Table of contents for November 2020 in Practical Classics

The Austin miniMetro never came to America, I went to it. Not by design, but by chance when I accompanied a friend from our New Jersey hometown on an ill-fated old-car-buying excursion to the British Isles in 1981. Arriving at Heathrow, we headed to an off-site and decidedly off-brand car rental depot where we were handed the keys to a brand-new Metro. Finished in a fetching shade of avocado green, remarkably I could identify it, even though BL exited America years earlier. I knew the Metro because I was one of a handful people in the USA who subscribed to Britain’s Autocar. Relatedly, our town, Leonia, NJ, was the headquarters for BMC, then British Leyland, so I grew up with the belief as a young boy that people across America…

Every working day, John Haynes drove the five miles from the Haynes Publishing HQ in Sparkford to the Barclays bank in Castle Cary. He didn’t need to, but he liked to. He was always careful with money, so he enjoyed keeping tabs on it. Crucially, he valued personal relationships in business. So, even after stepping down from the day-to-day running of the company, he still made the effort, and used his considerable charm on a succession of branch managers. ‘John Haynes valued personal relationships in business’ It’s one of many fascinating details in this remarkable book about the life and times of the gent who popularised the step- by-step maintenance manual. The unique ‘Haynes Shows You How’ philosophy enabled millions of home mechanics to get under the bonnet and even…

Austin and Rover Metro £14.99 ISBN 9781398100930 Billed as ‘The illustrated inside story of the car that saved the British car industry’ this book chronicles the untold story of a very important car. From the initial rough sketches in 1975 to the end of production in 1998. Our own Craig Cheetham provides a gold mine of information about one of Britain’s most significant motors. amberley-books.com John Haynes £20 ISBN 9781785216855 This new biography of John Haynes tells the full story of the man who powered an automotive phenomena. Over 200 million Haynes manuals have sold in the past 60 years, a business success driven by a man with huge enthusiasm for cars. It is the fascinating details in Ned Temko’s new biography of Haynes, who died last year aged 80,…

THURS, OCT 1 LONDON Mini Night at the Ace Café, NW10 7UD (london.acecafe.com). SAT, OCT 3 SURREY Four Counties Classic breakfast meet for pre-1990 classics. Botley Hill Farmhouse, CR6 9QH (tinyurl.com/y9tyrlgp). SAT-SUN, OCT 3-4 CAMBS Life on the Holme Front: 1940s weekend at Holme Village, PE7 3PE (holmevillage1940s.co.uk). DERBYS Iron Curtain Vehicle Weekend at Crich Tramway Museum, DE4 5DP (wp.ifaclub.co.uk). WILTS Castle Combe Autumn Classic racing Festival, open to racers and cars for pre-1980s cars only, SN14 7EY (castlecombecircuit.co.uk). SUN, OCT 4 BERKS Newbury 4x4 & Vintage Spares Day, Newbury Showground, RG18 9QZ (4x4sparesday.co.uk). OXON Sunday Scramble at Bicester Heritage, OX27 8AL (bicesterherit-age.co.uk). HANTS Simply BMW at Beaulieu, SO42 7ZN (beaulieu.co.uk). SUFFOLK Mini Day at Stonham Barns, IP14 6AT (stonhambarns.co.uk). MON, OCT 5 LONDON German Car Night at the Ace…

IN THE NEWS Just up river, the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS) consortium went into receivership. However, the unions and workers opted for a ‘work-in’ to keep the yards going. Such was the public sympathy and support that two new companies, Govan Shipbuilders and Scotstoun Marine, were formed in 1972 to secure some of the sites’ futures. AT THE FLICKS Sean Connery had previously made a documentary about UCS, The Bowler and the Bunnet. It was the only film he ever directed. However, rather more interest was provoked by his 1971 return to the role of 007 in Diamonds are Forever, replacing one- movie-wonder George Lazenby. Big Sean’s fee was a record £1.25 million. IN THE CHARTS Another favourite son of Scotland (despite being born in London) became a household name…

