
while once on board I annoyed everyone
by sliding the then louvred window blinds
up and down. I remember the heat of
Portugal, the villa we rented, the dried
octopi for sale in shop doorways, the local
bakery, the beach ball I wailingly lost in
the sea, and the day dad rented a little Fiat
500, the classic variety.
The stress here is on the word 'little,'
because I strongly recall dad, who normally
inhabited larger company motors, looking
out of place and all at sea (if that’s

possible) in this holiday run-around. Driving
on the wrong side of the road trying to
find the local terracotta factory with little
help from my impatient mum are other
memories of that holiday too.
There is also the distinct recollection of
driving into the square of some nearby
town and seeing Portuguese soldiers
hanging out of a Mini Moke, which I
thought then was incredibly cool, and
still do. Wikipedia now informs me that
Portugal at the time, despite being a
tourist destination, was also going through
an authoritarian phase politically, which
might explain our military encounter.
Aside from watching the Italian police
flail hopelessly in their Fiats in The Italian
Job, my next encounter with the marque
came in 1983 when a few of us had just
passed our driving tests. While I opted for
the sensible safety and security of a Mini,
my friend Jon – who sang lead vocals in
the desperately bad new romantic band
we both thought would bring us fame
and fortune – plumped instead for a Fiat
Strada. We all recall the ads about Stradas
being built by robots (and the Not The
Nine O’Clock News satire on the theme).
What no-one mentioned at the time
however was the presence of ghosts, or
at least the one that seemed to haunt
Jon’s Strada whenever he drove it down
a particular country lane at night near
Bromsgrove. So convinced was Jon about
this phantom back seat passenger that as
soon as he could he swapped his motor
for a new Fiesta XR2, followed a year later
by a Frogeye Sprite. My drama teacher at
school also had a Strada in the early 1980s
which, as far as I know, did not have any
ghosts in it.

While I opted for the sensible safety
and security of a Mini, my friend Jon –
who sang lead vocals in the desperately
bad new romantic band we both thought
would bring us fame and fortune – plumped
instead for a Fiat Strada
22 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

A couple of years later, the next Fiat in
my headlights was a friend’s newfangled
Panda with their rather endearing metalframed cloth seats. Next along the line was
a brand-new Fiat 126 belonging to a local
reporter I knew in the late 1980s, followed
by the Fiat Uno a sub-editor friend used
to commute daily from Birmingham to
Northampton. Until this point, no family
member other than my dad had actually
driven a Fiat for real, but that all changed
in the early noughties when my sister
bought KATY (the name derived from the
numberplate), a bright blue more modern
Panda (Mk3). KATY was a firm favourite
in Muswell Hill and other parts of north
London and actually much more popular
than the Mercedes A Class she replaced.
From then on, Fiats played little
conscious part in my world, apart from
climbing into occasional Euro-Taxi models
at stations and once being driven so fast
from Naples airport down an invisible lane
between two lines of traffic by an irate
Italian cabbie in a worse-for-wear Tipo that
I was certain death was imminent.
The Fiat story has to finish of course
where it started, with a modern Fiat
500. My one and only journey in this hip
modern rendering of a motoring classic
came in 2015 in Darlington as I visited
a school for work. I have no memory of
the taxi which took me from Darlington
station (the first in the world, I believe,
to welcome public steam locomotives) to
the school, but I vividly recall the kind lady
in admin who said she would give me a
lift back. And there it was, her gleaming
cream (sadly not teal) Fiat 500 with beige
checkered seats and an imitation Bakelite
gear knob. To have never driven any Fiat
500 is my motoring loss, but to have been
a passenger in both the original and the
latest iterations of the model 44 years
apart is good enough for me.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

IVOR BLEANEY OF THE NEW FOREST
ESTABLISHED FOR 50 YEARS

A full description and photos available at www.ivorbleaneyclassiccars.co.uk

The Ultimate Classic Sports Car probably
the finest on the market and undoubtedly a
concours winner
1968 Triumph TR5. This original UK Right Hand Drive car all matching
numbers, original Heritage Certificate and Green log book confirming
it’s 3 previous owners. The TR5 is not just a masterpiece of design;
it was mechanically ahead of it’s time. Triumph, the manufacturer,
replaced their previous 105 bhp engine with a groundbreaking
Lucas mechanical fuel-injected 150 bhp 2.5-litre straight-6 engine.
In fact, Triumph proudly claimed that this TR5 was the “First British
production sports car with petrol injection.” Meticulously maintained
and cherished, this Triumph TR5 stands out as a remarkable example
even among seasoned professionals. Unlike its successors, the TR5
was produced in limited numbers, 1,161 were produced for the UK
market. A comprehensive total body off nut and bolt restoration, with a
staggering investment of approximately £24,000 having been spent in
the late 90’s with a full lever arch file of paperwork, including detailed
bills and photographs and records of MOTs and tax discs. Finished
in Old English White with new Black interior piped in White. The
engine and gearbox have been painstakingly rebuilt to ensure optimal
performance and reliability. All new chrome wire wheels with new tyres
and MOT until March 2024. The new mohair hood, with removable rear
screen, adds a touch of sophistication. It’s a testament to the care and
attention this vehicle has received, providing you with peace of mind.
£52,500 OR TRY AN OFFER

Introducing the 1971 Chevrolet Camaro
A true gem for car enthusiasts. This magnificent vehicle boasts
a powerful 5.7-litre engine and a striking RS Split Bumper body
designed by Fisher. Built at the prestigious Van Nuys plant in
California, it underwent a meticulous restoration in the USA in 2014,
and we have the documents to prove it.
Unlike many others, this Camaro comes with its original title, NOVA
certificate, and V5c, ensuring its authenticity and providing peace
of mind to its future owner. It has consistently passed its MOT tests
and has a current MOT until 15th December 2023, demonstrating its
exceptional condition and roadworthiness.
This Camaro has always been treated with care, spending its days
garaged to preserve its pristine appearance. It has been enhanced
with new body mounts, adjustable air shocks, sway bar bushes, and
rear tires, ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride. Additionally, it
features a new alternator and comes with a variety of spare parts,
giving you peace of mind for future maintenance.
Beyond its impeccable mechanics, this Camaro truly shines with
its original specification and remarkable condition. It garners
compliments wherever it goes, showcasing its timeless allure.
Behind the wheel, you’ll experience a driving sensation like no other.
Its faultless condition extends to its body, interior, and mechanical
components, leaving no room for disappointment.
Whether you’re an avid collector or a passionate driver, the 1971
Chevrolet Camaro is the perfect choice.
£28,500 OR TRY AN OFFER

WHEN YOU PAY PROPER MONEY YOU GET A PROPER CAR
PROBABLY ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES
ON THE MARKET.
It would be hard to find one better being our own personal car. 1990
Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible Automatic with only 53,000 miles from
new with very extensive service history & old MOT’s etc. New tyres. Not
only a fantastic looking car and a real head turner but drives superbly
having recently had £7,000 spent & a new mot to bring this car up to the
standard that you would expect from such a high-quality Jaguar. Every
conceivable extra including Chrome wire wheels and arches to match,
twin headlight conversion, wood rim steering wheel, rear mounted
spoiler and lots more. Finished in Silver Frost Metallic, Grey leather
interior piped in Blue, with matching Blue Mohair electric hood & hood
bag. All handbooks, manuals, original unused tool kit etc.
£24,500 OR TRY AN OFFER

email: ivorbleaney@msn.com Viewing strictly by appointment

Tel: (01794) 390895
WANTED

Pre-war and post-war Rolls-Royce, Bentley and all other high quality Classics

Prices exclude VAT

£30.57

AJ82217/K

£37.20

AJ85885*

£17.23

AJ88285*

ALUMINIUM THERMOSTAT
HOUSING REPAIR KIT

WATER
OUTLET PIPE

CAMSHAFT COVER
GASKET LH

XK8/XKR

XK8/XKR

XK8/XKR

£17.23

AJ88400*

£57.27

AJ88912*

CAMSHAFT COVER
GASKET RH

£11.80

C2A1535#

WATER PUMP
ASSEMBLY

XK8/XKR

SPARK PLUG

XK8/XKR

£72.29

C2N3866*

XK8/XKR

£20.67

HJA4582AD

£20.67

HJA4583AD

FUEL PUMP /
FILTER ASSEMBLY

HEADLAMP BULB
ACCESS PANEL RH

HEADLAMP BULB
ACCESS PANEL LH

XK8/XKR

XK8/XKR

XK8/XKR

Choose high performance XK8 and XKR parts from SNG Barratt
for enhanced ride comfort, stability and road handling.

Prices correct at going to press.

XK8/XKR PARTS
Prices exclude VAT

£22.15

GJA3800AB*

£32.46

£16.58

JLM21918*

JLM21917*

BOOT LID
GAS STRUT

FRONT BRAKE
PAD SET

REAR BRAKE
PAD SET

XK8/XKR

XK8/XKR

XK8/XKR

£4.06

£23.45

MJA1849BE*

LNE1510AB*

LNA1600AA*

COOLANT
TEMPERATURE SENSOR

ON-PLUG
INGITION COIL

XK8/XKR

£52.73

ROTOR FOR
ABS SENSOR

XK8/XKR

£72.29

XK8/XKR

£82.09

MJA2170BD*/1

C2N3866*

£568.30

TCK8MAJ/2

FUEL PUMP /
FILTER ASSEMBLY

FRONT UPPER
SPRING/DAMPER

TIMING CHAIN KIT
FOR V8 ENGINE

XK8/XKR

XK8/XKR

XK8/XKR

Scan here to view parts on website.

+44 (0)1746 765 432 | sales.uk@sngbarratt.com | www.sngbarratt.com

AN ASPIRATIONAL
MOTOR CAR

Washing cars as a boy scout during Bob-a-Job week
was enough to convince one lad that Rovers were cars
worth aspiring to. He's now had three, building up to
this lovely Series 1 P6 3500. WORDS AND PICTURES: IVAN OSTROFF

W

hen retired classic
guitarist Erik Hill
was a young boy
scout, once a year he and the
other members of his troop
would take part in Bob-aJob week. Apart from the
usual gardening jobs, Erik
was also employed washing a
considerable number of cars.
'I particularly remember a
Rover P3 in our neighbourhood
that I used to wash,' he said.

26 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

'This was the era when a
Rover had the quality of an
Armstrong-Siddeley or perhaps
even Rolls-Royce, but without
the price that went with those
marques. It was a middleclass car to which people
were rather proud to aspire.
I remember that feeling as I
ran my hand over the Rover's
bodywork – it felt so much
more solid, well-built and
better quality than the Austins,

Morrises and Fords of the time.
Thus, the idea that a Rover
was a quality motor car was
etched into my mind from an
early age.
'Then one day in 1972, in
my dentist's waiting room,
I was browsing through a
magazine in which was an
article about a Rover V8. I
read that it accelerated from
0-60mph in 9 seconds and
was capable of rather high

speeds, even in its lower gears.
There I was, driving around in
an old Vauxhall FB Victor that
struggled to get to 60mph in
around 26 seconds. The die
was cast – I was determined
www.classicsworld.co.uk

READERS' CARS
ROVER P6 3500

that one day, I was going to
own a car like that.'
Ten years later, in 1982, Erik
spotted a red Rover SD1 2000
automatic advertised for sale. It
might only have had a two-litre
O-series engine, but it was a
Rover and it had that iconic
Bache silhouette, so he bought
it. At last Erik was on the Rover
ownership ladder. Eventually
however, in 1989 the gearbox
failed and in those days it was
not really economical to repair
it. But then Erik had a stroke of
luck – he remembered that for
a year when passing a certain
garage in South London, there
had been a manual gearbox
Rover V8 3500S parked up
outside. So one day when
filling up with petrol, he
www.classicsworld.co.uk

enquired about the car. The
petrol attendant (remember
those?) went into the garage
office, and after a while
reappeared and said to Erik's
astonishment: 'The governor
says that you can take it away
for a hundred quid.'
'It had been freshly repainted,' recalled Erik, 'and
even though the gear linkage
was a bit ropey causing it to
jump out of gear sometimes, I
was able to sort that without
too much trouble and ended
up keeping it for 14 years.'
Then one day in 2003, whilst
looking through P6 News,
the magazine of the P6 Rover
Owners Club, Erik spotted an
advert for a Series 1 Rover V8
3500 P6B in Corsica Blue for

sale in Martock, Somerset for
just £600. The car had been
in the ownership of the same
family for 25 years. It was on
SORN, dry stored, unrestored
and had last been MoT'd about
four years earlier. Of all the
P6 Rovers, the original Series
1 V8 was Erik's dream car, so
after a telephone chat with
the vendor, he drove down to
Somerset to take a look.
The documentation
showed that R L Froome, a
coal merchant in Crewkerne,
had first registered the car
in October 1968, having
purchased it on 27th
September of that year.
Froome sold it nine years
later on 30th June 1977 with
43,205 miles on the clock to

Graham Garrett of Yeovil, who
used the car to tow a caravan
and apparently complained
that the Rover suffered from
vapour lock when it became
somewhat overheated in traffic
jams. Erik could see from the
bills that came with the Rover
that in 1985 the car had been
involved in an accident, causing
damage to the nearside front.
On examination however,
it appeared to have been
repaired satisfactorily.
On 22nd January 1995,
Graham Garrett's son Peter
had taken the car over, at this
point with 117,656 miles on
the clock. It was Peter Garrett
who was now selling the Rover,
but he had not used it very
much and when he opened the

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

27

READERS' CARS
ROVER P6 3500

garage door, apart from the
front which he'd wiped over,
the Rover was covered in dust.
In his eight years of ownership,
Peter had covered just 1302
miles, so the mileage was still
only 118,958.
'I could see that there would
be a considerable amount of

work to be carried out before
the P6 would be fit for the
road once more,' said Erik, 'but
it was a Series 1, the car that
I had always wanted, so after
some haggling I made a final
offer of £225.'
Whilst Graham Garrett ran
the car, he had derived great

As found in Peter Garrett's gara

pleasure driving it and had
even displayed it at classic
car shows. Whilst it was
Peter's car to sell, Graham
made it clear that he was
somewhat disappointed
his son had not shared his
enjoyment of running a classic
vehicle. He was delighted

that the P6 might be going
to an enthusiast though, one
who realised the vehicle's
significance and therefore
encouraged his son to accept
the £225 Erik was offering.
Thus the deal was done,
and on 25th July 2003, TYB
303G became the third Rover

ge.

Graham Garrett and his wife at a classic car show.

28 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

www.classicsworld.co.uk

Erik has owned. The Rover
was collected on a trailer and
then delivered to T S Motors
of Bushey, Hertfordshire who
carried out a very thorough
inspection and then set about
recommissioning. The front
brake hoses, main brake
pipes and seized offside front
caliper were replaced, and new
pads and a new brake servo
were fitted. A suspect front
suspension leg was changed,
as were all four shock
absorbers. The water pump
and all the water hoses were
changed too before the system
www.classicsworld.co.uk

was refilled with fresh coolant.
Faulty water and oil pressure
transmitters were changed,
the front tyres were replaced
and the wheel alignment was
checked. Finally, the interior
trim and the seats were
removed and welding repairs
carried out to the underfloor,
the sills and the inner wings.
£2329 later, Erik's dream P6
was ready for its MoT, which of
course it sailed through.
Erik has now been regularly
using his Series 1 Rover V8
3500 for 20 years. 'I look
upon the car as a running

restoration,' he said. 'Over
time I've had it resprayed in
its original blue, replaced the
diff, springs and shocks and
also had SD1 cylinder heads
plus a Land Rover 3.9 camshaft
fitted. Whereas the original
P6 heads have 12.7mm reach
plugs, 38mm inlet and 33mm
exhaust valves, the SD1 heads
have 19mm reach plugs,
40mm inlet and 34mm exhaust
valves. The resulting power
and torque increase make the
car even more enjoyable to
own. I have also converted the
manual steering to a servo-

assisted system from a later
car. Most recently I had the
Borg Warner 35 automatic
gearbox rebuilt and a new high
efficiency aluminium radiator
fitted complete with Revotec
electric fan.'
As a real treat, Erik was
happy for me to drive his
Rover. First though, I took a
moment to admire its shape.
It may be a four-door saloon,
but the P6's three-box design
is different to most, the Bache
pen made sure of that. Its
straight lines look smart and
clean and somewhat 'modern
art,' even in 2023. The design
was originally drawn to
accommodate a gas turbine
engine. We know now of
course that the concept proved
uneconomical, so the idea was
dropped. As a result however,
there is rather good working
space under the bonnet for
regular servicing tasks, even
with a V8 engine fitted.
Erik's car was fitted with
static lap and diagonal Irvin
seat belts to the front seats,
and he has managed to acquire

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

29

READERS' CARS
ROVER P6 3500
a second matching pair of
these now rather rare belts on
eBay for the rear passengers.
I pull the buckle through
its counterpart with a
clack and pull the adjuster
comfortably taught. Before
my eyes is the usual early
P6 strip speedometer with a
temperature gauge set to the
left and a fuel gauge on the
right, plus the warning lights
for low oil pressure, brake,
choke and ignition. Most
sensibly, Erik has fitted a clock
and a rev counter calibrated to
6000rpm (with a red section
from 5000rpm) in an optional
pod, as utilised by other P6
cars such as the Rover 2000TC
for example of that period.
There are the usual switches
for lights etc, but I especially
like the combined switch for
headlamps and fog lamps
which is wired so that in one
position the headlamps are on
and in the alternative position
the fog lamps – which are
fitted in the ideal position of
very low beneath the front
bumper – are activated. Erik
has also added a switch just to
the right of the wiper controls
which controls the electric
radiator fan. 'I opted to forgo
the thermostatic control, as
I like to decide for myself as
and when the fan is in use,'

30 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

he explained. 'These cars can
overheat when stuck in traffic
and I like to switch it on well in
advance of any problem.'
The driving seat is very
comfortable, reasonably
supportive for the time and
reflects the car's well lived in
feel. Whilst there might be a
blemish on one or two door
cards, the high quality
of the Rover finish
has survived well.
The upholstery
is quite original
and therefore
displays a
certain patina. It
would probably
look like new if
it was treated to a
leather renovation kit,
but would that necessarily be
better...?
Erik has fitted a PowerSpark electronic distributor
system which he tells me has
transformed the car, making
starting always easy no matter
what the weather. With the
V8 running as smooth as silk,
I guide the gear selector into
D and the P6 pulls away with
that delicious V8 burble that, if
inline engines could talk, they
would beg for. The P6 was
never a sluggard, but this car
having been endowed with
those SD1 heads is certainly

lively. The result
is that bhp is
increased from
146 to 159 and
top speed from
118 to 127mph.
There is also an
increase in low down
torque from the cam, which
is particularly beneficial when
pulling away at low speeds.
This 56 year old Rover is
a delight along undulating
country roads, its suspension
ironing out the bumps
effortlessly. The car does tend
to roll in corners, but the rear
de Dion tube makes sure that
the back end stays planted.
The steering benefits from
Erik's power-assisted system
from a later P6, which at
parking speeds is of course
a great help. Being worm
and sector, it noticeably lacks

the precision of a rack and
pinion, but you soon get used
to that and subconsciously
compensate. If one does
wish to use the gears to
assist slowing the car down
when approaching a corner,
it is simple enough to select
a lower ratio by sliding the
gear selector back into 2 or 1.
Generally however, the P6's
servo assisted brakes are more
than up to the job, and leaving
the Borg Warner 35 in D for
full automatic mode is the best
way to enjoy this classic Rover.
Erik does not like to get
under the car for major work,
but does the regular servicing
jobs on the P6 himself. As a
result, this barn find Rover is
always kept in good order, and
with 157,600 miles now on
the odometer it remains both
relaxing and extraordinarily
pleasant to drive.
'For some reason, people
always seem to react well
to these cars,' says Erik in
conclusion. 'People always
seem to treat the car
courteously, they will often
stop and let me out of a side
road and then give me a
thumbs-up. Even though the
company no longer exists,
Rovers still seem to hold a
certain position within the
classic car movement. Recently,
a couple stopped just to tell
me how nice it was to see
the car parked in the street.
I don't find modern cars
anywhere near as involving
to drive and I don't find their
designs very attractive. For me,
David Bache's classic P6 three
box shape is the motoring
equivalent of a Georgian
house. It simply looks right.' CW
www.classicsworld.co.uk

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Melvyn Rutter Limited

International Morgan Sales, Service, Parts and Restoration for Morgan Cars from 1936 to Present Day

Limited Edition Unregistered Morgan Plus Four Built to celebrate Morgan’s 2.0-litre Class
win at the 1962 Le Mans 24 hours. Finished in Morgan Jet Green, factory hardtop and soft
top, black leather Comfort Plus seats, manual gearbox, painted silver wire wheels, black
mohair soft top, Le Mans style large fuel filler, active sports exhausts, Moto-Lita steering
wheel, heated seats, air conditioning and speaker system with bluetooth input. Part
exchanges welcome - free delivery to UK Mainland - Drive away today at £86,495

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2019 Morgan Plus 4 Metallic Red with cream leather interior, stainless steel wire wheels,
walnut dashboard, Moto-Lita steering wheel, red mohair weather equipment, stainless
luggage rack and only 8,717 miles. A desirable ‘traditional’ Plus 4 - £48,950

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SECOND TIME AROUND
Dave Wheatley's 1969 Vauxhall HB Viva
GT has appeared in Classics once before
– all the way back in 2003 after its initial
restoration. Dave has recently carried out
a second refurbishment, so we thought it
was time we caught up with him and his
very rare and beautiful Vauxhall.
INTERVIEW: SIMON GOLDSWORTHY PICTURES: GREGORY OWAIN PHOTOGRAPHY

Can I ask first of all
whether you are you a
Vauxhall man through and
through, a Viva specialist,
or simply into classics in
general?
DAVE WHEATLEY: Pretty
much Vauxhall, really. I've
always been into them, but it

32 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

all started by chance because
my mum happened to have an
HC Viva and I started working
on that from a young age with
my dad teaching me how to
take things apart and put them
back together. Then I found
out about the bigger-engined
models, and of course as a

youngster they were the ones
that interested me most. The
Firenza Coupé is the one that
really caught my eye, but I did
always have a soft spot for the
Viva GT because that is really
where the whole big-enginein-a-small-car thing started for
Vauxhall.

CW: What was the first
Vauxhall you owned?
DW: I actually bought and
sold a few cars while I was
still at school, before I could
even drive. Six or seven of
them – a couple of Vivas,
a Chevette, even an Austin
Maxi if I remember rightly –
www.classicsworld.co.uk

READERS' CARS
VAUXHALL VIVA GT

making some money to get
my own first car. That was a
Vauxhall Magnum 2.3. I was
still at school and probably
only around 16 years old at the
time, but it was a four-door
saloon and I really wanted a
coupé. Then I saw a Firenza
shell for sale, bought that and
amalgamated the two.
CW: So you got the 2.3
Coupé you wanted, but as a
teenager could you actually
afford to insure it?
DW: Just about, yes. It cost a
lot of money even back then,
but it was doable. You wouldn't
be able to do it these days and
start out with a 2.3-litre car.
The GT came along soon
after I'd finished the coupé,
just another chance thing that
I happened to see for sale. It
was quite local, but so rough
that although a lot of people
had been to see it, they had all
walked away. I was worried it
would end up being scrapped,
so I bought it just to save it.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

This would have been in
August 1992, and it cost me
£120. So I've had the GT over
30 years now, but then I do get
attached to things, especially
when I've put a lot of work
into them, so much so that I've
never really sold anything since
my school days! I've now got
six cars, two for daily use, the
Firenza, the GT and an HC, plus
something completely different
that is an old American hot rod
which I use for drag racing.
CW: Going back to 1992,
what was your plan for the
GT? You said it was quite
rough, but did you always
plan to restore it to this kind
of standard?
DW: I'd just spent a couple of
years doing the Magnum, so
my original plan was to weld up
the GT to make it solid, but not
to restore it to the same sort
of standard as I'd achieved on
the coupé. However, once I'd
started and had a look at the
other GTs out there at the time,

The Viva GT
as bought
by Dave
in 1992.

I decided this one had to be
done properly. That also meant
making it as original as possible
because at that time there were
hardly any original ones around.
That has changed now, but
back then I'd go to shows and
there would be GTs with Rover
V8s or Ford Pintos under the
bonnet, different wheels and
so on. I thought that was a bit
of a shame as it was such a rare
car. Even back then I think there
were only 60 known worldwide,
and I decided that I wanted to
do one that was factory-correct
down to every last nut and bolt.

CW: Were parts for that kind
of restoration available in
the 1990s?
DW: Mechanical parts were
not too bad; it is getting harder
these days, but things were not
too bad back then. Body panels
were available too, but these
days they are very scarce and
go for a lot of money. There
were Magnums and Vivas in
the scrapyards back then which
helped source some parts that
were common to them all. In
fact, I did buy a scrap Viva as a
donor car to help. Interior parts
were the worst things to get,

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

33

Refurbishment

especially those bits that were
unique to the GT. A lot of that
was unobtainable, and what
Vauxhall used was often not the
best quality to start with. Take
the door cards, for example. On
some cars that is just a piece
of flat board with some vinyl
stapled on top, but on the GT
it is a special foam moulding
with vinyl over the top and
almost impossible to repair. The
ones on my car had warped so
much that you could barely shut
the driver's door. Fortunately
I managed to get a better set
of door cards for the GT, and
most of the interior was at least
there. Not always in great shape
though – there is a chrome trim
around the centre console that

34 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

was made of plastic, and mine
was in about a thousand pieces!
I tried glueing it together, but
it looked awful so I ended up
making one in brass and getting
that chromed. Compared to
that, getting new carpets made
up was easy. Overall though, I
was pretty lucky. The dash top
has one or two cracks, but it is
not too bad, and things like the
dials were all there.
CW: How long did the
restoration take?
DW: It sat in my front garden
for a year before I got started,
and it was finished in 1997, so
around four years work in total.
These things are never totally
finished though, are they? Still,
I was pretty happy with it up
until last year, when I felt it
was in need of a little refresh.
Nothing serious, but things like
the suspension were starting
to get stone-chipped and the
nuts and bolts were going
dull and rusty. It was certainly

not bad enough to need a full
restoration, but there were lots
of little bits that I was not happy
with. So I decided to do a full
mechanical overhaul, stripping
the engine and suspension and
repainting everything, replating
all the brackets and bolts, fitting
new bushes, that kind of thing.
I also took this opportunity to
repaint the engine bay because
I had never been happy with
the original finish there. I spent
about eight months doing
everything, but now it looks
how I want it to look.
CW: Having restored the car
once and now refurbished
it quite extensively, are you
afraid to use it?
DW: Not really, but it doesn't
do loads of miles. I don't
purposefully take it out in the
rain or if rain is forecast, but
it has been caught out once
or twice. So yes it does get
wrapped in cotton wool to
some extent, but I will drive it to

work sometimes in the summer
and it has been to loads of
shows over the years. It has
won a few prizes too, which is
always nice.
Dynamically, it is a car that
you could easily drive every day,
even now, despite the fact that
it was built in 1969. The brakes
are servo-assisted discs on the
front and very good, while the
steering is via a rack and very
precise. The suspension was
pretty advanced for the day too,
with double wishbones up front
and semi-trailing arms with coil
springs on the back. It does roll
a bit through corners, but the
ride is really good, not harsh at
all and very comfortable. The
gearbox is lovely and smooth;
it could do with overdrive or a
fifth gear though because I am
always getting into fourth and
then realising that there are no
more!
www.classicsworld.co.uk

polished a brand-new cylinder
head to help with the breathing.
All together it has transformed
the car. It is still no ball of
fire, but that's not what I was
interested in. The thing is that
it now sounds like a GT should
sound. When Ford brought out
things like the Mexico, they
made sure they sounded sporty
and rorty, but with the Viva
GT Vauxhall just made it sound
like a Victor. I wish I'd done this
years ago because it just sounds
so nice, not raucous like my
Firenza but with a muted growl.

CW: Have you gone in for
concours at all?
DW: No, just local shows for
the most part, though it did
appear at the NEC one year
many years ago. I've never really
been interested in the full-on
concours, polishing the inside of
the car's tail pipe and things like
that. To me, those cars are not
how they would have come out
of the factory. They didn't have
polished dashpots for example,
and Vivas would have had
underseal rather than polished
paint underneath. Fair play to
those who are into that kind of
thing, but I prefer the cars to be
as they would have come out of
the factory.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

Having said that, in this latest
refresh I did something that
I never thought I would do
and made a couple of minor
changes. The thing is that as
standard it only had around
100bhp. My Firenza is now just
over 200bhp, so when I got in
the Viva, although I loved it,
the car always felt a bit tame.
I had always thought it would
be nice to put a pair of Webers
on it, if only because I love the
sound a pair of sidedraught
carburettors make. I have a
brochure that shows the special
high-performance equipment
that Vauxhall dealers could fit
to the GT back in the day, and
during the refresh I realised that

somewhere in
the garage I had
one of the special
inlet manifolds shown
in the brochure. I also had
one of the exhaust manifolds
in the picture! I'd had them on
the shelf for years, and thought
that if I could stick to period
modifications that were official
Vauxhall equipment, then I
could allow myself to make one
or two minor changes.
So that's what I did. I haven't
drilled any holes or made any
changes that can't be easily put
back to original, but now it has
the Blydenstein manifolds, a pair
of Webers and a slightly bigger
exhaust. I also ported and

CW: When you go to
shows, what sort
of reaction does
it get? I imagine
that although
Vauxhall fans
will recognise
the GT for what
it is, you must
have a lot of
explaining to do for
the general public.
DW: Yes, if it is a Vauxhall
show then it doesn't need any
explaining, but if you go to a
local village show then I tend to
put information around the car,
old brochures and stuff like that,
because you do hear people
saying things like: 'Oh look,
they've put a Bedford CF engine
in that Viva.' They don't realise
that the GT was effectively a
Viva with the Victor's slant-four
engine under the bonnet.
I would say that Vivas
generally are getting more

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

35

READERS' CARS
VAUXHALL VIVA GT

attention these days than
they ever used to when I first
restored mine. I think maybe
people are getting a little bored
with all the usual stuff and are
starting to admire the more
unusual cars. The fact that I
won two awards last year at
general shows helps illustrate
this point – ten years ago a
Vauxhall Viva would never have
beaten a Jaguar E-Type or an
Austin-Healey.
CW: You said earlier that
these projects are never
truly finished. What else do
you have in mind for the GT?
DW: Well, in the brochure they
have some square chrome air
filters on the Webers and I'd
quite like to find some of them.
The airbox I have on it is a
genuine Dealer Team Vauxhall
one, but it is probably from
the mid-1970s and so a little

36 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

too late for the
GT. Plus I'd like to
repaint the fuel tank,
and the boot lid too
because I am not happy
with the finish of that.
There is one other thing – I'd
like to trace more of the car's
history. I didn't get much with
the car when I bought it, but I
did send off to the DVLA to get
details of the previous owners
back when you could still do
that. Unfortunately it only
had a continuation logbook
with details going back as far
as the second owner, not the
first one. When I bought the
car I joined the Viva club, and
their Adrian Miller told me
that the registration suggested
that it was almost certainly
owned originally by Vauxhall,
because VXE 711G was and
often they registered them
with consecutive numbers. It

was probably a
staff car, but I'd
love to find out
more.
I had a phone
call from a
previous owner
about ten years
ago after he'd spotted
it on the internet. He told me
that it had been a staff car at
Walters and Sons, the Vauxhall
dealer in Hatfield. They then
sold it to one guy who worked
there, and he later sold it to
the guy who got in touch with
me. He told me it had come
from a thing called Vauxhall
Special Vehicles Department,
and that it was some kind of
prototype. I have not been able
to find out anything about
that department, so if anyone
reading this can shed any light
on what that was, I'd love to
hear from them.
There is one detail of its early
years that I only discovered
in last year's refurb, because
I'd always wondered whether

my car should have a black
bonnet or not. The Mk1s did,
but the Mk2s were painted
body colour and mine is what
they call a Mk1½ car. It had a
green bonnet when I bought
it, (actually Vauxhall called it
Elkhart Yellow, although most
people would call it Apple
Green or something like that,)
so that's how I left it. But during
this refresh I replaced a water
channel that was a bit rough,
and in the shed I found the
original ones that had come
off this car during my initial
restoration and there was a
tab on those that was black
beneath the underseal and
paint. That's why it now sports
a black bonnet – the answer to
that question had been sitting
CW
in my shed for 30 years!

