Clasic Car Mart November preview

THE NUMBER 1 MARKETPLACE FOR BUYING AND SELLING CLASSIC CARS

www.classic-car-mart.co.uk

Vol.1

5 N

o.12

Nove

mbe

r 200

9SELL YOUR CAR FOR FREE – SEE PAGE 102 LOTUS ELISE

MGA IN AFRICA COMPETITION MINISSEVENTIES’ CLASSICS

STOP THE GROT: SEVEN PRODUCTS TO TACKLE THE TINWORM

Vol.1

5 N

o.12

£3.50

WITH 54 PAGES OF CARS FOR SALE

FIND YOURDREAM MACHINE

INSIDE

PLUSDOLLY’S SECRET HISTORY E-TYPE SMASHES £70K RECORDSCRAP THE SCRAPPAGE SCHEME

COMPETITION MINIS COMPETITION MINISGT6 ENGINE REBUILD

The most fun you can have for £6000?

WHY FORD’S MK III CORTINA MAKES A GREAT BUY

THE CAR’S THE STAR

A FAIR WEATHER FRIEND OR A GREAT ALL ROUNDER? FIND OUT INSIDEMERCEDES-BENZ SL 300 ROAD TEST

READER’S FIAT 500R

WIN A BATTERY

CHARGER WORTH

£269!

See Page 89

Classic Car Mart

08 PLUGS & LEADSMorris Minor faces an uncertain fate while Vauxhall’s lies in Canadian hands

14 NEW PRODUCTSFrost unveils its hand impact wrench while Vintage Tyres provide rubber for H-vans

19 WHAT’S ONA review of this year’s Goodwood Revival and a preview of Mini Magic

21 DRIVE ONSummer might be over, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had.

23 POSTBAGYour motoring memories, plus the prize crossword

27 COMPETITIONYour chance to win a battery charger worth £269.99

CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2009

30 PRIDE & JOYThe cars that make your day, including a Fiat 500R and AC Petite

34 BURIED TREASURESNews of a restored Mulliner-bodied Daimler Fifteen and a host of other gems

SUBSCRIBETODAY! P46

WWW.CLASSIC-CAR-MART.CO.UK

�Those ‘Coke-bottle’ hips were daring at the time, but it wasn’t just the styling that appealed to drivers – it was the choice on offer�

WIN A FANTASTIC MODEL!

40 FROM THE WORKSHOPHow to build a hot Austin A35 and cure rich running

46 SUBSCRIBE TODAY!Save 20% on the cover price, get every issue delivered to your door – and get a FREE gift!

SAVE20%PLUSFREEGIFT

9430

48

IN YOUR GREAT NEW ISSUE 48 MERCEDES SLThink you can’t afford one? Think again, says Keith Moody

