Innholdsfortegnelse for 10/02/2021 i Classic Car Buyer

The kit car boom of the 1980s certainly did produce some fantastic creations, and the demise of many future classics as we chronicle in our main feature this week, but it wasn’t long before mass production methods soared off to new heights and things like the retro-styled Mazda MX-5 moved the enthusiast car market on to another chapter. Kit cars quickly gained a poor reputation for being made in old sheds. But I can’t help but see a resurgence of the market that drove all that creativity 40 years ago in today’s ever-expanding crop of restomods. Of course the old shed is long gone, so too are the exposed self-tappers and guess-the-source headlights, but that same philosophy of clutching at a lost past is perhaps even stronger than it was.…

The Classic Car Loan Project (CCLP) is still active and kicking despite the challenges of the pandemic. The project encourages the next generation by loaning classics to young enthusiasts, with 14 cars already on loan and another 10 set to follow in April. “The virus affected but has not destroyed our programme,” CCLP Manager, Bob Wilkinson explained. “Cars were handed over to younger drivers at various times in 2020 to be used, albeit on a more limited scale, during the year. Generous owners have extended the loan period to avoid any disappointment, but I still have cars going out in April.” Some of the more modern classics – a MG Maestro 2.0 EFi, Triumph Acclaim and Volvo 240 Estate – were still on offer as we went to press. Applicants…

Following the 135-strong stash of barn-find cars it put under the hammer in 2019 and a subsequent auction of 150 classics last February, Preston auctioneer Asset Realisation Services is to return later this month with a fresh selection of classic cars, tractors, motorbikes and memorabilia. The catalogue for the November 2019 sale received over a million hits from all over the world, and while the list of entries for the forthcoming sale is still modest, there are potential bargains to be had when it takes place online on February 27. Amongst the lots is a Subaru Legacy reportedly once owned by Prodrive Chairman Dave Richards, plus an Alfa Romeo 75 and a Mk2 Austin-Healey Sprite. All are offered with no reserve. Other lots set to be entered include a Mercedes…

A familiar name to many British car enthusiasts, GKN, faces an uncertain future after the car parts manufacturer said it planned to close its Driveline factory in Birmingham, putting over 500 jobs at risk as work moves abroad. A massive international company with factories all over the world, GKN can trace its roots back to 1759 and has produced all sorts of automotive and aerospace componentry over the years, from driveshafts and CV joints through to complete chassis and road wheels. Amongst the portfolio of its GKN Sankey division were the five spoke alloys fitted to the Triumph Stag, and the Mini’s subframes. Nowadays its Driveline division supplies some of the world’s biggest car manufacturers, with more than 50 per cent of the 81 million new cars sold in 2018…

DATSUN 240/260Z (1969-1978) Traditionally, Datsuns were dull but worthy – but the 240Z changed all that. Logic suggests the bigger-engined 260 from 1974 would provide more of a thrill, but it was heavier, strangled by emission controls and not as pure as the original. Nevertheless, both are quick, grippy, desirable and now have a devoted following. In total, just 168,584 were made. Despite being good value new at roughly £18,500 here, the 240Z was never a big seller. Values hit a floor around 1990, then started to go up. By the dawn of the new millennium, the value of a good one had reached £5500, while the more abundant 260Z was generally less than £4000. The less elegant 2+2 version was even cheaper. Prices of both really started to take…

For almost as long as cars have existed, there’s been a will to modify them, make them faster and make them different. In a perfect world we’d all have the skills, budget and time to re-engineer everything bespoke, but in reality, raiding bits from another car cuts out a whole lot of expense and heartache. Why do all the hard work when a perfectly good solution has already been tried and tested? Whether it’s cross-pollinating or starting afresh with a kit, the trick has always been to raid cars that are plentiful and cheap – there’s no point is starting with something obscure or rare to start with. The snag is, many of the cars that were once a common donor have become rare and collectible in their own right,…

Trying to explain the significance of the Triumph brand recently to someone less well versed in old cars, there was a simple solution: it was the BMW of its time, offering compact sporting saloons to aspirational buyers when the Bavarian firm was still very much a niche player in this country. Ironically, it’s the mighty Bayerische Motoren Werke which owns the Triumph marque today, a legacy of its ill-fated Rover Group adventure. Triumph ceased to be an independent maker long before Herr Pischetsrieder arrived at Longbridge though, having been absorbed by Leyland Motors in 1960 which ensured it would become part of British Leyland on its creation in 1968. More affordable than a Jaguar, but decidedly more upmarket than a Cortina, the Triumph 2000 – alongside the Rover P6 launched…

Last week Land Rover was among those to wish a very happy 100th birthday to Arthur Goddard, the firm’s original Project Engineer, who in 1948 was instrumental in creating an automotive icon. Arthur worked at the Rover Company from 1945 to 1957 and was in charge of Land Rover’s engineering development from 1947 to 1957. Once the Land Rover Series 2 design was finished, he moved on to become the technical director of Girling brakes, moving to Australia in 1970. During his long career he’s worked with many leading automotive engineers, including Spen King, Alec Issigonis and Norman Dewis. During 2015 he returned to the UK to see the Defender in its last year of production and was publicly reunited with the first Land Rover at that year’s Goodwood Revival.…

