Innholdsfortegnelse for 10/2/2024 i Classic Car Buyer

By now, you’ll likely have seen One For The Road, the final adventure from the Clarkson, Hammond and May trio. I personally enjoyed it as one of the better Grand Tour episodes in recent years. It also served as a fitting farewell to the trio, who helped form the basis of car enthusiasm for a good proportion of my generation. As ever, the cars were just as much the stars of the special as the presenters, the former in this case comprising of a Lancia Monte Carlo for Clarkson, a Mk1 Capri 3000 GXL for Hammond and a Magenta Triumph Stag for May. Despite the modern motoring world focussing on EVs, they clearly still made a strong impression on viewers of all ages: AutoTrader reported that Capri searches were up…

Sister auction houses Iconic Auctioneers and Classic Car Auctions (CCA) have become one company, with the latter taking on a new name in the process. CCA’s final sale under its existing moniker was held at Stoneleigh Park on September 28, with it becoming known as The Classic Sales by Iconic Auctioneers from October. Since its formation in 2015 by Iconic Auctioneers (then known as Silverstone Auctions), CCA has made its mark as a sales house with a focus on everyman classics. Despite its connection to Iconic Auctioneers, the sister firm was run as a separate company. The new arrangement will see The Classic Sales run by the same team and with the same ethos, with sales to be held at many of the same venues as before. However, from early…

FIAT COUPE (1995-2000) With its last coupe out of production for some two decades – either the 124 Sport Coupe or 128 Coupe – Fiat would’ve been forgiven for taking a safe, tentative step back into the two-door market for the 1990s. But no, the aptly named Fiat Coupe introduced at the Bologna Motor Show in December 1993 was striking and standout throughout. Penned by Chris Bangle (later of BMW fame), the Coupe boasted a sharp side profile and endless distinctive details, such as the side strakes, inset rear lights, enormous clamshell bonnet and unique ‘double bubble’ headlights. There were detractors that called the Coupe inelegant, particularly when compared to its Alfa GTV sister car, but it generally met with positive reception. Under the skin, the Coupe – like the…

Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance Web: lancasterinsurance.co.uk | Tel: 01480 400761 Example quote: £115 or £133 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.…

A magazine subscription is the perfect gift: • Personal, thoughtful and fuels their passion • Provides enjoyment all year round • And saves you money on the shop price! OVER 45 TITLES TO CHOOSE FROM VISIT SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/XMAS24 OR CALL 01959 543 747 AND QUOTE ‘XMAS24’ Lines are open Mon-Fri 8.30am to 5.30pm. Calls are charged at your standard network rate UK customers only. Offers end 31st January 2025 PLUS! Annuals, Books, Calendars, Event tickets, Clothing & Merchandise at shop.kelsey.co.uk/stocking…

Rover’s Rebirth Bombed out of its original home in Coventry during the Blitz in 1940, Rover moved into a new Solihull factory in 1945. In this new 208-page hardback book, James Taylor tells the story of the company’s post-war renaissance from 1945-1953. ISBN: 978-0-719844-12-6. How much? £30 Where from? crowood.com Ford Oil Seal Front Cover In keeping with its policy of producing parts that are no longer available from the original source, Burton is now offering a crankshaft oil seal front cover that fits both the Ford Pinto and Cosworth YB engines. It faithfully reproduces the original part and can be ordered as part number FT1065.  How much? £49.96 Where from? 0208 5542281/burtonpower.com Security Swivel Lock Cover Mini Sport has come up with this neat new swivel lock cover to…

The late 1950s were certainly an exciting time for Britons. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan famously told us we’d “never had it so good” in the run up to a resounding ’59 general election victory, and although he was talking about the post-war economy, he could just as well have been talking about cars. Indeed, with the 1960s on the horizon, the automotive world was enjoying a real buzz – as exemplified by the 1959 Earls Court Motor Show. Often considered to be the best UK Motor Show of all time, it was awash with new launches and desirable models that visitors could dream about driving along the soon to-be-opened M1 and into the new decade. Here, we look at 10 of the most notable debuts from the class of ’59,…

1970 - Citroën GS launched as a four-door saloon. 1972 - Citroën GS Break estate appears with five doors in the UK; three-door version available elsewhere. 1973 - Larger 1220cc engine launched with a healthier 60bhp; UK cars also get the option of the ‘Convertisseur’ semi-automatic gearbox. Wankel-powered Birotor model launched but it s short-lived. 1975 - Top-spec Pallas introduced, distinguished by full-size wheel trims and nicer interior. GSX model introduced with 65bhp engine and 98mph top speed. Other GS engines are detuned slightly. 1977 - A mild facelift introduces changes to the grille, lights and interior, with the dashboard now featuring conventional instruments. The 55bhp 1015cc engine is replaced by an 1129cc 56bhp unit. 1979 - With almost 1.9 million examples of the Citroën GS made, a replacement arrives…

Even at our most extravagant, we Europeans tend to be somewhat safe and predictable with our luxury cars. To stand out, you need an American luxury car, and what better than this vast Cadillac Coupe deVille offered by Hanwells of London? Despite its vast size, this slice of Ivory Americana appears in excellent condition, with no noticeable dents or scrapes, nor any rounded-off edges on the sizeable extremities. There appear to be some paint mismatches on the front bumper and both doors, but all else is well. The chrome wheel trims pair nicely with the fresh white wall tyres and all the chrome trim on the body looks straight and free of pitting. The brushed aluminium ‘HT4100 DIGITAL FUEL INJECTION’ badging is unmarked, a small detail suggesting that this car…

