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a r k ing sp ot a n d u p the s tre et, s ho r tly b efore my 27-ye a r- old Citro e n f ille d the a ir with the pe rcus sive clat te r of a c old XUD die sel It made me think of how few distinc tive noise s the re a re in the mo de r n wo r ld of m oto r ing – s o mu ch s o that manufac ture r s have to add sy nthetic noise s, eithe r in the for m of the tone ge ne r ator s that a nnounce the pre se n ce of some E Vs or the a r tificially- ge ne rate d p ops f rom the ex haust of mode r n hot hatche s that a re ne e de d to add some cha r ac te r to the othe r wise bla nd a n d ove r- ref ine d soundtrack of a mode r n tur b ocha rge d four- pot. Mo de r n c a r s with p e culia r s oun d s a re a ll to o r a re, but cla s sic c a r s have the m in spade s My Citroë n 2CV whir s a nd clat te r s like a m anic garage air c ompre s s or –ins t a ntl y re c o g nis a b l e wh e n he a r d on th e s o u n d tr a c k of an old Fre nch f ilm Its bigge r siste r s with hydropneumatic su sp e n sion m ake all s o r ts of o dd his s e s, clicks a n d sighs a s they g o a b ou t the i r bu s ine s s My Mini h a s th e e a rs hre dding s c re e ch of the tr a n sfe r g e a r s a nd the drone of the four- blade fa n A nd its m o re re c e nt de s c e nda nts ke e p the tr adition a live – you c a n a lways

whe n a n e a r ly ‘new’ MINI is pa r a lle l pa r k ing b e c au se of the whine

ro m the e le c tr ic s te e r ing pump

have a f inal drive that sof tly mur mur s to itself at p re cisely 55mph. S uba r u s u se d to revel in their wa r bly of f- be at ex haust Big BMW s traight- sixe s f rom the 19 8 0 s a nd ’9 0 s have a love ly induc tion growl whe n pushe d hard A V12 Jagua r XJ f rom the ‘S e r ie s’ e r a manage s to some how suck sound out of the wor ld as it pa s s e s, le aving only the c

that s oun ds like a tex tile mill at full chat

What a re your favour i te (o r le a s t favourite) cla s sic automotive sounds? I’d love to he a r of any that I’ve mis s e d J

FE ATURES

New MG website

MGOC Spares has announced the debut of its new website, which benefits from a moder n user-friendly design for what it calls a “fast and secure worldwide shopping experience”

The relaunched

website features realtime stock availability, re-stocking alerts, product compatibility, 13,500plus hi-res images, fully interactive model parts catalogues, concise descriptions, plus product guides – all optimised for mobile and desktop browsing

Loaded with extras, the site enables users to view their order history, create parts wish-lists, sign up for newsletters, delve into the

MGOC Spares blog and link to their social media feeds To experience the website, head to mgocspares co uk

Ford ‘Jeep’ auction

Afully restored Ford GPW used to transport His Majesty King George VI and General Carl A Spaatz, Commander of Strategic Air Forces in Europe, on a morale-boosting visit to RAF Chelveston in November 1942 will go under the hammer with Silverstone Auctions on February 25 –with an estimate of £35,000£45,000

During his visit, the King spoke to the crews of Liberators and Fortresses and inspected the aircraft The airfield was in use by the 301st and then the 305th Bombardment Groups, who flew the four-engine Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber

Ford built 300,000 GPWs (similar in spec to the more famous Willys-built Jeep) between 1942 and 1945, accounting for around half of all Jeeps produced during the Second World War For further details of this historically interesting survivor, which heads

to auction during Race Retro weekend, visit silverstoneauctions com

Beaulieu tickets on sale

Focus tops ‘scrap’ chart

The Ford Focus, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and was the UK’s bestselling model throughout much of its career, was the most scrapped car of 2022 according to new data from the Scrap Car Comparison service

The Vauxhall Corsa was revealed as the second most scrapped model of last year, with its larger sibling – the Astra

– following in third place

Making up the remainder of the Top 10 are (in order) the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Golf, BMW 3 Series, Ford Transit, Mini Hatch (Cooper/One), Vauxhall Zafira and Renault Clio

The BMW, Transit and MINI are new entrants for the latest scrapped cars listing, with the 3 Series being destroyed in larger numbers than the 1 Series, 5 Series and X5 combined

Dan Gick, managing

director of Scrap Car Comparison, commented: “This is the sixth year running where we’ve seen the Ford Focus come out on top as the most scrapped car, and we expect to see it featuring highly in our most scrapped lists for many years to come ”

Tickets for this year’s events at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, have now gone on sale, with Early Bird discounts available for any of the 15 ‘Simply’ days planned for 2023 if you book before the end of February

Among the everpopular ‘Simply’ shows this year are Simply Aston Martin (April 2), Simply Italian (April 23), Simply Porsche (June 4), Simply Jaguar (June 25) and Simply VW (August 13) And of course, the usual line-up of other Beaulieu-based events will be hosted, including

the Spring Autojumble (May 13-14), Custom & American Show (June 18), Supercar Weekend (August 5-6) and the world-famous Inter national Autojumble

(September 2-3)

For the full list of Beaulieu’s 2023 events, plus details and prices of each, visit beaulieu co uk/ events

ULEZ expansion threatens future of annual Mini run

Organisers of the long-established London to Brighton Mini Run say the 2023 event could be their last, thanks to major ULEZ changes taking effect from August

One of the most popular annual events for Mini owners is under threat thanks to the forthcoming expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), with organisers of the London to Brighton Mini Run claiming their 2023 event is “probably the last” – amid fears that other events will be similarly impacted If the run is cancelled

from next year, it will mark the end of an era that began in 1986, when the newly formed London & Surrey Mini Owners’ Club staged the first London to Brighton Mini Run –attracting 220 cars and their owners, a figure that increased to 320 the following year and built steadily in the decades that followed

The 2022 event saw around 1800 Mini owners

XJ-S upg rade

Better Car Lighting, specialists in lighting upgrades for classic vehicles of all ages, has announced an LED dashboard kit for both pre- and post-facelift

versions of the Jaguar XJ-S – ridding the car of its dim dashboard and war ning lights

The dashboard lighting kits designed specifically for the XJ-S feature

and their cars from all over the UK (and beyond) braving the rain to enjoy a spectacular gathering A new start point of Cheam was decided on to avoid London’s ULEZ charges, and the same tactic will be used for the 2023 run – which takes place on Sunday, May 21 But with ULEZ being expanded later this year to include every London borough, stretching as far as the M25 boundary, the future of the event is now under threat

The expansion of ULEZ was confirmed by London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, late last year It means the current zone – which was expanded in 2021 to cover all areas within the North and South Circular roads – will move to the boundary of the current Low Emission Zone (LEZ)

LED bulbs that dim normally with the standard rheostats – a feature that’s said to be unique to Better Car Lighting Each fully comprehensive kit comes with detailed fitting instructions, and customers have a choice of green, ivory white or ice blue illumination

All instrument and war ning lights are upgraded via the kit, which costs £129 99 and £199 99 (plus VAT) respectively for the preand post-facelift XJ-S For details or to order, visit bettercarlighting co uk or call 0121 773 7000

from August 29, 2023, although the M25 will not be covered

From that date, only cars that meet strict emission requirements will be allowed to enter London areas without incurring the ULEZ charge Petrol car compliance will start with Euro 4 models (registered after January 1, 2006), while for diesels it’s Euro 6 (post-January 1, 2016) Vehicles that don’t comply will have to pay £12 50 per day to drive within the new ULEZ area, which will operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year except Christmas Day

Although classic vehicles over 40 years of age and registered as Historic are ULEZ exempt, a large proportion of the

Minis taking part in the annual London to Brighton would be liable for charges

The classic Mini remained in production until 2000, and the annual run also attracts enthusiasts of 2001-on ‘new’ MINIs.

Tickets for the 2023 London to Brighton Mini Run have just gone on sale, and anyone interested is being urged to book early by the London &

For details of the event or to apply to take part, visit london-to-brighton co uk

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Are you involved with a classic event that’s likely to be impacted by the expansion of ULEZ this August? Tell us your experiences and future plans via ccb ed@kelsey co uk

‘Bullnose’ Morris sale

Prov i n g t h e e x c e l l e n t p o t e n t i a l v a l u e o f p re - w a r c a r s i n t o d a y ’s m a r k e t i s a 19 2 5 Mo r r i s ‘ B u l l n o s e ’ C o w l e y Tou re r t h a t ’s h e a d i n g t o a u c t i o n o v e r t h e w e e k e n d o f M a rc h 2 5 - 2 6 w i t h a te m p t i n g p re - s a l e e s t i m a t e o f £ 1 0 , 0 0 0 - £ 1 4 , 0 0 0

S a i d t o b e f u l l y re f u r b i s h e d t o a h i g h s t a n d a rd , t h e C o w l e y i s p o w e re d b y a 15 4 8 c c f o u r- c y l i n d e r s i d e v a l v e e n g i n e r a t e d a t 1 1 9 h p w h e n n e w, d r i v i n g t h ro u g h a co r k c l u t c h a n d a t h re e - s p e e d g e a r b o x T h i s h a n d s o m e f o u r- s e a t e r t o u re r w a s f u l l y re s t o re d s o m e

y e a r s a g o , w h i l e m o re re c e n t w o r k i n c l u d e s a c o m p l e t e e n g i n e o v e r h a u l a n d a f re s h i n t e r i o r re t r i m

T h e M o r r i s i s j u s t o n e o f m a n y c l a s s i c s s e t t o b e s o l d v i a C C A a t t h e C l a s s i c C a r & R e s t o r a t i o n S h o w, w h i c h t a k e s p l a c e a t t h e N E C ,

The 2023 London to Brighton Mini Run could be the last

Surrey Mini Owners’ Club

B i r m i n g h a m F o r d e t a i l s , v i s i t c l a s s i c c a r a u c t i o n s c o u k

2023 Assembly themes

Scramblers, the Bicester Heritage membership club, has announced the calendar for its 2023 Assembly dates, as well as some of the event themes you can expect Each Assembly will take place between 9am and 12pm, with free entry available to anyone with Pegasus and Merlin paidfor Scramblers membership General sale tickets will be available in advance at £5 per person

The first three Scramblers of 2023 comprise January 29 (with

the theme of Japanese January), February 26 (Ford February) and March 26 (Motorsport March) And looking further ahead, Mini May (on May 28) is sure to attract plenty of fans of Issigonis’ world-famous bestseller.

