Innholdsfortegnelse for 25/08/2021 i Classic Car Buyer

Do you remember December 3, 2009? Me neither; it was the day immediately after a best pal’s 30th birthday, so I imagine it was all a bit hazy. It was a momentous day for the staff in the Classic Car Buyer offices though, for December 3 saw the very first issue hit the newsstand. Back then the editor was the experienced Peter Simpson, and though he’s now at the helm of our sister title Bargain Cars, he’s still a very important CCB contributor as your favourite classic car newspaper reaches its 600th issue. Now, 600 might not sound like much if you say it quickly, but I reckon it’s quite the achievement. Rewind to 2009 and I was working as a features editor on Mini Magazine, producing new issues on…

A new report suggests that upgrading every classic car in the UK to become compatible with E10 unleaded fuel will cost almost £300 per car on average – or as much as £178m in total. That is according to a new study from comparison site GoCompare, which defines a classic car as over 25 years old and has based its research on a 1963 Jaguar E-Type, 1973 Mini Mk3, 1983 Ford Capri Mk3 and 1993 Mazda MX-5. These were chosen because they’re reckoned to represent the top-selling classic cars across four decades, with each vehicle’s engine capacity, mpg and average annual mileage reviewed. The study’s figures are based on a RAC estimate of 600,000 affected vehicles, which it believes will mostly be classic cars, if not all. The report estimates…

Dorset auction house DVCA is back in action on September 9 with an eclectic catalogue featuring traditional British marques, powerful sports cars and alluring rarities. The sale is particularly notable for its wide selection of pre-war classics, with the oldest a 1928 Ford Model A Sports Coupe estimated at £10,000-£12,000. Also included is a 1932 Singer Junior Six Light Saloon and a 1933 Wolseley Hornet Six Light Saloon, both estimated at £8000-£10,000, plus a 1935 Austin 10 and a barn-find 1936 Morris 10 Saloon. Predicted to command the highest sale price of the pre-war contingent is a 1934 Riley 9 Sports Tourer at an estimated £18,000-£22,000. Moving through the decades, a trio of later Austins includes a 1959 A40 Farina, a 1965 A35 van and a 1964 Mini Countryman that…

TRIUMPH TR7 (1975-1982) Billed as the shape of things to come, the Triumph TR7… wasn’t. It might have appealed to those looking for up to the minute design, but as a replacement for the GT6 many Triumph die-hards found the Dolomite-based wedge distinctly lacking. The launch of the convertible in 1979 changed that, though – without the roof, the TR7 was an attractive shape, and if not quite a TR6 replacement it was certainly a worthy successor to the, by then, outdated MGB. Values are still appreciating, more so for V8 conversions but even the standard four cylinder commands a decent value these days. The very nicest cars can still be had for just under £10,000, while you can get yourself a very usable drophead for around the £3000 mark.…

We’re back in the UK this week as we visit the Mill Lane area of Cardiff. The date is 1981 and back then the area still served as an open air market, which explains the commercial vehicles in shot. Closest to the camera is the Ford D-Series delivering frozen foods for Hippo Campo – still trading today as Holdsworth Foods. Behind the truck we see a Ford Transit, identified as a diesel model from its extended nose, trailed by a Mk4 Cortina taxi – or rather, tacsi as they say locally. Behind that we see a petrol Transit, with what looks like a Bedford CF behind it and a smaller HA model following. Another more imposing non-Ford is the JCB 3C digger, and there’s what looks like a Fiat X1/9…

Jeff Ruggles, Features Editor Mercedes SL R129 Just as the R107 Mercedes SL is a cheaper alternative to the 1960s Pagoda models, its R129 successor is cheaper still. Launched in 1989, it brought the SL bang up to date thanks to attractive Bruno Sacco styling and a massive leap forward in technology. When unveiled, the R129 was touted as being the safest open car in the world thanks to features like an automatic roll bar that could deploy in 0.3 seconds if the car sensed an upside-down excursion was imminent. As well as a beefier stance and far more kit, the R129 boasts excellent build quality, especially the earlier cars, and fares far better against corrosion than many cars of its era. It came with a range of six, eight…

