Classic, Performance & Retro August 2012

News - Reviews Tests - Show Reports - carREPORTS clubs - cars for sale LATEST NEWS -- Road EVENTS - FEATURES - CARS- technical FOR SALEtips - SHOW - REVIEWS

August 2012 - Issue 17

Super

Six!

Triumph’s GT6 On The Road

Silverstone classic - delorean eurotec - le mans classic - And Much More!

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Editorial Well, We have just about recovered from this year’s amazing Silverstone Classic, but the mighty historic motorfest proved just too much for some of the CPR staff and they promptly jetted off on holiday to nurse their sunburn and sore feet. Flamin’ lightweights I say. Still, it did mean that with our office well down on staff, we had to make this issue a little shorter than usual, but hopefully still just as enjoyable as it always is.

Naturally, this month’s issue has a massive report on the Silverstone Classic which was bigger and better than ever, and with over 1,000 cars taking part, it was a real ‘Nirvana’ for historic racing enthusiasts.

Elsewhere in this issue, Triumph fans can check out our road test feature on the Triumph GT6 MkII where the author discovers that this ‘Grand Tourer’ is neither grand...or a tourer, but it’s still a great little car in its own right. We also have a fascinating look at that 80s icon, the DeLorean DMC12 and the recent gathering at the EuroTec UK meeting in Norfolk.

There will be a short delay between this and the next issue of Classic, Performance & Retro due to all the staff holidays, so the next issue will be available at the end of September. Make sure you don’t miss it!

As always, we hope you enjoy reading this issue of Classic, Performance & Retro.

Drive Safe!

The Classic, Performance & Retro team.

Above: The awesome Sauber-Mercedes C9 dominated the Group C races at the Silverstone Classic.

Editor: Simon Hazeldine- Designer: Chris Peacock - Sub Editor: David Harrison - Advertising: Tom Saunders - Web ‘Geek’: Luke Mowatt - Marketing: Peter Allinson. The entire contents of Classic, Performance & Retro magazine are copyright. No part of it may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Classic, Performance & Retro Magazine is a FREE monthly publication produced by AV8 Publishing Ltd, Cambridge, England. Contact Details: PO Box 280, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 9DH. Website - www.cprmag.com - E-mail - info@cprmag.com - Telephone +44 (0)1353 777519. We are happy to accept photographs and articles with a view to including them in Classic, Performance & Retro Magazine, but please note: all submissions are sent at contributors own risk and we will not be liable for any loss or damage.

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Triumph GT6 MkII Road Test!

Silverstone Classic Show Report!

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British Steel DeLoreans At Eurotec!

CONTENTS www.cprmag.com Issue 17 August 2012

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Silverstone Classic: With over 1,000 historic racing cars taking part in this year’s Silverstone Classic, it promised to be an event not to be missed. Simon Hazeldine went along and caught all the action.

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Super Six: Calling a tiny two-seater sportscar a ‘grand touer’ might be pushing it a bit, but as Simon Hazeldine found out, the Triumph GT6 MkII has a lot going for it...as long as you don’t look at the rear end!

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Le Mans Classic: The Le Mans Classic gives historic racing fans a chance to see some near legendary cars once again do battle at one of motorsport’s most iconic venues.

Phil Sullivan crossed the Channel to soak up the atmosphere.

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British Steel: With tons of stainless-steel glinting in the sun, EuroTek 2012 was a haven for fans of the controversial DeLorean DMC12. Simon Hazeldine went all ‘Back to the Future’ as he headed up to Hunstanton in Norfolk to see the stunning gathering of 80s icons.

RegularFeatures: Classic Le Mans!

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News: All the latest news and gossip from the Classic, Performance & Retro worlds.

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Club News: A round-up of news from some of the best car clubs in the world.

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New Stuff: A look at what’s hot...and what’s not in the automotive marketplace.

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What’s On: Never miss another race meeting or car show with our comprehensive events guide.

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Auction News: A round up of what’s been happening in the auctions rooms around the world.

Classic, Performance & Retro magazine is a FREE monthly online publication produced by AV8 Publishing Ltd, Cambridge, England.

August 2012 5

News

The Latest Automotive News From Around The World!

Neglected Bugatti Replica Expected To Fetch Over £100K At Auction Imagine this. You open up the door of a long abandoned garage, and sitting there surrounded by rubbish is a complete Bugatti Type 51. That is exactly what auction specialists Brightwells were confronted with as they waded in to retrieve a mystery car. However, all was not as it seemed as the car turned out to be a convincing fake.

The replica had been bought by its last owner - Alan Riley - in 1987 and was often seen at shows and Bugatti meetings. For some reason, the car was placed in the garage around nine years ago and hasn’t been touched since, and was only discovered following Mr Riley’s death last year.

The car needs a little light restoration and will go under the hammer on September 26 at Brightwells Leominster sale. Even though the car is only a replica, it is built to exact Bugatti specification, so it’s expected to fetch somewhere between £100,000 to £150,000. That might sound like a a lot of money, until you consider that a genuine example would sell for around £2 million!

Mason Taking Part In Brighton Run Pink Floyd drummer and avid car enthusiast Nick Mason will take part in this year’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run which takes place on November 4. Perhaps better known for his stunning collection of vintage racing machines, Mason will be driving a 1901 5-litre Panhard which he says was bought for its ability to tackle steep hills. Over 500 cars are expected to take part in the run which starts at Hyde Park in London.

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Classic Camper Will Boost Charity Funds

If you’re a classic fan, and you happen to be in the market for a camper van, then there can only really be one choice - the iconic VW Type 2. Now, as luck would have it, a very tidy example of Volkswagen’s ‘Bus’ is going under the hammer at Chris Evan’s Carfest South show on August 26.

In an act of incredible generosity, the vehicle’s current owner says he will give every penny of the sale price to the Children in Need charity, and to help with the gesture, Silverstone Auctions has offered to waive its usual fees for this lot. The van is in excellent condition. It won ‘Van Fest’ in 2004 and achieved ‘Best Original Split’ at the Christchurch Air-cooled Show. The vendor purchased it in 2005 and says it is considered part of the family, despite not being taken out too frequently these days. The van will be offered with no reserve, so if you want to get hold of it and do your bit for a good cause too, then head to Carfest and get bidding!

Exmoor Museum Collection Offered For Sale The Exmoor Classic Car Museum Collection will go under the hammer at the Bonhams Beaulieu Sale on Saturday September 8. The specialist museum, in Porlock in Somerset, has been the retirement project of keen collector Stephen Johns.

Mr Johns, an entrepreneur who ran a pyjama manufacturing business in Keighley, West Yorkshire, for 45 years, moved to the West Country 12 years ago and decided to set up the museum to house the collection he had built up over the years. Highlights among the 10 cars, 13 motorcycles and assorted automobilia he amassed include: • a 1972 Ferrari 246GTS ‘Dino’ Spider (estimate £100,000 - £120,000) • a 1927 Bugatti Type 40 Tourer (estimate £80,000 - £100,000) • a 1923 Rolls-Royce 20hp Doctor’s Coupe by Mitchells of Nottingham (estimate £38,000 - £45,000) Other lots of interest include a 1930 Singer ‘Porlock’ Sports Junior (estimate £8,000 - £10,000) bought

by Mr Johns because of the connection between its name and the location of the museum, and a 1948 DOT 125cc AA motorcycle truck (estimate £3,000 - £4,000) that is the only one of its type.

Tim Schofield, Director of the Bonhams Motor Car Department, said: “The Exmoor Classic Car Museum could be described as every motoring enthusiast’s dream. Museums like this don’t really tend to exist today. When you walked through the doors it was like walking into some forgotten past. Today everything is locked away behind glass cabinets, but in this museum the public could touch the cars, open their doors and look inside, and flick through the old photo albums. It will be a great shame to see it close, but Bonhams wishes Mr Johns the very best for his ‘second retirement’.”

August 2012 7

News

The Latest Automotive News From Around The World!

V8 Powered Royal Aston Martin DB7 For Sale Modern Aston Martins are generally pretty quick cars, and the DB7 from the 1990s was no exception, but if the standard six-cylinder production car isn’t fast enough for you, then auction company Historics at Brooklands have a car in their forthcoming sale that might just appeal to you.

It’s an Aston Martin DB7 V8 Vantage which was specially built for a member of Saudi Arabian Royal family, and under that shapely engine cover lies a 6,350cc, V8 Vantage 425bhp engine. A power bulge adorns the bonnet; not for cosmetic purposes as is often the case, but out of necessity in fitting such a huge engine into the space where a straight-six would normally rest. The brakes are courtesy of AP Racing - without doubt a necessity in stopping this 452bhp beast. Suspension and steering have also been uprated to accommodate the car’s impressive performance. The car is finished in Cheviot red with parchment leather trim, piped in oxblood and matching claret carpets and this Aston Martin DB7 V8 Vantage is bound to appeal to collectors as it’s only covered 3,220 miles from new. Estimated sale price is £70,000 - £80,000 and the auction takes place at Brooklands Museum on September 1.

Rare Bentley Goes On Display A rare 4¼-Litre Bentley Embiricos Special has been put on display at the company’s headquarters at Crewe in Cheshire.

Described as one of Bentley’s most valuable cars, the attractive coupe came about after wealthy Greek racing driver André Embiricos tasked French coachbuilder Carrossier Pourtout to create a streamlined, aerodynamic body for the car. The body was designed by Georges Paulin and made almost entirely from aluminium alloy, making the car extremely light and therefore suitable for racing. The car went on to achieve a speed of 115mph on the track at Brooklands and later finished 6th at Le Mans in the hands of a different owner. The car will remain on display until sometime in September.

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trackNews

News, Gossip & Views From The World Of Motorsport

HSCC Heads To Spa & Brand Hatch In September The Historic Sports Car Club is returning to the Spa 6 Hour Race Meeting on September 21st - 23rd, with a grid of Closed Wheeled cars, comprising of cars from two of its Roadsports Championships, 70s and Historic, along with cars from its Guards Trophy Championship, Historic Touring Cars and Jaguar E-type Challenge series. The racing will take the form of a non-championship, combined grid and will feature one 30 minute practice and two 30 minute races. There will be no pit stops during the race but drivers will be able to share a car, by both qualifying during practice and then one driver electing to do the first race with another taking part in the second.

The club will also be fielding cars at the Brands Hatch ‘ByBox Raceday’ on September 23, which will see some competitive racing on the famous Brands Indy circuit, which for this year is a venue for the Para Olympic cycling in early September. The HSCC will be hosting 10 races, including a double header for the Historic Formula 3 series and other Championship races for 70s Road Sports, Historic Road Sports, Historic Touring Cars, Classic Formula 3, Classic Racing Cars, Historic Formula Ford 2000 and Historic Formula Ford, who will be racing for the Norman Greenway Trophy. The event will also include a ‘Guest Championship’ which will be the BARC Classic Clubmans Championship.

Masters To Star At Zandvoort

New Radical SR3 SL Website

Masters Historic Racing will once again head across the Channel to Holland where its cars will be the main feature of the new Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix which takes place on September 1-2. This new event has been created due to the popular demand from the ever growing number of Dutch historic racers, some of whom already take part in the Masters series. Among the races being held at the event are the GP Masters, World Sportscar Masters (WSM), Gentlemen Drivers Pre-66 GT Cars and Sports Racing Masters.

Peterborough-based Radical Racing has launched a new website to showcase its SR3 SL. The site gives you all the information you need if you are looking to purchase one of these cars and features downloads, news, specs and video. Radical says it was updated to “reflect the growing global customer base of SR3 SL owners.” If you want to check out all the new features of the redesigned website, including the latest news, reviews and images, just head to www.sr3sl.com

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NOVEMBER 3RD & 4TH 2012 - SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT

Silverstone Motorsport UK is the live motorsport show not to be missed, with an extensive and diverse selection of cars on display which include cars from BTCC, BRC, F3, national motorsport and even race simulators and radio controlled cars!

• A 5,000 sq foot hall with an extensive selection of cars from the world of national motorsport, from BTCC to karting!

• The Go Motorsport Kart Challenge - enabling visitors to take on each other for a selection of prizes.

• Kit Car Pavilion - featuring a selection of the UKís top kit car and specialist sportscar manufacturers.

• Motors TV main stage - will feature interviews with some of the biggest names from national motorsport, who will talk about their 2012 season and plans for 2013.

• The TrackDriver Hot Lap Experience - will feature a range of circuit demonstrations from some of the most exotic cars from national motorsport.

• Silverstone Race Experience - will be offering the opportunity for visitors to receive tuition from their qualified instructors.* *please note that terms and conditions apply

www.motorsportshow.co.uk

trackNews

News, Gossip & Views From The World Of Motorsport

Senna Showcase Celebration For Donington Historic Festival 2013 The dates of the third Donington Historic Festival have now been confirmed as Saturday May 4th and Sunday May 5th 2013, which should give enthusiasts something to really look forward to next year. And for 2013 the festival will celebrate the career of iconic Formula1 racing driver Ayrton Senna, marking in particular two historic events which took place at Donington Park; the 30th anniversary of the first time Senna ever got behind the wheel of a Formula One car and the 20th anniversary of his phenomenal display of mastery over the rain in the 1993 European Grand Prix.