For further details of this year’s events and the Scramblers community, visit scramblers bicesterheritage co uk

Memories of McRae

Ahead of this month’s Autosport Inter national show, which took place at Birmingham’s NEC, fans were asked to vote for their favourite motorsport memory from a shortlist chosen by a panel that included former Formula One world champion, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE And it was the epic 1995 World Rally Championship win from fellow Scot, Colin McRae, that topped the poll

McRae’s cut-throat battle with Carlos Sainz led to a dramatic showdown between the Subaru teammates It made icons of both McRae and the blue

American Motors histor y

Anew book dedicated to what was once a highly successful US car manufacturer has just been launched by Veloce The Legend of American Motors, written by Marc Cranswick, is a 352-page hardback covering the whole history of the company Packed with information on what it calls “America’s m most innovative automaker”, the book

features fresh photography, original archive images, in-depth details of iconic models like the AMX, Scrambler and Hor net SC/360, as well as the history of Jeep and AMC’s small-car controversies – the Gremlin and Pacer

With road test reports and industry commentary throughout, it’s a great read for any American car fan To order (priced at £60), head to veloce co uk

Subaru with its trademark gold wheels, creating a legend that continued after his untimely death in 2007

On many of the Welsh stages, McRae and co-driver, Derek Ringer, were more than a second per mile clear of the competition in foggy conditions McRae was the first British driver to win the World Rally Championship,

clinched after setting the fastest times on 18 of the 28 stages to win his home rally

Commenting on the poll, Sir Jackie Stewart said: “Colin’s achievements make him a worthy winner He put British rallying back on the map, and brought so many new fans to the sport ”

Tr a n s i t h i t s N o . 1

For the second year running, the bestselling new vehicle in the UK in 2022 wasn’t a car In fact, hitting the number one spot once again was the Ford Transit Connect, which sold an impressive 42,762 units

Just pipped to second place overall (but still the bestselling passenger car) was the Sunderlandbuilt Nissan Qashqai, with 42,704 registrations – marking the first time in 24 years that a Britishbuilt model has topped the UK car sales charts

R e a r- e n g i n e d ra r i t i e s

While total sales of 440,000 over 13 years doesn’t sound disastrous, it was a far cry from the 100,000 annual sales that Rootes had planned for its all-new Hillman Imp of 1963 Some versions were particularly rare sights, though, including the Singer Chamois – of which just 40,700 saloons were sold

Retaining the Imp link was the Bond 875, the rear-engined three-wheeler that used the same Coventry Climaxdeveloped 875cc powerplant, albeit in lower-compression guise The Bond’s glassfibre design meant it was light in weight, making it quick – and scary – by small-car standards of the time

Although owned by Fiat in the 1970s, SEAT sometimes went its own way – hence the launch of the rearengined 133 in 1974, replacing the old 600 and 850 models and selling steadily in Spain for six years It was even offered in the UK as a Fiat in 1975, but fizzled out after just a few hundred were sold

Replacing the original NSU Prinz after three years was the 1961 Prinz 4, a compact saloon with a 598cc air-cooled two-cylinder engine that gave around 70mph flat out The Prinz 4 sold well in its native Germany (production was 570,000 over 12 years), but it was always a very rare sight here

Fewer than 57,000 examples of the 1970-on S110R were built during its decade-long career, with only a tiny proportion sent to the UK Essentially a two-door coupe version of the four-door S110 saloon, the R offered great value – it cost £1699 in 1977, making it £96 cheaper than the Mini 850

Skoda S110R

NSU Prinz 4

SEAT 133

Bond 875

Singer Chamois

Motoring history is littered with rear-engined cars that sold by the million, as well as others that were rather less successful and are now a rare sight – including this selection.

PREVIEW: WB & SONS, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, JANUARY 28

WB & Sons gets its run of 2023 auctions off to a great start with what’s set to be another busy sale at its Newcastle upon Tyne base on January 28 The catalogue was still building at the time of writing, but already features the kind of variety we’ve come to expect from the company as it goes into its third year

Even so, to see two Ferraris on the entry list is something of a surprise, especially given the significant provenance of one example Joining a very clean 1995 355 GTS showing just 40,000 miles is a 1983 400i in silver, bought new by former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman In tidy condition, it’s attractively guided at £18,000-£22,000

Other premium brands are well represented, with at least four Jaguars in the sale including a 4 0-litre XJ Sport dating from 2000, carrying a modest £2000-£3000 guide This is joined by a contemporary Daimler Super Eight, but it’s a 1977 Daimler Sovereign Coupe 4 2 with a sensible £16,000£20,000 estimate that’s likely to pique the most interest

Indeed, two-door coupes make for one of the sale’s big themes, especially of the Blue Oval variety A 1965 Mustang 289 Coupe is joined by a Capri 2 8 Injection registered in 1987, while newer models include a 1999 Cougar 2 0 showing 42,000 miles and a Puma 1 4 that displays a similarly low 44,000 miles For those preferring more of a Japanese flavour, a 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four is estimated at £10,000-£14,000, while a Nissan Silvia S12 Turbo that’s 10 years its senior carries the same guide price

Elsewhere, you’ll find a desirable E39-generation BMW M5, plus a W123-series Mercedes 300D in white The latter is one of seven Mercedes currently consigned, with a 2002 SLK32 AMG another of the highlights

There are plenty of more traditional classics too, such as an early Morris 1100 first registered in 1963, showing a mere 21,000 miles You’ll also find a 1989 Metro Surf displaying just 31,000 miles, plus a 12,000-mile Rover Metro S from 1995 And to continue the lesser-travelled theme, there’s a 1997 Volkswagen Golf GL that’s covered only 13,000 miles

With various hot hatches, a couple of Land Rover Defenders, a 1934 Fordson BB tanker and even a hearse also entered, all bases should be covered See wbandsons com for the full catalogue

Bought new by star musician Bill Wyman, this 1983 Ferrari 400i comes with undoubted provenance In tidy condition throughout save for a small scuff on the bumper, it’s surely a potential bargain at an estimated £18,000-£22,000

Showing just 44,000 miles and in very good, unmodified condition, this 2000 Puma 1 4 will come complete with its private registration, L22 MEN At an estimated £2000-£3000, it could be a great way into moder n classic ownership.

As

Among

£10,000-£14,000.

It might not be the last word in luxury, but this 1989 Austin Metro Surf is a solid

Powered

£2000-£3000

£10,000-£14,000

Subscribe and read online at: shop.kelsey.co.uk

This

Subject to a recent engine-out refresh, this tidy 1990 Peugeot 205 GTI 1 9 has been with its current owner for more than 20 years With a modest £5000-£7000 estimate, it’s bound to attract plenty of interest.

Registered in April 1987, this very late Ford Capri 2 8 Injection has had four former keepers and comes with a massive history file that includes its original stamped service book It’s expected to sell for £8000-£12,000

A rare, unmodified example save for the exhaust, this 1984 Nissan Silvia S12 Turbo is fresh from extensive work at the GTR Heritage Centre, a retro Japanese car specialist It’s in very clean condition inside and out, and is expected to command

First registered in 1963, this Morris 1100 is supplied with a large history file, suggesting its mileage of just 21,000 is correct Later in life, the car was subject to a repaint in its original Fiesta Yellow and still presents well It’s estimated at £4000-£6000.

survivor and shows a mere 31,000 miles.

by a trusty 998cc A-Series with a manual gearbox, it’s estimated at

the iconic Japanese coupes in the sale is this ST205generation Toyota Celica GT-Four, dating from 1994 Boasting a leather interior and various upgrades including a rare JDM aftermarket front bumper, it looks to be a very clean example and is expected to change hands for

2002 Mercedes SLK32 AMG is believed to be one of 263 supplied to the UK and features a 3 2-litre supercharged V6 producing 350bhp. Showing 87,000 miles, it’s fitted with all the usual AMG upgrades and could be a performance bargain at an estimated £9000-£12,000

well as boasting very attractive looks, this 1977 Daimler Sovereign 4 2 Coupe has recently been lavished with improvement work totaling nearly £5000 The 80,000-mile example comes with a comprehensive history file and is estimated to sell for £16,000-£20,000

PREVIEW: SWVA, POOLE, JANUARY 27

South Wester n Vehicle Auctions retur ns with its first classic car sale of this year on January 27, with more than 50 varied lots consigned at the time of writing For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, the auction hall will be open to the public, with online, telephone and commission bidding also still available

Potential bargains could be available right from the off, with no-reserve entries including a very late Daimler V8-250 project dating from 1969 and a 2004 Rover 75 Contemporary SE Tourer showing a warranted 53,000 miles A modest £1000-£1500 could be enough to secure a tidy 1995 Renault 5 Campus, while those feeling brave could snap up a left-hand drive V6 Avantime that’s been off the road since 2015 for as little as £200 There’s also a 2001 Mercedes CLK320 with a genuine 38,652 miles, which is expected to sell for under £500 due to last being on the road seven years ago

Elsewhere, rare opportunities abound A 1982 Morris Ital showing a mere 44,000 miles is described as excellent throughout and carries a modest estimate of just £1000-

£2000, while a Volvo 440 S dating from 1995 boasts an extremely low mileage of 12,000 and carries the same guide price

The oldest car in the sale, meanwhile, is a 1933 Austin Seven, which is joined by two bigger factory stablemates –a 1935 Austin 12/4, and a 16/6 from the same year There’s also a decent selection of traditional classics, with no fewer than three MGB roadsters, an MGC roadster, and a very smart Triumph TR3A from 1959 They’re each expected to sell for under the £20,000 mark, which could mean a significant saving compared to buying in the summer

For those looking for something more economical, a 1982 Fiat 126 De Ville is guided at a tantalising £1250£2250, with a very smart Citroën 2CV Dolly from 1987 guided at £5000-£6000 In addition, a 1991 Rover Mini Cooper is expected to change hands for an estimated £6000-£7000, and a modified VW Beetle from 1964 is expected to command £7500-£8500

With other entries including an Aston Martin DB7 Volante and various Jaguars, this is a sale to appeal to a wide range of bidders For the full catalogue, see swva co uk

on its most recent MoT. Looking superb in dark blue and cream, it’s expected to sell for £5000-£6000

One of several lesser-travelled moder n classics in the sale, this 1995 Volvo 440 S has covered just 12,000 miles from new. It’s described as very clean throughout and carries a modest £1000-£2000 guide price

Described as excellent throughout, this 1982 Morris Ital 1 3 was rust-proofed from new and as such has managed to avoid the welding torch for its entire life It’s covered a genuine 44,458 miles and is estimated at a mere £1000-£2000

PREVIEW: RM SOTHEBY’S, ARIZONA/PARIS,

Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to dream a little, and there are certainly plenty of dream classics set to be offered as part of RM Sotheby’s next two auctions The firm kicks off its 2023 sales in Arizona on January 26 with an eclectic mix of high-end classics ranging from prewar vehicles to moder n, era-defining supercars, followed on February 1 by its 10th anniversary Paris sale at the new location of Salles du Carrousel in Louvre Palace, right in the heart of the French capital Clearly these are sales for those with deeper pockets; in Arizona, 15 cars carry estimates at or over $1,000,000, with 28 estimates at or over $500,000 A 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra is expected to sell for as much as $3,600,000 (£2,950,000), with a 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV close behind with a top estimate of $3,500,000 (£2,900,000)

However, it’s a quartet of moder n-era supercars that really stand out, with a 1992 Ferrari F40 that’s covered a mere 12,239 miles carrying an estimate of $2,200,000$2,800,000 (£1,800,000-£2,300,000), and a fellow Italian in the shape of a 1990 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition showing only 155 miles set to make $750,000-$1,000,000 (£600,000-£850,000) In addition, a 1994 Bugatti EB110 GT could sell for as much as $2,000,000 (£1,650,000), with a stunning 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort set to do likewise In contrast, a shortchassis 1931 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan by

LeBaron represents pre-war prestige, and is estimated at $1,000,000-$1,300,000 (£850,000-£1,050,000)

At the other end of the price scale, there are several rather more modest no-reserve entries These include a 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6 9, a 1936 MG NB Magnette and a 1975 Volkswagen Type 2 Westfalia, though all are expected to go for more than $50,000 (£41,000)

In Paris, headliners include a 2020 McLaren Senna LM, a 2022 Bugatti Chiron and a 1991 Ferrari F1 car driven by Jean Alesi, but there’s a host of older classic exotica too These include a quartet of Italian-designed beauties: a 1972 Iso Grifo Targa Series II, a 1964 Lamborghini 350 GT by Touring, a 1970 Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Spyder by Ghia, and a 1963 OSCA 1600 GT by Zagato

However, it’s not just Italian marques set to star, with an ex-Works 1982 Renault 5 Turbo Group 4 being offered at an estimated €350,000-€400,000 (£310,000-£340,000) You’ll also find an iconic 1964 Aston Martin DB5 in the ‘007’ specification Silver Birch over black, estimated at €680,000-€780,000 (£600,000-£650,000), plus a delightful 1951 Porsche 356 ‘Split-Window’ Coupe that could make as much as €550,000 (£470,000)

The no-reserve entries this time out include a 1975 Range Rover, a 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and a 1978 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser, amongst others For both auction catalogues, see rmsothebys com – even if it’s just to ponder what you might spend a lottery win on

Porsche is well represented in Paris, with the selection including this stunning 1951 356 ‘Split-Window’ Coupe by Reutter A fine example of the Model 51 variant of Porsche’s legendary sports car, it’s been fully restored and carries an estimate of €450,000-€550,000 (£385,000-£470,000).

