Innholdsfortegnelse for 6/21/2023 i Classic Car Buyer

This week’s cover story feels like a seminal moment for the classic car industry. As you’ll read on page 5, renewable fuel specialist, Coryton, has released the UK’s first publicly available sustainable petrol, designed specifically for classic vehicles. While it is admittedly pricier than what you’ll find on the forecourt, and there’s still some way to go before we can herald a 100 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in comparison with fossil fuels, we are surely on the right path. Not so long ago, mounting pressure from environmentally conscious groups, and individuals, had us all concerned that we’d be required to switch our classics to aftermarket zero emissions electric propulsion systems in the near future. However, through the pioneering work of firms like Coryton, we may be able…

Car SOS TV star Fuzz Townshend has stepped down from his position as director and owner of classic car restoration business, SOS Workshop. The business has previously been used to host the show, as well as offering restoration services to private customers from its bases in Oldbury and Belbrougton. In a statement, Townshend said: “The relocation of the TV show associated with the workshop meant I would no longer have been able to undertake a meaningful role within the company.” Townshend revealed that he has not played an active part in the business since December 2022 when filming for the last series of Car SOS was completed. Fans needn’t panic that Fuzz will disappear from the small screen though; he also underlined that he would continue in his role on…

A prime example of Ford’s US-inspired 1950s styling, the exact history of this ‘Lowline’ Zodiac is patchy. A few years ago it was based in Kent as a for-hire wedding car. Trojan Cars then acquired it, performed some bodywork repairs and interior smartening-up and sold it on. Unfortunately the new owner passed away not long after taking possession of the Ford, and so it came back to Southsea to await its next custodian. It didn’t have to wait long – in fact, it sold while we were on the premises! If nothing else that proves how strong demand for these big Fords remains after more than six decades. This Zodiac is, in terms of metalwork, mostly original but it has had some attention as you’d expect for a car of…

It may have looked similar to its predecessor, but the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit II of 1990 actually represented a much larger step forward, and introduced more updates that would have been noticeable to the driver, than the change from the Silver Shadow II to the original Spirit a decade earlier. The dashboard layout was altered to accommodate an extra pair of air vents at the outboard edges, requiring various other elements (such as the warning light cluster and ignition/headlamp switch panel) to be relocated. The steering wheel was now leather wrapped. The front seats were heated and had pneumatic lumbar adjustment. There was a one-touch electric driver’s window, an uprated audio system and an automatic parking brake that released itself when ‘Drive’ was selected. Under the bonnet the big change…

Jaguar Classic has introduced the E-Type ZP Collection – a limited run of 14 restored cars set to be offered in pairs. Each will comprise a drophead coupe and fixed-head coupe inspired by the first E-Types to race as part of Jaguar’s Project ZP in the early 1960s. The famous original ZP vehicles, known by their number plates – ECD 400 and BUY 1 – were campaigned by Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori, finishing first and third at the Oulton Park Trophy for GT Cars in April 1961. Salvadori racked up a win later in the same year at Crystal Palace, paving the way for a further 24 podiums for the racing E-Types between 1961 and 1964. Jaguar’s modern-day efforts hark back to the period machines. Each is based on…

Win a car with Lancaster Insurance There is so much joy to be found in life’s simple pleasures; the peeling back of a vinyl roof on an old classic before a road trip, feeling the wind in your hair as you go cruising with your music playing in the background and brightening up a simple A to B journey with a car that turns heads. Our team at Lancaster Insurance, like so many of you at home, know the joy of classic car ownership; which is why for 2023 we’re giving away a classic car to one lucky winner. The car in question is an attractive Austin-Healey Sprite from 1970. The car has benefitted from a home restoration from a retired qualified mechanic and has been resprayed, the engine and…

A British summer is a thing of joy. Freshly mown grass, chips by the beach, and the admittedly short period when you get the great yellow orb of the sun in the sky. It’s only natural that you want an open top car to soak up the rays – but then you remember, you need four seats. And that rules out many an archetypal classic roadster. But you don’t need to abandon all hope of open motoring if you need room for four. As we head into summer, we’ve picked out some of our favourite four-seater convertibles to appeal to those of all budgets and tastes. MORRIS MINOR TOURER Although a raft of late changes meant it wasn’t as radical as intended, the Morris Minor was still a giant leap…

JAGUAR XJ-S 3.6 (1983-1996) When the Jaguar XJ-S was launched in the mid-1970s it faced quite the task, adopting the mantle of the E-Type and carrying the tradition of Jaguar sports cars into a new era. It had a shaky start, but would go on to enjoy a production run of 21 years with 115,000 sold – beating the E-Type’s sales record. Initially the XJ-S came only with the 291bhp 5.3-litre V12 engine, with Jaguar revising the unit in 1981 to deliver better fuel efficiency. However, it wouldn’t be long until a six-cylinder unit arrived to coincide with the launch of the XJ-SC. Also available in the regular coupe, the 1983 launch of the 3.6-litre, 24-valve AJ6 is heralded as one of the most important developments in the model’s history.…

Volvo’s boxy cars of the 1970s and 1980s benefitted from a safe reputation, both figuratively and literally. They didn’t exactly get the pulse racing though, at least not until the arrival of the slope-nosed 480 in 1986. Its wedge silhouette, pop-up headlamps and glass tailgate made Volvos sporty, arguably for the first time since the P1800. Some 11 years after the demise of the 480, Volvo reimagined the idea for the C30. Trailed by the SCC and 3CC concept cars of 2001 and 2004, as well as the C30 Design Concept of 2006 – a lightly disguised version of the production car – Volvo’s new compact sports hatch had an important job to do. Volvo’s then-parent company Ford was looking to boost annual production numbers, as well as hook buyers…

