Innholdsfortegnelse for 11/27-12/4/2024 i Classic Car Buyer

I was recently invited back to my former college to appear on the student radio broadcast, as part of a panel of ex-students who now have careers in the media. Surrounded by professionals who have done special effects for Netflix shows and produced TV programmes for the BBC and ITV, I thoroughly enjoyed the live radio experience. Despite the various classics at my disposal, I opted to turn up to the show in my own Fiat Seicento Sporting, the very same car I drove to college in some nine years ago – it felt ‘right’ to go back to my roots in every sense, parking in the same car park and walking the same halls I did long before imagining that working with classic cars would become my job. Going…

As something of an antidote to other Jaguar news, TWR – the Berkshire firm established in 2020 by Tom Walkinshaw’s son, Fergus Walkinshaw – has given a public debut to its ‘Supercat’ XJS restomod. The business is a separate entity to the original Tom Walkinshaw Racing of the 1980s and 1990s, but has revisited the original company’s long and fruitful association with Jaguar by selecting the XJS as the platform for its first offering. The Supercat will be strictly limited to 88 individual builds – a number chosen to celebrate the 1988 Le Mans win in the TWR Jaguar XJR-9. Penned by renowned designer Khyzyl Saleem in collaboration with car collector and fellow designer Magnus Walker, the Supercat retains the silhouette of the Jaguar XJS, but every exterior panel has…

We won’t be applying the word ‘bulletproof’ in its literal sense here. We’re not about to bring you four pages of coverage of Prime Ministerial and Presidential limousines featuring armour plating to keep terrorists at bay. No, we’re talking about those cars that established a reputation for being ultra-tough and long-lived. The kind of cars that could take a battering in terms of heavy usage and never complain. The machines that, purely in a colloquial sense, were indeed bulletproof. The eight classics featured here offer something for everyone, such is their disparity in design and concept. You’ll struggle to find much in common between an early-post war Rover and a Lexus of the 1990s, yet each now offers the kind of reliability and robustness that appeals to many enthusiasts. Throw…

1966 - Fiat 124 Sport Spider (to give it its full name) debuts with 1438cc (89bhp) DOHC engine. 1970 - Engine is upgraded to 1608cc, boasting an official output of 108bhp. 1973 - Small decrease in engine capacity (to 1592cc), with power output now at 105bhp. 1974 - Ex-Fiat 132 1756cc engine is added, offering extra flexibility and better performance. 1979 - Adoption of 1995cc version of the twin-cam for 1979 model year, creating the Spider 2000. 1980 - Bosch fuel-injection replaces Weber carbs, pushing power to 104bhp. 1982 - Car is rebadged as the Pininfarina Spidereuropa (or Super Azzura in the USA). 1985 - Pininfarina finally halts production after a run of 19 years.…

There’s no denying that the Ford Capri is as good looking now as it was when introduced 55 years ago, and this top-spec 1971 GT XLR offered by Car Cave exemplifies that perfectly. Boasting a genuine and original 3.0 shell, this Capri has staved off tinworm admirably, with Car Cave reporting excellent structural condition throughout. The inner wings, strut tops, floors, sills and wheel arches are all said to be straight and rust-free, while the paintwork itself polishes up to a lovely shine and is complemented by excellent chromework – the rear bumper was replaced and the overriders, badges and other trims are all straight and seemingly free of pitting. The Rostyle wheels with chrome rings look very smart indeed, while the fitment of a new front window rubber and…

RISE AND SHINE We celebrate the popular pop-up headlight and the cars most synonymous with using them, from the Lotus Elan to the Mazda MX-5. CLASSIC CHOICE Small and stylish family saloons were in abundance in the 1960s, but does the Ford Escort Mk1, Hillman Avenger or Vauxhall Viva make the best classic today? BOWING OUT Sharply styled and equally as sharp to drive, the final-generation Toyota Celica T230 is a fantastic front-drive sports car. We share our advice on finding a good 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…

An MG-inspired public house in Abingdon that celebrated the town’s links to the famous brand has closed its doors as part of refurbishment that will see it renamed, despite thousands signing a petition for it to retain the name it has used for 22 years. The Midget, located on Preston Road, had originally been called The Magic Midget when it opened in 1974, after a former land speed world record car produced by MG in the early 1930s. The word Magic was dropped in 2002, Earlier this month, owners Greene King announced the pub’s name would be changed after complaints it was offensive. More than 1300 people signed a petition launched by Dr Erin Pritchard, a disability lecturer at Liverpool Hope University. “I have dwarfism and like the majority of…

An unusual opera charity that brings music to health and social care residents, patients and staff is set to benefit from the sale of a Morris Minor with Classic Car Auctions. ‘Health: Pitch’ is a charity that was established to help people with mental health issues across a variety of health and care settings, by using opera as a mood and spirit enhancer. The group carried out an amazing ‘La Dolce Vita’ tour last summer to raise funds for the charity, and its current show is called Drive. But to help boost funds even further, the charity’s founder, Camilla Vickers, is offering her own beloved Morris Minor as part of The Classic Sale by Iconic Auctioneers, held at Warwickshire Event Centre on December 7. The Minor is a split-screen Series…

