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Heaven scent: Obliterating odours inside the car

In the October edition of Practical Classics, we mark 30 years of the MGF with a look at its mid-engine Nineties counterparts, there’s a celebration of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s record-breaking achievements with Blue Bird at Pendine and a head-to-head battle between a Ford Granada and Volvo 740.

At the workshop, we’re looking at ways of preventing overheating, battling strange odours, and re-using windscreen surrounds, while our writers showcase their projects – from Triumph 2000 to Wartburg and a Morris Minor police car.

Meanwhile, in-depth guides to buying a Triumph TR3 and BMW 3-series, and we meet the restorers who’ve revived a Triumph Spitfire and a Rover P5 hearse!

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**TEAM ADVENTURE**  
Both failure and success lead Steph to the Le Mans Classic

**WORDS** STEPH HOLLOWAY **PHOTOGRAPHY** JESSE BILLINGTON & JAMES WALSHE

  
**W**ell, I did try, but sadly at the last possible moment it was horribly clear I wouldn’t be taking my new Morris Minor Convertible to the Le Mans Classic this time. Years of reading heroic adventure tales, road trips and rescues in PC had me filled with a confidence I could get my recent purchase to the famous French festival of high-speed insanity. Perhaps you only get so much luck, because I’d done it before with my knackered Standard 10; getting to the NEC Classic Motor Show at the 11th hour after days (and nights) of blood, sweat and tears. However, it would appear on this occasion, as I stand here in the workshop at 1am, it just won’t happen this time. Everything is against me; from the gearbox first motion bearing and layshaft failing to acres of silicon on every component which I, and my friends, heroes and willing helpers at ADO Restoration, had spent hours scraping off and had slowed progress markedly. You expect a few surprises when you take on a bargain classic that hasn’t been driven properly in decades, but I stand here, scraper in hand, bitterly wishing it wasn’t something I was sorting so close to deadline. Despite the hours ticking away, my optimism and ignorance had kept buoyant until this point…whereby Paul (long suffering co-worker) pops his head up to grimly inform me the clutch relay shaft chassis bush has split and there isn’t a spare.  
Shedding a few bitter tears, I refuse to give up and I simply grab the keys to my faithful 1968 Morris Minor four-door saloon, Nancy. A daily driver with an impeccable track record. Fitted with a new 1098cc engine last year, the only concern is a taste for regular gearbox oil top ups. Sloshing a litre of 20w50 into the ’box, checking levels, the spare tyre and boot spares (I carry all ignition parts, a head gasket set, various hoses and small bits and pieces like clutch return springs), I drive away into the night from a workshop filled with adrenaline and bitter disappointment.

Hopes were still high for the ill-fated Convertible.

  
**Plan B**  
Heading straight down the M1 from Huddersfield to Coventry to pick up my co-driver and best friend Joe Sheraton, I feel the bitterness of the failure leave me, it’s still a classic adventure after all! The journey to Kent is stress free, with no ‘will we/won’t we’ peril and Joe taking over at Coventry has given me some much needed time to catch up on lost sleep. As we edge closer to the border, we begin spotting classics which are clearly on the same journey as us. Minis and MGBs all polished up and shooting past, a gaggle of sleek Porsches roaring past us and various others giving us a beep and wave, in the knowledge we’re all about to have one heck of a weekend.  
Once in France, we take the autoroute for simplicity for the first stretch; enjoying a lack of traffic or roadworks – a motorists dream! We break the monotony with a detour through quaint French villages, punctuated by delightful boulangeries and patisseries. A brief stop in Rouen for petrol and an underbonnet inspection reveals no loss of any fluids or budging from ‘full’ on the dipstick. With light fading and Nancy still gallantly marching on, we arrive at our accommodation; luxury pods provided by Motorsport Travel Destinations.  
The site, twinkling with fairy lights, gave hint to being no normal ‘glampsite’ with the TR6 and MGB parked nearby. Each pod is kitted out with two beds, shelving and a quiet space to unwind. An onsite canteen serving meals, recognising our frazzled state, serves up a pair of delicious sandwiches. I note as we munch away that despite us being a ten-minute walk from the track, the noise of all the race cars competes with bird song and crickets; never letting you forget where you are!  
‘I drive into the night consumed by adrenaline and disappointment’

Paul removes gearbox in a last-ditch attempt.

  
**Dawn chorus**  
It feels like barely a moment passes between lights out and dawn breaking, at which point I’m raring to go and to experience the full Le Mans Classic experience. The blazing sunshine puts a spring in my step, and we walk to the track; albeit with a massive delay because I keep stopping to gawp at the dozens of visitor’s classics arriving at the venue. Anything from a stunning Capri MkIII to the late John Surtees’s Ferrari. Stepping through the gates, the magic immediately grips you. We find ourselves in the club displays; rows upon rows of delectable classics, some of which I had never seen before. As the track snakes round, the classics follow suit, with a mix of higher end brands such as Bugatti, Aston Martin and Bentley sitting quite comfortably next to Fiats, Peugeots and a gaggle of micro cars. Refreshingly, there is no ego. I don’t hear a single person showing off. Just smiles and laughter, hugs and goodwill.

Steph and co-pilot Joe… in the Plan B car.

  
The programme reveals there are more than 9000 cars on display, but the real highlight for me are the Tour De France cars. These are ‘curios and oddities’ which lead the race each year. The conjoined twin Renault 5 is probably my favourite. A spot of lunch leads us down to the track to watch some of the qualifying action.  
I arrive with zero expectation, but to see a Jowett out on the track put an enormous smile on my face. In the paddock, I spot some familiar faces from Bicester Heritage, who are working on the race cars over the weekend, which makes you especially proud of our homegrown talent. We also spot **PC**’s James Walshe, who joined us for an hour of car spotting, with an early Mitsubishi Colt being a highlight for him.

  
The funny thing about Le Mans Classic is that time has no concept. If you’ve never been before, it’s a hard to explain, but it really should be nicknamed ‘the circuit that never sleeps.’ The traffic is constant; a smell of fuel and grease lingers in the air and toots of horns (mainly from the 2CV and Mehari taxis) continue throughout the night.  
Despite chronic sleep deprivation, I am wide awake, and as the light fades, we mix watching qualifiers and dancing to a mix of DJs spinning Sixties hits from old school vinyl. In the early hours, we stumble back to the campsite. The cars still rushing round come within inches of the public footpath. Common sense is relied upon to avoid injury and happily, people behave well and move in harmony with the endless sea of classics. You can barely tell the site packs in 238,000 guests for the weekend, as it all seems to run seamlessly.

