Classic Car Mart November 2021

Welcome… CHAUFFEUR DUTY We’re not exactly known for our formal wear at CCM but putting this issue to press coincided with frantic hunting for a suitable tie following a panicked call from a friend late on Friday. Could I drive the car for his daughter’s wedding tomorrow? The happy couple had always been keen on classic VWs and the bride had originally had her heart set on arriving in a split-screen bus – at least, that is until she discovered the cost of classic camper van rentals. Our Bentley project car was lined up as a backup plan, until one of our party on an evening mountain bike ride casually mentioned that he owned a ’69 Beetle and would be it be any help. The only snag was that family…

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK PLUGS&LEADS NOW’S THE TIME TO BUY With values for used cars in general currently sky-high and the classic market enjoying a significant purple patch during the pandemic, some folk could be forgiven for thinking that owning a historic vehicle is little more than a pipe dream. Barely a week goes by without a classic springing a surprise at auction, commanding a fee well in excess of any pre-sale estimates. However, as the market rushes towards modern classics, more traditional models have emerged as cost-effective routes into the scene. Currently, the vogue seems to be very much with cars from the 1980s, 1990s and even 2000s, with shifting nostalgia associated with a younger demographic likely to one of the key factors in fuelling a substantial…

NO MORE MoT CERTIFICATES? The MoT test certificate has finally been consigned to history in Great Britain. Since the end of August, Test Stations have no longer had to issue a VT20 pass ‘certificate’ automatically, though customers are still able to request one. They are also still available for download from the MoT history check service at https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history if vehicle details including V5C reference number are keyed in. The VT20 lost its legal status some time ago, being replaced as definitive proof of test status by the online record when the plain paper certificate was introduced. From then on, the paper certificate became, in legal terms, a copy of the entry on the official record. The actual need for a paper ‘certificate’ has also now all but disappeared, with police…

ENTRIES OPEN FOR NEC PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP Enthusiasts are now being invited to the enter their classic into this year’s Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership, which is set to return to the halls of Birmingham’s NEC for the first time since 2019. The hugely popular competition will see 16 privately-owned cars battle for visitors’ votes as part of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, on November 12-14. Show director Lee Masters said: “To keep our visitors and owners safe, this year’s final has been capped at 16 cars with a walkway through the stand so that people can view the cars without the need to get too close to others. This means the competition is fiercer than ever for 2021.” In contrast to a regular concours competition, judges…

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK STUDY REVEALS E10 UPGRADE COSTS A new report suggests that upgrading every classic car in the UK to become compatible with E10 unleaded fuel will cost almost £300 per car on average – or as much as £178m in total. That is according to a new study from comparison site GoCompare, which defines a classic car as over 25 years old and has based its research on a1963 Jaguar E Type, 1973 Mini Mk3, a 1983 Ford Capri Mk3 and a 1993 Mazda MX-5. These were chosen because they’re reckoned to represent the top-selling classic cars across four decades, with each vehicle’s engine capacity, mpg and average annual mileage reviewed. The study’s figures are based on a RAC estimate of 600,000 affected vehicles,…

Classic Crossword 189 Clues Across 1 See 7 across 7 & 1 across Estate version of the R21 (7,7) 9 People carrier based on the Citroen Xsara (7) 10 Legendary designer Virgil (5) 11 As scarce as the Aston Martin DB5 shooting brake (4) 12 Company initials on the front of the DeLorean (3) 14 Definitive Jaguars which debuted in 1961 (1-5) 15 Mimosa _, sole colour offered on the Dolomite Sprint, originally (6) 19 & 20 across A GT from the Rivolta stable (3,4) 20 See 19 across 21 This late 1950s Ford brand was a spectacular flop (5) 23 An improved version of the Lotus Europa that arrived in 1972 (7) 24 Grand tourer made in Thames Ditton (2,5) 25 _ doors, distinctive feature of the Lamborghini Diablo…