Joining a host of Italian cars offered in Paris is this distinctive 1992 Alfa Romeo SZ, which is number 78 from 1036 examples produced, and shows a mere 7869km The one-family-owned example is offered with no reserve, but is guided at €75,000€95,000 (£65,000-£80,000)

An

Offered in Paris, this 1976 BMW Alpina B2 is an early car based on the E12 528 and is one of a handful of naturally aspirated examples, boasting the 230bhp engine also used in the Alpina 3 0 CS The Alpine White example was subject to a comprehensive nut-and-bolt restoration from 2008 to 2014, and is expected to command €150,000-€175,000 (£130,000£150,000)

it shows just 155 miles and is expected to sell for $750,000-$1,000,000 (£600,000-£850,000)

unlikely rally car in its day, this 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC 5 0 ‘Rallyewagen’ is a genuine Works car driven in period by Swedish ace Björ n Waldegård to a couple of podium finishes It’s been with its vendor for more than three decades and is expected to sell in Paris for €800,000-€1,100,000 (£700,000-£950,000).

MG ZR (2001-2005)

The ZR was the smallest model in the new MG ‘Z’ range, but was by far the biggest seller MG Rover tur ned the ‘R3’ Rover 25 into something that offered genuine, back-to-basics fun in the cor ners Upgraded suspension, steering and brakes did all the real work, but the real genius of the ZR was in its marketing The MG cosmetic makeover – body kit, mesh grilles, rear spoiler, thin-spoke alloy wheels showing a peek of red brake caliper, bucket seats, alloy gear knob and orange instrument needles – made the ZR stand out from the crowd

The 1 8 and 1 8 VVC engines were the bread and butter, but the 1 4-litre ZR 105 offered a sporty warm hatch at a bargain price and with low insurance costs, while the 115bhp intercooled turbo-diesel model offered heavy mid-range punch and over 45mpg, making it one of the first

oil-bur ning hot hatches The ZR was a consistent and strong seller, finding buyers even as other MG Rover models withered, to the extent that it became the firm’s top seller in its last year

Still straddling the ‘moder n’ and ‘classic’ markets, the ZR has yet to properly start appreciating – although there are signs of that happening for low-mileage, prefacelift ZR 160s There are a lot of tired, over-worked, under-serviced examples out there for around £1000 Diesels and ZR 160s seem to carry a small premium, and that expands as the condition improves – pay £2000 for a decent ZR 105 or 120, £3000 for a ZR TD115 or ZR 160, and maybe up to £4000 for one of those in really good condition with low mileage and a full service history

MG ZS (2001-2005)

The ZS was the real surprise of the ‘Z-car’ range, as few expected

Early

a Rover derived from a Honda Civic to be tur ned into such a good all-round sports saloon This was largely because of the comfort-orientated specification given to the Rover 45, which nonetheless boasted doublewishbone front suspension and independent trailing arms at the rear The dynamics and handling of the ZS were deemed exceptionally good, and in a market dominated by German compacts with harsh suspension and turbocharged engines, the supple ZS180 – with its highrevving, naturally-aspirated V6 – was rated especially highly, with the K-Series and diesel L-Series powered models not far behind Unfortunately, the inherent age of the design, a reputation for mechanical fragility, and declining material and build quality all counted against the ZS in the

marketplace, with sales declining towards the end

Although beloved by a few, the ZS is not yet valued by the market in general – although it has the makings of a cult classic in the future Around £1500-£2500 is the going rate for reasonable ones, with the ZS180 only carrying a small premium Really good ZS180s from the early years (before the cost-cutting Project Drive began to bite too hard) can go for £3000, but the condition has to be first-rate in all respects It’s illustrative to see the same 2001 ZS180 (in decent but not stand-out condition) appear at three auctions during 2022, failing to sell at a £2000-£3000 estimate, then selling for £1450 a month later and changing hands again for £1250 a few weeks after that

MG ZT (2001-2005)

MG Rover’s plumb asset was the Rover 75, developed at great expense before BMW sold the firm on Praised for its Jaguarbeating blend of ride comfort, refinement and roadholding, the engineers at Longbridge were able to tur n the 75 into the MG ZT – a very typically British sort of sports saloon New wheels and tyres, lower and stiffer suspension, beefier anti-roll bars and tuned dampers all increased the ZT’s responsiveness and dynamic abilities with minimal degradation in comfort

The petrol engines (1.8-litre

K-Series and 2 5-litre KV6) had a higher state of tune than the Rover versions, while the usual additions of mesh grilles, boot spoiler, front air dam and a darker, more focused interior gave the ZT a suitably subtle but imposing appearance Shortly after launch came the addition of the ZT-T estate, offering extreme practicality on top of the rest of the package

The ZT’s suspension set-up was deemed class-leading by many commentators, and it was a car with an impressive breadth of capabilities However, its character was out of step with a market dominated by German cars with more power, more performance, more moder n styling, harsher ride and, frankly, a better image The ZT remained a car that was respected but rarely recommended

ZTs carry the highest average values of all the ‘Z-cars’ today, but they’re still not expensive –although prices do show slight signs of increasing over the past couple of years As little as £1500-£2500 will get a V6 example in average all-round condition, while £3500-£5000 will secure a lower-mileage car in better nick and with a good history An exception is the rare rear-wheel drive ZT 260 with a 4 6-litre V8 – fewer than 1000 were built and they now go for £10,000-£15,000 in decent condition.

The 2000s saw the revival of the MG name with the ‘Z-car’ trio of sports models derived from existing Rovers. Each offers a touch of MG magic but none of them are pricey now

signs of appreciation Low values but high rewards

CLASSICS FOR MODERN GARAGES

It is an anomaly of moder n life that despite the average family car being bigger than ever these days, exacerbated by the rise of the SUV and the pressure on manufacturers to make their models even safer, the dimensions of the average domestic garage –and even the parking spaces we use every day – haven’t changed And so we end up with a majority of new-build garages being used to store bikes, freezers, lawnmowers and just about everything else other than the fourwheeled contraptions they were theoretically designed for

Most single garages tend to measure a maximum of six metres in length and up to three metres in width, although we’ve come across others that have been as compact as 5 8 metres by 2 5 metres The door to the garage will obviously be even narrower – and once your car’s inside, you need enough space to open the driver’s door wide if you’re to avoid a lifetime of sleeping behind the wheel

For so many of today’s new cars, a single garage is a no-go area; but by treating yourself to a sensibly sized classic, it’s easy to make the most of your garage and exploit its intended use So, let’s take a look at some of our top recommendations for classics that not only fit comfortably in a moder n garage but also allow enough room to work under the bonnet, as well as leaving space for a workbench at the end

MINI

manufacturers another decade to catch up

Initially launched as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor, the Mini underwent numerous updates and refreshed identities over the years From humble beginnings sprang the rally-winning Mini Cooper and Cooper S; and as the years wore on and the Mini came up against newer rivals, so it became increasingly wellequipped Versions like the long-nosed Clubman and the later Mayfair, not to mention the Coopers of the ’90s, were all a far cry from Issigonis’ original idea of basic, utilitarian transport

So which version of the classic Mini is the best to go for? It depends on your needs – and your budget The ultimate for many enthusiasts will always be the Mk1 Cooper S, but unless you’ve got £40,000-plus stashed away for a decent example, it’s likely to be beyond your budget Even a standard Mini Mk1 in show condition can be £20,000, which is around twice as much as a Mk2 (with wind-up windows and other updates) in similar order A Mini City E or Mayfair of the ’80s is a more affordable option, with good to immaculate cars available for £5000-£8000, while a more sporting Cooper from the following decade can be had for £8000-£12,000 in good to excellent order

Whichever version you go for, the Mini’s biggest issue is inevitably rust Yes, a Mini can corrode just about anywhere (they’ve more than their fair share of mud and moisture traps), with the most vulnerable areas including wings, A-panels, front and rear subframes, doors, floorpans and sills Oh, and everywhere else made of steel The good news, however, is that parts availability is superb

MORRIS MINOR

Another Issigonis-designed model that’s the perfect size for a standard single garage, the Morris Minor made it into the history books by being the first British car to sell over a million – and there are still plenty to choose from on today’s classic scene, with the Minor remaining a firm favourite among first-time buyers in particular

From the earliest sidevalve-engined MM models,

Paul Guinness Editor

Although many garages are far too small to accommodate a moder n-day family car, they’re the perfect size for this particular collection of sensibly proportioned classics

through the 803cc A-Series updates and on to the eventual Minor 1000, the little Morris was developed steadily throughout its career Most useable is, of course, that Minor 1000, launched in 1956 when BMC’s A-Series engine was uprated to 948cc (and 37bhp), usurped by a 1098cc (48bhp) version in 1962 Thanks to that upgrade, the final Minor 1000 offered a more relaxed driving style and noticeable extra power, keeping it competitive enough to remain in production throughout the 1960s

Admittedly, as the decade progressed, the Minor started to look increasingly old-fashioned next to a new generation of rivals, and yet it retained a loyal (albeit gradually diminishing) band of admirers even in its later years The Tourer (convertible) was the first Minor to be killed off in 1969, followed by the two- and four-door saloons the following year, with the Traveller (estate) surviving through to 1971

So, which model makes the best buy now? An early Series MM might be an aficionado’s dream, but it’s not the most driveable choice Instead, why not opt for a Minor 1000 (either 948cc or 1098cc) and revel in its extra power, better performance and improved gearbox – as well as its superior value for money Prices for most Minors remain affordable, but it’s the Minor 1000 saloons that are particularly suited to the budgetconscious buyer, with solid but cosmetically imperfect cars available from £4000 or so, with well-presented examples tending to be priced at £6000-£7000 You’ll pay considerably more for a Tourer or Traveller in the same condition, although their extra rarity adds to their obvious appeal

layout, a new 1057cc OHV engine and an eager-feeling driving style With 44bhp on tap, performance was lively enough, while an all-synchromesh gearchange and – in later years – high-geared steering helped to create a smooth and easy driving experience You could even opt for front disc brakes as an optional extra, helping to give what was a fairly basic car some extra driver appeal

