Índex per June 2021 a Practical Classics

The sale of eight more cars from the Vauxhall Heritage collection has set alarm bells ringing for many enthusiasts. Coming hot on the heals of the sell-off of Mitsubishi’s heritage fleet (after they quit the UK) and redundancies elsewhere in the UK’s motoring heritage sector there is unease about the future of manufacturer owned classics. It is a marketing about-turn from the position we were in pre-COVID, where makers saw heritage as a key element in building brand loyalty and awareness. I remember being on a Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders day at Millbrook three years ago when the heritage cars available to journalists almost outnumbered the new cars on show. It was obvious, then, that every brand’s back catalogue had a key role to play in positioning and…

As lockdown ended, the cars came out to play. That is certainly the way it looked on April 25 as The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs’s annual Drive it Day saw thousands of older cars back on the road where they belong. FBHVC Chairman David Whale was impressed: ‘It is a statement of national importance because, not only does it ensure that our transport heritage continues as a moving, working, living experience, but also raises awareness of the size, importance and contribution that the historic vehicle movement makes.’ This year’s drive out raised several thousand pounds for the NSPCC’s Childline and was endorsed by Sir Greg Knight MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicle Group. He joined the 2021 ‘Drive it Day’ by using his 1972 Jensen Interceptor…

MONTHLY JAG MEET Peter Simpson launched the Jaguar Breakfast Club in 2016, but it was forced to take a sabbatical for most of 2020. Now the British Motor Museum-based monthly gathering will return on May 22. Says Peter: ‘This year marks 50 years since Jaguar launched its V12 engine and 25 years since the XK8’s debut, and both anniversaries will be celebrated at the first meet of 2021. All Jaguars and Daimlers are welcome, but only cars that have booked online [for free] can take part.’ Register at jaguarbreakfastclub.org.uk. It’s a Mini adventure Mini owners should keep May 23 free – the day the Mile of Minis challenge is set to take place as part of the Italian Job charity fund raiser. Organiser Freddie St George told us: ‘Any Mini…

IN THE NEWS After the ‘Summer of Love’ that was 1967, 1968 is a much more tumultuous year, with anti-Vietnam War protests spreading from the USA to Latin America and Europe. In France, the situation gets so intense during May and June that there are genuine fears of revolution and President de Gaulle secretly flees to Germany – something not revealed publicly until 1982. IN THE CHARTS Louis Armstrong becomes the oldest male to top the UK charts – aged 66 – with the sublime What a Wonderful World. It is the biggest-selling single of the year. AT THE FLICKS The film that contains what many still regard as the greatest car chase of all time – sorry, Ronin fans – is released in October. Bullitt stars Steve McQueen, Robert…

1988 Citroën BX 14RE I saw this while on a snowy walk around the port off Leith, Edinburgh. A BX 14RE in fine condition. Richard Hamer, Edinburgh 1974 Alfa GTV A lovely 2000 GTV spotted in the car park at Cheltenham Hospital. Christopher Wilson, Chepstow 1955 Morris Minor Convertible Morris Minor seen in Ramsbottom, Lancs. The owner told me that it was a 1955 model. Graham Lomax, Bury 1985 Renault 18 This late Renault 18 Deauville was parked in a quiet street near a football ground in Bristol. Rory Anderson, Bristol Renault 4 GTL Snapped this ‘86 Renault 4 GTL working for a living in North London. Michael Wood, Bury St Edmunds Ford Transit and Mazda Trike I found this Transit MkI along with a Mazda three-wheeler on a day…

It’s a proper sports car, that’s for sure. But before you can enjoy it you need to get used to 914 ergonomics: a very low dash line makes for an even lower wheel, so your legs are splayed as they aim your feet towards offset pedals. This is a bit awkward because it causes your right thigh (all 914s are LHD, bar a few conversions) to get close to the gear stick’s dog-leg first. These worries soon fade and I find a loud, lively car – it likes being revved and feels a deal quicker than most period Brit roadsters of similar capacity; you’d need a Jensen-Healey rather than an MGB to keep up. The steering is classic Porsche, bobbing and weaving over bumps while offering perfect feel. Einfach klasse!…

