Innholdsfortegnelse for 4/16/2025 i Classic Car Buyer

The subject of this week’s main feature is executive cars with small – and usually four-cylinder – engines. Many of us would hold the opinion that bigger is best when it comes to engine capacity for these larger classics, but we reckon there are plenty of reasons why we shouldn’t dismiss their lesser-powered stablemates. Back when I was starting out in motoring journalism, my daily was a very ratty Mk3 Fiesta with a Zetec engine craned in. It looked absolutely awful, but went like stink, so when I first had a change to drive the company’s prestigious E60 BMW 5 Series, I was dismayed to see it was only the 520i. Never mind that it was a six-cylinder with 168bhp, it was the poor relation in my eyes. Dismissing the…

Mini boot floor and seat assembly Just about every piece to rebuild the back half of a Mini is included in this British Motor Heritage repair panel assembly from Mini Spares, including the rear seat bulkhead, the entire boot floor with battery box and wheel arches. Order as part number AFB360040.  How much? £718.63 Where from? minispares.com / 01707 607700 Drive pulley kit for Ford Pinto Burton Power is now offering a complete Poly V drive pulley kit for the Ford SOHC Pinto engine. It comes with cast alloy pulleys for the alternator, water pump and idler, plus an adjustable spherical-ended tensioner and a multi-ribbed Poly V belt. The alternator pulley is designed to fit a 15mm diameter shaft, but can be modified to suit 17mm shafts if required. Order…

By the early 1950s, MG had earned a strong global reputation for its sports cars, with the T-Type selling over 50,000 units. However, its design was ageing fast. A glimpse of a potential figure emerged when Sid Enever created a stunning bespoke body for George Phillips’ TD in order to compete at Le Mans in 1951. It didn’t finish, but with a streamlined shape instead of the TD’s upright pre-war styling, it could reach 120mph. A revised ‘EX175’ version was sadly rejected by BMC boss Leornard Lord in 1952, who didn’t want an in-house competitor for the newly sanctioned Austin-Healey 100. That meant MG was forced to update the T-series line once again, but the resultant TF model didn’t fool anyone, especially with new rivals like the Triumph TR2 on…

Launched in 2001, the R230 Mercedes SL became the fifth generation of the long-running SL grand tourer series. It replaced the popular R129 and once again employed cutting-edge design and technology. The R230 was the first car designed using a 3D super-computer system, enabling precise digital inspection of all surfaces. It retained the SL’s signature side vents while introducing bold, modern lines and new quad headlights. A stand-out feature was its folding metal roof, borrowed from the SLK, offering improved year-round usability over traditional soft tops. The SL500 featured Active Body Control (ABC) for adjustable suspension, while the SL350 had springs. Standard features included adaptive cruise control, xenon headlights, dual-zone climate control and heated memory seats. The initial model was the SL500, with its 302bhp 5.0-litre V8, followed by the…

The TR5 simultaneously marked the end of one era and the beginning of another for Triumph’s TR range, retaining the handsome Michelotti-designed body of the TR4 and TR4A but with a more powerful six-cylinder punch that paved the way for its TR6 successor. Manufactured from July 1967, the TR5 was a one-year wonder, but its relative rarity and ‘best of both worlds’ slot in the range means it’s a highly desirable classic. The 1968 TR5 being offered for sale by specialist TRGB is an especially beautiful example, having undergone a body-off restoration in the 1990s. This restoration is well-documented with a full photographic record, showcasing the care and attention given to bringing this roadster back to its former glory. The work was clearly done to an excellent standard, with straight…

The market is packed with show-level Minis that you’d be scared to drive, but Car Cave’s 1999 Cooper Sport looks the perfect car to use and show in equal measure. With 95,000 miles showing, it comes with two sets of keys, original handbooks, and a service book stamped up to 60,000 miles, along with receipts for further work. Considerable investment has gone into the car over the past eight years, including extensive rust repairs in 2020. It has benefitted from new wings, A-panels, a front panel, sills, jacking points, door skins and a replacement rear subframe, with most of the common Mini rot spots taken care of. The bodywork is in excellent shape accordingly, with solid underpinnings and paintwork that remains very presentable aside from a few minor marks, and…

IN TRANSIT We celebrate 60 years of the iconic Ford Transit, the ubiquitous van that earned its reputation as ‘The Backbone of Britain’. CLASSIC CHOICE A 1980s cabriolet makes a great family classic, but is the VW Golf Mk1, Ford Escort Mk3 or Peugeot 205 drop-top the best choice? ON YOUR TRAVELS The Morris Minor remains one of the most accessible classics, and the Traveller is the most practical of them all. We share our buying tips. 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…