ALL FOR UNO Reader Tony Rose got in touch following our ‘Best First Classics’ feature from last week. “While you definitely covered a broad range of excellent starter classics, I’d like to nominate my own first properly old car: the Fiat Uno. It might lack the ‘traditional classic’ chrome and isn’t as basic as the more popular Fiat Panda, but the slightly more refined and spacious interior make it a great daily-driver, it easily does over 40mpg, is comfortable, compact, easy to work on and turns a few heads amongst modern SUVs. I paid £1000 for mine and there are plenty around for similar money, bargain!” MEMORY LANE In 1983, BL celebrated selling half a million Metros with the Vanden Plas 500, a special edition enthusiastically-touted in this brochure: “Success…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK Concerns are growing for the future of free classic car shows if more volunteer marshals can’t be found. Factors such as time constraints and even abuse from the public have served to limit the amount of people willing to assist with car parking, directing traffic, keeping cars inside the event, and heeding age cut-offs. As free and low-cost shows surge in popularity, getting suitable staff has become harder, organisers say, especially when an eye is being kept on costs. Without the cars, there’s no show; but without the show, cars won’t gather. Unfortunately, during one event that was well-documented on social media, Classics on The Green in Barrington, Cambridgeshire, lost a date from its calendar when, following abuse from members of the public,…

An iconic fast Ford is back, with the news that the first of three period-correct Sierra RS500 Group A continuations by CNC Motorsport has been delivered to its lucky owner. Built in collaboration with four-time British Touring Car champion Andy Rouse, the cars are intended for use in historic racing, built to original Andy Rouse Engineering specifications. The first car was built over 24 months by Alan Strachan, a former Andy Rouse Engineering mechanic, and his son Andrew. Strachan senior worked on the Team Labatt’s Sierra RS500 during its BTCC campaign in 1989 and 1990. Input from Rouse himself and access to an original Labatt’s Sierra RS500 currently managed by CNC Motorsport ensured that every detail of the build could remain faithful to the original cars. CNC Motorsport has completed…

With ever more bloated, gargantuan SUVs that barely fit in parking spaces on our roads today, it’s refreshing to hit upon a car that couldn’t be more different. It comes from Japan and is considered by many as one of the best examples of the tiny sports-oriented cars that were produced within its diminutive Kei car class regulations in the early 1990s. Specifically, it’s a Honda Beat, born into the roadster boom of the early 1990s as a two-seater, mid-engined funster with a footprint barely bigger than a go-kart. The Beat was launched in 1991, but never officially sold in the UK before production ended in 1996. It’s always held a niche fascination among Brits though, with this 1993 example offered in Hobbs Parker’s October 9 classic auction imported to…

When Citroën decided to expand its range with a new model to fill the gap between the 2CV and DS – and compete with mainstream family car rivals – it turned to Robert Opron to draw up a design. The resulting design set the Citroën GS apart, with a Kamm-tail rear end and saloon bodywork that was more aerodynamic than almost anything else on the road. Following its launch in 1970, the Citroën GS would go on to prove hugely popular: almost 1.9 million would be made before the hatchback GSA arrived to replace it almost a decade later. The small, air-cooled engines fitted to the GS provided modest power and performance at first, but they proved almost unburstable. Larger units were soon added to the range along with a…

The market is inundated with well-kept and immaculately restored examples of classic Fords, so for one to stand out it has to be very special indeed. This 1966 Mk1 Cortina GT at Car Cave is one such car; bought new from Johnston Stewart & Sons in Falkirk, Scotland, and family-owned until 2021, it only covered a barely believable 21,000 miles in that 55-year period. It includes the original handbooks and service book, the post-delivery inspection paperwork and numerous invoices for servicing at the supplying dealer until it hit 17,350 miles in 1971, being used sparingly thereafter. Car Cave deals with hundreds of classic Fords every year, so it’s significant that it claims this could well be the best Mk1 Cortina available. As you’d expect of a car with such low…

It might lack the classic styling of its Silver Shadow predecessor, but the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit is objectively a better car and can often represent far better value – as the 1989 EFI car offered by Hanwells ably demonstrates. Finished in the smart hue of Claret Red with gold coachlines, this vast limousine still cuts a dash and appears to sport straight, unmarked paint and bodywork. The chrome is bright and straight, the lights unmarked and even the corner bumpers have escaped the scuffs that so many SZ-platform Rolls and Bentleys suffer from. The rear bumper fitment doesn’t look absolutely perfect, but that’s easily adjusted. Even the lower front valance of the Spirit doesn’t appear to have caught any speedbumps or driveways, while the white wall tyres – although controversial…

HAVING TWINS We look at the cars that were given more pep in their step by the fitment of twin-carbs, from the Mini Cooper to the Rover 2000. CLASSIC CHOICE A trio of ‘80s executive saloons do battle, but can the mighty Mercedes W124 beat the BMW E34 5 Series and Volvo 700? TO THE VETTE The Corvette C5 distils muscle car character into a useable modern classic package. We show how to buy a great one. 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…