The most interesting HA of all arrived in 1965, in the shape of the Viva 90 – featuring a 60bhp highcompression version of the regular Viva’s engine, as well as a Stromberg carburettor and performance manifold And with servo-assisted front disc brakes as standard, it was an impressive sporting saloon offering more than 80mph flat out Sadly though, fewer than 12,000 Viva 90s were produced, mainly due to it being launched so late in the HA’s career

Elsewhere in the range, the Viva sold extremely well Fans liked the fact that it was one of the lightest, most pleasing small cars to drive at the time, helping it to become a real success In fact, Vauxhall ended up producing an impressive 321,332 HA Vivas during its unexpectedly short run, with the final vehicle rolling off the line as early as 1966, by which time the drastically different looking HB range was waiting in the wings

These days, an HA makes a great choice for anyone seeking a compact classic that’s not as predictable a choice as some And with very good examples usually fetching £4000-£5000 (or up to £8000 if they’re exceptional), it offers great value, too

MG MIDGET

VAUXHALL VIVA HA

The Viva was a pleasing looking machine, featuring clean and simple styling, a traditional rearwheel drive

Given the success of the 1958-on Austin-Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite, BMC saw an opportunity to exploit the smallroadster market still further with its successor, hence the arrival of the Mk2 Sprite and its badge-engineered cousin – the MG Midget – in 1961 Fortunately for the worldfamous Abingdon-based marque, it was the latter that proved to be the biggest hit, with the Midget enjoying an 18-year career and impressive global sales

The Midget was of monocoque style (a first for MG) and was very basic in design and layout There were no exter nal door handles, no wind-up windows and no luxuries of any kind Power came courtesy of the same BMC 948cc

A-Series engine as the ‘Frogeye’, but its performance improved when the 1098cc version arrived in 1962 – the first of several engine changes for the Midget It would subsequently receive 1275cc A-Series power, before the launch of the ‘rubber bumper’ Midget 1500 in late 1974

As the Midget matured, so its specification improved Trim levels rose, as did power and performance Favourite among many enthusiasts is the Mk3 Midget; with its 1275cc rev-happy engine, still-traditional looks and upgraded interior, this is perhaps the most useable and most likable of all the classic Midgets

The 1975 model year saw the Midget receiving similar ‘rubber’ bumpers to the MGB, while the adoption of an ex-Triumph engine was also seen as a backward step by many MG patriots, particularly given the traditional rivalry between earlier Midgets and Spitfires These days, however, the 1500 offers the best Midget value and is less controversial than it once was

Any Midget will easily fit in a single garage with plenty of room to spare – though if your storage is very tight, bear in mind that the later cars are three inches longer than the earliest Values vary widely, but £8000-£10,000 should buy you an excellent 1500 that’s ready to show, with solid and mechanically healthy examples from as little as £4000-£5000 You’ll pay significantly more for a Mk1-Mk3 in similar condition, though many enthusiasts consider the extra outlay well worthwhile

MAZDA MX-5 Mk1

When Mazda unveiled its eagerly awaited new MX-5 in 1989, the response couldn’t have been more favourable The two-seater sports car market had declined dramatically in the 1980s, but Mazda’s new arrival looked set to reverse the trend

At last, here was a traditional roadster that looked good enough to beat the all-conquering hot hatch in the style stakes And with a traditional rear-wheel drive layout, simply-to-operate soft-top and eager performance from its front-mounted twin-cam engine, it had all the right ingredients to appeal to sports car traditionalists No wonder the MX-5 was such a big hit, with the 250,000th car rolling off the line as early as 1992

Despite the MX-5 being so well-received (particularly in the UK), Mazda couldn’t afford to rest on its corporate laurels, hence the 1992 adoption of a stiffer rear subframe to reduce motorway-speed vibrations, while the following year saw catalytic converters installed on all UK-spec cars The biggest change, however, came

The arrival of the original Viva in 1963 marked Vauxhall’s retur n to the small-saloon market, a sector that General Motors’ British division was keen to get back into in order to compete with – and hopefully steal more than a few sales from – Ford’s Anglia 105E and BMC’s new 1100 range

in 1994 when the new 1 8-litre (128bhp) MX-5 was introduced to replace the 1 6 A 1 6-litre model was reintroduced in 1995, this time with just 88bhp to make it significantly different from the 1 8 Performance obviously suffered, but the new entry-level model still offered the same kind of entertainment as any other MX-5, as well as some nofrills value for money Various limited-edition models were also launched before the final Mk1 MX-5 was built in 1998, using such diverse names as Gleneagles, Monaco, Califor nia, Merlot, Dakar, Monza, Harvard and Classic

Mk1 MX-5s can still be picked up from around the £2500 mark, but they’ll inevitably need cosmetic work – and you’ll need to be on the lookout for rust Around £5000 should buy you a solid and presentable example, with exceptionally low-mileage cars achieving £10,000£12,000 or more

TRIUMPH SPITFIRE

When the original Triumph Spitfire first appeared in 1962, the concept couldn’t have been simpler Take one Herald-derived backbone chassis, fit twin SU carburettors to the 1147cc engine, clad the whole lot with a two-seater bodyshell and you had the perfect recipe for an MG Midget competitor

Sports car fans loved the look of the Spitfire, and enjoyed its lively (63bhp) performance What wasn’t

so highly praised, however, was its handling; the Spitfire featured the Herald’s coil and wishbone suspension setup with a single transverse-leaf swing-axle arrangement bringing up the rear, which meant major oversteer when pushed hard

Just two and a half years on from the launch of the original Spitfire came the Mk2, hitting the streets in March 1965 and boasting extra power (67bhp) and improved performance But within another couple of years the Mk3 was being launched, complete with a raised-height front bumper for a more moder n look Also new was a proper folding soft-top for the first time, plus a larger, more powerful engine in the shape of the 1296cc unit from the Herald 13/60 – fitted with twin SUs for an official output of 75bhp.

The biggest change came in 1970 with the launch of the restyled Mk4 Spitfire. Its one-piece bonnet was longer and sleeker than before, while the rear featured a squared-off look reminiscent of the Stag The Spitfire’s handling was at last improved too, thanks to the introduction of a new ‘swing-spring’ rear suspension design The final version of the Spitfire – the 1500 – was launched in late 1974, its most significant change being the adoption of Triumph’s 1493cc engine; the very last Spitfire 1500 finally rolled out of Canley in August 1980

Spitfire values have climbed in recent years, although it still offers good value Superb examples can top £12,000 (possibly more for an exceptional early car), although around £6000-£8000 should secure a very tidy Mk4 or 1500 in a private sale

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF Mk1

Of all the family hatches launched during the 1970s, the original Golf arguably set the standard Following hot on the heels of the Passat, the Golf arrived in 1974 to revolutionise the small-saloon market – except, of course, it was a hatchback with front-wheel drive and a harp, moder n driving experience as part of the mix Just as the small-car market was being shaken up by a new breed of superminis, so the family car scene was about to undergo the same transformation

Most famous of all the derivatives is, of course, the GTi; but there’s far more to the original Golf than that legendary sporting version This, after all, was the range that helped to change Volkswagen’s reputation forever, finally moving the company forward from its increasingly outmoded air-cooled days During the lifetime of the Mk1 Golf, a plethora of ‘normal’ models was offered, with a choice of 1 1-, 1 3-, 1 5- and 1 6-litre petrol power, plus a 1 5-litre diesel (finally upgraded to a 1 6-litre) that came along in 1978

The Mk1 Golf was steadily developed throughout its highly successful career, though its styling remained largely untouched (and justifiably so) thanks to the timeless-looking lines created for Volkswagen by Giugiaro The GTi derivative (on sale in the UK in righthand drive form from 1979) combined a fuel-injected version of the Golf ’s 1 6 motor – later increased to a 1 8 – together with beefed-up suspension, sharper steering and bigger brakes And the end result was a genuine sports car in a hatchback body, exactly the kind of machine that was to prove phenomenally popular as the ’80s arrived

GTi prices have shot up in recent years, with excellent cars often advertised at £15,000-£20,000 (or substantially more if exceptionally low-mileage), although it’s still possible to spend £4000-£6000 on a tidy nonGTi Golf that’s ideal as a classic daily driver – and at less than 3 74 metres in length, an easy fit in any garage

FORD FIESTA Mk1

Debuting in mainland Europe in 1976 and on sale in the UK from the following year, the Fiesta marked Ford’s long-awaited entry into the supermini sector Crucially, it was also the Blue Oval’s first ever front-wheel drive production car

The Fiesta boasted a new range of engines known as ‘Valencia’, although its roots lay in the old ‘Kent’ line-up that dated from 1959 No matter; these 957cc and 1117cc units gave eager performance, and would eventually be joined by 1 3- and 1 6-litre derivatives for those who wanted more oomph All models featured the now-standard transverse layout with an end-on gearbox

Where the Fiesta truly impressed (even with its smallest engine) was in its driving style It went well, handled nimbly, boasted a slick gearchange and sharp steering, and was one of the most fun-to-drive machines

in its class That it was also exceptionally spacious was the icing on the supermini cake Whether buyers chose the entry-level Fiesta (later usurped by the Popular version), a mid-range model or the top-of-the-range Ghia, they could be confident they were buying one of the finest superminis of its era

Any fears that the Fiesta’s Spanish origins might deter Britain’s more patriotic buyers were unfounded; if Britain wasn’t offering a front-drive supermini of its own (which it wouldn’t until the Austin Metro’s arrival in 1980), there was no choice but to buy a foreign-built alter native The original Fiesta lasted through to 1983, although its Mk2 successor was little more than a revamp featuring new

front-end styling and an updated interior

These days, the Mk1 Fiesta is in demand from younger enthusiasts in particular The sportiest XR2 can command serious sums, with £15,000-£20,000 not unusual for one in excellent to exceptional condition Lower down the range though, there’s better value; a regular Fiesta can be picked up in good order for £2500£3500, with an asking price of £5000-plus being reserved for a low-mileage gem

JAGUAR Mk2

Rather more upmarket than most of the cars featured here, the Mk2 is one of the few classic Jaguars that will comfortably fit in a single garage, with its overall length of 181 inches (just under 4 6 metres) leaving a little space each end It’s a tighter fit than most of the cars we’ve chosen, but it is do-able

The new-for-1959 Jaguar Mk2 took what was already a handsome model (which we now know as the Mk1) and transformed it into one of the most desirable classic Jaguar saloons of all time Although it carried over many elements of its predecessor’s monocoque bodyshell, it was surprisingly different in overall appearance thanks to a major increase in glass area, with deeper side windows, a larger windscreen and rear window of wraparound design

Combined with a redesigned grille and new-look lights, the overall effect was quite dramatic, with the Mk2 having the appearance of a genuinely new car Mechanically, meanwhile, there were plenty of familiar features, including continued use of the Mk1’s 2 4- and 3 4-litre straight-six powerplants, now complemented by a range-topping 3 8-litre version Other improvements included the standard fitment of Dunlop disc brakes, as well as a wider track for improved handling