56 THE LOST TRAVELLERSteve Wilson tracks down a restored MGA in South Africa

66 SECRET HISTORYDrama, intrigue, betrayal… the story of Triumph’s Dolomite has it all

75 SIX SEVENTIES’ STUNNERSPaul Guinness chooses his favourite motors from the era that fashion forgot

85 TRADING POSTClassic Car Mart’s Buying Section starts here

87 AUCTON NEWSE-Type makes a record £70k, plus auction dates for your diary

89 MODERN CLASSICRaw, sporty and sexy – the SI Lotus Elise makes a belting modern

90 BOOK REVIEWSGet between the covers of the latest motoring-related books

91 PRODUCT GUIDEWe look at seven great ways to rid your car of rust

94 CORTINA BUYER’S GUIDEFord’s fleet favourite finally comes of age.

102 CARS FOR SALEFind your next classic with our extensive range of cars for sale

176 CLUB GUIDEOur comprehensive list of UK classic car clubs

180 CLUB FOCUSMeet the people behind the Reliant Owners’ Club

186 BACKWARD GLANCEAnother helping of nostalgia with our regular selection of ads from yesteryear

190 WHEEL NUTPaul Wakely hunts down the craziest car names on the planet

192 NEXT ISSUEFind out what’s coming up in December

ON THE COVER

87

89

40

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

Classic Car Mart

08 PLUGS & LEADSMorris Minor faces an uncertain fate while Vauxhall’s lies in Canadian hands

14 NEW PRODUCTSFrost unveils its hand impact wrench while Vintage Tyres provide rubber for H-vans

19 WHAT’S ONA review of this year’s Goodwood Revival and a preview of Mini Magic

21 DRIVE ONSummer might be over, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had.

23 POSTBAGYour motoring memories, plus the prize crossword

27 COMPETITIONYour chance to win a battery charger worth £269.99

CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2009

30 PRIDE & JOYThe cars that make your day, including a Fiat 500R and AC Petite

34 BURIED TREASURESNews of a restored Mulliner-bodied Daimler Fifteen and a host of other gems

SUBSCRIBETODAY! P46

WWW.CLASSIC-CAR-MART.CO.UK

�Those ‘Coke-bottle’ hips were daring at the time, but it wasn’t just the styling that appealed to drivers – it was the choice on offer�

WIN A FANTASTIC MODEL!

40 FROM THE WORKSHOPHow to build a hot Austin A35 and cure rich running

46 SUBSCRIBE TODAY!Save 20% on the cover price, get every issue delivered to your door – and get a FREE gift!

SAVE20%PLUSFREEGIFT

9430

48

IN YOUR GREAT NEW ISSUE 48 MERCEDES SLThink you can’t afford one? Think again, says Keith Moody

56 THE LOST TRAVELLERSteve Wilson tracks down a restored MGA in South Africa

66 SECRET HISTORYDrama, intrigue, betrayal… the story of Triumph’s Dolomite has it all

75 SIX SEVENTIES’ STUNNERSPaul Guinness chooses his favourite motors from the era that fashion forgot

85 TRADING POSTClassic Car Mart’s Buying Section starts here

87 AUCTON NEWSE-Type makes a record £70k, plus auction dates for your diary

89 MODERN CLASSICRaw, sporty and sexy – the SI Lotus Elise makes a belting modern

90 BOOK REVIEWSGet between the covers of the latest motoring-related books

91 PRODUCT GUIDEWe look at seven great ways to rid your car of rust

94 CORTINA BUYER’S GUIDEFord’s fleet favourite finally comes of age.

102 CARS FOR SALEFind your next classic with our extensive range of cars for sale

176 CLUB GUIDEOur comprehensive list of UK classic car clubs

180 CLUB FOCUSMeet the people behind the Reliant Owners’ Club

186 BACKWARD GLANCEAnother helping of nostalgia with our regular selection of ads from yesteryear

190 WHEEL NUTPaul Wakely hunts down the craziest car names on the planet

192 NEXT ISSUEFind out what’s coming up in December

ON THE COVER

87

89

40

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

MG ROVER BOSSES TO FACE BAN?

The former bosses of MG Rover gave themselves ‘unreasonably large’ payouts, according to the offi cial report into the

collapse of the manufacturer. The report – which runs to 820 pages and has cost the British taxpayer £16m to produce – claims to explain why the fi rm collapsed in April 2005, with the loss of 6,500 jobs.

The so-called Phoenix Four (John Towers, Nick Stephenson, Peter Beale and John Edwards), who bought MG Rover from BMW for £10 in 2000, are criticised in the report – along with chief executive Kevin Howe – for taking pay and pensions worth £42m during the five years that they ran MG Rover. And according to the British Government, the men could now face a ban from running other companies.

The Phoenix Four, however, described the report as a ‘witch-hunt’ and a ‘whitewash for the Government’, adding: ‘Our remuneration was not the reason for the collapse. The real reason is the government bungled the last chance to save MG Rover.’

But Business Secretary Lord Mandelson criticised the men for not showing ‘an ounce of humility’ and has called on them to apologise. He is planning legal action to ensure they can’t become directors of any other UK

companies.

8 9Classic Car Mart November 2009 Classic Car Mart November 2009

Plugs & Leads: News

A s modern classics go, the Rover 100 might not be the most exciting choice. But there’s no denying that in its original

Metro guise, this much-maligned car played a vital role in Britain’s motor industry – which makes the compulsory scrapping of this one-owner, 6,000-mile example seem particularly sad.

The Rover 100 Ascot dates from 1998, the model’s final year of manufacture, and has become one of the latest victims of Britain’s scrappage scheme, after being part-exchanged for a brand new Honda. Classic Car Mart reader Chris Westwood came across the Rover 100 (thought to be one of the lowest-mileage examples in existence) while looking for a secondhand car for his son.

‘I couldn’t believe it when I was told there was no alternative but to scrap the Rover,’ commented Chris. ‘This is the best example of its type I’ve ever seen – and yet it cannot legally be sold or used on the road ever again as it was acquired by a local Honda dealer as part of the scrappage scheme.’

