Classic & Sports Car

“I think you could be looking at an engine rebuild.” That wasn’t what I wanted to hear while sitting by the roadside, 2500 miles into a 6000-mile expedition to the Syrian border and back. My sixth sense, finely honed after 20 years of marriage, told me it wasn’t the sort of news that would be entirely welcomed by my wife, either. “What was that?” she asked suspiciously. “Nothing serious, darling,” I replied. “We’ll just keep an eye on the spark plugs.” Welcome to the Bristol Owners’ Club Turkey Tour 2022, an innocent-sounding expedition that, halfway in, we had already renamed the Bristol Endurance Rally. Our route, designed by Geoffrey and Hilary Herdman – marque trailblazers and owners of a 1956 405 drophead that has driven around the world – took us across Europe…

Peering through the gap in the steering wheel at the obscured tachometer, you put the hammer down and the revs of the coarse V8 behind your head climb furiously. The engine feels as if it can keep on revving, but the redline disagrees. Dip the clutch and the car dives forward slightly, freed from the accelerative forces pushing it on to its haunches, but the gearlever can be thrown, with a satisfying clack through its stainless-steel gate, quickly into the next ratio then more power sends the car squatting on its rear axle again. The front end visibly lifts, feeling increasingly floaty and encouraging you to brake hard before the approaching corner. Downshift straight to second – directly upwards from the lever’s resting state – and it’s a case of…

1970-’72 The Pantera is first revealed in Modena in March 1970, and in New York a few weeks later. The race-inspired chassis with all-independent suspension is by Gian Paolo Dallara, poached from Lamborghini. The first production cars come in 1971, with 3000 built before the model is updated. 1972-’74 To address complaints about the first cars, which American journalists label ‘unfinished’, the Pantera L – for lusso, or luxury – is introduced. Many quality issues are resolved and it is well received in the US, though its engine and looks are altered to meet Federal regulations (above). 1973-’85 The more aggressive Pantera GTS is unveiled, initially for the European market only, with a wider track, quicker steering and a 350bhp V8. The US market gets 150 in 1974, but with the L’s…

Driver/engineer or engineer/driver? The man in question reckons the latter, despite his many successes at the wheel: the first international rally win for the (Dodge) Avenger, co-driven by future world champion David Richards; the first international rally/race win for Mazda, beating teammate and soon-to-be Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter; and the only win in the British forests for Lancia’s iconic Stratos. He won a Rally Sprint at Donington Park in a Stratos, too, albeit mainly by beating all bar one of the assembled F1 stars in the event’s Ford Fiesta race. He beat a horde of handbraking French to win the Group 2 category on a Tour de Corse. Four times he finished in the top 10 of an RAC Rally. Oh, and he drove for Williams. But then again, Andy…

RUN BY Aaron McKay OWNED SINCE May 2022 PREVIOUS REPORT n/a The Opel Monza, a long-wheelbase fastback with sleek lights, splitrim-style alloy wheels, a 178bhp straight-six and a limited-slip differential, is a tantalising blend of American personal car, muscle car and 1980s sporting GT. I found this 1983 pre-GSE ‘A2’ example, finished in White Gold with wide, brown velour seats, in the classifieds and immediately got excited at the idea of having it alongside my sharp-suited BMW 325i and as a replacement for my even more straight-laced Vauxhall Omega. The owner had only just bought it at auction, but sold it to me – at a loss – for £2500. It needed work but was mostly solid and felt like a pretty straight car. There was also a reported sprinkling of stardust, because the Opel…

AARON McKAY (Deputy editor) 1972 Volkswagen Type 2 Dormobile 1983Opel Monza3.0E 1985BMW325i ALASTAIR CLEMENTS (Editor in chief) 1957 MG Magnette ZB 1983 Suzuki Cervo CX-G 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible CHARLIE CALDERWOOD (Features editor) 2005 Smart Roadster Coupé DAMON COGMAN (Art editor) 1968 Volkswagen Type 3 Fastback 2005 BMW Z4 2.2i DOUGAL MACDONALD (Contributor) 1968 Lamborghini Islero GAYNOR CAUTER (Contributor) 1965 Jaguar E-type S1 4.2 OTS GRAEME HURST (Contributor) 1957 Austin-Healey 100/6 1958 Jaguar XK150 OTS 1966 Ford Mustang GT 1979 Porsche 911SC 1982 Mercedes-Benz 280TE 1982 Mercedes-Benz 500SL JAMES MANN (Photographer) 1962 Hotchkiss M201 Jeep 1966 Ford Mustang GT JAMES PAGE (Contributor) 1931 Austin Seven saloon 1970 MG 1300 JON PRESSNELL (Senior contributor) c1933 Austin Seven Special 1964 MG Midget 1987 Renault 4 Savane JULIAN BALME (Senior contributor) 1932 Ford Roadster 1940 Lincoln-Zephyr Continental 1954 Lincoln Cosmopolitan 1957 Ford Ranch Wagon 1962 Triumph TR4 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 1967 Triumph Spitfire MkIII 1970 Lotus Elan +2 LIZZIE POPE (Associate editor) 1965 Ford Mustang 2007 Mazda MX-5 2.0i Sport MALCOLM MCKAY (Contributor) 1961 Morris 1000…