Ayrton Senna put his foot on the first rung of the F1 ladder on July 19th 1983, when he tested Keke Rosberg’s Monaco GP-winning Williams-Cosworth FW08 at Donington. The young Brazilian impressed hugely, as he would also do later that year when he tested for McLaren and Toleman Hart at Silverstone. He went on to join Toleman for his Formula One racing debut in 1984, and a motorsport legend was born.

Fast-forward a decade, and the crowds flocked to Donington Park to see Senna – by then a triple World Champion – as the circuit played host to its first Grand Prix in 55 years. The conditions were not promising; torrential rain had made the track treacherous, and Senna started in fourth position in his underpowered McLaren behind the Williams of Alain Prost and Damon Hill, who were dominating the season, and the Benetton of Michael Schumacher.

What followed in the course of 76 laps would be forever etched in the hearts and minds of motor racing fans across the globe. Driving as if he were competing on a dry surface, Senna secured first place by the end of the first lap, then swapped the lead back and forth with Prost as the circuit dried out, then was rained on again – with Senna opting to remain on slick tyres as the other drivers changed between slicks and wets. When the chequered flag was waved at the end of the race, he took victory an incredible 80 seconds ahead of the second-placed finisher, Damon Hill.

The Senna anniversaries will add a further, exciting dimension to what is already a ‘must-do’ fixture on the international historic motorsport calendar, combining the very best cars and drivers in an exhilarating weekend of top-level racing. The 2012 Donington Historic Festival saw cars from the 1920s to the 1980s take to the track, with everything from tiny Riley Brooklands to mighty Group C cars driven in a highly competitive spirit, and May 4th and 5th 2013 promises to be just as good!

12 www.cprmag.com

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ClubNews

Tell Us About Your Club!

Want to tell us about your club or event? Then send details into Club News at: info@cprmag.com

MG Owners’ Club

MGB Team Completes Baltic Charity Run MGOC members Will Punchard and Jon House arrived back at the MGOC HQ at Swavesey, Cambridgeshire, in their 1969 MGB roadster after travelling over 6,000 miles around the Baltic Sea. The trip, which was scheduled to take 21 days, only took the adventurers 19 days, despite having to make an unplanned detour through another country.

The drive was done to raise money for charity with the current total of money collected standing at £3,500. All money raised will go to the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, a charity which is close to both men’s hearts. Will works for MGOC Spares department, while Jon his companion on the route, is an archaeologist.

They completed the journey on the 7th August and arrived back at Swavesey where they celebrated their return with Russian champagne. The pair had to cope with two breakdowns on the trip; a distributor problem fixed by the roadside and a universal joint failure, fixed in Estonia by very capable local mechanic. Overall the MGB averaged an excellent 35 miles per gallon although its rather tired engine did use quite a lot of oil.

The MGB itself, registration TJN 405H, was donated to the Club in 1989 by enthusiastic member Eddie McGowan who had travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Soviet Union with the car and even got an entry into the Guinness Book of Records.

Eddie used the MGB for various charity events during the late 1970s and 80s and would be delighted that his much travelled MGB is still raising money for such a good cause.

The two-man crew kept updating their twitter account and blog as the journey progressed, so if you want to look back at their progress around the Baltic you can visit www.mgbaroundthesea.blogspot.co.uk/ or @mgbaroundthesea on twitter.

Even though their trip is complete, you can still donate to their chosen charity by logging on to: www.justgiving.com/mgbaroundthesea or Text MGBS84 £(amount) to 70070. www.mgoc.co.uk

Ferrari Club GB

1000 Ferraris Planned For Silverstone Record Attempt Ferrari North Europe now has over 1,000 cars registered to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Parade of Ferrari Cars which will take place on Saturday 15th September during Ferrari Racing Days at Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire. Ferrari North Europe previously set the record with an astonishing 385 cars on the Silverstone Circuit at the Ferrari Racing Days in 2007, but this was later increased to 490 cars. Even though over 600 cars had registered in the first month when the attempt was announced, Ferrari North Europe has always had the ambition to set a Guinness World Record with 1000 cars.

Registrations currently remain open as FNE anticipates the recently extended Silverstone Grand Prix circuit can accommodate more than 1,000 cars on track. The ambitious project is being run with the support of the Ferrari Owners Club GB and Ferrari enthusiasts all over the UK and will create what promises to be an absolutely memorable spectacle.

In addition, Ferrari will be donating £5 for every car entered into the world record attempt to BEN, the automotive industry’s own charity. www.ferrariownersclub.co.uk

14 www.cprmag.com

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Silverstone Classic With over 1,000 historic racing cars taking part in this year’s Silverstone Classic, it promised to be an event not to be missed. Simon Hazeldine went along and caught all the action.

B

illed as the ‘biggest historic racing event in the world’ this year’s Silverstone classic promised to be one of the best yet...providing the weather behaved! Held at the sprawling Silverstone circuit complex in Northamptonshire on July 20-22, the event showcased over 1,000 racing cars spanning the entire 16 www.cprmag.com

history of motorsport, from its earliest origins, right up to (almost) the present day.

Unlike the Formula1 Grand Prix held at the same venue the previous weekend, getting into the circuit was a breeze, and thankfully most of the ground had dried out too, although there was still some standing water on some grass areas.

It’s never easy to sum this

event up in a single article as there is so much going on. The majority of the action obviously takes place on the track, where all manner of cars compete against each other in some very competitive race events.

Away from the track, visitors are given full access to both the old National Paddock and the brand new International

Below: 60 Ferrari F40s set a world record on the track at Silverstone.

A brand new Fe show at Silv rrari 458 ‘Spyder’ on erstone.

Paddock behind the impressive ‘Silverstone Wing’ building.

Both paddocks host many of the competing cars and it’s possible to chat with drivers and crews and get as close to the cars as you like.

If you’re a fan of classic cars, then this event wont leave you disappointed. No fewer than 73 car clubs (up from 57 in 2011) organised

Half centuries of the AC Cobra, dedicated display areas for their members all around Mk1 Ford Cortina, Lotus Elan, the circuit, ranging from the MGB, Triumph Spitfire and AC Owners Club to the XK8/ TVR Club were also marked with fabulous displays, plus a XKR Enthusiasts Club, many celebrating special milestones glittering on-track parade. On in marque, model and club top of that, the Lamborghini histories. There were several Club UK recruited the Italian anniversaries being celebrated, supercar company’s legendary not least 60 years of the test driver for the past 44 Mercedes Benz Club, BMW Car years - Valentino Balboni Club and Renault Owners Club. to oversee its special 25th August 2012 17

Just one of over 70 car club displays. tread the boards and perform veteran crowd-pleasers while the night sky lights up with the orange glow from the burners of around ten hot air balloons. It’s a real carnival atmosphere and it’s easy to spend a whole day at the ‘Classic’ and still not see everything.

Get Planning!

Cobra lurking in the International Paddock. anniversary festivities.

In the middle of the circuit was also a large retail area crammed with automotive stalls selling everything from nuts and bolts to car insurance, but if you wanted to get away from all the hustle and bustle, there is the ‘Village Green’ area with its alfresco 18 www.cprmag.com

eating areas, art galleries and photographic displays, while a variety of aeroplanes perform aerobatics in the skies above the circuit between races.

As night falls, the main stage located in the in-field section of the track comes to life, as pop stars (some are even more vintage than the cars!)

The three-day event kicked off on the Friday morning, but one look at the weather forecast convinced me that this would be a day to miss.

Rain was promised for the first day and the Met guys were not wrong. The Saturday and Sunday looked more promising, so I set off early on the Saturday morning and got there just as the first race of the day was starting.

It is almost impossible to watch every single race at the Silverstone Classic. Sure, you can stay glued to one spot

All the club cars on display were immaculate...well...most of them! and watch all the action if you really want to, but you’ll miss so much more. The best option is to grab a programme and plan your day around the races you want to see most.

Full Grids The track action was intense and exciting. Many of the 24 races boasted full 58car grids and the busy race schedule included six decades of Formula One history, a feast of classic touring cars plus just about every sportscar from the legendary Jaguar C- and D-types of the Fifties to the awesome Group C Le Mans prototypes of the Eighties.

Despite the huge grids and fiercely fought competition, the packed programme ran like clockwork and there was just one short safety car period in two days of epic racing to test the timekeeping skills of the talented organising team.

MGs on the MG Owners’ Club Stand.

The beautiful Aston Martin DB5.

August 2012 19

Many drivers even wore period outfits and helmets.

races at Silverstone with my dad and that made me even more determined to win. It’s fantastic the Express has brought the race back to life and with all the great cars that always made it so special.”

Famous Faces Steve Russell in his Cooper Bristol.

Among the many racing of 180mph, Bill Coombs in a highlights was the reTyrrell 009 – originally raced introduction of the Daily

by Jean-Pierre Jarier in the 1979 F1 season – overcame Express International Trophy, one of the most famous prizes the 1982 Arrows A4 of Steve in motor racing history. Past Hartley to win the coveted winners include drivers such trophy, presented on the as Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, podium by Ian Parrott, Group Managing Editor of Express Jackie Stewart and Graham Newspapers. It was a very Hill. The prized Trophy went to the aggregate winner of the special moment for Coombs as he explained: “I was two Grand Prix Masters races featuring a fabulous line-up of under a lot of pressure but F1 cars from the Seventies and thought back to when I came Eighties. After a titanic wheel- and watched my heroes in the old Daily Express Trophy to-wheel battle at speeds 20 www.cprmag.com

One of Saturday’s many highlights was the entertaining Celebrity Challenge race starring famous faces from the high-profile worlds of music, sport, media and show business. Those risking their reputations this year were: Heston Blumenthal; Steve Bull: Andrew Castle; Kelvin Fletcher; Vicky Gomersall; Tony Hirst; Brian Johnson; Jay Kay; Nicola Stapleton; Sir Patrick Stewart and ‘Comedy Dave’ Vitty. Brendan Cole, was sidelined after an accident in a familiarisation period earlier in the day. One notable absence was one of the ‘stars’ from last year’s race, Luther Blissett.

The former footballer literally crashed out of last year’s

Jason Minshaw in his Brabham BT4.

Celebrity Challenge when he a great day and we’ve raised cars. This is the best event spectacularly rolled his Morgan awareness for three great on the planet and, what’s on the first lap, totalling the charities.” Runner-up Brian more, it’s right here on our car. Maybe the organisers had Johnson added: “It was doorstep in the UK. I’ve had a second thoughts about inviting fantastic. The crowds were wonderful time. It was terrific him back this year? awesome as were the guys fun.”

As in 2011, all the stars lined who loaned us these magic It was nice to see nearly all the up in competition-prepared Morgan racing cars and were competing for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital; Bobby Moore Fund and RPJ Crohns Foundation.

Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher made the most of his racing experience to take the chequered flag while Brian Johnson, Jay Kay and Tony Hirst fought over the Karl Wetherell and Mark Campbell’s remaining two places on the Triumph TR4 battles an Austin-Healey 3000. podium. Racing rookie Hirst spun away his chances while Tony Bianchi exits Club Kay received a five second Corner in his MGB. penalty for exceeding the track limits, handing second spot to a delighted AC/DC front-man Brian Johnson. After the race, winning driver Kelvin Fletcher said: “It was really good fun.

I had an amazing time and a good battle with Jay Kay before edging away. Everyone came back unscathed which was the main thing. It was August 2012 21

Cem Osman spins his BMW M3DTM on Club Corner. Amazingly, the orange Astra (look carefully) managed to avoid any contact.

Left: AC/DC singer Brian Johnson gives our cameraman the ‘thumbs-up’ just before the main Celebrity Challenge race.

stars hanging around after the podium ceremony chatting to visitors, signing autographs and posing for photos. The one star that really stood out though was AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson. He must have 22 www.cprmag.com

spent at least an hour chatting to people and his light-hearted ‘Geordie’ banter was hilarious.

He was still there signing autographs when all the other celebs had left, although it had to be said that he did

have a bigger queue that all the others. A true gentleman, and a more down to Earth celebrity would be harder to find. His driving isn’t bad either!

F40 Parade If you happen to be a fan of the Ferrari marque, and particularly the iconic F40, then you would have been in your element at Silverstone.

This years ‘Classic’ saw a world record 60 F40s assembled at the circuit to celebrate the car’s 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion in true Ferrari style, every one of the cars took to the track to complete a parade lap of the full F1 circuit during Sunday’s lunch break. It was a staggering sight, and it might possibly have been the most expensive traffic queue

in history.

Following the F40s was just about every car from each of the club stands at the event. Hundreds of classic and performance cars headed out onto the track to complete an honorary lap, although from my vantage point just opposite Becketts, it looked like a massive stationary traffic jam. It was still impressive though, seeing hundreds of Jaguars, MGs, Triumphs, Lotus’, Lamborghinis, TVRs and many others crawling around the circuit.

Actress Nicola Stapleton makes a few last-minute adjustments.