The imminent arrival of the XJ6 saw the Mk2 killed off by late 1967, though two re-branded versions –the Jaguar 240 and 340 – were then launched, with an interior that was downgraded via the use of vinyl upholstery Both models were only ever intended to be stop-gap designs, however, hence the disappearance of the 340 as early as 1968, with the Jaguar 240 ceasing production the year after

t a u s t p h s 2 e a

The very best Mk2s are now achieving extraordinarily high prices, though a 3 8 in good to excellent condition should be achievable for £45,000-£60,000 The later 240s and 340s are amongst the best value, with a good example of the smaller-engined model available for around £15,000-£20,000 if you’re lucky As single-garage classics go, the Mk2 is surely among the most desirable

FORD F-150 (1980-1986)

The UK was way behind the USA when it came to recognising the allencompassing role of the pickup truck By the early 1980s, American pick-ups were more than just simple load-luggers; as increasing numbers of people daily drove their trucks, extra luxury and performance options meant that a family could go to church on Sunday with the bed ready to haul goods the next day

Ford’s long-lived F-Series line had reached its seventh iteration by 1980; this generation would bring the end to the most basic F-100 line of pick-ups, as well as readying the Ranger and Explorer trim levels for later life as models in their own right (in 1982 and 1991 respectively)

The Blue Oval was, of course, a master at nailing specification to the wall of the dealership What worked for the Mustang and Capri still worked for the F-150. Custom, Ranger, Ranger XLT and Ranger Lariat were how the F-150 pecking order looked in 1980 While designations changed in later years, dropping the Ranger and

adding the Standard and XL as low- and mid-tier trim levels, customers could also choose from Standard SuperCab and Crew Cab body styles, several bed sizes, and either Styleside (flat wing) or Flareside (curved wing and back ends)

Interior appointments had improved, with more plastic trim replacing the all-metal dashboard of the sixth-gen F-150 Entertainment and comfort/convenience packages all had separate headings in the F-150 brochure, even down to the number of instruments fitted in the binnacle; specific collections of certain options, like the Freewheeling and Explorer packages (of which there were eventually four), grouped the most popular choices together

From a range that specified a 300cu in (4 9-litre) six-cylinder engine as standard, a diesel option was added, radial tyres joined the mix early on, and halogen headlights finally ousted fixed beam units.

Switchable four-wheel drive was also available from launch (it accounted for 25 per cent of outgoing F-150 sales, so Ford wasn’t going to miss a trick) via an all-new independent front

Later manual models received overdrive units and V8 engines gradually became more powerful, with 302cu in (5 0-litre) units and a later ‘high-output’ 351cu in (5 8-litre), 210bhp engine topping the range by 1984 The seventh-generation F-150 did away with the larger 400 and 460 engines of its forebear, replacing them with smaller but more powerful equivalents, much like Cadillac did with its Fleetwood Brougham

What worked in the ’80s as a workaday hack, performance car and family conveyance works equally well today as an affordable American classic, though a SuperCab (or Crew Cab) is more suited to big groups of showgoers Consensus is split as to what year of seventh-gen F-150 makes the finest buy, but fans online suggest 1982 onwards models as the best bet, as the two-wheel drive models switched over to longer-life ball joints at the front end and the stronger nine-inch differential (named from the size of the crown wheel diameter) was still being fitted in quantity

Performance modifications

(and myriad final drives) are available for this unit, along with its cheaper replacement, the 8.8, which was phased in from 1983 onwards

Many of the F-150s that show up in the UK are modified for show and go, reflecting the interchangeability of parts in their homeland Avoid so-called feedback carburettors if possible (those that use solenoid controlled main jets – many will have been replaced with fully mechanical equivalents by now) and watch the cor ners (front and rear wings, as well around the rear of the tailgate and inside the bed) and windscreen surrounds for rust Chassis are strong and relatively well protected, but

should be checked for ripples aft of the cab; if an F-150 has been overloaded, towed too heavy a trailer, or been twisted off-road too often, the damage will show there first

Neither should the basic 300cu in ‘six’ be discounted; famed for its indestructability over the pond, it’s more than up to driving duties and works out more affordable than either V8 option – face it, you’re not winning any races in an F-150, even with a ‘351’ up front In fact, both F-150s we found (a 1985 SuperCab Explorer for £5500 and a 1982 Standard cab Flareside at £9995) ran straight-sixes, and could be expected to do so for years to come if the likes of Customville American and Rock Auto were consulted

suspension unit known as Twin Traction Beam

CHEVROLET CORVETTE C4 (1984-1996)

Long capable of troubling the European establishment, the Corvette eventually hammered the point home in C4 guise At launch, the C4 was wide of the mark, despite impressive skidpan results; compounded by a tall final drive, performance from its 5 7-litre L83 V8 engine was underwhelming Steady increases in power and softer suspension, however, improved the C4’s lot –as did 1989’s high-performance, wide-bodied, 32-valve ZR-1 Equal to (if not better than) the Mustang in terms of club and

parts support, with the Corvette Club UK and Claremont Corvette among those in its cor ner, the C4 represents decent value for money over here, even if values are a fraction of what the better cars – like the 1000-unit, 330bhp LT4-engined Grand Sport – are making Stateside A 1984 model currently holds the price record in the UK at £14,560 at Historics in 2022 ZR-1s have trouble finding homes; a 1991 example failed to sell twice in 2016, while a 1990 car made £11,480 at H&H a year later Around £6000-£8000 buys a sound example, with five-figure sums needed for convertibles

and early cars

C4s are sturdy classics and mechanically durable, but the oldest examples are approaching 40 years of age; pre-1990 cars with their LCD overlay displays can go wrong, along with the spectacular pop-up headlights, which can strip their teeth and jam The Lotus-designed LT5 engine in the ZR-1 is the most fragile; otherwise, the other small-block units can suffer from blocked radiators; and on the L98 fitted from 1989 until 1992, crank oil seals can fail C4s like to be used; if they spend long periods parked, they can develop

problems with their brake discs, handbrakes and electrics

Many cars were autos, but survive well provided their fluid is changed regularly Otherwise, sizing one up is a case of checking for crazes in

TECH SPEC

1984 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

ENGINE: 5735cc

POWER: 205bhp

TOP SPEED: 140bhp 0-60mph: 7 0 secs

ECONOMY: 15-30mpg

GEARBOX: 4-spd, man + O/D BUY ONE FOR: £6000-£15,000

CADILLAC FLEETWOOD BROUGHAM (1977-1992)

Downsized but not out, the 1977 Fleetwood Brougham was a necessary evolution for Cadillac Smaller 425cu in (7 0-litre) and 368cu in (6 0-litre) V8s brought its full-size rear-wheel drive ‘C-body’ cars into line without reducing performance or refinement Comprising a shorter wheelbase than the outgoing model, bodyon-frame construction retained the isolation and serenity beloved by Cadillac’s customers

Badged as the Cadillac

Brougham from 1987 onwards (the Fleetwood name was adopted by a new, front-wheeldrive ‘C-body’ Cadillac two years prior), the model continued its gentle evolution, powered by a triple bill of 5 0-litre V8 engines until its discontinuation The larger mills had died off in 1979 and 1981 respectively, with a 4 1-litre Buick V6, 4 1-litre ‘HT4100’ V8, 5.0-litre Oldsmobile V8 and 5 7-litre diesel V8 holding the fort until the Brougham name change; of the other units, only the ‘Olds’ 307cu in stayed post-1987

Priced at less than its Pyms Lane contemporary, the equally comfortable Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II, the Fleetwood Brougham and Brougham regularly trade at around the £5000-£8000 mark at auction

As an example, a 1990-built (but 1994 UK registered) Brougham made £6750 at ACA in 2020 UK prices are heading downward, despite the support of Customville American for spares and the Cadillac Owners’ Club of Great Britain Bonhams MPH managed £5625 for a 1984 Fleetwood

Brougham two years back; no other examples have appeared around the block

Colour, decor and engine sensitive, the earlier and larger 368cuin and 425cu in cars in black or green fetch the most money, with ‘Fort Lauderdale retiree’ white the least desirable

Door bottoms, wheelarches, bootlids, bonnets and windscreen surrounds are vulnerable to rot, alongside inner wings (particularly in the engine bay), but much of these areas aren’t structural Bumper fillers are the most notorious items of failure, even on otherwise good cars; the body-

the GRP bodywork, and making sure everything works and isn’t noisy, from the Doug Nash ‘4+3’ overdrive in the early cars to the dual mass flywheels on the later ZF six-speed cars made from the 1989 model year onwards.

coloured plastic between the light units and bumpers deteriorates badly, particularly if the car has been used in sunnier climates

Electronics are fairly durable, but common issues include the heater blower and hor n push relays, and headlamp adjusters

TECH SPEC

1977 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD

BROUGHAM

ENGINE: 6966cc

POWER: 195bhp

TOP SPEED: 114mph 0-60mph: 12 2 secs

ECONOMY: 10-19mpg

GEARBOX: 3-spd, auto BUY ONE FOR: £5500-£12,500

In the histor y of pas sen g er air craf t , Conc orde h o l d s a un i q u e p o s i t i o n T h i s A n g l o - Fr e n c h venture resulte d in the wor l d ’s fir st su p er so ni c air liner, a m ac hine so su c c es sful it remained relevant for several d e c ad es, transpor t ing passenger s from Euro pe to the USA in re c or d - break ing t ime –travelling at more than t wic e the speed of sound in t he pro c es s

Af ter m ak ing it s fir st flig ht in 19 6 9, C o n c or d e was eventually g iven its air wor thines s c er tifi c ate six year s

later, and remained in ser v i c e r ig ht through to 20 0 3 Before its of fi c ial laun c h, however, t his half- Fren c h proje c t prov id e d Citroën with an i d eal mar keting o p p o r tu n i t y, w i t h th e wor l d ’s m o s t ad van c e d a ir l i n er being line d u p for a now-famous p hoto sho ot with t he DS, Fran c e’s most te c hni c ally ad van c e d family c ar

As re c ently as 2011, Citroën re - e nac ted the event w i t h i t s t h e n new DS 5 b e i n g p h oto g r a p h e d a l o n g s i d e a pr e s er ve d exa m p l e of t h e l e g e n d ar y C o n c or d e

Wo r d s: Paul Guinness I m a g e: Citroën

FRONT RUNNER

Ple nt y of words have a lre ad y b e e n writ te n a bout the o rigins of the 924, s o the re’s lit tle ne e d to re p e at the full stor y he re In shor t, the p roje c t date s back to the e a r lie r pa r t of the 1970 s a n d b e ga n a s a joint ve ntu re b et we e n Po r s c he a n d Volkswage n to develop a new 2+2 c oupe W h e n V W s u b s e q u e ntly p ull e d ou t of the collaboration, it lef t Por sche to go it alone; but the whole thing ultimate ly wo r ke d ou t r athe r nic e l y fo r the Zu f fe nhau se n fir m, p roviding it with a n e ntr y- leve l sp o r ts c a r to at trac t a new le gion of buye r s

It wa s c e r t a inl y a de pa r ture f ro m the 911 W hile Po r s c h e wa s a l r e a d y deve l o p ing th e 928, the c a r we have he re wa s to b e its fir s t to fe ature a wate r- c o ole d e ngine mounte d up front A nd in a fur the r de pa r ture, it would b e built by Audi at the m a rque’s N e cka r sulm pla nt

Intro du c e d fo r the 1976 mo de l ye a r with right- hand drive c ar s landing in the UK the following ye a r, the p ret t y new 924 wa s

p owe re d by a 2 0 -litre e ngine b o r rowe d f ro m Au di via V W (no, it ’s not a va n e ngine) with a Por sche - deve lope d cylinde r he ad