Im a crap driver. I don’t mind admitting it. I am rubbish for all sorts of reasons, like rarely being able to park the wretched vehicle squarely inside those white lines painted on the ground; I’m unable to consistently judge other motorists’ intentions, resulting in extra milliseconds taken at junctions as my low-grade brain slowly creates algorithms for likelihood of death; and due to a fundamental psychological dysfunction, I can’t allow myself to consciously drive faster than the speed limit, which curdles great ire in other road-users. It’s got to the point where I honestly wouldn’t mind relinquishing my licence for a nice bowl of muesli because driving’s no fun anymore. There are many ways to define ‘good’ when it comes to driving, though: it could mean being able to…

‘My heart leapt a little when I spotted her’ This is my ultimate ‘practical classic’. That’s what I wrote just over a year ago after getting to meet (and drive) ‘Zoey’ the Austin A40 at PC’s 40th birthday bash – my final outing before Lockdown 1.0. Zoey, named after her numberplate ‘XOE 778’ was PC’s first project car resto. She was a scary wreck, only worth saving as this was the car Pat Moss drove on the 1958 and ‘59 Monte Carlo Rallies. Pat finished tenth overall and won the Ladies prize on the second attempt. That is serious provenance. And in its restored state, Zoey also won the 1985 Coronation Rally in Wales outright in the hands of ex-editor Paul Skilleter and Paul Rosenthal. ‘The estimate brought me down…

2000 AUDI S6 Dave Swift, Stoke-on-Trent Rare colour for Dave’s C5 – that and its quattro grip and V8 engine equals hot. 1990 FORD ESCORT XR3I Phillip Chadwick, Liverpool Just under 80k on the clock and still showroom-fresh – good work, Phil. 1988 OPEL MANTA GT/E EXCLUSIVE Cheryl Willshaw, Staffordshire With a 2.4-litre CIH and plush cabin (plus that spoiler) Cheryl’s Opel is a real gem. We can help… ‘So many cars here that we would all love to have on our drives. Call us to discuss your requirements, so we can help turn your modern classic dream into a reality.’…

I’ve been thinking a lot about diesels recently. I guess it’s part and parcel of a day job that sees me immersed in the new-car world, where it seems that every story in town is about electrification. This is leaving cars fuelled by the black pump about as desirable as last week’s semolina pudding. But jumping back into the world of modern classics, this leaves me massively conflicted, mainly because diesel is far from dead as a fuel, and still makes all kinds of sense. What set my diesel thoughts in motion was a 2002 BMW 330d that I almost pulled the ‘buy’ trigger on recently. It was a one-owner E46 with less than 100,000 miles on the clock and was being offered at a very friendly price. I mulled…

‘The best all round car for the money?’ Danny makes the case for the E39 530d Danny Hopkins My previous E39 entanglement was with a 528i Touring seven years ago. It was a beast and I loved it. Mainly for the way the car shrank around me as it picked up speed. Never had a big car felt so nimble, and we had a great summer together. When I got the message from John Barney that his driveway 530d needed an MOT and a new home, I was straight on the phone. The big six diesel came with high mileage and a couple of small issues, but had great history and was in good condition thanks to John’s stewardship. However, I was expecting a slower, saggier experience from the 197k-mile…

2002 Citroen C5 2.2 HDi Exclusive Engine 2179cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 134bhp@4000rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual Work done Diagnosis of emissions inefficiency and idiocy. Having woken up my C5 from a garden in Bradford and nursed it through an MOT, all manner of lunacy kicked off on the dash. My friend and fellow C5 owner Malcolm popped over to plug in his PSA diagnostics software, revealing a blocked particulate filter (supposed to collect soot to help reduce all that vile stuff that gets pumped out the back). The C5’s DPF additive tank had also run dry – a common cause of a blocked filter. All this might have been a noble effort to save the planet, but I’ve rapidly become convinced these systems are absolute garbage, flawed in concept while strangling the engine’s…