  
**Racy times**  
Day two brings the first ‘real’ races and include pre-war cars, Sixties classics (my favourite) and a bit of the more modern, high-end stuff. The racing continues for 24 hours, starting on the Saturday afternoon and continuing non-stop until Sunday afternoon. Each group of cars is out for an hour before the next one goes out, unlike 24 Hours, which has the same cars out for the full duration.  
We devour crepes, indulge in classic car spotting and visit the classic camping display – a mix of canvas frame tents and classic caravans. Each setup is completely vintage, with an impressive display of vintage accessories. Along with the racing, the displays and pop-up performers, there’s that relentless, non-stop music – a DJ in the main bar belting out the hits and another retro stage nearby plays Fifties and Sixties numbers. There’s a line-up of musical artists on a stage nearby, but the French DJ playing Northern Soul keeps me spinning on the wooden slats for far longer than I plan to be out! It’s 2am and we show no signs of slowing down, a bit like the race cars, we’re willing ourselves on. Sadly, the promise of three days of sun is suddenly broken with a deluge of rain that temporarily closes the track for a few hours. Seeing this as a chance to get some sleep, we grab a few hours before taking a very British approach of umbrellas and stiff upper lip. Spectating at Dunlop Corner, we will the cars to take more risk, but totally appreciate the races are soon to finish and the rain has left the track rather perilous. The sun emerges mid-afternoon, not long before the final race is called. We finish our time on the track exhausted, a soaking wet feeling to add to our sunburn.  
'We devour crepes and indulge in exotic classic car spotting’

Steph considers a Lagonda engine swap for her Minor.

Racing action takes place in 30 degree heat.

Classic camping area a big hit with Steph.

Steph and best mate Joe enjoy the madness.

  
**Homeward bound**  
The weather has changed as we set off for home Monday morning, having once again checked all the vitals. Barely a drop of oil used in the 1000 miles we’ve covered so far. Pulling up to a potato vending machine located in the middle of absolutely nowhere, sadly out of service, Joe tweaks the mixture. Within a few minutes, Nancy sounds fine again. We pick our way through little villages, soaking up the last of the French culture and soon, a stress-free Channel crossing is spoilt by an arduous trek up the M25. Nancy gets me home for 9pm and a quick tally of fuel receipts show her to be achieving approximately 38mpg; which is sensational. Underbonnet checks show the oil level has fallen around 1mm below the max line; and it’ll now be time for a customary service and inspection.  
Bravo to us, but mostly to Nancy, who has now covered over 5000 miles since her MOT in May, without fault. Above all though, the Le Mans Classic has completely changed my expectations of what a motoring spectacle should deliver. I’ll be returning next year – this time in a convertible!

Defunct spud machine on the rainy road home.  
  
WE WERE THERE TOO!  
**‘I can get all my Le Mans camping gear in it’**  
**1974 Triumph TR6 Colin Barker, Hertfordshire**

Colin’s trusty ’6 really is part of the family

  
I’m camping at Classic Le Mans with fellow members of the TR Register and Triumph Sport Six Club. The TR6 is the ideal tourer for trips like this. It’s comfortable, has power when you need it and although not exactly economical, these cars are relatively simple to maintain. You can get plenty of luggage in the back and a load of spares underneath the boot floor, too. This year, the boot itself is crammed full of camping gear, with a pair of axle stands and a kettle behind the seats.  
I bought my TR6 in 1978 when it had 23,000 miles. At the time, I looked at MGs, but they weren’t special enough for me, and I tried an Elan but I doubt I’d still own it now as they were so delicate. My TR6 has been so robust – it has never let me down. It’s a ten-metre car, as its not perfect but I find it very useable – it’s on 106,000 miles these days. In that time, the car has been very much part of the family – I drove it to work, took each of the kids to Saturday football and it has taken us on numerous holidays. My wife and I drove it to Spain on holiday last year. The engine has never been apart!  
  
**‘We’re heading down through France on the backroads’**  
**1965 Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII Richard Tysler, Essex**

  
My wife Anne and I are spending the weekend at Le Mans and love the sounds and sights – there’s nowhere else quite like it. We thought we’d bring the Austin-Healey as the weather forecast was good and it’s an excellent cruiser on a long distance – when Anne and I aren’t arguing over which direction to take. It’s always a mix of sat nav and old-fashioned map reading, which can be tricky as there’s so little space in the cabin!  
It’s Anne’s car really. She’d always wanted one. We’ve owned it for eight years, and it has been terrific. We’ve done the Pyrenees in the car and even though temperatures went beyond 30 degrees, the car was fine. On this trip, we’re doing the Le Mans classic and then heading down to the south of France using mostly backroads as it’s much nicer to keep a car like this away from the autoroute. We’re here at Le Mans this time with our friend Shaun – he doesn’t fit in the boot though, so he’s at the wheel of his Tesla. What a loser!  
  
**‘My Chevette is probably the rarest car at Le Mans’**  
**1975 Vauxhall Chevette Turbo David Foreshaw, Frampton Cotterell**

  
We’re on our way back from the Le Mans Classic, having done a long trip around Europe before that. The event was really good – we’ve had a real blast. I reckon we might have been in the rarest car there. There aren’t many Chevettes around – let alone Chevettes with 234bhp!  
My grandfather bought this car new in 1975, and I passed my driving test in it in 1988. I bought the car off him in 1993 and, after finding a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo that had crashed into a tree, I removed its 170bhp engine and fitted it into the Chevette. I’ve put it on multipoint and added a Cosworth intercooler, Starion turbocharger and vented discs. Plant your foot at 70mph and it pushes you back in your seat! However, it’s actually very relaxing to drive with the diff I’ve fitted. All that extra power was useful on our trip around the Alpine mountain passes. I’ve been with my son driving around Austria and Switzerland, followed by my brother in his Impreza and others in a Boxster, TT and a Stag. They were definitely following, as they couldn’t catch us!