If you can shed any light
on the origins of Dave's GT
and on the Vauxhall Special
Vehicles Department, please
do get in touch and we will
pass any information on.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

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CLASS OF
1955

Anybody in the market for a new sports car in 1955 was spoilt for choice.
For those of a Triumph persuasion the TR2 would have been familiar, but
the Swallow Doretti was a much rarer option that could have tempted
them to part with their pennies. WORDS AND PICTURES: SIMON GOLDSWORTHY

T

hese two sports cars
have broadly similar lines
and proportions, a fact
only accentuated by them
both being painted in white.
In part that can be explained
by the fact they are both from
1955, but they also share quite
a bit of DNA under those
gorgeous skins, by no means
enough to make them twins
or even siblings, but certainly
sufficient to qualify as cousins.
The Triumph TR2 will need
little introduction, having
been a regular fixture at both
Triumph and general classic

40 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

car events for many years.
The TR2 was the car that
enabled Triumph to grab a
slice of the lucrative sports
car cake in 1953, opening
up the vast American market
in the process. A genuine
100+mph car, it rode on a
bespoke chassis and was
powered by a 90bhp/1991cc
version of Standard’s wetliner four-cylinder engine that
had first been seen in the
Vanguard saloon. The simple
yet seductive body was styled
by Walter Belgrove, with a
minimum of double-curvature

to keep tooling costs as low
as possible. 8636 were built
between 1953 and 1955,
although that total rockets to
83,656 if you include the very
similar TR3, TR3A and TR3B
that lasted until 1962.
The Swallow Doretti may
well be less familiar to many
readers, though the Swallow
name might ring a few
bells – it descended from
the Swallow Coachbuilding
Company founded by William
Walmsley and William Lyons
in 1927 (itself a descendant
of their original Swallow

Sidecar Company of 1922)
which Lyons developed into
Jaguar Cars. By the 1950s, the
Swallow Coachbuilding Co
Ltd of Walsall was unrelated
to Jaguar and owned by a
company called Helliwell,
whose own parent company
was Tube Investments.
The Doretti was conceived
as a refined two-seater for
the American west coast
market. The Doretti name was
derived from Dorothy Deen,
manager of the Western US
distributorship Cal Sales,
who took her own first name
www.classicsworld.co.uk

READERS' CARS
TR2 AND DORETTI

and gave it an Italian twist
to borrow a little Latin flair.
The car itself though was
thoroughly British, being
designed by Helliwell Group
engineer Frank Rainbow
and featuring TR2 running
gear. It sat on a bespoke
tubular chassis, and rode on
a wheelbase that was longer
and a track that was wider
than the Triumph. The body
featured a steel inner structure
and aluminium outer panels,
www.classicsworld.co.uk

and overall the car was more
of a well-equipped cruiser
than an out-and-out sports
car. Inevitably it ended up
being more expensive than
the TR2, buyers having to fork
out an extra 20% or more for
what was certainly a more
luxurious offering.
Production started in 1953
with sales from 1954, but
ended just 10 months later
in 1955. Allegedly the reason
was that the Doretti’s chassis

was made using Reynolds 531
steel tubing (Reynolds was
another TI company), and that
was a product used widely
by UK car manufacturers.
Some of these, (Sir William
Lyons’ Jaguar is the most oftquoted culprit,) felt this gave
Swallow an unfair competitive
advantage and threatened to
take their business elsewhere.
Since selling the raw materials
was far more profitable to
Tube Investments than the

sale of Doretti cars, the plug
was pulled after just 275
roadsters and one fixed-head
coupé had been built.
So much for the history, let’s
now get the stories behind
these two examples. The TR2
belongs to David Atkin, while
the Swallow Doretti belongs
to Peter Lockley. Going in
chronological order of the
models (by which I mean the
cars rather than the owners!),
we’ll start with the Triumph.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

41

READERS' CARS
TR2 AND DORETTI

DAVID

This is a 1955 TR2, which went
initially to Dublin as a CKD
(Completely Knocked Down)
kit to be built up in Ireland.
I bought it in 2003 from a
dealer who had imported it
back to the UK. Rimmers asked
me if I would put it on
their stand at the NEC
one year, which I
did. While I was
there, this crowd
of Irishmen came
over and without
there being anything
special about my
Triumph (it didn’t
have its old Irish number
on or anything like that)
they instantly recognised the
car. I couldn’t believe it, and I
honestly don’t know what gave
it away.
I think the car may have been
trialled or rallied at some point
in its life – there is a section
right on the end of the nearside
chassis that is concertinaed a

42 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

bit, so clearly
it has a past.
When I bought
it the TR2 wasn’t
a very pretty car,
let’s put it that way. It came
with a very optimistic MoT,
but even though I paid £6000
(that was 20 years ago, don’t
forget!), I always intended
to rebuild it. I am incapable
of doing bodywork so I had
somebody do that for me, but
I am an engineer (with letters

after my name as somebody
once pointed out), so I did
the mechanical restoration
myself. Not that these cars are
particularly difficult, it is all very
straightforward engineering of
the day.
We did a proper job of the
restoration, taking the body
off the chassis. A member of
our Coventry Group of the TR
Register did the bodywork for
me, and some of the panels
had to be replaced. The one

thing we couldn’t get quite
right was the bonnet, but I’ve
since been told by many people
that they came out of the
factory like that, so we have
actually got it looking factoryfresh. And if you look at the
structure of the bonnet, there
is no way you can adjust out
all of the curves – tweak one
bit and it will inevitably move
another out.
I did the interior too and
the seats are original, but

www.classicsworld.co.uk

It is all very
straightforward
engineering of the day

unfortunately while it was
in storage some wasps built
a nest that has damaged
the leather slightly on the
passenger seat squab. It is not
enough to make me fit a new
cover and to be honest you do
have to know what you are
looking for to see it, but I know
it is there.
I must have got the car
finished and back on the road
around 13 years ago. Since
then the biggest trip has
probably only been around
100 miles, but I love driving
www.classicsworld.co.uk

it. I started out driving a 1932
Austin Seven, so something
like this is quite a luxury in
comparison. And it really works
for me – I went out in a TR4
once and that did not suit me
as well. I think it was just a
little too modern for my tastes,
which I realise is not going to
be the same for all people. But
in the TR2 I can sit there with
one elbow on the tonneau
cover and the other resting on
the door and imagine I am 21
years old again!
The scouting and Caravan

Club badges on the front of
the car are mine. When I was
a youth, I did a lot of work on
the local camp site and the
scout badge was a present
from the warden, so I’ve had
it a long, long time. Funnily
enough, I was out in the TR the
other day and somebody came
up to me and asked if they
could take a photo. Of course I
told them to go ahead, but all
they wanted to snap was the
scout badge.
When asked if there is
anything I would change about

the TR2, perhaps the only
thing I might like to have is
easier steering. Of course there
are modifications available;
you can get rack-and-pinion
conversions, but I do find that
it is fine so long as I think
ahead and park the car with
the wheels pointing in the right
direction for when I move off.
If I forget that, it can be a bit
heavy to manoeuvre. There
is nothing much I’d change
beyond that, though.
I bought the TR2 because
as an apprentice I'd always
dreamt of having either a TR2
or a Jaguar XK120. When I
reached the point of wanting
to buy a project car for my
retirement, I had decided to
buy either an Austin Seven to
replicate my first car, a Triumph
TR2 or a Jaguar. What swung
me towards the TR2 was
that I really love its lines, and
if I’d got an Austin Seven it
would have taken ages to get
anywhere. And I have to say
that I have never regretted my
choice.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

43

READERS' CARS
TR2 AND DORETTI

PETER

My Doretti was registered
in 1955, but it had sat in a
showroom for a while so it
was probably built late in
1954. I’d always admired
Dorettis after seeing them
at the TR Register’s annual
Malvern gathering, then in
1998 I took my Standard 8 to
the Silverstone Classic and saw
this car on the Doretti stand.
It was for sale and was a bit
of a wreck, but I’d gone with
a friend who ran a restoration
business at the time and I
asked whether, if I bought the
car, he would restore it.
Eventually I did a deal with
the vendor and got this car,
plus a donor car and transport
for both of them to my house,
all for £1500. That sounds a
bit of a deal even if it was 25

years ago, but when it rolled
up at my house, this one was
on a trailer, and I couldn’t see
another one – that turned
out to be a heap of bits piled
in the back of the van. So
the donor was a car more in
theory than in fact, but it was
if anything more interesting

than this one because it was
the front end and chassis of
the only Doretti Coupé.
I think the guy I bought the
Doretti from had intended
to go racing, but decided
it needed too much work.
Fortunately my friend Maurice
was a brave man and had

promised that he could restore
it. And he did – I sourced the
parts and he rebuilt it. A lot
of those parts came from TR
specialists or the Standard
Motor Club because virtually
all of the running gear is pure
Standard-Triumph. As you
no doubt know, the chassis

I asked whether, if I
bought the car, he would
restore it

44 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

www.classicsworld.co.uk

is Swallow’s own, while the
inner bodywork is steel and
unique to the Doretti. There
are two inner body tubs,
one front and one rear, and
the outer skin is aluminium
from end to end apart from
the doors which are steel.
Things like the door handles
are Standard 8/10, Triumph
Mayflower and others so as
long as you know the ST parts
bin, a lot of it is available.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

There are some other
oddities too, like the front
bumper which is the rear
bumper of an Austin-Healey
100-4. The Doretti’s rear
bumper is from the same
source, but with a couple of
inches taken out – I picked
one up for £15 from a
Beaulieu Autojumble years ago
because it needed rechroming,
but that was no problem as
I needed to cut and shut it

anyway. The
hub caps though
are absolutely
unique to the car and I’ve
never been able to find them
anywhere else. There are a
few bits like that such as the
grille, but the chrome strips on
the sides of the car came from
the front doors of an Austin
A40 Devon – two on either
side, one turned forwards
and the other backwards. I

don’t know, but I wouldn’t
be surprised if Swallow used
them because TI made them
for Austin and had some left
over in the factory.
The instruments are the
same as those in the TR2,
but the centre part of the
dashboard is unique to the
Doretti. I was very lucky to
find a replacement because
this car came with a piece of
ply from a wardrobe there,
and the dash in the donor
car was really ropey. The
dashboard knobs came off
an old Standard 8 dash I had,
and they are absolutely
correct. Originally the
heater switch was a
pull switch over to
the right and the
overdrive switch
was underneath
the light switch in
the centre. I read
a review in an early
edition of Motor,
fortunately before the
car was finished, that said if
you reached for the overdrive
at night, you ran the risk of
putting the lights out. So I
got Maurice to do a swap,
putting the heater switch in
the centre to operate the fan
and the overdrive over to the
right where it is ideally placed.
In fact it is the same position

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

45

READERS' CARS
TR2 AND DORETTI

You can get hardly anything in the boot because the lid slopes
down sharply and it is mostly full of spare wheel, but really that is a
small price to pay for driving something so stylish and exotic
as the one on Dave’s TR2,
though Swallow always used a
pull switch on their cars.
I think what attracted me
to the Doretti is the fact that
it has full-sized doors and
I was a bit worried about
getting arthritic elbows from
the cutaway doors on the
TR2! I did like the looks of the
Doretti though, and I talked
to the guys on the Doretti
stand at Silverstone and they

46 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

convinced me. It has turned
out to be a very luxurious and
comfortable long-distance
tourer. I recently did a test
over a mixture of conditions
and it returned 34.7mpg,
which is pretty good. I know
the TR2 can be even better, or
so I have been told.
The idea of luxury and
comfort does have to be
put into a 1950s context
though, because for all its

fine appointments the Doretti
still has plastic sidescreens.
The original designer, Frank
Rainbow, said that he’d
wanted wind-up windows but
that the TI Group wouldn’t
fund them, which is a shame
because I think they would
be a great improvement.
They did in fact build three
Mk2 Dorettis before the plug
was pulled, and those had
wind-up windows. They also

had a bigger boot – you can
get hardly anything in this
one because the lid slopes
down sharply and it is mostly
full of spare wheel, but really
that is a small price to pay for
driving something so stylish
and exotic. So stylish in fact
that Triumph actually used a
Doretti rather than a TR3 as
an initial development mule
for the TR4, and that is high
CW
praise indeed!

www.classicsworld.co.uk

1950s to late 1990s, Absolutely Anything and
Everything Considered, Polite friendly service

Best of the Best, Daily drivers,
Restorations projects, Barn finds,
££ Nationwide collection ££

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PEOPLE AND PLACES

MIKE WILDS

Mike Wilds has been a racing driver for 59 years.
We spend a while with him, and meet the
classics in his life. REPORT: PHIL WHITE
Ferrari 458 GTC Evo. Mike is on
his way to winning the 4 Hour
Britcar race at Snetterton in 2016
co driven by his son Anthony.

I

n the early 1980s you could
buy a ticket to Silverstone
practice days for a quid.
Although barred from the
pit lane, you could wander
freely round the paddock. For
car-obsessed parents of carfixated kids, it offered cheap
but epic weekend child care.
At the time we lived close
enough to the circuit to
hear race meetings on the
wind, so my dad took us to
practice regularly. On 14th
May 1982, 11 year old me was
strolling round the Silverstone
paddock clutching a pen

48 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

and the Motoring News.
It was open at a half-page
advert for the Pace Six Hours,
a round of the FIA World
Endurance championship.
Every so often, my dad would
point out a figure. 'Go and
ask for his autograph,' was
his simple instruction. Every
person I assaulted that day
was unfailingly charming, and
obliged by scrawling their
name on my paper. It was a
fine day’s autograph hunting,
thanks to the good natures of
Michele Alboreto, Hans Heyer,
Jean Rondeau, Jurgen Lassig,

The Motoring News advert for the Pace Six Hours at
Silverstone in 1982, signed by Mike Wilds and colleagues.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

PEOPLE & PLACES
MIKE WILDS
Derek Bell, Ray Mallock, and a
bloke called Mike Wilds.
I would never meet most of
these legends again, although
I was slightly acquainted with
Ray Mallock as a school friend
lived next door to his race
car building shop. But some
three decades later I came to
know Mike Wilds when we
frequently worked for the
same track day company.
Several years on, my parents
moved house and exhumed
some of my childhood
keepsakes from their attic.
I sent Mike a picture of the
Silverstone programme. 'Ha!'
I wrote, 'I knew I’d seen you
somewhere before. You
haven’t changed a bit!'
I might have been joking,
but some things have indeed
remained constant. Mike was
at Silverstone to drive a Lola
in the race when I got his
autograph. 42 years later, he
is still a professional racing
driver. His life in motorsport
has been an epic ride, and it is

The Gilbern outside Mike's flat in Spencer Road, Chiswick
in 1970 with the Vixen VB1 Formula 4 he was racing.

far from over. I ask him what
people say when they find
out what he does for a living.
'Really?' he mimics, laughing.
'At your age?'
Not being born into wealth,
the odds were stacked against
Mike achieving this destiny,
but he managed it. Through
the 750 Motor Club’s Special
Builders group he found

a DRW racing car that he
bought by working a day
job for Firestone and pulling
evening shifts at a pub. In
1965 he began campaigning
it in sprints, hillclimbs and as
many circuit races as he could
afford to enter. He showed
promise, coming third, second
and then first in his initial

three races. He was a born
racer and despite a massive
accident the next year, he kept
on finding drives and cars. He
turned professional in 1972,
and has made much of his
living through motorsport ever
since then.
Mike’s career has taken
in Formula Ford, GT cars,

Mike with the Jaguar
E-Type he promised
himself in the early
1960s, but which took
many decades to arrive.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

49

PEOPLE & PLACES
MIKE WILDS

Mike’s autobiography is a
coffee-table book worth
reading.
Formula Three, Formula
5000 and Formula Two. He
spent a couple of years in
Formula One, and a lot of
time at Le Mans and other
circuits in Group C cars. He
has driven historic race cars,
instructed hundreds of racers
and track day campaigners.
He has flown aeroplanes and
helicopters. He even had a
boat for a while, which he
found curiously relaxing to
pilot considering its low top
speed. In later years he and
his son Anthony teamed up
to race a BMW and a Ferrari
to great effect in endurance
racing. He’s still at it today,
both racing and instructing.
Anyone wanting a more
detailed account of Mike’s
career should read the book.
People had been asking him
for years to set in words what
is a fairly monumental tale of
motorsport success against
the odds. He finally got round

Mike in the Hesketh March 713 F1 with Niki Lauda's Works Ferrari behind during practice for
the 1974 British GP at Brands Hatch.
to publishing this in 2022,
reasoning that perhaps one
day the younger members of
his family might be interested
to read what their grandfather
used to get up to. Life on the
Wilds Side! is a cracking read.
My favourite section of the
book is Chapter 23, entitled

Mike explains how to win races in a car that is slower but
more nimble than the rest of the field.

50 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

Road cars I’ve owned over
the years. Unsurprisingly for
a man who has had a long
career in motorsport funded
largely by hard work, he has
run a motley array of variously
interesting cars. He started in
1963 with a £25 1950 Hillman
Minx, which was scrapped
when the chassis snapped. For
a while after that he towed
his race car with his mother’s
Morris Minor convertible. 'It
was very, very slow,' he smiles
fondly.
A few years later, Mike
managed to trade up to a
far better tow car. 'I badly
wanted an Aston Martin DB4,'
he recalls. 'Of course, there
was no way I could afford
that, but the Gilbern GT
looked a lot like it – at least
I thought so.' Gilbern was
a tiny manufacturer based
near Pontypridd in Wales.
The pretty, glassfibre-bodied
GT was incredibly rare, only

about 280 having been made
in total. It utilised several
BMC power plants, including
the A-series, the 1500 and
1600cc MGA engines, and in
GT1800 guise the motor and
running gear from the MGB.
Sensibly, Mike chose the latter
option, which even came with
overdrive.
It is often the side notes
to car tales that are most
interesting. Mike’s Mk1
Cortina was doubtless
pleasant and practical
transport, but the real
story is that he sold it to a
colleague at Firestone called
Ernie Brawn. Ernie passed
the car on to his 17 year old
son Ross, who eventually
founded the Brawn F1
team. Not completely unlike
Mike’s own career arc, the
Brawn story is a huge tale of
motorsport against adverse
circumstances. It has recently
been immortalised in a Disney
www.classicsworld.co.uk

PEOPLE & PLACES
MIKE WILDS

Small trophies from the early victories with a big impact –
they paved the way for a 59-year career in motorsport.
documentary fronted by
acting legend Keanu Reeves.
Mike’s everyday transport
story is a tale of decent,
pretty enjoyable cars. He has
owned Ford Capris aplenty,
an MGB and quite a few
rapid German diesel estate
cars, but Mike’s automotive
true loves are not quotidian
machines. We clamber aboard
my old Mercedes to go and
visit his metal mistresses.
They reside a couple of
miles away at Broadpeak, a
storage company his friend
Johnnie Gallop set up when
he struggled to find a decent
facility to accommodate his

own car collection. General
Manager Rob Browning is
valeting a car when we arrive,
but breaks off to let us into an
office filled with trophies.
These, it turns out, are
all Mike’s. 'I had them in a
storage unit a while ago, he
says, 'which got flooded.
We salvaged and cleaned up
everything we could, and now
they’re here for people to
enjoy.' I browse the silverware
for a while, before asking if
there is one trophy which
means more to him than any
other. Mike gives my question
a moment’s deep thought,
before picking up a small cup.

Silverware from success in a
wide variety of formulae.
'I think,' he says slowly, 'it’s
probably these little ones here.
They’re what I won in those
first few races, in the DRW.
None of the others would be
here if I hadn’t got these.'
And significantly, the cars
he stores here would not be
his. Mike has had two great,
long-term road car love affairs
in his life. He coveted a Jaguar
E-Type since the early 1960s
when he spotted one in the

paddock at Brands Hatch.
The owner took him for a
ride, and he was hooked
immediately. That driver was
Mike Hailwood, who would
later become a good friend.
In 2013, Mike Wilds was
assessing cars for Jaguar, and
found himself being paid to
helm the very same E-Type. It
was an emotional reunion.
The Hailwood experience
lit a bonfire within Mike. He
decided that he simply had to
own a Series 1, Moss gearbox
E-Type. The example he finally
bought is a wonderful car.
Cherished for 36 years by
Jaguar enthusiast Pat Hewitt,
it is very original, has been
fastidiously maintained and
carries the added bonus
of being the only example
that ever left the factory
in a unique colour. With a
terseness typical of Jaguar’s
founder William Lyons, this
surprisingly modern-looking
shade was named ‘Special
Blue.’ The car’s condition is
remarkable, especially after
Rob Browning detailed it.
'It had a bang on the front
Kenwood Porsche 956 at
Le Mans Classic 2022.

Unsurprisingly for a man with a long career in motorsport
funded largely by hard work, he has run a motley array of cars
www.classicsworld.co.uk

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

51

PEOPLE & PLACES
MIKE WILDS
at some point,' Mike says,
placing his hand at the rear
edge of the bonnet, 'but all
the paint from here back is
what it had back in 1964.'
For Mike, ownership of the
Jaguar represents several of
his life’s ley lines converging.
His wife Penny encouraged
him to buy it. A lot of dreams
and memories are embodied
by it, and he purchased it with
money that he would not
have possessed had his first
wife Chrissie not been lost
tragically early to cancer. 'The
E-Type is her gift to me,' he
says reflectively, 'and I’ll never
sell it.'
Mike did, fairly recently,
sell the other great car of
his heart. It’s a decision he
remains ambivalent about.
Back in 1970, he was working
at the Targa Florio race on
Sicily. Somehow, he found
himself strapping into a
Porsche 911T for a hot lap of
the 45-mile circuit in use at
the time. At the wheel was
the legendary Jo Siffert. The
experience was formative.

Mike promised himself that
one day he would own
one. Nearly 20 years later
he bought a beautiful 911
Club Sport, which he adored
unconditionally for the next
two decades. Somehow, he
was persuaded to part with
it in 2022 by an avid Porsche
collector. The deal included a
part exchange with a very rare
Porsche 987 Boxster Spyder.
'It was the lowest-mileage
example in existence,' Mike
says. 'It had just 900 miles on
the clock. I thought it would
be a good investment.'
On paper it was, but on
the road, the 987 beguiled
Mike so much that by the
time he had driven home,
he had decided to keep the
Spyder indefinitely. 'It’s quite
old-fashioned in the way it
communicates,' he says, 'and I
love the way it’s built singlemindedly to be light and very
fast. It has little tabs instead of
door pulls. That’s all it needs.'
The visceral nature of this
relatively modern Porsche
puts it alongside all the other

cars Mike has enjoyed during
his preternaturally lengthy
motor racing career. Known
for extremely fast yet smooth
driving – he modelled himself
on the great Jim Clark –
Mike thrives on building a
relationship with a car. He
can take it to the edge of its
performance envelope, as
long as it tells him where that
edge is.
The Jaguar E-Type might not
be the ultimate performance
driver’s car though, and Mike

admits that the pleasure of
helming it is more emotional
than sensational. His favourite
drives in it are sedate
meanders to a country pub
with his dog Lola on a blanket
in the back, but his approach
to cars goes to the heart of
why we love classics so much.
They are more than mere
transport, just as racing is so
much more than mere driving.
Life is too short to drive boring
cars, and this man knows that
CW
more than most.

Mike did, fairly recently, sell the other great car of his heart.
It’s a decision he remains ambivalent about

52 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

www.classicsworld.co.uk

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NOSTALGIA – STILL
WHAT IT USED TO BE?
I

t is hard to follow a legend,
but Volkswagen arguably
did it better than most
when they (finally!) replaced
the original air-cooled Type 1
Beetle with the Golf in 1974.
That was exactly what the
company needed to rescue
them from plummeting sales
and set them on the path to
modernity and fresh success
as the 1970s turned into the
1980s. However, as the world's
best-selling car ever, not to
mention the one that created
Volkswagen and saw it safely
through the rockiest of postwar periods, the Beetle would
never be forgotten.
In fact, the original was still
being produced in Mexico

(and would continue until
July 2003) when a concept
car created on a VW Polo
platform and designed in the
USA at VW's California studio
was exhibited at the North
American International Auto
Show in 1994. Called Concept
One, this took its styling cues
from the original Beetle, and
was perfectly timed to ride a
swelling wave of nostalgia into
production in 1997. By this time
it was based on the bigger Golf
platform, and it went down
a storm. There was a facelift
in 2005 that brought sharper
creases to the styling, and a
new New Beetle from 2011
that carried production through
to its end in 2019.

The car in our pictures will be
familiar to most readers, as it
was a project in this magazine
from the August 2023 to the
December 2023 issues. Built in
the year 2000, it is newer than
most of the cars we feature in
CW, but that retro styling has
helped it gate-crash the classic
party. We can't deny that it has
always been something of a
Marmite car – I've always liked
what VW did, but others hate
either the shape or the retro
theme it represents. Personally
I think Volkswagen did a really
good job of invoking the style
and the spirit of the original
Beetle while creating a totally
modern car. That is not an easy
thing to do and I am impressed.

I do think the stripes help on
this car, because otherwise the
silver paint is blandly at odds
with such a funky shape.
Those stripes do of course
hark back to the original Beetle
too, specifically the Herbie
cars of cinematography fame.
They must be owner-applied,
but there are other details that
VW incorporated beyond the
bulbous shape to reinforce
the heritage, such as the rear
lamps that echo the 'elephant
feet' lights of the original
Beetle from 1973, the sloping
headlights and the vestigial
running boards. There is even
a tiny plastic vase on the dash,
acrylic rather than porcelain
but a very tongue-in-cheek

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ROAD TEST
NEW BEETLE

The retro craze was just getting into
its stride when VW revisited its most
famous creation and came up with
the New Beetle. Some 25 years on,
how well did it hit the mark?
REPORT: SIMON GOLDSWORTHY

nod towards the bud vases
that were popular accessories
on the original Beetle from the
1950s onwards.
In true classic Beetle
fashion the wheels really are
planted right at the corners.
Theoretically there is room
for four doors, but of course
the original Beetle only ever
had two doors, and so did the
one it inspired for the new
Millennium. Climb behind the
wheel and that wheel-at-eachcorner stance means that the
pedals could be placed dead
ahead and not offset at all. The
seats are firm but comfortable,
with enough shaping to the
seat base to stop you sliding
about but without getting

to the point that it grips
uncomfortably.
The view out of the front is
dominated by the dash, which
is just so incredibly long. You
can just about see the trailing
edge of the bonnet ahead
of that, but even if you lean
forwards in your seat you can't
see much of the metalwork
beyond that, so you are relying
on guesswork as to where
the front corners are because
you've got no markers of any
sort. I suppose that's one
reason why so many Beetles
have scrapes and dings on their
extremities.
The rest of the view out the
front is fine, with a very tall
screen giving a feeling of space

that I hadn't expected and the
A-pillars, although like the dash
quite wide from front to back,
don't seem too bad when
you are looking at them from
the narrower side. Where you
lose a little bit is in the bottom
corners where the speakers just
behind the screen impact your
vision slightly there. To be fair it
is not a bit of glass you need to
use much, but it can make you
move your head more than you
would otherwise just to see
around it.
The rear-view mirrors
(interior and on the doors)
are small, but very high up so
they offer a decent view of the
road behind. The headrests
in the back have holes in the

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middle so they don't limit your
rearward vision too much,
plus a decent space down the
middle because this is strictly
a four-seater with no attempt
made to squeeze a fifth seat
into the middle of the rear
bench. Sideways vision is
excellent, though the waistline
is high so you do feel as though
you are sitting well down inside
the car rather than up on it as
you do in something like an
MGF for example. It feels fine
for me as I have a relatively
long body to go with my short
little legs; if you are short or
otherwise proportioned, I
would think it would pay to
try a Beetle out for size before
making any decision.