By the time you read this, the Rover will have been destroyed, much to the annoyance of Chris: ‘The Metro and Rover 100 has its followers, and for such a superb, low mileage example to be scrapped in such a way makes me angry. How can that be seen as having a positive environmental impact?’

DO YOU KNOW of any other low-mileage or immaculate modern classics that have been lost via the scrappage scheme? If so, write to us at the usual Cambridge address or send an email to [email protected].

Have you got a plug or a lead you’d like to promote through Classic Car Mart? These pages can provide valuable FREE publicity for you, your company, your club or your organisation. Send full details to:

Plugs & Leads, Classic Car Mart, CSL Publishing, Alliance House, 49 Sidney Street, Cambridge CB2 3HX. Or email Paul Guinness direct at: [email protected]

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSIC-CAR-MART.CO.UK

Metro fi nally gets its own ‘proper’ club.

6,000-MILE ROVER SET TO BE CRUSHEDNEW OWNER FOR VAUXHALL

A fter months of speculation, General Motors has fi nally confi rmed the sale of a majority

stake in Vauxhall and Opel to Magna International, together with its Russian banking partner, Sberbank. GM will retain 35 per cent of the company, while the remaining ten per cent will be held by an Opel employee trust fund.

General Motors’ CEO Fritz Henderson confirmed that GM will ‘continue to closely collaborate with Opel and Vauxhall to develop and produce more great cars’, while UK business minister Pat McFadden said the British Government would continue talks with the new owners on the future of the 4,700 Vauxhall staff.

McFadden confirmed that Magna had given a commitment to continuing production at the two Vauxhall plants in Britain: ‘We will now continue our discussions with Magna. They have told us of their commitment to continuing production at both Ellesmere Port and Luton, and we will work to make sure we get the best possible outcome for the UK,’ he said.

The sale has been agreed on the basis that Magna can meet certain conditions, which have yet to be revealed at the time of writing. In addition, the deal must be approved by the relevant labour unions, and the German Government must agree a financing package.

Metros and Rover 100s in this condition are getting rarer.

Just 6,953 miles recorded from new.

THE TRABANT IS BACK!

I f you fancy a retro-looker that runs on electricity, you might – just might – be able to buy a brand new plug-in Trabant in

about three years’ time. Unveiled at the Frankfurt

Motor Show is this 21st century version of the legendary Trabant, shown by model maker Herpa Miniaturmodelle. Now all they need are some serious investors to bring the project to reality...

CHEAP PARTS ONLINE

M ail order specialist Car Parts Direct has launched a brand new website that’s aiming to take on the likes

of eBay – by offering visitors a wide choice of clearance parts at around a quarter of their original prices.

The company reckons that its new site (www.mcc-buy.com) offers around 80,000 car parts, manuals, tools and other items to clear – at 75 per cent less than their normal online discounted prices. Current stock

includes brake pads from £2, shock absorbers from £5 and complete clutch kits from as little as £10, with many of the most popular classics among the models covered. Workshop manuals are available from just £1 each.

With more parts being added every hour, the new website could be worth checking out on a regular basis – especially with all parts being brand new and available for immediate despatch.

‘YOUNGTIMERS’ AT THE NEC

While classics of all ages and genres will be on display at this year’s NEC Classic Motor Show,

the organisers reckon it will be a particular treat for fans of modern classics – or, as German enthusiasts call them, ‘Youngtimers’.

Most of the younger classics on show will be featured as part of the club displays – always a highlight of the event. And among the modern classics being exhibited, you’ll be able to see Club Peugeot’s 205 T16 and 205 GTi, Autobahnstormers’ Opel Monza GS/E and Carlton 3000GSI, the Fiesta Club of Great Britain’s pair of superb Mk I XR2s and the Ford RS Owners’ Club’s Sierra RS500 Cosworth and RS200 Group B rally star. Meanwhile, the MR2 Drivers’ Club will be celebrating 25 years of Toyota’s popular mid-engined sports car.

According to show manager Andy Rouse, these are the classics that deserve particular attention right now: ‘This era of cars could be at risk of being severely depleted by the Government’s scrappage incentive. I think most enthusiasts – and people in general –

would far rather see a 30 year old car have some sympathetic modification work done, thereby giving it a whole new lease of life, than see it end up as a four-foot-square cube ready for the melting pot.’

