Innholdsfortegnelse for 4/27/2022 i Classic Car Buyer

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Welcome

A few weeks ago, you may remember I had a bumpy first encounter with our Rover 600. Well, the car and I have had some time to get acquainted since then, so has the partnership unexpectedly blossomed… or will I be glad to see the back of it now that it’s time to take on another steed? First, it’s worth pointing out that every car I’d previously driven had come with a manual gearbox, and so it was almost inevitable I’d get struck by a case of ‘phantom clutch’ on my first outing. I’m sure many of you can relate – you’re coming to a stop, so you reach for the non-existent clutch pedal with your left foot. Then, what you actually end up doing is planting both feet on…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Fuel duty cut sees ‘zero impact’

New research published by ChooseMyCar.com has revealed that over 90 per cent of drivers believe the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s recent reduction in fuel duty has had zero impact on their fuel bill. Spiralling fuel costs led the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to cut fuel duty by 5p a litre during his Spring Statement. The reduction, described by Sunak as “the biggest cut to fuel duty rates ever”, is set to remain in place until March 2023. However, the new study suggests that the move doesn’t go far enough, with an overwhelming majority of those surveyed stating it has done nothing to ease their fuel costs at a time when they need it most. The statistics from the study showed that 92 per cent of 34-54 year olds had seen no…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Restoration resumes of earliest Bentley T-Series

Sign up to our newsletter at www.classicsworld.co.uk The restoration of the world’s oldest Bentley T-Series is under way, with Bentley Motors apprentices carrying out the work in-house. The completed car will then be added to the company’s Heritage Fleet, which will see it travelling to events around the UK and beyond, as well as being made available to the motoring press. Chassis number SBH 1001 was the first T-Series built at the historic Crewe plant, completed on September 28, 1965. The brand new car, finished in Shell Grey with a blue hide interior, was retained by Rolls-Royce – owner of the Bentley brand at that time – for trials work around the world. Both the T-Series and its Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow sister model were originally unveiled at the Paris Motor…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Two new restomods launched

The restomod market has expanded once again thanks to the launch of a brace of British-built models by two separate specialist companies. First up is the Healey by Caton, created by a Coventry-based firm that specialises in bespoke engineering projects. Its latest offering is built around an original Austin-Healey 100 BN1, and just 25 examples will be built – with prices starting at £474,000 including the donor car and VAT. Each Healey by Caton will feature an engine fully rebuilt by marque specialist JME Healeys, with the 3.0-litre four-cylinder unit being tuned to produce 185bhp at 5000rpm, driven through a five-speed manual gearbox. The Healey by Caton’s suspension is also revised, with new coil springs at the front and anti-roll bars all around, while the brakes are a special all-disc…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

FoTU tickets now on sale

Tickets for Hagerty’s 2022 Festival of the Unexceptional – the eighth event of its kind – have now gone on sale, with organisers expecting it to be the usual sell-out success. This year’s FoTU takes place on Saturday, July 30 at Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire, with visitors enjoying another celebration of the much maligned and long forgotten ‘ordinary’ classics of the 1960s to the ’90s. Responding to public feedback, the Hagerty team is introducing a number of new measures this year to ensure swift entry and easy parking, while on-site catering and guest facilities will also be improved. The 2022 event will see TV’s Wheeler Dealer, Mike Brewer, in attendance throughout the show. Tickets are priced at £20 per car (not per person, as in previous years). To order yours, visit…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

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PLUS FREE DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR AND INSTANT ACCESS ON YOUR DEVICE. GREAT IF YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT AND NEED THE CONTENT TO HAND Inside Each Issue: • The latest news and analysis • Expert buying guides and advice • Product reviews • Classic cars and parts for sale • Auction news and preview Visit shop.kelsey.co.uk/CBU22P Or Call: 01959 543 747 and quote CBU22P Hotlines open Monday-Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm. Calls are charged at your standard network rate *Full terms and conditions can be found at shop.kelsey.co.uk/terms. Offer applies to UK subscribers only when paying by direct debit. Your subscription will start with the next available issue with your first 4 issues charged at just £9.99. Payments will continue to be taken at this low rate of £9.99 every month…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