WWW.CAARPARTS.CO.UK

ROAD TEST
NEW BEETLE
Rear three-quarter vision is
OK on the left because you
are further away, but the
over-your-shoulder glance is
compromised slightly by the
large C-pillar on your right. This
does mean that you need to be
well aware of what's behind
you so you know in advance
what's there before you
glance over your shoulder to
switch lanes or make another
manoeuvre. To be fair that is
how you should be driving
anyway, but that fact is really
brought home to you in the
Beetle.
The door panels are shiny
silver plastic on this car, and
perfectly pleasant. There are
electric windows in the front,
but the rear windows are
non-opening, which may be a
consideration if you are hoping
the Beetle will provide suitable
family transport as I suspect
any kid who gets travel sick
may not be a fan of the back
seat. Not that I am able to put
that theory to the test.
The dashboard layout is fairly
simple. I think they've drawn
elements from the original aircooled Beetle in creating that
simplicity, a fact emphasised
by the use of a single round
dial ahead of the driver. That
goes up to 140mph, though
I'm pretty sure this car doesn't!
There's a digital milometer in
the speedo, accompanied by
a fuel gauge to the left and

a rev counter to the right.
The rev counter is not much
bigger than the fuel gauge and
reasonably pointless. I'd much
rather have had a temperature
gauge there because like many
modern cars, this one has a
coolant light that comes on
until the engine gets up to
temperature, then goes out. It
is blue during this warming up
stage, so presumably it comes
back on red if temperatures
are getting out of hand. I miss
temperature gauges on cars;
they are so much more useful
for keeping an eye on any
changes before they develop

into problems, whereas when
a warning light comes on, it is
usually too late.
In fact, I'd even prefer a clock
to the rev counter because the
one on the Beetle is a small
digital display high up in the
roof above the rear-view mirror.
That position is not ideal for
a quick glance without taking
your eyes off the road for more
than a moment, a problem
exacerbated by the fact that
the display features very small
black numbers on a dull and
darkish blue background. Yes it
is a minor gripe, but how can
people design something that

has one very basic function
to perform yet does it badly?
And while I am griping, that
phenomenally deep dash threw
up a couple of unexpected
problems of its own – I
couldn't reach to attach my
suction-cup SatNav to the
glass without kneeling on the
seat, and more importantly nor
could I reach the screen with a
cloth if it happened to fog up
while I was driving.
There are useful storage
spaces around the Beetle as
you would expect on a modern
car, including net pockets in
each door, a proper glove
box, cup holders ahead of the
gearstick and even a sunglasses
compartment up above the
rear-view mirror. Talking of 'up
above the rear-view mirror,'
there really is a lot of 'up
above' on the Beetle, more
head room than I imagine any
car has offered since the 1930s.
The heater controls are nice
and simple, though sadly there
is a radio-cassette rather than a
CD player on this car. Cassette
players in new cars must surely
have been living on borrowed
time by the year 2000? There is
a folding arm rest between the
two front seats, but its design
is flawed because when it is
down, it is too high and too
long so that if you rest your

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elbow on it, then your hand is
bent awkwardly to reach the
gear stick. Like the clock, it is
one of the few obvious design
faults that I noted, and all the
more annoying because it
would have been so simple to
get it right.
Leave the arm rest folded
out of the way though and
the gearstick has a nice
action. There are five forward
speeds of course with a nicely
weighted spring-loading
keeping the stick at rest in
the central plane. Fifth can
sometimes baulk a little, but I
rather suspect that is a feature
of the linkage on this car rather
than of the model as a
whole.
Dynamically,
there is no
doubt that the
Beetle is a very
comfortable
and very
capable car. I
have been driving
it along some
appalling minor
Fenland roads that
are slipping into the drainage
ditches, and it takes everything
in its stride. This one has a
2-litre engine, so there is ample
power in what is ultimately a
Golf in drag. Unhurried driving
takes you up to 15mph in first,
30mph in second, 40mph in
third, 50mph in fourth... All
of these keep the revs below

3000rpm and
the red line is
at 6500rpm,
so obviously
at these speeds
you are only
using a fraction of
the available power
and it is all very relaxed. You
can add another 20mph to
each of those change-up points
without the revs getting silly,
and even if you leave it in third
until hitting 60mph you'll still
not have reached the red line,
so it is a very flexible engine.
With a more sensible head
on, driving through town

at 30mph in fourth is easy
enough and it will pick up
without lugging when you
put your foot down, but the
car feels happier in third at
around 2200rpm and when
driven in this way it has instant
poke to offer when you reach
a de-restricted road. There is
no obvious power band that
hits you as the rev counter
rises up the gauge. Even going
up to 5000rpm there was no
change in character or push in
the back, it just kept on pulling
in a very linear fashion as the
scenery started to blur.
Ultimately, the Beetle is an

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unusual car in that it is one of
the few vehicles I have driven
which feels as though it would
benefit from a sixth gear. I
know that in classic terms this
is getting greedy as most classic
owners would be grateful for
a fifth gear, (sometimes even a
fourth one!) but this does feel
a little buzzy when cruising.
I'm not sure why because it is
not over-revving and it is not a
noisy engine, so perhaps it just
takes more time before you
adapt and tune in to the car.
Certainly it will sit quite happily
at 70mph all day, it is just that
I find myself reaching for the

WWW.CAARPARTS.CO.UK

ROAD TEST
NEW BEETLE
next gear around 60-65mph.
The steering is powerassisted, and this one feels in
excellent shape because there is
no free play at all. That doesn't
make it nervous or prone to
darting about because the
steering is well damped, and
we are running on fresh, good
quality Kumho tyres so there is
no squirming from them. There
are three turns lock to lock,
which seems ideal for the car,
especially one that is not trying
to be a sports car. The brakes
are every bit as good as you
would expect from a car of this
class and age, well servo'd and
offering plenty of feel if you are
braking gently, followed by a
fairly quick transition to more
aggressive braking if you press
harder that could potentially
catch out the unwary.
There is a really good
feel to all the switchgear,
typically Germanic in the way
everything like the indicators
and wipers click solidly from
one position to the next. It can
be quite a strident car in some
ways, though. If, for example,
you happen to run low on
fuel, the warning light that
comes on in the fuel gauge
is accompanied by a warning
buzzer that can make you

Specification: New Beetle
jump out of your skin if you
weren't expecting it, making
you think there is some kind
of emergency that needs your
immediate attention. The same
is true if you leave an indicator
on when you park, because
there is a very aggressive
buzzer to remind you that this
activates the sidelights on that
side as parking lights. Both are
useful things in their own right,
but a gentle chime would have
been sufficient.
Minor quibbles apart,
nostalgia is a tricky line to
tread, but I think Volkswagen
have done it well on the Beetle
with enough nods to the past
to make the point without
overstepping the mark and
become too kitschy. As a
result, you could argue that
the New Beetle offers the best
of both worlds – styling that is
nostalgic and fun, but running
gear that is bang up to date.
There's fuel injection of course
so cold starts are instantaneous
and the engine shows a total
lack of temperament as it
warms up, the car runs happily
on the cheaper E10 fuel
available today (I did check with
Volkswagen to make sure), a
powerful heater is a given and
so on.

■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■

ENGINE:............................... 1984cc inline four-cylinder
POWER:............................................ 115bhp@5200rpm
TORQUE: ............................. 170Nm/125lb.ft@2400rpm
GEARBOX: ....................................... Five-speed manual
BRAKES: .................................................Discs all round
SUSPENSION:....... MacPherson strut (F)/torsion axle (R)
0-60 MPH: ........................................................ 10.9sec
TOP SPEED: .................................................... 115mph
LENGTH: ............................................... 4081mm/161in
WIDTH:.................................................... 1724mm/68in
HEIGHT:................................................... 1498mm/59in
WEIGHT:.................................................1228kg/2707lb

Nostalgia does tend to sit
uncomfortably alongside the
notion of practicality, because
if you were going for total
practicality then you'd design
a box like Volvo or Lada did.
So thanks to the two-door
configuration it does take a
little gymnastics for an adult to
thread their way into the back
of the Beetle, even if the front
seats both fold and slide. The

boot space is compromised
too, though not as badly
as I had expected from the
curvaceous body – I'd describe
it as perfectly adequate rather
than cavernous. You can fold
the rear seat forwards easily
enough if you do want to
make more room for luggage,
though then of course it is
no longer hidden from view.
But let's be honest, this is not
designed as a practical loadlugger, it is a fun car with retro
styling cues. When viewed in
that light, it is remarkable just
how practical it is as a daily
driver and for most regular
domestic duties. The fact that
it does all this while still making
you smile every time you look
CW
at it is just a bonus.

This Beetle is for sale,
with an asking price
of £1250. It drives
superbly, the only
issue we haven't yet
traced and cured being
a CHECK ENGINE light
that reappears after 60
miles of driving. If you
might be interested, get
in touch with the editor
via simon.goldsworthy@
kelsey.co.uk

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E
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U BO
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*Discount code valid for tickets bought online before midnight on Thursday 21 March 2024. When the code is entered on the online ticket booking form the page will reload to show the discounted rates.

DRIVER’S Diary
Andrew Everett
Contributor

MY FLEET
1989 BMW 730I.

OWNED SINCE: 2003.

After years with Minis
and Alfas, Andrew
latched onto BMW in
the late 1980s and has
had at least one every
year since. In fact he’s
now had well over 100.

1994 BMW 318TI:

OWNED SINCE: 2017.

2006 BMW 118D:

It’s my dirty diesel daily.
Let’s not go there.

A BMW
for just
£70...

T

his is my first ever entry
in Drivers Diaries and
I’m afraid it’s going to
be a BMW fest, but there are
worse things to own. We will
talk about my 1989 730i more
next time, but despite having
316,000 miles on the clock it’s
a show queen I’ve owned for
20 years. I don’t use it as much
as I ought to, but it is a very
rare five-speed manual.
However, this time we’re
going to discuss my 1994 318Ti
Compact. Built in September
of that year it’s one of the very
first and a very low RHD chassis
number, blessed at the Munich
factory with ‘special launch
preparation’ whatever that is.
All I know is that in 2017 it was
on death row with rusty front
wings, rusty rear sills, rusty rear
arches, knackered front seats,
rusty suspension and brakes...
it had been run into the ground
and left to die.
Still, seventy of your English
pounds changed hands and my
mate Glenn strapped it onto
his recovery truck, bound for
my workshop. Would it run?
Well, the red cable from the
battery to the starter had got
hot enough to melt some of
the insulation. Taking this into
consideration, I just fitted a
charged battery and attempted
to start it. It cranked away, the
oil light went out, it coughed
a few times and then it started

60 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

ABOVE: After some fettling and preparation, Andrew's early Compact 318Ti became a pretty
useful track car between 2017 and 2020.

and ran very well. Well, for
a bit until failing plug leads
caused a misfire.
The initial plan was to tidy
it up and turn it into a budget
track car, and that is exactly
what I did. I rattle-canned a
pair of decent wings, filled
and sprayed the rear arches,
patched the rear sills up and
fitted some good used coil-over
suspension. To that we can add
some sticky tyres, new vented
discs and EBC yellow pads plus
a Momo steering wheel and
we were away! Of course I
changed the plugs, leads, oil
and filter, water pump, coolant
and so on. M860 TRF was thus
transformed into a very handy
track car that did hundreds
of laps around Cadwell Park,
Blyton and Croft. Because it
was road legal, I even used it as
a car too and it did many trips
to breakers yards to stock up
for my eBay business.
Gradually, I improved it. A

ABOVE: Initial body repairs were often done alfresco in the
summer. This rear arch is about to be painted with a custom
mixed aerosol can.

perfect pair of genuine BMW
wings were painted and fitted.
I re-did the rear arches and
became very proficient with
the aerosol can. I had a set of
the lovely style 42 BBS wheels
powder coated and I started to
actually take pride in this poor
old thing.

In February 2022, a very
good friend and fellow BMW
deviant Lee Jones left the
building. In his honour, I drove
to his wake in Norfolk in the
318Ti, stopping en route in
Lincolnshire to collect a black
leather interior with the muchprized sports seats. Thus I
www.classicsworld.co.uk

DRIVER’S Diary

ABOVE: In February 2023, the bonnet, bumpers and the
whole nearside were professionally repainted at last,
improving it no end.

ABOVE: A black leather Compact Sport interior replaced the
worn out cloth rubbish for just £150 – the driver's seat
needed an £80 restitching repair.

arrived with a car rammed to
the gilles with an interior, and
I know Lee was looking down
and laughing because that’s
just what we do.
For the last two or three
years the Compact wasn’t in
the garage, but on my drive
in all weathers, waiting to be
used. I always had a project car
from Car Mechanics magazine
to use, but even so I found
the Compact nicer than many
a modern heap. But then the
project cars stopped coming
and suddenly it was my sole

means of transport.
In 2022, some hero in a
company Insignia tried to barge
into a queue and paint was
swapped. No real damage and
no big deal, but in February
’23 the Compact went into a
mate’s bodyshop where the
entire nearside was repainted
on insurance. For a few extra
shekels, I rubbed down the
bonnet, removed and prepared
the bumpers and they were
painted as well. But I knew
those rear sills would soon
need attention.

So, in September 2023 a
winter hack in the form of a
2006 118d was bought and
the 318Ti could rest in the
workshop. One day, I steeled
myself and took a grinder
and cutting disc to both rear
sills. 'Oh dear,' (or similar) I
said when good metal and
about 16in of rotten sill lay on
the ground. The Great British
Tradesman is in short supply
since Brexit, all his work-hungry
opposition went home and
not one welder worth a carrot
could be found. I asked for
quotes, agreed and they all
either vanished up their own
nether regions or just failed to
turn up. Undeterred, I bought
some 18 gauge sheet steel,
some Gilbow snips and made

ABOVE: Andrew drove the Compact all through the summer and took it to a few car shows; it
seems they have now reached classic status.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

ABOVE: Cutting out the 'MoT
standard’ bodges revealed
sills that were less than
optimal; it was a lot of work
to repair them.

the new sections myself before
a mate came and put a few
strips of weld in. Then it was
grinding down, painting, seam
sealing, undersealing and
what felt like half of my life
had gone. The end result isn’t
factory, or even that pretty, but
it’s a lot better that the flaky
brown crud that it replaced.
M860 TRF looks nice, but it’s
really not as good as it looks.
However, it owes me much
less than I could sell it for and
I still like driving it. There is of
course more to tell and more
tales of derring do including
my planned trip to Munich for
its 30th birthday. I may even
drag Phil White of this parish
along. Well, he came with me
when I took the 730i back
to its birthplace on its 20th
CW
Geburtstag in 2009.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

61

DRIVER’S Diary
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 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 BOATTAILED 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 straight six

1971 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE
OWNED SINCE 2020
ENGINE 0.65-litre vertical twin

Bodging, or sensible work-arounds?

T

here is some potentially
controversial bodging
going on this month.
It’s a matter of priorities:
I’m trying to focus on the
Ayrspeed Bentley special and
two-door Cloud conversion
projects, as well as finishing

my book on specials, as well as
keeping up with the blogazine
WireWheelsMagazine.com,
as well as... well, you get the
picture.
So the rest of the fleet is
getting little attention. If I only
had one classic vehicle which

ABOVE: The Chevy van’s electrics have been bodged into
obedience. 16mpg on a run is a very effective disincentive
to using it very much, though.

had wiring problems including
visible Scotchloks, intermittent
malfunctions and 42 years of
assorted randomly competent
or nightmarish mechanical and
electrical work, I would just
rewire it with a new loom. I

ABOVE: The Mazda MX5 seats are being taken out again, to
be replaced by the original Chevy seats. This makes
underdash access a lot easier. The MX5 seats are going into
Iain's office, and possibly later into a TR6.

62 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

ABOVE: All new circuits are
protected by an inline fuse.
This is cheaper than using a
fire extinguisher if the
smoke escapes from the
wires.

will definitely do that with my
Bonneville. However, there
were only two issues with the
Chevy van, and no spare time.
These needed sorting out,
but I elected to sidestep the
issues rather than dig down
to the roots and spend serious
time grovelling inverted under
the dash getting everything
correct. Firstly, the horn would
work sometimes, sometimes
not. The horn button
conducted electricity according
to the meter, but not according
to the horns, although the
horns did hoot enthusiastically
when I delivered electricity to
them directly via a wire from
the battery. That’s not good
enough. If some phone victim
steps off the pavement without
www.classicsworld.co.uk

DRIVER’S Diary

ABOVE: The Mini Marcos has not been extracted from its lair
and taken for a spin since its inaugural drive up from
Norfolk. Time to change that.
ABOVE: New horn button and new wiper motor power off
switch. All is now sweet and fluffy in Chevy land.

looking and I can’t stop, I’ll hit
them with 6000lbs of van, so
the horn needs to work.
There were no obvious
problems with the wiring or the
button. OK, it has to be dodgy
connections in the column.
Sidestepping that by changing
to a new horn button on the
dash and new wiring direct to
the battery with a new inline
fuse guarantees the horn will
work 100%.
The other issue was, in
practical terms, insoluble.
As you drove around, the
windscreen wipers would
start up for a few strokes and
then stop, randomly about
six or eight times an hour.
Intermittent lecky problems are
the worst. The old 1981 wiper
switch initially seemed the likely
cause, as it controls the singlewipe function, two speeds,
the timing of the intermittent
wiping and the screenwash
pump included with the wipeand-squirt function. So, replace
the switch with new – exactly
the same result, and there’s
nothing wrong with the old
switch. Strip out and rewire the
whole wiper system? No, focus
on the Bentleys.
It may be that the crude
and basic American electricity
fitted to the van by GM is
simply being overwhelmed
by the confusing multiplicity
of wiping options. The motor
was randomly taking some
uncontrolled power from
www.classicsworld.co.uk

somewhere, so the practical
solution was to identify the
main power feed to the wiper
motor and interrupt it with a
20-amp switch and a 15-amp
inline fuse, then just keep the
motor disabled until I want
to use the wipers. To use the
wipers now, I have to use the
new switch to allow power
to get to the motor, and then
use the main control switch as
before. With luck, the regular
unwanted random scrape of
dry wiper blades across the
screen will stop. If not, that
means the van is haunted
by evil spirits and I’ll have to
sacrifice a chicken at midnight
at a crossroads.
The Mini Marcos is not
getting much (ie. any) action
these days. My driveway is long
and narrow, and the Marcos
is small enough to drive round
the end of the house and into
the back garden, where it sits
under a little tent on a slab
of concrete that will become
part of the floor of another
workshop in the fullness of
time. As the Marcos is not
waterproof, it has a little tent
covering it. Keeping it in the
garage is not an option, as I
am trying to clear the garage
to build one of the Bentley
specials. Getting it out for a
drive involves shuffling several
other vehicles, and just isn’t
happening. OK, that means I’m
obviously not that interested in
the car and should possibly let

it go. Have to think about that.
Finally, my ailing Bentley S1
has arrived in Helensburgh.
It suffered from several
failed attempts to repair
the automatic transmission
in Canada, and during my
ownership it has travelled
about seven miles under its
own power and about 7000
on trailers, flatdeck trucks
and ships. Lenny Donnelly of
TheYard.scot, the independent
Land Rover specialist a useful
ten-minute stroll from my
house, feels that chopping
the car up and turning it into
a two-door sub-Continental
would be a sporting challenge
rather than a huge pain.
First, though, the future of
the existing 4.9-litre straightsix engine and box needs a
decision. The engine needs a
proper calibrated oil pressure
gauge applied. The original
gauge says no oil pressure, the
cheap aftermarket gauge under
the dash also says no pressure,

but the silky idle and the
squeaky clean big end bearings
and crank journals – which I
have physically seen – say there
is enough oil pressure.
I’m probably going to build
the S1 as a two-door hardtop
with a V8, likely a Bentley
Turbo V8, which is the old
RR L-series engine from 1962
updated. Or possibly the BMW
quad-cam M62 V8 used in
the Arnage with two turbos.
As the original automatic
transmission in the S might
now even be beyond using as
a core, and as the very early
4.25-litre straight-six engine
in my manual 1947 Bentley
MkVI needs a £10,000 rebuild,
it makes sense to transfer the
4.9-litre engine from the S into
the old MkVI, if it’s as good as
it seems. No rattles, no smoke,
silky smooth. The 1947 and
1957 engines still have the
same block, but with the earlier
faults all designed out. Watch
CW
this space, as they say.

ABOVE: Iain has finally lost patience and given up on the
troublesome automatic gearbox in the Bentley S1.
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

63

DRIVER’S Diary
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
1955 MG ZA MAGNETTE
1958 HILLMAN MINX
1965 MORRIS MINOR
TRAVELLER
1970 ROVER P6 3500
1990 VOLVO 240 ESTATE
1992 ROVER 827 COUPE

The youngest car in the collection

L

ast time I talked about
my 1958 Hillman Minx,
which is the oldest car in
my collection and which some
of you may well have seen in
the metal at last November’s
NEC Classic Car Show. Minxy
wasn’t, however, my only car
there. Also in Hall 5, and just a
few stands away, my Rover 827
Coupé was on the Rover 600800 Club’s stand.
K883 CSX was first
registered in October 1992; so
yes, when I bought the oldest
car in my collection in 1991,
this car – the youngest one –
was still a year off being made!
It’s not the oldest survivor, but
it is an early Coupé; someone
who knows much more about
this sort of thing than me

ABOVE: Rover Coupé purchase day in June 2012, and the obligatory key-transfer photograph.

ABOVE: These are the best seats of any of Peter's cars –
including the two Volvos!

64 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

did once tell me it was about
number 200 off the production
line. It has, of course, got the
Honda 2.7 engine. Some will
undoubtedly disagree, but for
me the Honda engine was a
definite plus point, not least
because I’ve seen first-hand
what changing Rover KV6
timing belts involves, and how
straightforward the Honda is
by comparison.
Anyway, my car was
bought new by a recently
retired Edinburgh secondary
school headmaster. It had one
moment of fame early on; the
headmaster was, apparently,
one of the very first people to
invest in the Channel Tunnel,
and as part-payback, he and
the Rover were on the very first

car-carrying train through to
France on 6th May 1994.
Seventeen years later in 2011,
the car passed to his son, and I
bought it from him a year later,
via eBay. Back then Rover 800
values were at rock bottom,
and despite the car being in
excellent overall condition and
having covered just 39,000
miles from new, I bagged
it for £1041. But why did I
want one? At that time I was
editor of another classic car
magazine, and for a few weeks
a chap who worked for a sister
publication as Consumer Editor
lodged with me. Mark turned
up with a J-registered 827
Coupé test car from Rover,
and he and I then drove it
extensively for a fortnight.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

DRIVER’S Diary

ABOVE: One rather full boot about to head for South Wales;
it swallowed everything for a family of four that includes
two teenagers.

We both liked the car, but
considered the c£33,000 retail
price tag excessive, and my
comment – which I believe
may have gone into print – was
that I would buy one after the
expected rapid depreciation
had made the price more
realistic. And that, basically, is
what I did.
Eleven years on from its
arrival, the Rover 827 has still
done only 48,000 miles and
remains in substantially original
condition. It is taxed only in the
summer and isn’t used daily,
but equally it isn’t a show-only
car. Rather, I'd describe it as
‘semi preserved,’ and as well
as a hobby car which I fully
intend to keep forever, it serves
as a spare family car in summer

In the hills above Treorchy,
a town made famous by
coal mining, male voice
choirs and Max Boyce.

ABOVE: On the tour, and by the famous aqueduct at
Pontrhydyfen, the Neath Valley village that’s best-known as
the birthplace of Richard Burton. That missing piece of (rare)
trim is safe and secure in the back, and was refitted when
they got home.

and is used if one of our dailies
should ‘fail to proceed’ for
some reason.
And just three weeks before
November's NEC show, that’s
exactly what happened. My
daughter wanted to attend an
open day at the Royal Welsh

ABOVE: Three weeks and a very thorough on-site valet
later, the Rover was at the NEC classic car show.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

College of Music and Drama
in Cardiff, and the plan was to
drive down on the Friday and
stay locally before going to the
college on the Saturday. We
were then going to head for
Swansea and spend a couple
of days with a schoolfriend of
mine. However, when I came
to give the normally-reliable
Kia Sorento which serves as
the family truck a pre-trip level
check, a fairly significant snag
was apparent. The coolant
bottle was empty, and further
investigation revealed that the
radiator bottom tank had split.
There was no way it could
go, but it was good that I had
found it now rather than 50
miles down the road.
So it was Rover to the
rescue! My daily driver is a
Volvo C70 convertible, and
there was no way that would
swallow two adults, two
teenagers and luggage which
had been selected and packed
in anticipation of Sorento space
being available. The Rover’s
boot, however, swallowed
the whole lot apart from one
bag, which instead formed a
very useful back-seat brother/

sister border fence. Meanwhile
while Sarah and the kids were
loading up, I checked the
Rover’s levels and tyre pressures
before we set off.
Over the next four days
the 827 covered just over
1000 miles without missing
a single beat; I’ll admit that
I was a tad nervous at first,
but as the miles added, so
did confidence. It really is a
supremely competent and
comfortable motorway milemuncher; the seats are, I think,
the best on any of my cars, and
I’ve got two Volvos... There
were, of course, a few moans
from the back seats, but these
were mostly of the ‘why can’t
I charge my X or play my Y
in here?’ variety, and soon
stopped.
Anyway, all went well, Katie
loved Cardiff University, and
we had a good long weekend
driving around the South
Wales valleys before heading
for home. What’s more, the
Rover feels better and more
responsive for having had a
blast out.
Next time, I’ll tell you about
CW
my other green Rover.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

65

DRIVER’S Diary
Will Holman
Contributor

Will once drove to the Czech
Republic with Simon Goldsworthy in
a 1966 Vauxhall Cresta, who
bought a Tatra 603 there and drove
it home. He has owned a huge
variety of cars, and claims to be
unique in having owned a threedoor Sierra Cosworth and a Citroën
2CV at the same time.

MY FLEET
2012

1977 YAMAHA XS650
OWNED SINCE: 2020

Fuel leak? Sorted. Occasional misfire? Ah...

W

ise mechanics will
tell you that 90%
of fuelling problems
are actually ignition faults,
but for once conventional
wisdom didn’t apply to my
Mercedes. While hunting down
a persistent and long running
(seven years and counting)
misfire at idle – and getting
nowhere fast – a petrol line
somewhere underneath the car
let go and turned my garage
into a potential bomb. With the
fuel spillage hastily cleaned up,
I crawled around on the soggy
floor looking for the culprit.
The leak was coming from
somewhere up above the
rear subframe, where the
petrol feed line comes from
the pumps before it snakes
back down and runs along
the bottom of the nearside
sill, carrying its precious and
vital cargo up to the 5-litre

V8 engine. I poked about
for a while getting soggier
and soggier, and while it was
all great fun, you can have
too much of a good thing.
Eventually – actually quite
a decent amount of time
before that – I got sick of the
sogginess, the bits falling in my
eyes and my complete inability
to see a damn thing, and gave
up. Figuring that the closest
I was going to get to pinning
down the leak was within a
few feet of it, I decided to go
for the scatter gun approach
and just replace the entire
section of solid fuel line that I
couldn’t see.
While I was at it, I took
all the hoses and pipework
off the fuel pump assembly
(two pumps, an accumulator
and a filter). I took these to
a hydraulic pipe specialist
and asked him to make some

ABOVE: The fuel pump cradle parts stripped and cleaned.

66 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

ABOVE: Will’s 1987 Mercedes 500 SEC pillarless coupé has its
original K-Jet mechanical petrol injection, plus a custommade LPG injection system.

replacements – it had to be
cheaper than the vast sums
the Merc dealer wanted for
the parts, although I suppose
I should be grateful that they

ABOVE: Two pumps, one
accumulator and a fuel filter
make up the assembly – plus
some expensive new hoses.

are at least still available.
Grudgingly grateful will have
to do. The pipe specialist still
charged me £120 for three
short rubber pipes though –
hardly a bargain, but cheaper
than a new car following a fire.
The options for buying Merc
spares in the UK have become
very limited in recent years. A
lot of German-based suppliers
can’t be bothered to sign
up to the UK Government’s
VAT collecting scheme, so no
longer ship to this sceptred
Isle. There’s a useful Americanbased specialist, but they won’t
send parts to the UK unless
you spend what they consider
a worthwhile sum with them.
In this instance that wouldn’t
have been a problem, as
they can supply a complete
pump assembly as outlined
above, including hoses and
www.classicsworld.co.uk

DRIVER’S Diary

ABOVE: ...after the Merc’s steel fuel line had been cut to
remove a corroded section.

ABOVE: The new cupro-nickel fuel line has been joined to
the original steel pipe with a compression fitting...

new mounting bracketry for
US$500. With shipping and
taxes I’d be looking at £650
though. Stuff that for a game
of soldiers. Besides, there was
nothing wrong with the pumps
– they look manky but function
perfectly, and I’ve never
been one for just replacing
everything, unless it’s a length
of fuel hose that I can’t find
a hole in. So, after soaking all
the fixings in freeing oil, I spent
a couple of hours carefully
dismantling the whole lot and
turned again to the wire cup
in an angle grinder to clear the
rust off the brackets.
I followed up with some rust
converter, before repainting
and wax coating, which should
keep everything tidy in future.
The assembly hangs off four
rubber donut mounts, which
Merc wanted a tenner each for.
I bought four for seven quid all
in, but had to wait a fortnight
for them to arrive from China.
You pays your money and
takes your choice, but the
temperature was still hovering
a couple of degrees above zero
in my garage, so I was happy
to wait.
I had a new fuel filter sat on
the shelf, and the receipt inside
www.classicsworld.co.uk

the box says it’s been there
since 2012. Probably time to
fit it then. (I can vaguely recall
looking underneath at the
old one some years ago and
deciding it looked fine. This
had nothing to do with how
much of a pain it looked to get
off.) With the fuel pump cradle
all back together, it was time
to enjoy some more bits of
muck falling in my eyes while I
refitted it, but not before giving
the crossmember it sits on a
good coat of underbody wax.
Time then to tackle that fuel
line. The £120 I’d paid for the
hoses also included a length
of kunifer fuel line so that I
could make a repair section. I
commented on its sliver-grey
colour when the hose specialist
handed it to me: ‘That looks
like steel, I need cupro-nickel
because I’ve got to bend it to
shape on the car.’
‘It is cupro-nickel – they
changed the colour of it
recently.’
‘Oh, OK – thanks.’
Twenty-nine years old and
still wet behind the ears. If
that’s cupro-nickel I’m Karl
Benz. I’m not him, and neither
am I Geoff Capes, [Neither
are you 29 years old! – Ed]

but I’m pretty sure I could bend
a length of 8mm cupro-nickel
fuel line with my bare hands.
In fact I know I can as I did just
that with the piece a mate gave
me. His cupro-nickel pipe was
made out of copper and nickel,
rather than the steel stuff the
pipe specialist had sold me.
To cut the steel 8mm fuel
line on the car I needed a
pipe cutter small enough to
go around it. I couldn’t use a
hacksaw as any hint of swarf
in the fuel system and it’d be
goodnight K-Jet metering head.
I had a faint memory of buying
a kitchen tap some years ago
which had those 10mm feed
pipes you get on modern mixer
taps. I reckoned I’d kept the
little pipe cutter that came

with it. This was easy to reckon
because I keep everything – I
have to make myself throw
away old spark plugs and
partly worn brake pads. By the
time you get to 29 you need a
bigger garage to keep all the
useless junk you’ve kept.
But in this case my hoarding
nature paid off, for in the
bottom of my plumbing box sat
the little pipe cutter from the
mixer tap, and it made short
work of the Merc’s fuel pipe,
leaving me with a nice clean
end to join to my cupro-nickel
repair section to.
And after all this work, I’m
right back where I came in,
with a running but misfiring old
Merc. Two steps forward, two
CW
steps back, and all that.