And in an apparent attack on politicians’ attitudes towards modern classics, Rouse continued: ‘No doubt the current anti-fun committee – and the next one – will find other ways to condemn the actual enjoyment of cars and motoring as being inherently evil and perpetrated by an army of Satan’s howling minions, from their evil lairs, known as garages, lock-ups and yes, even sheds.’

To book tickets to the Classic Motor Show, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on November 13-15, log on to www.necclassicmotorshow.com.

No shortage of modern classics at

the NEC.

MG ROVER BOSSES TO FACE BAN?

The former bosses of MG Rover gave themselves ‘unreasonably large’ payouts, according to the offi cial report into the

collapse of the manufacturer. The report – which runs to 820 pages and has cost the British taxpayer £16m to produce – claims to explain why the fi rm collapsed in April 2005, with the loss of 6,500 jobs.

The so-called Phoenix Four (John Towers, Nick Stephenson, Peter Beale and John Edwards), who bought MG Rover from BMW for £10 in 2000, are criticised in the report – along with chief executive Kevin Howe – for taking pay and pensions worth £42m during the five years that they ran MG Rover. And according to the British Government, the men could now face a ban from running other companies.

The Phoenix Four, however, described the report as a ‘witch-hunt’ and a ‘whitewash for the Government’, adding: ‘Our remuneration was not the reason for the collapse. The real reason is the government bungled the last chance to save MG Rover.’

But Business Secretary Lord Mandelson criticised the men for not showing ‘an ounce of humility’ and has called on them to apologise. He is planning legal action to ensure they can’t become directors of any other UK

companies.

8 9Classic Car Mart November 2009 Classic Car Mart November 2009

Plugs & Leads: News

A s modern classics go, the Rover 100 might not be the most exciting choice. But there’s no denying that in its original

Metro guise, this much-maligned car played a vital role in Britain’s motor industry – which makes the compulsory scrapping of this one-owner, 6,000-mile example seem particularly sad.

The Rover 100 Ascot dates from 1998, the model’s final year of manufacture, and has become one of the latest victims of Britain’s scrappage scheme, after being part-exchanged for a brand new Honda. Classic Car Mart reader Chris Westwood came across the Rover 100 (thought to be one of the lowest-mileage examples in existence) while looking for a secondhand car for his son.

‘I couldn’t believe it when I was told there was no alternative but to scrap the Rover,’ commented Chris. ‘This is the best example of its type I’ve ever seen – and yet it cannot legally be sold or used on the road ever again as it was acquired by a local Honda dealer as part of the scrappage scheme.’

By the time you read this, the Rover will have been destroyed, much to the annoyance of Chris: ‘The Metro and Rover 100 has its followers, and for such a superb, low mileage example to be scrapped in such a way makes me angry. How can that be seen as having a positive environmental impact?’

DO YOU KNOW of any other low-mileage or immaculate modern classics that have been lost via the scrappage scheme? If so, write to us at the usual Cambridge address or send an email to [email protected].

Have you got a plug or a lead you’d like to promote through Classic Car Mart? These pages can provide valuable FREE publicity for you, your company, your club or your organisation. Send full details to:

Plugs & Leads, Classic Car Mart, CSL Publishing, Alliance House, 49 Sidney Street, Cambridge CB2 3HX. Or email Paul Guinness direct at: [email protected]

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSIC-CAR-MART.CO.UK

Metro fi nally gets its own ‘proper’ club.

6,000-MILE ROVER SET TO BE CRUSHEDNEW OWNER FOR VAUXHALL

A fter months of speculation, General Motors has fi nally confi rmed the sale of a majority

stake in Vauxhall and Opel to Magna International, together with its Russian banking partner, Sberbank. GM will retain 35 per cent of the company, while the remaining ten per cent will be held by an Opel employee trust fund.

General Motors’ CEO Fritz Henderson confirmed that GM will ‘continue to closely collaborate with Opel and Vauxhall to develop and produce more great cars’, while UK business minister Pat McFadden said the British Government would continue talks with the new owners on the future of the 4,700 Vauxhall staff.

McFadden confirmed that Magna had given a commitment to continuing production at the two Vauxhall plants in Britain: ‘We will now continue our discussions with Magna. They have told us of their commitment to continuing production at both Ellesmere Port and Luton, and we will work to make sure we get the best possible outcome for the UK,’ he said.