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**THE BIG NIGGLE**  
Jay wants to rid his Renault of funky smells from a previous owner

  
Imagine a combination of cigarette smell, a petrol spillage, and the impression a labrador is breathing on your neck. This is the inside of my (new to me) classic Renault 5, and I need to get it sorted!  
**Jay Harvard, Bristol**  
  
**RICH’S JOB CARD**  
BANISH INTERIOR ODOURS

  
There is a wide spectrum of steps for removing odours from an interior.They can be as simple as a good vacuum to remove the dry cause, up to a full interior rip out to find the residue and the recurring memory of a bottle of milk that leaked in the boot on the way back from the shop. Knowing how to attack various causes is almost as important as knowing how to take your interior to pieces to get to them in some cases. Luckily, there are some less invasive techniques you can try first…

  
Using O3 science to attack smells on a molecular level, they aren’t cheap, but you can hire them and they’re very effective at getting everywhere.

  
Part biocide, part scent, these also circulate through an air-con system and kill any nasties. They can leave a residue though, and are rarely permanent unless the source is removed.

  
While they don’t destroy the cause, these contain additives that absorb odours, sometimes leaving behind a powder to hoover up. Scented household ones are rarely as effective though.

  
Enzyme strands of protein are deployed in spray form to gobble up the organic causes of odours and eradicate them – assuming you can access them with the spray head.

  
Sanitising chemicals that leave longer lasting protection and prevent regrowth. They break apart cells of smelly stuff, but are less effective on inorganic smells such as petrol.

  
Set and forget for the day. These two-part kits use a chemical reaction to produce chlorine dioxide gas, which kills organic smells. Just ventilate well after, and use with caution.

  
Why remove a smell when you can blast a nicer smell into your face? Because sometimes it’s your only option. Short term cover up, but will mask a bad scent.  
  
**EXPLAINER:** Understanding the fundamentals of success…  
**1** **Catch it quick**

  
To successfully remove odours, you need to first remove the source. It stands to reason that if you leave a litre of spilled milk deep in your carpet, no amount of air freshener is going to stop the odour coming back again and again, so you need to remove the bacteria causing the whiff before treating it.

  
If it’s still wet, repeated flushing with clean water and an extraction machine is your best bet, repeating until the water draws out clean. Dried stains are trickier, and generally require diluting back down in order to suck the contaminant out if they’ve penetrated the surface. Always use cold water, as hot water can set proteins, making them nearly impossible to remove

  
Once all the ‘solids’ are out, you can then kill the odour-causing bacteria using various chemicals such as disinfectants, enzyme eaters, and biocidal cleaners. The deeper into fabrics and foam insulation the cause has seeped, the more you will need to ensure it can do its job, so saturate and squeeze to distribute fully.

  
THE CHOICE  
**BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS**  
**1** **Organic contaminants**

  
Unpleasant things like mould, proteins and anything biological are bacteria based and can cause foul smells and mould the longer they are left untreated.

  
This is where wet treatments can kill the bacteria we mentioned earlier. Biocidal cleaners destroy the bacteria meaning they cannot reproduce, so the smell dies.

  
For hard to reach or inaccessible areas such as vents which the smell may have penetrated, a gas treatment will get everywhere liquid cannot – whether ClO2, Ozone, or odour bomb.

  
**OIL-BASED CONTAMINANTS**  
**4** **VOCs**

  
Oil-based contaminants; eg. fuel, smoke, perfumes and fragrances all emit VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds. Over time they should dissipate, especially if the source can be mostly removed.

  
These can only be adsorbed - Substances such as baking soda, activated charcoal, talc or coffee grounds can all achieve this – or covered with fragrance until they dissipate over time.

  
To treat: place a bowl of ingredient in the area for as long as possible, or sprinkle baking soda directly when dry, leave to work, hoover, and repeat as necessary.  
  
**EASY MISTAKES**  
The surface is delicate… Sitting cleaned parts in the sun will kill bacteria naturally. UV oxidation breaks down odour molecules.  
The smell keeps coming back… Repetition is key for lingering scents. For deep spills, squeeze seating (etc) foams to draw products into the air bubbles within.  
Dog odour keeps reappearing… These odours are linked to dander – dog saliva drying on its hair. When this gets wet, the odour reactivates. Remove as much hair as possible and treat the carpet with an enzyme eater to kill off any bacteria for good.

  
**NIGGLE NOBBLED**  
Our reader’s result

  
After stripping the boot carpet out, I found the petrol smell was compounded by lead replacement additive that had leaked. I used the household Vax to remove it, then baking powder sorted the petrol smell over a few days, biocide cleaner dampened down the wet dog, and the cigarette odour is much reduced after an odour bomb. I’ve found by adding garlic and coffee air fresheners the Renault merely smells like a French bistro now, which I can live with.

In the September 2025 issue of Practical Classics, we mark 75 years of Formula 1 with an epic road trip from the venues that hosted it in the UK – from Aintree to Donington Park to Silverstone and Brand’s Hatch – in classics with a connection to motorsport.

There’s a trip down Memory Lane to 1976 Portsmouth, the tale of the restoration of a Dodge Spacevan TV license detector vehicle, a Subaru Brat revival, and a head-to-head between the Renault Clio 16v and Ford Fiesta XR2i.

We meet the man who still owns his first car – a Vauxhall Chevette – and get gooey eyed over a bunch of classic Alfa Romeos. At our workshop, our team of writers show off their project cars – from Morris Minor and 2CV to MGF, Austin Maxi and Fiat 500. Plus, tech tips on misfires and removing badges to advice on applying for tax and MOT exemption.

MARKETPLACE WITH MODERN CLASSICS  
**James Walshe** on how to buy the best example of Jag’s XJ for the Nineties

