NEWS & comment Barn finds unearthed for Resto Show lassics that are normally hidden from view in barns, garages, lock-ups and even on driveways will be unearthed for the first time in years and thrust into the limelight at Birmingham’s NEC on March 18-20. Taking place as part of the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show with discovery+, the Carole Nash Barn Find display is one of the event’s highlights and always showcases a fantastic mix of vehicles. One entry sure to turn heads is a Mk3 Ford Cortina 1600, which was commissioned to resemble a GT but with a crossflow engine and a bench seat. Saved from being scrapped and last on the road in 1986, it was shipped in from British Guiana just a few weeks ago and is now in the hands of Mk3 Cortina specialist Pete Crompton from Cortina City.
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This down-at-heel Cortina is a recent import from British Guiana.
It won’t be the only Ford though, as Mark Pinnigar’s bold 1972 Mk1 Escort Mexico – finished in Le Mans Green – is being hauled out of the garage after more than 20 years in storage. Mark attempted to start the restoration in 2000 but a house move and a serious work injury saw the work put on hold for more than two decades. Also featuring is a rare 1975 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT 1.8 shell that has been stored in a barn for over 30 years, and a 1960 Morris Mini van that was discovered in the back of a field in 2011 and has been awaiting restoration ever since.
They’re joined by Martin Jewell’s 1954 VW Beetle, which had been in and out of storage since the 1970s and has since been recommissioned with its patina intact. In all, the show organisers are hoping to have up to 20 vehicles in all states of repair on display, plus a special feature where visitors can see some of the cars that were previously displayed and have subsequently been restored. Tickets for the event are now on sale. For more information and to book tickets, visit necrestorationshow.com.
Mark Pinnigar’s 1972 Escort Mexico has been tucked away for over 20 years.
Rarities head to auction
ilverstone Auctions will get its 2022 calendar under way this weekend (March 5-6) at a new venue – the RAF Museum, London. As you would expect of a Silverstone sale, the catalogue is chock full of high-end exotica, prestige saloons and ex-competition cars, but also features some intriguing former street furniture. Hosted amongst an array of spectacular RAF exhibits will be a 1979 Alfa Romeo Alfasud Super in rare right-hand drive flavour, showing a mere 31,700 miles backed up by oodles
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of paperwork. It comes to auction from a private collector of original lowmileage classics who has, for several years, supported the work of the Feedback Madagascar charity. Excluding active war zones, Madagascar is the poorest state in the world, and the whole hammer price plus commission will go towards helping the island’s communities. Other variations on the ‘everyman’ theme in the sale include a 1991 Mini Cabriolet, one of the 75 prototype cars built by Lamm Autohaus ahead of the official launch of Rover’s own version in 1992. It’s covered a mere
12,500 miles and is estimated at £16,000£20,000. Amongst Sunday’s entries is a 2006 Land Rover Defender 90 County, which has covered just over 20,000 miles and carries a guide price of £28,000£32,000. A 2002 Smart Crossblade, a 1966 Jaguar S-Type and a couple of Jaguar Mk2s are also estimated at the cheaper end of the scale; but with a whole host of potential sixfigure lots, we expect the sale to gross several million pounds. For the full catalogue, see silverstoneauctions. com.
Brits at The Motorist Mini meet N
orth Yorkshirebased automotive venue The Motorist is hosting its first specialist car show of 2022 on Saturday, March 12. Dubbed the Brilliantly
British event, it will be a celebration of British vehicles of all ages – from pre-war to modern classics. The event is open to both individuals and clubs, with The Motorist able to reserve spaces for those looking to park with friends and fellow members. British vehicle fans who don’t currently own anything UK-built are also welcome to attend. The cost is
£5 per vehicle (including passengers) and the charge applies to all vehicle types and marques. Each will receive a free sticker when purchasing an entry ticket, which will be presented on the gate. The Motorist is not only home to weekly car events throughout the year, but also has an on-site classic garage and showroom, plus there’s a new restaurant opening this spring. For further details, visit themotorist.com.
postponed T he International Mini Meeting (IMM), due to take place in Germany this May, has been postponed once again. The organisers issued a statement on social media, blaming ongoing uncertainty over Covid-
19 regulations: “Even if we received permission after March 20 to hold the event, the Bavarian government can still withdraw this right up until the day of the event. How can we plan an amazing IMM? We would love to celebrate and talk Mini with you, but we can’t
promise this.” The organisers are now looking to 2024 to host the next IMM in Germany. For details of this and the postponement of the 2022 event, go to imm2024.de.
P100 camper hits the market n unusual motorhome built from new around a Cortina-derived Ford P100 pick-up and thought to be one of just two still surviving is being offered for sale privately. Registered with the DVLA as a Ford Motor Caravan, the 1.6-litre Pintoengined truck is thought to have been professionally converted by Riverside
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4 Classic Car Buyer
Motorhomes forty years ago. There’s an MoT until July of this year, and although the odometer shows around 33,000 miles, the vendor assumes it’s on its second time around. New tyres have been fitted, along with new leisure and car batteries. The original mechanically-operated side awning still works, and the fully functioning oven,
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grill and hob have been serviced by a gas engineer. The motorhome comes complete with a working shower, portable toilet and hot water boiler. The vehicle would probably benefit from some bodywork tidying but it’s said to be usable as it is. The asking price is £5750 and you can find out more by emailing the Lancashire-
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based seller, Sam, at samrae7367@yahoo.co.uk.
Spring Special 2022