Thunderstuck! AC/DC singer Brian Johnson races his Morgan to 2nd place.

Busy Auction Moving away from the track, Resident auction house Silverstone Auctions held a well attended sale on the Saturday afternoon, with a dazzling array of classics and racers attracting fierce bidding.

With an amazing sales rate of 89 per cent of the classic and road cars on offer, along with the acquisition of a further 13 competition cars, Silverstone Auctions achieved a premium inclusive total of £1.1m at the sale.

Highlights of the sale included a stunning 1959 Jaguar XK150 drophead coupe which fetched £67,760, an extremely rare 1960 Austin Seven 850 which sold for £24,080, and a 1996 Lamborghini Diablo VT for £59,360.

Fittingly at the home of British motor sport, the sale also included a number of impressive competition cars including a 2008 Ferrari F430 GT3 race car which sold for £76,720 – more than £11,000 over its pre-sale estimate – as well as a 2003 Ferrari 360 Challenge for £34,720.

“The collection of cars we put

Brian Johnson, Kelvin Fletcher and Jay Kay on the podium.

on offer looked absolutely stunning, so it’s very pleasing that this was met with such strong demand and interest,” said Nick Whale, Managing

Director of Silverstone Auctions. “Our team guided the cars very sensibly which was reflected in the high sales rate we achieved.”

August 2012 23

Georg Kjallgren lights up the night in his Courage C26S.

On Through The Night As the sun slipped below the horizon on Saturday evening, it was ‘make your mind up’ 24 www.cprmag.com

time. Should I head off into the middle of the circuit and chill out with a beer and watch the live acts on stage,

or should I stay trackside and watch the awesome Group C cars blast around the track in the ever diminishing light? As much as I was tempted to go and watch Snake Charmer - a band featuring members of the original Whitesnake lineup - the lure of the Group C machines was just too much, especially as they would be racing in near night conditions, just as they once did at Le Mans. I’m not sure what it is, but night seems to be the natural enviorenment for these cars. Sure, they look great in the daylight, but you simply can’t beat the sight of these streamlined racers blasting around the circuit

Left: Headlights on as night falls on the Group C race.

Top Right: The awesome Mercedes C9 driven by Gareth Evans.

Centre Right: Steve Tandy in the Nissan R90CK. Below Right: Peter Garrod in the NTPi90.

Bottom: The amazing Porsche 962 powers through Maggotts.

with beaming headlights lighting up the night sky. You simply can’t beat it!

Smashed headlights and crumpled bodywork were testament to the competitive nature of this event and the cars were pushed just as hard as they were in their heyday.

To see the Group C machines thundering around the track with headlight blazing was a real treat, and even the rapidly plunging temperature and the lure of Adam Ant on stage failed to drag most of the spectators away from the stands.

So Much To See While the outstanding race August 2012 25

Bill Coombes races his Tyrrell 009 in the Daily Express International Trophy.

John Delane in his Tyrrell 006.

grids were undoubtedly the heart of the festival, a sundrenched Silverstone also sparkled with a huge number of other attractions. Based at the Stowe Circuit to the 26 www.cprmag.com

southern end of the venue, the new AA World interactive automotive theme park seemed popular with many visitors. It included a wide range of activities aimed at

putting the fun back into motoring. One of the best draws was an opportunity for children aged 12 and over to get behind the wheel for the very first time. The faces on the children said it all with initial nerves quickly replaced with beaming smiles after half an hour in an AA driving school Ford Focus.

Edmund King, AA President, was delighted with this exciting new initiative. He said: “The free driving experiences at AA World were a highlight for young and old drivers alike. You can’t beat telling your school mates that you drove at Silverstone and adults loved the hot laps round the Stowe Circuit. It

Right: Dave Abbott pits gets pushed back into the garage after the race.

Below Right: Michael Bell in his MkI Ford Escort.

Bottom Right: Two of the Pre-61 Front Engine GP cars head into Aintree.

was tremendous fun and great to be at the Silverstone Classic.�

The shuttle bus system didn’t seem to be quite as efficient this year, something I noted as I waited for nearly 20 minutes for a bus down to the International Paddock.

This might have been because the buses had to make an additional stop at the AA World site, which was almost a separate show in itself, but whatever the reason, I did overhear a number of visitors grumbling about the long queues.

Still, even having to wait a while for a bus seemed like a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of

Sparse interior.

August 2012 27

Going bananas at the trade village!

Ford GT40 with ‘battle damage.’

Adam Ant and friends on stage.

Vintage racers enter the pit lane. things. The whole event had a wonderful atmosphere and the annoyingly temperamental British weather actually behaved for once and blessed the event with two days of sunshine.

“Every year the Silverstone Classic just gets bigger and bigger,” enthused Nick Wigley, Event Director. “We had to make several contingencies after all the poor weather in the run-up to the event but 28 www.cprmag.com

thankfully the sun finally came out and what a show we had!

The quantity and quality of the racing was astonishing and the car club displays were every bit as impressive. We are proud of our ‘access all areas’ policy that lets everyone enjoy the sensational cars right up close as well as free admission into the rock concerts, trackside grandstands and all the other many, many attractions. Despite the recent

rains, the event drew a record crowd of 83,500 and I’m confident all those people and more will be back hungry for another top-class Silverstone Classic in 2013.”

I really enjoyed this year’s Silverstone Classic and I’d have to echo Nick’s sentiments that it did indeed seem to be bigger and better that all previous years. The quality of cars on display is just incredible and there’s plenty to

Ouch! That looks expensive.

Artwork in progress.

Good panel-beater required!

Competitive driving can cause injury (to bodywork!)

keep you entertained.

There really is too much there to see in just one day, so if you’re planning to go next year, you might want to think about camping.

Then again, knowing the what the British weather can be like, a local hotel might be a better option.

Either way, I’ll be there for sure, and if it’s only half as good as this year’s event, it will be one not to be missed

Alex Buncombe’s Lister Jaguar.

August 2012 29

Super Six Calling a tiny two-seater sportscar a ‘grand touer’ might be pushing it a bit, but as Simon Hazeldine found out, the Triumph GT6 MkII has a lot going for it...as long as you don’t look at the rear end!

C

ar manufacturers seem to have an obsession with letters. Look at the rear end of just about any car ever made and you will find badges like SRi, GL, XR, GTE, Pi, GTB, TDi and of course, GT. However, that GT tag is one 30 www.cprmag.com

that has often left me baffled.

Standing for ‘Grand Tourer,’ you would expect such a car to have certain qualities. For a start, the ‘grand’ part would lead most casual observers to believe that this is a car of generous proportions; an

opulent, luxurious machine in a similar vein to a Rolls Royce or Bentley. The ‘tourer’ part suggests that the car is also capable of being used on long distance jaunts, carrying its occupants and all necessary luggage on long distance

The Trium

ph GT6 M

drives across global regions and continents.

So, a GT is a large, wellappointed car, capable of carrying several big suitcases, a set of golf clubs along with the Wife’s full wardrobe and ever growing make-up

kII.

collection? Well no, not quite.

You see, sometime back in the 60s, or perhaps even earlier, the ‘GT’ tag became a fashionable way to refer to something fast or speedy. It had sporting overtones and suggested that anything

GT-ish would possess a certain amount of ‘va-vavoom.’ For example, take a look at Castrol’s most famous lubrication product - Castrol GTX. It was a can of oil, so it certainly wasn’t a ‘grand tourer’ by any stretch of August 2012 31

The GT6 looks stunning parked in the summer sunshine.

Spitfire four-cylinder engine wasn’t powerful enough to cope with the extra weight of the metal roof and tailgate assembly. No problem, just fit a bigger and more powerful engine, and by 1966 the first GT6 MkIs were rolling off the Canley production line.

Rear vent detail. the imagination, but the GT moniker gave the product a ‘sporty’ feel, and that helped it sell.

Le Mans Connection It wasn’t long before the car manufacturers picked up on the GT trend and soon all manner of cars were rolling off the production lines wearing GT badges, most of which were neither grand or tourers.

Some of the earlier GTs really were ‘grand touers’ - the Ferrari 250GT being a good example - but then there were 32 www.cprmag.com

Mechanic’s Dream machines like the MGBGT, which was basically an MGB Roadster with a tin roof and a rear hatch, and the subject of this feature, the Triumph GT6. Like the MG, the GT6 started life as a convertible sportscar, with the Coventrybased manufacturer using the attractive two-seater Spitfire as a base for its new model.

The actual design was inspired by the ‘fastback’ Triumph Spitfires that raced in the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hour Race although early experiments showed that the standard

The car we used for this feature was kindly provided

by Cambridgeshire Triumph specialist TRGB and is in fact a 1969 GT6 MkII. My first glimpse of the polished red sportscar doesn’t exactly fill me with excitement. Sure enough, it’s a pretty little car in its own right, but looking at it parked next to an immaculate Triumph TR5 and a GT6 MkIII, it is, to my eye at least, the less attractive car of the three.

The front end looks good with its high chrome bumper and over-riders which give

Characteristic bonnet bulge needed to accommodate the six-cylinder engine. the car that essential ‘sporty’ look. The one-piece bonnet assembly makes this car a mechanic’s dream; just release the catches on each side and the entire front end tips forward to reveal the engine bay and front suspension.

Having owned a Spitfire in the past, I know just how useful this feature can be, and you

will never find a car with better engine access than this. The wheels even make handy seats which can be used while changing spark plugs or setting the valve clearances and everything is within easy reach.

This particular car has been given a bit of a performance upgrade. Its original 1,998cc

six-cylinder, carburettor-fed 104bhp engine has been replaced with 2,498cc 150bhp fuel injected unit from a Triumph TR6, and that should make this car a real ‘pocketrocket!’ The conversion is not as common as you might think; it is quite straightforward to complete as the TR6 and GT6 use more or less the same engine block, so it’s just a case of plumbing in the fuel injection system and metering unit and up-rating various other items to cope with the extra power. The prohibitive cost of buying the TR6 engine and fuel injection gear however, means that this conversion is only for the really dedicated GT6 owners.

Controversy Twin rear exhaust pipes make a great noise!

Continuing my walk around the GT6, I find myself staring at the rear end of the car, and it is this area of the little August 2012 33

Above: The replica ‘Minilite’ wheels give this car a great sporty look.

Left: Extra gauges have been added to this car.

Below: Front looks better than the rear.

Triumph that has thrown up a generous amount of controversy over the years.

Like the GT6 MkI, the styling at the rear end of the MkII isn’t anywhere near as attractive as the front. It looks kind of ‘dumpy’ and unfinished.

The lights appear to have been stuck on randomly like some sort of afterthought, as do the rear quarter bumpers, and the seam where the upper and lower valances meet looks angular and crude. Given time, I’m sure it could grow on you, but as if to confirm my feelings, it was the rear end of the car that was given a major 34 www.cprmag.com

make-over on the later MkIII cars and few would deny that it was a big improvement.

Underneath the rear end of the GT6 lies another area of contention - the rear suspension. Like the early

Heralds and Spitfires, the GT6 featured a swing axle rear suspension system utilising a single rear leaf spring, and this gave the cars some rather alarming handling characteristics. If you drive the car hard into a corner and brake, the rear wheels will tuck under the car and you will quickly become acquainted with the surrounding landscape as the car leaves the road. These handing characteristics certainly don’t encourage ‘sporty’ driving, but more on that later.

Compact Interior The interior of the car is another area where Triumph

Looks amazing doesn’t it?

The cathedral isn’t bad either!

“...It’s not grand, and the touring would be fine if you could live out of a few well packed sports bags.” did a great job, but the lack of space means that it’s hard to enjoy it. The boot area is beautifully trimmed, and I like the roof mounted boot lamp which sits on a sculpted plastic panel. The rear seat looks good, with its sporty patterned vinyl and plenty of padding. The front seats are aftermarket replacements but are comfortable and look okay.

The dashboard looks superb, with its wood facia finished in that distinctive orangey lacquer that Triumph seemed to be so fond of back in the 60s and 70s. The scattering of gauges and switches makes it look busy and there is hardly a single square inch of space on the driver’s side that hasn’t been used, although this particular car has had three

Above: The TR6 engine is a good fit in the GT6.

Right: The hinged bonnet assembly provides amazing access to the engine bay.

August 2012 35

The GT6 is a very attractive car when viewed from the front.

36 www.cprmag.com

Interior is well laid out, but compact. extra gauges added to the central panel.

The downside is that you will struggle to get a decent sized suitcase in the boot area; the rear seats are fine if your passengers don’t have legs, and the headroom in the front means that tall drivers will have their heads pressed against the roof. This is a small car, and applying the previously mentioned ‘grand tourer’ moniker to it seems a bit...er ridiculous. It’s not grand, and the touring would be fine if you can live out of a few well packed sports bags.

On The Road Right, enough of the specs; let’s find out how this thing drives. Climbing into the driver’s seat presents no problems other than my head almost touching the roof.

There is plenty of leg room and the view out over that long

Tailgate gives great access, but not much room for luggage.

bonnet is superb. The static seat belts take a bit of fiddling to get in the right position, but apart from that everything feels good. The gear stick and steering wheel fall naturally to hand and all the controls are in easy reach.