‘Is that car honestly the one for you?’ It’s time I bought a new kettle. My present model isn’t furred up or unhygienic, but old enough to have boiled the water for tea and sympathy when Henry Ford discovered the Edsel wasn’t selling too well. There are dents and scratches and a bit of the lid is missing, though no steam escapes. We live in a disposable world. Stupid me for discussing with Millennials that it seemed a shame, both financially and environmentally, to dispose of a working – if cosmetically challenged – domestic appliance. The further admission that I would not really want to buy a replacement online, resulted in stony states of horror as if I was once again about to recall times of three television channels and…

£50 STAR FIND Can you do better?! Send your high-res images to practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk Moskvich 2734 This truly outstanding discovery comes from Tony Lange of Suffolk. It is a 1974 Moskvitch 2734, the panel van version of the more ‘common’ Moskvich 2140 saloon. The car only appeared out in the open very recently, having been pulled out of a barn locally, and is now languishing in the elements, fate unknown. About a dozen Moskvich cars are registered on UK roads, fewer on SORN, with this panel van possibly being the sole survivor. Colt Galant and petrol pumps Richard Daver from Pinner, Middlesex, found a Colt Galant within the grounds of The Royal Palace while on holiday in Luang Prabang, Laos. Nearby within the grounds were two equally fascinating Shell petrol pumps.…

SAT OCT 3 Mathewsons, Thornton-Le-Dale, Pickering, North Yorkshire. (01751 474455, mathewsons.co.uk) WED OCT 14 H&H Classics, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. (01925 210035, handh.co.uk) SAT OCT 17 Bonhams Goodwood Speedweek sale, nr Chichester. (020 7468 5801, bonhams.com/ departments/MOT-CAR) THU OCT 22 Dorset Vintage & Classic Auctions, Henstridge Airfield, Henstridge, Somerset. (01963 363353, dvca.co.uk) FRI OCT 30 South West Vehicle Auctions’ classic sale, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. (01202 745466, swva.co.uk) FRI OCT 30 Bonhams’ Golden Age of Motoring sale, London. (020 7468 5801, bonhams.com/ departments/MOT-CAR) SAT OCT 31 RM Sotheby’s, Battersea Evolution, London. (020 7851 7070, rmsothebys.com) SAT NOV 7 Anglia Car Auctions, The Cattlemarket, King’s Lynn, Norfolk. (01553 771881, angliacarauctions.co.uk)…

Danny Hopkins As usual it was a slightly spontaneous purchase, based on two factors. Proximity and price. Any interesting car, of a certain age, within a ten-mile radius of my house, below a certain price is in danger. The Saab was clearly a target at £250 and the fact that it was covered in slime, having been sitting under a tree for three months with an engine problem, was no barrier to my excitement – the MoT wasn’t due until December. Game on... I explained in the last issue how I managed to liberate the ‘Swedish Love Torpedo’ (Vendor’s description, but quite apt) from its position of slumber. I spotted that the air pipe feed to the throttle body had not been secured by the last person to work on…

Many of you will have noticed something missing from the last few issues of Practical Classics. Our red-headed classic wizard, Sam Glover, has moved on to pastures new. His connection with the magazine goes back almost 15 years and, in that time, he has made the kind of impression that most of us mortal scribes can only dream about. So this is a little tribute and a thank you from us all. Sam is a unique talent. Touched with anarchic genius, there’s no writer we know of who can make a driveway clutch change laugh-out-loud-funny, or who is able to spin a yarn so riddled with magnificent metaphor that you are quoting it in your head weeks after feasting on it with your eyes. Sam supplied both wit and wisdom…

More than 100 Metros turned up at Gaydon to mark 40 years since the car was first seen by the public. Gathering at the British Motor Museum for the BMC and British Leyland meet earlier this month, organisers were overwhelmed by the numbers attending. Jamie Field, of the Metro Owners Club, says it was a heartwarming sight. ‘We had 71 Metros on the stand but many more arrived from all over the UK. It was brilliant to have so many with us for the day but it was a challenge to fit them all in - especially with the strict social distancing rules - but we managed it and everyone had a great time.’ In a year when the COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out many a show, the day at…

After both Autojumbles were pulled in 2020 the Practical Classics team approached Beaulieu and asked if it would be possible to visit the jumble field on what would have been International Weekend to conduct a ceremonial ‘trade’. Beaulieu said yes, and so, on September 5, Red Field hosted the PC team and autojumble transactions were conducted. Editor Danny sold Lord Montagu an early Morris Minor steering wheel for his wall, Ben Field from Vintage Tyres sold Matt Tomkins and James Walshe a set of tyres for an Austin 7 and Fiat Panda respectively and Richard Skinner, who has been trading at Beaulieu all his life, returned Matt Tomkins refurbished Austin Seven wheels. Lord Montagu told PC: ‘I’d like to thank Danny and team for doing this, it means a lot…