T he p owe r output of 125bhp might have sounde d m ode s t but the 924 wa s light, and p e r fo r m a n c e wa s m o re th a n ad e q u a te In any c a se, it wa s the handling that ma r ke d the c a r ou t a s s omething a b it sp e cia l; adopting a trans a xle layout provide d a 53/47 weight distr ibution and the re sult wa s nimble, sup e r bly ba la n c e d ha ndling that s till imp re s s e s to day

More punch wa s on its way, though, with Po r s che intro du cing the 924 Tur b o (with 170 b hp) in 1979, a nd in 19 8 6 the r a nge wa s b ols te re d with the a r r iva l of the 924 S T he lat te r’s 150 bhp 2 5 -litre e ngine wa s sha re d with the 94 4, with the S a ls o u tilising su sp e n sion, b r ake a nd inte r io r pa r ts f rom its mo re exp e n sive sibling

Pr ior to the 924S’s intro duc tion, the r a nge had re c e ive d s eve r a l up date s, inclu ding a five - sp e e d ge a r box (the

do gle g s hif t pat te r n wa s swa ppe d fo r a c onve ntional o ne in 19 8 0) a nd a b et te re quipp e d Lu x m o de l fo r the UK , bu t Po r s che didn’t stray too far f rom the original re cipe In fairnes s, it didn’t re ally ne e d to, a s the 924 re maine d a p opula r p a r t of the r a n g e a n d p ro du c ti o n la s te d throu gh to June 19 8 8 T hir t y-five ye a r s l a te r, i t s a p p e a l i s ju s t a s s tro ng, th a nks to g o o d l o oks, a c c e s s ibl e p r i c e s a n d a fin e d r iving exp e r i e n c e

WHAT TO LOOK FOR BODY & STR UCTURE

T he 924 ha s a de c e nt re pu t ation fo r re sisting the wor st ravage s of c or rosion Eve n s o, unle s s the c a r you’re conside ring is in supe r bly original c ondition or has b e e n c a ref ully re s to re d, thi s i s a n a re a whe re you’ll ne e d to tread c a refully Major bo dy wo r k re pair s will fa r out weigh the va lue, so think long and ha rd b efore t ak ing on a re s to ration proje c t – a nd bea r in

mind that car s b uilt befo re 19 81 we re only pa r tia lly ga lva nise d, s o the p ote ntia l fo r rot is greate r

With those cave ats out of the way, the s t a r ting p oint is to exa mine a ll the ex te r io r panels, looking fo r signs of c or rosion in the f ront wing s (af t of the whe el the re should be a gap bet we e n inne r a nd oute r that ’s de signe d to let wate r ou t – it of te n gets blocke d by muck and debris), the d o o r b ot to m s a n d the re a r wh e e l a r c h e s a nd lowe r wing se c tions E xa mine the nose c one, to o, a s s tone chips c ould have allowe d r u s t to t ake hold, a lthou gh it ’s not a dif ficult panel to re plac e A nd pa r ticula r at te ntion s hould be paid to the s tate of the sills, e spe cially the inne r s e c tions whe re they me et the floor pan; if things a re bad he re, the n it would b e b e s t to find a nothe r c a r Che ck the inte grit y of the jack ing p o int s, to o

Rust a round the sunroof a nd re ar hatch op e nings should be treate d with c aution,

Chris Randall Contributor

a s b l o c ke d dr a in h ol e s c a n l e a d to a ll ma nne r of c or ro sion dr a m a s A c a s e in p oint a re the ‘latch b oxe s’ whe re the hatch lock ing p ins e ngage; replace me nt s e c tions c a n b e fa b r i c ate d bu t i t ’s wis e to c he ck that rot ha s n’t s p re ad fur the r A go o d lo ok a t the b o ot flo o r a n d s pa re w he e l we ll is also ne e de d, a nd don’t forget to che ck the fue l t a nk for rot – re placing it re quire s the tr a n s a xle to b e dropp e d, s o it ’s not a cheap job

Don’t ignore the unde r bonnet a re a , a s the bat te r y tray is a k nown rot spot a nd if it r u sts through it c a n a llow wate r to get into the c a b in a n d f u s e b ox A nd of c o u r s e, a ny p ote ntia l p urcha s e ne e d s to b e a s se s s e d fo r sign s of p revi o u s a c c i d e nt d a m a g e. Don’t wo r r y too much about the fairly large pa ne l g a p s – that wa s nor ma l, a nd is fine a s long a s they’re eve n – but do things

look okay a round the nose cone? T he he adlamps s hould sit nic e a nd flush whe n close d, so any mis alignment will ne e d fur the r inve stigation Make sure they p op up okay, a s well

L a s tly, a quick c he ck of ex te r na l ite ms su ch a s mir ro r s a nd light units is wis e (a lthough s ourcing re plac e me nts isn’t to o dif ficult), a nd do lo ok ou t fo r we a k hatch str u ts a nd a fa ile d e le c tr ic hatch re le a s e on late r m odels

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

T he ex tra punch of the la rge r ‘S’ unit is c e r t a inly we lc ome bu t you won’t fe e l s ho r tcha nge d by the 2 0 e ngine, whic h is re lia ble with p rope r c a re T hat mea ns oil and filte r cha nge s at le a st eve r y 6 0 0 0 mile s, a nd a fill with fre sh c o olant eve r y c ouple of ye a r s A p r ofe s s i o n a l re b uil d w ill b e c o s tly, s o l o ok fo r the u sua l signs of a n imp e nding ove r haul such a s ex haust s moke and a ny untowa rd noise s f rom the top e nd R at tle s a nd tick ing c a n p oint to a wo r n c a m s haf t, a p rob le m exace r bate d by the p ote ntial fo r b re akage of a n o il fe e d p ip e u n d e r the c a m c ove r

If the valve guide s ne e d doing, the n you might a s we ll bu dg et fo r a full cylinde r he ad ove r haul, which will set you back a round £150 0 at a sp e cia list Low oil p re s sure won’t b e go o d n ews, s o exp e c t to s e e at le a s t t wo ( ide ally thre e) ba r at idle Being a non -inte r fe re nce de sign me a n s a b roke n c a mb e lt isn’t the e nd of the wo rld, but a conscie ntious owne r will have replace d it eve r y 4 5,0 0 0 mile s o r four ye a r s; it ’s not a dif ficult

T he 2 5 -litre e ngine, o n the othe r hand, will suf fe r expe n sive damage if the b elt lets go a nd it ’s not su c h a n e a sy job to change on a D IY basis, s o c he ck the his to r y fo r evi d e n c e of re n ewa l, a l o n g wi th the balance r s haf t belt a nd wate r p ump O il le aks f rom the c r a nk a nd c a m shaf t se als c an also af flic t the bigge r unit, a nd all e ngine s ne e d a thorough che ck of the c o oling syste m; le aks a nd pe r ishe d hose s ne e d prompt at te ntion while the radiator is p ro n e to da m a g e a n d c o r ro s i o n S p e c i a lis t at te ntion is like ly to be ne e de d if fault y fuel inje c tion or e ngine m a nage me nt is c au sing poor r unning, a lthough once - unava ilable par ts (such a s the c rank se n sor on late r Tur b os) c a n now b e s ou rc e d; if you’re conside r ing a Turbo, then the health of the ‘blowe r’ is paramount if you’re to avoid a hef t y bill

O ne othe r thing to che ck in the e ngine bay is the c ondition of the wiring fo r the s t a r te r m otor a n d a l te r na to r ; it ’s lo c a te d close to the exhaust manifold a nd the insulation can melt, but if the units the m se lve s fa il the n sp e cia lis ts c a n re build the m at a re a s ona b le c o s t

A ll 924 ge a r b oxe s a re ge ne r a lly tou gh, but a rebuild is p re di c t ably expe nsive – s o be wa r y of a noisy trans a xle D if ficult y se le c ting ge a r s c ould ju s t b e a wor n linkage, which is a c he ape r fix Wor n be a r ings within the torque tube, whining dif f b e a r ing s a nd a tire d clu tc h a re othe r is sue s to watch for, a nd re newing the lat te r (which can a lso b e c ome c ontaminate d by coolant from a le ak ing he ate r va lve) gets p r i c ey tha nks to the la b o u r invol ve d – it ’s

like ly to s et you back close to £10 0 0 If the re’s a ny ju dde r ing, e spe cially in reve r s e, it ’s a sign the da mp e r within the clu tc h i s b re a k in g u p A s fo r the V W- s o u rc e d auto mati c, it probably won’t delive r the drive r engagement that some owner s a re lo ok ing fo r bu t it ’s a re lia ble ’b ox; c he ck the condition of the fluid and e nsure that gear shif ts a re p rompt a nd je r k-f re e.

R UNNING GEAR

T he c ombination of MacPhe r son str u ts up f ront a nd to r s io n ba r sp r ing s af t ke pt thing s s imp le, a n d e a r ly c a r s m ade u s e of va rious B e etle a nd G olf bits T he u sual che cks a re going to be ne e de d to e s tablish whethe r dampe r s and bushe s a re pa st the ir b e s t – the f ront lowe r c ontrol a r m s and the a nti-roll bar s are c ommon we a r p oint s fo r the lat te r – bu t re gula r u se by a c a r ing owne r s hould se e things in go od s ha p e Re p lac e me nt pa r ts a re e a sy to s o u r c e a n d not p a r ti c ula r l y exp e n s ive (a full s e t of d a m p e r s fo r a no r m a ll y a s p i r a te d 2 0 is a round £ 220), but the c o st of a thorough ove r haul will soon mount up if you ne e d to e ngage the s e r vic e s of a s p e cia lis t It ’s wo r th e st ablishing whethe r upgrade d pa r ts have be e n fit te d (stif fe r da mpe r s a nd polyurethane bushe s, for example), which could upset an original 9 24’s we ll - b a l a n c e d r i d e a n d ha n dling A nd it would be wise to give suspension mounting p oint s a tho rou gh p ro d to reve a l any c or rosion

T he b r a ke s a re s imp le, with we a r a n d te a r a nd s e ize d c omp one nts due to lack of u se b e ing the mo s t like ly b othe r s, bu t c h e ck fo r r u s t y pip ewo r k , c o r ro d e d re a r

dis c s on the S a nd a we ak ha n db r ake; pa r ts a re che a p, though, with f ront disc s a ro u n d £3 5 e a c h a n d a s e t of re a r s h o e s le s s tha n £15

T he ste e r ing s hould fe el accur ate, re sponsive a nd we ll -weighte d, so any thing else will ne e d fur the r inve stigation 924 s got a m anual rack while the S gaine d hyd r auli c a s s i s t a n c e, s o s c r u tinis e the lat te r s et- up fo r a ny fluid le aks f rom s e a ls and pipe s, and c he ck fo r not able play c au s e d by wo r n unive r s a l joints in the s te e r ing c olumn

INTERIOR & ELECTRICS

T he qualit y of m ate r ia ls a nd build wa s a 924 highpoint, so notable t at tine s s a nd d a m a g e m e a n s th e re’s b e e n a b u s e a n d

ne gle c t Re s to r ing a n inte r io r to p r is tine condition won’t come cheap, eithe r – you c ould e a sily spe nd a c ouple of thous a nd pounds if you’re looking at something that ’s pa s t light re novation G e r ma n sp e cia lis ts We r k 924 c a n supply ju s t a b o u t a ny t y p e of s e a t m a te r i a l, a s we ll a s a c o mp lete re p lac e me nt da s hb oa rd fo r a round €150 0; the original is prone to cracks, a nd a lthough re pair s a re pos sible you might s tr uggle to find a de cent se condhand one if the damage is ex te nsive