ABOVE: The fuel pump assembly bolted back onto the
Mercedes' underside and reconnected.
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

67

DRIVER’S Diary
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

This month I've been mostly...
W
asn't there a TV
sketch show back
in the 1980s or
1990s that had a character
who would come out of his
shed and say: 'This week I've
been mainly...' Invariably the
sentence would be completed
by something mundane like
'...eating sprouts.' Well, I
feel a bit like that because
this month I've been
mainly working on Reliant
three-wheelers and their
carburettors!
Let's start with the Robin.
I took this for my first proper
drive and it ran very nicely
all the way to the workshop.
However, on the way home I
was pulling up a long hill when
it started to splutter. I made it
to the top before the engine
finally died and fortunately I
was able to pull off the road
and into a field entrance.
The problem felt for all the

world like fuel starvation as
the engine would splutter and
start to die, then pick up for a
moment before fading again.
Pumping the throttle made
no difference when it was
struggling, and there was an
inevitability about its eventual
stutter to a halt.
The fuel gauge indicated
well over half a tank, but of
course I had no idea whether
or not that was accurate.
I had a look around under
the bonnet, but could not
see anything amiss. After
five minutes or so I tried the
engine again and it fired up.
The nearest garage was only a
mile away, so I made it there
and filled up – only around 2½
gallons, so the gauge wasn't
lying. I still had several miles
to go before I was home and
although I made it under my
own steam, there was one
point as I was cruising along

ABOVE: Neither the mechanical fuel pump on the engine nor
this temporary hand pump would pull fuel through initially.

68 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

ABOVE: The SU carburettor on the Reliant Robin looks like a
brand-new unit, but the bolt holding its float chamber on
was very loose.

when the engine started to
die again, but before stopping
completely it picked up and
then kept going.
The engine bay on a Robin
is not the most accessible of
working environments, so

back at base I took off the SU
carburettor in order to inspect
it on the bench. It seemed to
be brand new, but the float
chamber was very loosely
attached to the carb body. I
tightened up its securing bolt

ABOVE: Simon did find some decayed fuel pipes, and after
replacing them the problem has so far not returned.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

DRIVER’S Diary

ABOVE: Simon had rebuilt the Zenith carburettor that came
with the Regal (back), but had also bought a NOS
replacement (front).

and refitted the carburettor
to the engine, filled its float
chamber with fresh petrol and
then took it out for a test run.
I made it a few hundred yards
before it died completely,
and no amount of waiting
and coaxing would get it to
run again. Fortunately the
Robin is a small and light car,
so pushing it back home was
embarrassing, but not too
difficult.
Next I rigged up a temporary
supply of petrol directly into
the float chamber. The engine
duly fired straight into life,
and kept running for some
time – though of course this
was standing still on the drive
rather than driving along. At
the same time, I had put the
disconnected end of the fuel
pipe from the mechanical fuel
pump on the engine into a jug
to catch any petrol that came
out while this was unattached
to the carburettor. To my
surprise, even with the engine

running, the jug remained
empty.
So now I was getting
somewhere, but it still left a
number of potential culprits
to which the finger could
be pointed. The easiest one
to check was for a blocked
breather on the fuel cap
causing a vacuum in the tank
that the pump could not
overcome. This was unlikely
because it normally takes a
period of running for enough
fuel to be extracted so that the
vacuum can be built up, but
removing the filler cap made
no difference so that one was
ruled out.
To see if the fuel pump itself
was at fault, I connected a
hand pump into the pipework
and tried without success to
pull some fuel through to
the jug using that. OK, so
now I was looking at either a
damaged pipe, or a blocked
pick-up point in the tank itself.
I blew back down the pipe

ABOVE: Simon wanted to blank off the fixing point for the
now unnecessary mechanical fuel pump on the engine.
From this old bracket off a broken office chair...
www.classicsworld.co.uk

ABOVE: He always prefers having an electric fuel pump on a
car that is only used occasionally, so fitted this low-pressure
Hardi pump in the boot of the Regal.
and into the tank to see if
that would clear any blockage
that I had bought during the
there. That made no difference restoration, so fitted that
initially, but then the hand
instead and it instantly cured
pump spat out an initial burst
the idle problem.
of petrol before settling down
However, whereas the Robin
to a regular flow. I also found
on its SU will start instantly
a couple of sections of fuel
even after a lengthy period of
pipe that were hard and split,
inaction, the Regal's Zenith
so replaced them with new
seems to drain back down
and connected everything
and take a lengthy period
back up to the carburettor.
of churning on the starter
This time the engine fired up
before the mechanical fuel
and ran happily, and it has
pump manages to fill the
been an instant starter and
float chamber. I hate churning
reliable runner ever since.
an engine over in this way,
Meanwhile, on the Regal, no particularly if I have an early
amount of fiddling and finestart and the neighbours
tuning the carburettor settings are still asleep, so I bought
would coax it into a reliable
an SU-style Hardi pump and
and stable idle. In the end, I
fitted that in the boot. Now,
had to conclude that it was not no matter how long the Regal
the carburettor settings that
has been standing, turning the
were the problem so much as
key sets the pump into action
air leaks somewhere upsetting
and all I have to do is wait for
the mix. I did have a brand
its clicking to stop, then the
CW
new and unused carburettor
engine will fire right up.

ABOVE: ...he made up a suitable blanking plate. The light
green paint happened to be some engine enamel left over
from the Midget restoration. Waste not, want not...
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

69

DRIVER’S Diary
Will Armston-Sheret
Contributor

Will has a collection of Morris
Minors. This column follows the
maintenance and modification of
them for daily use, as well as the
long-term restoration of a 1950
Lowlight Tourer from a desert
scrapyard in America and a 1970
Morris Van which has been in his
family for nearly 40 years.

MY FLEET
1950 MORRIS MINOR
LOWLIGHT SALOON
OWNED SINCE: 2012

1950 MINOR LOWLIGHT
CONVERTIBLE
OWNED SINCE: 2017

1967 MINOR SALOON
OWNED SINCE: 2010

1970 MINOR VAN
OWNED (BY MUM) SINCE: 1980

Panel gaps on the Minor Tourer

W

ith Lily my 1967
Morris Minor back
on the road and my
1950 Morris Minor Lowlight
saloon stored in a serviceable
condition (ie. with no long list
of jobs to do over the winter!),
dad and I have found time
to crack on with the winter
project. The target is to finish
the body work on the 1950
Morris Minor Lowlight Tourer
to enable us to get it painted
some time in 2024. (This was
a Californian export model so
fitted originally with highlight
front wings, although a Minor
of this age in the UK would
have had lowlight wings.)
It has survived storage in less
than ideal conditions rather
well with almost no sign of rust
reappearing, so the thick coat

of epoxy primer was clearly
a good idea. With the doors
now fitting nicely, the front
wings have been offered up.
Although I do have the original
highlight wings, I was lucky
enough to buy quite cheaply
a pair of lowlight ones. These
are 70+ years old and have
already been repaired before in
places by brazing, which makes
welding tricky. New lowlight
front wings are available, but at
a price! I could have used some
fibreglass ones to save time,
but I much prefer metal wings,
so repairing the ones I had
acquired was the best option.
The nearside one just needed
some adjustment to an earlier
repair and some extra metal
welding in to reinforce some
splits at the edges. The offside

ABOVE: The original rear wing has been repaired and
refitted, and although the underside of the car needed to
be extensively welded, the fit of the external panels is
thankfully good without too much work.

70 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

ABOVE: The repaired lowlight front panel being offered up.

wing was a real mess though,
but having been here before
with my Lowlight saloon
project, I repeated what I had
done with that. The rusty,
distorted and much-repaired

ABOVE: The rear bumper
offered up onto the car –
clearly the bumper iron will
need to be straightened!

rear of the lowlight panel was
sliced off and substituted by
the rear part of a highlight
wing we had in the loft. With
careful adjustment, tack
welding and then repairs of the
thinned areas, it fitted nicely,
although much filling and
smoothing will be needed to
get a good paint finish.
With the wings in place and
an acceptable door gap near
the A-posts, the front panel
was offered up. I had two of
these, one left over from my
other lowlight project that
came from New Zealand and
one that came with the wings
I mentioned earlier. Both
were pretty ropey, but these
panels are rare. Working on
the best of the pair, I managed
to straighten and reinforce
the damaged lower part, but
no amount of adjustment
would allow the chrome grille
www.classicsworld.co.uk

DRIVER’S Diary

ABOVE: Attempts to patch weld the boot lid failed and so
the offending area was cut off. Just as well really when you
see the accumulated rust in there.

to fit. After much thought,
dad offered me a spare early
highlight grille, from which he
cut out the lower section. We
used this to replace the lower
middle of the lowlight grille.
This was then offered up with
the chrome grille in place and
tack welded. This way we could
be sure it would all fit, but the
join will need grinding flat and
smoothing with filler.
Next, the doors which I had
kept on to provide a datum
point for the front wings were

removed, sandblasted and
repaired. We decided to cut
out only the minimum of metal
to avoid distortion, which can
so easily happen. Relative to
some of the other repairs we’ve
done on doors, these were
quite minor. The boot lid was
another reject for the previous
project, being off the lowlight
saloon (once again we had
sourced a better one). Initially
we'd hoped to patch repair
this, but although not rusted
through, the metal was too

ABOVE: Here the boot lid repair panel is being offered up in
place ready for welding.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

ABOVE: Careful use of
datum points enabled the
boot lid repair panel to be
accurately located.

thin to weld which resulted
in holes round the edge of
the patch. A well-made repair
panel is available and it was
not too time consuming to
cut off the bottom of the lid
and fit this. Again, this was
tack welded and tested in situ;
some adjustment was needed
to get a nice fit, although this
is much easier than adjusting
after welding the panel on
completely!
We can’t be far off finishing
the long angle-grinding and
welding stage, but before a
big clear up I want to tip the
body on its side and check
underneath. I think there are a
few knobbly welds that need
grinding down, and I want to
ensure the car looks as good as
possible, even from below.
The bumpers have also been
fitted up. Once again I was

lucky enough to find an original
lowlight bumper and iron at
an MMOC national rally many
years ago. Although this needed
to be straightened up, the iron
is the hard bit to find and I’ve
not seen one for sale since. This
will be next month’s focus.
Meanwhile, Lily tested me
out for a few days when she
developed a slight sputter,
especially when cold but also
when pulling at low revs.
Using the choke seemed to
cure the problem, so I decided
to richen up the mixture. She
then ran fine for a while, but
the splutter returned, again
cured by pulling out the choke.
I was starting to suspect a fuel
blockage, pump problem or
carb fault. Eventually, when
revving hard to accelerate onto
a dual carriageway, I lost all
power and had to coast to the
side of the slip road. I was glad
I had fitted some hazard lights.
Opening the bonnet to
investigate what I thought was
a fuel fault, I found a wire had
fallen off the coil. Investigation
showed the connector had lost
all tension and was rattling
on the coil terminal. A quick
squeeze with pliers made it fit
tightly and I was soon mobile
again with no splutter! When
I got home I readjusted the
mixture and all was well. I
hate intermittent faults like
this as they can be so hard
to trace. It’s much easier for
fault diagnosis when you stop
CW
completely!

ABOVE: Lily finally succumbed to a breakdown at the side of
the road due to a loose connection on the coil.
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

71

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OUR CARS
MORRIS TRAVELLER
PROJECT

MORRIS TRAVELLER PROJECT
Woodwork refurbishment begins
with lots of hand and
power-assisted sanding, plus
taking out the rear windows.
Peter Simpson reports.

PART

4

W

ith work on the front doors finally
completed, the next item on our
to-do list was the woodwork.
Overall, our car’s wood was pretty good;
that was one of the reasons I bought it. But
though the wood was extremely solid, its
varnish was anything but, and the wood’s
good state of preservation is pretty much
entirely down to it having spent many years
in barn storage. Clearly, a full rub down and
reseal was needed, not only for cosmetic
reasons but also to give the wood a chance
to survive in the world outside that barn.
As most classic enthusiasts know, a
Minor Traveller’s woodwork isn’t just for
show. Rather, it forms the whole structural
frame of the car’s back end in exactly the
same way as many coachbuilt and prewar vehicles had wooden frames. The
difference, however, is that whereas on
most of those the wood was hidden behind
panels, on Minor Travellers (and some other
‘shooting brakes’ from the pre-war and
immediate post-war eras) all the wood is
out in the open and there for all to see.
Two things follow from this. Firstly, a
rotten or damaged wooden frame will
render a Morris Minor Traveller structurally
unsafe. Quite apart from the risk of it
literally falling apart, a rot-weakened frame
won’t be as accident-resistant. Secondly,
although there’s no technical reason why

you can’t change the frame yourself – the
car was, after all, built largely by hand – it’s
a big job and very definitely not something
you could do on your own on the driveway
in a weekend! Rather, you’ll be taking
the whole rear half of the car apart, and
invariably finish up knee deep in screws,
bolts and bits of trim.
A methodical approach is essential,
and realistically if the whole frame needs
changing, you should be thinking in terms
of a winter September-to-March project.
Ian Allen of Minor Services (who did the
work featured here) says that his total bill
for a full wood change is usually around the
£4000 mark. By contrast, a frame refurb

1

2

Overall, the wood on our car was good
and certainly not in need of any actual
replacement. However, the varnish had
lifted in one or two places and the wood
probably owed its survival to the car
having been stored in a dry barn for many
years. It certainly needs treatment.

76 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

The rear door frames are usually
the first part of the wood to start
deteriorating, due to regular flexing when
the doors are used. As you can see, the
dreaded black has started to appear here,
but it’s still all solid so it looks like we’re
catching it just in time.

of the type shown here would cost around
£1400. See now why good wood was such
an attractive thing about this car?
Nevertheless, £1400 is still a fairly hefty
amount, and our photos this month and
next will help explain why a professional job
costs that much. A proper Minor Traveller
wood refurb isn’t just a case of rubbing
down with sandpaper and then sloshing on
a bit of varnish! People do that sometimes,
but it usually looks awful. More significantly,
it probably doesn’t protect the wood
properly either. And using wood filler to
plug holes is precisely the same in structural
terms as using filler in a metal chassis or
structural sill section.
As with painting, the key to getting a
good finish when refurbishing wood in this
way is preparation, and good preparation
takes time and patience. It’s also important
to choose an appropriate varnish-type
material, though with Minors there do
seem to be a few different opinions as to
what is best. Some restorers swear by yacht
varnish, others prefer Danish Oil. There
are also a few other options, and choice
to some extent depends on whether you
want durability, originality, or a combination
of both. We’ll look at all this in a bit more
detail next time.
Proper Traveller woodwork refurbishment
involves taking the rear windows out.
This is partly so that the wood under and
beside the window channels can be treated
properly, but also so that the window guide
drain holes can be checked, cleared and
treated. There are 12 of these on either side,
www.classicsworld.co.uk

OUR CARS
MORRIS TRAVELLER
PROJECT

3

Cover the front half of the car before
you start work as dust gets everywhere
during sanding. More importantly,
it’ll help stop you from catching the
paintwork. An old bedsheet is ideal, but
seal it down the wood-to-metal join using
masking tape so dust can’t get past.

4

Though the glass is coming out, in the interests of dust control you shouldn’t do that
until you need to. Meanwhile, many of the big and flat areas can be cleaned up using
a DA sander like this. Go gently – you’re stripping varnish, not sanding the wood down.

5

As work progressed, a few more dark spots appeared in
the wood. Don’t worry about tiny slithers like this because
provided the actual wood is solid, they’re not significant. Next
time, we’ll show you Ian’s simple but highly effective technique
for making them all-but disappear.

6

7

8

At the top of the central frame member, Ian prefers a sharp
chisel to remove the bulk of the old finish before finally
finishing it off by hand. The same technique is also used for some
awkward-to-reach corners, such as under the joint between the
front vertical and central front-back member.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

Unscrew and remove the rear lights before tackling the rear
pillar, but at this stage it’s better from a dust-control point
of view to work around the door hinges. You can get right up to
them with the sander, but the small part inside the hinge may
need doing by hand.

At the front, three bolts on each side hold the wooden frame
to the front of the car. These need to come out to clean the
vertical member, but only one at a time. This is very important,
because with two or three out, the frame may start to come
away, distorting in the process.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

77

OUR CARS
MORRIS TRAVELLER
PROJECT

9

Cleaning up the front vertical pillar is, generally speaking,
best all done by hand using a block and 80/120/240 grit
paper, though as noted earlier, you chisel-scrape the 90° corner
between this and the central front-back member. Masking tape is
essential to prevent paintwork damage.

10

11

12

The inner edge of the curved wheelarch section is also best
started by hand. As you can see, there are a fair few blisters
and other marks – Ian also prefers to remove these by hand.
We really are catching this wood in time; Peter reckons one bad
winter outside might well have finished it off!

The main pillar is almost finished; the top bolt has been
removed and refitted, the middle one is still out, but the
bottom one is still in. This one might be rusted in, and it isn’t great
in a DIY environment if the captive nut breaks off, so if it really
doesn’t want to come out, it might be best to work round it.

You can use a DA on the bulk of the curved wheelarch
section of timber if you’re careful, but as explained in the
main text, you do need to go gently. Curved surfaces like this
require extra care, as it’s easy to dig in by pushing too hard in
the middle or turning the DA too far into the curve.

13

To save
time, Ian
also has a small
band-sander
that can be used
in some corners
into which the
DA can’t get. This
isn’t essential,
but it does save
a bit of handsanding time.
If you are using
a belt-sander,
you’ll still need to
finish the final bit
up to the metal
by hand.

78 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

14

The rear corner is also best finished by hand. Don’t forget
the very bottom edge that’s facing the road; though
unimportant cosmetically, this is a prime spot for water to soak
in so needs thorough cleaning and treating. The black marks in
the centre rail will all-but disappear next month – promise!

www.classicsworld.co.uk

OUR CARS
MORRIS TRAVELLER
PROJECT

15

At the bottom, you need to get right up to the beading, and
this is only really possible by hand, and with the masking
tape positioned exactly so that it covers the bead completely.
Even the slightest scratch in the bead will show, and you REALLY
don’t want to be taking the rear wings off to renew it.

16

Finally on the rubbing-down front, this is how Ian dealt
with the top rail; his narrow band sander was more
convenient, but if you don’t have one, by hand will do fine. The
small up-down markings probably result from previous sanding
sessions; this wood has had this treatment at least once before.

18
17

As explained in the main text, proper woodwork refurbishment involves
taking the rear windows out, and access is easier with the door check straps
disconnected. Take care not to walk into a door in this position though, as there’s a
good chance you’ll break the door wood and/or the frame’s rear pillar.

19

At first glance, the horizontal
wooden member inside the rear of
a Minor Traveller looks like part of the
main wooden frame, but the screws are a
giveaway – it’s actually a separate piece of
trim, and to access the windows it has to
come off. It should also be stuck on with
waterproof sealing mastic.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

20

Ours, though, had no mastic
at all and came straight off
once unscrewed. The inner window
channel, however, was held in place by
a continuous seam of clear windscreen
sealer and Ian had to cut through it. This is
totally wrong, as there are – or should be
– water drain holes in the channel.

Though not strictly speaking
essential, it also makes access
easier if the rear seat back is out of the
way, a simple unbolt job. Our rear seat
arrangement is, like a few other things on
this car, slightly different to the standard
spec; we’ll see how when we tackle the
interior in a couple of months’ time.

21

The window runner is supposed
to be held down by screws, which
were indeed present, so after a lot of
cutting through sealer and releasing
the screws, the back window came out.
Unsurprisingly, the drain holes were
blocked solid with sealer, leaving no way
out for the water.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

79

OUR CARS
MORRIS TRAVELLER
PROJECT

22

The outer rear window has a longer
slide than the inner one does,
and being longer it is held in by more
screws. To access them all, you need to
slide the window fully each way in turn.
Fortunately, this one had escaped the
screen-sealer treatment that had been
meted out to the offside…

and they are there so that water which gets
into the window channels has an easy way
of draining out. Without this, it would most
likely end up inside the car. But the holes are
drilled straight through with no metal sleeve
or anything similar to protect the wood. It’s
therefore important to protect the holes as
well as ensuring they are clear, and the only
way of doing that is with the windows out.
Because proper preparation is so vital,
I’m covering this work as a two-parter; this
month we’re dealing with preparation and
glass removal, and next time we’ll move on
to look at refinishing techniques and putting
it all back together. As the photos show,
Ian used a combination of hand and power
sanding; the latter saves time and effort
obviously, but using a DA and (especially) a
band-sander on wood does require a soft
touch. Please keep this in mind throughout,
especially if you’re more used to working
with metal! Here, you need to stop as soon
as the old coating has gone and avoid
cutting into the actual wood. The coarsest
paper you’ll need for hand or machine
sanding is 80 grit, and you use that only
briefly, and only if the surface is really bad.
Ian used 80 in a few places, but for the bulk
of the job he used 120, followed by 240
to finally smooth everything off. So yes, all
the sanding shown here was done at least
twice, with 120 then 240, and some started
with 80. In all cases, you want to sand
along the grain of wood as far as possible
CW
rather than across it.

Thanks to Ian Allen, proprietor of
long-established Ely-based Minor
repair and restoration company Minor
Services (01353 662485) for allowing us
to photograph the work featured here,
and his patient explanations of what
he was doing and why.

80 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

23

After that, the window can come
out from inside, again complete
with its lower channel. There are also
vertical front and rear channels which
again attach with screws. There aren’t any
drain holes here of course, but they still
need to come out so the wood behind can
be cleaned and treated.

24

25

26

And here we can see how it should
drain out; the holes run right
through to the bottom of the wood and
the water then runs out. If, though, these
holes are blocked, the water will either
rot its way out or, more likely, find its way
inside the car.

Here, finally, is one of the drain
holes. These are, or should be, in the
inner and outer channels. In our case the
inner ones were so clogged they didn’t
show at all in a photo. Water which gets
past the sliding window seal, as inevitably
it will, should drain out of the wood
rather than being trapped.

At this stage Ian removed the rear
doors – you may prefer to do this
earlier if space and/or clumsiness make it
possible that you’ll walk into a fully-open
rear door. It’s a simple bolt job, and there
should be a rubber gasket-type piece
between the hinge and the wood.

27

None of the rear door hinges are interchangeable position-wise. They are
different side to side, but the top and bottom hinges also differ from one another.
This is a top hinge with the back section angled in relation to the front (above left); the
bottom ones are straight (above right).

www.classicsworld.co.uk

Are you a Morris Minor enthusiast?
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OUR CARS
FIAT 500

FIAT 500

PART

5

For a project that hopefully required no
welding, there is a surprising amount of rust
that needs cutting out. Ultimately though, it could have been worse.
REPORT: SIMON GOLDSWORTHY

A

t the end of last issue I was rather
glumly looking forward (if that is
the right expression!) to scraping all
the old underseal off the Fiat’s floorpan.
In part this was because thick underseal
always makes you think that something
is being covered up, but mostly because
I had found a few areas of corrosion that
needed investigation and rectification.
Since the underseal was an old-fashioned
bitumen coating, I also wanted to get rid
of it because in time that has a tendency to
lift and trap water against the metal, thus
promoting rust rather than preventing it.
So far I had confined my investigations to
the underside of the car, and as reported
last issue I had found a couple of relatively
small holes towards the front of the
nearside floorpan, and also in a couple
of structural ribs on the offside towards
the back of the floorpan. A little further
digging (literally digging out seam sealant
with a chisel) suggested that the bottom of
the trailing edge of the NSF wheelarch was
also dubious where it met the floorpan.
All of this was done from underneath
the car, but having removed the seats and
carpet, I took this opportunity to inspect
the floor from the other side too. As you
can see in the picture above right, the
definition of the pressings in the floorpan
was generally very good, suggesting that
there should not be too many horrors to
discover and that the bitumen coating

was relatively thin. However, I could see
that it had cracked in places, and that is
a sure sign that it has lost adhesion. Sure
enough, lifting the bitumen in those areas
with a thin scraper revealed quite extensive
surface corrosion, though as yet no holes.
Removing the lot was the only proper
long-term solution, and for a number of
reasons. Remember those holes I’d found in
the floorpan on the nearside? They had not
been immediately obvious when scraping
from underneath because the underseal

applied from above meant that you could
not see through the panel. It was only
when I prodded the centres and saw the
‘panel’ move that I realised I was poking
through the metal and lifting some flexible
mat on the inside of the car.
It is very easy at this point to jump to
the conclusion that whoever put on the
matting was merely hiding a problem, and
that might very well be the case. However,
it might also be that since the car had been
standing for many years as an unfinished

1

2

3

Scraping off the bitumen underseal
where it was flaking off underneath the
Fiat revealed some holes in a line across the
front of the nearside front footwell.

82 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

The bottom corner of the NSF wheelarch
where it met the floor was even worse. It
is just visible at the bottom of picture 1, but
this is it after the sealant has been dug out.

Moving inside the car, this is why old
underseal of this type can be such a
mixed blessing. Where it sticks, it protects
the metal. Where it cracks, it promotes rust.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

OUR CARS
FIAT 500

4

It was bitterly cold the day Simon started removing the coating
from inside the car, but that had the advantage of making the
bitumen brittle enough to break off in large chunks.

5

6

7

Look again at image 1. See that rubber bung? Next to that was
an odd-looking section of floor that did not seem to be holed,
but only because the top had been covered with this adhesive mat.

project, any corrosion had got worse in
that time. Either way, I am loathe to start
decrying somebody else’s efforts, for I have
not yet uncovered anything that would
make the car unsafe, and overall it is really
quite solid. Whoever last worked on it may
have cut the odd corner here and there, but
most of us do that, and on the bright side
they had saved this car for me.
Having dug around all the critical areas
underneath and assured myself that I was
not wasting time on a basket case, I opted
to start the total stripdown from inside the
car working on the top of the floorpan,
as this is marginally more pleasant that
working from underneath and getting
covered in underseal. This was on a bitterly
cold day, but it is physical work that soon
warms you up so that was fine.
The scraper I had been using for the
initial inspection was a little too soft and
flexible to force reliably under the bitumen,
so I used a couple of old wood chisels.
These work brilliantly as very strong and
sharp scrapers, and if you keep the angle of
the blade shallow then they don’t dig into
www.classicsworld.co.uk

Using a variety of scrapers and chisels, it only took a couple of
hours to clear this section. Mostly the chisels could be pushed by
hand, and only needed a tap from the mallet occasionally.

This was the worst of the rust on the nearside when all the
scraping was done. The floorpan here curves up the toe-board
for about six inches, with a box section behind it.

8

And this is where the wheelarch meets the floorpan (you can just see the row of holes
from image 7 creeping into the righthand side of this frame). The arch has been plated in
places previously, but the welds look good and strong.

the metal. The chamfered end of the blade
gives you the perfect angle, though you
can also turn it over and use the flat side
where access makes that easier.
Fortunately the Fiat is a small car, and

it only took a couple of hours to clear the
driver’s side. I then took a break, came
back another day and did the same on the
nearside in a couple more hours. And what
did I uncover? On the driver’s side, there
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

83

OUR CARS
FIAT 500

10
9

There was also one small hole further back, seemingly in a random position in the centre
of the floor. Initially we couldn’t understand why this had not been visible from below.

11

Simon elected to weld in a small repair patch from above,
so from inside the car. First he ground back the rough edges
of the hole. The long sides are pretty much running alongside the
inner faces of the strengthening rib below.

was a patch of flaky metal just behind the
outside seat runner, directly above the
structural ribs that had been rusty on the
underside as detailed last issue, so that was
no shock. There was also a small place in
front of the same runner that had been
plated from below, but other than that
the whole floor was in remarkably sound
condition. The definition at the back where
the rear bulkhead/heelboard joins the
floorpan was really quite remarkable – I
would have been mightily impressed with
the way it had survived if this had been a
car imported from southern Italy, but for an
original UK car it was quite incredible.
The story on the nearside was not quite
so good, but still not a disaster. Those
holes I’d discovered from below naturally
got bigger once all the underseal had been
removed, but they were confined pretty
much to a single line. There was also a
single hole further back which I hadn’t seen
from below, which was strange. Then I

84 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

Then it dawned on us that it was
directly over this strengthening
rib underneath the car. The rib itself is
not original and is in fact oversize (so
presumably welded over the original), but
like the wheelarch it appears to have been
welded well and is totally solid.