A turn of the key kicks the fuel pump and metering unit into life with a reassuring ticking

sound, and a further turn spins the starter motor which is followed almost instantly by a roar from the six-cylinder engine. It is slightly lumpy to begin with, but it soon settles down into a steady monotone purr.

The throttle is light and responsive and the engine reacts instantly to the slightest August 2012 37

Above: The MkII’s rear end looks rather crude.

Left: Dash has a great period look to it.

and as bumpy as any you will find. The little Triumph seems to soak up all but the worst bumps providing it is driven slowly, but I take extra care as I’m very conscious of the low hanging twin exhaust boxes at the rear.

Straight-line Speed

pressure. The clutch pedal on the other hand needs a good shove all the way to the floor to allow smooth gear selection.

Speaking of which, the gearbox takes a little getting used to as it’s quite stiff; you have to be firm with it and push the stick firmly home 38 www.cprmag.com

on each change. That might sound like hard work, but it’s surprising how quickly you get used to it and after a while you hardly notice.

Pulling away, the first main test is for the car’s suspension as the track leading to TRGB’s workshop is full of pot holes

Once out on to the road the GT6 accelerates briskly. It’s a hot day, and with the windows wound down I can hear the delightful roar from the stainless steel exhaust as I build up speed. It quickly becomes apparent that straight line speed is what this car is all about. That TR6 engine combined with the car’s tiny, light-weight structure results in an impressive power-to-weight

Roof lining and boot lamp.

“...if you gave it to your average ‘boy racer’ he would be in a hedge before you could say ‘Barry!” ratio. Okay, it’s not ‘supercar’ fast, but it will fly around the M25 quick enough to trigger every camera it passes, and over-taking is a breeze thanks to the responsive engine.

Drop it down a gear, blip the throttle...and you’re gone!

Handling Thankfully the brakes on this car are just as effective as the engine, but you might need to rethink your driving style before pushing this car too hard. With most of the weight up at the front, and that heartstopping swing-axle set up at the rear, you need to get your braking done well before you get to any serious cornering.

If you turn into a sharp bend at speed while still braking, it will all end in tears. All the weight will be transferred to the front and the rear wheels will tuck under and render the car almost uncontrollable.

However, if you match your speed to the road and don’t

go flying around blind corners, you shouldn’t have any problems. The good part is that the car gives you plenty of warning of any impending loss of control as you can feel the back end start to become ‘twitchy’ and the steering feels a little vague. Learn the ways of the ‘six’ and you wont come unstuck.

After a while I slowly become accustomed to the GT6 and generally it is a pleasant little car to drive. There are a few grumbles though. I find the throttle pedal position irritating, as my foot is either brushing the brake pedal or rubbing against the sidewall of the footwell, but the

steering is responsive at speed giving the driver plenty of feedback from the road, and I have to mention that the GT6 has an incredible turning circle.

Parking in confined spaces is a doddle, although you do have to haul that steering wheel around thanks to the lack of power-steering.

This is a car for people who KNOW how to drive. It is not for novices or inexperienced drivers, and if you gave it to your average ‘boy racer’ he would be in a hedge before you could say ‘Barry.’

Pocket Rocket This car has probably given me a slightly distorted impression of the GT6 due to its many performance modifications, and that TR6 lump up front provides more than enough power and torque to make this a seriously quick machine. It has its faults, although most of them can be dismissed as minor irritations and are the result of trying to squeeze a tall driver in a small car. If the GT6 was scaled up to about the size of a Ford Capri or Datsun 240Z, it would be perfect. It would also be heavier and slower, so what you give with one hand, you take away with the other.

It’s a cute car, and certainly exciting to drive, and with 150bhp on tap, it might not be a ‘grand tourer’ in the true sense of the words, but it sure is one serious ‘pocket rocket!’

Special thanks to TRGB Ltd for letting us use the car feautured in this article. The car is currently being offered for sale by TRGB, and if you are interested, you can contact them on: 01487 842168 or see: www.trgb.co.uk for more info.

August 2012 39

TrackdayDiary Links To Track Day Organisers & Racing Circuits Apex Track Days - www.apextrackdays.co.uk • BHP Track Days Ltd - www.bhptrackdays.co.uk • Bookatrack - www.bookatrack.com • Club MSV - www.clubmsv.com • Gold Track - www.goldtrack.co.uk • Javelin Track Days - www.javelintrackdays.co.uk • RMA Trak Days - www.rmatrackdays.com • Track Culture - www.trackculture.com • Wheelsports www.classicgt.co.uk • Snetterton Park - www.snetterton.co.uk • Brands Hatch - www.brandshatch.co.uk • Donington Park - www.donington-park.co.uk • Oulton Park www.oultonpark.co.uk • Knockhill Racing Circuit - www.knockhill.com • Blyton Park - www.blytonpark.co.uk • Santa Pod - www.santapod.co.uk • Silverstone www.silverstone.co.uk • Goodwood Circuit - www.goodwood.co.uk • Thruxton - www.thruxtonracing.co.uk • Rockingham - www.rockingham.co.uk • Mallory Park www.mallorypark.co.uk • Cadwell Park - www.cadwellpark.co.uk • Castle Combe - www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk

Key: db - Decibels • ND - Noisy Day • OPL - Open Pit Lane • S - Sessions • T - Timing/Chrono • RC - Road Cars Only • RCN - Road Car Novice

august 2012 Date Venue

Organiser

Noise Level

Status

1

Brands Hatch , Indy

ClubMSV

105

OPL

2

Brands Hatch , Indy

ClubMSV

105

OPL

2

Snetterton , 300 circuit

ClubMSV

105

OPL

2

Zandvoort

BookaTrack.com Ltd

88

OPL

2

Donington Park , National

Apex Track Days

105

OPL

3

Zandvoort

Lotus on Track

88

OPL

4

Woodbridge

Javelin Trackdays

102

OPL

4

Lydden

Lydden Hill Race Circuit

105

OPL

4

Le Mans , Bugatti Maison Blanche

Lotus on Track

105

OPL

4

Blyton Park

TrackCulture

105

OPL

5

Donington Park

BookaTrack.com Ltd

OPL

5

Le Mans , Bugatti Maison Blanche

Lotus on Track

105 105

OPL

5

Blyton Park

Apex Track Days

105

OPL

5

Cadwell Park , Full Circuit

Javelin Trackdays

105

OPL

5

Rockingham , International Super Sports Circuit

Rockingham Circuit

102

OPL

6

Castle Combe

BHP Trackdays

100

7

Oulton Park

Apex Track Days

105

OPL OPL

8

Snetterton , 300 circuit

RMA

105

OPL

8

Blyton Park , 1.6 Mile Circuit

Javelin Trackdays

105

OPL

9

Knockhill

Knockhill

105

OPL

9

Brands Hatch , Indy

ClubMSV

105

OPL

10

Anglesey , Gp circuit

Mitsubishi Lancer Register

105

OPL

10

Castle Combe

BookaTrack.com Ltd

100

OPL

11

Barkston Heath

Javelin Trackdays

102

OPL

11

Santa Pod Raceway , Drag Strip - RWYB

Santa Pod Raceway

11

Cadwell Park

Circuit Days

105

OPL

12

Rockingham , ISSCC

BookaTrack.com Ltd

105

OPL

13

Castle Combe

Castle Combe

100

Sessions

13

Donington Park

BookaTrack.com Ltd

105

OPL

13

Cadwell Park

Easytrack

105

OPL

13

Brands Hatch , Indy

Circuit Days

105

OPL

13

Silverstone , International

Silverstone

105

OPL

40 www.cprmag.com

In Association With

14

Oulton Park , Full circuit

BHP Trackdays

105

OPL

15

Cadwell Park , Full Circuit

Javelin Trackdays

105

OPL

15

Snetterton , 300 circuit

Gold Track

105

OPL

16

Brands Hatch , Indy circuit

Lotus on Track

102

OPL

16

Brands Hatch , Grand Prix circuit Lotus on Track

102

OPL

17

Abingdon

Motorsport Events

100

OPL

17

Bedford Autodrome

Opentrack Track Days

102

OPL

18

Blyton Park , 1.6 Mile Circuit

Javelin Trackdays

105

OPL

18

Bedford Autodrome

Easytrack

102

OPL

18

Le Mans , Bugatti circuit

RMA

105

OPL

18

Bedford Autodrome

Easytrack

102

OPL

19

Knockhill

Knockhill

105

OPL

19

Kirkistown

Trackskills

102

OPL

19

Santa Pod Raceway , Drag Strip - RWYB

Santa Pod Raceway

19

Blyton Park , 1.6 Mile Circuit

Javelin Trackdays

105

OPL

19

Le Mans , Bugatti circuit

RMA

105

OPL

21

Brands Hatch , Indy

ClubMSV

105

OPL

21

Snetterton , 300 circuit

ClubMSV

105

OPL

21

Silverstone , GP Wing Pits

BookaTrack.com Ltd

21

Oulton Park

Easytrack

22

Cadwell Park

ClubMSV

105 105 105

OPL OPL OPL

22

Donington Park

BookaTrack.com Ltd

105

OPL

22

Blyton Park , 1.6 Mile Circuit

Javelin Trackdays

105

OPL

24

Castle Combe

Castle Combe

100

OPL

24

Bedford Autodrome , GT circuit

ClubMSV

102

Sessions

24

Rockingham , Various inc Wet Grip

Rockingham

98

OPL

24

Anglesey , GP

Apex Track Days

105

OPL

25

Croft , Full Circuit

Javelin Trackdays

88

OPL

27

Abbeville

Lotus on Track

88

OPL

27

Croft

BookaTrack.com Ltd

98

Sessions

28

Oulton Park , Full

ClubMSV

105

OPL

28

Brands Hatch , GP circuit

ClubMSV

30

Snetterton , 300 and 200

Javelin Trackdays

105 105

Sessions OPL

30

Brands Hatch , Indy

Easytrack

105

OPL

30

Dijon Prenois , GP

Curbstone Track Events

105

OPL

31

Keevil

Motorsport Events

31

Castle Combe

Apex Track Days

100 100

OPL OPL

This Track Day Diary has been produced in association with MotorsportAds (see www.motorsportads.com). All dates believed correct at time of publishing.

Please check with venue before setting off to avoid disappointment.

August 2012 41

Keeping the great marques alive

www.moss-europe.co.uk Youles Racing supported by Moss Europe Ltd 2010

from a spire nut to a supercharger

Classic Mini

MG T-Type

MGA

MGB

MGF

Sprite & Midget

TR2-4A

TR5-6

TR7

PERFORM

Mazda MX-5

Morris Minor

ONROAD &TRACK Free!

CPR Web Mag. 3

www.moss-europe.co.uk

parts catalogues call 0800 281 182

London

Bradford

Bristol

Manchester

020 8867 2020

01274 539 999

0117 923 2523

0161 480 6402

sales@moss-europe.co.uk

bradford@moss-europe.co.uk

bristol@moss-europe.co.uk

manchester@moss-europe.co.uk Moss Europe Ltd. E&O.E. 2011

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NewStuff

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This set retails at £124.94 and can be ordered as TCS-411/C(CLASSIC). For further details of these and other tuning products contact Burton Power on 0208 554 2281 GAZ Adjustable Dampers for MG RV8 Available from: Brown & Gammons Price: £320 inc VAT See: www.ukmgparts.com The MGR V8 is now something of a rare beast but thanks to a unique link up with MG specialists Brown and Gammons, GAZ can now produce performance dampers for this vehicle. With a V8 under the bonnet the RV8 obviously takes some taming but the GAZ dampers are available to suit road and track or classic racing use.

The dampers are made to the correct open and closed lengths for the car and are quickly adjusted by means of an easily accessible single knob on the side of the damper. All units are individually tested before leaving the factory and covered by a 2 year warranty. The GAZ GT dampers for MGR V8 retail at £320 inc VAT per set of four are available exclusively from Brown and Gammons Ltd.

Titan Motorsport T-shirt or Cap Available from: Titan Motorsport Price: £FREE See: www.titanmotorsports.com Round about now lots of us will be heading to Orlando in Florida for a holiday, and if that includes you, then why not drop into Titan Motorsports, and grab a free cap or t-shirt. Based close to Orlando International Airport, you could always pop in and kill a little time while waiting for that flight home. The guys there will be pleased to see you and as a little thank you for taking the time to drop by they will give you a free TMS t-shirt or cap with your purchase - just show them your EU or other non-North American passport to qualify. After all, there’s no t-shirt better than a free t-shirt!

44 www.cprmag.com

WWW.CPRMAG.COM

Ecotek CB-26P Available From: Ecotek Prices From: £48.99 inc VAT See: www.ecotekplc.com Call me a cynic, but every time I see a product claiming to reduce emissions, increase performance and cut down fuel consumption, I am a little sceptical to say the least.

Some of these products claim to do just about everything except turn water into wine, so you’ll understand my lack of enthusiasm when the nattily titled CB-26P from Ecotek landed on my desk.