Lamborghini has caused a real stir by unveiling a reborn Countach to mark 50 years since the original prototype appeared at the Geneva Motor Show. Shown at the annual Monterey Car Week festival in California, the Countach LPI 800-4 is a hybrid hypercar with a longitudinally-mounted, naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine. That alone is good for 769bhp, but an electric motor boosts this to a whopping 803bhp – only slightly less than that of the Italian firm’s outrageous Sián FKP 37 model. The car is based on the underpinnings of the Aventador and the Sián, but the silhouette takes inspiration from the various Countach models produced until 1990. A more obvious wedge profile is joined by near-rectangular headlights and a clearly defined ‘bonnet’, while prominent side air intakes mimic those on…

The future of Vauxhall’s Heritage Collection looks to have been secured with the news the British Motor Museum has become its new custodian. The move follows months of work behind the scenes and will see the majority of the collection’s historic cars and vans displayed together in public for the first time. There’s been speculation around the future of the collection for several years. It had previously been on display by appointment at Vauxhall’s Heritage Centre in Luton, but this was closed in 2020 for the site to be redeveloped. The majority of cars were put into storage in Ellesmere Port during the intervening period, but 11 cars were sent to auction last September, and a further nine in April. Changes to the brand’s ownership in recent years – it…

A McLaren F1 in time-capsule condition has achieved a new auction record as part of Monterey Car Week in California. Offered in the Gooding and Company Pebble Beach Auction, the 1995 example had covered only 243 miles from new and sold for a whopping $20.5m (£14.8m). That’s more than $5m above its estimate. Finished in a one-off Creighton Brown paint with its three-seater cabin in light tan and dark brown leather, this particular F1 was the 29th production example to be built out of just 106 in total. The car was first delivered to Japan before being sold to an American enthusiast in 2014. It was offered for auction still wearing its original date-coded Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres, and also came with a commemorative Tag Heuer watch, FACOM tool chest,…

It’s now almost 12 years ago that Classic Car Buyer hit the shelves for the first time, edited by the experienced hand of Peter Simpson. These days, Peter is at the helm of our sister title Bargain Cars, but CCB has continued to prosper under the editorship of Paul Wager – so much so that you’re now reading the 600th issue. For our 500th issue we were lucky enough to take three classics around the north of Scotland on the NC500 route, but a certain pandemic meant planning was more difficult. Besides, the A600 road doesn’t make for as an exciting trip, running for 18 miles or so between Bedford and Hitchin. So instead, we got all hypothetical and thought about what five cars we could take on a 600-themed…

Stock was still coming in as we went to press, but already the catalogue for Morris Leslie’s classic car auction this September was shaping up to be one for all sorts of enthusiasts. Classics from the 1930s included a lovely 1934 Jowett Seven ready to go and estimated between £6000-£7000, a 1935 Austin 12/4 needing some recommissioning and estimated between £3000-£4000, and a charming little 1937 Fiat Topolino convertible estimated between £8000-£10,000. The Fiat came with an especially motivating story, having been found in a building just prior to its demolition. Recreating the mobile trader days of the 1940s is a 1946 Fordson E83W truck; in great condition it’s estimated between £8000 and £9000. Younger in years but still very much of the classic generation include a line-up of red…

Historically one of Ford’s most important models, the Mondeo is finally due to reach the end of the road after 29 years. Production is set to end at the Valencia plant early next year, not only bringing an end to a model line that’s sold more than five million units since it first appeared in 1993, but also a lineage that can be traced back to launch of the Cortina in 1962. At its peak, the Mondeo defined an entire genre of motorist. Indeed, the term ‘Mondeo man’ was popularised by Tony Blair at the Labour Party Conference in October 1996, when it was made in reference to a no-nonsense, hard-working voter that Blair hoped his party could attract. But while the Mondeo remained popular long after that, sales dwindled…

It’s easy to see the R107 SL’s appeal. The design is neat, well-proportioned and has earned itself a timelessness through two decades of production. The engineering underneath is some of Mercedes-Benz’s best, offering today’s driver plenty of classic character twinned with superb refinement. Then there’s the specialist support, the parts availability, and rock-solid values that are all only getting better. But that’s the easy bit, the part that comes after you’ve got yourself a good one. So let’s take a step back and work out how to do just that. The R107 was introduced in 1971, becoming the third SL in the series that had begun in 1954. It was slightly larger, heavier, and more powerful than its Pagoda predecessor, and in many ways was fully prepared for its 18-year…

