Classic Cars May 2022

Quentin’s gift for finding joyful buying opportunities and persuading us to think differently is uncanny He’s at it again, our Quentin, diverting our gaze from the harsh realities of the world and aiming it squarely at the thing guaranteed to provide hours of happy distraction. Buying characterful old cars, or just contemplating buying old cars, or merely fantasizing about it. Wherever you are on that sliding scale – or slippery slope – at least one of the Smart Buys that he’s selected for your consideration will be sure to align your brain cells into a ‘want that’ chorus, maybe more than one of them will. Even if your first reaction is ‘not for me’, Quentin’s combination of coolheaded market analysis and warmhearted passion for interesting classics in all their diverse…

[The List] Your dream drive made real Mike James always fancied the Lotus Elan +2 over a two seater so we put him in one for the day to find out why Photos NEIL FRASER Though he has a string of classic British sports cars to his credit over the years, Classic Cars reader Mike James has never owned a Lotus. His wish list is a mixture of European classics, almost all of them with a sporting bent, but he’s most keen to try one of Colin Chapman’s British lightweights to try out the Lotus handling and performance that he’s been reading about for so long. Of all the Lotuses to pick from it’s the Elan +2 that has caught Mike’s eye. An unusual choice, perhaps, because the longer, wider…

CHASING CARS Quentin Willson’s hot tips In a month of dowdy auction entries there was one tiny-miler that shone out when all around was dark. Morris Leslie’s stunning ruby-red 1988 Saab 900i was yet another textbook example of an exceptional classic that needed buying and carefully cossetting away for the future. With just two owners – the first a local headmaster – no fewer than 34 Saab dealer and specialist stamps in the service book, and a warranted 19,000 miles from new, this was a very special 900. While braggadocious Saab Turbos have attracted all the collector bandwidth, the ultra-tough 900 definitely deserves a place on our radar, especially in such lovely nick and at the bargain price of just £4800. And no that’s not a misprint. These days £4800…

Hawk Cobra 289 or 911 3.2? I’m considering changing my 1987 R107 300SL for something more exciting to drive. It has 82k miles, is immaculate with full dealer history since new. I have seen some nice Hawk 289 Cobras –I prefer the narrow body shape. Will they hold their value, or would an Eighties Porsche 911 be a wiser buy? Chris Pemberton Hawk 289s are among the most convincing small-block Cobra replicas, and if well sorted, are a relatively inexpensive way to feel that V8 Cobra magic. But in financial terms they haven’t performed nearly as well as 911s. A 911 3.2 Carrera, ideally with the G50 gearbox, would be a wiser buy. They’ve always held their value and enjoyed strong demand. Find a well-historied UK car in stock condition…

MORE QUENTIN WILLSON P45 VALUE 2015 £35k VALUE NOW £45k This sounded cheap to me. A 1961 Bristol 406 once owned by Bristol boss Anthony Crook and colourful classic car dealer Ian Grange, with lots of history, £6000 of recent bills and one of only eight still registered with the DVLA, it made just £27,679 at Dore and Rees February sale. This very same 406 was sold in 2016 by Brightwells for £31,000 and then three years later by H&H in 2019 for £33,750. Along the way the cylinder head and carburettors were rebuilt, and it was fitted with period Reutter seats with rare headrests. Not so long ago a good 406 would cost you £50k – and that was without the Crook provenance -so this one was a steal.…

VALUE 2015 £6500 VALUE NOW £4000 Launch-year tiny-milers will always be sought after. It’s one of those immutable classic car truths. Being one of the first to roll off the line brings collectability and rarity but if their preservation has been timewarp perfect and they’re properly mint with a warranted mileage, then they become historical artifacts. Museum quality. So it was with Barons’ February 1997 SLK200. Finished in the launch colour of Yellowstone with special-order black leather and most factory option boxes ticked, it had covered a warranted 15,000 miles and had every single shred of paperwork that it was originally supplied with. Tired, high-mileage R170 SLKs have fallen to sub-£3k but if you tried to find a pre-facelift early car in such superlative condition it could take years -literally.…