According to the manufacturer’s blurb, this little device would provide “improved performance, acceleration and throttle response, accompanied by additional fuel and emission savings.” Hmmm...still no wine then?

Okay, I’m not expecting miracles, in fact just a noticeable improvement would be enough to get this thing a good review.

So, with cynical head removed, and open mind installed, I handed the CB-26P over to a friend, John, who had agreed to try it out on his MGB. Fitting is straightforward. Just cut the brake servo hose between the inlet manifold and non-return valve and slot the CB-26P between the two halves. Since you are messing with the brake system, it is wise to use a couple of hose clips to secure it in place, or if you are not confident doing it yourself, find a qualified mechanic to help.

We also fitted the optional Pipercross filter/silencer to help reduce any noise the unit might make. Now this gadget is probably intended for more modern cars than the MGB, and a look at the Ecotek website more or less confirms this, but our test car was fitted with lots of toys, including electronic ignition and full engine mapping, so we hoped that any changes would be at least noticeable. I left John to it for a few weeks before getting in touch to see if had made any difference.

Apparently it had.

While the unit was fitted to the car, John noticed that there was a better throttle response, particularly at the lower rev range. The car also seemed to be using Want to see your slightly less fuel than usual although this wasn’t scientifically tested so cannot be proved. A tank of fuel certainly seemed to be lasting longer than usual, and John new product said he hadn’t driven the car any differently to normal, so he could only attribute mentioned here? it to the CB-26P. So how does it work? Similar devices have been around for a while now, but Just call us on basically the device injects small amounts of agitated air into the inlet manifold at +44 (0)1353 certain specific pressures. This causes turbulence in the induction gases which creates a better suspension of fuel molecules and thus combustion, producing 777519 or e-mail a more efficient and cleaner burn. It is simple technology, but it works well and really seems to make a difference. It’s not going to suddenly transform your car us at: into a ‘Porsche beater’ or give you 1,000 miles per gallon of fuel, but when you consider the CB-26P costs less than £50.00, a little improvement over a period info@cprmag.com of time could make this a very worthwhile purcahse.

August 2012 45

Time to get some work done to YOUR classic car?

TRGB are now established as one of the leading Triumph specialists in the country and have extensive and almost unrivalled experience on the restoration and maintenance of these cars. Along the way we have also gained years of experience working on other classic cars. Work and personal projects aside from our Triumphs include: full restoration of an E-type 4.2 Jaguar, full restoration of a ‘Healey 3000’, full engine build on a V12-E and full and detailed restoration of a Ferrari Dino (including full engine build).

Our workshop is always very busy and to this end we have decided to expand this side of the business and are delighted to announce a new member of staff: Mr Jason Wright. Jason brings with him a wealth of experience and has worked on many TRs as well as Jaguar and TVR from a well-known leading dealership, and so will add his knowledge to the extensive experience of both Tim and Richard. To promote this new expansion we are offering a 10% discount (£40.50/hr + VAT) on all work booked in during the first three months of 2011.

If you require any work on YOUR classic car, please call Gary at TRGB.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Unit 1, Sycamore Farm Industrial Estate, Long Drove, Somersham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire Tel: 01487 842168 or 01480 464443 (evenings) • Fax: 01487 740274 Mobile: 07801 631632

www.trgb.co.uk

March 2011 29

...beautiful, elegant, stunning.

TR Register and Stag Owners Club IWE 2012 Combining the Stag Owners Club National Day and the TR Register International Weekend

10-12 August Three Counties Showground, Malvern Come along and join us for a celebration of Triumph sports and grand touring cars in 2012.

Weekend Ticket Saturday Ticket Sunday Ticket

£25 £15 £10

> > > > > > > > >

Large trade show and autojumble Technical Seminars Family entertainment all weekend Arena show of Triumphs with interviews and demonstrations Concours d’Elegance and Pride of Ownership competition Autosolo Competition On-site Camping Fri-Sun Evening Entertainment Fri & Sat Gates Open 2pm Friday

Keep it that way.

Fully tailored car covers by Specialised Covers Official suppliers to Audi, Bentley and Lotus

See the club websites for further information: www.tr-register.co.uk or: www.stag.org.uk Camping will be available at the showground, but for B&B or hotel accommodation, telephone the Malvern Tourist Office on: 01684 892289 e-mail: info@visitthemalverns.org

www.tr-register.co.uk/iwe12

Tel: 01235 818866

T: 01943 864 646 W: specialisedcovers.com

Le Mans Classic The Le Mans Classic gives historic racing fans a chance to see some near legendary cars once again do battle at one of motorsport’s most iconic venues.

Phil Sullivan crossed the Channel to soak up the atmosphere.

S

ince its inception in 2002, the Le Mans Classic has grown beyond all expectations. Much like our own Silverstone Classic, the French event’s success can only be attributed to a healthy appetite for historic racing among the wider public. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what the attraction is though. Sure, for the likes of

48 www.cprmag.com

you and me, it’s a chance to see some incredible historic racing machines thundering around the track just as they did back in their heyday, but surely not all of this year’s 109,000-strong crowd at the Le Mans Classic were historic race fans? Surely there must be something else?

Possibly, but then maybe I’m just underestimating the public

feeling towards these great machines. One possibility is that visitors are opting for the ‘Classic’ now instead of going to the 24 Hour Race as the latter now seems to attract a rowdy element that takes the partying to extremes, usually to the annoyance of proper race fans. Then of course, there will always be members of some

families that get dragged along to keep the ‘old man’ company as he watches ‘his cars,’ and I’m sure that many a child has been persuaded to go to the ‘Classic’ with the promise of a ride or two on the fun fair, but it seems that the vast majority of attendees are really here for the racing.

It’s quite amazing really, when you consider that this year’s Le Mans Classic attendance figure is higher than that of some Formula1 races!

Social Event This year’s Le Mans Classic took place the weekend following the iconic 24 Hour Race on July 6-8.

It makes sense to do that, as all the infrastructure is still in place from the ‘big’ race, so it’s just a case of re-jigging a few things rather than starting over from scratch.

The ‘Classic’ has become very much an event of two halves;

one is obviously the superb historic racing, while the other is centred very much on the social side, with ‘petrolheads’ converging from all over Europe to show off their cars, swap stories and generally drink the place dry.

This year was no exception, and much like the 24 Hour Race, the Classic attracts large convoys of

cars from England which head across the Channel by just about any means possible.

Assuming that the drivers escaped the long (and overly keen) arm of the French Gendarmerie, once at Le Mans it’s usually a case of heading for the camp site to establish ‘homebase’ for the weekend, which usually consists of a bunch of

August 2012 49

Above: Ferrari 250 GTOs gave visitors a treat with a parade lap around the historic circuit.

Left: This original Ford GT40 was part of the Plateau 4 line-up, for cars built between 1962-1965.

50 www.cprmag.com

tents, surrounded by cars with a flag of some description in the middle.

The more affluent visitors will stay at one of the many local hotels, but the downside to this is that you can’t drink at the track as you have to drive back to the hotel, and that’s only after you have queued up for hours to get out of the car park. I guess that’s one of the problems with Le Mans; like the rest of France, drinking plays a big part in the event whether it’s beer, wine or fine French Cognac. Still, if you don’t drink, its isn’t a problem, but in the evening you may come across those who have somewhat over-indulged in the falling down juice.

The ‘Classic’ has a great carnival atmosphere with most of the main events happening around the main stands on the famous

It wouldn’t be Le Mans without a touch of glamour! start/finish straight, and in the paddocks behind them. The place really starts to come alive at night, and as the cars switch on their headlights, the fun fair lights up in a dazzling array of colour and the smell of fried onions seems to fill the damp night air.

Damp track conditions caused some spectacular spins.

Packed Grids The track action is formed around six main race grids, or ‘Plateaus’ as the French call them, with racing going on through the day and night. Around 400 cars were taking place in this years event, which surprisingly is less than half the number that took part in the Silverstone Classic.

It’s difficult not to directly compare the two events as

they both follow more or less the same format. The one big difference is the Le Mans Classic isn’t anywhere near as well organised as its British counterpart; things just sort of get done at Le Mans, not

necessarily in any logical order, they just happen and you just have to fit in with them. ‘Go with the flow’ as it were.

Anyway, I digress. The one really good thing about the LMC is the cars, both on and off the

August 2012 51

The Ferrari 250 GTOs on the parade lap.

James Dean and Marilyn Monroe dropped in.

track. It’s easy to spend time wandering around the campsite just admiring the vast assortment of classic cars that turn up at the event, but if you want to see the really good stuff, you need to head to the main paddock.

Some of the cars taking part in the racing are incredibly rare and many have close historical

52 www.cprmag.com

ties with the French circuit. Past winners of the famous 24 Hour Race are everywhere, and this year proved to be a treat for vintage Ferrari fans as no less than 23 Ferrari 250 GTO’s turned up at Le Mans, although most of them just took part in a special parade lap on the Friday, and then headed off again. Somehow, Silverstone’s

60 F40s seemed much more spectacular.

Competitive Racing Each of the ‘plateaus’ were arranged loosely in chronological order with the first grid catering for cars built between 1923 and 1939. Bugattis pitted against Bentleys to recreate some of the

Left: Night racing is what Le Mans is all about.

Above: A Triumph TR2 in the pit lane for a driver change.

Below: Most of the Le Mans track is made up from public roads.

Bottom: Drivers still go through the old style ‘running start’ at the Classic. battles which gave Le Mans its near legendary status. However, it was a Talbot Lago that clinched first place in this race (obviously hadn’t read the script!) while a Talbot 105 took second and an Alfa Romeo 8c grabbed third.

The following race featured cars from 1949 to 1956 which saw icons like the Jaguar D-type and Mercedes Benz 300SL fighting it out on the famous Circuit de la Sarthe. It was the British cars that prevailed however, with D-types finishing in both first and second places.

And so it went on. The races are not token showcase events which only last a few laps, they are much more than that. What you get are fully competitive performances from some very determined drivers, and most of the races last for around two hours and twenty minutes. Most spectators seem to assemble around the main stands for the

August 2012 53

The classic always delivers highly competitive, flat-out races.

Who invited the band?

start of the race and hang around for the first few laps. Then they head off in search of food/beer and of course the obligatory Le Mans t-shirt. As the race nears its climax, the spectators gradually drift back to the stands again to cheer the winning cars home. The same pattern is repeated for pretty much every grid.

By the time Plateau 4 starts, the noise level and overall speed of the cars has gone up considerably, and the fourth grid of the event sees nearly 80 cars built between 1962 and 1965.

That means that cars like the Shelby Cobra and Ford GT40 get to battle it out with machines such as the TVR Grantura, MGB,

54 www.cprmag.com

160mph at night on sealed-beam units. Scary!

Lotus Elan and Porsche 911.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, all three steps on the podium are filled by GT40 drivers.

The next grid is for cars from 1966 to 1971 and is won by Bernard Thuner in his Lola T70 and that is followed by the last ‘plateau’ which covers cars from 1972 to 1979. It’s a race that seems to be dominated by BMW and Porsche, but it’s Chris McAllister who crosses the line first in his Gulf Mirage.

Lots To See The event was a great success, despite the best efforts of the weather which inflicted regular rain showers on the sleep deprived spectators. The

Heritage Concours competition in the main paddock attracted 24 stunning cars, with the eventual winner being a 1950 Cadillac Le Monstre that was driven by Briggs Cunningham, while the nearby ‘shopping village’ seemed to be doing good business.

There was also plenty of input from several car manufacturers all keen to push their latest products, while Mazda, Porsche, BMW and Renault used it as an opportunity to show some of their heritage. Apart from the previously mentioned camp sites, the Le Mans ‘Bugatti Circuit which occupies part of the infield, was also filled with a few classic cars.

About 8,000 to be precise, and just about every make, model

“I didn’t quite catch the briefing...but I think he said we go this way!”

and varation of any classic ever built was on display over there.

Hints of the Goodwood Revival have also started to creep into the LMC with lots of people wearing period costume and several Hollywood lookalikes like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean parading around the paddock, perhaps taking themselves a little too seriously.

It was all good fun though, and after a while, the complete lack of organisation even seemed to be a minor indiscretion. The LMC is only held every two years, so the next one won’t be until 2014. It’s certainly worth a visit if you haven’t been before, or if you just fancy something different from the rather intense 24 Hour race, but I think I would

struggle to find the enthusiasm to keep returning year after year, especially with the Silverstone version - which is bigger and better - right on my doorstep.

Then again, there is simply nowhere else on earth where you can hear the wail of a GT40’s exhaust note reverberating off those famous grandstands, and for that alone, it’s worth the trip!

August 2012 55

What’son

Find Out What’s On Near You!

Each month, Classic, Performance & Retro magazine brings you some of the best motoring events from around the world in our comprehensive ‘What’s On’ guide. Each listing features a live website link, so if you want know more a single click of the mouse is all you need. If you would like us to include your event, just send an e-mail with the details to: info@cprmag.com

Expect a great line-up of cars at the Knebworth Classic Car Show on August 26-27 .