PRIME TIME

The status-loving UK market’s love affair with German cars is all too obvious today, the engineering prowess and brand management savvy having combined with tempting finance arrangements to make 3 Series, A4 and C Class as affordable as the mainstream brands’ models they’ve successfully killed off. For a perfect illustration, look no further than the fact that Ford has recently given up on the Mondeo, whereas you can hardly see BMW axing its mid-sized saloon car bread and butter. It wasn’t always this way though. Wind back just a few decades and today’s aspirational German marques were tiny players here: BMW was a smaller enthusiast brand almost like Alfa Romeo, while Audi was still flogging rebadged Passats, Porsche could also sell you VW-derived creations in the shape of the 924…

8 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

INFERNAL AFFAIRS

It’s said that mergers kill the most progressive of partners – and were it ever the case with Rover. Aside from the relative merits of each car, it was the context of their production which is of equal importance when deciding on a winner. Both cars did great things with Rover’s anglicised, all-aluminium Rover V8; that gas turbine and four-, five- and six-pot conventional options were explored says much about what Rover was willing to try to capture the hearts and minds of buyers. Both stayed resolutely to a single body type, although attempts were made to produce estates of the P6 and SD1, with varying degrees of success. The P6, alongside the Triumph 2000/2500, did much to promote the medium-sized executive saloon, while the SD1 arguably stratified the segment…

7 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

INSURANCE COSTS

➤ 1968 MGC Roadster, value £22,000 - £91.10, or £109.10 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: Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may vary between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. An additional charge may be payable. www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk 01480 809176…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

OR MAYBE..?

ROVER P5 This Shadow’s original buyer may have wanted to move onward and upward, but there’s little wrong with the Rover P5. Not as cossetting or as modern to drive, the big Rover impresses with the sheer quality of its engineering and materials and the lovely design of its interior. DAIMLER SOVEREIGN If a Silver Shadow is too expensive or too big, then the Daimler Sovereign makes as good a case for itself now as it did in 1968. Lighter and sharper to drive, just as comfortable and a fraction of the cost…but watch for scruffy examples hiding expensive rust issues. MERCEDES-BENZ 300SEL The S Class before it was officially called such, the W109 300SE offered similar high-tech engineering to the Shadow in a similarly imposing and impressive-looking body. Rare…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE

JAGUAR CENTENARY The Jaguar story began in a garage in Blackpool in 1922. We chart the highs and lows of one of Britain’s great motoring names over a century of grace, space and pace. BUYING THE TVR CHIMAERA Classic British V8 muscle and spectacular performance in a modern package – the Chimaera has a lot going for it but must be bought with care. We show you how. FAMILY FEUDS Comparing two cars that were trying to woe the space-conscious 1970s family man – the conventional coke-bottle Ford Granada and the high-tech wedge-shaped Princess. PLUS… All the latest news and auction results from around the UK. 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’.…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

THE BIG IMAGE

Recently spotted at Silverstone by our video guru, Joe, was this very early Range Rover P38A, built to police spec as part of a six-car fleet sent to various forces around the country for assessment. M751 CVC was then bought by the firearms division of the Metropolitan Police, before being sent to the Met’s Special Escort Group and used for transporting everything from VIPs to fine art. The now-restored Range Rover’s highest-profile job was as control vehicle for Princess Diana’s hearse, escorting it from London’s Hyde Park Corner to Althorp, Northamptonshire in September 1997.…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Race of Remembrance dates

Mission Motorsport, the Forces’ Motorsport Charity, has announced the dates for Race of Remembrance (RoR) 2022, which will take place over the course of November 11-13. The special weekend will enable attendees to become part of a unique community and participate in a pitlane Service of Remembrance, reflecting upon those lost in conflict and to support those who still remain. After a successful 2021, which saw a sell-out grid, Mission Motorsport will once again be partnering with BRSCC to give motorsport enthusiasts the opportunity to race in the unique 12-hour endurance race at Anglesey Circuit, Wales. The RoR Anglesey race will begin at 3pm on Saturday, November 12, racing into the darkness with an overnight suspension from 9pm. It will then resume at 9am on Remembrance Sunday, with the Safety…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

‘Vehicle tampering’ debate

As this issue of CCB goes to print, MPs are about to debate e-petition number 600954, which relates to vehicle tampering offences. Nick Fletcher MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, has been asked to open the debate. Trudy Harrison MP, a Minister from the Department for Transport, will respond for the Government. The petition, which has attracted more than 114,000 signatures, states: “The Government’s modernising vehicle standards proposal suggested new offences for tampering with a system, part or component of a vehicle intended or adapted to be used on a road. This could have a hugely detrimental impact on the UK motorsport and custom aftermarket industry.” In its response to the petition, provided on December 21 last year, the Government stated: “The intention of the consultation proposal is to…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Rods and customs at Beaulieu