The sale has been agreed on the basis that Magna can meet certain conditions, which have yet to be revealed at the time of writing. In addition, the deal must be approved by the relevant labour unions, and the German Government must agree a financing package.

Metros and Rover 100s in this condition are getting rarer.

Just 6,953 miles recorded from new.

THE TRABANT IS BACK!

I f you fancy a retro-looker that runs on electricity, you might – just might – be able to buy a brand new plug-in Trabant in

about three years’ time. Unveiled at the Frankfurt

Motor Show is this 21st century version of the legendary Trabant, shown by model maker Herpa Miniaturmodelle. Now all they need are some serious investors to bring the project to reality...

CHEAP PARTS ONLINE

M ail order specialist Car Parts Direct has launched a brand new website that’s aiming to take on the likes

of eBay – by offering visitors a wide choice of clearance parts at around a quarter of their original prices.

The company reckons that its new site (www.mcc-buy.com) offers around 80,000 car parts, manuals, tools and other items to clear – at 75 per cent less than their normal online discounted prices. Current stock

includes brake pads from £2, shock absorbers from £5 and complete clutch kits from as little as £10, with many of the most popular classics among the models covered. Workshop manuals are available from just £1 each.

With more parts being added every hour, the new website could be worth checking out on a regular basis – especially with all parts being brand new and available for immediate despatch.

‘YOUNGTIMERS’ AT THE NEC

While classics of all ages and genres will be on display at this year’s NEC Classic Motor Show,

the organisers reckon it will be a particular treat for fans of modern classics – or, as German enthusiasts call them, ‘Youngtimers’.

Most of the younger classics on show will be featured as part of the club displays – always a highlight of the event. And among the modern classics being exhibited, you’ll be able to see Club Peugeot’s 205 T16 and 205 GTi, Autobahnstormers’ Opel Monza GS/E and Carlton 3000GSI, the Fiesta Club of Great Britain’s pair of superb Mk I XR2s and the Ford RS Owners’ Club’s Sierra RS500 Cosworth and RS200 Group B rally star. Meanwhile, the MR2 Drivers’ Club will be celebrating 25 years of Toyota’s popular mid-engined sports car.

According to show manager Andy Rouse, these are the classics that deserve particular attention right now: ‘This era of cars could be at risk of being severely depleted by the Government’s scrappage incentive. I think most enthusiasts – and people in general –

would far rather see a 30 year old car have some sympathetic modification work done, thereby giving it a whole new lease of life, than see it end up as a four-foot-square cube ready for the melting pot.’

And in an apparent attack on politicians’ attitudes towards modern classics, Rouse continued: ‘No doubt the current anti-fun committee – and the next one – will find other ways to condemn the actual enjoyment of cars and motoring as being inherently evil and perpetrated by an army of Satan’s howling minions, from their evil lairs, known as garages, lock-ups and yes, even sheds.’

To book tickets to the Classic Motor Show, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham on November 13-15, log on to www.necclassicmotorshow.com.

No shortage of modern classics at

the NEC.


SELL YOUR CAR FOR FREE – SEE PAGE 136

1000sOF CLASSICSFOR SALE

£5K CLASSICS

OUR PICK OF SIX OF THE BEST BARGAIN BUYS

FRENCH FANCIES

WILL OUR MG MAKE IT ACROSS THE CHANNEL?

PLUS: SEVEN WAYS TO GET THE PERFECT SUMMER BODY

NEW LEASE OF LIFE FORMK2’S LITTLE BROTHER

RESTORED JAG

Why you’ll love owning this pre-war MG

Vol.13 No.10 £3.25

Vol. 13 No.10 September 2007THE BEST REAR ENGINED CLASSIC?

BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THIS AUSTERE AUSTIN 10

POST-WAR HERO

NSU SPIDER VS FROGEYEHow far would you go to stand out from the crowd?