August 2012 Date

Venue

Website

18-19

Tatton Vintage & Classic Show, Knutsford, Cheshire, UK

www.cheshireautopromotions.co.uk

18-19

MAC Shelsley Walsh, Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, Worcs, UK

www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk

19

Watermill Classic Car Rally, Nr Luton, Beds, UK

www.oldewatermill.co.uk

19

Hunstanton Classic Car Rally, Norfolk, UK

www.hunstanton-rotary.org.uk

19

Mustangs at Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

www.mocgb.net

19

Tewksbury Classic Car Rally, Tewkesbury, Glos, UK

www.bredoncarrally.org.uk

19

Milton Keynes Car Show, Bucks, UK

www.miltonkeynescarshow.co.uk

19

Garstang Autojumble, Garstang, Lancs, UK

www.markwoodwardclassicevents.com

19

Raby Castle Classic Vehicle Show, Durham, UK

www.markwoodwardclassicevents.com

19

Ace Cafe Ladies Day, London, UK

www.ace-cafe-london.com

19

Classic Car Show & Autojumble, Cranleigh, Surrey, UK

www.cranleighlions.org

19

Southern Classics Late Summer Show, Worthing, Sussex, UK

www.southernclassics.org.uk

19

Cleveleys Classic Vehicle Show, Lancs, UK

thecleveleysclassicvehicleshow.com

19

Classic & Modern GT & Sports Car Show, Luton, Beds, UK

www.atccc.net

22

Ace Cafe British Classic Car Night, London, UK

www.ace-cafe-london.com

25-27

Hellingly Festival of Transport, Hellingly, East Sussex, UK

www.ehvc.co.uk

25-26

Eastnor Castle Land Rover Show, Ledbury, Hereford, UK

www.markwoodwardclassicevents.com

25

Classic Car Show, Bamburgh, Northumberland, UK

N/A

25-26

Toyota Enthusiasts Club National Weekend, Northampton, UK

www.toyotaenthusiasts.com

25-26

Fife Association of Vintage Vehicle Owners Rally, Scotland

N/A

26

Capesthorne Cheshire Classic Show, Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK

www.classicshows.org

26

Charity Classic Car Show, Gloucester, UK

www.glosmsinfo.org.uk

26

Dales Run Yorkshire Classic Event, Skipton, Yorks, UK

www.mgcc.co.uk

26

Blenheim Classic Show, Oxon, UK

www.classicshows.org

56 www.cprmag.com

26

Lakeland Historic Vehicle Show, Penrith, Cumbria, UK

www.markwoodwardclassicevents.com

26

Classic & Sports Car Gathering, Brill, Bucks, UK

www.brillbeerfestival.co.uk

26

East Yorks Thoroughbred Car Club Summer Rally, Bridlington, Yorks, UK

www.eytcc.org.uk

26

Simply Classics, Beaulieu, Hants, UK

www.beaulieuevents.co.uk

26

Stanley Park Classic Car Show, Blackpool, Lancs, UK

www.blackpoolvpg.co.uk

26

Wings & Wheels, Dunsfold Park, Surrey, UK

www.brooklandsmuseum.com

26-27

Knebworth Classic Motor Show, Stevenage, Herts, UK

classicmotorevents.co.uk

26

Newark Autojumble, Newark, Notts, UK

www.penny-farthing-fairs.co.uk

26

Canamania Classic Car Show, Wimbourne, Hants, UK

www.canamcarclub.org.uk

27

Classic and Custom Car Show, Bexhill, Sussex, UK

www.bexhill100mc.co.uk

27

Thoresby Classic Car Show, Thoresby Park, Notts, UK

www.classicshows.org

27

Supercar Sunday, Beaulieu, Hants, UK

www.beaulieuevents.co.uk

September 2012 Date

Venue

Website

1

Ace Cafe Capri Meet, Ace Cafe, London, UK

www.ace-cafe-london.com

2

Brooklands Classic American Cars, Brooklands Museum, Surrey, UK

www.brooklandsmuseum.com

2

Dudley Classic Car Show, Dudley, West Midlands, UK

www.transtarpromotions.co.uk

2

Beds & Herts 17th Classic Rally, Kensworth, Beds, UK

www.bhvccc.co.uk

2

Porsche Classics at Hedingham Castle, Essex, UK

www.classicsatthecastle.com

2

Ripon Autumn Classic, Car Show & Jumble, Ripon, Yorks, UK

www.markwoodwardclassicevents.com

2

Festival of 1000 Classic Cars, Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, UK

www.classicshows.org

2

Museum of Power American Car Show, Maldon, Essex, UK

www.museumofpower.org.uk

2-3

Rover P6 National Rally , Petworth, Sussex, UK

www.p6roc.co.uk

2

Wentworth Woodhouse Classic Vehicle Show, Rotherham, Yorks, UK

n/a

2

Linlithgow Classic Car Day, Central Scotland

www.linlithgowclassics.com

2

Hawkenbury Classic Car Show, Kent, UK

www.thehawkenburyinn.webs.com

2

BMRC Classics with John Surtees, Arundel, Sussex, UK

www.thebmrc.com

2

Chelsea AutoLegends, London, UK

www.chelseaautolegends.com

5-7

Salon Prive London, Sion Park, London, UK

www.salonprivelondon.com

6

Ace Cafe Classic Mini Meet, London, UK

www.ace-cafe-london.com

7

Alvis International Weekend, Cardiff Castle, Wales

www.alvisoc.org

7-9

Windsor Concours & Tour D’ Elegance, London, UK

www.concoursofelegance.com

8-9

Beaulieu Autojumble, Beaulieu, Hants, UK

www.beaulieuevents.co.uk

8-9

Land Rover Show, Peterborough, Cambs, UK

livepromotions.co.uk

8

Vintage & Classic Car Show, West Huntspill, Somerset, UK

n/a

9

Crich Classic Ford Day, Matlock, Derbyshire, UK

www.tramway.co.uk

9

Classic Car Show, Hoghton, Lancashire, UK

www.classicshows.org

9

Ace Cafe Bentley Drivers, London, UK

www.ace-cafe-london.com

9

Ford AVO Club National Day, Hatton, Warks, UK

www.avoclub.com

August 2012 57

What’son

Find Out What’s On Near You!

Date

Venue

Website

9

Concorde Classics Hampshire, Southampton, Hants, UK

www.concordeclassics.co.uk

9

Classics at Lockwood Park, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, UK

motornutz.co.uk/index.php

9

National Mini Day, Stanford, Leics, UK

www.miniownersclub.co.uk

11

Classic Car Evening, Benington, Herts, UK

www.lordshiparms.co.uk

11

Ace Cafe Classic Car Night, London, UK

www.ace-cafe-london.com

14-16

Goodwood Revival, Chichester, Sussex, UK

www.goodwood.co.uk

15-16

VSCC Loton Park Hillclimb, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK

www.vscc.co.uk

15

Ace Cafe London Ford Cortina Celebration, London, UK

www.ace-cafe-london.com

15-16

MX5 Owners Club National Rally, Prescott Hill Climb, Glos, UK

pp.mx5oc.co.uk

16

Beaumanor Hall Classic Show, Loughborough, Leics, UK

www.transtarpromotions.co.uk

16

Autumn National MG & Triumph Show, Donington Park, Leics, UK

www.classicshows.org

16

Surrey Classic Vehicle Gathering, Farnham, Surrey, UK

www.surreyclassicvehicleclub.com

16

Classic Motorshow, Chudleigh, Devon, UK

www.classicmotorshow.org

16

St Asaph Car Show, St Asaph, Wales

www.jgcarshows.co.uk

16

Garstang Autojumble, Garstang, lancs, UK

www.markwoodwardclassicevents.com

16

St Marys Classic Car Show, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, UK

www.stmarysmotorshow.co.uk

18

Ford Day, Blackpool, Lancs, UK

fordday.co.uk

23

Beetle Drive, Critch, Derbyshire, UK

www.tramway.co.uk

23

Southern Classics Autumn Show, Chichester, Sussex, UK

www.southernclassics.org.uk

23

Kents Classic Car Show, Aylesford, Kent, UK

www.kentsclassiccarshow.co.uk

23

Northern Alvis Day, Ripon, Yorks, UK

www.alvisoc.org

23

MGB 50th Birthday Party, Blenheim Palace, Oxon, UK

www.mgcc.co.uk

29

Liverpool Motor Club Track Day, Aintree, Liverpool, UK

www.liverpoolmotorclub.com

29-30

Passion for Power Motor Show, Manchester, UK

www.cheshireautopromotions.co.uk

29

AMOC Race Day, Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk, UK

www.amoc.org

30

A Grand Day Out, Dacorum, Herts, UK

www.dctrust.org.uk

30

Newbury 4x4 & Vintage Spares Day, Newbury, Berks, UK

www.markwoodwardclassicevents.com

30

Staffordshire Classic Show, Uttoxeter, Staffs, UK

www.classicshows.org

Dont miss the MGB’s 50th Birthday Party at Blenheim Palace on September 23.

58 www.cprmag.com

With tons of stainless-steel glinting in the sun, EuroTec 2012 was a haven for fans of the controversial DeLorean DMC12. Simon Hazeldine went all ‘Back to the Future’ as he headed up to Hunstanton in Norfolk to see the stunning gathering of 80s icons.

V

ariety. It’s a word I often use when I write reports on car shows or club meets, simply because that’s what you get. A great assortment of cars, a mixture of colours, different makes; every car seems different to the next one. Even at the club meets, all the cars might come from the same 60 www.cprmag.com

manufacturer, but usually there are several different models on display, and it is this ‘variety’ that makes these events so appealing.

However, one event that turns that theory on its head is the annual gathering of the DeLorean Club UK. Known as

EuroTec, this meeting brings together DeLorean owners from across Europe, and sometimes from even more far-flung corners of the globe, at a picturesque hotel just outside the seaside town of Hunstanton in Norfolk. Don’t

expect variety here though; all DeLorean cars were more or less identical - same shape, same colour...same everything!

This year I was invited along to EuroTec, and I was looking

forward to seeing some of the cars that originated from the controversial factory in Northern Ireland, way back in the 1980s. Before I delve into the wonderful collection of silver cars at the meet, it seems only right to take a brief look at the fascinating

DeLorean story.

I have to hold my hands up and say that my knowledge of DeLoreans is sketchy at best, and was formed mainly as a result of the numerous news stories that seemed to appear all too regularly back in the car’s heyday. I say ‘all too regularly’ because these news stories were not the sort that told of record production August 2012 61

Above: The wedged-shape DMC12 has a real 1980s look about it.

Left: The infamous DMC logo appears all over the car.

figures or other such notable milestones. No, the DeLorean story would probably make a great book or film in its own right, since the name often seemed to be linked to political corruption, underhand dealings, poor build quality and eventually even drug smuggling.

With all that going on, it would be easy to lose focus on 62 www.cprmag.com

what really mattered, which was of course the DMC12 - a two-seater sportscar which combined a stainless-steel bodyshell with Lotus Esprit inspired running gear and distinctive ‘gull-wing’ doors.

The cars were produced at the 660,000sq/ft factory in Dunmurray, Northern Ireland, hence the ‘British Steel’ title for this article, and while

the province isn’t one you would normally associate with car production, at the time it did offer lots of cheap labour thanks to the area’s dense population and high unemployment rate.

John DeLorean

The driving force behind the company was John DeLorean, an American who had climbed the career ladder at manufacturers such as Chrysler, Packard, Pontiac and Chevrolet before heading off to start the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC). With the sort of charisma that would befit any American talk-show host and the ‘gift of the gab’ that any Irishman would be proud of, DeLorean managed to charm sizeable amounts of capital for his new venture from enthusiastic investors,

Above: Stainless-steel on show at EuroTec. Right: References to that film are everywhere!.

Below Right: Lurking in the shade! some of whom were even Hollywood ‘A-listers.’

Work began on the prototype car which was overseen by ex-Pontiac Designer and Chief Engineer William Collins. The finished car was more of an evolution of DeLorean’s original idea since a PRV fuel-injected V6 replaced the planned Wankel rotary engine after the latter ended production, and the midengine layout on the prototype was changed to a rear-engine design on the factory-built cars.

Pretty Good The end result was an attractive two-seater, wedgeshaped car that featured distinctive ‘gull-wing’ style doors and a stainless-steel bodyshell. The cars were left unpainted meaning that every

example that rolled off the production line was just about identical to all the others.

The largely unqualified workforce in the Northern Ireland factory meant that early cars suffered from build quality problems, but once these were ironed out, the DMC12 was actually a pretty

good car. It had a solid feel about it, thanks mainly to its stainless-steel construction, and while it was never going to compete with the best Italian ‘supercars’ in terms of speed, it did possess some good handling characteristics.

Sales figures for the car would seem respectable for August 2012 63

The later DMC12s had the option of a grey interior instead of the original black.

Giving it a final polish before the road-run.

One of the group’s more interesting characters! a new manufacturer’s first ever model, especially in the niche sportscar market, but unfortunately they fell a long way short of what was required to make the project profitable. The ‘breakeven’ point was believed to 64 www.cprmag.com

have been around 10,000 to 12,000 cars, but the number of vehicles actually sold was closer to 6,000.