It ’s a l s o a go o d i d e a to ch e c k tr im a n d c a r p e t s fo r da m p – b oth in the c a b in a n d luggage a re a – a s wate r le aks c ause d by blocke d sunroof drains and p e r ishe d seals a ren’t uncommon Eve n if the trim e s c a p e s relatively uns c athe d, it c ould have le d to the fusebox suf fe ring from wate r ingre s s, a nd that c a n le ad to a ll m a nne r of f r u s tr a tin g e l e c tr i c a l troub l e S p e a k ing of w hi c h, p o o r e a r th c o nne c tion s c a n c au s e fur the r is sue s so it’s wo r th che cking this fir st b efo re a s suming that ele c tr ic al ite m s a re b roke n Che ck the e le c tr ic windows a n d switch g e a r fo r c o r re c t op e r atio n, though, a long with the sunroof if fi t te d; it wa s e le c tr ic on late r m o de ls, a nd s tr ipp e d g e a r te e th m ay b e the re a s o n i t n o l o n g e r wo rks, although it ’s an inexpe nsive fix L a stly, it ’s wor th watc hing for p roble ms c au se d by af te r m a r ket a la r m s a nd immobilise r s

WHAT TO PAY

T he fir s t thing to note is that 924 va lue s have pret t y much double d within the la st de c ade, s omething that refle c ts the growing app re ciation of the se c a r s We’re a lso s e e ing younge r buye r s t ak ing

a gre ate r inte re s t, a group that is n’t c o n c e r n e d a b ou t the V W a s s o c i a ti o n s that traditionally s aw pe ople being a bit snif f y about the 924 Re storation p roje cts do tur n up, a nd while you’ll ne e d fair ly de e p po ckets to b r ing one of those up to s c r a tc h, you’ll n e e d to b u d g et £ 20 0 0£ 250 0 if that ’s what you fa ncy

S omething nic e r a nd m o re u s a ble is in the £40 0 0 - £6 0 0 0 r a nge, while a n ex tre me ly g o o d n o r m a ll y a sp i r a te d 2 0 -li tre c a n fetc h clo s e r to £8 0 0 0; a n S in simila r c onditio n is ne a re r five figure s A s fo r c a r s in c oncour s c ondition, you’re lo ok ing at a round £12,0 0 0 fo r a 2 0 a nd m ore like £15,0 0 0 fo r a n S Ye s, the m ore p owe r ful va r ia nt is va lue d a bit highe r but the dif fe re nce isn’t a s gre at a s you might think , s o you de cide whethe r it ’s wor th paying the ex tra A s for the Tur b o, the se a re ha rde r to find a nd to va lue, but you’re going to pay notably more tha n the figure s we’ve quote d he re

There

OR MAYBE ?

Jack Grover, Production Editor

Sharp looks and the fabled Lotus badge make the Hethel-built machine a tempting alter native to the 924’s Teutonic efficiency The 2 2-litre ‘four’ isn’t the last word in character, but the SE introduced in 1986 produced 180bhp, so there’s no shortage of performance, and the handling is well-balanced It out-lasted the Porsche, with production ending in 1992 Terrific club and specialist support are on hand, plus there’s the feel-good factor of being able to say you own a Lotus

Andrew Evanson, Lancaster Insurance

are some that might view this as a rather agricultural choice compared to the Porsche, but in 2 8 form the much-loved coupe is effective nonetheless Performance is strong and the V6 sounds good; and although it doesn’t handle with the delicacy of the 924, there’s still plenty of fun to be had Simple engineering means it’s perfect for those that enjoy getting their hands dirty, too The best examples are fetching strong money, so buy now if you fancy one

G rover Production Editor

Mercedes’ model naming system seems so logical – three digits for the engine capacity, a suffix denoting whether a car had fuel injection or was a diesel an estate or a ‘Sports Licht’ and, in more recent decades, a prefix denoting the ‘class’ But for such a simple system, Mercedes seems to have managed to stray from it quite regularly In the days before the notion of ordering the range by ‘class’ really took hold, this was often to retain some sort of obvious hierarchy between models, or because specific badges had acquired a cachet and significance all of their own Probably

the most famous and prestigious example was the 300SEL 6 3 of the 1970s, which denoted the range-topping long-wheelbase SEL with a 6.3-litre V8 in place of the standard 3 0-litre straight-six And 20 years later, at the other end of the range, came the 190E 1 8 The 190E was already stretching the naming system a bit, since the standard model used the same 1997cc engine that was badged as a 200E in the mid-size Benzes But the ‘Baby Benz’ had to be differentiated from its bigger siblings, and so ‘190E’ took on a separate identity of its own, with rather contradictory models like the 190E 2 6, the 190D 2 5 and the sporty 190E 2 3-16V

Right at the end of the model’s life, Mercedes withdrew the entry-level carburettor-fed 190 (hence no ‘E’ suffix) and replaced it with a short-stroke 1797cc

of the fuel-injected engine making the same power as the outgoing unit, creating the 190E 1 8 we have here

This is a basic Benz in all its glory. The very-slightly-brown-tinted Smoke Silver paint is set off by immaculate Brazil fabric seats (a multi-shade brown tweed) with brown carpets, door cards, floor trim, headlining and door surrounds The original owner did at least spring for the automatic transmission on their otherwise base-spec Benz (manual windows, manual seats but there is an electric sunroof), which is probably a good thing given how notchy the manual gearbox can be This car has covered only 59,000 miles (backed up by all MoTs from 1993 to 2022) and that’s nothing to a 190E, especially when teamed with comprehensive servicing invoices included in the history file

Despite their well-deserved reputation for solid longevity, 190Es in this condition are not as easy to find as they once were While a 1.8-litre automatic Mercedes is never going to be the sort of car you decide to take out for a drive just for the fun of it, it would still be a pleasure to own – cars of this integrity and under-the-skin quality simply aren’t made anymore, and it would be a joy to keep lavishing basic, steady care on this Mercedes and keep it providing good service for many more years and miles

BMW ‘E30’ 318i

FORD SIERRA SAPPHIRE

looks, but it also has more ‘classic’ refinement and handling and isn’t as wonderfully solid as the Mercedes

In 2023 as in 1991, for the price of a Mercedes with a small engine, manual windows and fabric seats you could get a Sierra Sapphire in Ghia spec with all the trimmings On balance just as stodgy to drive and nowhere near as robust, but the Ford is rarer and would feel more special

PEUGEOT 505

A saloon that proved its robust longevity across the world, the 505 had a 1 8-litre engine as its smallest option and, like the Mercedes, ranged in spec from ‘Lagos taxi cab’ to the badly overlooked GTI Unlike the Mercedes, there was also an estate option Hard to find in the UK now

version

Jack

Jack G rove r Production Editor

Fiat A bar t h 595

There’s a long tradition of small European economy cars being tur ned into sporting icons – the virtues of low weight, efficient engines, nimble handling and clever suspension that make a design good at sipping fuel and darting around a congested city can all be tur ned to good effect on the racetrack From our own Mini Cooper to the likes of the NSU Prinz TT and Saab 93, there’s a long list of examples But one of the best-known names is Abarth, famous for breathing extra life and fire into what was probably the least prepossessing of the economy cars – the 18hp, 499cc, twocylinder Fiat 500 Fettled engines, wider

wheels, stiffer springs, stripped interiors, racing seats and (most famously) an engine compartment lid fixed open to shed heat, tur ned Fiat’s tiny city car into a feisty racewinner that spawned countless imitations and evocations

This one is the real deal – neither an evocation that has few or any Abarth parts nor a 500 that has been fitted with over-the-counter Abarth parts later in its life Starting out as an ordinary 500F, it went straight to the Abarth works when new to be upgraded This is confirmed by

factory documents, club certificates and the presence of the original Abarth chassis plate and build numbers stamped into the shell (despite a full shell rebuild in 1999, shortly before it was imported to the UK)

In 2003, the car passed to its second

MINI COOPER

The obvious counterpart to the Abarth is Britain’s own economy-car-tur nedracer. Values are very similar these days, but the Cooper offers superior performance and a somewhat less frantic and single-minded character Plus, the bonnet doesn’t have to be open all the time

British owner, who took it up a rung in terms of ‘Abarth-ness’, with a rebuilt engine now of 695cc plus a reconditioned cylinder head, new camshafts, an alloy sump and an uprated clutch New dampers were fitted, plus fresh kingpins, a new sunroof and the now-vital fixed engine lid The Abarth was sold by the Classic & Sportscar Centre in 2019, and has been in storage since early 2020; a full service, brake check and recommissioning will therefore be carried out prior to sale

TRIUMPH 2000

Other than being built in the same year, this Humber couldn’t be more different from the Abarth The smallest in the Humber range, the Sceptre came about rather by chance; Rootes had been looking to replace the successful ‘Ajax’ saloon family with a larger, modernised version of the same platform, but decided to introduce the ‘Super Ajax’ as an additional model sitting between the bread-and-butter saloons and the big Humbers The basic version became the Hillman Super Minx, the middling model was the Singer Vogue, and the Sceptre offered traditional Humber luxury in a smaller, more economical package

In some ways the Sceptre was an idea ahead of its time, presaging both the executive segment that Rover and Triumph would swiftly define and the advent of highspec versions of ordinary saloons like the Ford Cortina 1600E But the Sceptre didn’t capture the zeitgeist quite like those cars, and while it sold steadily it remained a niche seller It did well enough to receive some ongoing development, though, with the Mk2 Sceptre featuring tidier frontal styling (replacing the rather podgy quad lamps of the Mk1 with single headlamps under ‘eyebrow’ sidelamps)

and a more powerful 1725cc engine

This Mk2 is an amazingly original survivor, covering just under 41,000 miles since new – 21,300 of them being racked up before 1984 Since then it has been gently but consistently used and superbly maintained

While the Sceptre took a traditional luxury saloon and scaled it down, Triumph pioneered a whole new breed of car for the well-heeled family motorist. The 2000 eschewed pompous styling, acres of walnut and thick carpets for sharp Italian looks and a sleek moder n interior A better allrounder, but perhaps not as charming?

The bodywork is described as “exceptional” and has never needed welding The car has been known by this dealer since 2019, when it was sourced for a client It has received mechanical servicing and some trim attention (such as a specially made set of new carpets) but remains in largely original and high-quality condition The driving experience is described as “sharp and fresh” with “impressive performance”

5 6 4 87 2, E a s t o f E ngland 117786

BE N T L E Y C O N T INE N TA L G T

Stay Safe!

