Innholdsfortegnelse for 8/2/2023 i Classic Car Buyer

Moving to a whole different part of the country can be pretty daunting, but that’s what I did when I found myself in south Somerset about five years ago. Now I’ll admit I’ve often had to travel back to my native Suffolk if I want to do anything social, but more recently that’s all changed – and it’s thanks to classic cars. The pandemic didn’t help of course, but once upon a time I’d spend most weekday evenings twiddling my thumbs and trying not to watch Eastenders. Last week though, I had three consecutive evenings where I could be out with fellow classic car enthusiasts. One was a local pub meet, the next a Mini-specific meet, and the third a busy gathering at a popular model/toy shop. A young family…

Transport for London (TfL) is contacting the owners of vehicles that do not meet current ULEZ standards, with CCB seeing reports of letters being received as far away from the capital as Scotland – something that has left drivers who have no intention of visiting London questioning the sense in the correspondence. One social media user, Andrew, lives 75 miles from London and was among those shocked to receive a letter through the post as his non-compliant classic, a Rover 216 GTi, has been SORN’d and off the road for more than eight years. “I haven’t visited London, or driven in London, so I find it strange that TfL have sent out this letter advising us that our 1992 Rover won’t be ULEZ compliant for the expanded zone,” he wrote.…

GET UNDER THE CAR TO SEE IF ANYTHING HAS BEEN ATTACHED Larger items, like phones, are easy to see, particularly if you get down and have a look, said Paul. IF YOU’VE GOT A SMART PHONE, USE IT Paul added: Smaller items, like AirTags, will actually show up on your Apple or Android phone if they are travelling with you. So have a look if anything pops up in your notifications. DON’T LEAVE SHOWGOERS UNATTENDED Let people look around and sit in your car at shows, but keep an eye on them, don't get distracted and leave them to their own devices, even if you have the keys.…

The Sporting Bears Motor Club will return as the Official Charity Partner of The British Motor Show which takes place at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre on August 17-20. The charitable organisation is dedicated to raising funds for UK children’s charities, it brings together a community of dedicated classic, sports and supercar enthusiasts who offer their cars to provide unforgettable Dream Rides passenger experiences to members of the paying public, every penny donated goes directly to the charities they support. The collaboration proved to be one of the most popular experiences at last year’s British Motor Show, raising £46,000, event organisers hope to smash the £50,000 milestone in 2023. Visit sportingbears.co.uk and thebritishmotorshow.live to learn more.…

1989 - The R8 is launched (along with its Honda Concerto cousin). In hatchback 200 form at first, it’s the first car to make use of the innovative K-Series engine. 1990 - April sees the first expansion of the range with the arrival of the 400 saloon, which shares trims and engines with the 200. 1991 - Three-door 200s and a hotter model GTi made available, the latter getting a 2.0 M-Series engine.  1992 - More models are added, this time a Cabriolet, with the stylish Coupe following later in the year. Engine changes included the T-Series unit replacing the M-Series and the addition of a Peugeot XUD diesel. 1994 - Tourer estate is added to the range.  1995 - Hatchback and saloon models withdrawn favour of the ‘bubble’ R3…

The Fiat 500 was launched in 1957, taking the inspiration for its rear-engined layout from the 600 saloon that arrived two years before. There were various models in the range over the years, from the original ‘Nuova’ 500 to the 500D, 500F and 500L, with the model line eventually discontinued in 1975. This little Italian earned itself a great number of admirers in period and that fanbase has continued to grow since. It remains a highly desirable classic car, smaller than the Mini but useable and well supported by clubs like the Fiat 500 Club and Fiat Motor Club of Great Britain. Such backing means the 500 is easy to own, and still a relatively affordable way into car classic ownership. This striking 1971 Fiat 500L is a left-hand drive…

MoTing your classic – should we bring back obligatory testing? Uh-oh, we've mentioned the dreaded MoT test! Introduced in 1960, the MoT (Ministry of Transport) test was far simpler; if a car was over 10 years old it needed to have the basics including the steering, brakes and lights checked. Once voluntary, it became compulsory a year after introduction. Fast forward to today and the rules are very different; vehicles which have not been changed substantially (and this is a grey area in itself!) aged 40+ do not require an MoT and instead the onus is on the registered keeper to ensure the vehicle is roadworthy. But without access to a ramp and mechanical qualifications, should it be left up to owners of classic vehicles to decide whether their car…

The Cooper S is widely recognised as the variant that did the most to launch the Mini as a cult vehicle, but it might never have happened. And it probably wouldn’t had done, had Alec Issigonis, the man who created the Mini in 1959, had his way. While Issigonis was a brilliant and far-sighted engineer, he was reportedly rather set in his ideas – and one of those ideas was that the Mini should be a utilitarian budget machine for the masses, with few concessions to performance or luxury. Indeed, he wanted little to do with the upmarket Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet variants of 1961. When asked about the prospect of the Mini in motorsport, Issigonis claimed he “never gave this one single thought”, and that “it never occurred…

