Innholdsfortegnelse for 7/24-31/2024 i Classic Car Buyer

If you’ve spent any time on the internet in the last week or so, there’s one piece of news you’ll surely have encountered – no, it’s not one of a political, nor ball-kicking nature, but the resurrection of yet another iconic nameplate: Ford Capri. Of course, the return of a Blue Oval coupe has been rumoured for decades, so imagine the reaction from enthusiasts when what Ford revealed was an electric SUV… I have mixed feelings on this – to be clear, I hate the very idea of an electric SUV with any badge on it, not least one that shamelessly sticks an iconic name on an otherwise unrelated product. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen such a crime either – Ford’s Mustang Mach-E came in for similar criticism…

Hampson Auctions’ July 28 sale boasts an eclectic lineup of classics to suit all tastes and budgets, but perhaps most interesting is the selection of British exotica on offer. On one hand, a bare-metal restored 1956 Bristol 405 Drophead Coupe looks stunning, includes its original toolkit and carries a hefty £160,000-£180,000 guide, but it was two pre-restoration lots that caught our eye. The first is a 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 4.2, owned by the vendor’s late husband since nearly new but hidden in a barn following an attempted theft in 1986. It was soon joined by a 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, which has been similarly untouched since and is also offered in the sale. Both cars are said to require full restoration, but they are offered with no reserve…

The top-to-bottom Cabinet Office-led inquiry into the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which launched last July, has been concluded. The Department for Transport (DfT) Review Team confirmed to the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) that a Final Report has been produced, including recommendations, which is now awaiting approval following the UK’s change of government. Launched on July 23, 2023, the review assessed the DVLA to see if it was still fit for purpose, based on the four pillars set by the Cabinet Office of efficiency, efficacy, accountability and governance. It was announced after the FBHVC had applied considerable pressure to government over a range of issues about how the DVLA deals with historic vehicle registrations, following an apparent change in its attitude and procedures. The chairman of…

Over 200 varied classics are set to go on display in East Devon when the Exmouth Classic Vehicle Gathering returns to the town’s Imperial Recreation Ground on August 11. Organised by the Morris Minor Owners Club Devon Region (MMOC) and Ford Anglia 105 Owners Club, the event was first staged in 2004 and has become a firm favourite because there’s no requirement to book in advance or arrive and depart at set times. Similarly, there’s no age-related cut-off date. What’s more, there is no entry fee for either vehicle exhibitors or show visitors. Instead, the organisers will collect voluntary donations on the day for their nominated charity, Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Since 2010, the event has raised over £12,000. The gathering will take place from 10am until 4pm. For further…

One of the CCB team’s greatest procrastination techniques is to send links for random cars abroad to each other, with the idea of a glorious road trip to collect said classic from a far-flung destination. Sometimes they might be a car that wasn’t sold here, or perhaps former street furniture that has all but disappeared in the salty UK climate. Sometimes, they’re just cheaper overseas. Ultimately though, we’ve never followed through on anything since Brexit. Worry over increased taxes and a severe lack of foreign language skills were barriers, but after sending yet another link to my colleagues earlier this year, I was determined to make something happen this time. The car I’d seen was a Mk1 Ford Fiesta on French classified site, Leboncoin. Now, I’m perfectly aware that Mk1…

So here’s a question for the VW anoraks out there: what is the firm’s longest-serving model name? It’s not the Golf, nor is it the Polo. Rather, it’s the Passat, which arrived in 1973 and has been a beacon of steadiness ever since – the German middle class’s answer to Mondeo man if you like. Launched in 2001, when the B5 Passat range received its ‘B5.5’ facelift, the W8 was the wildcard of an otherwise sensible range. The W8 powerplant is essentially a VR6 with a pair of extra pots… or half a Bugatti W16 if you prefer. Complicated to engineer it may be, but the advantage of the W layout is that it’s even more compact than the traditional V8 engine, this being pretty much the only way eight…

As the summer finally arrives, the idea of cruising in a luxurious convertible is hard to ignore, and the stunning Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible offered by Yorkshire Classic & Sports Cars could be just the car to soak up the sun in. Family-owned for 50 years, this 77,000-mile Corniche has been maintained thoroughly and whenever necessary, resulting in a reassuringly hefty history file detailing tens of thousands of expenditure. Work in recent years has included an extensive brake overhaul, a comprehensive service and a new air conditioning system. The interior itself looks superb, with navy blue leather complementing the grey paintwork. We spotted some cracks in the front seats, but this merely confirms the car’s originality, and could easily be revived to the standard of the rest of the car. The…

