Innholdsfortegnelse for 16/9/2020 i Classic Car Buyer

Growing up, I had quite contrasting tastes in car mags. On the one hand, I bought classic car titles and rushed out to buy the first copy of MiniWorld, which is still going strong today as part of the Kelsey stable. But in 1993, I also bought the first copy of Max Power and still fondly remember the wide, Dimma-bodykitted Peugeot 205 GTi that graced the front cover, with its styling based on the World Rally Championship-winning 205 T16 Group B rally car. In amongst a host of manufacturer-led continuation cars and specialist-built ‘revival’ cars that revisit iconic motors from days gone by, I noticed that Dimma had produced a prototype for a brand-new version of its chunky 205, using modern mechanicals from the current day 308 GTi. The car…

An intriguing mix of the nation’s favourite classics gathered at the British Motor Museum on September 6 as the BMC and Leyland Show was combined with the National Metro and Mini Show. Both events had been postponed earlier in the year, but that didn’t dampen enthusiasm as all available tickets were sold out for this one-off reboot and the gates were closed once safe capacity was reached. The event was particularly special for Metro owners, as it finally gave them the chance to celebrate the car’s 40th anniversary with like-minded enthusiasts. The Metro Owners’ Club squeezed an incredible 71 Metros and Rover 100s on to its display, plus others scattered around the rest of the show. Highlights included a rare Heinz 57 Rover Metro, an equally rare Mk1 1.3S in…

It won’t be news to many CCB readers to hear that it looks like the creative solutions employed by many of the auction houses to keep going through the Covid-19 crisis will change the classic car buying world permanently. The use of new technology has been a big part of managing the unpredictable and changing business landscape, but auction houses have successfully maintained their all-important personal touch despite conducting business online. Once the initial lockdown measures had been eased, many auction houses managed to reintroduce an element of the personal touch by offering pre-sale viewing, usually by appointment only, while others invested in the time and equipment required to produce more detailed online descriptions. For example, at Anglia you can now see a film of your potential purchase being started…

Looking at the Zagato Alfa Z33 Free Time concept, we found outselves asking – not the first time when Alfa and Zagato are involved – “what were they thinking?” But once you look past the Z33 Free Time’s top-heavy 1.6-metre height you realise it was really quite a way ahead of its time. Previewing the likes of the Qashqai and even the Espace, the Alfa 33-based creation boasted a six-person carrying capacity with folding seats which could turn it into a makeshift camper. Sadly, it never made production.…

The 1960s and ’70s saw increasing numbers of European manufacturers offering twin-cam powerplants. It was a way of boosting a model’s performance and – just as importantly – its maker’s image in what was an increasingly competitive market. And here in the UK in particular, there was no shortage of buyers tempted by the allure of a twin-cam badge on any of the more exciting offerings of the time. Use of an overhead-cam (OHC) engine with dual camshafts – one to operate the inlet valves and the other the exhaust valves – brought numerous benefits, including extra efficiency aided by better ‘breathing’ than a single-cam equivalent. The end result was an engine that produced more power from a smaller capacity than might otherwise be required, making it particularly suitable for…

Group Editor It’s been a while since I last reported on our CRX and looking back at previous updates there’s really not been much to say since we replaced the rusty sunroof panel and fitted a replacement caliper shortly after buying the car. Indeed, apart from replacing the main fuel injection relay early in the new year, the Honda has been faultlessly reliable. And then the world went into unexpected lockdown and the Honda found itself marooned in our company car park for nearly three months while the CCB team was spread across the country. By mid May things had relaxed sufficiently for us to retrieve both the CRX and our Escort XR3i project car and since then I’ve had the Honda in my possession. With everybody at home, one…

ALFETTA GTV v CAPRI Mk3 Two rear-drive coupes, each with their own distinct style. HARD TO HANDLE? We revisit some tricky handlers which don’t bite as hard these days. BUYING SERIES 2 JAGUAR XJ All you need to know about the forgotten Jaguar saloon. Plus… the latest market trends, looking ahead to upcoming auctions and all the latest news from the world of classics. DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL ISSUE OF CLASSIC CAR BUYER FROM AS LITTLE AS 94p! Visit: www.pocketmags.com or download it via the App Store; search ‘Classic Car Buyer’. The printed version of Classic Car Buyer is available in ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons and WH Smiths, plus all good newsagents…

The trend for manufacturers to build continuation versions or ‘restomods’ of hit cars from their back catalogues continues at pace, with the news that Geely’s motorsport arm, Cyan Racing, has unveiled the Volvo P1800 Cyan as a modernised take on the iconic 1960s sports coupe. The reigning triple World Touring Car Champion imagined what they would have done had they been operating as a race team back in period, turning a racing P1800 into a road car. As such, that meant maintaining an analogue feel, with no modern driving aids such as stability control, ABS or brake boosting. It has, however, been significantly re-engineered. Disappointing some who felt Volvo’s revered five-pot turbo was the way to go, Cyan chose the newer VEA turbocharged 2-litre unit used in its 2017 Volvo…