Revealed at the 82nd Goodwood Members’ Meeting the latest ‘restomod’ MG from Frontline, the MGA Factory Edition, marks 70 years since the launch of the original MGA. It’s the lightest and most refined car in Frontline’s portfolio to date, combining classic aesthetics with thoroughly modern engineering. Weighing just 815kg, the MGA Factory Edition is powered by a choice of naturally aspirated 2.0-litre (225bhp) or 2.5-litre (290bhp) Duratec engines. Both units feature individual throttle bodies, stainless steel exhausts, tuned camshafts, and a modern ECU. These are paired with Frontline’s renowned five-speed manual gearbox. Developed entirely in-house, the chassis has been significantly updated. The original leaf springs have been replaced with a five-link rear suspension system and a limited-slip differential. Uprated shafts, bearings, front telescopic dampers and finely tuned geometry reportedly enhance…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK The wider classic car scene was relieved when it was revealed last week that President Trump’s 25 per cent tariff on cars imported into the USA would not apply to classics, but there are still question marks for some British businesses over what will happen to parts when a second wave of tariffs is announced on May 3. Trump’s intentions may be to force car and component makers to establish more domestic manufacturing but will most likely have an unforeseen consequence in their effects on the UK’s classic car specialists. President Trump announced sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on cars imported into the US on April 2 as part of his ‘Liberation Day’ strategy. With the tariff rate known several days ahead of…

Broad Arrow Auctions, part of Hagerty, will hold a BMW-only auction on May 24 to celebrate the marque’s legacy as host of the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Taking place at Villa Erba, Italy, the sale forms part of Broad Arrow’s inaugural year as the official auction partner of the Concorso and will feature 70 of the world’s finest collector cars across two days. The BMW-only sale honours nearly 70 years of BMW production, showcasing halo models from both classic and modern eras. Highlights include a highly original 1958 BMW 507 Series II Roadster, estimated at €2-€2.3 million (£1.72-£1.98 million), which spent nearly 50 years in single-family ownership and remains eligible for top-tier concours events. Two BMW M1s will be offered: a 1980 model once owned by music producer Frank…

HILLMAN SUPER MINX (1961-1967) Launched as a slightly larger and more refined alternative to the ‘Audax’ range, the Hillman Super Minx was designed to offer an upmarket take on the traditional family saloon. Rootes was well versed in making conventional and dependable mid-size saloon car, but as the 1960s approached things were changing and tastes were broadening – and this was the company’s answer. That car’s platform was expanded – five inches more wheelbase, two inches more track and given new bodywork – to bring it back into the middle of the market. But with Rootes also lacking a truly small car (and development of that struggling to get off the ground), it was decided to keep both versions in production together – the Minx and the Super Minx, the…

Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance  Web: lancasterinsurance.co.uk | Tel: 01480 400761 Example quote: £258.95 or £276.95 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.…

RAISE THE ROOF The ‘Best Convertibles For All Budgets’ video on our Classics World YouTube channel prompted plenty of opinions from commentators. @paulie-Gualtieri said: “The Jaguar XJS Celebration convertible is one of the most beautiful dropheads ever made.” @MontyGriffsGarage, meanwhile, went German: “I’ve put more than 200,000 miles on my A124 E320 Sportline, such an accomplished car.” @snbala, however, is clearly a JDM fan: “A Honda S2000 always has to be on any classic convertible list!” MEMORY LANE The vast Citroën CX Safari combined ride comfort with immense space, as this 1977 brochure detailed. “The Safari’s hydropneumatic suspension has been proven in the toughest rallies and in over 20 years’ production experience. It provides a simple, dependable shock absorption system, effective on all surfaces, giving a ride that’s unsurpassed for…

For those not quite at the top of the company ladder, there’s long had to be a bit of creativity when it comes to one’s choice of wheels. The fledging executive could either spec up a car in smaller class – a Ghia, CD or even a Diplomat model perhaps – or stretch to the same car the big boss drives, but in an entry-level guise. Quite the dilemma. Or course, it wasn’t just company car buyers in this scenario – suburbia would’ve been rife with private buyers contemplating the same choice. Fortunately, many a manufacturer was able to cater for both routes – and it’s the basic barges we’re interested in here. Broadly speaking, we’re talking big, E-segment models that saw owners forgo six- or even eight-cylinder engines and…

1996 - Work begins on development of a replacement for the R129 SL 2001 - R230 SL revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September; Production begins in October at Mercedes’ Bremen factory. The R230 appears as the official Formula One Safety Car for the first time at the German Grand Prix 2002 - The R230 SL goes on sale in the UK in March. Range includes the 302bhp SL500 at £67,610 and the 493bhp SL55 AMG at £88,860 2003 - V6-powered SL350 and V12-powered SL600 models arrive 2004 - SL65 AMG introduced with 604bhp, priced in excess of £145,000 2006 - Facelifted version of the R230 revealed at the Geneva Motor Show with new engines – the SL500 is increased to 383bhp and the SL350 to 268bhp. Other changes include…

The use-and-abuse nature of rep cars means few examples from the 1990s and early 2000s survive today, but Car Cave’s Mk2 Mondeo Verona has escaped sales reps or the banger oval. It’s a remarkably well-preserved example, having had only two owners from new and covering just 30,900 miles in its 25 years. It comes complete with its original handbooks, two keys, and even the original sales brochure, highlighting the care and attention it has received over the years. The bodywork remains entirely original and is in excellent condition, with no rust, dents or unsightly blemishes, nor the stereotypical gaffer-taped bumpers – a true testament to how well it’s been looked after. It sits on its original alloy wheels, which have been recently refurbished and are fitted with good-quality tyres. Mechanically,…