While other events suffer postponements, Beaulieu has shared hope of better times ahead by announcing its 2021 show calendar. The first of a record 15 Simply events gets underway with Simply Aston Martin on April 25, with Simply Vauxhall on May 9, Simply Audi on May 16 and the brand-new Simply Electric following on May 23. The first Sunday of June is scheduled for Simply Porsche, with the Mini Cooper Day set for a return after a year away on June 13. The month will also host Simply VW, the Hot Rod & custom show, and Simply Jaguar. In July, the Austin 7 Weekend is set to precede the Simply Land Rover, Ford and Japanese rallies. Things heat up even more for August, with the two-day show Supercar Weekend scheduled…

Tickets are now available for Goodwood’s trio of headline events, albeit on a reduced scale. First up is the 78th Members’ Meeting on the weekend of May 15-16, followed by the Festival of Speed scheduled for July 8-11 and the Revival on September 17-19. Full refunds or transfers to the 2022 event are guaranteed if it is deemed that the 2021 events can’t go ahead from UK Government advice. Be quick if you’re interested; not only are attendee numbers reduced but many of those who booked for 2020 will have already had their tickets carried over. What’s more, Goodwood Road Racing Club members get early access, so tickets will doubtless be hard to come by. Visit www.goodwood.com for booking.…

LOTUS ELISE (1996-2004) The back-to-basics Elise has become an icon. First with 118bhp, the 138bhp version arrived in 1998, the more potent 160bhp 111S came a year later, then the Sport 160 and 190, the 340R and hardtop Exige followed in 2000. The more civilised ‘grinning mouth’ S2 appeared in 2001 before the K-series was swapped for Toyota power in 2004. The S1 sold for £20,125 new in 1996, while the 111S with its variable valve cam timing was £26,770 when it arrived in ’99. Initially, demand on the used market was strong and both held their value well; according to our office price guide they would have retailed at £11,790 and £15,720 respectively in 2003. A new S2 in 2001 carried a pricetag of £23,160 and after two years…

Jaguar Classic is to build eight C-Type Continuation cars to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the legendary original, designed by Malcolm Sayer and made between 1951 and 1953. The C-Type will be the firm’s fourth Classic Continuation car following previous programmes for Lightweight E-Type, XKSS and D-Type. This announcement comes just a fortnight after Ecurie Ecosse revealed its own seven-strong run of continuation C-Types. By using 1950s drawings and company records, as well as scan data from an original C-Type, Jaguar Classic says it will create the most authentic new C-Types possible. The cars will be hand-built at its Works facility in Coventry to 1953 Le Mans-winning specification, so buyers will get a 3.4-litre straight-six engine with Weber 40DCO3 carburettors that’s good for 220bhp, plus the disc brakes that the…

The rollout of vaccines in the UK has provided hope for a way out of the Covid-19 pandemic, but as an increasing number of early season headliners are cancelled for 2021, it’s looking more and more likely we’ll have to wait before the classic car event calendar returns to anything like normality. Recent weeks have been especially difficult for big single-marque gatherings, with the London to Brighton Mini Run, the MG Car Club’s flagship MGLive! event and the Classic Ford Show all now paused for 2021. The 35th London to Brighton Run was due to take place on May 16, having been postponed twice in 2020. Organiser London and Surrey Mini Owners’ Club had worked tirelessly with local authorities to stage the event but was ultimately unable to make it…

Lockdown meant the Royal Automobile Club’s annual Historic Awards couldn’t take place at its prestigious Pall Mall clubhouse this year, but that didn’t stop 2020’s outstanding achievements from being marked in fine style. As part of a special online ceremony, trophies and champagne were delivered to the delighted winners, with each able to make their acceptance speeches from their individual locations. Amongst eight category winners was the British Motor Museum, which received the Collection award for its impressive performance during the lockdown of 2020. It was joined on the winners’ roll call by Classics for Carers – an innovative ‘stay at home’ motor show devised by Nick Chivers, which scooped the Motoring Spectacle award in no small part due to raising £17,500 for NHS charities during lockdown. It was also…

Anglia Car Auctions’ first sale of the year will take place two weeks later than planned, on February 27 and 28. As with most auctions taking place since the latest lockdown, it’ll be online only and currently only trade visitors are able to physically view the lots ahead of the sale. There are some highly sought-after items in this sale, including a 1991 Renault 5 GT Turbo recently recommissioned to original spec, as well as some more unusual items and some modern classics. The star lot of the sale is a one-owner Jensen Interceptor from 1974. Having gone through an extensive restoration it’s described as ‘outstanding’. With only 25,000 miles on the clock and lots of original paperwork, it’s expected to reach between £68,000 and £74,000. Looking like ideal home…

Afar cry from the SUV-dominated car parks of today, this scene from York in 1969 is awash with traditional saloon and estate cars. You won’t find any Kias or Hyundais here – clearly the vehicle of choice for ‘Senior Staff’ was the Rover P6. At least two of the trio we see here are TC models, and there’s another visible in the background. There’s a Mk1 Morris Mini ‘woody’ Traveller in the line-up too, while a Wolseley 15/60 faces another Farina in the shape of a Morris Oxford estate. Moving along, a Mk2 Ford Consul joins a Corsair, while a Volvo Amazon adds an overseas interloper to proceedings. Over in the distance we can make out a Hillman Minx, several Minis and Anglias, a Morris Minor and a few ADO16s…