5 BUNDLES UP FOR GRABS! Hunker down in your workshop this winter with a great prize bundle. Five lucky readers will get their hands on a pair of Practical Classics overalls, a Practical Classics ‘Spanner for the people’ T-Shirt and a copy of John Haynes’s biography. The overalls: These are no ordinary overalls, these are exclusive Practical Classics overalls. In bright PC red and embroided with the Practical Classics logo, they feature multiple pockets and a ruler pocket, with a semi-elasticated waist for ‘Christmas dinner comfort’ and featuring a nonscratch concealed stud front. The T-shirt: Winners will also receive one of our Practical Classics ‘Spanner for the People’ T-Shirts. Once again in PC red with our new ‘spanner power’ design print. The book: John Haynes - the Man Behind the…

Gaydon Gatherings begin… …but first monthly meet postponed 15 September was due to be the British Motor Museum’s first monthly meet for all classics, called Gaydon Gathering. The restrictions on meetings of more than six people have meant that the innaugural meet will now be on 13 October, then there will be a winter hiatus before things kick off again on 13 April 2021. Tom Caren is the museum’s show manager and he told us: ‘These events are free with no prebooking required. Display vehicles will be parked in front of the museum with separate free parking for moderns. Gaydon Gatherings will take place in the grounds but the museum itself will not be open for these evenings. For latest info visit: britishmotor museum.co.uk.…

GLOUCESTERSHIRE VINTAGE & COUNTRY EXTRAVAGANZA, 31 JULY-2 AUGUST Big steam rallies are some of our favourite events, so we were gutted when the Gloucestershire Vintage & Country Extravaganza was cancelled. It’s been held near Cirencester for 46 years and we’ve been going for a dozen of those, loving the array of exhibits from agricultural machinery and commercials to classic cars of all eras. As with most of these really big events, the event will be back next year, and we can’t wait for it to return, which is why we’ll be keeping an eye on tinyurl.com/y2gr2zcr for the latest news.…

Six decades ago, after writing his first manual while still at school, John Haynes set up his publishing company. It was in the month of May - 20 years (almost to the day) before the first issue of Practical Classics. It is no accident that this mag was almost a Haynes product before Emap decided to publish. Haynes was already an established force in publishing, but the shared how-to ethos would have been a great fit. John Haynes’ great stroke of genius occurred when he conceived the owners how-to manual, complete with illustrated step-by-step instructions. Something that PC and others have copied ever since. It is what made his company grow so fast through the Sixties - inspiring a generation of home car-fettlers. A rollercoaster ride through the Seventies saw…

EMAIL OF THE MONTH Wedge recall recalled I can give you the answer to the query that Jon Worsfold raised in ‘Wedge Pledge’ (Email of the Month - October 2020). When working in service reception at a large BL dealer in the Seventies, we had many Princess 2200 owners complaining of a rattling noise when going over a bump. The noise was similar to worn CV joints, even though the cars were less than a year old, and replacement of those joints initially cured the problem. However the cars frequently came back after a month or so. We then replaced the inner ‘pot’ joint, or the complete driveshaft with both joints. Unfortunately, once again, the cars frequently returned with the same noise. The problem was only on manual 2200s. We…

‘I like to share the love’ 1969 Volkswagen Beetle Jim Samson, Arundel I had a Beetle in the Sixties, did loads of miles in it, and always wanted to have one again one day - so I bought this a few years ago. It had been recently restored so the condition is just fabulous and it’s close to the spec of my original one. The big differences are the paint (it’s a modern VW colour, Flame Red) and the 1600 engine - 1500s are now like rocking horse poo. I also have a Triumph TR4A and Citroën 2CV, and take them to nursing homes to visit patients with Alzheimer’s. The cars bring back memories that often get people talking lucidly. It’s so worthwhile - I’d encourage anyone with a classic…