FORD ESCORT CABRIOLET (1983-1998) The convertible Escort and Golf of the 1980s share a certain visual aesthetic, and for very good reason – German coachbuilder Karmann, was responsible for turning both from tin-top to drop-top in much the same way, reinforcing their shells and fitting a prominent roll hoop to both offerings. The Escort Cabriolet joined Ford’s range in 1983 at the same time as a five-door estate, and like the Golf, has long offered a clever route into hot hatch ownership – albeit without the hatchback, or indeed a steel roof. The front-wheel drive Mk3 Escort had a tricky task on its hands in following the popular rear-wheel drive Mk1 and Mk2, but it soon accelerated to the top of Britain’s sales charts and became a best-seller. The Mk3…

The Anglo-Japanese tie-up with Honda had spawned several successful cars for the British market, from the Triumph Acclaim to various Rovers, so when the latter needed a new model, the partnership delivered once again. We’re talking about the R8 generation that first arrived in 1989, going head-to-head with key rivals in the family car market such as the Vauxhall Astra, Ford Escort and Volkswagen Golf. It was a tough task but the 200 hatchback that arrived first was more than up to it, providing buyers with a roomy, comfortable car that looked good and delivered on the driving front. It certainly felt more upmarket compared to its rivals, too. A wide variety of engines and trim levels were available, including hot GTi and Turbo models, and further expansion of the…

All-season British sports cars didn’t come much tougher than the separate-chassis TR3 series, which more than proved its mettle with a 1-2-3-4-5 class finish in the 1956 Tulip Rally. Two years earlier, the outgoing TR2 had won the 1954 RAC Rally outright. A fine pedigree, doubtless, and one that was improved to near perfection as the decades wore on. Basic though Triumph’s cars were, they had the performance to get the job done: by that, we mean going and stopping. Upon the TR3’s launch in 1955, tuning saw Standard-Triumph’s 2.0-litre four-pot make 100bhp, with 117lb. ft of peak twist at 3000rpm – not quite the equal of a XK-engined Jaguar, but strong enough to lug hard out of bends and up twisty B- and C-roads. Triumph’s bitter rival, MG, couldn’t…

RX-7 FB Top Mounts These new GAZ CNC machined alloy billet top mounts firm up the suspension strut location points on Mazda RX-7 FB model and allow camber adjustment. They’re ideal for track day use. How much? £228.00 Where? gazshocks.com Magnum Playmobil This new Magnum, P.I. Playmobil set includes the Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole star car, and the main characters from the TV series. It launches at the end of August.  How much? £69.99 Where? playmobil.co.uk Ford Crossflow Linkage Webcon’s linkage allows Weber 32/36DGV or DGAV carbs to be fitted to a Ford Crossflow Kent engine. The original version has not been available for years. How much? £95.83  Where? webcon.co.uk Workshop Lights The Philips Xperion 6000 Workshop high-performance LED light range includes the Philips Flood, Flood Audio and Flood Mini.…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK A month after it was stolen, Wheeler Dealers’ Ford Fiesta 1300S has still not been recovered. It’s reckoned there are only four examples of the 1300S that remain registered in the UK, so it would’ve been a fitting celebration of Ford’s long-running supermini. “It’s such a shame because they’re never going to make any more Fiestas,” said co-host Mike Brewer. “I was saving one to keep a Fiesta on the road.” The 1300S was due at The Motorist’s ‘Fiestaval’ on June 27, an event held at the West Yorkshire venue to mark the end of Fiesta production – when it and the trailer it was stored in was stolen. Despite several confirmed sightings, Mike said that West Yorkshire Police had been unable to…

Nottinghamshire Police are appealing for witnesses after a Datsun Sunny B310 was written off in Newark on Sunday, July 23. The Datsun suffered major damage during a series of hit-and-run collisions involving a modern BMW and several other cars, on North Gate and Meyrick Road, at around 11pm. The Datsun’s occupants, a man and a woman, were taken to hospital; their injuries were understood not to be life-threatening. Detective Sergeant Andrea Brown, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We are working to understand what happened in the moments leading up to this collision and to identify the driver, who left the scene as emergency services arrived. Investigations are ongoing. Anyone with further information is urged to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident 718 of 23 July 2023.…

Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance Web: lancasterinsurance.co.uk | Tel: 01480 809176 Example quote: £154 or £172 with Agreed Value. Quote based on a 45-year-old marketing manager, access to another car, no claims or convictions, club member, 3000 miles per year, no modifications, living in SP2 0HL. Disclaimer: Subject to underwriting criteria. An additional charge may be payable. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.…