TWINTEST

MG T-SERIESBUYERS’GUIDE

SEPT CCM_07 COVERmhkm.indd 1

SELL YOUR CAR FOR FREE – PAGE 112

1000sOF CLASSICS

FOR SALE


MGB VSTR6

Vol. 14 No.5 Spring 2008

Vol.1

4 N

o.05

£3.2

5

SECRET HISTORY:

MORSE’S MK2What happened to Coventry’s

most famous cat? see p48

Best Daily Drivers Revealed Road Test: Wolseley 15/60

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING CITROEN’S TRACTION AVANT

GET READY FOR SUMMER

1000S OF CARS FOR SALE PARTS & ACCESSORIES THE BEST EVENTS PRACTICAL ADVICE

TWIN TEST

Two cars that defined an

era – but only one winner

G CCM 08 COVERmhkmpg.indd 1

12/3/08 09:57:16

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I would like to extend my existing subscription to Classic Car Mart for 12 months

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SAVE MONEYSave 20% off the cover price A SAVING OF £10.25 CARS FOR SALE

1000s of cars for sale adverts – fi nd the right classic for you

BUYING GUIDESThe most defi nitive, up to date buying information

GET A FREE 12PC 1/4 INCH SQUARE DRIVE SOCKET SET - METRIC WORTH £15.95

NOSTALGIALoads of pictures of coolold car ads every month

NEWS & EVENTSYou’ll fi nd everything you need to know about what’s going in the world of classic cars

GREAT FEATURES

Read about the cars you love in

features written by writers you’ll love


www.classic-car-mart.co.ukVo

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009

SELL YOUR CAR FOR FREE – SEE PAGE 102 LOTUS ELISE

MGA IN AFRICACOMPETITION MINIS

SEVENTIES’ CLASSICS


Vol.1

5 N

o.12

£3.50

WITH 54 PAGESOF CARS FOR SALEFIND YOURDREAM MACHINEINSIDE


COMPETITION MINISCOMPETITION MINISGT6 ENGINE REBUILD




A FAIR WEATHER FRIEND OR A GREAT ALL ROUNDER? FIND OUT INSIDE

MERCEDES-BENZ SL 300 ROAD TEST


WIN A BATTERY CHARGER WORTH £269!

See Page 89

CCM_NOV_09_COVERmhkmpg.indd 1

FREE ADS

IT’S FREE TO

ADVERTISE

YOUR CAR IN

CLASSIC CAR

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8 REASONS TO

Only available while stocks last

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Chrome Vanadium steel WallDrive® sockets.Contents: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13mm Sockets, Ratchet Wrench & Extension Bar.Supplied with socket rail.


SELL YOUR CAR FOR FREE – SEE PAGE 136

1000sOF CLASSICSFOR SALE

£5K CLASSICS

OUR PICK OF SIX OF THE BEST BARGAIN BUYS

FRENCH FANCIES

WILL OUR MG MAKE IT ACROSS THE CHANNEL?

PLUS: SEVEN WAYS TO GET THE PERFECT SUMMER BODY

NEW LEASE OF LIFE FORMK2’S LITTLE BROTHER

RESTORED JAG

Why you’ll love owning this pre-war MG

Vol.13 No.10 £3.25

Vol. 13 No.10 September 2007THE BEST REAR ENGINED CLASSIC?

BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THIS AUSTERE AUSTIN 10

POST-WAR HERO

NSU SPIDER VS FROGEYEHow far would you go to stand out from the crowd?

TWINTEST

MG T-SERIESBUYERS’GUIDE

SEPT CCM_07 COVERmhkm.indd 1

SELL YOUR CAR FOR FREE – PAGE 112

1000sOF CLASSICS

FOR SALE


MGB VSTR6

Vol. 14 No.5 Spring 2008

Vol.1

4 N

o.05

£3.2

5

SECRET HISTORY:

MORSE’S MK2What happened to Coventry’s

most famous cat? see p48

Best Daily Drivers Revealed Road Test: Wolseley 15/60

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING CITROEN’S TRACTION AVANT

GET READY FOR SUMMER

1000S OF CARS FOR SALE PARTS & ACCESSORIES THE BEST EVENTS PRACTICAL ADVICE

TWIN TEST

Two cars that defined an

era – but only one winner

G CCM 08 COVERmhkmpg.indd 1

12/3/08 09:57:16

SUBSCRIBE

NON UK RESIDENTS PLEASE CALL FOR PRICES

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Other

Initials Surname

Address

Postcode

Telephone

Email

Signature

SUBSCRIBE BY POSTPost back the coupon to: Classic Car Mart, CSL Publishing Ltd, Alliance House, 49 Sidney Street, Cambridge, CB2 3HX

1.

SUBSCRIBE BY PHONECall 01223 460490 Lines op]en Mon-Fri 9.00am-5.30pm

2.

