Innholdsfortegnelse for 8/9/2023 i Classic Car Buyer

The Festival of the Unexceptional (FOTU) took place at the end of July, celebrating everyday family cars from 1968-1998 – a period the event organisers fondly refer to as the ‘Unexceptional Era’. Focusing on often forgotten common or garden vehicles, the get together at Grimsthorpe Castle was created in 2014 by Hagerty and it has become very popular – this year it was a sell-out drawing 1200 cars and 3000 guests. Amongst the automotive curios assembled were a 5000-mile Vauxhall Cavalier and the only Yugo Sana on UK roads. A concours lawn – the Concours d’Ordinaire – collated 50 mundane motors, all competing for the coveted first place trophy, which ultimately went to a Daihatsu Applause driven all the way from Sweden to Lincolnshire. An Austin Metro and a Subaru…

Silverstone Festival, which takes place at the Northamptonshire circuit over the Bank Holiday weekend of August 25-27, will include a special display of rare cars that used to be regular street furniture. The Telegraph UK Rarest Car Display has been curated to bring back long lost memories and will feature a collection of 25 models dating from between the 1970s to 1990s. These will include a number of once popular mainstream models that are now scarce classics, with the likes of the Hillman Hunter, Ford Sierra, Fiat Uno, Austin Allegro and Citroën BX set to be represented. All 25 cars will take part in a special track parade among the car club cavalcades on Saturday. Visit silverstone.co.uk to find out more about the event.…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK Experts are predicting a new market for orphaned modern and future classics in the capital – after a legal challenge to prevent the extended London Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), scheduled for August 29, failed last week. Owners of so-called ‘modern classics’ not old enough to be made exempt from the £12.50-a-day ULEZ non-compliance charge have been selling up before the Zone moves out to all 32 Greater London boroughs within (but not including) the M25. Historic vehicles aged 40 and older are exempt from all ULEZ charges but remain liable for the Congestion Charge inside Inner London. As large public protests against the cost implications of the extended ULEZ continue, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has steered owners of non-compliant cars…

Driving more members to your club in the cost-of-living crisis The price of everything has gone up and that can sometimes mean 'fun' extras can take a back seat. Car club membership can be one of those little joys which may get put on hold until the economic climate settles a little. However, with a bit of savvy planning, clubs can create a membership package which is so appealing, even the most hardened of budget conscious classic owners will be compelled to sign up. Many clubs have started to create enhanced club memberships with more than the ordinary benefits you'd expect, exploring discounts with parts suppliers, museums and attractions that members may like to visit, along with discounts to certain shows like the NEC. They’ve also added softer benefits for…

HONDA S800 (1966-1970) Forgive us for majoring on a car that’s now very rare and comparatively expensive, but the high-revving Honda S800 really is quite special. Its origins can be traced back to Honda’s earliest efforts to build a car, having made its name in motorcycles. A young team was assembled to create a car that they themselves would wish to own and drive, and the prototype two-seater sports car that emerged in 1962 was just that. The S360 featured a sub-360cc engine to meet kei car regulations, but it was an advanced DOHC inline-four unit used to power the T360 pick-up – Honda’s first production automobile. The S360 never made it into production form, but it did lead to the 531cc S500, a more powerful car along the same…

The Rover P6 is one of those cars where a poor-quality restoration can wreak more havoc, and present more trouble for a future owner, than a decrepit but original example. Fortunately, there are no such worries with this mustard yellow example, since it is something that is now increasingly rare – a P6 in low mileage and original condition. The odometer shows 37,800 miles, which is confirmed by a smattering of old MoT certificates that also reveal it’s only covered 7000 miles since 1994, and therefore recent mechanical work has very much been in the line of recommissioning rather than regular servicing. It includes an oil service on the engine and transmission, new brake callipers and rear dampers, while Peterborough Classic Cars has fitted new steering joints, front dampers, a…

1969 - Nissan announces the 'S30' Fairlady Z at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, with domestic sales beginning the following month. The model comes to the USA in December, and is sold as the Datsun 240Z. 1970 - Although sales of the 240Z have yet to start in the UK, it makes its first appearance on these shores at the London Motor Show in October, with two cars originally destined for Australia on display. Another is entered in the RAC Rally in November. 1971 - An automatic transmission option is introduced to the 240Z and the rear air vents are moved from the liftback to the C-pillar. UK sales of the 240Z begin in August, with a 2393cc engine making 151bhp and two-seat coupe bodywork. All official UK-spec 240Zs…

At the beginning of the 1960s Standard-Triumph was busy finishing the Triumph 2000 saloon which would be launched in 1963, but prior to that the brand’s flagship executive model was the Standard Vanguard Six. Despite getting on in years, the Vanguard was well appointed and, of course, it boasted a desirable 1998cc six-cylinder engine on twin Solex carburettors. This would be the last of the Vanguards and it was visually very similar to the Vignale that had been introduced in 1958. Buyers could choose between Standard Vanguard Six Saloon, Estate, and in Australia at least, a Van and Utility pick-up. This very late two-tone Six saloon is described as being a lovely example. It has been in the care of five previous keepers, arriving at RFH Classics from long-term ownership…