12

Rather than trying to butt weld and risk burning holes, Simon
elected for the safer option for DIY welders of an overlap
joint. The raised edges were made with a joddler so that the centre
dropped down to be level with the floor.

realised why – it was in the floorpan above
the box section that ran across the car, so
would have been invisible from below. That
does at least reinforce why you have to
check from both sides.
As for the area where the NSF wheelarch
met the floorpan, that turned out to be a
little poorly once the underseal had been
removed. I did clean the bottom six inches
of the wheelarch itself and that was rustfree, so the corrosion is all confined to the
seam where they join. It will take a little
pondering and cutting back before I am
totally clear in my mind what the best way
of repairing this area will be. My ultimate
goal is to disturb as little of the original
Fiat welding as possible. Since a new half
floorpan was only £65, it is tempting to
try and weld the entire panel in, but that
would mean unstitching an awful lot of
perfect factory spot welds. It would also
risk distorting the shell with so much metal
cut out in one go, and even then I would

still be fitting only half a floorpan instead of
the original single floor as used by Fiat. I am
also aware of my own welding limitations,
so I think discretion is the better part of
valour here and I will instead cut out only
what I need from the new panel and keep
the welding to a minimum.
Before finishing for the day, I removed
the pedals so I could finish cleaning the toe
board on the driver’s side. I also started
to ponder what I am going to do after
the repairs have been finished. I do like
Dynamat, which is a thin, mouldable and
easily cut self-adhesive noise suppressant
sheet, but once that is stuck down
it can’t easily be lifted to inspect the
metal beneath. The alternative would be
removable underfelt, but that can trap
moisture. I don’t suppose this will be a car
I have to use in the rain, but no doubt it
will get caught out occasionally. That is a
decision I can defer for another day though,
as I have plenty to be getting on with. CW
www.classicsworld.co.uk

OUR CARS
FIAT 500

13

He is not planning to re-use any of
it, but at the end of each session he
gathered up the scrapings. By the end of
day two, Simon had collected a surprising
4kg of bitumen from inside the car.

14

The accelerator is separate from the other pedals, and consists of a rod from the pedal
to the central tunnel that passes through a hollow tube clamped to the floor.

15

The rod was seized solid in the tube though, so Simon left it
to soak in some de-rusting solution. Unfortunately, after more
than a week it was still not showing any signs of movement.

17

Unfortunately, the brake pushrod was
seized to the pedal. Simon had to file
off the remains of the rusted split pin...

www.classicsworld.co.uk

18

16

The clutch and brake pedals run on a common shaft clamped
to the front bulkhead in a dainty little pedal box. The brake
acts on the master cylinder directly through a hole in the bulkhead.

...then soaked it in penetrating oil and
finally got the pushrod to move with
a little brute force. It then came off easily.

19

After drilling out the remains of the
split pin, the pedals and the pedal box
were blasted clean ready for paint.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

85

OUR CARS
FIAT 500

20

Even though the section of floor to be repaired was relatively small, an entire
half floorpan only cost £65. This is the underside, and as you can see it has the
strengthening ribs already spot-welded on. It also has seat runners on the other side.

21

The rusty metal was cut out in two
sections. The piece at the top shows
the wheelarch curve, and at the top...

22

...you can also see this floor support
bracket poking out. This is it from the
underside of the panel. Simon cut around it
carefully because he may be able to re-use
it. If not, new ones are only £25 so it would
not be the end of the world to replace it.

24

23

And this is the hole that now needs filling inside the car. (You can see here that the
plate over the hole mentioned in steps 9-11 has now been seam-welded into place.)

Simon is already pondering how he will finish the Fiat after
the welding is done. This was the Midget he did a while back.
This was painted, but then lined with adhesive Dynamat.

86 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

25

The Dynamat is great for noise insulation and is waterproof,
but does it look like he is covering something up? Removable
insulation can trap water, though. What do you think is best?

www.classicsworld.co.uk

OUR CARS
PROJECT VW
JETTA GTI

PROJECT VW JETTA GTI P
ART
2
Our new VW GTI has a boot so it isn’t a hot hatch, but it started life as one
really, says Will Holman.

B

efore Volkswagen’s engineers secretly
appropriated an Audi 80 GTE engine
with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection,
nailed it into a stiffened Mk1 Golf shell,
then lowered and uprated the suspension,
nobody used the term hot hatch. But
having convinced VW management that
their skunk works project had legs early
in 1975, the German company launched
its new Golf GTI (Grand Tourer Injection)
a year later in late 1976 and spawned a
whole new genre that’s still going very
strongly to this day.
Despite this, arguments rage about
which car was the first hot hatch.
According to some enthusiasts of the
marque, the Simca 1100 Ti started the
whole thing back in 1973. Others argue
it was the Renault 5 Alpine in 1976. Even
more ardent fans insist the Sunbeam Lotus
was the first proper hot hatch as its Lotus
engine gave it 150bhp. They’re all wrong.
The phrase ‘hot hatch’ was invented
for the Golf, so it wins. Now let that be
an end to it. Except this isn’t a Golf, or
even a hatchback. That;s because having
invented the hot hatch market sector, VW
then decided that for those for whom a
traditional boot was simply a must-have,
they’d slice said hatchback off behind the
C-pillar and graft one on. Enter the VW
Jetta, which is to all intents and purposes a
Golf with a boot.
It was never going to be an easy
job replicating the success of the first-

1

generation Golf GTI. A tough act to follow
it may have been, but with the secondgeneration Golf GTI Volkswagen hit the
mark once again, with the top of the
line model spawning not one, but two
variations of the ever-popular GTI, one with
eight valves and one with 16. The Mk2
Golf was produced between 1983 and
1992, with a total of 6.3 million being built
across all markets. The GTI was the star
of the show, building upon the Mk1 GTI’s
hot hatch characteristics in a more refined
package. The Jetta was right there beside
it, along for the Mk2 ride, once again with
a boot lid. With a 16-valve version of the
tough and happy to rev 1.8-litre inline-

We’re lucky to have this mobile lift in the Classics World
workshop, so after loosening the wheel bolts we got the Jetta
up in the air to better see what we’ve got.

88 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

four engine, our Mk2 Jetta GTI should be
wonderfully engaging to drive, offering a
truly analogue driving experience which is
both enjoyable and easy to live with.
This makes a good one an excellent
choice for a first classic – and one you can
easily use as a daily driver too. Indeed, ours
was in regular use until about 20 years
ago, when it was laid up and dry stored,
although it still got run up to temperature
once a year even then. But then the fuel
pump sender fell off into the bottom of the
fuel tank, so it hasn’t run now for many
years. It came with a replacement used fuel
tank and a secondhand pump/sender unit,
CW
but we’ll start with an assessment.

2

This car hasn’t failed an MoT so there’s a chance the
suspension bushes will still be serviceable. Although equally
possible is that time will have ravaged them.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

OUR CARS
PROJECT VW
JETTA GTI

3

With reconditioned calipers coming in at around £70 a corner,
our gut feeling is to buy a set of four, along with new discs
and flexihoses at the same time. Spot the go-faster discs.

4

5

6

This bad boy exhaust box needs to return to the back pages of
Max Power magazine, but as that’s closed we’ll probably sell
it. Stainless steel it may be, pretty it ain’t.

7

Inside the rear wheelarch near that sill
seam and some underseal has lifted,
but the steel underneath still feels sound.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

8

Rear discs and calipers also provide the handbrake function.
The cables seem free so will hopefully be OK with just a clean
up. Springs and struts all look serviceable at this stage.

The rear of the nearside sill seam looks slightly crusty, but
further poking failed to impact it, so a clean up and some antirust wax should do the trick here.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said
for the offside, where a small hole
appeared after some poking. However,
even here the rusted area is very small
and the repair should be easy enough.

9

This front jacking point looks slightly
suspect, although it held firm with the
car’s weight on it. We’ll need to give it
a good clean and then assess whether it
needs any welding.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

89

OUR CARS
PROJECT VW
JETTA GTI

10

Time to get that fuel tank out. It’s plastic, but the three securing straps are steel.
Thankfully the retaining bolts, although crusty looking, screw up into the car’s
interior, so the threads live in a relatively benign environment and they all came undone
relatively easily, and certainly without snapping.

Bosch K-Jetronic
fuel injection

K-Jet, as K-Jetronic is generally known, is a
mechanical fuel-injection system that was
first used in 1973 on the Porsche 911T.
Since then it’s been employed on a variety
of European cars, including Ford, Volvo,
Mercedes, Nissan, Renault and, of course
the Volkswagen-Audi Group. Funnily
enough the last car to use it was another
Porsche – the 1994 911 Turbo.
The system is also often referred to as
CIS, which stands for Continuous Injection
System, as unlike modern electronic
injection systems, K-Jet’s injectors supply a
steady flow of atomised fuel onto the back
of the engine’s inlet valves, where it then
sits and waits for the valve to open before

it can get into the combustion chamber.
Let’s take a look at the major components
of the system.

Fuel Pump

At the heart of the K-Jetronic system is the
electric fuel pump. K-Jet needs upwards of
5 bar pressure to operate, and many cars
employ more than one pump to achieve
this. Our Jetta has two, one in the tank and
another underneath the car. The pump (or
pumps) maintain a constant pressure in the
fuel supply line, and this pressurized fuel
is essential for efficient atomization and
injection into the combustion chambers.

11

The tank is also held in with these
two screws on the filler neck
assembly, which is all one moulding and
part of the tank.

maintain the fuel pressure. It is connected
to the fuel supply line and acts as a buffer,
dampening pressure fluctuations caused by
the pulsating action of the fuel pump. The
accumulator ensures a consistent and stable
fuel supply to the rest of the system, and
it also maintains a residual pressure in the
fuel system when the engine is switched
off, which allows for easier hot starts and
avoids fuel vapour locks.

Fuel Filter

The tiny particles of dirt often present in
pump petrol would quickly destroy the
metering head and fuel injectors, so K-Jet
systems use a fine mesh filter to ensure
clean fuel to these close tolerance parts.
Accumulator – the accumulator (circled)
smooths fuel pulses and maintains
residual pressure in the fuel rails when the
engine is turned off.

Fuel Distributor
Fuel filter – clean fuel is essential for
reliable K-Jet operation so systems always
include a large filter.
Fuel pump – an electric fuel pump
provides around 5.5bar pressure for the
K-Jet system.

90 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

Accumulator

The fuel accumulator, or pressure damper,
is a key component that helps stabilize and

The fuel distributor is a pivotal component
responsible for precisely metering and
distributing the pressurized fuel to each
injector. It comprises a mechanical plunger
and a series of fuel passages. As the
plunger moves, it regulates the amount
of fuel flowing to the injectors based on
the engine’s demand, which is determined
by factors such as throttle position and
www.classicsworld.co.uk

OUR CARS
PROJECT VW
JETTA GTI

12

With the tank out and lowered to the ground, we needed
to clean all that accumulated mud from the filler area as it
was clear our replacement tank was missing something.

K-Jet equipped Mercedes V8 with airflow
meter arrowed at the front, metering
head behind it.

engine speed. The position of the plunger
is controlled by the airflow meter, which is
connected directly to it.

Butterfly Throttle Valve

Just like a similar device on a carburettor,
this valve is connected to the throttle cable
and controls the amount of air that can
flow through the airflow meter.

13

A good hosing and scrubbing later and we could transfer
this rubber section on to our replacement tank. It had been
filthy, but was still in very good order.

are responsible for delivering precisely
metered fuel directly into the intake ports
of each cylinder. The amount of fuel
injected is determined by the position of
the plunger in the fuel distributor and the
input from the airflow meter. The injectors
operate at a constant pressure, ensuring
consistent fuel atomization for efficient
combustion. These injectors are really
nothing more than a nozzle, with no ability
to control the amount of fuel they deliver.
They simply open at a given pressure, and
close below it.

Warm-Up Regulator

The warm-up regulator is a temperaturesensitive component designed to optimise
fuel delivery during engine warm-up. The
warm-up regulator adjusts the fuel pressure
to provide a richer mixture while the engine
temperature increases, ensuring smooth
operation during the critical warm-up

Airflow Meter

To achieve optimal combustion, the
K-Jetronic system relies on an airflow
meter to measure the quantity of incoming
air. The airflow meter takes the form of
a lightweight steel disc that is positioned
in the air intake stream. As air flows
through the meter, the disc moves, and
this mechanical motion is translated to the
metering head’s plunger.

Fuel Injectors

The fuel injectors in the K-Jetronic system
www.classicsworld.co.uk

Ford V6 with K-Jet – many European cars
used K-Jet, including this Ford Capri 2.8
Injection Special. You can see the metering
head at the front on the right.

phase. Once the engine reaches the desired
temperature, the regulator stabilizes the
fuel pressure for normal driving conditions.

Cold Start Injector

During cold starts, the K-Jetronic system
employs a single cold start injector to add
additional fuel into the inlet manifold. This
injector operates independently of the fuel
distributor and is activated only during cold
engine starts. Once the engine warms up,
the cold start injector is deactivated, and
the regular fuel injectors deliver all the
engine’s fuel needs.

Auxiliary Air Valve

The auxiliary air valve is crucial for
regulating the amount of air entering the
intake manifold. It opens and closes based
on the engine’s temperature, allowing
more air during cold starts to create a fast
idle speed. As the engine warms up, the
auxiliary air valve gradually closes, and the
engine idles more slowly as a result.
Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical fuel
injection is generally a very reliable system
that really only requires a new fuel filter
every so often to keep it happy. As long as
it gets this it can rack up many hundreds of
thousands of miles without problems.
K-Jet later became KE-Jet, the E standing
for electronic. However, the system
remained largely mechanical, the difference
being that the later system used a lambda
sensor in the exhaust and an ECU to control
fuel pressure, thus providing even more
accurate mixture control.
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

91

OUR CARS
PROJECT VW
JETTA GTI

14

The car came with various spares,
including a radiator fan and
surround (but no radiator) and three fuel
pump/fuel sender unit assemblies, one of
which was even complete.

17

15

Here is the best of the bunch.
You can see the small fuel pump
built into it on the left. On its own that
wouldn’t provide enough pressure for the
K-Jet fuel injection so…

Once the boot had been emptied of its assorted goodies,
we could lift out the (very clean) carpet…

18

16

…it’s augmented by this larger pump
(at the rear), together with its fuel
filter (front). Some of the steel pipework
looks a little suspect so that will certainly
require careful checking.

…to reveal this plastic cover set into the floor of the boot.
With that plastic cover removed too…

19

…we could finally track down the
missing fuel pump connections. Next
month we’ll get our new tank in and see
whether the pumps run.

92 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

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LEYLAND’S PRINCESS
A bold design and a great car, British Leyland’s Princess replaced the
Landcrab with a car that was better suited to the executive car park of the
day. Sadly neither it nor the successor Ambassador got the recognition they
deserved, and today they are rare but fascinating classics. Report: SAM SKELTON

W

ith the benefit
of hindsight,
it is fair to say
that the BMC
Landcrab – the ADO17 known
as the Austin 1800 – missed
its mark. Originally intended
as a replacement for the
Farina series, it grew too big,
lacked the sense of style that
came naturally to an Italian
styled saloon, and unless your
budget would stretch to the
Wolseley 18/85 version, the
interior was austere in the
extreme. The designer, Alec

Issigonis, felt that regardless
of the size of a car there was
no need for any sort of luxury
aside from space, a view that
was perhaps part of the car’s
downfall. Even when the
Landcrab gained a six-cylinder
engine wearing Austin/Morris
2200 or Wolseley Six badges,
it still stole few sales from the
likes of Ford or Vauxhall.
Ultimately the Landcrab
would fracture Leyland’s midrange. There were two further
efforts to replace the Farina in
the form of the Maxi and the

Morris Marina, and it was this
range confusion that in part
led to Leyland’s difficulties
making a reasonable profit.
The Landcrab’s successor
would need to be pitched at
a definite market, and the
executive fleet sector was a
very image conscious arena for
the car to find itself in.
Leyland therefore went full
throttle ahead with the new
car, aiming high and creating
something rather special.
Harris Mann’s angular wedge,
while styled in Britain, could

almost have come from the
hand of Giugiaro. Inside was
the same front-wheel drive
and clever packaging as the
Landcrab, helped by the high
waist for a colossal boot, and
an interior that was far more
fitting for its target audience
than the outgoing car had
been. Launched in 1975 as the
Austin, Morris and Wolseley
18-22 range with either an
1800 B-series four-pot or the
2200 SOHC E-series straightsix under the bonnet, later that
year just before the London

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Quotation supplied by
Lancaster Insurance
www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk
Tel: 01480 809176

INSURANCE QUOTE
1978 Princess 2200 HL worth £6000
Standard quote: £95, or £113 with Agreed Value.

Quotes based on a 45-year old marketing manager, access
to another car, no claims or convictions, club member,
3000 miles per year, no modifications, living in SP2 0HL.
Disclaimer: Subject to underwriting criteria. An
additional charge may be payable. Authorised and
regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Motor Show in October 1975,
the whole range would be
rationalised into the Leyland
Princess family and the marque
names dropped – sadly in
the case of Wolseley never
to return. The base and HL
models would be as before,
while the new HLS would take
the place of the now defunct
Wolseley brand as the most
luxurious variant. In 1978, the
range was overhauled and the
Princess 2 was launched, the
primary difference being the
new overhead cam O-series
in 1.7 and 2.0 form serving
as replacements for the old
B-series 1.8.
Princess production ceased
in November 1981, but BL Cars
hadn’t quite finished with the
concept. It received one of
the world’s most crestfallen
facelifts (courtesy of Morris
Ital headlamps which were

arguably too narrow for the
larger car’s width), but it also
finally gained the hatchback
that many of its detractors
argued it should have had
from day one. Only ever
built in right-hand drive, the
resulting Austin Ambassador
effectively held the fort until
the new Austin Montego was
launched in 1984.
224,942 Princesses were
made, including the 18-22
series cars at the beginning.
43,425 Ambassadors were also
produced, but survivors are
now few and far between. This
does mean that you will not be
swamped with choices if you
are on the hunt for one, but
nor does it mean you should
neglect due diligence when
inspecting a possible purchase.
Here are the key points you
need to know.

Bodywork
Check the front air dam and
air intake for rust – it shouldn’t
flex or crunch, but it’s a
prime spot for stone chips
and subsequent corrosion.
Lower front wing rust can be
repaired, but if it’s gone into
the arch then replacement
might be easier, but only if
you can find a wing. The
disadvantage to such a rare
car is that panels are equally
scarce, and front-end panels
can be the hardest and
costliest to find. Ambassadors,
however, have a better frontend design when it comes
to rust resistance, and panel
availability is far better too.
Your only worry here will be
the air dam.
The worst part of an
Ambassador is the roof,
especially above the quarter

windows. Rot here can be
hard to repair and is often
a sign that the car is ready
to be broken and scrapped.
Door bottoms can go on all
models and door hinge pins
can loosen, so check them
by trying to lift the doors and
seeing if there is any play.
Sills are structural and so
need checking carefully – make
sure any work has been done
properly by checking for the
gap that should exist between
the sill and the pivot arm
mounting at the back. Floors
can also rot in the corners, so
check those carefully.
In terms of trim, the stainless
wheelarch trims on Princesses
are almost impossible to
source, while bumpers – which
get pockmarked with age –
are easily found. However,
Ambassador bumpers which
are plastic and more prone to

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knocks are near impossible to
source. The Princess drip-rail
plastic trim is unique in profile,
so check that it’s intact. Alloy
wheel centre caps are hard to
find too.

Engine and
transmission
Depending on the model, the
Princess used one of three
engine families: the 1798cc
B-series, the 2227cc E6, and
the 1695cc/1994cc O-series
pair. All are shared with
other BL models, though the
B-series and the 2.0 O-series
are the most common and
thus have the widest spares
availability.
Before getting under the
bonnet, check that the gas
struts hold it – these are
available if weak, but it’s best
to find that out before it lands
on your head. Tappetty noises
aren’t good, and only the
1800 has adjustable tappets.
1700 and 2000 models have
timing belts – if it’s not been
done with documentary
evidence in the last five years,
it’ll need doing – the factory
interval is 48,000 miles – but it
is only a half hour job.
Some Ambassadors had
an automatic starting unit
– effectively an automatic
choke – when fitted with twin
carburettors. This can fail,

01480 809176

causing starting and running
issues. It can be mended, but
it’s time consuming to get
right and many people prefer
to fit the twin SUs from a 2.2
Princess with manual choke.
This is a bolt on arrangement
(though the air filter housing
needs modification to permit
the cable routing) and
shouldn’t affect the value of
the car as it’s easy to revert if
you prefer your car original.
Autos use the BW35 three
speed unit, which is reliable if
maintained. Check the fluid,
which should be red and not
brown or smelling burnt.
When engaging gear at a
standstill, a slight jolt is normal,
but changes on the move
should be smooth, as should
kickdown. Odd shift patterns
can be caused by a poorly
adjusted kickdown cable.
Four-speed manuals are
strong, but have an awkward
first gear and are generally
notchy and whine a bit – it’s a
box-in-sump arrangement, so
if you’re familiar with the Mini
none of this will be new. Worn
clutches and slave cylinders
can exacerbate the problems
with first gear, so if it feels bad
it may be worth haggling.

Interior and trim
Sagging driver’s seats and
broken seat mechanisms are

the biggest problems you’ll
find on most models, with
the interior trim on Base and
HLS models being fairly hardy.
The nylon used on HLs isn’t
UV resistant though, and the
top of the rear backrest can

disintegrate in the sun. Lighter
colours and later cars including
Ambassadors are more prone
than early models.
New door cards and seats
are impossible to find, so
buy the best interior you can
find. Almost all dashboard
mouldings will have cracks,
but these can be repaired
by specialists. Wooden dash
inserts are real, so check for
chipped varnish. Finally, lift the
carpets in the front footwells
and check the sound insulation
foam for water ingress. If
it’s wet, the odds are the
windscreen rubber has failed.
Fortunately these are available
from the club, but removing
and refitting a screen on any
car can be daunting if you’ve
never done it before.
With just eight fuses on a
Princess, the electrical system
is simple in the extreme.
Ambassadors have a more

FOR OVER 35 YEARS 01480 809176

96 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

www.classicsworld.co.uk

BUYING

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

LANCASTER INSURANCE

GUIDE

01480 809176

ANDREW
EVANSON
Senior
Operations
Manager at
Lancaster
Insurance
Services, says:

The Princess was a
brave attempt to
be different that
failed to set the
market alight. And
that is a real shame
because in this case
the unconventional
exterior hid a cracking
car that combined
space and comfort like
nothing else before
or since (with the
possible exception
of the big Citroëns).
Searching out one of
the survivors is highly
recommended.

Assembling big dreams,
from small parts.

complex system, including
central locking and electric
windows on many models.
Most problems you’ll find
will be related to fuses or
corrosion on connections, so
if changing the fuse doesn’t
work try some contact cleaner.

Suspension, steering
and brakes
Big four-pot calipers are often
robbed from a Princess to
be fitted to other cars with

performance upgrades, so
there’s no reason therefore
why you can’t adapt new
performance calipers to fit a
Wedge should they fail. The
pistons can seize, as can the
rear wheel cylinders. Brake
flexis can fail with age, the
same as they can on any car,
but can be made up by most
competent hose companies.
Repair kits for both front and
rear brakes are easy to get.
A sagging Wedge will

CLASSIC CAR INSURANCE EXPERTS 01480 809176
www.classicsworld.co.uk

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

97

BUYING

GUIDE
typically just need pumping
up. Hydragas pumps are
easily sourced (simple ones
start from £60, while even
more advanced tools can be
found from just £100), though
many village garages will still
have them in the back if you
ask – and if anybody there
remembers how to use them!
If the suspension is hard then it
will need recharging – people
like Ian and Dawn Kennedy
at Hydragas and Hydrolastic
Service Ltd will gladly provide
this service, which has
increased the viability of all
Hydragas equipped cars for
several decades to come. If
you need displacers, Ian and
Dawn are your best bet too,

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

LANCASTER INSURANCE
01480 809176

though replacements aren’t
easy to get hold of. Check the
connecting hoses for any signs
of perishing as they can leak,
but as the fluid evaporates,
there is rarely any trace of a
leak even if there is one.
The Princess 2200 and
posh Ambassador models got
power steering as standard,
and on many others it was an
option. Non-assisted steering
isn’t bad by the standards
of its era, but if you’re used
to modern cars you’ll be
surprised at the weight when
parking. All Princess models
should wear 185/70/14 tyres,
although many will now be
sitting on more modern rubber
sizes such as 195/60. These will

have a negative effect upon
steering weight.

Leyland Princess:
our verdict
The Leyland Princess has
long been forgotten by the
classic car community, and
we think that’s a little unfair
because what we have here
is a spacious, comfortable
five-seater with a massive
boot, very 1970s styling, and
because the market hasn’t
yet realised how great it
is, values are astoundingly
low when compared to the
equivalent Fords. Add to this
that the four-cylinder models
use engines that are about as
well-served as anything else in

the old car movement and that
the Hydragas suspension really
doesn’t pose any difficulties
today, then it’s a no brainer in
our eyes.
Whether you choose one of
the original BL 18-22 branded
models, a Princess or the
final Austin Ambassadors,
you’ll have a classic that could
conceivably be used every day
and will turn heads on every
journey. And while it’s still
possible to get really good
examples for under £5000,
we think that the time for
the Princess has got to come
soon. If you hesitate for too
long, you may end up on the
wrong side of a long-overdue
CW
appreciation curve.

YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER...
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 – Austin Maxi
The Maxi may lack the dramatic flair of
the Princess, but it matches it for interior
space, and beats it for practicality with
a hatchback and seats that fold down to
make a double bed. Unfortunately the
Princess and the Maxi are pretty much level pegging
when it comes to wholesale neglect on the classic car
scene – each has their devoted fans, but they simply
don’t register on most people’s radars. As a result of
this Maxis can be found relatively cheaply, but you
will have to look long and
hard because there are
astonishingly few survivors
from the nearly half million
produced, which is yet
another thing that it has in
common with the Princess...

98 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

Andrew Evanson – Morris Marina
If the Princess was brave and futuristic,
then the Marina was utterly conventional
and the epitome of playing it safe. Not that
this should detract from a car which was
big, comfortable and affordable family
transport. Unfortunately those attributes did not make
for a meteoric rise up the classic popularity charts and
once again survivors are few and far between. That
means the days of picking up a decent car for pennies
are long gone, but there are still some peaches out
there. This is one car where
you will probably want to
join the Owners Club to
aid in your search, which is
no hardship as you’ll find
them a very enthusiastic and
friendly bunch.
www.classicsworld.co.uk

KIT & CLASSIC CAR PARTS SPECIALIST

ISSUE 36
OUT NOW!

ORDER YOUR COPY FROM
OUR WEBSITE

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Wiring Diagrams
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6SHFLǧFDWLRQ&KDUWV
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65

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Quality machines
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HIåFLHQWKHDWLQJ

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HEATERS

FAN HEATERS
2.8kW

,GHDOIRUIDVWHIåFLHQWKHDWLQJ
([WUDORQJUXQIXHOWDQNVÓXSWR
53 litres Variable heat output with
thermostat control

2850

94

Propane
JDVåUHG
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kW
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15
£119.98
24.9
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36.6
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131
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69

NEW

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XR80

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XR60
XR80
XR110
XR160
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20.5kW
29.3kW
46.9kW
61.5kW

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MMA & ARC/TIG
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Professional type torch with on/off control
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with optional accessories

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239

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29

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119

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TIGER 16/550

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HP CFM Tank
2
7 24ltr
2
7.8 24ltr
2
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2.5
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3
14.5 50ltr
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14.5 100ltr

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£298.80
£370.80

Ideal for home
usage, including MIN/MAX
AMPS
automotive and
40/100
general repairs
Plug in, switch on,
get welding
230V
IMIG100NG

Min/Max Amps
40/100
35/135
40/180
30/150

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Current (mm)
MMA140A 20A-140A 1.6-3.2
MMA200A 20A-200A 1.6-4.0
AT165
10A-160A 2.5/3.2/4.0

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ARC
ACTIVATED
HEADSHIELDS
Activates instantly when
Arc is struck Protects to
EN379 Suitable for arc,
MIG, TIG & gas welding

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149exc.VAT

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8VHVæX[FRUHG
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shroud as it burns
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AIR.
DISP MOTOR
MODEL
CFM (HP)
XEV16/100 (OL)†* 14
3
XEV16/150 (OL)†* 14
3
XEV16/200(OL)†* 14
3
XEV16/150(400V)† 14
3
XE18/200 (OL)†* 18
4
XE36C200†
30 7.5HP
XE29/270†*
28 2X3HP
XE37/270 (OL)†* 36 2x 4
SE46C270†
40 10HP

AIR
RCVR
100ltr
150ltr
200ltr
150ltr
200ltr
200Ltr
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270ltr
270Ltr

†V-Twin *230V
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£2129.00 £2554.80

IBC40

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Model
151EN
130EN
160EN

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Devil 7003* 230V
3kW
£76.99 £92.39 DQGIDUPVEDUSVLPD[ZRUNLQJSUHVVXUH
Devil 7005# 400V
5kW
£98.99 £118.79
Devil 6009 400V 4.5-9kW £124.99 £149.99
Devil 7009 400V
9kW
£152.99 £183.59
Devil 6015 400V 5-10-15kW £189.98 £227.98
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15kW £229.98 £275.98
* WAS £83.98 inc.VAT # WAS £117.59 inc.VAT
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12/24V 25A £84.99 £107.98 £101.99
12/24V 40A £104.99 £131.98 £125.99

Heavy duty steel
construction
sandblasters for the quick
removal of surface rust,
paint, dirt/grease etc.
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115
800W £29.98
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189

Foot operated
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retainers
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189

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PRO394
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CHT859
PRO396

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CFC100

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£169.98
£199.98

2 2AH
X

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Desc
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AWD1

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)ROGLQJDQGå[HG
frames available
Robust, rugged
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Overload safety
valve

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FOLDING
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CRANE

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£

219

£

Tank Flow Rate
Model
Volume Req. exc.VAT inc.VAT
CPSB100B* 32 litre 6-25 cfm £169.00 £202.80
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3 forward and
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BRUSHLESS
450NM

Model
Lifting Cap.
CTJ1500QL
1.5T
CTJ1250AC
1.25T
CTJ2500QLGB†
2.5T
CTJ1800AB
1.8T

Max Amps
Charge/
Boost
20/120
38/180
25/200
35/180
45/240
60/350
50/510

18V ½"
IMPACT
WRENCHES

Quick lift Non-marking
nylon wheels Rubber
contact pad - helps protect
vehicle undersides

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£104.99 £135.59 £125.99
£149.98
£179.98
£159.98
£191.98
£184.99 £227.98 £221.99
£219.00
£262.80
£259.00
£310.80

WAS £112.79 inc.VAT

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CAR RAMPS

JACKS ALSO IN
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LOAD RATING:
500KG PER
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[[PP

BOLTLESS
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2
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RED, BLUE, GREY, SILVER
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CTJ3000GB Pro Garage
3 £109.98 £131.98
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EXC.VAT Model WxDxH(mm)
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inc.VAT 150kg 800x300x1500 £42.99 £51.59
* CTJ2250LP has a 2.25 tonne capacity, has a
350kg 900x400x1800 £59.98 £71.98
low entry of only 80mm and includes 2 sockets

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KDUGWRåQG
items vist the

Provides essential home, garage
and roadside assistance Integral
work light 910 includes air
compressor Long life battery
Starting Peak
Model
Boost Amps exc.VAT inc.VAT
910
400
900
£96.99 £116.39
JS1100C 500 1100
£96.99 £116.39
4000
700
1500
£164.99
£197.99
BEST
1000 2000 £179.98 £215.98
SELLER JS12/24

96

STARTS
VEHICLES
UP TO 6L

GARAGES/WORKSHOPS
£ FROM ONLY
.00
DOUBLEexc.VAT
DOUBLE
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inc.VAT

249

CIG81212
Ideal for use as a garage/workshop Extra tough
triple layer cover Heavy duty powder coated steel
tubing Ratchet tight tensioning
Model
CIG81212
CIG81015
CIG81216
CIG81020
CIG81220
CIG81224
CIG1432
CIG1640

size (LxWxH)
3.6x3.6x2.5m
4.5x3x2.4m
4.9x3.7x2.5m
6.1x3x2.4m
6.1x3.7x2.5m
7.3x3.7x2.5m
9.7x4.3x3.65m
12x4.9x4.3m

exc.VAT inc.VAT
£249.00 £298.80
£279.00 £334.80
£329.00 £394.80
£349.00 £418.80
£399.00 £478.80
£499.00 £598.80
£1099.00 £1318.80
£2599.00 £3118.80

Start Peak
Model
Boost Boost
JSM180
180A 360A
JSM200 X 200A 400A
JSM300
300A 500A
JSM350
350A 500A
JSM400
400A 800A

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£49.98
£69.98
£87.99
£99.98

inc.VAT
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£59.98
£83.98
£105.59
£119.98

Model
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CAX-6TBC
CAX3TAB*

79exc.VAT

17

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exc.VAT
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325-490mm £31.99
300-430mm £29.98
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Inc. hook & loop
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wool polishing
bonnet
CP185

180mm
PAD DIA.