SUBSCRIBE BY FAXFax the coupon back on 01223 315960

3.

I would like to subscribe to Classic Car Mart for 13 issues commencing with the next available issue

I would like to extend my existing subscription to Classic Car Mart for 12 months

I enclose a cheque/postal order made payable to CSL Publishing Ltd for £34

Please debit my VISA / MASTERCARD / AMERICAN EXPRESS / SOLO / SWITCH / DELTA with £34

Switch Only

3 digit security code

THREE GREATWAYS TO SUBSCRIBE

Card No

Vaild From Expiry

Issue No.

SAVE MONEYSave 20% off the cover price A SAVING OF £10.25 CARS FOR SALE

1000s of cars for sale adverts – fi nd the right classic for you

BUYING GUIDESThe most defi nitive, up to date buying information

GET A FREE 12PC 1/4 INCH SQUARE DRIVE SOCKET SET - METRIC WORTH £15.95

NOSTALGIALoads of pictures of coolold car ads every month

NEWS & EVENTSYou’ll fi nd everything you need to know about what’s going in the world of classic cars

GREAT FEATURES

Read about the cars you love in

features written by writers you’ll love


www.classic-car-mart.co.uk

Vol.1

5 N

o.12

Nove

mbe

r 200

9

SELL YOUR CAR FOR FREE – SEE PAGE 102 LOTUS ELISE

MGA IN AFRICACOMPETITION MINIS

SEVENTIES’ CLASSICS


Vol.1

5 N

o.12

£3.50

WITH 54 PAGESOF CARS FOR SALEFIND YOURDREAM MACHINEINSIDE


COMPETITION MINISCOMPETITION MINISGT6 ENGINE REBUILD




A FAIR WEATHER FRIEND OR A GREAT ALL ROUNDER? FIND OUT INSIDE

MERCEDES-BENZ SL 300 ROAD TEST


WIN A BATTERY CHARGER WORTH £269!

See Page 89

CCM_NOV_09_COVERmhkmpg.indd 1

FREE ADS

IT’S FREE TO

ADVERTISE

YOUR CAR IN

CLASSIC CAR

MART

8 REASONS TO

Only available while stocks last

SAVE20%PLUSFREEGIFT

WORTH£15.95

Chrome Vanadium steel WallDrive® sockets.Contents: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13mm Sockets, Ratchet Wrench & Extension Bar.Supplied with socket rail.

48 Classic Car Mart November 2009 49Classic Car Mart November 2009

A COUPE FOR ALL SEASONSOwning an SL doesn’t mean you have to break the bank – you just need to keep an open mind, says Keith Moody

The SL badge is one of the most desirable in the world of classic motoring. Many people also think it’s the most expensive – but they’d be

wrong. Okay, so if you’re after a Gullwing or a Fifties’ roadster, then you’re going to have to dig deep. If you’re willing to look towards the ‘pagoda’ roof series, you might find a bit more left in your wallet than you expected. But look even further into the Mercedes cannon and there’s an even bigger surprise waiting for you: a two-plus-two convertible sports car for less than ten grand.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? But the fact is that the R107 series is cracking value right now. And because it draws on a rich heritage – from podium hogging racers to uber-desirable roadsters, gorgeous coupes and earth-stopping supercars – you can be sure it drives as good as it looks.

SL STORYLegend has it that Mercedes first got the idea for the SL when they saw a 3.4-litre XK120C bombing round Le Mans in 1951, averaging 105mph and winning by more than 60 miles. But as well as seeing the

winning car take the chequered flag, they also saw two of the three XK C-types expire.

The men from Germany liked the idea of creating a lightweight sports car with a production-based drivetrain and nifty aerodynamics. What they didn’t like was the poor reliability exhibited by the British cars. So they took the concept and improved it. The rest, as they say, is history.