The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu is inviting all custom car enthusiasts to make it a Fathers’ Day to remember by attending the 2022 Hot Rod & Custom Show on Sunday, June 19. The event is sure to offer a varied line-up of customised cars and hot rods, American classics, motorbikes and trikes, as well as pre-1980 classics of all kinds. There’ll be live music and entertainment throughout the day, and there will be prizes awarded in such categories as Best Custom, Best American, Best Hot Rod, Best Bike and Best in Show. Legendary custom car builder and Hot Rod & Custom Show ambassador Andy Saunders will also be in attendance, meeting custom fans and talking about his latest projects. And Classic American magazine will also be returning, holding one…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

150mph classics

Volvo 850 R – 155mph The front-wheel drive 850 updated Volvo’s image in the early ’90s, aided by Volvo’s decision to take it Touring Car racing. The subsequent 850 T5 (popular with Britain’s police forces) offered 225bhp and could hit 149mph; but the later 850 R trumped that with its 243bhp output and 155mph top speed. Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo – 155mph The original 16v Turbo version of the attention-grabbing Fiat Coupe provided 187bhp and a top speed of 140mph. But then in 1996 came the new 20v Turbo, its five-cylinder engine pushing out 217bhp and initially giving a top speed of 149mph, later boosted to 155mph when a six-speed gearbox was added. Jaguar XK8 – 155mph Launched in 1996 as a replacement for the ageing XJS, the XK8 was…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Seventies Citroëns

CITROËN SM (1970-1975) The Citroën SM is the greatest grand tourer that everyone’s forgotten. Effectively a DS underneath, albeit with the V6 engine from the Maserati Merak, the SM offered Italian brio with French ride and composure – all wrapped up in the very best of Robert Opron design. But while it was advanced, people simply didn’t take to the Citroën. It had its fans, but the masses preferred the rear-wheel drive BMW CS, Mercedes SL and Jaguar E-Type – all of which had more prestigious badges than the SM to boot. Today, however, it’s those Citroën owners who are having the last laugh because values are increasing considerably. As recently as 2015 it was possible to head to France and find yourself an SM for under €15,000, but the…

4 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

PORSCHE

Today Porsches are a relatively common sight on UK roads, but back in the early ’80s they remained a rarely-sighted exotic. The firm had been painfully aware that relying on the technically obsolete rear-engined, air-cooled 911 with its Beetle ancestry didn’t make much commercial sense but efforts to replace it had largely failed. The 924 had been launched in 1976 as an entry-level product and had evolved into the wide-arched 944 with Porsche’s own engine in 1982 but was starting to show its age by the end of the decade. Meanwhile, the very modern 928 with its striking silhouette and advanced V8 engine had been launched in 1977 but although critically well regarded had been a sales flop. The first major update to the 911 wouldn’t arrive until the 964…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Classic Scenes

Dating from October 8, 1968, this classic image was taken alongside the M4 near Hayes, Middlesex, showing just how quiet Britain’s motorway network was compared with today. Although all three lanes have traffic in them, it’s well spaced out – and positively sparse by today’s standards. Leading the pack in lane three is a 1967 Humber Hawk, a car that went out of production in March of that year, making this example one of the last of its kind. Behind that we can see a 1966 Ford Corsair, a model that still had a couple of years left in it by the time this photograph was taken. The centre lane, meanwhile, has a Bedford coach about to power its way past the traffic in lane one, a line-up that comprises…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

OR MAYBE..?

Paul Wager, Group Editor Triumph GT6 If you want a six-cylinder sports car with a hint of Jaguar E-Type at an affordable price, then the GT6 is just the ticket. No, it wasn’t offered as a roadster but it makes a great alternative to the MGC GT. They’re currently affordable, too – and as one of the rarer Triumph sportsters, it’s guaranteed to turn heads. Andrew Evanson, Lancaster Insurance MGB V8 Want something with a bit more power? Why not go the whole hog and get yourself a V8 – specifically an MGB V8! There are plenty of great factory examples on the market. But if a factory car is out of reach, there are many V8-converted MGBs out there – or you can enjoy building up your own.…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Ford Granada Coupe