**Why you want one**  
While still in possession of Jaguar’s unique range of talents in 1994, the ageing XJ40’s Seventies roots had begun show. The X300’s arrival was therefore cause for great excitement in the luxury market and went on to turn Jaguar’s fortunes around during its short life. It presented a familiar Jaguar shape that nodded to the past, Geoff Lawson’s elegant front-end treatment reminiscent of the Series 3, yet with state-of-the-art Nineties tech and even greater comfort. While the X300 was, admittedly, a heavy reskin of its predecessor and a stopgap before the arrival of the X308 of 1997 (itself another clever reworking of the XJ40 platform), Ford’s ownership focussed on quality control, accompanied by wide-ranging revisions to the suspension and steering to give this new generation of Jag exec class-leading talent.  
The X300 presents buyers with not only a bargain luxury car, but one with the best DIY opportunities. Nothing is especially difficult to source or repair, with a familiar AJ16 straight-six engine under the bonnet in either 3.2 and 4.0-litre form. Base cars were known simply as ‘XJ6’, with none of those getting air-con, but find a version badged ‘Sport’ and it’ll have extras including bigger wheels and sportier seats and suspension, while the supercharged XJR gets an upgrade to 321bhp and some 17in alloys. ‘Executive’ badged models came later. For maximum luxury, you’ll want a Sovereign and Daimler badged X300. Meanwhile, the Daimler Double Six featured the XJ12’s glorious 6-litre engine but with extras like heated front seats, picnic tables in the rear and fluted leather door pockets. You might even find a Daimler Century with its special chromed wheels and electric rear seats. But do you need to worry about it all going wrong? Here’s what to look out for…  
**The inspection**  
Firstly, when scrutinising that handsome body, check the bolt-on front wings. While not much is, the front wings are interchangeable with the later X308. Inspect the rear wheel-arches – it’s possible to use XJ40 repair panels if necessary.  
Also examine the front and rear screen surrounds and around the sunroof aperture and check the latter’s drain holes for rust promoting blockages. The bonnet, door bottoms, and boot lid don’t suffer too badly, which is just as well because replacements are only available used and can be costly. Thoroughly check the bulkhead and front suspension turrets and pay particular attention to the ends of the sills and the toe-boards. Later examples can suffer serious corrosion where the floor meets the sills, so extensive probing from underneath is crucial to avoid failed MoT tests and subsequent uneconomic repair bills. Always check a car’s MOT history online to check for hidden horrors. Rotten rear bumper mounts aren’t uncommon, either, and it’s also worth checking for damaged chrome trim or light units and for paintwork defects such as peeling lacquer. The chrome trim on both bumpers is made of cheap and nasty metal and are difficult to replace. For all else, a healthy trade in secondhand X300 parts helps to keeps costs down.

Cabin based on XJ40, but vastly improved.  
‘This new generation of Jag exec had class-leading talent’

Only 6000 X300 V12s were made.  
Six-cylinder engines are bombproof, with careful maintenance often seeing cars doing 250-300k miles before a major overhaul. A fat folder of bills showing regular oil and filter changes provides peace of mind. Listen for rattles from the timing chain – consider renewing at 100k miles if you’re concerned – and for noise from a cracked exhaust manifold (these are no longer available). The XJR’s Eaton M90 supercharger just needs its oil checking and topping up periodically. The 6-litre V12 models are rare, but they’re equally strong if the servicing has been done properly. If you can, start the engine from cold and listening for the faint rumble of main bearing wear. Meanwhile, there’s a lot of engine to cool on all X300s, so inspect the system. Look for swollen hose ends and green-tinged corrosive build-up. Check for any leaks from the power steering, too – a replacement rack is £1000-plus – and for corrosion on steering and brake pipes.  
Where the electrics are concerned, iffy relays are easily sorted but the engine control module (behind the driver’s side kick panel) is prone to water ingress; a new one costs four figures, but you might find a second-hand unit for a few hundred pounds. There’s lots of kit, so prod every switch and button – replacing failed electric motors will get expensive as will reviving failed air conditioning – but don’t be surprised to discover that the digital clock no longer works; it’s such a common issue, replacements can be found easily at not much cost. Other issues include a seized boot lock and central locking remotes that are no longer working. Headlamp washers are easy to damage but, sadly, it’s impossible to find parts. Most owners don’t bother.

There are few places quite this nice on a long trip.  
Some X300s were trimmed in part leather but full leather is more desirable and, apart from scuffed driver’s seat bolsters, proves harder wearing. Wood veneer lasts well, too, but you’ll need second-hand bits if it’s damaged. More common is a sagging headlining, and contrary to opinion it can be replaced without having to remove the windscreen; it’s a tricky and labour-intensive job, though. The Daimler versions got two types of leather and two types of pleating, plus four different types of rear seat design – all available in both pleating types. It’s worth noting that while there is no Haynes manual for this version of Jaguar’s exec, fellow owners will no doubt furnish you with a copy of the factory manual – invaluable to X300 ownership.   
Gearboxes are strong – there’s a four-speed ZF auto and Getrag manual on the six-cylinder cars and a Powertrain automatic on V12 models. Whiny axles aren’t necessarily an issue unless intrusive to your ears. In the suspension, there are plenty of bushes to perish or fail and OEM replacements are recommended; those for the wishbones, anti-roll bars and front dampers are often particularly short-lived. Uneven tyre wear points to geometry out of kilter, while tired rear subframe mounting bushes or damper top mounts cause clunks and rattles. The work can become involved and pricy, so be wary of neglected examples. Look for leaking dampers and corroded or fractured springs, and budget £500-1000 to replace the lot.  
  
**WHAT TO PAY**  
**PROJECT** £400-£1500  
**GOOD** £2000-£5000  
**EXCELLENT** £6000-£10,000  
**TECH SPEC (V12)**  
**Engine** 5993cc/V12/OHC  
**Power** 314bhp@5350rpm  
**Torque** 352lb ft@2850rpm  
**Gearbox** 4-speed auto  
**Top speed** 155mph  
**0-60mph** 7.2sec  
**Economy** 15mpg  
  
**MARKET ANALYSIS**  
Bargains are still out there. Both Anglia Car Auctions and Mathewsons have seen tidy, usable examples of the XJ6 Sport sell for around £1500 in the past few months. You’ll pay a little more for a similar condition Sovereign or Daimler Six, while a good XJ12 and Daimler Double Six commands more still – if you can find one, as they’re extremely rare. The best XJR will be up for around £10,000. More than that, and you’ll need the most impeccable service history imaginable. As for projects, this was among the last XJ model you could define as ‘easy’ for DIY repairers and given that a project can be had from little as £500 surely makes this one of the market’s true bargains. You don’t have to spend a fortune on parts either, as most bits are available for reasonable cost when you’ve made some X300 chums. Bargains are still out there. Both Anglia Car Auctions and Mathewsons have seen tidy, usable examples of the XJ6 Sport sell for around £1500 in the past few months. You’ll pay a little more for a similar condition Sovereign or Daimler Six, while a good XJ12 and Daimler Double Six commands more still – if you can find one, as they’re extremely rare. The best XJR will be up for around £10,000. More than that, and you’ll need the most impeccable service history imaginable. As for projects, this was among the last XJ model you could define as ‘easy’ for DIY repairers and given that a project can be had from little as £500 surely makes this one of the market’s true bargains. You don’t have to spend a fortune on parts either, as most bits are available for reasonable cost when you’ve made some X300 chums.  
  