FBI Sting John DeLorean set about trying to raise more capital to

shore up the ailing business and it was at this stage that the entrepreneur got involved in a scheme that would ultimately damage his reputation beyond repair and effectively destroy what could have been a very promising

Lotus Esprit adds a dash of colour... ...so does this Chevy Camaro.

If you have ever wondered what those slats on the rear screen are for...

Andrew Harrison The ‘Dukesstarts of Hazzard’ another lap in his XJS. General Lee. Cars assembled in the car park at Caley Hall.

Those ‘gull-wing’ doors are surprisingly heavy. business.

Accounts vary depending on who you choose to believe, but the problems started when DeLorean became the target of an FBI ‘sting’ operation designed to catch drug traffickers. His arrest in

October 1982 hit the headlines on both sides of the Atlantic and he was charged by the US authorities with conspiring to smuggle $24 million worth of cocaine into the United States.

The case centred on a videotape showing DeLorean talking

about the drugs deal with undercover FBI agents and on its own it seemed to be damning evidence. However, DeLorean’s legal team successfully argued that their client had been coerced into participating in the deal by the August 2012 65

Classic line-up at Brighton!

66 www.cprmag.com

FBI agents, who initially posed as legitimate investors, and he was acquitted of all charges.

Many argued that the entrepreneur got off on a technicality, and with the case making the front pages of newspapers around the world, DeLorean’s reputation was in tatters. Car sales withered away to almost nothing, and any hope of attracting new investors was gone. The company couldn’t survive the scandal and the DeLorean Motor Company went bankrupt in 1982, resulting in the loss of 2,500 jobs and over $100 million in investments.

Top: DeLorean ‘tunnel vision’! Above: Members of the DeLorean Club (UK) pose for the camera during the road-run.

Below: Six Delorean DMC12s pictured on Brancaster Beach in Norfolk during the EuroTec 2012 road-run.

Going Elecrtic!

There have been various attempts over the years to put the DMC12 back into production, most notably in 2007 when businessman Stephen Wynne bought up all available parts for the DMC12 and began assembling ‘new’ cars from the assortment of spares available. The story took a new twist recently August 2012 67

An extremely rare right-hand drive DMC12 at EuroTec. A ‘Back to the Future’ replica under construction at Caley Hall.

when Wynne - now head of the Texas-based DeLorean Motor Company - announced that his business is about to start producing the DeLorean DMC-EV, basically a DMC12 powered by an electric motor.

The plan is to produce a batch of 300 cars, with each car selling for around £57,000 and the first examples being made available in 2013. I’m sure the DeLorean story will rumble on forever, but what you read above is just a 68 www.cprmag.com

very abbreviated outline of a fascinating tale.

Time Travellers Back in sunny Norfolk, it’s good to see that there is still lots of support for the original cars, and with EuroTec in full swing, I’m surprised at the young age of most of the owners.

Unlike most classic car meetings where the average age of attendees seems to be around 60 years old, the

DeLorean crowd seem to be half that age. Dare I say that these guys were probably kids when the ‘Back to the Future’ films came out, featuring that time travelling DMC12?

Perhaps the DeLorean cars really do have time-travelling abilities and have transported their owners back to more youthful days? Hmmmm...

Most of the event is spent discussing all manner things DeLorean, with a small covered area in the corner of the car

A tribute to the car’s Lotus links.

Jon Freeman in the AK Sportscars Cobra demonstrator.

Certainly not much space left in the engine bay!

Just don’t press the red button... any red button! park being used for technical demonstrations and general tinkering on the cars.

It was certainly a great place to have a DeLorean-related problem, as one member found out when one of his doors refused to open.

Within minutes, a small crowd of experts were assessing the problem and five minutes later, the door was fixed!

A planned road-run out to Brancaster Beach only attracted six cars, which was

a shame because it made for a great photo opportunity and attracted a lot of interest from the general public, but with the hotel bar being open all day, I guess that much of the socializing (drinking!) meant that driving would be out of the question for many owners.

The evenings were mainly spent in the hotel bar, with an 80s disco being held on the Saturday night giving members a chance to air some of the tackier items from their

wardrobes and sport some seriously questionable wigs.

Still, it was all good fun and an enjoyable time was had by all.

As mentioned earlier, this was the last meeting to be held at Caley Hall Hotel and next year’s EuroTec will be at a different venue. This year’s was a great success, but if EuroTec 2013 is half as good it will be one that any selfrespecting DeLorean fan will not want to miss! See www.deloreaneurotec.co.uk August 2012 69

Classics in the making

BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN SUPPLIER OF CAR CARE PRODUCTS AUTOGLYM, LETCHWORTH, ENGLAND

BY APPOINTMENT TO H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES SUPPLIER OF CAR CARE PRODUCTS AUTOGLYM, LETCHWORTH, ENGLAND

JD Classics knows classic cars inside out, particularly Jaguars; it builds, restores, upgrades, services and even races them. It has an international reputation for concours winning restorations and for rebuilds enhanced with special sports upgrades.

Following the company’s slogan “When only the best will do”, it is only natural that JD Classics should choose Autoglym car care products to finish and protect its stunning vehicles which include Aston Martins, Bentleys and Ferraris as well as Jaguars.

Autoglym offers the most comprehensive range of car care products available. All are fast, effective and will provide a perfect result, inside or out.

For the ultimate shine, our recently introduced High Definition Wax is supplied as a complete kit and is quite simply our finest polish ever.

Follow JD Classics’ example and use the best care and protection for your car. Find out more about the award winning Autoglym range by visiting our website at www.autoglym.com

For product and local stockist information, visit our website or telephone 0800 515 779.

BYRON_BOOKAZINE5

1/7/09

17:42

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auctionnews

Latest News From The Auction Rooms

1957 AC Ace Bristol sold for £151,200.

1957 AC Tops Buxton Sale H&H Auctions Buxton Sale Buxton, Derbyshire, UK. July 5, 2012.

H&H Auctions, Buxton Sale.

Type

Year

Price

AC Ace Bristol

1957

£151,200

Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Roadster

1963

£64,960

Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII

1967

£40,320

Jensen CV8 MKIII

1965

£39,200

Jaguar XK140 Fixed Head Coupe

1955

£38,080

Triumph TR3A

1958

£24,577

Ferrari Testarossa

1987

£21,280

MG PA

1934

£19,210

Railton Straight Eight Ranalah Coupe

1936

£18,480

Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

2000

£15,820

Attractive Triumph TR3A fetched an impressive £24,577.

On July 5, Buxton retained its reputation for delivering different weather to the rest of the UK by allowing the well-attended H&H collectors’ car sale to progress in mostly dry, sunny conditions. The results were equally bright, with the headline car, the ex-John Anstis 1957 AC Ace Bristol, exceeding expectations by a good margin to return £151,200 and 70 per cent of the 65 lots finding new homes – a rewardingly healthy margin in the current economic climate.

The formerly LHD 1963 E-Type 3.8 Roadster that had been meticulously rejuvenated by noted Jaguar restorer Laurence Dyas managed an estimate-topping £64,960, while the very pretty 1967 Austin Healey 3000 MKIII which had benefited from an extensive refurbishment by Yorkshire Restorations was knocked down for £40,320. Another memorable result was the £39,200 required to purchase the delectable 1965 Jensen C-V8 MKIII – it was very nearly double the lower estimate and too much for the poor collector who had travelled all the way from Italy with the sole purpose of acquiring the car.

72 www.cprmag.com

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This early Jaguar E-Type Roadster sold for £64,960.

Auctioneer Simon Hope was in fine form, teasing the last penny from some of the entries as only he can – like the bidding for the 1933 Talbot AX65 which was progressed much of the way in increments of just £100 to achieve a higher than imagined £8,701.

Despite the healthy attendances H&H regularly achieves for these popular Buxton sales, an increasing number of bids are made via the internet these days and this option proved notably popular for this sale, during which a number of potential buyers were travelling to the Le Mans Classic.

H&H now moves south for its next sale which is the first of its ‘Open’ sales (complete with Americanstyle ‘rolling’ auctions) as part of the Coventry Festival of Motoring, Stoneleigh Park on the weekend of August 25/26.

Right: Austin Healey 3000 MkIII went for £40,320.

Below Right: Bargain of the day was this 1949 Triumph 2000 Roadster selling for just £7,504.

August 2012 73

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Founded in 1919 on high hopes but scant capital, the marque delivered a wealth of cars as diverse as Le Mans-winning sports cars and a massive State Limousine, elegant drophead coupés, turbocharged sports saloons and peacefully specified touring cars. Controlled since 1998 by the German automotive giant VW, Bentley is today associated with an entirely new breed of supercar such as the Arnage, Azure, Brooklands Coupé and Continental Speed models.

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Anatomy of the Works Minis - Rally, Racing & Rallycross Cars Author: Brian Moylan Price: £16.99 Format: Paperback ISBN: 9781903706039 Available From: www.veloce.co.uk The inside story of how the giant-killing Minis of rallying, rallycross and racing fame were converted from standard Mini-Coopers in the BMC Competitions Department. The author, who spent 22 years in ‘Comps,’ reveals the secrets of specification, build technique and development of the famous Works Minis. The book includes contributions from Ginger Devlin (Cooper’s Chief Mechanic) and ‘Jumping Jeff’ Williamson (Works Rallycross driver).

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This is a well written book which contains a wonderful selection of over 60 fascinating photographs which are bound to appeal to any serious Mini fan. At just 96 pages, the book isn’t exactly ‘War & Peace’ but it does deliver all the stuff you really want to know in a concise, no-nonsense way.

78 www.cprmag.com

www.cprmag.com McLaren - The Wins Author: David Tremayne, William Taylor RRP: £49.95 Format: Hardback.

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MG Midget & A-H Sprite - Your expert guide to common problems & how to fix them Author: Terry Horler RRP: £12.99 Format: Paperback.

ISBN: 978-1-845844-02-8 Available From: www.veloce.co.uk

That a vehicle born in the late 1950s and ending production in 1979 would still be owned and driven today was way beyond the expectations of the original manufacturer.

Hence, today’s Midget and Sprite owner needs to be aware of the special problems that can emerge through continued use. Just how do you look after and maintain a vehicle built last century?

This book helps you identify all the things you need to be aware of to avoid trouble. The shortcomings, the odd funny noise, that little something that just does not seem quite right, this book helps sort them out. The book systematically describes all the main components of the Midget/Sprite, and details what can go wrong with each. Being able to identify simple warning signs can keep you ahead of a big repair bill – and possibly save you from being stranded at the road side. it is a wealth of knowledge and having this book on your shelf is like having your own personal Midget expert to hand. A must have for all Midget and Sprite owners.

August 2012 79

Smallads

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1973 MIDGET 1275cc, tax / MoT May 2012, tax exempt, restored 1990s, garaged, SS exhaust, some spares and accessories, condition 3. £2200ono Tel: 02380 813654 (Southampton)

Lotus Exige S1, 2000. 27,000 miles with a full service history. Lotus Racing Green metallic. Black leather seats and Alcantara trim. Carbon airbox. Fitted with 190 bhp Lotus upgrade. Janspeed full sports exhaust system. Fitted with a TRACKER security device. Comes with a Engineer Drive Evaluation certificate from the Lotus Sports Open Day in March, 2009. Comes with EEC Certificate of Conformity (COC).

Comes with 8 MOT certificates to confirm the modest mileage. Yokohama A048 tyres.

Recent rear wheel bearings. Sony CD Radio. Comes with original Sales Invoice in with the extensive history file. Full MOT and service. £21,995. Telephone: +44 (0)1227 728190

80 www.cprmag.com

Porsche GT3 2009 Cup S Ex Mulhner Motorsport Used by Mulhner in Europe in 2009 then used in the 2009/2010 Cytec UAE GT Championship for the last 5 rounds run by Mulhner motorsport in Dubai. The final round was cancelled.

2 wins were acheived from the other 4 rounds, one with Rene Rast the other with Andrew Donaldson. Engine has circa 32-35 hrs max TBCGearbox has 12-15 hrs max TBC The car is fitted with adjustable ABS and downshift blipper. This is a factory built 997 CUP S. Spares include:3 sets of wheelsFront bumperRadiatorsBrake padsWheel socket . Call +44 (0)1256 760256 for more info.

Be Wise When You Advertise!

When you advertise always take steps to guard against identity fraud. Do not place personal details in your adverts.

If you are selling a car, remember that there are a lot of unscrupulous people out there who will use every trick in the book to part you from your car or your money. Take sensible precautions.

If you are buying a car; make sure you check it thoroughly. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is! Never meet a vendor on the street or at service stations. Research the type of car you are buying so you know what to look for. If you are unsure, take an expert along with you.