From early tests at the Nurburgring using nothing more than a rolling chassis made from dozens of steel tubes (albeit a proper spaceframe rather than glorified ladder chassis), Mercedes knew it was �

Road Test: 1988 Mercedes 300SL

48 Classic Car Mart November 2009 49Classic Car Mart November 2009

A COUPE FOR ALL SEASONSOwning an SL doesn’t mean you have to break the bank – you just need to keep an open mind, says Keith Moody

The SL badge is one of the most desirable in the world of classic motoring. Many people also think it’s the most expensive – but they’d be

wrong. Okay, so if you’re after a Gullwing or a Fifties’ roadster, then you’re going to have to dig deep. If you’re willing to look towards the ‘pagoda’ roof series, you might find a bit more left in your wallet than you expected. But look even further into the Mercedes cannon and there’s an even bigger surprise waiting for you: a two-plus-two convertible sports car for less than ten grand.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? But the fact is that the R107 series is cracking value right now. And because it draws on a rich heritage – from podium hogging racers to uber-desirable roadsters, gorgeous coupes and earth-stopping supercars – you can be sure it drives as good as it looks.

SL STORYLegend has it that Mercedes first got the idea for the SL when they saw a 3.4-litre XK120C bombing round Le Mans in 1951, averaging 105mph and winning by more than 60 miles. But as well as seeing the

winning car take the chequered flag, they also saw two of the three XK C-types expire.

The men from Germany liked the idea of creating a lightweight sports car with a production-based drivetrain and nifty aerodynamics. What they didn’t like was the poor reliability exhibited by the British cars. So they took the concept and improved it. The rest, as they say, is history.

From early tests at the Nurburgring using nothing more than a rolling chassis made from dozens of steel tubes (albeit a proper spaceframe rather than glorified ladder chassis), Mercedes knew it was �

Road Test: 1988 Mercedes 300SL

95Classic Car Mart November 2009

LIFE ON MARS?

Classic Car Mart November 2009 95Classic Car Mart November 200994

With the Seventies now back in vogue thanks to TV programmes such as Life on Mars, now is the time to start

looking for a Cortina of your own.When the Cortina Mk III arrived in

October 1970, it was astonishingly modern after the conservatively styled Mk II. Those heavy swage lines and pronounced ‘Coke-bottle’ hips were daring at a time when predictability was the order of the day for mass-market saloons. However, it wasn’t the styling

that appealed the most – it was the choice on offer. There were so

many combinations of trim level,

body style and engine size available that it was possible to tailor the car to your exact requirements. From a sporting two-door saloon to an economical five-door estate, Ford could give the customer exactly what they wanted. That’s why the car was always one of the UK’s best sellers: in a production run that lasted six years, 1,126,559 Cortinas were built. But the cars have never been valuable, which is why few remain.

While values are unlikely to rise sharply any time soon, at least the cars are now sought after once more, thanks to the power of telly. So if you’re after a truly practical classic, the Cortina Mk III has all the right ingredients – but with each passing year it’s getting ever harder to find a good one.

After years of languishing in the doldrums and being written off as just another old banger, Ford’s Cortina Mk III, a Seventies best-seller, has become cool and desirable once more thanks to the cult BBC television series

Photos: Magic Car Pics(www.magiccarpics.co.uk)

Buyer’s Guide: Ford Cortina Mk III (1970-1976)

�

95Classic Car Mart November 2009

LIFE ON MARS?

Classic Car Mart November 2009 95Classic Car Mart November 200994

With the Seventies now back in vogue thanks to TV programmes such as Life on Mars, now is the time to start

looking for a Cortina of your own.When the Cortina Mk III arrived in

October 1970, it was astonishingly modern after the conservatively styled Mk II. Those heavy swage lines and pronounced ‘Coke-bottle’ hips were daring at a time when predictability was the order of the day for mass-market saloons. However, it wasn’t the styling

that appealed the most – it was the choice on offer. There were so

many combinations of trim level,

body style and engine size available that it was possible to tailor the car to your exact requirements. From a sporting two-door saloon to an economical five-door estate, Ford could give the customer exactly what they wanted. That’s why the car was always one of the UK’s best sellers: in a production run that lasted six years, 1,126,559 Cortinas were built. But the cars have never been valuable, which is why few remain.

While values are unlikely to rise sharply any time soon, at least the cars are now sought after once more, thanks to the power of telly. So if you’re after a truly practical classic, the Cortina Mk III has all the right ingredients – but with each passing year it’s getting ever harder to find a good one.

After years of languishing in the doldrums and being written off as just another old banger, Ford’s Cortina Mk III, a Seventies best-seller, has become cool and desirable once more thanks to the cult BBC television series

Photos: Magic Car Pics(www.magiccarpics.co.uk)

Buyer’s Guide: Ford Cortina Mk III (1970-1976)

�

CCM0812 Footman James.indd 1 16/10/08 4:07:00 pm

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