It’s still just about possible to buy into W124 ownership for modest four-figure sums, but anything less than £1500 is going to be rather risky. As we explored in the body and chassis section, if you find yourself with a rotten one you can quickly end up in a money pit. Sellers are waking up to this fact and prices are on the move, particularly now that the older W123 Mercedes are more expensive than ever. A nice four-cylinder W124 wanting only minor work ought to cost you £2000-£3000, while the very best nudge into six-cylinder money at over £5000. The top 24-valve sixes will have a premium on them, with prices up towards six figures. AMG and V8-powered models are well over £10,000. It does seem that there are…

Group Editor Contact: Classics & Sportscar Centre, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 8JB, 01944 758000 www.classicandsportscar.ltd.uk Originally produced as an affordable car for the masses – and as a means of getting the Austin company out of a financial hole following the collapse in sales of its traditional expensive cars after WW1 – the Seven now commands strong money. At least, nicely presented ones do and this certainly falls into that category. Part of the fun of Seven ownership is getting stuck in yourself and the car’s basic construction and technology certainly helps here, but the downside is that sometimes restoration work has a distinctly amateur edge to it. Not so here: originally restored over a ten-year period in the 1980s, the 1935 car has had much love and attention lavished…

The Coventry Shakespeare Run was a tradition in Coventry celebrating the motoring heritage of Coventry’s automotive industries – and now it’s inspired an all new Covid-secure event organised by the team behind the Coventry MotoFest. The Shakespeare Run – Revival, is open to Club MotoFest members and is scheduled for September 26. All members are able to register their vehicles, aged 30 years and older, through the MotoFest website. The run will take in the sights of Coventry and the South Warwickshire countryside, and will operate with an innovative mobile start and finish with no static displays, avoiding the possibility of crowds. Entry costs £10 per classic vehicle or motorcycle. More information can be found at www.coventrymotofest.com/the-shakespeare-run-revival.…

Suffolk Sportscars, known for its replica versions of sporting Jaguars, has gone into liquidation, with a legal wrangle with Jaguar Land Rover cited as one of the factors. The firm, based near Woodbridge, had been operating for almost 25 years, but appointed liquidators from McTear Williams & Wood last month. Companies House records reveal the company owed just over £850,000 to creditors. Its largest creditor was Roger Williams, who started the company and pumped nearly £575,000 into it over the years. Initially, the firm made the Suffolk SS100 – a reproduction of the original Jaguar SS100 using modern mechanical parts from a Jaguar XJ saloon and the XK engine. In 2008 the Suffolk C-type was added to the range, and a remanufactured XK120 was introduced last year. According to the…

SWVA’s Autumn Classic Car Auction is shaping up to be a cracking sale when it takes place behind closed doors on October 30. The catalogue features the usual great variety, but a couple of rare five-door hot hatches rally caught our eye. One is a 1991 Lancia Delta HF Integrale, which spent almost half its life in Japan and is described as an excellent example. The body, interior and wheels are still to factory spec, but the engine now puts out an impressive 261bhp. It’s estimated at £16,000-£17,500. Not as fast but arguably just as intriguing is a MG Maestro 2.0 EFI from 1986, which shows 56,000 miles. Estimated at £2200-£2950, this early example of the O-Series-powered EFI model presents well in silver and includes power steering, a sunroof and…

Production Editor Contact: Paul Matty Sports Cars Ltd Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 1DE Tel: 01527 835656 Web: www.paulmattysportscars.co.uk While most think of the open-topped version when the Lotus Elan is mentioned, the fixed-head coupes are actually very popular amongst enthusiasts. Particularly for those looking to get the very most from the iconic little Lotus, the fixed-head Elan provides that extra nth of structural rigidity that can be helpful when pursuing ultimate performance. It also keeps the wind out of your hair when pressing on. The example we have here has had extensive work done to make it a serious performance car, and so its FHC body is rather appropriate. Set on classic Minilite-style wheels and finished in Wedgewood Blue, it still looks wholly the classic Elan, but underneath it has a…

Features Editor Another car at the more affordable end of Classic & Sportscar Centre’s wide variety of stock is this very smart 1960 Morris Minor Traveller. The Minor doesn’t need much by way of introduction; it’s one of Britain’s best-loved classics and has long been popular among seasoned enthusiasts and first-time buyers alike. It’s incredibly DIY-friendly, with excellent club and specialist support. It’s also cheap to run and easy to upgrade, making it one of the most practical cars ever created. The half-timbered Traveller variant seen here is even more practical, with a cavernous load space. This is a 1960 1000 DeLuxe model with the 948cc A-Series under the bonnet and comes with a wonderful history file. Originally supplied to London dealer Stewart and Arden in grey with red trim,…

As far as rivals for the VW Beetle go, obvious candidates include the Mini, Morris Minor, 2CV and at a stretch the Fiat 500. Yet to VW, there was a German-made rear engined, air-cooled contender that had the potential of being a far bigger threat to its lovable and lucrative Bug. Years before the Neckarsulm factory switched its production to various small Audis and front-engined Porsches such as the 924 and 944, its production line was involved in something that in many respects was likely to become the closest rival to the best-selling Beetle. Not just because it featured a rear mounted air-cooled engine, but because it was precision made to the same exacting German standards as the Beetle. The car in question was none other than the humble and…