Innholdsfortegnelse for 5/7/2025 i Classic Car Buyer

Our social media feeds have been awash with images and videos from Drive It Day, an occasion started by the FBHVC 20 years ago to celebrate the ‘One Thousand Mile Trial’ of 1900, but also to raise awareness and support amongst the public for the historic vehicle movement. It’s a great day, and I had hoped to get my classic Mini project finished in time. In the end though, activities were restricted to the short hop to a local cars and coffee meet in my imported Mk1 Fiesta. The reason the Mini is off the road is me. I can’t resist doing another little job when something is apart, and it all spirals. Do these extra jobs need doing? Probably not, but if something looks iffy, I prefer to sort…

Having successfully worked hard to attract younger members, the Triumph 2000/2500/2.5 Register has launched a section of the club for these younger members called ‘Next Gen’. The move came about after the Register decided its stand at the MG & Triumph Spares Day held at Stoneleigh in February would have cars exhibited purely by its younger members. The enthusiastic response then led to the new section being formed. ‘Next Gen’ has its own logo, and members will have their own area within the club magazine, ‘Six Appeal’. They’ll also be represented on the board. The Register is excited about the development, safe in the knowledge that it’s playing a significant part in securing its long-term future, as well as the classic car movement in general. For more information, see triumph2000register.co.uk.…

The 924 is credited with saving Porsche, yet it was far from the pure sports cars enthusiasts expected. Initially a VW/Audi project, Porsche took over when VW cancelled it, filling the void left by the axed 914. Powered by a 2.0-litre VW engine, it delivered 125bhp in Europe but only 95bhp in emissions-regulated North America, making it underwhelming compared to the 911. The 924 Turbo’s 170bhp helped, but it exposed the limitations of the ageing 1960s Audi engine. The turning point came when VW ceased production of the EA831 unit. Porsche, anticipating this, had developed the 928’s V8 with the option of a four-cylinder variant. Essentially half the 4.5-litre V8, this new engine resulted in a 2.25-litre capacity – unusually large for a four-cylinder sports car. To ensure smoothness, Porsche…

Some dismiss the MGB as being too obvious as a classic, but it’s obvious for good reason. Even 63 years after launch, it’s a practical, DIY-friendly sports car with amazing parts availability and incredibly strong club support. St Andrew’s Autos’ 1973 roadster looks like a perfect way to experience the B’s charms. This car boasts an impressive and well-documented history that spans three decades, supporting the belief that the impressively low displayed 62,000 miles is genuine. Discovered tucked away in a garage after being laid up for approximately 15 years, the car was unearthed in a state that, while showing the passage of time, offered great potential for restoration. It was subsequently acquired by a dedicated classic car restorer who recognised its value and embarked on a thorough and meticulous…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK Owners of classics have been struggling to get them changed to the historic tax class, despite supposedly being eligible for VED exemption. The rolling 40-year exemption is applicable if the V5C registration certificate (log book) in your name shows the vehicle was made, or first registered, before January 1 more than 40 years ago. This means that, from April 1, classics built in 1984 could be in the historic tax class and be exempt from VED. However, DVLA also states that if the V5C shows that the vehicle was registered between January 1 and January 7 more than 40 years ago, it can still be registered as a historic vehicle, as it is assumed the vehicle would have been made in the previous…

Want to know what the 50 finest classic Fords are in the UK right now? Look no further than the Top 50 at Classic Ford Show at the South of England Showground in West Sussex this Sunday (May 11), which will be featuring original, restored and modified examples representing the classic Ford scene in its best light. Among them will be Karen Simpson-Brown’s Mk1 Capri 1600L, Marc Cushing’s Mk1 Fiesta XR2, Gary Perry’s Mk4 Cortina 1300 Base and Mark Walker’s Series 2 RS Turbo, while more modified examples include Ciran Carton’s Anglia 105E, Paul Knights’s Mk1 Cortina and Tony Taylor’s Mk5 Cortina. In short, something for all tastes. The Top 50 is just one of the many highlights of the show, which will also feature displays marking the 40th anniversary…

Sometimes, magic happens almost by accident, and that’s arguably the case for the Triumph Herald. Although its separate chassis design looked like a retrograde step in 1959, the happy consequence was versatility – and some of the best loved British classics of all time as a result. The Herald’s arrival was one of the high points in what had been a troubled period for its maker. Famous primarily for its motorcycles before the war, Triumph was thrown into disarray in 1940 when its factory was destroyed in the Coventry Blitz. The company was left moribund and had to be rebuilt from scratch after the war under Standard’s ownership. In this new phase, Triumph used engines shared with Standard models. Standard focused on producing conventional vehicles and had a solid reputation…

Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance Web: lancasterinsurance.co.uk | Tel: 01480 400761 Example quote: £203.22 or £221.22 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.…

The Sunbeam-Talbot 90 was released at a pivotal moment for both the British car industry and Great Britain as a whole, with the end of the Second World War bringing about a period of recovery and careful rebuilding. When released in 1948, the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 accordingly married many of the features from its pre-war Sunbeam-Talbot 2-Litre predecessor with forward-thinking styling to bring Rootes Group into the ’50s. As time went on and the babies started booming, the 90 evolved with the times, improving its underpinnings and becoming ever more aspirational. The Mk2A we borrowed from Stephen Hunter Specialist Cars is one such example. This car was painstakingly restored by Stephen’s late uncle, and at first glance, it’s clear that the work has held up very well indeed over the years.…

