The Brit Issue
Backing Britain
MAG
Our 5 point plan
+
&
Geezers in Granadas
Slags in Stags freecarmag.co.uk 1
The most controversial motoring book ever written...
ISSUE 1 / 2019
Bangertorial
W
elcome to yet another emergency edition of the Mag. It does seem that the time for Bangernomics is now upon us. Never mind that your movement is being restricted, here's the best excuse you will have to check out of the oppressive and expensive new car cycle. This may be called the British issue, but the last thing you need is a Brit Banger to join in with this new car order. An old rubbish Renault, failing Fiat, or buggered up BMW will do. This is all about buying and looking after your Banger as locally as possibly, whatever it is. Here is a really simple plan to bring Bangernomics to your life and possibly a couple of things that couldn't be more British and Banger filled to enjoy. At the back is the Brit List of companies and services that you should consider supporting. Let's get back in business and why not use Bangers as our excuse to do it. No one else is going to help us.
Johnny Briggs out of Corrie and a 75 ... 4
Broken Britain?
5
Bangernomics Plan
10
Bangerology
11
Bangers4Sale
12
Rover Streetwise
14
Repair/Reuse • Travel/Models
16
Bangers on TV
20
Car Parts
22
Next Banger Mag
24
The Brit List
James Ruppert EDITOR PREACHERMAN james@bangernomics.com
THE B TEAM
C over Credits l MG Rover in 2004 plus Talking Pictures TV
Editor James Ruppert Inspiration Jimmy Smart Publisher Dee Ruppert Photographer Andrew Elphick Product Tester Livy Ruppert Web Design Chris Allen Sub Editor Marion King Reporter Monica Gill Tel 0788 540 1977 Š2020 Bangernomics Email contact@bangernomics.com Contents are correct but cannot accept responsibility for errors and omissions. Unless otherwise stated competitions and promotions are not open to readers outside of the UK, please see terms and conditions BangernomicsMag is free online. Bangernomics.com 3
Backing Britain
Broken Britain?
Things look a bit bleak when it comes to cars at the moment, but the truth is that the future for Bangers has never been brighter. There is an awful lot we can all do to help repair our motoring economy. Quite simply Bangernomics is backing Britain with a few simple proposals which will make your life better and help rebuild things for the better by being positive and looking to build a positive future,. 8 freecarmag.com
Porsche 911 Turbo
Naah...
...we can fix it freecarmag.com 11
Bangernomics Game Plan
1. JOIN THE QUEUE FOR AN MOT
The official line is from the government is that your car, van or motorcycle’s MOT expiry date will be extended by 6 months if it’s due on or after 30 March 2020, but as they do make clear, you must keep your vehicle safe to drive. That is jolly good advice of course, but the Bangernomics approach would be to go and get the test done when it is due. Unless you cannot afford it, get the test done. It really will help ensure that you are roadworthy and leading on to our other recommendation, which is, using your local garage. Getting the MOT done when the garage may not be as busy as they should be will give them essential income. Need an MOT? Get it done, if you leave it, you might get caught out.
2. DON'T BUY ANY PARTS MADE IN CHINA
Mainly because they won't last. plus there can also be counterfeit and therefore suspect. Maybe there are no alternatives, but you should be ble to find used parts from salvage yards online and if necessary, have them refurbished. The best approach is to ask the supplier where the parts are made. Most of the time they will be honest and tell you. The box might tell you, but by then it could be too late. where you buy parts remains the most important guard against getting substandard parts. Don't compromise on price, or buy online from an unknown source as that is asking for trouble. Set minimum standards and stick to them.
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3. USE YOUR LOCAL GARAGE
We must support our locally owned and run garages. They need to be good of course and that’s where my Jaguar came from. A knowledgeable specialist. They don’t just replace parts they are proper engineers and make cars run for considerably less than the £150 an hour main agents who scratch their heads and routinely replace entire subassemblies to eliminate the problems. A local garage can become like a very good mate. They will give you good advice because ultimately they want you to remain as their customer. Also to spread the word around your friends and family that they are a good garage to do business. That's how it is supposed to work.
4. NEVER EVEN CONSIDER A PCP AGAIN
No one buys used cars anymore, well that was the situation a few months back. It was a lie of course. Car manufacturer propoganda weould have you believe that the smart people always invest their hard earned in a PCP. A Personal Contract Purchase allows them to put a lump sum down and get the brand new vehicle they want on their drive. Trouble is they have bought into a recurring cycle of regular payment despair that it is difficult to get out of. Unless that is, they decide to spend that deposit on a one off investment in a used car. That’s where the really smart money goes. We want much more of this, it makes motoring truly affordable and not a source of debt. Bangernomics.com 7
Backing Britain
5. GET READY TO GET BACK OUT THERE
COMING VERY SOON BUYING BANGERS
Whatever your views on what is going on right now, the point is that we have to start preparing for buying bangers and going places. There really will be more blue skies and reasons for throwing our jacket over our shoulder in a jaunty fashion. Car shows will come back, they may well be random and locally organised and all the better for it. There will be no shortage of bangers for sale and we need to go out and buy them. If you need reassurance then we are happy for the Bangernomics Backing Britain logo to be used and not abused by businesses, organisations and clubs who are willing to make a difference for the benefit of everyone. Let’s get stuck into to making Britain better and a safe place to buy and run Bangers again.