37

EXC.VAT
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FOOTER
£45.59
inc.VAT

PARTS
WASHERS

£334.80 inc.VAT

WAS £346.80 inc.VAT

DRILL
PRESSES

VAT
£

CTC1300C
HEADER

.98
189EXC.

£227.98 inc.VAT

Range of precision
EHQFK æRRUSUHVVHVIRU
enthusiast, engineering
& industrial applications

O WAS £239.98 inc.VAT
Model
Description
CTC600C
6 Dr Chest
CTC900C
9 Dr Chest
CTC700C
7 Dr Cabinet
CTC1300C O 13 Dr Combination
Chest/Cabinet

FROM ONLY
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.95
EXC.VAT
DOUBLE
FOOTER
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inc.VAT

99

model
CDP5EB
CDP5RB
CDP102B
CDP152B
CDP352F

EXTRA WIDE 56"
CHESTS/CABINETS
IN STOCK

exc.VAT
£89.98
£89.98
£169.98
£189.98

inc.VAT
£107.98
£107.98
£203.98
£227.98

Model
CBB203C
1 CBB209C
2 CBB217C

Description
3 Dr step up
9 Dr Chest
7 Dr Cabinet

exc.VAT
£86.99
£154.99
£279.00

WAS
inc.VAT
£107.98
£191.98
£346.80

NOW
inc.VAT
£104.39
£185.99
£334.80

MODULAR
STORAGE

Motor (W)
WAS
Speeds exc.VAT inc.VAT inc.VAT
350 / 5 £99.95
£119.94
350 / 5 £99.95
£119.94
350 / 5 £115.95
£139.14
450 / 12 £209.00 £251.98 £250.80
550 / 16 £339.00 £406.80 £406.80

Ideal for creating the
SHUIHFWåWWHGJDUDJHRU
workshop – the ultimate
storage solution.

10

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THE RANGE

ELECTRIC
PRESSURE
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FROM ONLY
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.98
EXC.VAT
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FOOTER
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59

Makes easy work
for washing
vehicles, patios,
stonework, etc.
JET7500, JET8500
& JET9500B include
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FROM ONLY

2610 psi

PRICE CUT
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Model
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CW1D
CWM20
CW40

CW2D
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JET8500
Motor Max.
exc.
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W Press.
VAT
JS1850 1400 1523psi £59.98
JS1950 1600 2030psi £96.99
Jet7500 1600 2030psi £154.99
Jet8500 2100 2610psi £192.99
JET9500B 2400 2900psi £229.98
WAS £77.99 inc.VAT

exc.VAT
£59.98
£149.98
£189.00
£229.98

inc.VAT
£71.98
£179.98
£226.80
£275.98

WAS
inc.VAT
£77.99
£119.98
£191.98
£239.98
£287.98

inc.VAT
£71.98
£116.39
£185.99
£231.59
£275.98

CORNER UNITS IN STOCK

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VISIT YOUR LOCAL SUPERSTORE Open Mon-Fri 8.30-6.00, Sat 8.30-5.30, Sun 10.00-4.00
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£998.00 £1197.60

2
LARGE
CAPACITY
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WITH
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KIT

inc.VAT
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£152.39 £209.99
£203.94 inc.VAT

£89.99
inc.VAT
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2

inc.VAT
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£38.39
£35.98
£58.79
£71.98

PRICE CUT

DOUBLE.99
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112

£135.59
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WAS £137.99 inc.VAT

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£54.99 £65.99
£59.98
£49.98

PRICE CUT
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£

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FROM ONLY
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3
3
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£

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Pressure Engine
Bar/PSI HP
110/1595 3
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200/2900 6.5
182/2640 5.5
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1

CTC1300C

*Aluminium

CAN DRAW
OWN WATER

Model
Tiger1800B
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PLS220
PLS265B
PLS360

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£95.98
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For a brilliant shine
Model
Dia. exc.VAT
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CHDB500 150mm £126.99
CBB250 Q 250mm £169.95

• Oil resistant vinyl covered padded
backs & headrests • Swivel castors
for easy manoeuvrability

£

PRO TOOL CHESTS
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£185.99 inc.VAT

BENCH
BUFFERS/
POLISHERS

CAR CREEPERS

Honda & Diesel engine
models in stock

MECHANICS’ TOOL
CHEST & CABINETS

Ratchet
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quick height
adjustment
Sold in pairs

PRICE CUT
£DOUBLE
.98

CP150
Dual action combines
rotary & orbital motions
to produce an excellent
SROLVKHGåQLVK

HEAVY DUTY
PETROL
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AXLE
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EXC.VAT
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EXC.VAT
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TIGER
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0844 880 1265
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Model
Description
CMC36
Car creeper
CMC45 With adjustable headrest
CMC60 Car creeper reclining
seat & mechanics seat

section on:

£ DOUBLE
.99

FOOTER
inc.VAT
MICRO £44.39
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PRO SANDER/POLISHERS
150mm
PAD DIA.

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*

MARQUES & MODELS
FORD CAPRI

A STROKE OF GENIUS
A 1973 3000 GXL.

Few cars could boast such a wide range of trim and engine options as Ford’s
Capri, but having got the styling so perfectly right, the variety meant that there
would be a model for virtually every pocket and every driver. Report: Andrew Roberts

P

roject Colt – the son
of the Mustang –
commenced in 1964.
The design gained
its distinctive curved rear
windows three years later,
and at the end of 1967 Colt
was renamed Capri because
Mitsubishi owned the former
name. Ford GB had previously
used the Capri name for the
coupé version of the Consul
Classic saloon, but the new
Capri was to be Ford’s third
pan-European vehicle after
the Transit and the Escort.
To reduce potential costs it
used a modified Cortina Mk2
suspension and floorpan,
while the rack and pinion
steering was from the Escort.
Crucially, despite this crossover
of running gear, the Capri
resembled no other car from
Ford’s British or German

operations.
Production commenced in
Halewood on 14th December
1968. The official launch took
place on 21st January 1969
with a myriad of versions
and a choice of 1.3-litre,
1.6-litre, 2.0-litre, 1.6 GT or
2.0 GT engines. The range
commenced at £890 7s 6d
for the base 1300, while
Ford dealers tempted buyers
with their L, X and R Custom
Packs. The first-named gave
you over-riders, a fuel filler
lock and (fake) air extractor
vents. The second package
included reclining front seats,
a dipping rear view mirror
and reversing lamps, while GT
owners could order the R – or
Rallye – package, the fog, spot
and map lamps, a leathertrimmed steering wheel,
Ro-Style wheels and a matte

102 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

black bonnet making any GT
XLR owner the sensation of the
Angus Steak House.
As part of Ford’s
promotions, Roger Clark drove
a 3-litre version (which would
not be available for several
more months) around Croft. In
addition, as the Capri made its
bow at the tail end of Swinging
London, the company wished
to convey an image of Kings
Road grooviness. To that
end, they hired Capri Girls to
distribute publicity material
and host cocktail parties in a
particular sales region. Their
uniform was berets, orange
miniskirts and Mary Quant
wigs. There was also a hilarious
sales film in which a middleaged Brylcreemed type finds
himself irresistible to Claudia,
Margot and Yvette thanks to
a trio of new Capris. ‘Women

– can’t live with them, can’t
live without them’ mused
Patrick Allen on voice-over
duties. A 1600 GT XLR gueststarred in the far-out ITC
series Department S to further
emphasise this air of hipness.
The Capri had the good
fortune to debut the same year
as the UK release of Bullitt.
Commercial travellers who
dreamed of being the next
Steve McQueen could now
own a cheaper equivalent
to the Mustang, while one
advertisement boasted: ‘You
sit low. Relaxed. Pretty much
the way a Grand Prix driver
sits.’ When Autocar tested a
1600 GT XLR, the price was
£1161 6s 10d, including an
optional radio for £31 7s 7d.
They concluded: ‘Really it is
just a saloon with very sporty
lines but it does things without
www.classicsworld.co.uk

MARQUES & MODELS
FORD CAPRI

A 1969 1600 GT XLR.

apparent effort much better
than lots of so-called sports
cars.’ Motor Sport referred to
the ‘exciting new Ford Capri,
which people will insist on
calling a Baby Mustang or the
pauper’s E-type,’ and sales
soared to one million in just
18 months.
October 1969 saw the debut
of the 3-Litre Capri – ‘Lurking
under the bonnet is a strong,
silent Zodiac V6 engine’ – for
£1386 3s 7d, while the 3000E
became the new flagship in
March 1970. ‘All around you
are the symbols and substance
of prestige motoring,’ claimed
Ford, and these symbols
included the near-regulation
vinyl roof, a radio, cloth trim
and a heated rear window.
Meanwhile, for those 1600GT
owners who craved more
speed and had £500 to spare,
Broadspeed offered their
Stage 2 conversion. By 1971,
the Oxfordshire firm built
the cleverly named 190bhp
Broadspeed Bullitt for £1825
in 3000GT form and £1995 in
3000E form.
In terms of variants that
never reached the showrooms,
Ford evaluated 17 Fergusonconverted 4WD prototypes,
but sadly, plans to have the
Advanced Vehicle Operations
plant manufacture them came
to nothing. Coachbuilt versions
began within months of its
launch, and Crayford built
a Cabriolet to display at the
1969 London Motor Show. The
eventual prices for the open-air
version ranged from £1849
for the 1300 to £2421 for the
3000E; in reality, they were
usually the 1600GT or the
2000GT. Bristol Street Motors
www.classicsworld.co.uk

1974 Mk2 – the first
Capri hatchback.

even produced a flower power
style brochure for its ‘Freedom
Capri,’ with shades of the
hippie dancers in Carry On
Camping. Crayford’s partner,
Deutsch of Cologne, converted
37 Capris. Other dropheads
included seven from E.D.
Abbott of Farnham and a oneoff by Carbodies of Coventry
for Ford GB’s then chairman.
In April 1970, Ford’s
Lincoln-Mercury division
began selling the Capri in
the USA as ‘The first sexy
European under $2400.’ That
year, Basil Green Motors of
Johannesburg offered the
Perana – a 3000GT powered
by the Mustang’s 5-litre V8
with a Motorsport camshaft
and a four-barrel Holley 460
CFM carburettor. Ford of South
Africa backed the Perana
with a factory warranty and
shipped bodyshells without
engines or transmissions from
their Port Elizabeth plant to
Green’s works. The top speed
was 143mph, and most were
finished in Bright Yellow or Piri
Piri Red. Green made 500 of
the Capri with ‘More Power
Per Hour.’
That September also saw
the first RS2600 depart the

production line in Cologne. In
October the following year,
it gained quarter bumpers,
modified suspension, ventilated
front discs and revised
transmission. By 1972, Ford
transferred manufacturing to
Saarlouis, and that September
the RS2600 gained a front
spoiler, four-spoke alloy
wheels, a flat three-spoke
steering wheel and black
bumpers. It also featured a
decal kit and a front spoiler.
Ford sold the last example in
1975 after building 3532 of
this most exclusive of Capris.
By 1971, Manchester and
Salford Constabulary started to
use 3000GTs, and November
of that year marked the debut
of the Vista Orange Special,

based on the 1.6-litre or 2-litre
GT. Ford built 1200 examples
of this exclusive machine, and
the equipment list included a
push-button radio, vinyl roof,
inertia reel front seat belts
and fabric seat upholstery. For
the discerning motorist: ‘The
Special can be dealer fitted
with a rear deck “spoiler” and
Lamborghini-like rear window
slats.’ Ron Platt, Ford GB’s
Director of Sales, found people
came into the showroom to
see the Special and stayed to
buy another car.
In June 1972, Ford
introduced the Capri Special
based on the 1600GT or
2000GT in XLR guise; a
handful of 3-litre versions also
left the factory. In addition to
the exclusive colour schemes
– Emerald Green with a gold
coach line and a black interior
or Ebony Black with a red
coach line – the additional
equipment included opening
rear windows, a bonnet bulge,
an alternator, a heated rear
screen, a map lamp, hazard
warning lights and ‘sports
wheels.’ Ford made 750 in
both colour schemes.
The entire range received
a facelift in September 1972,
and every version now had a
bonnet power bulge, with the
GXL replacing the E as flagship.
The brochure proclaimed:
‘The interior of the GXL is
discreetly luxurious, with all
you could ask for in the way of
comfort. There’s a radio, smart
simulated wood-grained facia,
simulated leather steering
wheel and, to keep things in
proper perspective all the time,
a heated rear window.’ Car
was less impressed, stating:

1973 European Touring
Car Championship.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

103

MARQUES & MODELS
FORD CAPRI

For the 1973 range, all Capris except the 3000 GXL got larger
rectangular headlamps, larger rear lights and bonnet bulges.

1973 Capri 1600 XL.

‘We got no great joy from
driving the Capri. Spongy in
its handling, it does not inspire
a great deal of confidence
when being pushed hard.’
Still, they did praise the GXL’s
‘big performance for a very
reasonable price’ of £1891.09,
including £44.62 for the
optional sliding roof.
The millionth Capri left the
production line in August
1973, and three months later
Halewood produced 250
RS3100s using the RS2600’s
front spoiler, wheels, brakes
and suspension. Power was
from a 148bhp 3091cc engine,
the top speed was 124mph,
and the price was £2412.64.
Motor Sport noted they were
a homologation special ‘to
enable a desperately needed
tail spoiler to be used on Ford
Cologne’s European Touring
Car Championship cars.’ Sadly,
the RS3100 was not the ideal
car to launch during a fuel
crisis and Ford reserved 22
models for their Area Sales
Managers.

On 25th February 1974, Ford
introduced the Capri Mk2 with
a completely new bodyshell.
It was the first hatchback
made by the company’s British
division. The entry-level 1300L
cost £1336.25, with ambitious
owners mentally charting
their progress through the
1600L, 1600XL, 1600GT, the
2000GT, and finally to the
3000GT at £1931.66. The GT
featured extra instruments,
twin-choke Weber carburettors
and could be specified with a
£63.01 Sports Custom Pack
with a map reading lamp,
a rear washer and wiper, a
push-button radio, bumper
overriders, a coach line and
sports wheels. Ford GB’s keen
eye for publicity meant they
loaned the latest Capri to the
John Wayne vehicle Brannigan,
with a 3-litre GT pursuing a
Jaguar S-Type through London.
On 1st May 1974, the range
gained a new flagship. Two
years earlier, Ford acquired
the whole stock capital in
the Italian design house

Carrozzeria Ghia. This resulted
in a Capri Mk2 with a vinyl
roof, Rialto nylon upholstery, a
sliding roof, alloy wheels and
high-backed front seats. The
2-litre version cost £2395, and
your friendly local Ford dealer
would probably highlight
that at £2609, the 3.0 Ghia
was much cheaper than the
£3240 Reliant Scimitar GTE.
The journalist Clive Richardson
sniped: ‘One thing which Ford
have not been able to include
in the Ghia, and never will
be able to do, is that aura of
middle-class respectability
which the Scimitar GTE
exudes.’ However, many Ghia
owners were more concerned
The Capri as imported
into the USA was ‘The
Sexy European.’

104 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

with striking a pose in the
Berni Inn than bourgeoise
aspirations.
In the summer of 1975,
Ford built 2003 examples
of the John Player Special,
aka the JPS, to promote the
forthcoming S trim level. A few
were white, but the majority
were in black with gold trim.
When Autocar tested the
2-litre version, they found ‘the
black treatment succeeded
in its main object, if that was
to attract a lot of attention.’
They seemed more taken with
the 3.0S the following year,
regarding £3081 as ‘verging on
the remarkable for what the
car offers.’
At the opposite end of the
spectrum, the 1975 Capri 1300
was devoid of a split rear seat
and reclining front backrests,
but £1771 gained the buyer a
‘Capri for less than the price of
most ordinary family saloons.’
On the small screen, CI5’s ace
agent William Bodie, whose
duties included guarding the
realm and smirking, was issued
with an Arizona Gold Capri 3.0
Ghia. Mark One Productions,
who made The Professionals,
www.classicsworld.co.uk

MARQUES & MODELS
FORD CAPRI

The Capri 1.6 GL for 1976 got sports wheels, a tailgate wash/
wipe, halogen headlamps and a full length side rubbing strip.

had previously used British
Leyland cars but were
unimpressed by their reliability.
Ford introduced the X-Pack
in late 1977, which was
available on the Fiesta, Escort,
Cortina and, most notably,
a specially prepared Capri
3.0S. Power was raised from
138bhp to 170bhp, and the
specification included triple
Weber carburettors, a limitedslip differential, modified
suspension and anti-roll bars,
four-spoke alloy wheels, an
anti-dive kit to ensure stability
under heavy braking and GRP
wheelarch extensions. The
Capri XS was only available
via the company’s 80-strong
network of RS dealerships.
Ford gained further publicity
when The Professionals used
a silver 3.0S with an X-Pack
in pursuit of over-acting
wrongdoers.
Halewood ceased building
the Capri in October 1976,
with all British-market cars
now imported from Germany,
and by 1977 Lincoln-Mercury
ceased importing the Capri to
the US. The third-generation
model, aka Project Carla, made
its bow in March 1978. The
principal news was the new
styling with quad headlamps
and improved aerodynamics,
although the engines and
transmissions were the same
as before. The entry-level
1300L was £2848, with prices
rising to £5337 for the 3.0-litre
Ghia; the 1600L, GL and S, the
2000GL and S and the 3000S
were the intermediate models.
A dealer training film fronted
by Michael Rodd, then bestknown for BBC Television’s
Screen Test, claimed the
third-generation model was for
www.classicsworld.co.uk

the motorist aged ‘between
35 and 41, probably married
and with one child... a pretty
ordinary guy.’
When Car tested the 2.0S
opposite the Vauxhall Cavalier
Sportshatch in 1978, they
found that ‘on smooth, dry
roads the sharp, responsive
handling of the Capri matches,
perhaps even betters, that of
the Cavalier.’ They concluded,
‘Entertaining? The wellbalanced Capri is certainly
that,’ while Motor Sport
believed: ‘By any standards, the
3.0S is a very desirable motor
car, with a high standard of
performance and driveability.’
The X-Pack remained available
until 1980, and L.J.K. Setright
thought ‘Driving the Capri was
a revelation.’ The Zakspeed
Turbo Capri of July 1978,
the result of a collaboration
between Ford and Zakspeed
of Germany, was even more
potent, with a 1.4-litre,
turbocharged four-cylinder
engine capable of over 400bhp
and a top speed over 170mph.
Perhaps the finest publicity
for the Capri Mk3 was the
quartet of Strato Silver 3.0S
cars that starred in The
Professionals. In addition, the
CI5 motor pool also included a

The height of sporting
luxury in 1974 – the
interior of a Mk2 Capri.

Solar Gold and a Tibetan Gold
Mk3. Mark One kept the Capris
at Wembley during shooting,
returning them to Ford’s press
garage in Middlesex during
breaks in filming. In 1980 Ford
unveiled the GT4, which was
possibly the ultimate Medallion
Man Mk3. It was essentially
the 1.6L with extra instruments
and go-faster stripes in tripletone red. The proud owner
also benefitted from a ‘new
Sports gear shift knob’ in a
Capri with ‘Bitter Chocolate
Beta plus fabric.’
1981 marked the demise
of the 3-litre versions, not to
mention the retirement of
Bodie and Doyle. Still, in July of
that year Ford introduced the
Cameo, so buyers who craved
the Capri which was ‘great
value with sporty look’ needed
to rush to their local dealer.
There would be only 1500 of

what was basically an L devoid
of a centre console, a clock
and a radio. Such economies
reduced the price to £3995 for
the 1.3-litre version.
From a sporting perspective,
1981 also saw the launch
of the Injection, the first
product of the Special Vehicle
Engineering Department.
Rod Mansfield combined
a Ghia bodyshell with the
Mk2 Granada 2.8i’s fuelinjected engine and modified
suspension and brakes. Motor
Sport believed that at £7995:
‘no- one can claim that it is a
cheap car in real terms, but to
obtain similar performance and
comfort, one has to look at
least at a Porsche 924 (£9100),
which only beats the Capri on
fuel consumption, or a 2.5 V6
Alfa Romeo GTV at £9400.’
That July saw the first of 155
RS2800s departing Cologne.

The 1980 Mk3 S had a
choice of 1600, 2000 or
3000 engine.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

105

MARQUES & MODELS
FORD CAPRI

Everything but the frills – the Capri Cameo was a stripped down
offering with either a 1300 OHV or 1600 OHC engine.

A 1982 Capri 2.8i Injection represented good value at £7995.

The principal news was the
application of a Garrett T4
turbocharger to the 2.8-litre
engine, together with an LSD
and uprated anti-roll bars.
Then Autocar of 23rd October
contained the exciting news
of the Tickford-converted
Capri Turbo. Their columnist,
the former racing driver John
Miles, was a prime mover in
developing a Capri with a
140mph top speed. To quote
Keith Adams: ‘It was proposed
that Tickford would put up
half of the amount required for
development of a prototype
for assessment, some £25,000£30,000, plus the price of
a Capri 2.8i! The other half
was to be contributed by a
department of Ford.’
An extremely impressed
Motor Sport wrote of the
Capri Turbo: ‘It has been
referred to as an eight-tenths
size Vantage at a third of the
price, and that just about
sums it up.’ Only 85 Turbos
found buyers – by the time
production ended in 1987,
the cost was a steep £17,220.
1982 was also the year of
Capris for the more modest
driver, as the limited-edition
Calypso appealed more to
the insurance representative
with dreams of being the next
Nigel Mansell. Who could
resist a 1600LS equipped with
‘racy’ duotone paint, tinted
glass, and a rear wash-wipe
for only £87 more than the
standard version? According
to Dagenham, its Cabaret
sister model was ‘A Capri to
make a song and dance about’
with its sunroof, alloy wheels,

two-tone paint and choice of
1.6-litre or 2.0-litre engines.
The Cabaret was ungraded
as the Cabaret II in 1983,
with the modest sales cop
heralding ‘A star with heritage,
grace and style.’ By June
1984, Ford introduced the
Laser, which was apparently
‘the perfect cocktail of
multi-seat convenience,
personality-packed styling,
performance and value-formoney luxury blended with
a liberal quantity of that
exclusive ingredient called
panache.’ More prosaically,
the Laser came with a choice
of 1.6-litre or 2-litre engines,
and such luxuries as RS-style
alloy wheels, a leather covered
steering wheel and gear lever
gaiter, and seats trimmed in
Truro cloth. The Capri that
was designed to ‘cut a dash
without ripping a hole in your
pocket’ was initially a limitededition version, but eventually

Ford used the Laser badge on
standard four-cylinder models.
At the top of the range, the
2.8i received an upgrade as
the Injection Special. ‘Wheels,
paint, leather, and limited
slip – that’s what makes the
Injection special’ proclaimed
Ford. The price, including a
duotone exterior finish, was
£9708. Ford ceased building
the Capri for the European
market on 30th November
1984, and henceforth made
only RHD versions for the UK
market. By 1985, the range
consisted of the Laser in
1.6-litre or 2.0-litre forms or
the Injection Special. A year
later, Greater Manchester
Police commissioned 20 of

the latter, and some were in
service until 1992. That year
marked the introduction of the
swan song model – the special
edition 280, known as the
Brooklands for its Brooklands
Green Metallic paintwork. They
also boasted seven-spoke alloy
wheels and ‘Raven’ leather
Recaro seats with burgundy
piping. Ford made only 1038
280s, and on 19th December
1986, the last of 1,886,647
Capris left the Cologne factory.
True to its original advertising
strapline, be it a 280
Brooklands or a 1300L with
aftermarket Starsky & Hutchstyle decorations, each one
really was The Car You Always
CW
Promised Yourself.

A Capri in the 1980 German
Championship.

The hatchback offered great versatility. Nobody need know this one only had a 1.3 engine...

106 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

www.classicsworld.co.uk

The

TRUTH
about...

the Rootes
Arrow
Series
The typically improbable story of the last gasp of a
cash-strapped British carmaker in the 1960s which became
the Ayatollah's national car into the 21st Century. Report: Terry Burgess

W

hen it comes to
improbability,
the world's
motor
industry has provided some
excellent examples. How
about a Mazda 121 (think
Kia Pride) floorpan and
mechanical units clothed in
a first-generation Renault 5
body, complete with large
black plastic wheelarch
extensions? That would be
the Pars Khodra Sepand PK.
It's another story, but the
design lasted from 2000 to
2008, and typifies the nature
of Iran's motor industry, of
which more later.

A very British improbability,
the Rootes Group – an
independent manufacturer of
cars, vans and trucks built up
by two brothers who started as
motor dealers and distributors
– was facing a difficult future in
the mid-1960s. Lacking a true
small car, Rootes had invested
heavily in the Hillman Imp, also
building a new factory for it in
Scotland. Beset with teething
problems, it was not a great
success and Rootes were left
with rather less cash than
they would have liked to bring
new medium-sized models to
market to replace the ageing
and much face-lifted Minx

108 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

and younger, but prematurely
middle-aged Super Minx and
their derivatives wearing Singer,
Sunbeam and Humber badges.
Perhaps that was just as well,
because Rootes toyed with the
idea of making a medium-sized
rear-engined car, but dismissed
it due to lack of funds!
In the event, the resultant
new car, styled by Roy Axe and
William Towns and launched
as the Hillman Hunter in 1966,
was on the face of it rather
plain and lacking in technical
interest. The 1725cc five-mainbearing four-cylinder engine
and all-synchromesh gearbox
were essentially the same as

those recently fitted to existing
Minx/Super Minx-derived
models. Otherwise, it was easy
to see where the inspiration
had come from. The body and
suspension arrangements were
very similar to those employed
on contemporary Ford
products, most particularly the
Corsair and the Mk2 Cortina.
Like the Cortina and Corsair,
it had MacPherson strut front
suspension and a leaf-sprung
live rear axle.
The new car weighed 2cwt
less than the old Super Minx,
whilst having similar space
within and a slightly larger
boot. The Hunter's engine had
an alloy head with a single
Stromberg carburettor, so was
up by 9bhp on the iron-headed
Super Minx with 74bhp (net)
at 5000rpm and had 103lb.
ft of torque at 3000rpm.
Being lighter than the Super
Minx it was considerably more
accelerative, had 20% better
fuel economy and a maximum
speed of close to 90mph. It
also cornered better, with
much less understeer, and was
found to be a comfortable and
well-riding car.
The Hunter was criticised for
having a somewhat intractable
engine not happy slogging
at low revs, a poorly located
rear axle prone to tramp and
jitter on poor surfaces, and
having lost the subtle feeling
www.classicsworld.co.uk

of quality which had previously
distinguished Rootes interiors,
the Hunter's seeming rather
cheap and plasticky. Rootes
had probably done as well
as they could with what they
had though, and the Hillman
Hunter looked like a fresh,
modern design. The alliteration
of its name certainly made it
memorable too, soon passing
into Cockney rhyming slang
for 'punter,' the used car
salesman's unflattering term for
a potential customer.
The Hunter sold well
alongside the badgeengineered Singer Vogue, and
in 1967 the Hunter-derived
Arrow series replaced every
other mid-sized model in the
Rootes range, the old Audax
Husky having ceased in 1965
and the Alpine Series V sports
car going in 1968. It was also in
1967 that Chrysler took control
of Rootes from the ageing
brothers William and Reginald,
having first acquired a stake in
1964.
From 1967, the Arrow range
consisted of the Hillman Minx
and Hunter, the Singer Gazelle
and Vogue, the Humber
Sceptre and the two-door
fastback Sunbeam Rapier,
estate car versions of the
Hillman and Singer models
also being offered. All models
used different versions of
essentially the same engine.
The 1725cc unit was slightly
under-square with a bore of
81.5mm and stroke of 82.5mm.
It was available with either
cast iron or aluminium cylinder
heads and with single or twin
carburettors, depending on
the model it was fitted to. A
shorter-stroke version (71.6mm)

www.classicsworld.co.uk

of 1496cc came only with the
iron head and was fitted to
manual-transmission versions
of the Hillman Minx and Singer
Gazelle, automatics getting
the iron-head 1725cc unit
with 68bhp (net) and 99lb.
ft at 2700rpm. The 1496cc
capacity had 60bhp (net) at
4600rpm and a useful 86lb.ft
at 2600rpm.
Only the Sunbeam Rapier
and the Humber Sceptre had
a twin carburettor alloy-head
1725cc unit with 88bhp (net)
at 5200rpm and 107lb.ft at
4000rpm. There were no
1496cc automatic or overdrive
models. The 1725cc iron-head
engine became optional on
manual gearbox Minxes and
Gazelles in 1968. Thereafter,
every Arrow model would
have one or other of the three
engines in the range, with
the exception of the 1968on 106mph Sunbeam Rapier
H120 and later the Hillman
Hunter GLS which had Holbaytuned 1725cc alloy-head units
with twin Weber DCOE40
carburettors, producing
105bhp (net) and 120lb.ft at
4000rpm.
The Rapier would be joined
by a similar but cheaper

74bhp Alpine fastback with
a lower specification and no
overdrive in 1969, at which
time Arrow production
was moved to Linwood in
Scotland, making way for the
forthcoming Avenger at Ryton.
Singer models disappeared in
1970, but for a further year
there was a Vogue rebadged
as a Sunbeam. Various
combinations of names and
models were used in overseas
markets, with the Arrow series
being assembled in the Irish
Republic, South Africa (which
also had a pick-up truck),
Malaysia, the Philippines,
Australia and New Zealand.