**WHAT WE SAY** **THE ONE TO BUY**  
**James Walshe**  
**Deputy editor**  
If it’s good enough for Prime Ministers and members of the criminal underworld, it’s good enough for me. I’ll take a LWB Daimler Double Six with its chrome bits – from door mirrors to handles. For a start, it has that smooth V12 – one of the greats. Known as the X330, an extra five inches were added to the X300 body, which was then crammed with luxuries like fluted leather door pockets and marquetry veneer. No luxury car can be truly called luxurious if you don’t have picnic tables for your passengers, right?

**Editor**  
I have owned two six-cylinder X300s Jaguars, the second being a SWB Daimler Six version. I will have that one back please. Extra cow, extra tree, extra sheep and a ribbed radiator cowling. It gave the car a regal touch, and the short wheelbase added driving panache. The glorious AJ16 engine, despite being half the V12, gave so much bang for its buck that I wouldn’t want anything else in front of me.  
Reliable, responsive and reasonably frugal, this is top of the range luxury to use every day, it has to be the ultimate X300.

  
**Matt Tomkins**  
**Workshop editor**  
For me, it would have to be an XJR. You simply can’t beat the theatre of a big supercharger, especially one strapped to that silky smooth straight-six. I’ve driven a couple and loved both – each time vowing to buy my own one day. The appeal of a big, leathery exec is strong, but add to it the surging torque of belt-driven forced induction with acceleration akin to a jet on take-off and there’s nothing better. Or maybe there is… has anyone ever dropped XJR running gear beneath a Mk2? Now there’s a thought…  
  
**USEFUL CONTACTS**  
**Jaguar Drivers Club**, :a[jaguardriver.co.uk]{href='https://jaguardriver.co.uk' }  
**Jaguar Enthusiasts,** :a[jec.org.uk]{href='https://jec.org.uk' }  
**Auto Reserve Jaguar,** :a[autoreservejaguar.com]{href='https://autoreservejaguar.com' }  
**SNG Barratt,** :a[sngbarratt.com]{href='https://sngbarratt.com' }

Wise Buyer: Jaguar XJ X300 1994-1997

The classics you love, drive and restore  
  
**‘It was my dream Beetle when I was a kid’**  
**1972 VW Beetle** Ross Nicholson, Gorebridge

Hello Herbie!  
This is my 1972 VW Beetle, which is now a Herbie replica. Before purchase it had some bodywork tidied up and was painted white, from its original factory blue, which was ideal for me, as I was looking for a white one. Since I’ve had it, I’ve done a ton of work on it, new floorpans, new heater channels, full interior fitted… I chose Porsche 911 seats, too. I’ve fitted some backdated panels from a Sixties Bug and US spec bumpers, which are period correct for Herbie. I have also had a ragtop sunroof cut in, plus a lot of engine work done, including twin Weber carbs and painted shrouds, new wheels and tyres. Pretty much everything has been done now and I’m just enjoying taking it to shows and driving it in the nice weather. The blue picture is how it looked in its previous life when it was still just a mere car. Now it’s Herbie.

  
**‘It’s the first type of car that I ever travelled in’**  
**1963 Morris 1100** Graham Davis, Bexhill

One of the earliest known 1100s.  
My 1100 is Fiesta Yellow with a Porcelain Green interior and has the bent gear lever and the washer bottle mounted next to the grill. All things that single it out as a first year of production car. My parents had a D-reg 1100 when I was born, so my first journey was in one. When a friend decided to sell this, I had to have it. It had one owner from new until 2019 and then it was lightly restored and sold at auction. The car has 103,000 miles on the clock and it isn’t perfect, but it is is pretty good body-wise. It has a new Gold Seal engine and a reconditioned gearbox, so drives like a dream.

Porcelain interior, rare.  
  
**‘It really is a hell of a package’**  
**1977 Corvette C3** Glen Sharpe, Oakham

Diff revival was a saga.  
I’d hankered after a C3 Corvette for years. It’s got a limited slip diff, power brakes, air-con, power steering, electric windows, cruise control… the list goes on. Add to that the thumping great 5.7-litre V8 and three-speed automatic transmission, it’s a hell of a package. It had a crack in the glassfibre wing when I bought it, which I sorted myself, as well needing wheel bearings and work on the rear brakes.  
The limited slip differential had a horrendous noise coming from it when turning, too. I got to the point of being ready to sell the car because of it, but eventually research led me to the specific mineral oil and friction additive needed for the final drive and the correct running in procedure – 15 figures of eight in a deserted car park – which finally saw that problem solved. I couldn’t be happier with the car now.  
  
**‘It’s the ex-Practical Classics 205 CJ!’**  
**1992 Peugeot 205 CJ** Tim York, Somerset

I bought this 205 from PC editor Danny Hopkins. It’s a great car and I enjoy driving it as much as he did for the _Winter Warmers_ feature in Cornwall (PC, March 2025). Danny was honest about where it could be improved and the sale price reflected this. He left me a used choke mechanism in the boot, which we fitted along with a new back box. It won’t win any concours prizes, but I don’t really care, as it’s such a fun little summer car.  
  
**‘I’m intrigued by Honda’s fantastic engineering’**  
**2006 Honda Civic Type R** Jacob Arthur, Wiltshire

The smiles don’t stop.  
We had a Honda Beat in the family for a while and loved the high-revving nature of it. I’m a mechanic and was intrigued by the engineering – especially the VTEC units. I love to work on my own cars, so especially enjoy this ‘EP3’. It has one of the best engines fitted to a hot hatch. It blew me away when I took it on the test drive – I couldn’t stop smiling. It really demands your attention, so you have to engage with it. This particular one is a ‘Premier edition’ – so you get Recaro seats, factory tinted windows, red carpets and unique brake calipers. I’ve got a 2CV as well, which is a keeper.  
  
**‘I’ve taken my wife all round Europe in this!’**  
**1958 Messerschmitt KR201** Winford Jones, Taunton

European tourer… tick!  
When I was younger, I worked as an apprentice with a German man, and he first introduced me to the Messerschmitt. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve owned since 1964. I’ve had this KR201 for around 40 years. People love seeing it drive past and you end up in a lot of conversions at the petrol pump, but there’s a lot of myths about them. While they were indeed designed by aircraft engineers, they most certainly were not made from leftover aircraft! The company began by building invalid carriages for war veterans and then progressed to these beautiful little cars.  
The Messerschmitt is reliable, too. I’ve been to Germany, Holland and Austria – all over Europe many times – they’ll cruise along at 55mph all day long. My wife Jean has always been with me – we happily fly along together. The seats split and you can fit a suitcase in, along with your passenger.  
  