Contact: Stone Cold Classics, Wrotham, Kent, TN15 7RR Tel: 07711 645465 www.stonecoldclassics.com Ford made several desirable models in the 1970s – some would have coveted an RS-spec Escort, others an S-spec Capri or a Cortina GXL. But as far as Ford itself was concerned, the pinnacle of its UK range was the Granada Ghia Coupe in V6 form. This was the most expensive standard Ford model. As well as providing its name to the trim level (Coupes were only available in luxury Ghia-badged trim) Ghia actually carried out the design work of turning the four-door Granada into a two-door coupe. Longer doors ensured practical access to the back seats while the sleek roofline knocked only an inch off the rear headroom. Besides its single trim level the Granada Coupe could…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

REPORTING ON: Ford Cortina Mk3 1.6 L

The Kelsey fleet of classics regularly featured on Classics World’s YouTube channel represents an eclectic mix, with a number of cars that have yet to make their CCB debut. One such machine is our Ford Cortina Mk3, purchased in June 2021 from Car Cave Scotland – a company that specialises in importing classics from South Africa. This fine-looking Cortina caught our eye immediately, and was subsequently purchased as a project car for our sister title, Classics Monthly. The Mk3 in question is a South African-built example from 1977, by which time Britain was already a year into the Mk4 Cortina. Anyway, I made the 400-mile trip to Edinburgh to film the reveal video and instantly fell in love with the Ford. Resplendent in bright red, it’s nicely complemented by near-immaculate…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Rare AC heads to auction

One of just 83 examples of AC’s Bristol-engined 2+2 Greyhound, a car that’s been sympathetically restored and is now ready to enjoy, is set to go on sale with Silverstone Auctions on May 28, estimated at £60,000-£70,000. The restoration was completed early this year and the car is described by the auction house as “one of, if not the finest example of a Greyhound to come to market recently”. Harry Fox-Edwards, of Silverstone Auctions, commented: “With prices of the Ace and Aceca having soared in recent years, we can’t help feeling that the Greyhound is somewhat undervalued by comparison. With the striking looks of a DB4, 75 per cent of the performance, 10 times rarer, yet only 20 per cent of the cost, it looks remarkable value at today’s guide…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

High demand for electric 911

Everrati Automotive has announced a new strategic partnership with Aria Group, experts in low-volume specialist manufacturing and composites, to meet increased US demand for the company’s electric Porsche 911 conversions. UK-based Everrati describes itself as “the leading technology company redefining icons through the integration of the latest electric vehicle (EV) powertrains”. The 911 offerings are based around the 964 generation, with a choice of Coupe, Targa and Cabriolet in narrow body, wide body and officially-licenced Gulf Editions. The flagship Signature wide body features a 500bhp EV powertrain with a high-power battery pack, capable of delivering an electric driving range of up to 200 miles, with a 0-60mph time of less than four seconds. Everrati says it works “meticulously to preserve the original ‘feel’ and character of its redefined icons”, claiming…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Goodwood Revival races announced

The full race list for the 2022 Goodwood Revival, which takes place over the weekend of September 16-18, has been announced, with 13 different contests split into 15 races – with just about every class catered for. One of the highlights will be the Freddie March Memorial Trophy, in which sports cars from the late 1940s and early 1950s battle it out on the track. This has been a mainstay of the Goodwood Revival for many years, attracting a mixture of stunning sports cars from the days of the Goodwood Nine Hours. This year it moves to take up a position as the first race of the weekend, with models like the Jaguar C-Type, Aston Martin DB3S and Allard J2X once again competing. Other races include the Madgwick Cup (for…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Coffee & Chrome meet

Classic vehicle insurer Footman James has announced that its next Coffee & Chrome meet of 2022 will take place at the NY500 motoring-themed venue, based in Pickering, North Yorkshire, between 9am and 12pm on Sunday, May 29. As always, this latest Coffee & Chrome will be a family-friendly get-together and there are 500 vehicle spots available on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees will be able to enjoy a free breakfast sandwich, with a maximum of two available per vehicle. To book your classic a slot, go online to footmanjames.co.uk/coffee-chrome.…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

PREVIEW: HAMPSONS, ELLESMERE PORT, MAY 7

Hampson Auctions will host its second classic car sale of the year at Hooton Park Trust in Ellesmere Port on May 7. The catalogue was still building at the time of writing but was already eclectic, ranging from an Isetta bubble car to a 2001 Ferrari 360 Modena. The Ferrari has covered a mere 18,000 miles and is estimated at £70,000-£80,000. However, the sale’s headliner is expected to be a beautifully restored 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe, which could sell for as much as £100,000. Not far behind is a 1960 Jaguar XK150 3.4 drophead, which is another to carry a £70,000-£80,000 estimate. Continuing the British sports car theme, meanwhile, is a 1954 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN1 that carries a guide of £70,000-£75,000. There’s plenty of room for British classics…