BENTLEY MULSANNE Although not as rare as a Silver Spirit with a blue dashboard, in more general terms the way to have a Silver Spirit that stands out is to look for a late Mulsanne. By the late 1980s the Turbo R had come to dominate Crewe’s sales figures to the extent that the naturally aspirated Mulsanne was almost entirely overlooked. Some running gear revisions make the Mulsanne notionally tauter to drive than an equivalent Spirit, but it’s closer in character to a Rolls than its turbocharged sibling. LEXUS LS400 Overlook the badge and the country of origin for a second and consider what the real definition of luxury is. Rolls-Royce itself used to insist that it wasn’t about styling or gadgets or convenience, but quality of engineering and materials.…

Battery charger CTEK’s CS FREE 4-in-1 portable battery charger can safely restart a dead vehicle battery while also recharging devices including mobile phones. What’s more, its solar panel kit allows for off-grid recharging. How much? RRP £280  Where? ctek.com / 0333 880 4170 6-volt hazard kit This new hazard warning light kit is designed as a compact safety conscious solution for early 6-volt cars. Activated using a neat push-button that lights up in red, it works with standard or LED bulbs and has a traditional audible warning. Both positive and negative earth versions are available. How much? £63.99 plus VAT Where? bettercar lighting.co.uk / 0121 773 7000 Mini exhaust clamp This uprated cast exhaust manifold clamp for the classic 1275cc Mini is suitable for caburettor and twin down pipe-equipped Coopers…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK Pioneering renewable fuel specialist, Coryton, has launched the UK’s first publicly available sustainable fuel. The SUSTAIN Classic range is specially formulated for classics, and allows regular combustion-engined vehicles to be fuelled by environmentally friendly plant-based petrol without the need for engine modifications. It’s the first time that members of the public have been able to purchase the drop-in replacement fuel, which offers a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil-based equivalents. Created in Coryton’s state-of-the-art UK laboratory, the specially formulated fuel is a direct replacement for forecourt petrol and is safe for use in modern vehicles too. It’s made using advanced second-generation biofuel manufactured from agricultural waste, including straw and other by-products, which wouldn’t otherwise be suitable for consumption. Coryton’s first…

Since its inception in 2018, Caffeine & Machine near Stratford-upon-Avon has become a popular venue for enthusiasts to share their love of classics and other automotive passions. Now the concept, co-founded by Phil Mcgovern and Dan Macken, looks set to expand with two new locations in Bedfordshire and Hampshire opening later this year. The expansion of Caffeine & Machine will come as welcome news to enthusiasts in the vicinity of the two new venues, and follows reports of a separate location acquired by the outfit; the Knockerdown Inn near Carsington Water, Derbyshire. The Caffeine & Machine team had been engaged in a battle with Derbyshire Dales District Council to build an overflow car park alongside the historic pub, but its application was rejected in December 2022 amid road safety fears…

It’s one thing to find a wholly original ‘time capsule’ car, but preserving a car by not using it can be easy. It’s more impressive to come across a classic car that has been very well used, maintained and restored across multiple owners and still does all of them credit. That’s the case with this MG Midget 1500. With over 100,000 miles recorded it’s certainly no barn find. Neither is it original, since it was extensively restored in the past – in 1986 in fact. It was just nine years old (and, according to the extensive history, had 81,000 miles on the clock) at the time. Some 37 years and another 20,000 miles have passed since then. BODYWORK That this MG still looks as fresh and pristine as it does…

2001 - Volvo Safety Concept Car (SCC) shown at the Detroit Motor Show, with a C30-like silhouette. 2006 - Market introduction of C30 production car. Four-cylinder 99bhp 1.6-, 123bhp 1.8- and 143bhp 2.0-litre petrol engines joined by five-cylinder 168bhp 2.4- and 217bhp 2.5-litre turbocharged units. Diesel drivers had the choice of four-cylinder 108bhp 1.6- and 134bhp 2.0-litre engines, plus the 178bhp five-cylinder 2.4-litre unit of D5 models. Models trims comprise S, SE, SE Sport and SE Lux. Sweden-only 1.8-litre, 123bhp ‘Flexifuel’ model powered by E85 bioethanol fuel. 2007 - R-Design package introduced as standard on Sport and SE Sport models; re-named Sport with R-Design and SE Sport with R-Design. C30 FlexiFuel announced for UK sale, C30 T5 boosted to 227bhp. 2008 - R-Design pack introduced with 10 exterior colours, ‘R-Design’ badging,…

CONTACT: Classic & Sports Car Centre, West Knapton, Malton, N. Yorks, YO17 8JB 01944 758000 classicandsportscar.ltd.uk The jury is still out on whether the Dyane was supposed to be a replacement for the Citroën 2CV or a complement to it. The 2CV was certainly feeling the sales pinch after the launch of the more modern, refined and practical Renault 4 with its bigger engine and spacious hatchback body. And the Dyane incorporated all those features, with its wider body with a lower waistline, bigger glass area, integrated headlamps and one-piece tailgate. On the other hand, Citroën farmed out the design of the Dyane to the newly-acquired Panhard firm and built it at the Rennes factory alongside the Ami – not the signs of a model intended to be a core…