**‘Citroën folk get out and about!’**  
**1986 Citroën 2CV** Paul Ellis, Calne

No museum piece… a ‘user’.  
I’ve had eight of these two-cylinder Citroëns, starting with a Dyane many, many years ago when I lived in South Wales. I’ve since owned all different kinds, from Club to Charleston models with all their fancy paintwork. I saw this red Paris-built ‘Spécial’ for sale locally on eBay and the pictures looked so good, I went to visit the car right away. The lady owner was an army officer and had looked after it well. The owner before her had previously made some sort of plywood modification to the dashboard – I got rid of all that without hesitation! Otherwise, the car needed a new clutch, and I’ve since given it a paint job and replacement roof, but everything else is original – even the chassis! I use it a lot and have many Citroën club friends around here. We’re out and about in our cars a lot.  
  
**‘I keep it in the front room in winter’**  
**1984 Sinclair C5** Colin Frost, Taunton

Daily driver…. sort of.  
When the weather is alright, I go to work at the local hospital in my C5. It only comes out in summer though – the rest of the year I keep it in my living room. I’ve had it five years and it has been great, only needing a few jobs. I’ve rewired and improved the electrics and fitted new brakes and tyres. A set of tyres is about £80. Sam at C5 Depot in Suffolk is the go-to guy. He buys, sells, services and restores them – and even does lithium conversions. I recently took part in a run from Ipswich to Felixstowe with around 40 other Sinclair C5 owners. It was a bit rainy, but we all made it there, I think! It took two hours, and we caused a few traffic jams! It was quite a sight – plenty of people waving and smiling. I’ve always liked the C5. I first remember seeing it on TV, on a Top Gear test drive feature in London back in the Eighties. I’ve also got four Raleigh Grifters and a Raleigh Chopper MkI.  
  
**‘I bought it before I had completed the test drive’**  
**1965 Austin-Healey Sprite MkIII** David and Thea Sanders, South Witham, Lincs

Grandad’s treat, Thea loves it, too.  
Thea: The car is actually called BOT and, when grandad picks me up from school in it, everyone waves. It’s very shiny and very red! David: She’s right. It’s also a matching numbers car which I bought in 2014. I’d been looking for a classic and had driven a Stag the previous day to going to see this. The Stag was wonderful but it just didn’t do anything for me, however the Sprite was a different story – if I am honest I had agreed to buy it before completing the test drive! I’ve fitted a brake servo and replaced the starter motor and battery, but other than that it’s pretty much as I bought it. It’s a real joy to drive on country roads and feels so much faster than it really is. I fitted the brake servo as it really did stop like a Sixties car. Now it stops like a Seventies car!  
  
**‘One owner, my garage find’**  
**1985 Ford Sierra 2.0 Ghia** Stefan Falzon, Malta

I've been a petrolhead since as long as I can remember, mostly thanks to my dad also being into cars. He still owns his very first car, an Escort MkI 1300 Super that he bought new in 1969 and which he cherished meticulously all these years. Coming now to my collection, my first car – a 1975 Escort MkII given to me by my dad – is now in the spray booth after a 10-year full resto. My love for the blue oval is undeniable, so in came a 1983 Fiesta MkI for which I got a rare series X (twin 36 Weber DCNFs on RS inlet and 4-2-1exhaust manifolds) and this, my one owner, garage find 1985 Sierra 2.0 Ghia with 20,000km on the clock. I also own one of my all-time favourite drives, a 2000 1.7 Puma. For me cars are beyond a means of transport but a way to connect with people sharing the same passion and to relax by tinkering in the garage after a day of sitting at a desk (I'm an accountant by profession). More importantly, they're a means to make priceless memories with my loved ones!  
  
**‘It has been in the family for 63 years!’**  
**1962 Volkswagen Beetle** Lynn and Vaugn Wray, Melton Mowbray

Family owned for 63 years.  
Vaugn: My parents bought the Beetle in 1962, and it’s been in my life ever since. It’s incredibly original, with even the dealership badge still attached to the passenger door card. I fondly remember family holidays in the car – to Devon, Edale, Blackpol, the Lake District and more. There’s a fab photo of me aged three taking my first trip in the car. The first of many! In 1976 the Beetle became my work car until, in 1978, it became university transport in Swansea. When I returned home in 1981, the Beetle was retired and garaged for a number of years until 1989, when it received a sympathetic overhaul. It was the least we could do really. After another period of use, the car went away again into my parents’ garage until, in 2021, my mum passed away. We returned the car to the road once again and now thoroughly enjoy taking it to shows and enjoy telling people the story of its 63 years in our family’s ownership.  
  
**‘My mate asked me to sell it so I did… to me!’**  
**1971 MGB Roadster** Rob Beechey, Oakham

  
Quite seriously I had no plans to buy a classic, but when my friend, Glen, bought his Corvette (see elsewhere in _Your Cars_), he needed to sell this. This meant that I was tasked with driving it to the local shows with a ‘For Sale’ sign in the window. Much to my surprise, I rather liked it, so the ‘For Sale’ sign kept mysteriously disappearing from the window when it was parked up on display while I decided how I would approach Glen. Glen had recently fitted the car with an overdrive gearbox and it was in good condition overall, but was showing some signs of wear with a number of dinks and dents on the wings and doors from storage damage. I appointed a paintless dent removal specialist recommended by a local Ferrari specialist and the results are amazing. I’m really pleased with it.  
  
**‘I lived in the US and I love big V8s’**  
**1968 Ford Mustang 302 Fastback** Peter Taylor, Elton, Cambs

No messing with this one.  
I spent a number of years of my life is American and I love V8s, so this purchase was inevitable, really. I bought the car two years ago from a dealer – Peter Cavallo – who had imported it originally before selling it to its two owners before me! I had a Cougar when I was in the ‘States, but sold it as I (wrongly) assumed that parts for it would be tricky to source once I returned to the UK. I should have brought it over, really, but the Mustang is most definitely a worthy replacement. When it was in America, it belonged to a garage owner for around 38 years – which is both good and bad. It good because it was exceptionally well looked after. Bad because there are no bills for what has been done in the service history! I use it now for shows and events including trips to the Goodwood Revival. My wife loves dressing up and I love the cars and – being ex-RAF – the planes, too. There’s nowhere better to indulge the passion.  
  