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Porsche 911 Turbo
Bangernomics.com 9
40M BANGERS ON THE ROAD
Bangernomics Bangerology
BMH is open for business
Have your say 10 Bangernomics.com
@Bangernomics
The number of vehicles registered for use on British roads has surpassed 40 million for the first time, according to new Motorparc data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The UK’s largest automotive analysis reveals that more than 35 million cars and five million commercial vehicles were in use in the UK in 2019, representing a 1.0% increase on the previous year. Meanwhile the number of diesel cars in use fell marginally by -0.9% to 13,723,299, accounting for 39% of the parc, while petrol cars grew by 1.2% to 20,657,838.
Bangers4Sale
The Best Brits CITY BANGER MINI Bangernomics is planning to write a whole book or mag on what a great Banger these are. Even when broken they still seem to work and that is the mark of the finest working class cars. The basic non cooper, non special editions can still be bought for fairly reasonable money, but they will always come with a very unhealthy dose of rust.
EXECUTIVE BANGER ROVER 800
FAMILY BANGER FORD SIERRA
We had a nice picture of the coupe so we used it. These are quite rare but the big saloon or hatch makes a superb cruiser. The Honda V6 is remarkably smooth and eager to please. The mechanical bits seem to be largely fine, but the meatl bits go very rusty. We had one where the petrol tank dripped away because there was a rotten hole in it.
This is of course a Cortina but it is wearing a fancy, aerodynamic frock. Derided at the time in 1982 it was a very clever piece of design. It also did a job of tearing up and down motorways full of samples and sales executives. They were everywhere and now they are not, which is a shame. Family/Rep saloons and hatches have never looked better.
BORING BANGER VAUXHALL ASTRA If all you really wanted wanted was five doors. . Revamped in 1991 it offered buyers practicality and very low running costs. Parts, servicing and insurance are all affordable, as is the car itself. The all-new Astra from 1998 is a refined and spacious vehicle, which puts it among the very best small hatchbacks.
BANGER HATCH FORD FIESTA Bangernomics loves the phrase, Town Centre Assault Vehicle, so here is one of the very best. 1995 on Fiestas are all excellent with good levels of safety and security. The ideal engine options are petrol. the Fiesta may have bodywork damage, worn tyres, sagging suspension, brake judder and engine oil leaks.
For more used car information and buying tips bangernomics.com freecarmag.com 11
Real Life Legend
Wise Buy The Rover Streetwise was a car created before its time, as a faux SUV and aimed at younger buyers. It was available with a selection of petrol and diesel power units, transmissions and three trim levels. Initially launched with the twin-cam alloy 1.4 litre K Series petrol engine in both 84Ps and 103Ps tune plus the 101Ps L Series turbo-diesel unit, all with 5 speed manual transmissions. A 1.8-litre K Series unit with Stepspeed CVT automatic transmission also became available. Great in theory, let’s have a chat with someone who took the plunge and bought one. 12 Bangernomics.com
Porsche 911 Turbo
Bangernomics.com 13
Repair & Reuse TV
THE BIG FIX
Finding a garage with real expertise when it comes to classics is not easy, until now Classic Fixers are the best.
