Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2020 i Classic Car Mart

Welcome… CLASSIC CHALLENGES Regardless of the means by which this issue of Classic Car Mart managed to reach you – whether traditional ink on paper or as an electronic download – then rest assured all of us here are glad you made the effort to keep up with your weekly fix of buying, selling and generally messing about with old cars. During the years I’ve been riding what boss Phil Weeden has been heard to refer to as the rollercoaster of magazine publishing, I’ve experienced many unexpected challenges… the fuel crisis of 2000 while trying to do a photo shoot on a group of V12 cars, the water being turned off during the 2007 floods which meant cleaning cars for photo shoots was out of the question… and now a…

Classic Crossword 172 Clues Across 1 Humber models released in 1963 (8) 6 Sao_, a close relative of the Mazda 323 (5) 9 Famous East German classic (7) 10 Classic Lotus that inspired the MX-5’s lines (4) 11 One of Austin’s A40 cars (8) 13 These Lancias spawned the 8.32 (6) 14 & 3 down Marque behind the Princess 4-Litre R (6,4) 17 These Renaults evolved into the Caravelle (8) 19 Well-known Chrysler engine (4) 21 Stellar car manufacturer! (7) 22 A 1980s SEAT release (5) 23 The GSi 3000 was a performance version of these Vauxhalls (8) Clues Down 2 Saloon version of the Renault 19 (7) 3 See 14 across 4 How Fiat Stradas were branded on the Continent (6) 5 Iconic telecom vehicle (8) 7 Ro80s and…

MATHEWSONS, PICKERING, MARCH 21 Mathewsons’ monthly classic car auctions in Thornton-le-Dale are usually very busy affairs, but due to the ongoing need for social distancing its March 21 sale was held behind closed doors with telephone and commission bids only. And yet, hundreds of bids meant it was a still a very successful day for everyone involved, with many cars selling above their estimates. A wide range of cars was offer, from prewar vehicles to modern classics. Fords were especially hot, with a Ford Capri 2.8 Injection selling for a shade under £25,000 and a late Mk5 Cortina Estate smashing through its upper estimate at £7633. A V4 Ford Corsair with a Crayford convertible conversion sold above its upper estimate at £10,750, with a Mk1 Capri, a Mk2 Zephyr, two…

ROUND UP: BEST OF BRITISH MADE IN BRITAIN With summer on its way and the lockdown showing signs of easing before autumn we pick out some favourite made-in-Britain classics. WORDS: SAM SKELTON, PAUL WAGER Ford Capri (1968-1986) Like the American Mustang, the Capri was a sleek coupe based on humble saloon car mechanicals. For every 3000GXL there was a 1600XL or 2000GT, which shared rather a lot with the Cortina. As a result, it proved to be the perfect practical sports car. It launched into a class with no true rivals – Ford reckoned customers might also look at BMC 1100s, or Rover P6s, or Ford Corsairs. And with several packs of options available – L, XL, GXL, GT, E, X, R, XLR, you could specify your Capri exactly the…

TOP TEN RETRO CARS TO BUY NOW RATRO CARS TEN A PENNY? There comes a point in every car’s life where it hits the bottom of its depreciation curve and starts creeping back up again. Here are our top ten retro cars that are starting to rise in value and why now is the time to buy. Words: Craig Cheetham Interest in cars from the 1990s and early 2000s has been rising rapidly as nostalgia evolves and more and more people in their 30s and 40s treat themselves to the cars they could never afford when they were new. Their appeal is heightened further by the fact that prices are as low as they’ll ever be, with many current owners not recognising the fact that they have fledgling collector appeal.…

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK PLUGS&LEADS CLASSIC FIRMS PROVE THEIR WORTH Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and that’s just what’s been happening behind the doors of classic car specialists and businesses in the UK. Many have been doing their bit by making and supplying vital equipment to the NHS during the fight against coronavirus, showcasing their skills and resourcefulness in the process. It takes a vivid imagination to make the jump between carburettor jets and the fight against Covid-19, but Burlen has made that leap. The Wiltshire firm, which is the sole manufacturer of Amal, SU and Zenith carburettors, has supplied MGPS Services, an independent medical gas pipeline consultancy, with Amal jets for use in testing of essential hospital equipment. Each jet is used to fit a probe…