The overwhelming majority of car sellers and buyers are honest However as with everything else in life, there’s a tiny percentage that aren’t However it’s dead-easy to protect yourself from fraudsters by using a bit of common-sense

ADVI C E F O R S E LLE RS

● Stay safe! Don’t give a buyer your address until you know they are definitely coming to view Better still, give them the general location only at first and ask them to phone for the full address once they are close

● Always arrange a specific time for viewings – don’t accept vague ‘I may come sometime today’ type arrangements

● Serious buyers will want to examine the car fully – that’s fine and you should be prepared to answer fully and honestly any questions a buyer may have about the car Be wary though if they try to steer the conversation towards more general matters concerning you and your family Similarly, while a genuine enthusiast will probably be interested in your other cars, so will a would-be burglar

A lloy W

p oke S t ar D esign, A ir C ondi t ioning, A udi Smar t phone I n ter f ace, D A B Digi t al R adio, D y namic S uspension, R ear P ar k ing S ens or s, plus much, much more! W hat ab ou t us? Well, i t 's o f fi cialwe're t he bes t! We're pr oud to have been named t he R e t ailer o f T he Year 2 011 by A u to Tr

ies

build in 2 017 wi t h 9 0 % new cha s sis, ever y t hing els e new N ew bel t s and ex t inguisher sys tem for 2 0 2 2 R ead y to r ace 2 0 2 3 14 0 8 cc M amba M o tor sp or t f ull r ace engine (£ 10 k+) f reshly rebuil t including head P lea s e c all 07818 4 42 0 5 7, S ou t h E a s t 117691

£ 7 2 ,9 5 0. 2 012 / 12 B en t ley C ontinent al G T 6 0 Only 1, 870 miles – yes t hat ’s r igh t , only 1, 870 miles and like a new c ar, wi t h one ow ner F inished in special or der U mbr ian R ed wi t h br igh t chr omed lower gr illes, wi t h special or der M agnolia in ter ior and B ir ds Eye M aple veneer s, wi t h a dual tone 3 -sp oke s teer ing w heel and M ulliner gear lever k nob F ive main agen t s er vice s t amps P lea s e c all 0 2 0 8 5 6 7 97 2 9, G reater L ondon ( T ) 117342

BE N T L E Y A RN AG E

● Test drives need to be handled with care – on the one hand it’s perfectly reasonable for a serious buyer to want to drive a car before buying, but you need to remain in control Make sure they are insured to drive your car too, bearing in mind that ‘driving other cars’ clauses on insurance policies normally cover only third-party risks, not damage to your car

● Ensure you drive your car first to demonstrate controls (etc ) and then, once you are at a suitable place for the buyer to drive, get out, taking the keys with you, and hand them back only once you are back in the car

● Do not accept a personal cheque from someone you do not know; there is no longer any guaranteed clearance time, and a cheque can now ‘bounce’ at any time – even weeks after it’s been banked – if it’s discovered to be forged

£ 6 2 ,9 5 0 2 010 / 5 9 B en t ley

● Don’t get involved in any complex arrangements involving giving ‘change’ for a payment that’s more than your asking price, especially involving overseas buyers or transfers using methods such as Western Union – these are almost always fraudulent

● Be very wary indeed of anyone calling and trying to sell your advertisement in another publication Such publications don’t always exist, and claimed distribution figures will often be vastly exaggerated Calls are also often recorded as ‘evidence’ of a binding contract

● Above all, trust your instincts! If something seems dodgy or not quite right to you, then there’s a good chance you’re right

BE N T L

Stay Safe!

The overwhelming majority of car sellers and buyers are honest. However as with every thing else in life, there’s a tiny percentage that aren’t However it’s dead-easy to protect yourself from fraudsters by using a bit of common-sense

ADVI C E F O R B UYE RS

● Star t by asking ‘is the car for sale?’ If the seller is a trader pretending to sell privately, they will need to ask you ‘which one?’

● Be suspicious of a car that seems cheaper than it should be; if something seems too good to be true then it probably is

● Be wary of sellers who can only be contacted via a mobile phone or an easy to obtain email address such as hotmail or gmail. They may ‘disappear ’ once they have your money.

● Ask lots of specific questions about specific model weaknesses such as “is there any rust around the headlights”, and listen carefully to the answers; do they actually have the car?

● Never, ever send anyone money for a car that you have not seen. Crooks sometimes adver tise cars that don’t exist solely to collect deposits from would-be buyers

● If you’re suspicious that someone is trying to ‘sell’ a car they do not own, ask them to email or send you a photog raph of a specific par ts that they will not be able to provide without having access to the car. This isn’t 100 per cent foolproof – a fraudster may have access to a car he doesn’t own – but it can help

● Always view the car at the seller ’s home address If they want to meet you in a car park or bring the car to you they may be trying to prevent you finding them again.

● Does the name and address on the V5C match the sellers name and address? If not, why not?

● Always check the chassis number/Vehicle Identification Number (VI N) on the reg istration document matches that on the car A proper data check is also essential to avoid buying a car that’s stolen or an undisclosed insurance write-off.

● No reg istration document? Don’t accept excuses, don’t buy the car!

e c all 0 2 0 8 5 6 7 97 2 9, G reater L ondon ( T ) 117350

19 6 4 , £ 2 4 5,0 0 0 19 6 4 S 3 B en t ley C on t inen t a l F l y ing S pur w i t h C o achwor k by H J M ulliner T his c ar ha s only had t wo f amily ow ner s f r om new T his f an t a s t ic c ar really needs to be seen to be believed A ll t he mechanic al wor k on t his c ar ha s been c ar r ied ou t by R is tes o f N o t t ingham being well k now n in specialising in R olls- R oyce and B en t leys P le a s e c a ll 0 17 9 4 3 9 0 8 9 5 , S ou t h E a s t ( T ) 117351

BM W 5 SE RIE S

2 0 0 6 , 12 10 0 0 mil e s , Full y l o ad e d x 5 - 3 li t r e di e s e l, t w in t u r b o al s o M K 2 t r an s i t t ip p e r min t V r e g 19 8 0 16 ton p o dam swing shorel, r uns well, 19 8 9 P lea s e c all 07 9 3 5 6 9 6 8 0 5, S ou t h Wes t 117767

BM W 32 8

BM W Z 3

£ 4 ,9 9 5 R ecen t replacemen t blue elec t r ic ho o d, Ver y clean and pres en t able c ar, R ecen t s er vice and M O T, N ewly replaced f r on t c oil springs, Elec tric window s, H eated seat s, C D player Please call 0176 5 6 0 97 9 8 , Yor k shire and t he H umber ( T ) 117268

BM W 318 C I C O U PE

£ 6 ,7 9 5. M e t allic Topa z B lue wi t h r are B lue leat her in ter ior and G rey s o f t top 5 -speed manual, p ower s teer ing, t r ac t ion c on t r ol, elec t r ic window s, elec tric seat s, A B S br ak ing, chr ome side gr ills, elec t r ic mir r or s, s tereo, remo te alar m and cen t r al lo ck ing wi t h 2 keys, f ac tor y alloy w heels 7 9,5 0 0 miles wi t h sub s t an t ial his tor y folder going back to new P lea s e c all 012 7 7 3 6 5 415, E a s t o f E ngland ( T ) 117304

BM W Z 3

£ 2 ,9 9 5 B M W Z 3 1 9 M anual wi t h PA S and elec t r ic s o f t top F ir s t R egis tered in J anuar y 19 9 9 and only 113 5 0 0 miles F inished in M e t allic B lue wi t h B lack L eat her in ter ior and B lack s o f t Top, A llow W heels and R adio C D player T he c ar is in fi r s t cla s s c ondi t ion all r ound and is t y pic ally B M W to dr ive P lea s e c all 012 74 5 610 9 8 , Yor k shire and t he H umber ( T ) 117306 F O R D E S C O R T

exi t sys tem T he in ter ior is in ver y go o d c ondi t ion, s ave for a c ouple o f small nick s on t he dr iver s side s eat P lea s e c all 07 7 7 3 375 718 , S ou t h Wes t

NIS S A N PRIME R A

Wan t e d N is s an P r imer a w 10 es t ate dies el, wi t h tow bar up to 9 5 la s t o f t he W 10, s ame f r on t like P 10 or a Dat sun B luebir d 910 E S T P lea s e c all 07 7 3 3 07 7 76 6, N or t h Wes t 117762

C A RS

Wan t e d L ow- C o s t r unab ou t wi t h low miles, low ow ner s, long M O T, F S H or V G S H , s ound engine and gear b ox wi t h go o d b o d y wor k P re fer ably wi t hin 75 miles o f M anches ter P r iced under £ 15 0 0 P lea s e c all 07 97 9 4 0 5 8 3 6, N or t h Wes t 117551 VO LVO 9 4 0

Wan t e d . V O LV O 9 4 0 E S TAT E 2 0 li t re G L , 19 9 0 / 9 2 M A N U A L I N J E C T I O N I N V G C P lea s e c all 07 9 8 6 9 5 9 015 , S ou t h Wes t 117784

MINI AT U RE MO DE L E N G INE S

Wan t e d A ll M inat ure M o del E ngines s team and pe t r ol P lea s e c all 07811 4 8 4124, E a s t o f E ngland 117642

WA N T E D MK1 MINI

Wan t e d M K1 M ini or any mini, any c ondi t ion or un fi nished pr ojec t A ls o r oll c age P

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ULEZ dilemma

stroke machine that do e s 10 0 mpg but is not ULE Z- compliant But he re’s the c r a z y b i t I a l s o have a 19 5 3 B S A Ba nt a m t wo - stroke that give s out a lot of oil a nd smoke but is clas se d a s a Histo ric Ve hicle a n d th e refo re c o mplia nt du e to i t s ag e ”

T his will me a n the BSA b e ing p re s s e d into re gula r se r vic e late r this ye a r, s ays Will : “ It wa s my hob by bike bu t now it will b e my eve r yday r ide S o, tha nks to the Mayo r, I will b e p ollu ting the e nvironme nt mo re I have a few t wos troke s in my c olle c tion a nd they a re a ll exe mpt It will b e a s ad day whe n I have to s ay go o dbye to the tr u s t y Honda . I c a nnot af fo rd a new bike or to go e le c tr ic,

‘Neue K lasse’ c reat ion

A m ajo r tur ning p oint in the histo r y of B MW wa s the la u n c h of i t s ‘N e u e K la s s e’ r a n g e of s a l o o n s , a li n e - u p tha t culminate d in the suc c e s s ful 20 0 2 a nd whic h in dire c tly le d to the laun c h of the 3 S e r ie s by the mid -1970 s K ick ing of f the ‘N e u e K la s s e’ in 19 62, h oweve r, wa s the BMW 150 0, s hown he re in this ra re B r itish - ma r ket le aflet

T he 150 0 wa s o ne of the s ho r te rlive d me m b e r s of the fa mily, c e a s in g

p r o du c tio n in 19 6 4 af te r a r u n of 23,5 5 4 c a r s It wa s a n adva nc e d m o de l by s t a n d a r d s of the time, fe a tu r ing a n e age r O HC e ngine, f ro nt disc b r a ke s a n d in d e p e n d e n t r e a r s u s p e n s i o n Fr o m s t a n ds till, the 150 0 would hit 50 mp h in 10 6 s e c o n d s a n d of fe re d a to p s p e e d of 94mph – both of which we re impre s sive f igure s s ix de c ade s ago N o wonde r this le af let de s c r ib e d the 150 0 a s “o ne of the m o s t r e m a r k a b l e tou r i n g c a r s”

s o it lo oks like I will b e p ollu ting the e nvironme nt m ore due to the expa n sion of ULE Z ”

If othe r re ade r s a re having to m ake s imila r l y dif f i c ul t c a r- o r bike - ba s e d de cisions due to the expa n sio n of ULE Z , do get in touch via c cb e d @ kelsey co uk