CONTRIBUTOR 1972 Triumph GT6 MkIII Engine 2498cc/6-cyl/OHV Power 130bhp@5500rpm Torque 140lb ft@3000rpm Gearbox 4-speed man + O/D 0-60mph 8sec Top speed 120mph Fuel economy 22mpg Work done Fitted the uprated final drive unit to the GT6… eventually. Also in Nigel’s garage 1970 TRIUMPH TR6 Oil leak from PI metering unit drive has been fixed. The TR needs to get out more. 1977 RELIANT SCIMITAR The GTE is getting out and about, putting miles on its freshened-up engine. 1997 BMW Z3 ROADSTER Little use during lockdown. Regular readers will recall I recently visited Paul Hughes at 2spec Transmissions to get a new differential built for the GT6 (PC, April 2021). I chose a 3.27:1 final drive ratio, bolted to a Blackline limited-slip differential. This should kill two birds with one stone,…

LANCASTER I.S. 1979 VW Type 2 Engine 1584cc/4-cyl/OHV Power 52bhp@5O00rpm Torque 77lb ft@2200rpm Gearbox 4-speed manual Top speed 65mph 0-60mph 19sec Fuel economy 32mpg Story so far… Bought to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK this van will be at the centre of our Camper Round the Coast expedition. It’s been painted by our partners, CBR Classic Restorations, and Newton Commercial are delivering the interior. Heritage Parts Centre is supplying us with the much needed hardware. As you’ll have seen in the technical section of the past couple of issues, Ed Hughes is now well on with the VW’s engine rebuild – and what he found when he stripped it down was far worse than we had expected. Although many of the internals were new, they appeared to have been…

I love my BMW Z3 daily driver, but the electric windows are a nuisance. The driver’s side drop glass moves okay but when it reaches the top it reverses down again, while the passenger window is slow and shaky. How can we get both windows working properly? Trudi Prettyjohns, Leicestershire NIGEL’S JOB CARD SORT FAULTY WINDOWS Although these electric windows still function – albeit erratically – there are some problems that should respond to straightforward fixes. The good news is that the motors and regulators still work, so no expensive replacements are needed. Removing and refitting the door cards to access the window mechanisms will be the most timeconsuming part of this job. The first step will be to check through the electrics from fuse to switch to motor. After…

What a relief to have windows that work again! It may sound like a minor problem, but it was a real irritation that neither of the electric windows on my Z3 worked properly. I was reluctant to open the driver’s window because it wouldn’t close properly, and Nigel told me not to use the shuddery passenger window until it was fixed, as the motor could be overloaded. The rest of the car is in great condition, so the windows really let it down. Now they both work perfectly, I feel like my car is new again! Solved!…

Prices are researched from several sources, including clubs, auctions, the trade and advertisements online and in print. Prices are reviewed and updated every issue. Our C/D rating is a basic guide to what you can expect to pay (£) for the best examples of a model, a concours car or something from a dealer. CONDITION 1 means well-presented cars that have no obvious faults. CONDITION 2 cars are capable of regular use. They have a current MoT certificate but will need work and/or original parts. CONDITION 3 cars usually need a full rebuild, but may be driveable and MoT’d. PLEASE NOTE You can’t value any car without seeing it – don’t buy blind. Russ says ‘Buying and selling should be fun, but sometimes, it’s a nightmare. Follow these three rules…

‘World first’ electrified classics Electrogenic, the classic car electrification company whose electric Stag and VW pick-up featured on the cover of the April issue of PC, has announced the completion of two world first classic conversions. The Stag that featured in PC is now complete, as is a 1957 Morgan 4/4. More details at electrogenic.co.uk. Carbon neutral The Swedish electric performance car brand Polestar has announced its goal to create the first truly climateneutral car by 2030. The Polestar 0 project will aim to cut carbon emissions during the manufacturing process, rather than merely offsetting emissions. GT memorial tour Bognor Regis Motor Club Ltd has finalised plans for a brand-new Charity Classic Car tour in memory of Graham Thornton. More info at bognor-regis-mc.co.uk. Five Austins up for grabs H&H Classics…