From the outside, Andrew Bradley’s Old English White Morris Minor Traveller looks like any other. A nicely restored car ready to enter a Cotswold village scene in front of a chocolate box cottage. A seasoned classic owner, Andrew has owned a string of Citroën 2CVs and their derivatives, a Mini which had been fitted with a Honda Concerto 1.6 engine and most recently restored an MG Midget (featured in Your Cars, PC, July 2016) that he had bought as an unfinished project and rebuilt from a bare shell. Unfortunately, Andrew’s love of his Midget wasn’t shared by his wife, who admitted in 2017 that she’d never liked it. ‘I always knew she liked Morris Minor Travellers, though, and she still seemed to like me, so I decided to look out…

This really is a bizarre car to comprehend from behind the wheel. The only internal giveaway of the 21st century running gear are the Liana clocks behind the steering wheel. Turn the Minor’s original key in the ignition and you’re away - no choke to worry about, it just starts. Underway, it’s not just the extra power - the first thing you notice is the improved flexibility that the extra CCs and modern engine management bring. I find myself slipping into ‘modern mode’, shifting from third to fifth as we gather speed. This thing is truly effortless to drive. I’ve driven countless Morris Minors and this one really makes my brain hurt. There’s still that characteristic Morris Minor parp when changing gear, but the engine itself is smoother and quieter…

‘It was a brilliant car - well, very nearly’ Several times over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to be the first journalist to drive a prototype of a new car. It’s a thrill when this happens, as it did with the six-cylinder TVR Cerbera, the Smart Roadster (surprisingly, given I’m a Brit), the Fiat Multipla concept (a wheel fell off), the Peugeot 406 V6 and the second-generation Mazda 6. I think it happened with the Ford Ka, the Peugeot RCZ and Jaguar’s S-type and X-type, too. All these cars achieved at least some success. Here, though, I’ll tell you about another machine that didn’t, despite showing promise. I was not only the first journalist to drive it, but probably also the last, even though it was significant enough to…

1968 Ford Mustang GT Price: £14,995 In fine condition and wearing period-style American Racing Torq Thrust D alloys. Much done including recent brake overhaul. 1985 Land Rover Defender 90 Price: £6995 Professionally fitted with Discovery 200Tdi engine. Current owner for seven years. Recent service and MOT, in great condition. 1986 Porsche 944 Price: £7500 Only 95,000 miles on the clock, recent mechanical and systems check by Porsche specialist, new cambelt, tensioner and engine mount. Absolutely no rust.…

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…

The BMM’s virtual Metro The British Motor Museum is to host a brand new exhibition to celebrate 40 years of the Metro. For the first time the Museum will be hosting the exhibition online as part of its drive to have more online and accessible insights into their collection. Live now, you can contribute to the ‘Metro & Me’ feature: stories and images to museum@britishmotormuseum.co.uk. Jaybee offers Specialist John Baker is retiring from his business JayBee Autospares in Farnworth Bolton after 30 years. He is selling the property but needs to sell his stock and, as a result, must dispose of thousands of parts for Fifties to late Nineties vehicles, including some real rarities. Prices will be ‘competitive’. 01204 795338. Amazing Engines 2 It’s back, and this time it’s packed…

After a seven-year absence there will be a Red Oktober day at Crich Tramway Village (tramway.co.uk) in Derbyshire on 4 October. Mel Holley is chairman of the Wartburg, Trabant IFA Club (wp.ifaclub.co.uk) that is organising the day. He says: ‘Our 250 members have vehicles from 36 Eastern Bloc manufacturers. We’re making a weekend of it with a road run through the Derwent Valley on the Saturday and then on the Sunday we’ll be at Crich for a static event. All vehicles are welcome and no need to book in advance.’…

Regret selling a classic? This ropey old AW11 MR2 had a tough life before I bought it. It was rough in the body and needed heaps of work mechanically. Oh, how much fun it was to drive, though! Brett Nicholson Sold my Capri 2.8i because the kids were getting too tall to sit in the back. Crazy decision! Adrian Hollidge I so miss my 1980 Saab 99 two-door Turbo. Should have got rid of my ex-wife sooner and just kept the car instead. William Mason Austin 3 Litre. I sold it in 1998 and after a long wait I got it back again. Mine for life now. Neil Kidby My 1988 XR3i Cabriolet. After three years, I traded it in for more than I bought it for. Regretted it immediately…