FORD SCORPIO (1994-1998) After starting life as a trim level on the MK3 Granada, Scorpio would become the sole name for its successor in 1994. Although the Mk3 Granada’s styling had divided opinion, its ride, handling and engines had been praised, so for a company whose bread and butter was big-selling hatches rather than executive cars, it made sense to carry the older car’s platform over, along with the engine and transmission line-up. Noting that a hatchback in a large executive car was now something of an anomaly of the class, the Scorpio was only offered in saloon or estate guise, but it was the styling itself that came in for widespread criticism. Designed to look more American, the Scorpio sported bulbous headlights, a vast and disproportionately wide grille, and…

Although never officially sold in the UK, the Fiat 124 Spider has been a popular personal import over the years. With 75 per cent of all examples built sold in the USA, many of the 124 Spiders now residing in the UK are ex-Californian imports. This classic Fiat enjoyed a long career, launching in 1966 with an 89bhp 1438cc DOHC engine, upgraded to 1608cc (and 108bhp) in 1970 before being marginally reduced in capacity to 1592cc and 105bhp in 1973. The following year saw a 1756cc version arrive, followed by a 1995cc derivative in 1979. The start of the 1980s brought Bosch fuel-injection to replace the old Weber carbs, upping power to 104bhp. Higher-performance versions were also offered, including a US-only turbocharged model (of which around 700 were built between…

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Rolls-Royce purists would do well to turn the page now, but for those of us who love the oddball, French auction house Aguttes has a real treat in its December 1 sale: a Paris-Dakar Rolls-Royce Corniche. The brainchild of Thierry de Montcorgé – described brilliantly as a ‘dandy playboy adventurer’ in the catalogue – and friend Jean-Christophe Pelletier, the idea of a Paris-Dakar Rolls-Royce was apparently created over a liquid lunch in the spring of 1980. Pelletier would donate his Corniche and the madcap plan was made reality by Michel Mockrycki, famous for Citroën prototypes and a specialist in American V8s. Sponsorship from Christian Dior promoting its new Jules fragrance made the project possible and Mockrycki duly set to work. The finished item contained very little Rolls-Royce, being a combination…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK Jaguar has sent social media into overdrive following a controversial rebranding that has been widely panned by critics. In a move described by Jaguar MD Rawdon Glover as a “complete reset,” the new brand identity does away with much of the iconography built up over the last 90 years, and has been accompanied by a commercial featuring a series of models, in brightly-coloured clothing, emerging from a lift into an austere landscape. They are then seen in various poses as different slogans appear on screen, including ‘live vivid’, ‘delete ordinary’ and ‘copy nothing’, with no cars to be seen. The historic firm has reached a major turning point in its long history as it looks to reinvigorate sales and improve its fortunes. All…

A discovery of seemingly unused ‘barn find’ Austin Rover vehicles in Italy has caused a stir, having broken cover on social media. A collection of 18 images posted online show a variety of dusty Austin Metros, two Maestros including an MG 1600, Rover SD1s, a Triumph Acclaim and a Matra Bagheera allegedly stored in a garage in the Apulia region in southern Italy, amounting to 12 vehicles in total. The cars would appear to date from around 1983-1984. With two people appearing to advertise the cars, doubt has been cast over the legitimacy of the find. Others have suggested they are old images that have just resurfaced. Award-winning YouTuber Tom Cowling of the Tom Drives channel, who was instrumental in rescuing MG Rover prototypes from Longbridge last year, delved deeper…

Preposterous it may sound, but the Silver Shadow is a classless luxury car. Sold in vast numbers (for a Rolls-Royce at least), this leather-lined limo might’ve represented the preferred runaround of the rich and famous once, but today is a classic that few are at odds with. The Shadow is loved by the enthusiasts from all walks of life, and if you’re lucky enough to have experienced one, you’ll agree that they drive like nothing else. Kim Cairns’ Shadow I is a relatively early car, dating from 1968, and is truly exemplary. Resplendent in Regal Red, it looks stunning in the autumnal sun, the graceful lines of this sizeable saloon baring absolutely no dents, damage or rust – the former particularly surprising given the length in excess of five metres.…

Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance Web: lancasterinsurance.co.uk | Tel: 01480 400761 Example quote: £101 or £119 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.…

As Lotus heads towards an all-electric future, why not celebrate one of its high points? This 2006 Elise 111R offered by specialist, Allon White looks like a very good way to do just that, resplendent in Titanium Silver and looking cosmetically very sharp indeed. We spotted no scuffs or dents on the fibreglass bodywork, nor any stone chips on the low nose. Meanwhile, the headlights are crystal clear and have resisted clouding up, the original badges have retained their colour, the front valance shows no signs of having scraped a speedbump or low driveway, and the removeable soft-top roof is said to be spotless too. The original Lotus alloy wheels look to be in excellent condition and wear suitably sticky Yokohama AD08R semi-slick tyres, perfect for dry B-roads and track…

The car-derived van is in danger of extinction these days, but the 1982 Bedford HA offered by Car Cave blends the charmingly basic Vauxhall Viva experience with ample luggage space. This late example was built some 16 years after the equivalent Viva HA and comes from the penultimate year of production, exemplifying the longevity of the model. Thousands were bought by British Telecom, and while this example wasn’t one of them originally, it had the livery applied following a full bare-metal restoration at some point in its past. The bodywork itself presents very well, with no signs of rust coming through, nor any damage since the respray. Car Cave reports that the lower sills and front valance aren’t quite painted to the same high standard as the bodywork – which…