Innholdsfortegnelse for 5/15/2024 i Classic Car Buyer

For the uninitiated and overly-cautious, classic cars are merely a means to drive to and from weekend shows, rarely covering more than 30 or 40 miles and never venturing onto motorways. Even some car enthusiasts doubt the modern road viability of a car built before the year 2000, so imagine the shock and disbelief of various friends of mine when I turned up to our annual Nürburgring roadtrip start line in my 41-year-old Mercedes W123. I got a few jokes about breakdown cover, some suggesting a ‘slow moving vehicle’ sticker – little did they know, only a fool doubts a determined classic car owner, certainly one armed with a W123. Fast-forward 750 miles and four days later, my classic Merc had completed extended Autobahn driving at 90mph, conquered monsoon-level rain,…

The Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance (HCVA) – a not-for-profit trade organisation founded to represent the collective voice of small and medium-sized enterprises within the historic and classic vehicle sector – has a new chairman. Following a fantastic year of growth and renewal at the HCVA, David Meek has decided to move on to new ventures and will hand over the reins to current Board Member, Mark Roper. Mark is also Managing Director of Hagerty International, and brings a wealth of experience in leading teams, driving growth in organisations and building membership and engagement. In addition to Mark’s appointment, the board has decided the time is right to bring in a new chief executive officer to lead the future strategy and day to day activities of the HCVA. The CEO…

The classic car market has experienced turbulent times in the last decade or so, but with values generally climbing on ‘traditional’ classics from the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, it might seem that classic car ownership is now out of reach for younger enthusiasts, or those shopping on a budget. That needn’t be the case, however, with all manner of enticing icons from the 20th century still achievable for a modest £2000 budget, or well below that in some cases. We’ve brought together our favourite sports cars, saloons, superminis and family cars from before the year 2000 – including one stalwart ‘traditional’ classic – that still offer great value. MERCEDES W124 (1984-1997) The W124 comes from a period when the three-pointed star represented some of the best engineering and highest quality…

1976 - Styled by John de Vries, the new model is launched as the 343, powered by a 1.4-litre Renault engine with a CVT transmission. 1979 - The range is boosted by the five-door 345, and the option of a manual gearbox is introduced. 1982 - Autumn sees the more powerful and better-equipped 360 introduced, and a minor facelift brings changes to the frontal styling and a revised interior. 1983 - The four-door saloon is launched, and the 343 and 345 badges are replaced by '340'. 1985 - Almost 10 years after launch, a wider-ranging update introduces styling tweaks and more efficient engines in both carburettor and injection form.  1991 - Production ends with around 1.14 million cars made.…

With Ford’s Vignale top-spec failing to resonate with today’s buyers, let’s rewind to the iconic Ghia trim seen on Milestone Classics’ Mk2 Escort, touted as perhaps the “nicest Mk2 on the market.” Purchased new in 1979, this four-door 1600 Ghia was Waxoyl treated and stored on blocks under cover from 1982-2010 before being recommissioned. The Cosmos Blue bodywork presents extremely well, with a lovely gloss and no dents or marks highlighted by harsh sunlight. The brightwork looks excellent, while the alloy wheels are unmarked and the contrasting dark blue vinyl roof is free of splits or damage. The small addition of front spotlights and a chrome tailpipe are the perfect adornments to this seemingly spotless exterior. The interior is described by Milestone as “outstanding,” and the pictures certainly confirm that…

BARGAIN PRESTIGE Shopping on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t indulge yourself. We celebrate the upmarket modern classics available for less than £5000, from the understated Lexus LS to the mighty Range Rover L322. BOLD CALL During the 1950s and ‘60s, the ‘Audax’ Hillman Minx enjoyed a reputation as a solid, no-frills performer. We show you how to buy a good example today. CLASSIC CHOICE We pit three lairy modern classic hot hatchbacks against eachother, but will the Ford Focus RS, VW Golf R32 or Alfa Romeo 147 GTA come out ahead? 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. The printed version of Classic Car Buyer is available in ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons and…

Pinto pulley drive kit Burton’s alternator/water pump drive kit is said to be a vast improvement on the standard Ford SOHC Pinto set-up. It contains three aluminium pulleys, an adjustable tensioner and locating bolt, as well as a multi-ribbed poly V drive belt with a greater surface area than the original. Order as part number FT1062K.  How much? £210 Where? burtonpower.com / 0208 554 2281 Mini carpet sets Mini Spares is offering a full range of affordable fitted carpet sets for classic Minis, available in a wide range of colours and to suit both right- and left-hand drive. The high-quality tufted carpet comes with additional pads in the high-wear areas on the driver’s side and where the seat supports make contact.  How much? £171.00  Where? minispares.com / 01707 607700 Datsun…