1 DEC 2018 Engine out Andrew removed the tired Minor engine and gearbox ready for the conversion. Side by side with the Jimny units, the similarity in size is obvious. 2 FEB 2019 Mounted Land Rover engine mounts and a neat pair of homemade brackets required just four holes apiece to be drilled through Minor’s engine bay floor and chassis legs. 3 JUN 2019 Pumped Cut hole and stud plate solved ‘welding the fuel tank’ problem. Note fuel feed and return lines on pump. 4 JUL 2019 Clutching at straws Andrew shortened the Jimny clutch cable and made a bracket to enable it to be connected to the Minor’s pedal. 5 OCT 2019 Reasonably priced car £300 donor Liana had just 40,000 miles on the clock and a valid MOT.…

The biggest ‘blind alley’ in this story has to be that of the already converted Honda Concerto-powered Mini that wet Andrew’s appetite for a modern- engined classic in the first place. It’s clear that Andrew is a true engineer and simply owning a car that someone else had modified would never do. His approach to modification is to be applauded, with little to no impact on the bodyshell of the car and an ability to reverse any changes made with relative ease. Problems have been solved with thought and ingenuity - not with an angle grinder and a welder!…

‘Fill your rucksack and do laps of your garden’ Three. Two. One. A cheer from the front. And we’re off, shuffling at first. Shins graze a trolley. No, it’s a laundry basket bungied to roller-skates. Hmmm. We’re moving forward as one. And there it is, beyond the entrance to the National Motor Museum; the Jumble. Shall we come back for the Auto Mart or do it now? Later, then. But, look at that. Have you seen the price? Take a nought off, maybe. Coffee? We always say we should bring a flask, but we don’t. I’ll get these if you get the next. I hope for change from a tenner… What are you looking for? Nothing in particular? Up the first row we go. And immediately stop at a tarpaulin…

FANCY A PUNT? ‘That trio can never be classics to me’ When I started reading PC 40 years ago, many of the classics in the Price Guide were under 20 years-old. Now – and yes, it’s just a sign of age – there are plenty of cars that have hit 30 that I struggle to see as a classic. I know and accept that classic-ness is in the eye of the beholder, but there are three cars that are a particularly tough grapple. That’s because I went on their press launches. In fact, they were the only three car manufacturer’s press launches I went on. Such treat-filled invitations were naturally the preserve of modern motoring journos, whose number I’ve never wished to join, even if it did mean regular trips…

James likes... THE FAST ONE I like all Pumas, having spent time in numerous company 1.4 models some years ago. But I think given the choice, I would advise the purchase of a Racing Puma. And I mean right now. Buy, enjoy (carefully) and know that if you ever need the dosh to get your kids through uni one day, it’ll more than pay for it. Matt G likes... THE NINETIES ONE Light on its feet, rev-happy and stylish, the Puma is an enticing proposition. With a drive that is superior to many well respected, more expensive sports cars, it is fast becoming recognised as a significant model in Ford’s more recent history, too. The Puma certainly has all the hallmarks of a modern classic. Matt T likes... THE STOCK…

GET GOING START BY REMOVING THE OLD VENEER 1 Remove old veneer Once the dash panel has been removed from the car, splits and cracks usually make it easy to start lifting the old veneer. Use a sharp scraper to gently peel up the veneer, flaking it off in pieces. Try not to let the scraper dig into the backboard. 2 Sand the base flat The surface of the plywood backboard will be rough after removing away the veneer. Sand it smooth, using 120 grade abrasive paper on a flat sanding block. Take care to keep the surface flat and avoiding sanding downwards at the edges. 3 Repair damage with filler Inevitably there will be a few splits or scraper nicks in the backboard. Car body filler can be used…

We like to be thorough and make sure every engine we machine and remanufacture is brought back to a condition that’s at least as good as when it first left the maker’s factory. Cutting corners may seem cheaper in the short run but if the engine isn’t reconditioned throughout, it’s never going to give the performance or lifespan expected. A quick, cheap rebuild is always going to be a false economy. At Ivor Searle, we always advise balancing the engine’s rotating and reciprocating parts, as we’ve found that original factory balancing often left a bit to be desired. The cylinder head of this engine has also been refurbished, to the same high standard as the bottom end, including the fitting of hardened exhaust valve seats to resist the effects of…