Innholdsfortegnelse for 08/09/2021 i Classic Car Buyer

Regular readers may remember my last column mentioned the idea of using an unexpected spare week of holiday at home to paint the garage floor after procrastinating over the job for a good four years. As anyone who has done this will already know, unless you’re dealing with an unoccupied new-build, there’s invariably a pile of clutter to rehome before you can even begin the task of sweeping out, sealing and then painting the floor. And of course the heavy stuff like cars, trolley jacks and piles of old but not-quite-dead car batteries needs to stay rehomed for seven days while the coating dries – at least according to the small print on the tin. As so often though, there was something of a silver lining in that shifting a…

Close to 300 pioneering veteran cars have already entered the Royal Automobile Club’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, which is set to take place on November 7. The historic pilgrimage commemorates the famous Emancipation Run of 1896, which celebrated the passing into law of the Locomotive on the Highway Act, raising the speed limit for self-propelled locomotives from 4mph to 14mph and thus heralding the advent of the motor car. Exactly 125 years on, the milestone anniversary run will see four-wheeled cars, tri-cars and motor tricycles built before January 1, 1905, travel from capital to coast. Models representing more than 50 marques are already confirmed, with some, such as Mercedes, Cadillac, Ford, Renault and Peugeot, still familiar on our roads today. However, others such as Century, Crestmobile, Elmore, Gladiator,…

The MoT test certificate has finally been consigned to history in Great Britain. Since the end of August, Test Stations have no longer had to issue a VT20 pass ‘certificate’ automatically, though customers are still able to request one. They are also still available for download from the MoT history check service at https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history if vehicle details including V5C reference number are keyed in. The VT20 lost its legal status some time ago, being replaced as definitive proof of test status by the online record when the plain paper certificate was introduced. From then on, the paper certificate became, in legal terms, a copy of the entry on the official record. The actual need for a paper ‘certificate’ has also now all but disappeared, with police able to check the online…

Here at CCB we were thrilled with the recent news that Vauxhall’s Heritage Collection has found a new home at the British Motor Museum, including everything from the very first 5hp Light Car of 1903 to present day models. There are too many great cars in the Griffin timeline to celebrate here, so we’ve plumped for a look at some of the Vauxhalls that weren’t. No, we’re not talking about the early Bedford commercials or the shared Opel platforms that have been par for the course since the mid-1970s, but the designs that were borrowed from elsewhere – some more memorable than others. Agila The first generation Agila was launched in 2000 as a rebadged version of the Suzuki Wagon R+, but while European market-Suzukis were built in Hungary and had…

FORD FIESTA Mk1 (1976-1983) We all knew someone with a Mk1 Fiesta. Just the same as now, it’s fair to assume we all know someone with a Mk7 Fiesta. Ordinary, run-of-the-mill small cars from day one, uninspiring and workmanlike transport that did a job. Just like the Metro, the Nova, and scores of other small cars. The three-door hatch brought compact motoring to the Ford fancier for whom an Escort Popular was too big, drawing customers from competition such as the Chevette or the Talbot Sunbeam. But the Fiesta has a trick up its sleeve that few of its contemporaries can match, which ensures that it will enjoy continually rising market prices now it has reached classic status. That edge is simple – the fanatical following of the Ford family.…

When the MGF met the car it had benchmarked itself against more than any other in 1995, it was clear that Mazda finally had itself a strong rival. There were other roadsters introduced at around the same time to take a slice out of the MX-5’s pie, but none was quite as close to the bone as MG’s sub-£20,000, mid-engined slice. It’s a rivalry that has continued over the years, with the Mazda retaining a slightly higher floor on values on account of its household name and reliable reputation. However, as the market really does turn into a modern classic one, both are on the up and time is running out if you’re thinking of buying one cheaply. Mazda MX-5 Everyone thought that the little two-seater sports car was dead,…

Fiat 130 Coupé A whole lot of 1970s style, automatic gearbox, and a V6 designed by Aurelio Lampredi of Ferrari engine fame, for a fraction of the price. Jaguar E-Type The E-Type was often compared with the 911 during its lifetime and this money will buy you a nice roadster, too. By 1973 the E-Type may have been ageing but it had of course gained V12 power and a Series 3 will see off an automatic 911. Mercedes SL If it’s classy open-air cruising and six cylinder power you want, then the ‘Pagoda’ SL represents an intriguing alternative to the Sportomatic Porsche. The Pagoda is a costly proposition these days, but you’ll still get a nice one for this money.…

No Time to Die, the 25th James Bond film, is finally due to be released this month, and will once again see 007 reunited with an Aston Martin on the big screen. This time no fewer than four models will appear, with the classic V8, DBS grand tourer and the forthcoming Valhalla hypercar joining Bond’s silver DB5 – the latter of which has inspired a full-size replica of the iconic Corgi model first launched back in 1965. Indisputably the most famous Corgi release of all time, the DB5 model was originally produced by the toymaker as a miniature replica of the car used in 1964’s Goldfinger, gadgets and all. It won the UK ‘Toy of the Year’ and ‘Best Boys Toy’ titles at the National Association of Toy Retailers Awards…

Classic & Sportscar Centre/Malton Coachworks in North Yorkshire continues to play a part in adding new talent to the industry, with three full-time apprentices now within the business and a fourth awaiting enrolment. The most recent recruit is Charlotte Scott, who joined as a trainee vehicle paint technician in July. She will be starting a three-year course with the Remit Training Academy in Derby in September, and has already made a great start to her career within the firm’s bodyshop. Within a month she has already shown the ability to prime and prepare full size panels, as well as successfully painting a set of mirror caps. Charlotte’s other highlights so far have been working on one of her all-time favourite cars, a De Tomaso Pantera, and developing welding skills. Charlotte…