Journalists got excited when the Germans tried to innovate. It happened over at Audi, too, but the public didn’t want their premium small cars taking risks, as it happens. The A-Class remained a bold – some say cynical – move by Mercedes-Benz to conquer a younger demographic of customers. Showgoers raved at the Vision A 93 and Studie A concept cars previewing much of the A-Class’s features, though a planned BEV model, designed in anticipation of Californian zero-emissions laws going global, was dropped. Built not long after Benz’s Rastatt factory resumed production of revised W168s in February 1998, Stone Cold’s car, a base model A140 in ‘Classic’ trim, originally belonged to Mercedes UK’s press fleet, where it appeared in numerous publications to mostly rave reviews. It may well be one…

You need to head back all the way to 1976 for the launch of this family hatchback, the first all-new model from the Dutch company Volvo Car BV. Going head-to-head with rivals from the likes of Ford and Vauxhall, it appeared first as the three-door 343, with the five-door 345 joining the range a few years later. That nomenclature would change in the early 1980s when these became simply the 340, and it was around the same time when the more powerful 360 arrived, featuring a 2.0-litre engine and five-speed gearbox. Topping the range was the fuel-injected 360GLT, with a plusher specification that included velour trim, alloy wheels and a rear spoiler. For those buyers that preferred a traditional three-box shape, the arrival of the saloon in 1983 would have…

It’s hard to believe that the Triumph TR lineage of sports cars started not with an ambition to create a legendary roadster, but a failed attempt to acquire Morgan. After Standard-Triumph’s deal fell through, a prototype built on Standard saloon underpinnings was constructed, management loved it and the rest, as they say, is history. The 1955 Triumph TR2 offered by renowned specialist TRGB looks a great way to sample the genesis of that bloodline. Consider the quantity of TRs that TRGB sees, and the high quality of the cars the business sells; when it describes one as a beautiful example, that can only be a good thing. Resplendent in Mandarin Red, this TR2 presents beautifully and appears completely free of any paint crazing or bodywork imperfections. The previous owner had…

Rover Minis from the final year of production have long been hot property, and though it’s not one of the final 500 cars, this 2000 Cooper Sport will surely be a prime target for a collector. Resplendent in rare and unusual Anthracite metallic black, this 8900-mile Sport Pack car was the last Mini sold by Caffyns Brighton, the customer presented with a bouquet of flowers upon collection to celebrate. Used sparingly and with some time spent in storage, this Cooper is in remarkable condition, with only the odd light mark on the paintwork commensurate with light use and storage. Said to be extremely original, solid and clean, the chunky styling of the wide-arch Sport Pack cars looks better than ever today, with the tasteful colour combination and quad auxiliary lights…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK Automotive sales platform CarGurus has released data showing a rapid and continuing decline in the number of new cars with manual gearboxes on sale in the UK, leading to fears that drivers in future will not be qualified to drive older classics without automatic transmission. The data shows that 89 models are currently available to buy new with a manual, down some 55 per cent since a 10-year peak in 2016 when 197 models were offered. Between 2014 and 2018, manual gearbox availability remained relatively consistent with no more than four per cent variation between years; after 2018, however, a steady decline can be seen. Since last year, an 18 per cent decline from 109 to 89 models has cemented fears that a…

MGB ROADSTER (1962-1980) Already an established classic even before production ended in 1980, the appeal of the MGB doesn’t need to be proven, just witnessed. The historic vehicle arena is constantly evolving and expanding, yet the MGB stands tall, even 62 years after it was first launched. Certainly, the MGB got off to a flying start in 1962 when it replaced the outgoing MGA. Syd Enever was the man tasked with achieving the right balance between the driver appeal of a proper sports car and the level of comfort and convenience that buyers of the ’60s expected. That meant doing away with sliding windows and making the new MGB’s interior more user-friendly, whilst also swapping the MGA’s separate chassis for a more contemporary monocoque bodyshell. The front suspension and rack…

Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance Web: lancasterinsurance.co.uk | Tel: 01480 400810 Example quote: £90 or £108 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.…

CLIMBING THE LADDER The recent Ford Fiesta Mk3 road test video on our Classics World YouTube channel was met with all manner of memories from viewers in the comments, but our favourite was from user @davidvanhansen: “My first new car, I saved up for it for a long time. I had a 1989 1.1 with a 55bhp Kent engine, and then in 1991 I “swapped” it for a black RS Turbo that I bought in Belgium. As a soldier you earned relatively good money, and you could save a lot too – just wish I still had it!”. What an upgrade! We can imagine the RS Turbo felt slightly brisker than the 1.1 Kent… NEW RULES? Reader Roy Franklin got in touch regarding our recent coverage of rising VED rates…