There were facelifts in 1970,
1972 (which included a new
and curvaceous dashboard)
and 1975. In 1976 production
of the Avenger was moved
to Linwood and the last
European Hunters were built
in Ireland from CKD kits,
production ending in 1979.
The very last Hillman Hunter
was assembled in New
Zealand in September 1979,
after the model had been in
production for 13 years, with
around 650,000 built.
As you may be aware,
that isn't the end of the
story for the Arrow series.
The word Arrow, translated

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

109

The TRUTH about...
into Farsi, is Paykan. Rootes
had started exporting CKD
Hunters to Iran-International
for assembly in Tehran in
1967, and by the mid-1970s
the Iranians were producing
complete cars minus the
engines, which were still sent
from the UK. In 1977, with
George Turnbull temporarily
in charge in Tehran, Roy
Axe designed a facelift to
the Paykan using interior
and exterior parts from
the new FWD Alpine and
Turnbull planned to replace
the Hunter engine with
that of the Avenger. The
Western-friendly Shah of
Iran was deposed in 1979
and replaced by the Islamic
Revolutionary government
led by Ayatollah Khomeini
just as supplies of the 1725cc
engine dried up, and the
facelift and engine change
were delayed briefly until the
re-named Iran Khodro had
settled down under state
ownership.
Turnbull, (now in charge
at Talbot UK,) then arranged
to supply the Avenger 1.6
engine, using a special
bellhousing to mate it to
the Hunter gearbox. The

engine production line was
later transferred to Tehran,
continuing right through to
2005 in this form, although the
Peugeot 504's 1796cc unit was
also used. Saloons, estates and
pick-up trucks were made. A
political decision to end Paykan
production was enacted in
2005 and a new model, the
IKCO Peugeot 405RD (later 405
ROA), a RWD Paykan platform
fitted with a FWD Peugeot
405 body, was made for a
further 10 years. This highly
improbable lash-up allegedly
suffered from structural
problems. The pick-up also
continued in its original form
until 2015. That was replaced
by the IKCO Arisun 1 pick-up,
a 405-like vehicle, but still
with the Paykan platform and
a 1.7-litre petrol/CNG engine.
That one lasted until 2020,
but don't imagine that central
Tehran is littered with Paykans
now. A brief walk through
the streets in 2021 revealed
none at all of the incredible 2.3
million produced.
My own experience of the
Arrow series is very limited. I
drove an F-registration Sceptre
Automatic when working in
the motor trade, and despite
having only 49,000 miles
on the clock, the engine
was worn out and it was
painfully slow. A few years
later, whilst working as an
RAC breakdown patrol, I
encountered a Hunter whose
rear end could be bounced
freely up and down. Opening
the boot revealed the cause
– both rear shock absorber
mountings had broken
through the rear wheelarches.
Those two examples can
hardly be representative of
the breed though, so would
I want one today? Assuming
I could find a mint, rust-free
example, it wouldn't take
too much arm-twisting to
persuade me to get the rare
Hillman GT. However, we'd
love to hear from owners
who have more positive
memories of the models.
After all, if you lump the UK
and Iranian cars together, 3
million buyers can't all have
CW
been wrong!

110 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

www.classicsworld.co.uk

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More for 2024 with the Mercedes-Benz Club

Words by: Club Marketing Director
Satinder S. Grewal
Entering its 72nd year, the oldest
and official Club has plenty planned
for this year. Having started with a
practical insight at the Restoration
Show NEC, the Donington Historic
Festival is taking shape for the
first weekend of May. Leading onto
touring opportunities across the
continent including the Ponton Rally
to Frankfurt and Pagoda Rally to
Travemunde, Germany.
Model specific events will be
occurring throughout the season
including S-Fest at Belvoir Castle in
Leicestershire, Coupe Day at RAF
Museum Shropshire and various

‘Drive it’ Days not forgetting breakfast
and pub ‘meets’. Annual highlights
include the National Concours which
again will be hosted at the British
Motor Museum, bringing out the most
cherished and original vehicles in the
Club. A much larger turnout of Club
cars is expected again this year at the
popular Silverstone Festival, with track
parades planned for ‘anniversary
models’, where last year the W113
Pagoda had this privilege celebrating
60 years.
Not too far behind, the much
admired W126 S-Class turns 45
this year, in collaboration with

Mercedes-Benz World Surrey a
special anniversary event planned for
September. Model Register Captain
Richard Mason summarises, ‘we
will have Ayrton Sennas 500SEC, a
rock stars car and parade laps on the
handling circuit.
The grand finale to the season
will again be the Classic Motor Show
at the NEC in November, which last
attracted thousands to admire the
stunning seven cars displayed and
engagement with Club Officials,
Directors and Technical Team.

Love Mercedes-Benz?
Join the official Club.
Warmly welcoming owners and admirers of all models of Mercedes-Benz to the UK
and Ireland’s only officially-recognised club, since 1952.

Join the family today!
mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/mkt002

01780 482111

office@mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

Welcome to the section of the magazine that focuses on cars from the 1990s and
2000s, the ones that are destined to become classics in the near future.
Like people, some cars age more
gracefully than others. That’s why
this issue we’ve put the timeless
Mercedes-Benz R129 SL under the
spotlight on pages 116-117. The
car was a game changer in many
respects with its innovative safety
features – not least the fact it was
the first Merc to boast a rollover
bar which would pop up automatically in roofdown mode in less than half a second to protect the
occupants if the car was about to flip over. But more
than that, park up outside a swish coffee bar or high
street restaurant and it still looks as fresh as it did 35
years ago. It’s one of those ‘forever’ cars – elegant,
easy to keep and stacked with lovely little features
which will make you reluctant to ever part with it. And
the best bit? A reasonably tidy one could be yours for
as little as £6000. Yes, really. Okay, you’d probably

be wise to spend more like £10,000-£15,000 on one
with history and the benefit of a warranty, but you
get the idea. A quick word of warning, though. We
honestly don’t think they will remain this inexpensive
for much longer, so if you think there’s room in your
fleet for one, now’s the time to buy.
Elsewhere in this issue we’ve a guide to help you buy
the best TVR Chimaera as well as some suggestions on
how to make the excellent Jaguar XK8 (X100) a tiny bit
better. Not only that, we’ve got a selection of modern
classics that have recently gone through at auction
and the cars we think you need to keep an eye on as
prospective future classics.
Meanwhile, tell us about your own future classic or
give us a nod regarding the modern cars you think will
become collectable. We’d love your input.

Ian Cushway

Editor

In this issue…
UNDER THE HAMMER

FASCINATING MODERN
CLASSICS AT AUCTION

PROJECT CAR

BENTLEY FLYING SPUR PROJECT PT4
SORTING A MYSTERY MISFIRE
www.classicsworld.co.uk

FORGOTTEN HERO

REMEMBERING THE TIMELESS
MERCEDES R129 SL

SPOIL YOUR...

JAGUAR XK8 (X100)
TOP TUNING ACCESSORIES

BUYING GUIDE

HOW TO PICK THE BEST
TVR CHIMAERA

ONES TO WATCH

OUR PICK OF SUREFIRE
FUTURE CLASSICS
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

113

UNDER THE HAMMER

MODERN CLASSICS
AT AUCTION
Auction houses continue to offer cars from the 1990s-2000s with the potential to
become collectable. These are ones which recently grabbed our attention.
WORDS: IAN CUSHWAY

Brightwells, December 6

B

rightwells’ last sale of 2023 included a huge variety of lots,
from traditional classics to the hugely sophisticated RollsRoyce MPV which smashed its pre-sale estimate. Here are
just a few of those newer classics that caught our eye.
See www.brightwells.com for more info.

1999 Mercedes
Benz 500SL –
£11,222
See, we told you
Mercedes’ R129 was a
future classic bargain
(see pages 116-117
this issue). This one in
attractive ‘GreenBlack’
is the facelift version
and has the sought after panoramic glass hard top option.
Moreover, the car was entered with a bulging history file to
support its 85,937 miles. If you were looking for a prestige
modern classic in which to enjoy the 2024 summer, then this
would have been it.

1990 Bentley Turbo R – £8961

2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan – £173,600
What is it, we hear you ask. Well, it’s about the most
expensive SUV you can buy, which is why it was named after
the biggest diamond ever found. Power comes from a twinturbo V12, and this one was showing just 55,922 miles when it
entered the auction. It’s a lot of car – and still a lot of money.
However, considering the first owner took out finance to pay
its staggering £280,000 price tag but more recently had to
hand it back because they couldn’t keep up the payments, it’s
now looking like a bargain. And after all, how many others
have you seen?

Continuing the trend
of yelling about how
cheap Bentleys from
the ’90s are, this very
tidy looking Turbo
R in BRG with just
125,000 miles looked
like an unbelievable
buy at this price. Okay,
maintenance won’t be cheap (as we’ve found with our
Continental project), but this one had £3300 spent on it in
2022 and came with a huge history file which must provide
at least some peace of mind for future classic hunters.

2009 Lotus Evora 4 V6 – £19,600
The attractive Evora first broke cover in 2008,
and despite being on an all-new platform it still
boasted traditional Lotus traits, namely a superstiff bonded and riveted alloy chassis, a feature
which first appeared on the Elise. It’s powered
by a Toyota-derived 3.5-litre V6 which delivers
a 0-60mph time of well under five seconds and
a top speed in excess of 160mph. This one had
covered 70,435 miles from new, came with five
stamps in its service book and looked a very
sound buy at this price.

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WB & Sons, December 2

B

idders braved cold and tricky
conditions to bid on in excess of 160
lots in the firm’s last sale of the year
at its Newcastle base. And what an eclectic
collection it was too, with the presence of
newer classics featuring more prominently
than ever, or so it seemed to us. These
are the entries we would have been
tempted to raise our hand for. See www.
wbandsons.com for more info.

2003 MG TF – £1040

2004 Toyota MR2 – £840

This open topped modern classic
looked silly cheap and sold at the
bottom end of its £1000-£2000 presale estimate. Not only that, it’s the
‘Cool Blue’ special edition which means
it has a full leather interior. With just
69,000 miles under its belt, someone
came away with a surefire bargain.

Why so cheap, you ask? Well, to
be perfectly honest we don’t know
because this sporty two-seater with
79,000 miles on the clock just needed
tidying up really; there were paintwork
issues and some splits in the hood, but
that’s about it. A brilliant spring project
for the lucky highest bidder.

2003 Jaguar XJ8 – £6976
Oooh, this was nice. It’s the sought
after V8 with a huge specification,
just two former keepers and a
meagre 53,000 miles. And it looks
lovely in this light metallic hue
combined with a light tan leather
interior which suits the car perfectly
and instantly makes it look less
stuffy. The condition looked A1. In
case you were wondering, these
were in excess of £50k new.

2004 Ford Focus ST170 –
£1090
There’s always going to be a strong
market for quick Fords, so we were
excited to see this one-previous-owner
ST170 enter the sale. It’s thought it was
used as a main dealer demo, which
may explain its relatively low 81,000
miles. Future collectability assured.

1991 Onyx Bobcat – £1744
Only 60 of these left the Onyx
workshops in Grimsby between 1998
and 2001. It borrows running gear
from the Mini and is actually quite an
interesting vehicle. The last one of these
we saw sell at auction, a 1988 example,
made £3000 so this one looked
temptingly inexpensive.

2007 Volvo
XC70 – £3542

1990 Bedford
Rascal – £5504

We wondered when
these swish Swedish
soft-roaders would
catch the attention
of modern classic
car hunters – and
judging by the fact
this one sold for
over its pre-sale
guide price, that moment has now come. Having said that,
this one still looked dirt cheap given its condition and its
barely run in 122,000 mileage.

We’ve always had
a massive soft spot
for these miniature
commercials, and
this bright yellow
one with 70,000
miles on the clock
looked absolutely
pristine. Even the
interior looked spotless. It sold for just over its pre-sale
guide price, but as a usable city car with real head-turning
potential, it was a no-brainer.

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APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

115

FORGOTTEN HERO

MERCEDES R129 SL

Elegant, quick and totally timeless – the fourth generation SL is a sub-£10k future
classic you’ll enjoy, cherish and want to keep forever. WORDS: IAN CUSHWAY

W

hen the wedge-like
R129 broke cover
in 1989 it was clear
that the Stuttgart firm wanted
to draw a line under what had
gone before with its more
aggressive styling providing a
stark contrast with the classic
looking W107 which stopped
in 1985 after a production
lifespan that lasted almost two
decades. Yet if you hold your
glance a little longer, with its
long bonnet and two-seater
format, the R129 still has that
iconic SL look which made its
predecessors such a success.
And here’s why. Bruno
Sacco, who headed up the

team responsible for the R129’s
elegant profile, believed in a
‘vertical affinity’ approach to
car design which ensured the
cars he styled wouldn’t be
made immediately obsolete by
their successors by retaining
key styling cues from the
past, while at the same time
introducing new ones that
could be incorporated into
future models. No surprise then
that it scooped the 1990 Car
Design Award.
Another integral element
of its design success was the
fact that it incorporated a
raft of technical innovations,
including a roll bar which

popped up in 0.3 seconds
when the car threatened to
tip over and seats that were
a technical masterpiece with
their magnesium frame and
plethora of patented features to
absorb energy in the event of
a side impact, not to mention
the pre-tensioned seatbelts.
So groundbreaking were they
at the time, their creator also
received an award.
The fabric power hood was
also another groundbreaking
feature, making the R129
the first Mercedes with an
automatic folding roof that was
able to open and close within
30 seconds at the simple push

of a button. Simultaneously, the
side windows and roll bar are
lowered and returned to their
starting position – functions
that took no less than 17 limit
switches, 15 hydraulic pressure
cylinders and 11 solenoids. Oh,
and there was also a draughtstop to enable bluster-free
hood down motoring, making
traditional leather flying jackets
and caps a thing of the past.
Incidentally, the standard fit
aluminium hard top was 10kg
lighter than the coupé roof
of its predecessor. Now, how
clever is that?

Model line up
At launch there were two
3.0-litre, six-cylinder cars as well
as the 5.0-litre V8 in the 500SL.
With 190bhp the entry level
12-valve 300SL wasn’t exactly
rocket-ship quick, managing
the 0-62mph dash in just over
nine seconds with a maximum
of 140mph being reached flat
out. However, the 300SL-24V
was more rapid, its 231bhp
shaving nearly a second off the
0-62mph time and offering an
altogether more appropriate
level of extra grunt throughout
the rev range. Meanwhile, the

116 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

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damage the frame or burn out
the various hydraulic motors. If
it doesn’t work at all, suspect
the roof control unit. If it starts
folding then sticks at the same
position, it will be one of the
17 limit switches. The hardtop
came as standard, so as well
as making sure it’s with the
car, offer it up to make sure
it releases as it should. Finally,
beware of any aircon issues –
you’ll need to strip the guts out
of the car to diagnose and sort
any problems here.
326bhp V8 was a different
kettle of fish again, its silky
delivery finally giving the car
the kind of power SL owners
had grown to expect. The V12
600SL was introduced in 1992
and while it offered a useful
hike in power to 394bhp, the
extra weight blunted any real
performance gains over the V8.

All change
The first minor change came
in 1993 when the flagship
models were rebadged SL500
and SL600 and the 300SL and
300SL-24 were replaced by the
new 24-valve 2.8 and 3.2-litre
straight-six SL280 and SL320
respectively. While performance
remained broadly similar, the
new nomenclature at least
reduced confusion among
buyers.
The first actual facelift was
in 1995, with the SL gaining
a slightly tweaked front end,
new front and rear bumpers
as well as clear indicator lenses
and a six-slat grille. Now there
was also the option of xenon
headlamps and a panoramic
glass hardtop with sun blind.
The second tranche of
changes came in 1998,
when the rear tail lights were
modified slightly and a new
oval tailpipe was added, while
the exterior mirrors took on a
more rounded shape to mimic
those on the SLK. The size and
design of the wheels were also
changed, five-hole 17in rims
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now being fitted.
Again, though, it was the
engine changes that were
more significant, with new
three-valve per cylinder V units
replacing the old engines.
Consequently, power from
the SL280 was up to 204bhp,
while outputs and performance
of the new SL320 and V8
remained largely unchanged. It
was in this form that the R129
was replaced by the R230 in
July 2001.
In total, over 200,000 R129
SLs were made, making it
the best-selling variant of
Mercedes-Benz’s sports flagship
ever made.

Buying one
The good news is an R129
can prove ruggedly reliable as
long as it’s been looked after,
though watch for ignition
issues on early V8s. All had
timing chains which rarely fail,
although it’s worth looking
for oil leaks from the head
gasket on the straight-six. Also,
the shared radiator/gearbox
oil cooler can be problematic
– water can leak into the
gearbox oil which can result in
the ‘box’s failure. Any creamy
emulsification of gearbox oil is
an early tell-tale sign that all’s
not well.
The complex hood is one
of the 129’s main attractions,
so ensure it opens and closes
smoothly without obvious jerks
or straining which will either

What to pay
Early six-cylinder cars are bargain basement money, with as
little as £5000 enough to make you the owner of an MoT’d
project. The more powerful 320 and 300-24 will be £6000£8000, while V8s kick off at £10,000, with clean ones easily
making £15,000. V12s are ultra rare, but you can expect to
pay upwards of £7500 for one with a few miles under its
belt, and a lot more for a barely used example with history.
Values, however, are notoriously difficult to plot because much
depends on mileage, rarity, history and condition rather than
engine or year.
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BEST OF BRITISH
Less muscle car, more Boxster rival – the Chimaera could be the modern
classic you’ve always promised yourself. Words: IAN CUSHWAY

C

ombining archetypal
British sports car good
looks, supple ride
quality and excellent
high-speed body control, the
Chimaera ticks all the modern
classic boxes – and then some.
Moreover, with its lift-out targa
style roof panel which stores
in the car’s vast boot, it offers
the best of both worlds and
can cope with the best and the
worst that our British climate
has to throw at it.
At its heart is the wellproven Rover V8 engine,
which appeared in a variety of
guises – including a 240bhp
4.0-litre, a 285bhp 4.5 and
the range topping 340bhp

5.0-litre – a unit that it shared
with its sister car the Griffith.
The Chimaera’s general body
shape changed little during
production, although in 1996 it
adopted the front nose design
from the Cerbera coupé as well
as the Griffith’s chassis and
brakes. In around 1997/98 the
original parts bin Mk3 Fiesta
rear lights were replaced by a
TVR designed item and in 2001
it received the Griffith-looking
covered headlights.
So what price to pay for
such a heady mix of scalpel
sharp handling, performance
and sports car badge kudos?
Surprisingly, very little, as the
cheapest car we found for sale

was just under £7000, which
isn’t much for a hand-built
supercar. Of more concern,
however, will be reliability and
cost of maintenance – and here
buying a cared for car in the
first place will be key.
As for spares, the good news
is that everything is available,
with much being borrowed
from the likes of Rover, Ford,
Vauxhall and even BMW so
parts prices are generally
very reasonable. An excellent
source of information regarding
interchangeability, which
includes part numbers, exists
on the ChimaeraPages.com
site. Joining the TVR Car Club
and meeting up with other

Chimaera owners in order to
swap intelligence could also
prove invaluable when it comes
to rooting out the cheapest
options.
Mechanically, the TVR is a
reasonably simple car, so if
you are able to do the work
yourself, apart from its thirst
for fuel it won’t cost a fortune
to maintain.

What to look for:
Body/chassis
Perhaps one of the biggest
potential worries with the
Chimaera concerns the chassis,
and areas where the original
factory powder coating has
failed will be the worst hit.

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Quotation supplied by
Lancaster Insurance
www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk
Tel: 01480 809176

INSURANCE QUOTE
1997 TVR Chimaera 4.0 worth £12,000:
£193, or £211 with Agreed Value.
Based on 45-year old, with a second vehicle. It’s garaged,
covers 3000 miles a year and lives in an SP2 postcode. They
have no claims or convictions, are a club member, and are
employed as a marketing manager.
Disclaimer: Subject to underwriting criteria. An additional
charge may be payable. Authorised and regulated by the
Financial Conduct Authority
It can rot on the outriggers,
behind the front wheels and
in the wishbones. Cutting out
the crusty areas and welding
in new sections is a costly
business and replacing the
outriggers alone could easily
make a £2000 hole in your
budget. A better bet might be
replacing the entire chassis,
and Staffordshire-based TVR
specialist Sportmotive sell these
for £6960. Obviously a decent
anti-rust treatment makes
sense if you are considering
long-term ownership. The

bodywork itself can also cause
a few headaches so check that
the panel gaps are even and
look out for stone chips which
can microblister. Cloudy or
chipped windscreens can also
be bad news.

Engines
That Buick-derived V8 is a
known quantity and should
prove long lasting, but be wary
of units that burn oil or have
compromised cooling systems –
the temperature gauge should
hover around 70-80 degrees

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ANDREW
EVANSON
Senior
Operations
Manager at
Lancaster
Insurance
Services, says:

“The Chimaera’s styling
has aged remarkably
well and it’s a thing of
beauty still. Moreover,
it wears that highlyrespected TVR badge
on the bonnet yet
remains temptingly
affordable.”

Celsius while on the move and
go no higher than 90 degrees
C when stationary. Head gasket
issues are common. Radiators
(a modified Range Rover item)
have a finite life, and uprated
replacements make sense
when they need replacing.
Meanwhile, oil pressure should
be 25-30psi.
Camshaft wear is not
uncommon; it’s difficult to
diagnose, but suspect trouble if
you hear tapping or the engine
‘hunts’ or fails to run evenly
at idle. Expect to pay £850 to
have a new item fitted. Other

rough running issues could
also be due to fuel pumps
which can fail. The relay itself
is a BMW item (part number
12631729).
Manifolds have also been
known to give trouble; they
crack and the gasket can also

leak. Bear in mind too that cars
made after 1992 will have a
catalytic converter fitted and
this may lead to an MoT failure
based on emissions if faulty.
Don’t always blame the cat
though because oxygen sensor
faults can also play havoc with

the ECU.
Service items will be a
doddle to get hold of, which
is just as well because regular
maintenance will be the key
to keeping a TVR in good
health. Regular oil and filter
changes (every 6000 miles or
12 months) are particularly
important, and some owners
even replace spark plugs at the
same time.
The Rover SD1 gearbox on
earlier cars is more notchy
than the later Borg Warner T5
unit, but in either case make
sure there are no fluid leaks
and beware of slipping. Diff
bush wear is another common
complaint on the Chimaera so
listen out for any grumbling.

Running gear
Considered the softest and
most comfortable TVR model
at the time, the Chimaera
makes an excellent longdistance cruiser. However, the
steering rack, wheel bearings
and upper balljoints all take

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quite a hammering (the latter
detected by rocking the wheel)
so look for uneven tyre wear
which is a surefire sign of worn
components. It’s also worth
inspecting the shock absorbers
for leaks. Owners often uprate

to GAZ units when the old
ones get soggy. Meanwhile, if
the steering feels notchy, then
the likely suspects are one or
both of the steering column
universal joints.
If the Chimaera doesn’t stop

in a straight line, then suspect
a seized caliper somewhere
in the system. Incidentally,
the 240mm discs are from a
Ford Sierra 1.3, so they aren’t
expensive. Tyres were originally
Bridgestone S02s, but these

are no longer available so
when buying replacements,
make sure that they conform
to the necessary speed rating.
Dunlop SP9000 are reportedly
a well-respected replacement.
Bear in mind that fitting inferior
rubber will affect not only
handling, but stopping as well.
There should be a space saver
in the boot, or at least some
tyre weld.
Excessive heat in the engine
bay can often lead to the
premature demise of various
electrical items such as starter
motors, coils, plugs, ignition
leads as well as clutch slave
and master cylinders. Heat can
also kill engine mounts, so if
there’s excessive cabin vibration
this could by why. Idle stepper
motors, temperature sensors
and other switches can all
prove problematic. While the
stepper motor carries its own
Lucas part number (73312), it’s
also shared with Land Rover
(ERR5199) so it’s a case of

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shopping around to see which
is the cheapest at the time.

What to pay
And now the good news.
Unbelievably, you can still buy
one of these hand-built British
supercar contenders for under
£10,000. Indeed, we spotted a
nice looking ’97 4.0 in metallic
red with red hood and 69,000

01480 809176

miles under its belt being sold
at a dealer in Buckinghamshire
for bang on that. Late teens,
or just breaching the £20k
barrier will get you one with far
fewer miles, while top dollar
for a mint example with hardly
any miles at all on the clock is
£30,000-£35,000. Excellent
value we’d say, and surely a
sound future investment.

Tech specs
Model
Engine (cc)
Power (bhp)
0-60mph (sec)
Top Speed (mph)
Economy (mpg)

4.0
4.5
3950
4441
240
285
4.8
4.6
152
160
all models 18-28

5.0
4988
340
4.1
167

YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER...
Ian Cushway
Modern Classics editor
BMW Z3
It’s the obviously rival, surely – but it would have
to be the 2.8 because the smaller engine option
is pointless. I almost fell off my chair when I saw
how inexpensive the car that played a cameo role in Bond’s
Goldeneye is these days. Believe it or not, I spotted a ’99
example advertised privately for just £2495. Yes, really.

122 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

Andrew Evanson
Lancaster Insurance
Lexus SC430
Remember these? Possibly not because the
sophisticated open-top Lexus which appeared in
2001 was always a rare sight on our roads. It’s
more a refined comfy cruiser than an outright racer, but it still
offers V8 silkiness and effortless performance. Prices for this
glorious convertible start at around £5000.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

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PROJECT CAR

FLYIN
G
SPUR
PROJE
PART CT
4

An unexpected ignition issue drops us down to 10 cylinders
Words: PAUL WAGER Photography: LUKE GIBBONS, PAUL WAGER

The Flying Spur was in great
demand for family and friends
wanting to arrive at their work
Christmas parties in style.

I

signed off our last
instalment having sorted
out the failed CV joint
boot on the offside front,
which meant I could turn my
attention to some of the easier
cosmetic issues. But, as we’re
starting to discover with a car
this complex, there’s always
something waiting in the wings
with a W12-engined Bentley.
This time it was a sudden
loss of power accompanied
by a noticeable change in
the engine note which was
obviously the result of at
least one cylinder dropping

out. Thinking nothing of it, I
assumed it would sort itself out
after restarting, but that didn’t
happen. So I plugged in a basic
OBD reader which told me I
had a misfire on cylinder seven.
As we all optimistically do, I
cleared the code, drove round
the block and... the misfire
was still there. Although I must
admit the Continental still went
well enough, even if it did
sound like an old Camaro.
For more information I
plugged in the laptop to use
proper VW Group diagnostic
software, which told me that

124 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

in fact we had two misfires
– and from the sound of the
engine this made sense. This
time the software reported a
misfire on cylinders seven and
two, which was no surprise.
The design of the W12
engine uses a T-shaped inlet
manifold which is positioned
on the top face of the cylinder
block straddling both banks,
and rather inconveniently it
prevents access to the ignition
coils and spark plugs of the
front most cylinders... which as
you’ve probably guessed are
seven and two.

This then means that a
simple ignition coil swap
– something which is a
10-minute job on a BMW
of the same age – requires
removal of the inlet manifold.

Packing it in
It’s actually a relatively
straightforward job and with
enough care and patience
is well within the scope of
an enthusiastic DIY owner.
The inlet pipes are detached
from the turbos, the various
vacuum pipes and sensors are
disconnected and the manifold

www.classicsworld.co.uk

With the plastic covers removed, it all looks a lot more familiar
but it’s obvious that the coils and plugs for the front most
cylinders are hidden under the curve of the manifold.

Like most modern car engines, the Bentley W12 is largely hidden
behind plastic covers, which as usual on VW Group cars are
simply held in place with spring clips.

can simply be unbolted and
lifted away. It’s prudent to
cover both the turbo intakes
as well as the inlet ports once
the manifold is removed, but
otherwise ‘it’s all nuts and
bolts’ as they say.
The big issue however is that
this is a 2.5-tonne car which
isn’t easily moved when it’s a
non-runner, and should I hit a
snag I didn’t want the driveway
blocked for weeks by the car.
Meanwhile, even though my
double garage is the envy
of many friends, there’s no
way the 5m long Bentley will

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fit inside, so for this reason
I elected to have my local
garage, ACG Auto Repairs in
Cheltenham, do the work.
As luck would have it,
they’d done a similar job on
a W12-engined Audi A8 and
despite some good-natured
banter about the cheapskate
approach of changing only two
coil packs, were quite happy to
take it on.

