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Keep up to date with the latest news and events from the world of classic cars.
MEET THE OWNER – CHRIS FIGG AND HIS AUSTIN METRO VANDEN PLAS
- Andrew Roberts |
- 7th December, 2020
Chris had two reasons for buying his Cashmere Gold Austin Metro Vanden Plas. Firstly, he is a fan of the Kingsbury-based coachbuilder, and also owns a VDP 1500. Secondly, he has also been a Metro enthusiast ‘since the launch at the NEC in 1980...queuing up at the stand waiting to sit in this award-winning car’.
MEET THE OWNER – AUBONE BRADDON AND HIS FORD ESCORT GHIA MK. II
- Andrew Roberts |
- 4th December, 2020
‘People really like her. I think it is because she is exactly as she came out of the showroom and not been made into another modified Escort in bright orange. She appeals to all ages. The longer I have kept her, the more interest she gets’. Aubone is an Anglia enthusiast of many years standing, but his taste in Fords is not restricted to the 105E. MFJ 839 W is one of the last Escort Mk. IIs – and it looks quite resplendent in “Diamond White”.
TEN BYGONE CAR ACCESSORIES FOR CHRISTMAS
- Andrew Roberts |
- 4th December, 2020
It is the morning of the 25th December, and you are handing a carefully wrapped package. What could be the wonders contained inside? At worst, it could be the box-set of every edition of Take The High Road -the soap opera where nothing seemed to happen bar the theft of a jar of raspberry jam from the local shop. But, the gift could equally be the accessory you had long craved to enhance your car of choice.
DO YOU REMEMBER – THE BORGWARD ISABELLA?
- Andrew Roberts |
- 3rd December, 2020
‘A combination of everything that is best in Continental craftsmanship plus the experience gained in many racing successes in the 1,500cc class’. At first glance, this may appear typical 1956 vintage advertising copy designed to persuade a motorist to call FREmantle 5471 to arrange a test drive. Yet the Borgward Isabella really was that good – and in fact, has a fair claim to being one of the finest German cars of the 1950s.
DO YOU REMEMBER – THE WOLSELEY SIX?
- Andrew Roberts |
- 1st December, 2020
‘Wolseley elegance comes from having the right background’. At first glance, this appears to be a prime example of 1972-vintage automotive snobbery - targeting the sort of motorist who regarded crazy paving as the pinnacle of architectural achievement. Yet, the Six, the latest flagship of BL’s “Landcrab” family, really was a rather splendid machine.
MEET THE OWNER – JOHN LANGFORD AND HIS AUSTIN J40
- Andrew Roberts |
- 1st December, 2020
John Langford has recently taken delivery of an Austin convertible, one that is resplendent in Speedwell Blue. Here is a car that offered virtually everything to the discerning motorist, from the Art Deco fascia to the well-upholstered bench seat. The fuel bills amount to precisely nil, and the sole drawbacks of the J40 are the limited top speed - and the fact that anyone over the age of nine will not be able to fit in it.
MEET THE OWNER – MICHAEL SPINK AND HIS FORD CORSAIR GT CONVERTIBLE
- Andrew Roberts |
- 30th November, 2020
Back in 2005 Michael Spink was presented with one of the finest wedding presents for any car enthusiast - his wife had commissioned the restoration, ‘in secret’, of his 1965 Corsair GT Convertible. He had actually acquired MML 443 C in 1988, but it was garaged in 1996 following transmission issues. Incredibly, the refurbishment process took just 12 weeks, and today the Ford looks fit for a journey to Carnaby Street, preferably accompanied by the sounds of The Yardbirds singing For Your Love.
DO YOU REMEMBER - THE MORRIS MARINA AND ITAL VAN?
- Andrew Roberts |
- 30th November, 2020
There are certain sights and sounds that can immediately recapture the past – Nigel Planer singing Hole in My Shoe, the opening to The Comic Strip Presents... – and the sight of a well-preserved Marina or Ital Van. It would not be a typical month in 1980s suburbia without seeing a BT Morris attending to yet another malfunctioning telephone box.
Seven near extinct cars
- Andrew Roberts |
- 30th November, 2020
All of them even rarer than your average Bentley S3 Continental - ALFA ROMEO 90 - Today the 90 is almost as forgotten as the works of Doctor & The Medics. On its launch in 1984, it suffered from a significant challenge – its appearance. In essence, the latest Alfa Romeo combined the Alfetta Berlina with the 2.5-litre engine from the Six and looks that harked back to The Protectors. Autocar thought ‘there was a good car looking to get out’, but the 90 would ‘mainly interest the dedicated Alfa Romeo enthusiast’.
Club of the Month!
- Andrew Roberts |
- 30th November, 2020
Our final Club of the Month award of 2020 goes to the Morris Marina Owners Club & Morris Ital Register! Started in 1984 by Frank Philips and Clive Higgins, in the year that the last Morris Ital was built, the Club has supported owners of the Morris Marina, Ital and all of its derivatives with its mission statement to ‘Inform –Preserve - Drive – Enjoy.’
Alex Cursley – review of final round of Hyundai Coupe Cup 2020
- Marc Lawrence |
- 30th November, 2020
Our sponsored driver, Alex Cursley, has been back in action in the Hyundai Coupe Cup 2020 and below he takes us through the events of the final round. “The final round was held at Oulton Park in Cheshire and it would decide who would be the 2020 series champion.
Meet the owner Ian Mackenzie and his Wolseley 1100
- Andrew Roberts |
- 27th November, 2020
‘It’s either older folk remembering having one and anyone under 40 asking what it is! It still staggers me that it was the bestselling car in the UK of the ‘sixties and yet by the late ‘eighties they’d all but disappeared from the road!’
How to make sure your classic car value is reflected correctly
- 27th November, 2020
In the world of classic cars, a rare vehicle is highly prized. But when it comes to getting insurance for your pride and joy, its uniqueness presents problems. So how can you ensure that the agreed valuation really reflects what it would cost you to replace your car? What are the key things that valuers look for? Read on for our guide.
Where to store your classic car
- 26th November, 2020
Putting your classic into ‘hibernation’ is well advised as it’ll help to protect it from the elements – but where’s best to store it? Not everyone has access to a secure garage, while those that do will be wondering whether to use it for their everyday car or vacate it for their classic.