SAT MAY 22 HANTS Classic Car Meet at The Iron Curtain Museum, Alton, GU34 4AB (facebook.com/yanooshe) GLOS Prescott Mini Festival, GL52 9RD (prescotthillclimb.co.uk). SAT-SUN MAY 22-23 SUSSEX Magnificent Motors on Eastbourne seafront (magnificentmotors.co.uk). SUN MAY 30 GLOS Prescott Italian Day, GL52 9RD (prescotthill- climb.co.uk). SUFFOLK Cars on Bardwell Village Green, IP31 1AW (carsonthegreen.org.uk). SAT-SUN JUN 5-6 OXON Sunday Scramble at Bicester Heritage, OX26 5AH (bicesterheritage.co.uk). SUN JUN 6 SOUTH East England London to Brighton Classic Car Run, Brooklands to Madeira Drive (classicmotorevents. co.uk). NOTTS Newark Autojumble, NG24 2NY (newarkautojumble.co.uk). SAT-SUN JUN 12-13 WORCS E-Type 60 at Shelsley Walsh, WR6 6RP (etype60.com). FRI-SUN JUN 25-27 MIDDLESEX The London Classic Car Show, Syon Park, TW8 8JF (theclassic- carshowuk.com). SUN JUN 27 CHESHIRE Lymm Transport Festival (lymmtransport.org.uk). SAT-SUN JUL 3-4 WILTS Classic &…

We all remember the great drives of our lives; twisty roads, awesome scenery, the rich aroma of hot oil mingling with honeysuckle, deep melodic thrum of a classic in perfect health… maybe a special companion. I vividly remember journeying from Peterborough to Market Harborough back in 1993, ironically, if I remember rightly, to visit the TSSC. My steed was one the first ever Ford Mondeos, a silver 1.6LX, on loan from its manufacturer. How, I thought, could something on wheels so much lack discernible character and styling touches. Had Ford really spent £3bn on developing this thing as a world car? Wayne’s World perhaps? Later, I was putting the old girl through her paces on the motorway when it was necessary to stop at a motor services to make a…

In 1899, Charles ‘Cheers’ Wakefield set up an oil company which, in 1909, produced a new oil that would revolutionise lunbrication. He called it Castrol. It was good, very good, and soon become synonymous with speed and endurance records. Castrol has been a major player in the oil industry ever since, and Castrol oils remains a top choice for engineers to this day – it was even used in the Mars Rover. In the early Nineties Castrol re-introduced early lubricant grades and Castrol’s Classic Oils was created. Castrol’s Classic oil grades use low detergent base mineral oils in the appropriate viscosities on which early vehicles were designed to run. You can still look in a classic car handbook at the manufacturer’s original Castrol recommendation and go out and buy it!…

SAT MAY 15 Historics, Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire. (01753 639170, historics.co.uk) THU MAY 20 Dorset Vintage & Classic Auctions, live online. (01963 363353, dvca.co.uk) SAT MAY 22 Bonhams MPH, Bicester Heritage, Bicester, Oxfordshire. (020 7648 5801, bonhams.com/departments/MOT-CAR) SAT MAY 22 Silverstone Auctions’ May Sale, venue TBA. (01926 691141, silver-stoneauctions.com) SAT MAY 22 Morris Leslie Classic Auctions, Errol Airfield, Perth. (01821 642574, morrisleslie.com) WED MAY 26 H&H Classics, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) FRI-SAT JUN 4-5 Mathewsons, live online, Thornton-Le-Dale, North Yorkshire. (01751 474455, mathewsons.co.uk) TUE JUN 8 Barons Auctions’ Spring Classic sale, Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. (023 8066 8413, barons-auctions.com)…

Pump up the volume… It’s a Friday night in 2002, a week of college is over and four young men are ready to let off some steam. Transport from our rural abodes to the local night life comes in the form of either a Ford Fiesta with a wheezy Kent engine, a Vauxhall Nova L with a 54bhp fire-starter or – the top trump in our first-car deck – my mate Tom’s 1.4-litre Renault Clio RN. The Clio might have been the quickest, but it was the anaemic old ‘Fester’ that usually got the nod. Slow his diminutive blue oval might have been, but my mate Andy made up for that by fitting it with a trick sound system. Hard house or techno was the tripe we blasted at a…