Bright spark
Accordingly, a pair of coil packs
was ordered from project
sponsor Introcar, who could

Before removing the intake manifold, the intake pipes to each of
the twin turbochargers must be disconnected. We separated
them at the manifold, although you’ll also see people
disconnecting them at the turbo end.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

125

PROJECT CAR

With the various sensors and vacuum pipes detached, the
manifold itself is held in place by nine Torx bolts. It’s a big lump,
as you can see here – literally the size of the workshop bin.

The familiar comment about the W12 being ‘two VR6 engines’ is
obvious from the layout of the coils and plugs on each bank.

offer the choice of OE Bentley
parts or used items. As we only
intended to change two, we
went for the OE items, but for
anyone changing all 12 coils,
the cost saving of the used
parts is immediately obvious.
I’d originally intended to
swap out only two spark
plugs at the same time, but
more banter in the workshop
shamed me into going for
a full set of 12, the W12specific NGK plugs again
being sourced from Introcar.
Despite all the ribbing, as an
indication of how awkward
these big, heavy cars can be if
they’re not running, even the
garage made sure to position
the Continental in a corner of
the workshop where it wasn’t
blocking any of the ramps
before they started work.
A quick assessment
beforehand revealed a handy
bonus when a leaking vacuum
pipe was discovered at the rear

Cylinder number seven was a consistent error code on three
diagnostic systems and it’s the front one in this shot.

of the inlet manifold. It had
obviously been split for some
time and had even been badly
repaired in the past, but could
still be heard leaking air.
As for the diagnosis,
plugging in the garage’s code
reader also identified the
misfire on cylinder seven but
this time paired it with cylinder
six, which hadn’t shown up on
my own kit. Clearly number
seven was definitely an issue,
but I trusted them to go with
their own diagnosis.
In short order ACG boss Luke
and technician Connor had
the manifold off and replaced
the failed coil packs, although
swapping out all the spark
plugs took a fair bit longer. Just
a few hours later the manifold
was back in place and I picked
the car up, now sounding
much happier and idling a
touch more smoothly too – no
doubt the result of the repaired
air leak.

126 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

www.classicsworld.co.uk

We changed all 12 spark plugs while we had the manifold off.
Yes it’s costly, but not as costly as changing all the coils and
would be part of a major service anyway.

A split vacuum pipe was discovered hiding under the back of the
manifold and was repaired neatly before we buttoned the
engine up again.

With the manifold removed, all 12 inlet ports are revealed, so you do need to be careful not to drop anything down them...

www.classicsworld.co.uk

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

127

PROJECT CAR

Close inspection revealed a December 2007 date stamp on the
original coils, suggesting they were the original parts on our
2008-registered car.

The original plugs all looked well used, but nothing about their condition rang any alarm bells.

128 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

www.classicsworld.co.uk

The new coils and plugs were supplied by Bentley parts
specialist and project sponsor Introcar.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

The NGK PZFR6Q-11 is specific to the twin-turbo W12 engine and
not something you’ll easily find locally.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

129

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SPOIL YOUR...

JAGUAR
XK8

Jaguar’s sporting GT is good, but here’s
how to make it even better.
WORDS: IAN CUSHWAY

■ Mesh grille
Mesh grilles always add extra sportiness,
which is why they fitted them to the XKR
from this era. And the good news is you can
buy one for your XK8. There are different
types available, but Adamesh supply ones
that are made from electro-polished, handwoven stainless steel and supported within
a thin metal band with protective rubber to
protect your paintwork. They also do these
three-piece grilles (£360) for extra visual
drama. £179 from Adamesh.

132 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

■ Sports cats
Increased air flow always helps
performance, which is why XK8 owners
might be interested in fitting hi-flow
catalytic converters with 200 cells per
square inch (as opposed to the factory
400-500 cells). These ones are from Venom
Motorsport.

■ Brake disc upgrade
The XK8’s stock brakes are good, but
you can add extra stopping power with
performance discs and pads. These BM
Racing discs from Balance Motorsport
are drilled and grooved and have a colour
temperature checking system which is
useful to identify insufficient brake cooling/
system capability issues. Finish things off
with some Ferodo or Stoptech pads and
you’ll enjoy fade-free braking at its best.
£177.44 per pair.
■ Engine remap
There’s a variety of
remaps available
for that 4.2 V8,
and this Stage 1
software from RTEC
Shop will add a useful
27bhp and 19Nm of
torque.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

■ Stainless exhaust
The XK8’s stainless exhaust is quite a work of art and through its various twists and
turns there are many hangers which, if allowed to come adrift, can cause knocking and
fracture if left unchecked. Indeed, many owners choose to replace the factory system
with a more simple tuned exhaust which, with an accompanying ECU upgrade, can
unleash worthwhile power gains. This one from SC Parts is £1357.

■ Wheel upgrade
The Holy Grail would be to
enhance your XK8 with a set of
20in BBS Detroit wheels from the
XKR. However, good examples
are like hen’s teeth and being
a three-piece split rim, lots are
badly corroded. Therefore, shop
around for an alternative if you
want a change from your factory
hoops. We like the look of these
20in Stuttgart ST8 rims (20x8.5,
5x120 with a 35 offset). In matte
gunmetal, they’re £966 a set
from LK Performance.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

■ Jewelled rear light upgrade
Make an earlier XK8 look like the facelift
model with this upgrade kit from DCR
AutoParts. Simply remove the existing light,
cut out the rear mounting panel and fit
copies of the original Jaguar mounting plate
(£155) so you can fit the later style jewel
lights – £365 used making a total of £520
plus VAT and p&p.

USEFUL CONTACTS
■ Adamesh, www.adamesh.co.uk
■ Balance Motorsport,
balancemotorsport.co.uk
■ LK Performance, lkperformance.co.uk
■ DCR Autoparts, www.xk8-parts.com
■ RTEC Shop, www.rtecshop.co.uk
■ SC Parts, www.scparts.co.uk
■ Venom, www.venommotorsport.com

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

133

MARKET NEWS

We’ve kept our nose to the ground, watched the market and eyed the classifieds to
bring you the next crop of future classics to look out for. WORDS: IAN CUSHWAY
Volkswagen Scirocco
(2008-2017)
The original Giugiaro-styled
Karmann-built ’Rocco is
already a sought-after classic,
and the rounded Mk2 that
followed in 1981 also has a
following – of sorts. However,
we’ve got a good feeling
about the third incarnation
which made its debut in
2008. Based on the Mk5 Golf
but with sleek coupé styling
and a wider track, it looks
and drives impeccably yet
remains woefully undervalued
in our opinion, with as little
as £4000 being enough to
secure a tidy, early 1.4 TSI.
From launch it was offered
with a choice of 1.4- or
2.0-litre turbo petrol engines
in a variety of power outputs
ranging from 120bhp to
200bhp, with the GTi version
gaining an additional 10bhp
in late 2009. There was also
a 261bhp R version from
2010 which got a body kit,
electronic differential, lowered
suspension and Dynamic
Chassis Control (DCC) as
standard. Diesel offerings
again mirrored those available
on the Golf, with between
140bhp and 170bhp available
from the 2.0-litre engine.
While the overall shape
stayed mostly the same,

in 2014 the Scirocco was
made to look more angular
with new front bumpers
and daytime running lights.
Some owners argue that the
pre-facelift has aged better
visually, but that’s all down to
personal taste. Either way, it
still looks fresh, problems are
few and far between and as
it’s got so much in common
with the Golf, parts are easily
available and inexpensive.
Generally you can buy
with confidence, although
occasionally you’ll still
read reports of high oil
consumption with the 1.4 TSI
160, as well as piston failure

134 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

– most notably on cylinder
number three – so if there’s
a running issue, an engine
warning light showing or low
compression, walk away from
any prospective purchase.
Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre
common rail diesel from this

era goes on forever so long as
it’s been serviced regularly.
Expect to pay between
£4000-£6000. The R is likely
to have the most future
collectability, although you’ll
need £8000-£10,000 for a
decent one of these.

www.classicsworld.co.uk

Vauxhall Monaro
(2004-2006)
If you’re into muscle cars
but worry about the showy,
Tinseltown image, then this
little-known Vauxhall will
appeal because underneath
that modest coupé body lurks
a brutal V8 punch.
The car was developed
Down Under by Holden. And
as both marques were under
GM ownership at the time,
Vauxhall executive Kevin Wale
– a former Holden employee
– made it his business to start
importing the car under the
Vauxhall brand, with the first
Monaros reaching Vauxhall
showrooms here in March
2004. The price tag then was
£29,895 for the standard
5.7-litre 328bhp version
and £36,995 for the heavily
breathed on 387bhp VXR.
Needless to say, neither
were slothful with 0-62mph
being despatched in 6 and 5.4
seconds respectively, which
was impressive given its size
and the fact it topped the
scales at a not inconsiderable
1600kg. Meanwhile, the
driving experience itself is best
described as old school; it’s far
from nimble and there’s little
in the way of driver gadgets,
but that’s all part of its appeal.

Fiat 124 Spider
(2016-2019)
In days gone by, Italian cars
were characterised by two
things: rust and a certain
amount of wherewithal
when it came to handling.
Indeed, it seemed once
Italian manufacturers had
worked their magic on the
chassis, suspension and
steering, even family saloons
with the puniest of engines
would suddenly become fun
to drive.
So when Fiat Chrysler
Automotive announced
a modern day version of
its classic 124 in open-top
Spider guise in 2015, the
automotive world took a
collective gulp in anticipation.
It almost didn’t seem to
matter it would be a joint
www.classicsworld.co.uk

No wonder Top Gear’s Jeremy
Clarkson loved it enough to
award it Best Muscle Car in
2005. Incidentally, that was
the year the Monaro got air
scoops in the bonnet, a more
aggressive nose and twin
tailpipes. At the same time the
standard car was given more
power and the VXR gained a
397bhp 6.0-litre V8.
The even more rapid limited
edition VXR500 appeared in
2006 with a supercharger, but
just 18 of these were made for
the UK market, making them
very rare indeed. Alas, it was
only a matter of time before
the anachronistic Monaro met
its end, and the last ones were
registered in 2007.
The examples that have
survived are now owned by
folk who always lusted after
that V8 rumble and cherish
them fondly. The beauty of
venture with Mazda and
therefore be little more
than a re-cloaked fourthgeneration MX-5 (ND).
However, actual sales were
more crucial and here the
Fiat proved fatally flawed.
With a price tag nudging
£30,000 (for the Abarth), the
124 Spider was significantly
dearer than its Japanese
stablemate, so only Fiat
stalwarts showed interest
and the plug was pulled at
the Hiroshima production line
just three years after launch.
The happy ending is that
the pretty convertible is only
now receiving the adulation
it deserved, with those
shared Mazda underpinnings
seen more of an asset than a
negative. Not only that, but
because so few were sold it’s

being so mechanically simple is
there’s very little to go wrong
and parts are plentiful, so as a
potential purchase they’re as
sound as you can get. And if
you’re worried about running
costs, owners report 30mpg
is entirely attainable on a run,
which isn’t bad.
The thing is, people who’ve

become somewhat exclusive,
which means values can only
go one way from here. In
short, if you buy now, you’re
unlikely to lose money. If
that’s not a good reason to
buy a car, we don’t know
what is!
Being scarce, it’s hardly
a buyer’s market, but
nevertheless as little as
£9000 will be the starting
price for the base model in

got them rarely want to let
them go, so the biggest
challenge will be finding one
for sale, but when they do
come up, they usually fetch
£12,000-£15,000.
Bear in mind early prefacelift cars look more stealth,
so don’t rule out buying one
of these.

Lusso spec. More desirable
Abarths are much rarer,
but as a guide, if you go
searching with £20,000 in
your pocket, you’ll be in the
right ballpark.
APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

135

MOTORFREE ADS
TO ADVERTISE VISIT

WWW.MOTORFREEADS.CO.UK
CURRENT LISTINGS
ALFA ROMEO ALFETTA

1976, 101000 miles, £3,995. Saloon 1600 CC 4
cylinder, manual, October 1976 “R” Reg, only 4 left
in UK, still has original showroom brochure, Ziebart
rustproofed, garaged, MOT, tax historic, a very rare
survivor, could deliver. Please call 07927069352,
South West.

FIAT 124

JAGUAR X-TYPE

£12,199. Solid with no visible signs of rot.
Resprayed some time ago in the USA and still
looks good. Interior age worn but good condition
considering car’s age. All switches and gauges
seem to be in working order with a few minor
exceptions. Top usable but worn so comes with
brand new fawn coloured top. (pictured not fitted)
Can be bought with an additional ‘race’ head for a
total cost 12500. Please call 07404 812541, South
East.
122108

122077

JAGUAR XK8
BMW 2000
110000 miles, £1,600. V6 petrol. 12mnt MOT,
all new, front lower suspension arms, brake
pipes pads drop links, battery. All new exhaust
system and cat. It has tow bar and roof rack. Gold
coloured, reluctant sale can’t keep all my cars.
Please call 02476468720, West Midlands.
121968

CHEVROLET BEL AIR

2001, 62000 miles, £2,450. In blue. Excellent
mechanically and bodily 2.5 V6 petrol. MOT
till April 24. Part service history. Please call
07914389236, Yorkshire and the Humber.
122014

1998, 104000 miles, £7,250. Convertible. Beautiful
example of this 1998 Jaguar. Only 2 previous
owners from new. Service and MOT history. MOT till
October 24. No advisories. Body work, alloy wheels,
tyres and hood all excellent. Cream leather. Please
call 07712883683, South West.

JAGUAR X-300

121655

JAGUAR XJS

1957, £17,500. Hardtop original condition running,
driving, older two tone retrim, V8 power, resto mod
or use as is, new carb, extremely iconic, admired
everywhere. Can deliver if required. Please call
07737 174200, West Midlands.

106000 miles, £17,995. Convertible Celebration
4 litre petrol automatic in blue with cream leather
interior. Lots of service history. New MOT with no
advisories. Jaguar Heritage certificate confirming
matching numbers. Drives as it should. Please call
07931 360396, North West.

1996, 123305 miles, £5,995. Finished In British
Racing Green. MOT 06/08/2024. Recent Filters/
Oil-Changed. Service-History. New Head Lining
just fitted. Good Chrome all round. Previous
Jaguar Enthusiasts owned. My own car been kept
indoors (Showroom) for many years. Logbook
says 7 owners but its actually 4 from memory I
taxed it on several different companies that I
was director of. Drives absolutely perfect, engine
very responsive. New-Tyres fitted. 4 Litre engine.
Please call 01159519612, East Midlands.

121883

121685

121927

FEATURE YOUR MOTOR IN YOUR FAVOURITE MAGS!

OR FIND YOUR NEXT!

JUST A SMALL SELECTION OF THE CARS FOR SALE
- GO TO WWW.MOTORFREEADS.CO.UK TO SEE
HUNDREDS MORE

MERCEDES 230SLK

MG ZT

2005, 93000 miles, £1,175. MOT until 24-42024. 1.8 SLK200 Kompressor Convertible 2dr,
petrol manual (209 g/km, 163 bhp). Not used
much since MOT. Been serviced regularly. Lady
owner. Please call 0773984217, West Midlands.

2004, 51300 miles, £4,895. Mk1 MGZT V6 160+
BRG with low mileage and in very good condition.
Remapped to 177BHP. Paintwork good, no rust,
undersealed. Just been serviced, upgraded 190
brakes, Mtec Discs and pads, refurbished alloys,
nearly new tyres, stainless exhaust. Nice interior
with red alcantara and black leather seats. Some
spares and V60 MGX Number plate to be included
in the sale. Will come with a fresh MOT if the asking
price is achieved. Enthusiast owned, MGCC and
MGOC member. Please call 07809072763, South
East.
121692

121657

MINI MK III

MERCEDES 230SLK

MORRIS MINOR

1967, 74000 miles, £4,500. Two door saloon, new
gearbox, four new tyres and wheels, stainless steel
hub caps, new Polly bushes all round, full brake
overhaul, new wheel cylinders, serviced master
cylinder, new brake drums and brake shoes. Car
re/sprayed possibly 5 years ago, welding repair
carried out under sealed. All electrics working
order. Please call 07967194884, Wales.
121965

NISSAN SERENA

2001, 64000 miles, £3,750. Y REG. MOT Sept
2024, Auto 5 speed. Good condition. Please call
07789274732, South East.
121715

1970, 100000 miles, £2,500. Classic Austin
Mini 1000cc HLS Saloon. Many original parts
seats, wheels and subframes. Some original parts
refurbished new panels avaliable, original sunroof.
Engine not seized. Good resoration project. Devon.
Buyer collects. Please call 07305907181, South
West.

1995, £4,250. Camper van 2.3 diesel. MOT sink
hob, slide out double bed. Hook up. VGC. Would
also swap classic car, Austin/Morris Ford etc.
Recent all new belts. Please call 07835651411,
North West.
121978

MORRIS 1000

121963

BEWARE SCAMMERS!
We value your advertising and want to remind you be aware of scammers.
Scammers are clever and can often seem genuine so please remember :
• Kelsey will never contact you to upsell your free advert to a paid for one.
• Do not share any financial or personal information with people you do not
know.
• Kelsey are not responsible for any transactions between seller and buyer.
• You can report scam calls to us via email at cars@kelseyclassifieds.co.uk

1965, £2,750. Disc brakes and servo, inersher
seat belts X 4, tely shocks x4, lead free head, new
starter motor, only 2 previous owners. Welding
needed not serious. Make nice car. Please call
07561 440922, North West.
121967

TO ADVERTISE VISIT:

WWW.MOTORFREEADS.CO.UK

MOTORFREE ADS
WILLYS MB

AUSTIN HEAVY 12/4

1942, £23,000. Everything has been done. Drive
it away. Very good condition. Now 12V all parts
to convert to 6V, with it includes 2x 6V batteries.
Please call 07823475603, West Midlands.

1927, £14,000. Windsor Saloon. Nice condition.
Owned for over 30 years. Please call 01580
241237, South East.

122035

121843

ONE OFF SPECIAL PROJECT

RILEY ELF MINI

SAAB 900 SE

1995, £1,795. Private plate, 1 lady owner, Calypso
Burgundy, lots of services, full history, elecsoft
top, 2 keys, MOT 28th June, always garaged,
141k, could deliver. Please call 07793 057069,
South West.
121684

TRIUMPH STAG
1972, £5,200. MK1, complete rolling shell,
saffron. Also manual engine, gearbox, turns,
condition unknown, other projects forces sale.
Can deliver at a cost. Please call 07860791451,
South West.
122086

TRIUMPH MK2 SPITFIRE

£1,700. Resembles an early Mercedes, purpose
made chassis Cortina running gear, 2L pinto, auto
gearbox, V5, partly stripped/renovation started,
stalled project. Please call 07534 111818, West
Midlands.
122101

MERCURY MONTEREY

1969, £9,950. Fully photographed nut and bolt
rebuild with genuine 1275cc Cooper engine. White
with grey roof. Front disc brakes and rear Minifin
drums. Dunlop alloy wheels. Wood dashboard with
extra instruments and matching door cappings
and woodrim steering wheel. Beautiful interior
with red simulated leather reclining front seats.
Tribar headlights and alternator. Recent MoT. Has
been shown on members stand at NEC. Very lively
fun car. Please call 07711972193, East Midlands.

1966, 24000 miles, £12,950. Completed 30 year
restoration by previous owner 9 years ago. Really
good condition. Overdrive gearbox. Stainless
exhaust. Comprehensive mot and service history.
History of ownership from new. Last 6 MOT’s with
no advisories. Call/view anytime. Open to offers.
Please call 01745857667, Wales.
121487

121898

ROVER MINI COOPER
SPORTSPACK

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF MKII

1959, £14,500. Imported Jun 23 – and immediately
obtained ‘highly commended’ trophy at one of
UK’s largest car gatherings. Driven regular since
imported. ‘Soft’ mot came up with only a few
minors (bulbs etc). Everything that needs to work,
works. Lovely daily driver if wished, or slow rolling
resto if that’s your thing. Drive away. Please call
07404 812541, South East.

1997, 44000 miles, £13,995. British Racing
Green, black leather interior, latest owner for 9
years, newly serviced and MOT’D. Please call
01932 640113, South East.

1992, 92335 miles, £1,500. “Driver” Automatic,
5 door hatchback, central locking/electric front
windows/power steering, Factory sun-roof/Cobra
Alarm/VW alloys/Weber Carburettor/good tyres/
interior/JVC CD/Radio, starts first time, good
runner, solid body, no rot, V5 present, been on
SORN since pandemic, but started every week,
needs good home. Bring trailer, as no MOT. Cash
or Paypal accepted. Please call 07726612010,
South East.

122109

121716

121659

FEATURE YOUR MOTOR IN YOUR FAVOURITE MAGS!

OR FIND YOUR NEXT!

JUST A SMALL SELECTION OF THE CARS FOR SALE
- GO TO WWW.MOTORFREEADS.CO.UK TO SEE
HUNDREDS MORE

AUSTIN ALLEGRO

MERCEDES 124 ESTATE PARTS

1979, £100. 1300cc - Clutch cover housing/
water pump/thermostat cover/near side front and
back doors ( no glass ) / boot lid/scuttle plate all
painted brown/brown carpet/1no seat belt /starter
motor /alternator /boot catch /petrol pump /starter
solanoid /screen wash pump /cigarette lighter
/2no interior light door switches /2no leyland
austin badge 1no allegro badge. Please call
01189756549, South East.

1985-1993, POA. Genuine parts tail gate with

122059

MORRIS EIGHT 1 PAIR OF DOORS

glass, dashboard with wood trim, leather steering
wheel, front seat with armrest, Haynes workshop
manual, all in excellent condition. Please call
01202241383, South West.
122026

MGA PETROL TANK

1938, £150. For Morris 8 (2 door) model, complete
with glass and handles, some rust but solid.
Please call 07922 184960, North West.

AUSTIN RADIATOR GRILLE

122036

£100. 1300 cc G.T. V.G.C. Chrome good: no dents.
A true original. Please call 01536 711757, East
Midlands.

METRO PANELS
POA. Metro Nos Gen and pattern front panels and

121661

headlamp panels, plus good cond bonnets and
tailgates/hand ring. Please call 07860 379440,

FORD 100E 107E

East of England.

£25. 1 pair of new quarter light rubbers, plus
postage. Please call 01597851539, Wales.

121980

POA. An original MGA fuel tank in very good
condition, no corrosion but a few very minor

121938

dents, sanded, prepared, primed and painted
black. This is an OE tank of superior quality not a

HILLMAN AVENGER

modern reproduction. Part of a MGA spares hoard

1975, £25 each. Rear QTR boot outer well panels.
1 x twin h/light type grille for £50. Please call
07860 379440, East of England.

being sold after 20 years of collecting, many other
panels and interior items etc. being sold. Please
call 07446-881808, South East.

121977

VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS 1100
FRONT AND REAR SEATS
£200. Excellent condition in champagne colour.
Also door cards, wood cappings dashboard with
instruments bumpers, parcel shelf etc. Please call
01909 721464, West Midlands.
121665

121969

JAGUAR XJ12 XJ6 SI REAR
BUMPERS

£100. 1 needs re chroming. Please call
07946747481, West Midlands.
122034

TO ADVERTISE VISIT:

MINI 1275 GT ORIGINAL WHEELS

MINI LEYLAND HUB CAP
CENTRES

£250. 4 x 4 1/2 x 10. Very good. Please call 07979

£15. Set of 4. Post free. Please call 0208 3997541,

406536, Yorkshire and the Humber.

South East.

121651

122030

WWW.MOTORFREEADS.CO.UK

Advertising doesn’t cost,
it pays!

For more information call 01732 442242
or email zara@talk-media.uk

CLASSIFIEDS

SERVICES
WANTED

STEERING WHEELS

Advertising doesn’t cost,
it pays!

FORDS
JAGUARS
od

Steering Wheel Restoration

o dt

07968 170363
01483 238073
mail@daveday.co.uk

Steering wheel restoration, vintage to modern cars, tractors, lorries,
buses, boats. Bluemels, Celluloid, Bakelite, Wood & PlaTtic.

For more information call 01732 442242
or email zara@talk-media.uk

tel:+44 (0)1843 844962

www.SteeringWheelRestoration.com

CLUBS

PLATING

CHROMING SPECIALISTS
SPECIALIST ELECTRO-PLATERS,
POLISHERS AND METAL FINISHERS
Specialising in high quality chrome
DERBY PLATING SERVICES LTD

To place your ad please contact Zara on our classics team 01732 442242

148 Abbey Street, Derby, DE22 3SS.
Tel: 01332 382408
www.derbyplating.co.uk

NUMBER PLATES

FOR SALE
01227 720306
07860 232 232

www.morrisminorconvertible.co.uk
Probably the best and largest supplier of genuine
Morris Minor Convertibles in the world.
Established for 40 years.
Good value examples from £4,500 - £18,500
Full after sales service facilities.
Convertibles required
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• Restoration and repairs
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P4, P5, P6, SD1, Land Rover,
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MGC

FORD’S 1966’72 FLAGSHIP

1965 MORRIS
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ISSUE 341

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BIG HEALEY

ROVER P5B

ASTRA MK1

PLUS

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PLUS

Described as an ‘aerodynamic Edwardian!’
‡THE BMC MINI STORY PT1
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B for Buick and the V8 that transformed Rover

MARINA

30 YEARS AND
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Vauxhall’s first front-wheel-drive car on test

1.3 COUPE
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ISSUE 342

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FORD ANGLIA
Buying guide to
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105E/123E

‡ MORRIS TRAVELLER RESTO
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COMPLETE YOUR CLASSICS COLLECTION BY ORDERING ONLINE:
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144 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

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CLASSIC
TAILS

TIPS, TRICKS AND NOSTALGIA FROM A
LIFETIME IMMERSED IN OLD CARS
ANDREW EVERETT

REMEMBERING THE RED BARON
Andrew recalls the VW Golf that he bought from a scrapyard in 1995 for just £100.

S

o here we are in
2024, and it’s now a
whopping 50 years
since the introduction of
the Volkswagen Golf. I blow
hot and cold on VW stuff,
mainly because of their often
baffling mechanical design
that seems purposely made to
fail. (Why have one cam belt
when you can have two?) For
me, the first two generations
of Golf were the best, and
certainly a good standard
Mk2 Golf 1.8GL is still a very
pleasant car to drive.
I remember Mk1 Golfs
when they were new. At
Loders Garage where my
mum bought her first new
car – a 900cc Polo L in 1978
– there were Golfs in the
showroom and they always
looked good. My mum
replaced her Polo in 1982
with EYB 340Y, a new black
Golf GTI 1600, the last of
the breed before the pokier
1.8 engine arrived. With the
bigger glass sunroof and
the extra driving lights in
the grille, it really was quite
something. Everett Senior
occasionally used it and

when he did, it was given a
workout. Around 1984, my
late dad and I had been to
a hillclimb (Shelsley Walsh I
think), and on the A34 for
the return journey, an Opel
Manta threw down the
gauntlet. Dad had the Golf
wound up to an indicated
125mph. I waved at the Opel
pilot as we sailed past. If
the authorities are reading
this, I refer them to dad who
currently resides in an urn.
Early Golfs were known
to be a bit rust prone so dad
Waxoyled ours when it was
new, although it was one
of the very first Golfs to be
fitted with the much needed
plastic front arch liners. EYB
was sold in 1987 and not
seen alive again.
I had a few Golfs, almost
all Mk1s, and one does
stand out. In 1995 I was at
a scrapyard near Bicester on
some mission or other, and
there on top of an Allegro
was an early red Golf. Known
as the Swallowtail due to
the shape of the rear panel
number plate recess on Golfs
built until early 1976, HDV

Whoever did the work
knew it was a rare survivor
and expended maximum effort
to make a first rate job
www.classicsworld.co.uk

983N was a remarkable
survivor that had been
scrapped when the alternator
failed due to oil ingress. I kid
you not. Finished in Senegal
red, HDV (aka The Red Baron)
was a base model five-door
1100N. Houndstooth cloth
trim, rubber floor mats and
a speedo with a fuel gauge
was all you got. I scoped
the Golf out and knowing
that N-reg examples were
the first, elected to save it.
Unusually rust free, the Baron
had already gained new front
wings, front panel and inner
front wing nose sections.
A forklift carefully lifted it
off the Allegro, carried it to
the car park and set it down
whilst I counted out £100.
A quick clean up and
service plus an MoT got it on
the road. Blimey though, it
was undergeared. After two
months I gave in and fitted
a 1300 Formel E economy
gearbox with the extra tall
top gear. Those forwardslanting EA111 engines used
to leak oil from the head
gasket, straight down into the
alternator. I had to pull the
head off and fit a new gasket,
which took about two hours.
Talk about simple, the way
cars should be.
After the winter of 1995,
it started to look a bit tatty
so a local paint shop stripped
it of trim, bumpers and door
handles before painting
both sides and the bonnet.

A very nice job they did too,
and suddenly it was actually
starting to look a bit like a
classic even though it was just
ten years old.
In 1996 someone clouted
the driver's side front wing.
Not badly – it scraped the
arch and pushed it in slightly,
but was still annoying. This
was an insurance job, so
I took it to Rye Mill, the
VW-Audi dealership in High
Wycombe who came up with
the winning quote. Three
days later it was ready.
Well! Rather than repair
the existing wing, they just
fitted a new one. It fitted
perfectly and the paintwork
was first class and a perfect
match. I suspect they had
blown into the driver's
door and lacquered both
panels. Looking underneath,
I saw that the wing had
been painted with textured
stonechip, painted body
colour and once the car was
being reassembled, given
a good coating of anti-rust
wax. In short, whoever did
the work knew it was a
rare survivor and expended
maximum effort to make
a first rate job. I wrote
to Rye Mill to express my
satisfaction.
HDV 983N was last taxed in
2001, which is a long time in
car years. I wonder if it made
it? With luck it will be under a
coating of dust in a lock up. I
do hope it survived.

APRIL 2024 ❙ CLASSICS WORLD

145

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146 CLASSICS WORLD ❙ APRIL 2024

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for well over 50 years

If you wish to see extensive, more detailed photographs of our cars please go to our website.
>LHYLHS^H`ZRLLU[VW\YJOHZLVY[HRLPUWHY[L_JOHUNL4VKLYUHUK*SHZZPJ*HYZPUYPNO[VYSLM[OHUKKYP]L

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Ranges Available:
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quality LEDs designed as a straight replacement for original
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