INSPIRED BY EVOQUE www.amberley-books. com
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Adventures + Models
Great Days Out Model Company SCALE BANGER Bangernomics.com 15
Bangers on TV
PrimeBangers
BE INSPIRED BY THE GREAT BY THE GREAT CARS OF THE ‘70S WHEN THEY WEREN’ T AC TUALLY BANGERS. IT V REVIVED PRIME SUSPEC T
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t’s 1973 which is Bangernomics Mag’s favourite year. There are fags, boozers, fighting and pre classic bangers. We watched it on ITV and then again on catch up. You can find it on the ITV Hub. Adapted from Lynda La Plante’s bestselling novel, Tennyson, and produced by independent production company, Noho Film and Television, ITV are showing a brand new crime drama, Prime Suspect 1973. Starring Stefanie Martini as the young WPC Jane Tennison, the six-part drama charts the rise of the novice policewoman as she assists in her first murder investigation, revealing her first steps towards becoming the complex and formidable character that viewers have come to know. Adapted by Glen Laker, the series is set in 1970s Hackney and we see 22-year-old Jane, a naïve yet determined probationary officer learning the ropes in a world where high-ranking police officers are notoriously chauvinistic and the rules often bent. Mostly though there are Escorts, Hillman HuntersPolice Morris 1300s and that led us to the really hard stuff on Talking Pictures TV. 16 Bangertnomics.com
HAZELL ON TALKING PICTURES TV
Stags Slags & Stepney Green 1970S RETRO TELEVISION IS BRILLIANT THE COLOUR IS SO WASHED OUT THESE ARE VIRTUALLY BLACK AND WHITE
I
f you watched telly in the 1970s and liked cars, you loved Hazell. Here was a bloke with some taste. It was more than the simple fact that he had a beautiful Stag, but that he also managed to keep it roadworthy. That V8 engine made a magnificent sound, but as we all know it could overheat and expire in clouds of steam. Not for James Hazell, that’s how super cool he actually was. The great news is that you can watch all the episodes on Talking Pictures TV. Hazell was a private eye created by a footballer. Incredible at the time and still fairly remarkable now to find someone who kicked a ball for a living to have the creativity and intelligence to come up with something so original. Terry Venables, a Chelsea and QPR regular was not alone though and had professional help from novelist and sports writer Gordon Williams. They were both responsible for the 1974 novel Hazell Plays Solomon using the pseudonym of ‘P.B. Yuill’. Luckily this caught the eye of TV producer June Roberts. By that time Venables was managing Crystal Palace. A proper London cockney detective with a flash car and a nice line in patter with a distinctly Phillip Marlowe style voiceover. It took a while for the first series to really get going and settle down into a proper larky, brutish but stylish style, but once it did with some
changes in the script editing department and the series was off. Hazell was initially stifled in 1978 by something peculiar to the era, a strike by technicians, just ten of the projected 13 episodes were made. A fascinating fact is that John Nettles, who later became Bergerac, was up for the role. It is hard to think that he could have been better than Ball, but it must be remembered that he also ran a stylish old 1947 Triumph Roadster as his TV detective car. Apparently that broke down all the time and was a pig to drive. Ball though was perfect as the ex-cop drummed out after a messy divorce and descent into drink. Cheeky, charming and not afraid to get stuck in and quite often duffed up. The supporting cast is exceptional and you will bump into his Mrs. at the time Pamela Stephenson, otherwise it is everyone else you recognise from The Sweeney and Minder. Indeed, Leon Griffiths, who wrote some scripts would go on to develop Minder (1979-94), the series that replaced Hazell in the ITV schedules. Never mind all that, though just look at the street scenes, Escorts, Allegros and Transit vans. A fantastic slice of 1970s motoring life. That’s why we love it and why you must tune into Talking Pictures TV on Virgin 445, Freesat 306, Freeview or Youview 81 or on the Sky digital satellite platform, channel 328. Bangernomics.com 17
Bangers on TV
Frank ROSS is...
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Watch OUT exclusively on Talking Pictures TV.
Bangernomicscom 19
Banger Car Parts
New Parts for Old Classic Car owners rejoice, manufacturers are making parts for your pride & joy and yes these are not exactly Bangers, they are just beautiful...
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Next Banger Mag
5 SERIES
BANGERMAG.COM 22 Bangernomics.com
Bangernomics.com 23
Wish List TV Bangernomics
the Brit List
GEORGE COCHRANE -ARTIST
CARDEALADVISOR
www.cardealadvisor.co.uk
MOTOREASY
www.motoreasy.com
THE CAR SIM & RACE DRIVER SHOW
BALANCE MOTORSPORT
www.balancemotorsport.co.uk
CLASSIC FIXERS
www.fixclassiccars.co.uk 01527 893733
www.podbean.com
RALPH HOSIER ENGINEERING
www.rhel.co.uk
SAAB TEES
www.saabtees.co.uk
24 Bangernomics.com
PALMDALE MOTORS
www.palmdale.co.uk 0208 11 11 289
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Bangernomics GREAT DRIVING DAYS
www.greatdrivingdays.co.uk
AUTO-GRAPHICS
www.rjwcreativedesign.co.uk
THE MOTORING PODCAST www.motoringpodcast.com
SPANNER ADDICTS
www.spanneraddicts.com
OMOLOGATO
www.omologatowatches.com
SLICK ATTIRE
www.slickattire.com
5O54 MOTIVE CULTURE
www.5054magazine.co.uk
LOBSTER DIECAST
www.lobsterdiecast.co.uk
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Bangernomics.com 41
FINALLY WINTER!
EUROWINTER I HS01
High-end winter tyre generation with state-of-the-art technology. ‘Miura-Ori’ 3D sipe technology, 4D nano design compound and micro-optimised stiffening of the tread blocks combine satisfying winter characteristics with low noise and outstanding performance in wet conditions. www.falkentyres.co.uk
TYRES
flyscreenqueen.co.uk 01760 441423 folding roller sliding and chain screens for doors and windows for home and business, diy kits only