Many tried, but throughout the Eighties, only a very few car makers got close to perfecting the Peugeot 205 GTi’s magic formula. For that to happen, it would take the dawn of a new decade and a brand-new generation of hot hatchback. In 1993, Renault cracked it with a small car that not only managed to match the 205’s combination of performance and handling finesse – it was a step above in refinement, too. Superminis would never feel quite so cheap again. With fewer than 1200 UK-spec cars imported, we’ve done the legwork in order to guide you through the process of bagging yourself one of the greats. Why you want one The Williams is no ordinary hot hatch. Renault launched its Clio 16V model in 1991 (badged 16S in…

Model T Ford, An Enthusiast’s Guide ISBN: 978-1-913089-22-1 £30 In this superb hardback, Chas Parker gives fascinating insight into the world of the Model T. With restoration, engineering, competition and owner views all covered, it is a must-have book for any T enthusiast. porterpress.co.uk Essential Buyers Guide: Lancia Delta ISBN: 978-1-787115-38-5 £13.99 If you’re looking to buy a Lancia Delta, be sure to have a good read of this essential guide before parting with your hard-earned cash. Buying tips and vital statistics will ensure you go in with your eyes open. veloce.co.uk Porsche 911SC ISBN: 978-1-787114-53-1 £50 Offering practical advice from one man’s restoration along with detailed photographs and diagrams, this would be a great companion for anyone thinking of undertaking their own 911S C rebuild at home. veloce.co.uk…

Rolls-Royce, Derby August 1968 In 1968, Rolls-Royce Limited was still one company, making both cars and aero engines – the two sides wouldn’t become separate businesses until 1971. The luxury car division moved from Derby to Crewe in 1946, to allow the former to focus on aeronautics. This image shows the Derby complex’s A-site car park and Moor Lane building, with Victory Road in the foreground. The site is much the same today, but the employees’ vehicles won’t be. There are far too many to talk about in detail, but one marque that seems notably absent from this mass of motoring is Rolls-Royce itself. Not even the executive parking row in front of the Moor Lane structure, which starts with a pale blue Jaguar S-type, can boast one. Prominent patches…

Show us your bangernomics wins! My Citroën ZX had 50,000 careful miles by its first lady owner and outstanding green paint. Mine for 350 Euros. Jos De Waele I paid £1500 for this 75. 60K miles, 2.5 V6, in top-of-the- range Connoisseur SE spec with almost all the extras, including a TV in the dashboard! Howard Rose My Hyundai cost me quite a lot less than a new iPhone. Only 66,000 miles from new… and it drives pretty sweetly, too! Michael Turnbull Bought this Citroën for £900 and it’s cost £900 over the three years I’ve owned it, including cambelt and water pump. Might be able to afford a bucket and sponge to wash it soon! Lou Wilks I had a Mondeo 1.8 LX and took it from 50k to…

1 SEPT 2015 When all else fails One piston was so tightly seized that Phil had to chop into the cylinder barrel. That’s what comes of drowning in a flood! 2 MARCH 2016 Steelwork begins Phil grinds out the rot and Mark replaces it with new metal in the battery tray and floors; a crossmember goes in, too. 3 SEPT 2016 Spit roast The rotisserie allowed superb access but led to a total strip and re-paint. Now the project really grows legs. 4 OCT 2017 From steel 4 to silver Phil bare-metals the whole thing before Mark preps and paints the surfaces, back to the car’s original Silver Metallic. 5 MARCH 2018 Fresh power Phil’s engine is re-built from 1700cc to 1900cc and converted from injection to carburettors for a more…