MG MIDGET MK 3 1972 Tax exempt. White MGB roadster for sale, Completely restored 3000 miles ago reluctant sale due to MG6 GT (1999). MoT to May 2013. Professional coming very soon. MOT until end charcoal leather interior. Mohair hood, of September. Previous owner had beautiful. £3100 for quick sale. Phone sills replaced, unleaded gas flowed 01225 422419 (Bath) head fitted along with a three branch

manifold. Body in good condition but could do with TLC currently on sorn any questions phone 07866 834255 or email peterbramble1@hotmail.com

MGB ROADSTER 1970 Flame red, excellent condition, C/B, W/W, S/S exhaust. O/D, Kenlowe fan, R/W shield, MoT Dec ‘12. Complete receipts and photos of rebuild. Insurance valuation MG Midget 1500cc Unleaded Engine £10,500. Price £10,500 Tel: 01494 443209 Full/Half Tonneau Cover, Rollover Bar. (Bucks)

MOT December 2010, Tax April 2011.

Good Condition Some Service History.

64000 Miles, Tahiti Blue £2,650.00 ono (Somerset)Tel 01458445806 Or email: peter.b10@tiscali.co.uk

Jaguar E-Type V-12 Manual, 1972, rare original colour Heather with matching trim, previous owner 34 years, extensive work carried out on engine, 12 months MOT, for sale due to unforeseen circumstances. £POA. Tel: 01487 842168 1956 MGA ROADSTER, Red, complete nut and bolt restoration with all invoices, MGB 1800cc engine, 5 speed box, 1,100 miles, excellent condition. Genuine reason for sale, £21,950, 07595 037932 (Hampshire)

WILLIAMS CLIO 3.

Genuine 13,194mls! Have owned 15+ years One previous owner. All history and documentation. Never had any paintwork,original tyres, NO RUST, Near concours condition. Private plate negotiable. 07518023961.

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MG MIDGET, WHITE, RUBBER BUMPER, 1979, 1500cc, 16,771 miles, luggage rack and radio, 12 months MOT and 6 months Tax. Very good condition. £2,500. Tel: 07947 551006 W.Sussex

1962 MG MIDGET midnight blue, 3 owners from new, 64k, Original delivery paperwork etc. Rebuilt 96, MOT July. Always garaged/used in dry. Condition 2/3. £5000 Tel: 01580 830237

TVR Griffith 5.0 litre, 1996, Yellow, Black Leather Interior, Walnut Dash, Power Steering, Full Service History, 35,079 miles. £19,995. Call Mark on 01354 638678

Morris Minor Traveller (1967)Almond green. Fairly good condition, good runner, well-maintained + garaged.

Owned since 1997. MOT’d until Oct ‘12. Tax exempt. Respray, reconditioned engine, radiator + exhaust in 2006, gearbox (‘07), converted to unleaded, seat belts + engine isolator switch, complete new wood (‘03) just been re-varnished.

Buyer collects. £3,450. 07043 242550

1963 Morris Minor convertible.

Delightful little convertible Minor.

Finished in deep black (recently re-sprayed) with brand new interior including seats recovered, new door and quarter trims recovered over new hard board.

Nice red carpets and red hood really make this car stand out.

1098cc engine starts on the button and pulls very well.

Full MOT and service when sold. £5,995. 01733 270227 (Cambs)

1986 Mini Cooper recreation.

Stunning car finished in grey with white roof. Full rebuild with a rust free shell, and is fitted with many period MK1 parts including MK1 boot lid, rear lights, cooper front grill, full wood dash and cooper alloys and wheel arch spats. 1275 GTA engine fitted runs perfect. All in all this mini is as close to perfect as they come. £5,995. 01733 270227 (Cambs)

TR4 1964 Full body off restored rally style TR4.

89mm Omega pistons, with fast road cam running on Webbers with very quick engine (reputed 180bhp!)

Extensive engine upgrades.

Rebuilt & uprated A-Type overdrive, Alloy Surrey top. Great fun to drive. Full photographic history file of the restoration. £27,500. Call Gary on 01487 842168 (T)

1976 MGB GT V8 factory car, flame red with black leather interior. Dry use only. Professionally restored (1998). FSH. A superb example of this rare model. Condition 2. £5995. Tel: 01642 750877

1974 Triumph Stag £6,995 This manual, overdrive car still retains its original factory hard top and has a good soft top. On the road the car performs very well with a super strong, responsive engine and a smooth, quiet gearbox.

01944 758000

1980 MGB GT Yellow, 110,965 miles, SORN / garaged, since 2000, taxed 6 months, year MoT. Lady owner since 1986, one pervious owner. £2750ono.

Ideal Christmas present?!

Condition 3. Tel: 02392 732837 jwilsonmather@yahoo.co.uk (Portsmouth)

MGB ROADSTER 1973 Flame red, superb condition, walnut dashboard, wire wheels, overdrive,, comprehensive restoration history, bm/ht certificate taxed long MoT last 10 years low dry mileage. Condition 2. £7,500ono Tel: 01702 588089 (Essex)

1963 Ford Classic Consul, MOT, new paintwork, brand new tyres including the spare, drives like a dream - no knocking or screeching, tax exempt, cheap on classic car insurance. £3,250, 01302 560096

MG TF 160vvc, 2003, 70,700 miles. Service history includes: MG new design cylinder head, new clutch and cambelt, waxoyled. MoT 22/07/12 tax 31/01/12 medical condition forces sale. Condition 3. £1995ono. Tel: 01736 366606 (Cornwall)

MGB ROADSTER 1965, with overdrive, Red, Seebring bodykit, flared arches, Wolfrace wheels, wide tyres. Solid car. T&T. 5-bearing crank. Runs well, stiff suspension. Does need TLC. £3250 ono. 07817 850022 Day. 01895 236747 Eve

August2010 2012 109 81 December

Smallads

ZT-T 260SE 4.6LTR V8 mustang, 2004/54, facelift, one of 70. 5 speed manual, FMGSH, MOT, Tax, traction, ABS, climate control, sunroof, GPS/TV, half leather, 47,400 miles, brilliant. £10870 ono. 01296 770450 Bucks

1971 RACING GREEN MIDGET for restoration. Off road for 12 years following MOT failure on body work. £500.00 Tel: 01590 644616, Hampshire.

1961 Austin Healey 3000 MKII Works Replica RHD. Colorado red, old English white works hard-top. Road/race/rally, full FIA papers past and present available. A fortune has been spent with leading race Healey specialists. Massive spec. Very fast. Please contact Martin Daly for full and detailed mechanical spec. Stunning machine. £48,950.

01663 733209

MGB ROADSTER 1977, Flamenco red. Lady owner last 29 years, all history, not used last 6 years. Mechanically excellent but work needed for MOT. Ideal restoration project, £1,750.

Nottingham 0115 9261175.

82 www.cprmag.com

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Sage Green. All original. 2.6 straight 6. Column shift manual.

Good all round condition .MOT MGC ROADSTER Midnight blue.

May 2013. Recent new front discs, cww. o/d. Superb cond. Detailed pads, and shocks. Good useable engine bay. Fully lined boot.MG car. £1,795. Call 01268 773459. reg. no. Large history file. Mot to April 2013. One of the very best. £18900 ovno. Tel.01623 842373.

The subject of an older professional restoration by marque specialists and only two owners since. Strong Mechanically with very good bodywork and interior, this is a fine example in all departments and displays excellent ‘road manners’.

She benefits from fitted overdrive, mohair hood and chrome wire wheels. £41,950. Call 07768 323466 or 01844 344275.

Jaguar 3.8 S Type. 1966. Manual, with Overdrive. Gun Metal Grey with Red interior. This is a top example of this famous Marque.

This Jaguar 3.8 S Type comes with the original Service History from the 60’s and 70’s, also the wall maintenance sheet, and the original Log Book. Thick files of very detailed Service History from later periods.

This Jaguar totally lives up to its pedigree. Sleek, fast, stunningly beautiful. Very special top condition. £16,900. 0114 231 This 1973 MGB GT is in great 5000 shape with a few blemishes in the paint but still looks good and the chrome is very bright. Previous owner was an MG collector.

I have 6 wire wheels powder coated rally gray, 4 have new tires.

The motor and carbs are rebuilt. I have upgraded it to an aluminum head. The transmission is stock with overdrive. The interior is MGF, 1.8 VVC 2003. Silver, black and in great condition, the black leather, air-con. Alloys, CD driver side door pull has a crack player, central-locking/alarm, 84K, from leaning on it. This is a low serviced regularly (condition 3), mile, low optioned car: rubber removable boot luggage rack/ floor mats, rear defrost. Asking weather-proof suitcase. MOT $7200. Car is located in the Aug11, Tax Feb11. 01844 351211 United States. Please contact: tinkerer81@yahoo.com £1,950 ono

Super driving car in incredible original condition, but would handsomely reward restoration.

They are only original once!

Brooklands race history (winner), so eligible for most events. Last owner 50 years! Unique and fabulous. Serious offers invited.

Call 01825 750788.

1954 Morris Minor Split Screen 4 door. Finished in deep gloss black with dark red upholstery and red carpets. Fitted with the correct 803cc engine, recon gearbox and rear diff in 2009. This car is truly stunning inside and out, all period correct. Rare 4 door model. Drives fantastic and is ultra smooth. Just had full MOT. £5995. Call 01733 270227 / 07841 718715

MGF 1.8i Manual, 2001 51 Reg , Silver. E/W E/M alloys, airbag, alarm, CD, leather seats, 69,000 miles. New head gasket, cambelt, MoT July 2012, vgc. £1,500 Tel: 07854 322022 (Notts)

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TR5 FULL RESTORATION TO 1970 Triumph Herald 13/60 EXCEPTIONAL STANDARD. Convertible. Refurbished car in PROFESSIONAL DETAILED valencia blue with black interior.

BODY OFF CHASSIS BUILD TO New dark blue carpets finish off CONCOURS STANDARD AND the interior. New white rubber VIRTUALLY NO MILES SINCE. CHROME WIRE WHEELS FULL bumper strips fitted, great solid LEATHER AND WALNUT INTERIOR. chassis, engine and box both run THIS CAR IS AS BEAUTIFUL ON very well. New MoT and service THE UNDERSIDE AS IT IS THE TOP! when sold. £4,995. Call 01733 VIRTUALLY READY TO SHOW OR 270227 / 07841 718715 ENJOY. Telephone: 01487 842168

1977 MGB Roadster Beautiful condition, garaged, service history. Chartreuse yellow, black interior, overdrive, unleaded, leather seats, radio/cassette, alloy wheels, tonneau cover, exterior restoration 1990, Tax/ MOT August 2012. £4,495 ONO (Cumbria) Contact Telephone 01539 536545

1973 Triumph TR6 PI with overdrive, an original UK RHD example.

Subject of a professional restoration in 1991 to concours standard. The work undertaken upon the Triumph TR6 is fully documented and photographed. Since the restoration was completed it has covered circa 12,000 miles. This is supported by all the MOT certificates being present since 1991. This TR6 was a regular competitor at Triumph TR Register events in the early 2000’s gaining awards certificates. £16,995. Call +44 (0) 1246 451772

1995 M Rover Mini Cooper in red with white roof, mirrors and bonnet stripes. This very bright classic Cooper is in lovely condition and has clearly been very well cared for. It drives very well and is very original and unmodified, just as I should be. It has covered just 40280 miles in 17 years and I have a number of old MOTs to support the mileage.

The condition both inside and out is fantastic. Recently serviced and MOTed and ready to be enjoyed. £5,295. Call 07967 135037 or 01769580407

MGB ROADSTER 1974 Rare Citron Yellow. Overdrive, 123 Ignition, Wood dash. Solid car, runs well. Good condition 3. New MOT and serviced by MG specialist April 2012 £4950 Tel:01782 537667 (Stoke) pblewis73@yahoo.co.uk

Ferrari 575M, 2004, Full Spec, rare “H” gated, late, manual transmission car which has only covered 18,365 miles since new.

Unmarked Tour De France Blue with Tan hide stitched in blue, and blue carpets. Fiorano Handling Pack, 19” modular Wheels, enamel Scuderia wing shields, yellow brake calipers, sports exhaust, Ferrari CD changer, and SuperAmerica front grill. FSH. £78,950. Call 0141 812 1496

MG MIDGET MK 3 1972 Tax exempt. Completely restored 3000 miles ago (1999). MoT to May 2013. Professional charcoal leather interior. Mohair hood, beautiful. £3100 for quick sale.

Phone 01225 422419 (Bath)

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FREE! LOTUS EUROPA TWIN CAM 1972, 87,670 miles, A fully restored car in fabulous Pistachio Green. An ongoing 12 year restoration having taken place from 2000 until very recently. This is a wonderful period sports-car in the classic 1970’s colour with light tan interior trim. Right hand drive, 4 speed manual gearbox, Alloy wheels, Wood finish dashboard, Wood finish gear knob. £19,999.

Call +44 (0) 1242 680130

1957 MGA ROADSTER Black with Black interior, One owner since 1984 had 2 restorations in that time, comes with MGOC hard top, CWW, history since purchase.

Rust free but with minor body work scratches. Some extra spare parts included £14,995. Tel 01344 844317 email: lynne.mackenzie@btinternet.com

Just E-mail a photo and the details to: info@cprmag.com August 2012 83

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