Lancia may be long gone from Britain, but when you see a stunning example like the 1967 Flaminia 2.8 3C Touring offered by Stone Cold Classics, it’s clear what a loss that is. Originally used for just a few years, it was laid up in the 1970s by its reclusive owner following engine trouble. In 2002, it was found abandoned and vandalised in a barn in Maryland, minus its power unit. A lawyer managing the late owner’s estate purchased the car in lieu of payment. His wife discovered an envelope marked ‘Lancia’, containing a 27-year-old invoice for $450 for engine and carburettor work. Tracing the old workshop, now a home, the new owner was amazed to learn that both the mechanic, now 93, and the engine were still there. He…

Boreham Motorworks has unveiled the Ford Escort Alan Mann 68 Edition, a precision-built continuation that faithfully replicates the exact specification of the original race Escorts assembled by Alan Mann Racing in Byfleet, which won the 1968 and 1969 British Saloon Car Championships. The new model is part of the same engineering project that will also deliver the Mk1 Ford Escort RS, unveiled in December 2024 and due to be delivered to customers in late 2025. While both the Ford Escort Mk1 RS and the Alan Mann 68 Edition share the same body design, including the distinctive bubble arches, that’s where the similarities end. While the RS blends heritage with modern technology, the Alan Mann 68 Edition is the first of Boreham Motorworks’ Ultra Series of vehicles, and is an identical…

The Canterbury Auction Galleries is offering two dry-stored classic Bentleys, both of which were lovingly cared for by their late owner, a long-standing member of the Bentley Drivers’ Club. First up is a 1952 R-Type Special powered by a triple SU-fed 4887cc Bentley S1 engine with high ratio back axle. It started life as a Standard Steel Saloon, but was given a coachbuilt 1930s Derby-style body in the early ’80s. The now deceased owner had it for more than 30 years, taking it on numerous rallies and long jaunts across Europe. It comes with a huge history file too, but has been unused since the owner’s passing, so will require recommissioning. The second car is a Bentley T2 from the final year of production, 1980. In regular use until recently,…

A new free exhibition at World of Volvo in Gothenburg, Sweden, presents Volvo’s 98-year history gathered in one place for the first time ever. Granted, it’s in scale model form, but it fills the large plaza on level 2 of the venue, and showcases everything from the very first ÖV4 to today’s EX90. The collection also includes iconic models such as the PV 654, PV 36 Carioca, PV 444, the rare P1900, and the beloved 200 series. Buses, trucks, and yellow construction machinery is represented too, along with sportier highlights like rally cars and modern race cars such as the S60 WTCC. Behind the exhibition is Bert-Jan Nijhuis, a passionate Dutch collector who has spent over 40 years collecting Volvo models. “I grew up in the backseat of an orange…

1981 – Porsche 944 is launched in Europe in June 1982 – UK sales begin from May 1983 – Power steering becomes available as an option 1984 – Power steering becomes standard on automatic cars 1985 – 220bhp 944 Turbo launched. Oval dashboard is introduced, with seats lowered 30mm and wheel raised by 18mm to provide more space. Aluminium suspension arms are introduced, as is staggered 7×16 and 8×16 wheel option  1986 – The 16-valve 944S is introduced, boasting 190bhp 1987 – ABS and sports suspension are made optional 1989 – The 8-valve car moves to 2.7 litres and 165bhp. 944S2 is introduced, bored and stroked to 3.0 litres for 211bhp. The 944 Turbo gains the 250bhp specification of the 1000-off limited-edition Turbo S. Convertible is also launched, using the 944S2…

VOLVO 240 ESTATE (1974-1993) Thanks to a production run spanning the best part of 20 years, Volvo’s 200 Series estate almost became the dictionary definition of a versatile and dependable load lugger. Favoured by antiques dealers, families and country folk alike, it simply plodded on as other more fashionable estates came and went. The big Volvo was a safe choice, and in more ways than one. There were various derivatives of the 200 series, including the rare the 262C two-door coupe, but the estate was the best-selling of the range in period, with the cavernous workhorse outliving the saloon by two years. Arriving in 1974, the 240 range was based on the already successful 140 Series but featured more powerful overhead-cam engines in place of the old pushrod units, as…

The Rover R8 was a success not only because of its all-round abilities, but the wide range of variants on offer. The Cabriolet is one of the most valued today, and Stone Cold Classics’ 1996 216i example looks to be one of the best. This car was supplied new by Churchill Rover and pre-registered by Rover Longbridge before being sold to its sole private owner. It is believed to have spent part of its life at a holiday home in Greece, supported by a foreign invoice found in its documentation. Unfortunately, the original owner passed away before the car was acquired by the current seller, so some of the history is missing. In May 2024, the car underwent a comprehensive recommissioning service costing over £900, which included a cambelt and…

BELTS AND BRACES Reader Michael Aslan got in touch following the Summer Upgrades feature in our April 23 issue. “I couldn’t agree more with your advice to fit seatbelts to your classic – my Austin A35 regularly takes me and my children to local classic shows, and the all-round inertia belts I’ve fitted (in matching blue, naturally) mean I don’t have to take them to school in some awful SUV!” Anything that keeps children out of a Nissan Qashqai is a good thing in our book! MEMORY LANE Keen to appeal to as many buyers as possible with a broad range, DAF offered its quirky 66 as a fastback coupe, enthusiastically-touted in this 1973 brochure: “For today’s enthusiast driver. The driver who demands sporty good looks and performance – yet…

RISKY BUSINESS The team nominate the ‘risky’ classics that many advise you avoid, but that we’d take our chances with, from V12 Jaguars through to Range Rovers and rotary Mazdas. CLASSIC CHOICE A trio of 1970s Ford Escort alternatives compete, but will the Renault 12, Citroën GS or Fiat 128 come out ahead? ROYAL TREATMENT The wedge-shaped Leyland Princess (and subsequent Ambassador) offered a competitive executive car that today, makes a left-field classic choice. We share our buying advice. 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…