A friend of mine has just bought a BMW X3 online, sight unseen, in the pandemicobliged way that people have recently been doing. He owns a Seventies Triumph Bonneville and is planning to acquire a Frogeye Sprite to restore with his son, so he’s a proper motor nut. Yet he bought an expensive nearly-new car without even seeing it, never mind trying it out. To me, that’s madness. But it’s also becoming the new normal, as endless TV ads try to tell us. At least with new, or nearly-new, cars you’re likely to get what you’re expecting, and there are safety nets if you don’t. You can even return the car if you don’t like it, usually. Luckily my friend is pleased with his X3. Reading lots of magazine and…

Sixties savers Fine Brit bargains at CCA’s first sale of the year Classic Car Auctions finally got its 2021 season underway with a ‘live online’ sale on March 26. It was worth the wait, too. CCA offered 130 cars, including 40 Jaguars and Daimlers from a private collection, many of them average cars that had been laid up long-term. They sold every one of those, and all but 11 of the other cars offered. Despite most being ‘needy’, we spotted no bargains amongst the Jags. However, the Lotus Elan +2S (above) looked like a very good deal at £9435 as these have been flying up in price over the past few years. Recently imported from Sweden, it was a right-hooker that looked largely good, but needed attention to the driver’s…

1993 Jaguar XJS 4.0 Coupe Price: £9995 Benefits from £6000 spent on new bulkhead and screen surround with XJ Restorations. Upgraded with XJR wheels and suspension. 1968 Fiat 124 Sport Coupé Price: £13,995 Owned by same family in Italy until 2014, then recommissioned and repainted. Stunning early example of this rare coupé. 1992 Ford Sierra XR4x4 Price: £12,995 Superb example with just 70,000 miles and full history. Comes with both the pictured 16in rims and original 15in alloys with as-new tyres.…

VW Golf GTI Mk II With more buyers after good Golf GTI MkIs than surviving numbers can fulfil, the rise of the (in some ways) better MkII was inevitable. The past year brought that into even sharper focus and top examples are now passing £12k. Mercedes-Benz SLK 230K The supercharged little Merc sportster is now firmly in bargain buy territory. £4250 is all you need for the very best, but we’ve heard of buyers bagging decent ones for under a grand. Expect a little DIY, but that’s fun, right?…

In the Eighties the hot hatch was king. Any manufacturer worth its salt was taking its mundane grocery getters, swapping the economy engines for larger ones (usually from its saloons) and lowering and firming the suspension. Nissan was no different and its entry-level Sunny platform was chosen for go-faster duties. Though the Sunny was pretty late to the game, with a true contender not arriving until the late Eighties (N13 generation). With its twin-cam 1.6-litre 16-valve engine making 122bhp at a heady 6600rpm, the ZX was a considerably hotter Sunny. Handling was a little safe, but the whole package was a lot more impressive than many a journalist of the day had expected. Sadly, today there’s just nine coupes left taxed and less than five hatches.…

James likes… THE THIRD ONE I’m not to fussed about that little Williams 1 plaque to be honest. And I do like a sunroof and rear speakers. So, for me, my preference would be the Williams 3. Truth is, any Clio will make you grin. It’s a handsome car, too. I’ve been searching the ‘net and can only find a base spec MkI. That’s more my price range, anyway. Matt G likes… THE PROJECT ONE If I was going to try and join the Williams brigade, it would be a case of finding a ‘cheap’ car and working to steadily improve it to bring it up to as-new condition. As I learned when I wrote the restoration story on Phil Walker’s Williams 1 (PC, September 2019), parts supply is tricky,…

DEPUTY EDITOR 2004 Citroen Berlingo 2.0 HDi Engine 1997cc/4-cyl/OHC Power 90bhp@4000rpm Torque 151ft lb@1900rpm Gearbox 5-speed manual 0-60mph 12.5sec Top speed 99mph Fuel economy 49.6mpg Work done Body stripdown and one sill welded. Also In the garage 1985 CITROEN CX 25 GTI TURBO Further shakedown tests. Drips here and there to fix! 1985 CITROEN 2CV A trip to Cornwall is about to happen. It’s 2CV time! 1987 CITROEN AX Mysteriously dead engine due to come out. Zut! James gets help from pal, Pete Annells, whose welding talents and Berlingo experience is proving to be invaluable. Aim is to ready it in time for Berlingo’s 25th birthday. If, like me, you’ve wasted periods of your life wondering what kind of car a Timelord would drive, then you might not be at…