4 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Supercharged Classics

JAGUAR XJR (1994-1997) The car that revived the fortunes of the company, the first supercharged XJR represented the first true move away from the golf club image Jaguar had inadvertently earned for itself with the XJ series. Based on the X300, it used sports suspension, big meaty alloys and colour coding to look the part, while a big Eaton supercharger meant that it could shame contemporary Ferraris. Produced for three years before the V8 models took over, it’s long been a car that industry experts have tipped for great things. And while as recently as five years ago tidy examples could be had for £2000, prices have near tripled in the intervening years, with nice usable cars available for around £6000, and the very best now selling for around £10,000.…

3 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

VOLKSWAGEN

Yes, the name literally translates to ‘people’s car’ but it’s been a long time since a Volkswagen was regarded as an affordable option. The firm first began inching upmarket in the mid-1980s, but this accelerated during the era of the Mk4 Golf, launched in 1997 and offering a very definite step up in terms of cabin quality and ambition. That this saw the firm’s products priced accordingly no longer mattered, since in 1986 VW Group had acquired a majority shareholding in Spanish maker SEAT, followed in 1991 by a joint venture with Skoda, VW having acquired 70 per cent of the Czech maker by 1995. This had allowed it to position Skoda as an affordable, entry-level marque with SEAT as a sporty alternative and, in theory, the greater profits to…

1 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

BUYING THE BIGGER ’B

Until the late 1960s, BMC’s sports car range was traditionally topped off by the six-cylinder ‘Big Healey’ models, a successful line that began with the Austin-Healey 100 and ended with the Mk3 3000. Those old soldiers couldn’t be kept in production indefinitely, however, not least because of increasingly strict safety legislation in the USA – but how should they be replaced? The unlikely answer lay in the form of a six-cylinder version of the immensely popular MGB, launched in 1967 as the MGC and available in both roadster and GT guises. There was even a plan to badge-engineer the MGC into an Austin-Healey, though that never reached fruition and the idea was quietly dropped before the MGC’s launch. This made the new MGC a unique offering within the BMC sporting…

9 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

Contact: Ranmore Service & Engineering Betchworth, Surrey RH3 7BZ Tel: 01737 844999 https://rsande.co.uk The Silver Shadow represented many seismic changes for Rolls-Royce, both in its engineering (unitary construction, pontoon styling, fully independent and self-levelling suspension, power-hydraulic brakes and more) and in its customer base. The Shadow was very much aimed at the owner-driver, being more like an ultimate executive saloon rather than a stately limousine. And it proved to be well-judged since the Silver Shadow sold widely to upwardly mobile customers who would not have remotely been considered Rolls-Royce customers in decades past. This 1968 car is a prime example and still shows signs of its original owner’s journey up the automotive ladder. Two-tone paint schemes are not unusual on Silver Shadows, but this combination of Saxe Green over Deep…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

Toyota MR2 GTi-16

The MR2 followed a path common to many sports cars – originally presented as lightweight, simple, driver-focused cars, the majority of buyers simultaneously want better performance and more comforts and equipment. Combined with increasing requirements for crash safety, and the second-generation (W20) MR2 of 1989 was a significantly larger and heavier car than its predecessor. As well as more space and ‘stuff’ in the cabin, it had larger engines to maintain performance and more sophisticated suspension which promised to improve both comfort and roadholding. The styling was also very different – in place of the first MR2’s straight-edged origami lines, the W20 had the appearance of a water-smoothed pebble. At launch in 1990, the new grown-up MR2 came in three specifications, of which this example – one of the very…

2 min

Classic Car Buyer|4/27/2022

BACK BOX

We got out our non-Lotus Europa (a Renault-based camper van…) and headed from Hampshire to the Cotswolds, our old stamping ground. We had booked lunch at the Cotswold Barn, once known as the Cotswold Food Store, beside the A424 at Longborough between Stow-on-the-Wold and Broadway. Passing between Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow gave a glimpse of a scrapyard with a gold-coloured Vauxhall Viva HC four-door bodyshell atop the mangled mountain of unrecognisable metal. It stood a good 40 feet in the air above trees and hedges, and so took my breath away I forgot to register the colour and exact details of an Austin perched nearby, either an A30 or A35. Heading on to the Barn, there were some classics in the car park, a Triumph Vitesse Mk2 convertible and a Triumph…

4 min