**‘I’ll never sell it. This is my relationship with my dad’**  
**1999 Volvo V70** Andy Harris, Little Houghton, Northants

This is my father’s car which he bought in October 1999 new, it was his third and final Volvo. He switched allegiance from Vauxhall when he retired. It’s a keeper. He passed away in 2003 and I have had it ever since. It has pretty much always been taxed and roadworthy and is still used, currently on 143,000 miles. It has some patina about it but that is what these Volvos are all about, they love to be used. When dad had had all the chemotherapy anyone could have, he became a bit of a hippy type character, into crystals and Reiki healing and that sort of thing. He used to visit a healer the other side of Norwich and by then he wasn’t driving and I used to pick him up in this car and we would go back and forth having the best chats. Those are the chats you can only have in a car facing forwards and I will never forget them, they mean everything to me. That is why this car is a keeper… spectacular memories… I’ll never sell it. I can’t. It’s him. It’s us. It’s also amazing for tip runs!  
  
**‘I was inspired by my father’s artwork’**  
**ASM R1 Aston Martin Replica** Chris Haynes, Somerset

My father was John Haynes, who started the Haynes Publishing group and established the museum. He was also a talented artist. One of the first paintings he did was DBR1 winning at Le Mans. After we sold the publishing group I bought two cars, this and a Ford Galaxie. When I told me mum she started smiling. She told me that my father always wanted a Galaxie, but he couldn’t afford it. When eventually he had the money, he couldn’t find one. But the ASM was always on the cards, thanks to that painting. I love it, it’s a 2016 build and has the 4.2-litre XK engine. I parked it outside a friend’s house the other day and he immediately received a large number of texts from friends asking if he had come into serious wealth, but as a replica it’s only a fraction of the value of a real one, so that means I can use it, and I do. There’s a major new automotive art exhibition on in the museum at the moment and you will be able to see it and this car as part of the John Haynes Classic on September 7. :a[johnhaynesclassic.co.uk]{href='https://johnhaynesclassic.co.uk' }  
  
**‘I’ve built a Seventies museum, so my GT fits right in!’**  
**1971 Opel GT** Ron Martin, Cornwall

Not a shape you see at every show.  
I’m into Vauxhalls and Opels, having bought my first Manta at the age of 22. Back then, I’d actually gone to look at an Escort RS2000 in Selly Oak with a mate. After some thought, he suggested that if the insurance doesn’t kill me, the car will! So, I bought myself the Manta instead! My uncle owned a lime green Manta SR so he definitely had some influence. This GT is a real keeper. I bought it three years ago, but life got in the way, so I almost sold it. When nobody was willing to take it off my hands, I decided to just get on with it! Now it’s finished, it gets a lot of attention, although not everyone knows what it is – some people think it’s a Corvette! I’m currently restoring another GT and a Manta, and establishing a Seventies museum here in Cornwall. It’s an old gym and work in progress, with plans to display all kinds of memorabilia and a few period motorbikes. There’ll be vending machines, bicycles, original food packaging, a Wurlitzer and a recreation of a Seventies house, so the Opel fits right in!  
  
**‘I just really fancied a V10!’**  
**1985 Audi UR Quattro and 2010 Audi R8** Jason Sharpe, Wissendine

I bought the UR Quattro in 2002 from a chap who worked for Prodrive. I’ve got a background in rallying – having competed in the British Rally Championship’s Peugeot Challenge – and my nephew had just bought a white one. I thought ‘it’s no good him having one and me not!’ I wanted a red one, of course, so got straight on the net and have owned this one ever since. It wasn’t in bad condition when I bought it, and I was lucky that at that time parts were far more readily available than they are now. I put two new rear quarters on it and a bonnet, and it had a glass-out respray in 2003. I fitted a new cylinder head and manifold at the time, too. It’s the WR with the shimmed tappets and, in my view, is the best sounding engine of the lot. The other quattro is a Gen 1 V10 R8, which I bought to replace my Porsche 911 turbo as I really fancied owning a V10. It only done 26,000 miles and is largely original apart from the carbon wrap on the roof, K&N filters and handmade titanium exhaust – all fitted by the previous owner. I do love it, but if ever I have the choice, I always grab the keys to the UR Quattro. It’s in my blood from rallying and would be the last of all the cars I own to go.  
  
**COLLECTOR OF THE MONTH**  
**‘The Chevette was my first car and is as basic as a car can be!’**  
**1980 Vauxhall Chevette, 1998 Vauxhall Corsa Convertible** Gavin Andrews, Hampshire

Corsa's cantilever boot lid unique to Convertible.  
**How does your obsession sit with the family?**  
‘Well, my wife Natalie is into the Harry Potter novels and films, so while I have a garage full of Vauxhall memorabilia, brochures and parts, she has her own space to indulge her hobby. There are rules though – I’m not allow flags or posters in the house! We don’t necessarily understand each other’s hobbies, but we tolerate them! My daughter Karenza isn’t fussed about cars, but my 14-year-old son James very much has his eye on the Chevette. He has hinted it’d make a good first car!’  
**That would be fitting, as it was your first car…**  
‘It has been with me since 1995, when I’d just passed my driving test. I heard that this Chevette had been in a garage for a while, so it ended up being my first set of wheels. It’s a 1980 ‘E’ model, so unbelievably basic. For instance, it has reversing lights and while they’re wired in, the switch isn’t connected. You’d have paid extra for that! It came with one rear view mirror, radial tyres and no Vauxhall logos on the wheel trims.’  
**And you kept it all this time?**  
‘I ran it for about six years until I bought my second car, an Astra MkII – and many others besides. Early on, I made modifications to the Chevette and swapped out the interior but having kept the original vinyl seats in my parents’ attic, I have since taken it back to standard – apart from the wheels. I still have those at the back of my garage. Along with so many boxes of Vauxhall memorabilia! The collection is so big, I really need to do something with it all.’

Base Chevette got OHV 1256cc engine and not much else!  
**And the car, too?**  
‘Yes, it needs to be revived as although it starts and runs well enough, it is probably time to do some revival work to spruce it up. It could do with some welding – the passenger side needs a new arch and sill. But it has spent most of its life in a garage and still has only 60,000 miles on the clock. I’m proud to have that – and it has outlasted my other Vauxhalls.’

Chevette's red vynide seats still immaculate.  
**What of your most recent addition to the fleet?**  
‘I had another Corsa B and liked it, but stumbled over this Convertible for £2700. I don’t think it’s the most attractive cabrio – it looks better with the roof down! There are a few unique and quirky bits, like the cantilever boot lid struts and rear spoiler. Weirdly, while it has a grommet for where the rear wiper would be, it still has a wiper motor!’