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK STAYING COVERED Usually, spring is when enthusiasts get their classics back on the road in readiness for all the shows, events and adventures ahead. This year, however, the Covid-19 pandemic has left classics laid-up for the time being, and left owners wondering what to do with their insurance cover. In response to an abundance of queries from classic car club members, Andrew Evanson, Senior Operations Manager at Lancaster Insurance, has moved to provide the answers to commonly asked questions. Following restrictions the government has put in place, what impact does this have on my classic car insurance? At Lancaster Insurance our opinion is that, even though you might not be using your classic in the same way as usual, we’d encourage you to…

TWIN TEST: ALFA GIULIETTA SPIDER v MGA UNIVERSAL EXPORTS The MGA has always had the looks to compare to the Italian exotics, but how does it compare 60 years on? WORDS: PAUL WAGER PHOTOGRAPHY: MATT WOODS Looking at these two stylish ’50s roadsters sitting in the early spring sun, a non-car person would be hard pressed to identify which one was penned in Oxfordshire and which was sketched out in Turin, the elegant curves of the MGA more than a match for Pininfarina’s design for Alfa Romeo. Under their shapely skin, the two cars are vastly different in their technical make-up but one thing they do share is a demonstration of just how important the US market was for European car makers back in the 1950s: some 80 per cent…

DATABASE: ASTON MARTIN DB7 (1994-2004) THE ZAGATO AND AR1 Italian carrozeria Zagato had a long association with Aston Martin from the days of the classic DB cars and in 2001 a chance meeting between then Aston CEO Ulrich Bez and Andrea Zagato resulted in an agreement to renew the association. Less than a year later a prototype Zagatobodied DB7 was displayed at Gieves and Hawkes in Savile Row with the intention being to produce the car if sufficient orders were received. In the end demand was so high that production was limited to 99 customer cars, with Aston Martin retaining the 100th. Modified DB7 Vantage chassis were shipped from Bloxham to Turin where the outer panels were added by Zagato and the cars shipped back to the UK. The Zagato…

ENDANGERED SPECIES ROVER 600 RATRO CARS ROVER-LOOKED? Nineties Rovers are on the up as far as classic credentials are concerned, but there’s one that’s largely forgotten despite being one of the easiest on the eye and simplest to own. Yet the increasingly rare 600 is well worth a look. Words and photography: Craig Cheetham Not even Rover managed to love the 600. Cruel? Maybe. But the truth of the matter is that it had a difficult start in life and an even more complicated end. We’ll start at the beginning. The 600 was born out of Rover’s successful collaboration with Honda, which had given the world both the 800 and the R8 200/400 models, the latter of which was very much the brand’s high water mark. But after years of…

TWIN TEST: FIAT COUPE v ALFA GTV RATRO CARS LOOKING SHARP Cars of the 1990s don’t come much more distinctive than the Alfa Romeo GTV or Fiat Coupé, but which Italian two-door is the best? Words: Craig Cheetham Photography: Paul Walton Style and flair are two of the main attributes of any Italian car – and sports models even more so. When the coupé market underwent a renaissance in the early Nineties, then, it was no surprise that two of Italy’s most respected names were quick to jump on the low-roof bandwagon. The Fiat Coupé (or Coupé Fiat, as it is known to purists) was first to appear, making its debut at the 1993 Brussels Motor Show. Its styling was the work of Chris Bangle, latterly of BMW, and was…

TAILGATE BOYS AND THEIR TOYS Our Retro Cars expert, Craig Cheetham, asks who’s really buying toy cars these days. I recently helped my mum-in-law move house – a task that involved a 350-mile round trip between Cheshire and Cambridgeshire in a bruised and battered Nissan Vanette with the acceleration of a continental glacier. It’s no surprise, then, that during the journey I spent more time than usual taking rest stops at the UK’s motorway services network. And I have Corley Services (northbound, if you’re bored enough to care) to thank for an eye-opening moment, and by that I don’t mean the cost of a coffee, a bag of crisps and a Twix. That was simply wallet-opening. As, indeed, was the purchase price of a Hot Wheels toy car – something…

