Classic Ford November 2020

Out and about with our band of Blue Oval-loving writers, photographers and illustrators. GAVIN HUTTON CONTRIBUTOR How many more Cortina Estates has Gavin got tucked away? On page 58 he reveals the woody he’s had for seven years... JAMIE ARKLE CONTRIBUTOR Gravel obsessive, Jamie caught up with rally driver, Osian Pryce this issue, and the awesome Mk2 he’s just built. Page 64. MATT RICHARDSON CONTRIBUTOR Another classic Ford off the telly, only this one’s in a sorry state. Matt charts the rebirth of the Minder Capri after a fire starting on page 8.…

I’m not going to hide it. I’m incredibly excited to be featuring the Consul GT from The Sweeney in Classic Ford. It was 12 years ago that we first had a secret meeting with the mysterious Mr S and he revealed that not only had the car survived, but that he owned it and it was undergoing a mammoth restoration. A classic Ford like this is not easy to rebuild which is why it’s taken so long to finish, but last month, after a further delay due to lockdown, we were given a few precious hours with the car to let Ade Brannan work his magic, and you can see the results and read Mike Renaut’s account of its return to glory starting on page 22. TV programmes like The Sweeney,…

THIS ISSUE Out and about with our band of Blue Oval-loving writers, photographers and illustrators. GAVIN HUTTON CONTRIBUTOR How many more Cortina Estates has Gavin got tucked away? On page 58 he reveals the woody he’s had for seven years... JAMIE ARKLE CONTRIBUTOR Gravel obsessive, Jamie caught up with rally driver, Osian Pryce this issue, and the awesome Mk2 he’s just built. Page 64. MATT RICHARDSON CONTRIBUTOR Another classic Ford off the telly, only this one’s in a sorry state. Matt charts the rebirth of the Minder Capri after a fire starting on page 8.…

There are some cars that have embedded themselves in the national memory and affection after years of appearances in out living rooms — Morse’s Jag, Del Boy’s Reliant, The Professionals’ Capris and of course Terry McCann’s Mk2 Capri from Minder, so it was a huge shock when pictures and a video appeared recently of that very car in flames while driving back from an MoT near Gatwick in West Sussex. Despite it being a very unlucky event, there was some good fortune involved as the car was being driven by a mechanic who thought fast enough to pop the bonnet, which meant that the fire brigade didn’t have to damage the car to gain access (normally they will force the bonnet open with the jaws of life) and that they were…

MINDER ON TV Between 1979 and 1994 Minder was one of Britain’s favourite, and ITV’s top rated shows, the comedy drama running for 10 series. It starred George Cole as Arthur Daley — a dodgy used car dealer, shady entrepreneur with fingers in many pies and general con man with social aspirations — and Dennis Waterman as his minder, the ex-professional boxer Terry McCann, who despite a spell in the nick is an honest man often dragged unwillingly into Arthur’s exploits. It was a more grown up Only Fools And Horses with less slapstick and more punch ups while Arthur tries to get away with his latest racket and avoid the attention of the police of the wrath of ‘er indoors while the cars of 1980s London made great back drop.…

Welcome I’m not going to hide it. I’m incredibly excited to be featuring the Consul GT from The Sweeney in Classic Ford. It was 12 years ago that we first had a secret meeting with the mysterious Mr S and he revealed that not only had the car survived, but that he owned it and it was undergoing a mammoth restoration. A classic Ford like this is not easy to rebuild which is why it’s taken so long to finish, but last month, after a further delay due to lockdown, we were given a few precious hours with the car to let Ade Brannan work his magic, and you can see the results and read Mike Renaut’s account of its return to glory starting on page 22. TV programmes like…