CONTRIBUTOR 1986 Range Rover Engine 3528cc/V8/OHV Power 165bhp@4750rpm Torque 207lb ft@3200rpm 0-60mph 12sec Gearbox 5-speed manual Top speed 106mph Fuel economy 15mpg Work done Mezzanine floor built in the new workshop; Range-Rover dormancy investigated. Edd China He’s a mechanic, a specialist engineer… and even a record breaker: Edd was a fixture on car fans’ TV screens for 13 years as co-presenter of Wheeler Dealers with co-presenter, Mike Brewer. Edd’s Workshop Diaries is his new TV venture and you can find it on your screen at youtube.com/eddchina. Despite the long list of unfinished projects that still required some further attention, it occurred to me that I really needed a mezzanine floor in my workshop, too. One always needs a bit more space! So, I trawled t’internet ‘til I found the perfect…

Matt Tomkins PROJECTS EDITOR Our resident 0workshop puppet master, Matt has Morris Minors, A-Series engines and 20W50 in his blood. This month: Lapped and installed valves to the Austin Seven’s block. Martin Domoney WORKSHOP EDITOR Former JLR technician, Martin, knows his modern classics inside and out. This month: Bought an MX5. Look out for it in Sagas. Theodore J Gillam ENGINEERING EXPERT Former Motor Vehicle lecturer and classic fiddling perfectionist. Has a love of compression ignition. This month: The glassfibre Rebel-body oddity continues… Ed Hughes WORKSHOP GENIUS Ed singlehandedly keeps a fleet of obscure classics on the road. He’s never owned a modern. This month: Replaced the valves of a 1939 fire engine. Nigel Clark DIY RESTORER Nigel’s driveway achievements rival those of pro mechanics. He’s our resident Triumph and…

The window’s fuse has blown. Can I simply replace it? No. You should never replace a fuse without finding out why it has blown, as it’s rare for a fuse to blow without reason. Check through the window circuits, looking for chafed wires, short circuits or perhaps a failed motor. It’s also possible that the window mechanism has jammed, causing an electrical overload. How can I avoid damage when removing the door card? Most modern classics have plastic trim that becomes fragile with age. Most door cards carry switches and speakers which must be disconnected or removed. Search for relevant online tutorials and use plastic pry tools on delicate parts. Be prepared to replace the weather shield, which is often damaged. The window glass needs adjustment to fit the door…

START DAY 1 REMOVE THE OLD HOOD Expose the header rail Start by lowering the hood to gain access to the header rail. Remove the two catches, then lever off trim and clips, fold back the cloth and chisel or drill off the pop rivet heads hidden beneath. Detach tensioning cables Lever up the tab and detach the tensioning cables found at the outer ends of the header rail, after a bit of exploring. The manual says to release the adjuster at the other end – don’t do it! Well, I’ll be bifurcated! There’s a cunningly hidden bifurcated rivet plate on each side, securing the fabric to the base of the B-post brackets. Straighten the ‘legs’ and remove the plate from each side. Remove third hood bow Now, remove the…

NIGEL’S JOB CARD CARB FETTLING Simple gas analysers have (become available with price tags around £100, bringing them into the realm of DIY car maintenance. Adjusting the CO level correctly with an exhaust gas analyser takes the guesswork out of carburettor tuning, enabling the engine to run as the manufacturer intended. Accurately set carburettors will give smoothness and best performance. We’ll start by ensuring the engine and carburettor are in good health before setting the mixture. How tough? You’ll need: ► Basic tools, ► Workshop manual, ► Exhaust gas (CO) analyser, ► Airflow meter (for twin carbs). Specialist: gunson.co.uk Will take: Will cost: Cash saved EXPLAINER: WILL IT WORK FOR ME? While more sophisticated professional kit can measurearange of exhaust gases plus the air/fuel ratio, simple ‘home use’ gas analysers…