This year’s Goodwood Revival will include an on-track Victory Parade on Sunday September 19 to recognise the efforts of local service people and key workers during the pandemic, echoing the celebrations that took place in London in 1946 to mark the end of the war. Around 250 paramedics, nurses, armed forces personnel and other key workers will form Victory Parade’s marching column, followed by a mechanised column, featuring more than 150 service vehicles. These will also be exhibited on the Lavant infield during the three-day festival. The event will also mark two 70th anniversary milestones. A massive gathering of hot rods will mark 70 years since the National Hot Rod Association was established in the US, while the anniversary of the 1951 Festival of Britain will also be remembered with…

With most legal restrictions to control Covid-19 now lifted across the majority of the UK and new cases steady at the time of writing, the classic car scene has been able to return to something approaching normality. However, organisers of classic car auctions, previously red letter days for enthusiasts to attend, are divided on whether they will return to holding public-facing sales. The past 18 months have seen auction houses adapt to operating behind closed doors, with examples including online bidding for the first time, new timed formats and extra content on listings. However, Historics has maintained a policy of holding public-facing sales throughout, with social distancing and other safety requirements not deterring attendees. Indeed, sales halls have been full throughout, albeit with restrictions on numbers. Historics’ online bidding registrations…

It’s a taste of luxury that most will be bidding on at the H&H classic car auction held at Duxford’s Imperial War Museum on September 8. Whether it’s a pre-war Rolls-Royce Twenty or a 21st century Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, there’s something special about almost every entry making up the 62 lots we surveyed as we went to press. The 1950s and 1960s era is especially well catered for, including a variety of British sports cars from a couple of Jaguar XK120s to a 1959 Aston Martin DB MK3 – all estimated at around £100,000. Lower down the value table are a 1959 Peerless GT, at £25,000-£30,000, and a 1958 Austin-Healey 100/6 at £38,000-£42,000. On the luxury side, there are two Alvis DHCs to consider, one a TC21/100 with a rare…

WOLSELEY 6/80 (1948-1954) Almost every British B-movie of the 1950s and 1960s featured a Wolseley 6/80, replete with Detective Inspector on the back seat and burly Constable at the wheel. And while for many this looked like a large Morris Minor with a traditional nose and illuminated badge, the fact was that it was a rapid and well-built model which could make spivs in anything south of the Ford V8 quake in terror. It makes an excellent classic for the family, too. Those qualities which endeared it to Blunkett of the Yard mean it’s safe enough for the occasional outing with the kids and sensible enough to accommodate the picnic hamper. And while it’s perhaps never been seen as one of the most up and coming classics of its generation,…

Some would argue that Jaguar’s V12 engine was well overdue by its launch in 1971. A silky smooth, durable engine, it launched in the Series 3 E-Type and the Series 1 XJ received the engine in 1972. After two reskins, the Series XJ would have a stay of execution and last into the XJ40 era as a V12 until the later car was developed to accept a V12. Indeed, you could still buy a Series 3 XJ12 until 1992. The long-awaited V12 XJ40 would last just two years, with the V12-powered variant of its X300 successor launched in 1995. The new car sported the same 6.0-litre V12, but it developed a mighty 317bhp, the most powerful variant of Jaguar’s V12. This would prove to be the engine’s swansong, as the…

Bentley Turbo R The Turbo R offers the same levels of luxury and comfort, but twinned with almighty turbocharged pace and remarkable handling ability. The quad-lights, chin spoiler and slightly noisier exhaust note make the Turbo R less discreet. For cruising, however, the Spirit is better. A matter of taste then. Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II Top-end Spirits are into immaculate late Shadow territory and to drive, the two are surprisingly different. Even with its rack and pinion steering, the Shadow II feels older than the Spirit, despite their mechanical similarities. The styling is also more ‘classic’ and the cabin less high-tech. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you… Jaguar XJ12 ‘XJ81’ If you fancy 1980s luxury but find the Rolls excessive, the V12 variant of Jaguar’s…

Lotus’s push upmarket which began with the original Esprit may have eventually proved unsuccessful in the face of stiff competition from Porsche and Ferrari, but the Esprit’s ultimate incarnation showed that the design had morphed into a very capable product. With a Julian Thomson restyle of the X180 Peter Stevens facelift softening the edges of Giugiaro’s brutal wedge, the Esprit S4 remained distinctive yet more contemporary. And in V8 form the extra pair of cylinders gave it the kudos which had always held the top-end Lotus back in the market, despite its performance. An in-house Lotus development, the twin-turbo V8 in this 1996 car is good for 355bhp which translates to scorching performance: think 60mph in just 4.8 seconds. We saw this 42,000-mile Esprit shortly after it had arrived at…