BEST OF BENZ The recent Mercedes W123 vs W124 video on our Classics World YouTube channel prompted some debate from commentors: user @Beechams1042 said “I love my base spec C124 220CE, but I’d agree W123 is peak merc. The W124 is classic enough to be cool, but modern feeling enough to be used daily”, while @BEGGARWOOD1 brough up the dreaded ‘R’ word: “W123 a great car with a weakness for rust, W124 a better car that rusts less.” @PaulNash4425, however, summed up the general consensus best: “love both (own a W123), but it comes down to style preference for me. I know the 124 may be a better car, but just love the classic looks of the older W123”. MEMORY LANE The Polish-built Polski Fiat 125p (badged FSO 1300 in…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK The drive to celebrate ‘ordinary’ everyman classics that were once street furniture continues to gain momentum. Hagerty’s ever-expanding Festival of the Unexceptional is set to take place this Saturday (July 27), while a new display celebrating rare ‘mundane motors’ will feature at the Tatton Park show next month. We even saw a humble Mk1 VW Polo displayed at the heart of the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed, alongside countless million-pound supercars. The Festival of the Unexceptional will celebrate its 10-year anniversary when it takes place at Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire, this weekend. Launched in 2014, the show is dedicated to long-forgotten ‘ordinary’ classic cars of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, with thousands of mundane motors on display, plus a selection of the UK’s finest…

MORRIS MINOR 1000 TOURER (1956-1969) The Morris Minor’s charming styling, simple mechanicals and affordable price tag ensured its popularity from day one, but whereas the two-door saloon served the purpose of being an affordable mass-mobiliser, the open-top Tourer was also offered at launch. It’s worth remembering, however, that the Minor heralds from an era where a soft-top roof represented a cost-saving exercise rather than an extravagance. Blending the American-inspirred styling with the lure of wind-in-the-hair motoring, the Tourer accounted for 30 per cent of all ‘MM’ Minor (1948-1953) sales, thanks in part to both variants costing the same, a surprising decision that led to the Tourer ultimately being a loss-leader in later life and seeing it culled before other Minor variants. Early Minor drop-tops were tourers in the traditional sense,…

1965 - The MGB GT is announced in October at the London Motor Show.  1967 – Mk2 introduced with four-synchro gearbox and a three-speed automatic gearbox as an option. Other changes include two-speed windscreen wipers, an alternator with negative-earth electrics and reversing lights.  1969 – Alloy bonnet replaced by steel and leather seats replaced by vinyl. Chrome grille replaced by black-painted recessed type and rubber inserts fitted to bumper overriders. Rostyle wheels become standard, with wires now optional. British Leyland badges fitted on front wings and italic ‘BGT’ tailgate badge introduced. New colour palette launched. Head restraints and a brake servo become options. 1971 – Dashboard modified with twin fresh air vents in centre, and a transmission tunnel console with hinged armrest added to interior.  1972 – Original-style grille reintroduced…

The range of classic convertible sports cars is vast, but one that sadly often gets forgotten is the Fiat 124 Spider. However, the 1970 ‘BS’ series example offered by Yorkshire Classic & Sports Cars (YCSC) shows why the model deserves your attention. Unlike so many 124 Spiders on the UK market, this is an Italian market car rather than an American import, meaning the far more elegant European bumpers and the correct ride height. It looks stunning, the Pininfarina styling making many rivals look decidedly dumpy. This example benefitted from a bare-metal restoration in Italy in the 1990s, which is photographed and documented in the extensive history file and goes some way to explain the seemingly flawless condition. The Rosso Vivo paintwork has a lovely gloss, while the panels all…

AHEAD OF THEIR TIME We pay tribute to the trailblazing classics that moved the game on, from the rotary rebel NSU Ro80 to the all-alloy Audi A2. CLASSIC CHOICE We compare three executive cars of the 1970s – can the mighty Mercedes W123 fend off the BMW E12 5 Series and Saab 900? HORSE POWER Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024, the all-American Ford Mustang is a motoring icon. We show you how to buy a great example. DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL ISSUE OF CLASSIC CAR BUYER FROM AS LITTLE AS £1.37! Visit shop.kelsey.co.uk/classic-car-buyer-magazine The printed version of Classic Car Buyer is available in ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons and WH Smiths, plus all good newsagents…

History has given us many great engines, from small ones packed with character to big-capacity lumps admired for their noise and power. The one we have here doesn’t fall into either of those camps, but it is 50 years old this year, so we think that’s worth celebrating. Developed by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo, the PRV V6 has seen service in a disparate range of vehicles, from luxury saloons and people carriers to all-out sports cars. First used in a Volvo in October 1974, it bowed out 14 years later after more than 970,000 had been made. There are some interesting cars on our list, but which was your favourite for this versatile powerplant? DELOREAN DMC-12 The story of this car involves plenty of intrigue, from the factory in Belfast…

As we covered in our ‘Iconic Engines’ piece recently, the BMC A-Series rose to iconic status partly due to its tuneability, and the previous owner of Sherwood Restorations’ Austin-Healey Frogeye Sprite has certainly exploited that. Originally a 948cc specimen, known A-Series tuner S.H. Engineering have seen the capacity grow to 1380cc, with a 45 twin-choke Weber carburettor, stainless steel exhaust and four-brand manifold thrown in, resulting in an estimated 135bhp – almost triple the factory power. The rest of the mechanicals were clearly built with durability and enthusiastic use in mind – a Sierra-sourced five-speed manual gearbox means long distance driving and exploiting that power will be easier, while the front suspension comprises AVO shock absorbers and lowered Frontline springs and the rear sports lowered and stiffened Frontline springs, adding…