The 1980s had already seen some car makers turn to turbocharging to make their hot hatchbacks even hotter, but as the decade progressed another route to more performance was becoming more and more commonplace. Sixteen-valve cylinder heads might not have seemed quite as exciting as the fire and fury promised by a turbo, but it was a very effective way to boost power without all the complications that went with forced induction. Indeed, the late ’80s and early ’90s saw something of a multi-valve revolution, resulting in some very entertaining models with no shortage of desirability among them. Join as we take a look back at some of the most notable. VW GOLF GTI The Golf GTI wasn’t the first hot hatchback but it is the car many associate with…

Talk of it being a ‘baby E-Type’ is probably stretching things a bit but there’s no doubt the arrival of the sleekly styled 240Z rather upset the established sports car market. The early-‘70s offered a good choice of coupes in the UK – the likes of the MGB GT and Ford Capri being obvious ones – but the Japanese contender offered a tempting blend of performance, handling ability, comfort and reliability. The 2.4-litre straight-six engine ensured it was no slouch, its 150bhp enough to deliver 125mph and 0-60mph in 8.0 seconds. The 260Z that arrived in 1974 provided more torque, but its longer stroke meant it wasn’t quite as revvy as the earlier car. That said, either model provides plenty of entertainment today so you won’t be disappointed whichever you…

Jaguar enthusiasts were forced to wait eight long years before an open-topped XJ-S was offered in the form of the targa-style XJ-SC of 1983. However, it was another five years before the world was treated to a full convertible, the literally named XJS Convertible arriving in 1988. Jaguar worked with Karmann to ensure that the shell was strong enough to support the roof being removed, which necessitated 100kg of extra weight being added to the car. Despite this, the Convertible – initially only available in range-topping V12 form – went down a storm. Sales were strong, with 4877 built in the first full year of production. In 1991 the XJ-S underwent a facelift in body and name, now known simply as the ‘XJS’. Structural alterations were joined by a restyled…

Scalextric DB5 The latest addition to the Scalextric line-up is this James Bond Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger, available to preorder now. How much? £53.99  Where? uk.scalextric.com / 01843 233502 Ford Roller Rockers This roller rocker assembly is suitable for all Ford Kent engines. Order as part number FP229K, and note that an alloy rocker cover will be required for clearance. How much? £500.00 Where? burtonpower.com / 0208 554 2281 BMC Interior Lamps Mini Spares now has stock of two styles of replacement interior lamps, which is good news for owners of classic Minis and other BMC models. How much? From £31.20  Where? minispares.com / 01707 607700 VW Inlet Manifold This intake manifold set suits the VW 1.7-, 1.8- and 2.0-litre air-cooled engines. Part number 9900341200 includes manifolds, gaskets, studs,…

Mechanics at the National Motor Museum have discovered items hidden from view for more than 100 years. During the restoration of the Land Speed Record breaking Sunbeam 1000hp, the workshop team unearthed a 1920s wooden handle screwdriver, used by one of the original mechanics before Major Henry Segrave broke the 200mph barrier. The tool had been dropped into the filler neck of the engine oil tank while the levels were checked, staying inside for almost a century. Also uncovered was a preserved 1921 shilling, and an adjustable spanner from the time of the original landmark run, ‘glued’ to the chassis with vegetable-based Castrol R oil. The restoration campaign aims to raise £300,000 to restore ‘The Slug’ and take it back to Daytona Beach in Florida for the 100thanniversary of its…

The late era of the MG TF’s production run was a blizzard of press releases that mostly served as a substitute for any real development of the model – substantial updates or improvements were beyond MG Rover’s scant resources, and in any case the TF was still the UK’s best-selling sports car. Those punch press releases issuing from Longbridge usually announced yet another limited edition of the TF, and like most limited-edition cars these were rarely more than an ordinary MG TF with some pre-selected options as standard, some specific trim and paint colours and an evocative name. This was not an entirely cynical exercise, as they usually allowed buyers to get a slew of desirable features in one go, and at a lower price than they would pay if…

Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance Web: lancasterinsurance.co.uk | Tel: 01480 809176 Example quote: £103 or £121 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.…

S-MAX THRILLS Inspired by our recent feature on £10,000 drivers’ cars, reader Andrew Lobb from Crewe contacted us with something of an unlikely contender from the world of MPVs – the Ford S-Max, which was launched back in 2006 and had the option of the punchy 2.5-litre five-pot motor shared with the Focus ST and Volvo C30 T5. “I ran company cars for more than 40 years, and with a growing family I noted the S-Max was a little different to run of the mill MPVs,” he said. “By far the best was the first which sported a 2.5-litre 217bhp Focus / Volvo five-pot. Not only was it quick, but for a big thing it handled really well – I loved it. “Certainly you can find a 2.5 in the…