MOT UPDATE As has been widely reported, MoTs for cars, motorcycles and light vans due from March 30 have been granted a temporary six-month extension. However, motorists should note that will not get a paper certificate to show their new MoT expiry date, and may have a long wait before the changes appear online. According to the Government, your MoT expiry date will usually be updated on the day your MoT is due to expire. However, it might be done up to a few days before. You can check your MoT history online to see when your expiry date has been extended and can tax your vehicle as soon it’s been updated. The Government stresses that you must make sure your vehicle is safe to drive and is providing guidance…

DVCA, HENSTRIDGE, MARCH 19 The first Dorset Vintage and Classic Auctions sale of 2020 took place at Henstridge Airfield on March 19, just as the coronavirus situation really began to bite. A busy viewing day and phone lines ahead of the sale looked set to translate into a healthy attendance, but a rapid shift in people’s reaction to the virus in just 24 hours saw a much-reduced crowd present on the day. “I decided the auction should go ahead because we had taken steps to deal with the coronavirus guidelines and everything was in place,” said DVCA director Brian Chant. “On the day we disappointingly had only about 25 per cent of the normal crowd but that didn’t dampen enthusiasm for the automobilia lots in particular, with most being taken…

CLASSIC ROAD TEST: JAGUAR XK120 SCOTCH MIST During the early 1950s, the Jaguar XK120 was the fast production car in the world. With many having undergone vigorous restorations, what is it like to drive a completely unrestored example today? Words: Mat Bell Driving a 1950s car in today’s modern world reminds you of the simplicity of driving. The simple pleasure that can be had from getting behind the wheel and going for a drive; that big steering wheel in front of you, three pedals and nothing to aid your experience, simply you and the car. There is something almost therapeutic about the whole experience, and a classic like the 1953 Jaguar XK120 seen here can bring out a whole host of driving emotions that you never thought existed. Introduced in…

DATABASE: ASTON MARTIN DB7 (1994-2004) The entry-level Aston for the ’90s which owed just a bit to the Jaguar XJS. Words: Paul Wager THE MARKETPLACE THE CARS THE BEGINNING Aston Martin may be one of the world’s blue chip sports car brands but for much of its history the company itself was on fairly shaky financial ground. Indeed it’s best summed up by ebullient ’80s Aston Chairman Victor Gauntlett’s comment when asked how to make a small fortune out of Aston Martin: “Start with a big one.” A period of relative security began when Ford Motor Company took a 75% stake in the firm in 1987 (later to become full ownership by 1991) but with its tiny volumes it remained a minnow in car manufacturing and lacked the resources to…

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BUYER’S GUIDE: BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SUPPORTED BY Flying Spares PEOPLE’S BENTLEY With the earliest cars now temptingly affordable, the first all-new Bentley of the Volkswagen era might just be the perfect modern-classic choice. Words: Jack Grover As the first Bentley to be designed and launched under the ownership of Volkswagen, the Continental GT was also the first model since 1939 not to share its chassis with a Rolls-Royce. And yet the newcomer was far from bespoke, sitting instead on a corporate platform shared with VW’s flagship Phaeton saloon, incorporating the latter’s four-corner self-levelling air suspension. The Continental GT even used the Phaeton’s unusual W12 engine twinturbocharged to 552bhp and its four-wheel drive system, sprinting to 60mph in just 4.8 seconds before topping out at 198mph. A combination of a lower asking…

PROJECT CAR: MERCEDES 190E RATRO CARS LIVING WITH THE 190E It's taken time to catch up with its BMW contemporary but the ‘baby Benz’ is now a fully fledged modern classic. What's it like to own? Words and photography: Paul Wager There’s perhaps no better illustration of the subtle difference between the worlds of Classic Car Mart and Retro Cars than the varying popularity of late ’80s and early ’90s cars. This is particularly obvious in the case of the German brands where even 30-year old examples of BMWs and Mercedes are often still spotted in daily use, often piloted by owners who bought them new and simply haven’t replaced them because they haven’t worn out yet. The knock-on effect is that some cars take longer to achieve accepted classic…