Classic Car Auctions will hold its third auction of 2021 at Stoneleigh Park on September 25. The sale was originally set to run alongside the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, which is now set for a return next spring. However, the auction element will take place this month, with some significant rarities among the lots. The stand out has to be the final Lea-Francis production car – an unfinished Ace of Spades model offered directly from the former Lea-Francis Cars Ltd owner, Barrie Price. Mr Price purchased the company in 1962, and in 1980 he and his friend, the late Peter Engelbach, decided to launch the distinctive ‘3-litre Sports’ using a ladder-type box-section chassis and a handcrafted aluminium body. At the 1983 Motor Show a longer version was…

Anglia Car Auctions’ fourth sale of the year saw a far-ranging mix of classics and memorabilia go under the hammer on August 28-29, and despite the distractions of the Bank Holiday weekend, it proved to be very successful. As we went to press, 220 of the 258 entries had found new owners, making for an impressive 86 per cent sale rate. The sale was particularly notable for German prestige, with 23 Mercedes included. A remarkable 19 were snapped up, with the standout – a 1982 C123 280CE automatic – beating its £12,000-£14,000 estimate to reach £16,200. A wide section of BMWs also went under the hammer, but it was the E30 variants that performed best. A pair of Cabriolets in the shape of a 1993 318i and a 1988 325i…

CITROEN XM (1989-2000) Launched in 1989 as a replacement for the venerable CX, Citroën’s XM was perhaps more conventional under the skin than it appeared – and certainly more so than its predecessor. It eschewed DIRAVI fully-powered steering for a conventional setup for all bar the top left hand drive models, it used a derivative of MacPherson strut suspension (albeit with a sphere rather than a spring), and it lost its slippery saloon shape in favour of a more conventional hatchback. Under the skin, it was Peugeot 605 – the same chassis, the same engines, and broadly the same prices. Until recently, XM values had been in the doldrums as all French execs inevitably face in bangerdom – but the last five years have seen values rise. In 2015 you…

Fords and double-decker buses are the order of the day as we visit a busy Princes Street in Edinburgh during September 1985. On the left we see a brown Cortina concealed by an R-registered Mk2 Escort 1.3 estate, which is displaying plenty of signs of corrosion despite being nine years old at the most. Indeed, it didn’t last much longer, with its tax disc having expired in 1988 according to DVLA records. Heading further up the road in the same direction we see a Mk3 Escort, while facing towards us and waiting at the lights is a 957cc Mk1 Fiesta, which seemingly managed to survive until 1993. The only obvious car that’s not a Blue Oval is the Avenger alongside, which looks to be an earlier Hillman-badged car. Further behind…

Paul Wager, Group Editor Jaguar MkIX Similarly imposing and like the Bentley surprisingly capable on modern roads, the big Jaguar was also the last of the body-on-frame Jaguars, its replacement being the MkX which employed a monocoque shell. Despite its bulk though, the MkIX could hustle when it needed to, thanks to the fitment of the 3.8-litre XK engine which gave it a top speed of around 115mph. Together with the all-round power disc brakes, this explains why the cars are frequently campaigned in classic race series today. If you fancy this more racy alternative to the sober Bentley, then budget on £7000 for a project, running up to £50,000 for the nicest examples. Dave Youngs, Lancaster Insurance Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud This was the era when Rolls-Royce’s dominance of its…

With values for used cars in general currently sky-high and the classic market enjoying a significant purple patch during the pandemic, some folk could be forgiven for thinking that owning a historic vehicle is little more than a pipe dream. Barely a week goes by without a classic springing a surprise at auction, commanding a fee well in excess of any pre-sale estimates. However, as the market rushes towards modern classics, more traditional models have emerged as cost-effective routes into the scene. Like any market, the classic car trade relies on supply and demand. Currently, the vogue seems to be very much with cars from the 1980s, 1990s and even 2000s, with shifting nostalgia associated with a younger demographic likely to be one of the key factors in fuelling a…

As we stumble cautiously out of the pandemic era and the world returns to a more familiar feel, the classic auctions world remains split: some firms have found the online format works so well they’re sticking with it for the foreseeable future, while others have embraced the chance to return to face-to-face sales. One of the latter is Historics, which stages another sale back at Ascot Racecourse this month and the variety of lots on offer will make attendees glad they made the trip. For starters, the catalogue contains not one but two of the wacky Excalibur Phaeton, a 1980s retro pastiche much sought-after for its cult appeal, while more traditionally exotic fare includes an Alfa Romeo SZ and our personal favourite, a garage find Alfa Montreal project. And if…

For many, the Bentley S-Type launched in 1955 and its Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud cousin are cars at the end of an era. Last of the body-on-frame construction, they were the last of a design approach that allowed features like an uncompromisingly large and upright grille. The earlier cars retain the singular headlights with swept-back cowling through the inner wing, unlike the headlights on later cars that would identify Silver Shadows more than anything else. So there is a charm for the early cars, and for some even more discerning people there’s an extra charm to the Bentley S-series models over the Rolls-Royce Silver Clouds. The most obvious difference is the front grille’s rounded edges and V-shaped form with fewer, thicker vertical bars. There are, in fact, ever so subtle changes…

It’s almost become a cliche to refer to Rovers of the 1950s and 1960s as being marketed at bank manager types, but here we have the ultimate example of the brand’s appeal. This P5B saloon was supplied new in 1971 to the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh and was chauffeur-driven for the Bank’s chairman. Such was his liking for the car that it was retained for longer than usual, eventually sold after five years to a retiring Bank director in 1977 with just 55,000 miles showing. It stayed in the same family until 2011, by which time the mileage had crept up to just shy of 83,000 and it has only covered 3000 miles with one owner since then. During that time it’s received attention to the bodywork which…