**We can’t recall ever seeing one!**  
‘It appears in two brochures and there was just one press release at the time. It’s thought 60 were built in total – 20 in green, 20 in red and 20 in black – but it didn’t sell all that well and was quickly dropped. It was sold in Australia as a Holden, but never took off there either. It’s a curiosity for sure and gets a lot of bewildered glances. Whatever the case, I smile every time I look at it!’

Hood looks somewhat unusual when raised.  
  
**Send us your car photos**  
To :a[practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk]{href='mailto:practical.classics@bauermedia.co.uk' }, marked ‘Your Cars’. Make sure your pictures are hi-res and that you are in them.

Your cars September 2025

Tech solutions and real world tips  
  
**Matt Tomkins**  
**WORKSHOP EDITOR**  
Our workshop puppet master, Matt has a real penchant for restoring British classics in particular.  
**This month** A varied month including some MGF fettling, Morris Minor titivation and a pre-race health check for the Austin Seven.  
  
**Rich March**  
**PRO BUFFER**  
New recruit Rich runs UK Detailing Academy. Our expert at making things shiny.  
**This month** Shows you how to safely remove tints, badges and stickers from your classic without causing any harm.  
  
**Ed Hughes**  
**WORKSHOP GENIUS**  
A former teacher, Ed singlehandedly keeps a fleet of obscure classics on the road. He’s never owned a modern car and intends keep it that way.  
**This month** Some ‘interesting’ rust repairs are continuing on the 1988 Lada Riva in fits and starts. The ZAZ Tavria should be driving around again by the time you read this.  
  
**Nigel Clark**  
**DIY RESTORER**  
Nigel’s driveway achievements rival those of pro mechanics. He’s our resident Triumph and BMW expert.  
**This month** Too much top-down fun in the sun means that it’s 3000-mile service time for two of the classic fleet.

  
**TAX AND MOT**  
**How do I get tax exemption?**  
**Q I've bought a Talbot Sunbeam that should be tax-free, but isn't. What do I do to resolve this?**  
**Brian Lansdowne, Esher**

Registering for ‘Historic’ status should be a simple process.  
  
ALL FINE!  
Apply for tax or SORN as soon as is possible after buying a car, to avoid a fine.  
BE RESOURCEFUL  
You may be able to get a letter from a DVLA-recognised club stating your car's age and pedigree if needed. Alternatively, the British Motor Museum can provide heritage certificates for many British marques.  
LOST IN TIME  
If you claim Historic tax on car build date rather than first registration, the V5C will then show build date in place of first registration date.

  
**Ed says**  
**A** Take the V5C to a Post Office which handles car tax. Ask to change taxation class to 'Historic' and the clerk should do the rest. Note the MOT-free status arrives on the car's 40th birthday – but Historic tax class starts on April 1 in the year after the car turns 40. So, in April 2025, all cars made in 1984 became tax-free.  
It's administered on date of first registration. If your car is significantly older, ask a DVLArecognised club to supply evidence, and change it to date of manufacture. If the difference is a year, and you only use the car a couple of months, though, it's probably not worth the bother and potential expense.  
Car tax can only, in theory, be issued if the car's insured. If you ever let its insurance lapse, you must SORN it, otherwise you'll receive a fine for keeping an uninsured vehicle 'on the road'. The DVLA may ask to inspect a car if you apply for a V5C (or renew an old-style log book or V5) for a vehicle that has been untaxed for many years. If the vehicle is part-dismantled (maybe even just missing a panel or two), the inspection may result in the suspension of the vehicle's registration until it's put back together and can be proved to be one whole and largely-original car. This has an anti-crime motive, but can cause bother for the innocent enthusiast. The car should be fully assembled. The chassis plate or stamping should be present and fitted and match the numbers on the V5/log book. Ideally, obtain the V5C before starting restoration work, so that there's no risk of wasting your time and money. If you've already completed work, you might have to work a bit harder to demonstrate the car is mostly-original.  
  
**MATT SAYS**

  
‘Don't worry if you still have valid tax that you've paid for – when the tax class is changed, you'll be refunded. This is done by cheque for annual-purchased tax or by direct debit if that’s your payment method. For a quick V5C turnaround after buying a car (to tax or SORN it faster), change ownership online at **:a[gov.uk]{href='https://gov.uk' }**.’  
  
**FORD CORTINA**  
**MAKING CONTACT**  
**Q I’d like to convert my Cortina to electronic ignition. I've seen a period unit that retains the original points.**  
**James Horace, Newquay**

  
**Nigel says**  
**A**Electronic ignition gives consistent spark strength and dead-accurate spark timing. The latter depends on electronic triggering, rather than the opening of mechanical contact breakers – so this advantage is lost by retaining the points. If you’re fitting electronic ignition, we suggest going for a full system. It’ll never need adjusting once properly set up. That said, contact breakers are perfectly adequate and difficulties are more likely to be caused by wear or maladjustment of the distributor or the wrong distributor being fitted. Problems when hot often stem from a faulty condenser, mis-wired ballast ignition system, incorrect coil or coil wired up in reverse. Hesitations and misfires: bad rotor arm, HT leads and caps or spark plugs.  
  
**CLUTCHES**  
**Please release me**  
**Q However I adjust it, the release bearing on my fivespeed (Ford Type 9) Morris Minor always returns such that it's in light contact with the pressure plate. It is hydraulic. Is this correct?**  
**Martin Evans, Tredegar**

  
**Matt says**  
**A** Clutches may be operated by cable, rods or hydraulics. In many cases, when they're adjusted in accordance with the instructions, the release bearing is found to rest lightly on the pressure plate when not in use (constant contact). Hydraulic systems in this case are designed so that – no matter how you set the pushrod – after pressing and releasing the pedal, the hydraulics return to leave the release bearing in light contact. Note that this is only possible with a roller release bearing. A carbon release, such as that originally fitted to the Minor, would be quickly ruined.  
In some cases, however – such as the Minor’s standard 4-speed rod linkage set-up, the release bearing is held off the pressure plate so that it remains stationary when not in use (noncontact). In this case, a hydraulic system (where fitted) must be correctly set to give a satisfactory rest point.

  
You'd think the latter non-contact system was better: no wear and tear when not in use. However, for a roller release bearing, we think the logic in a constant-contact system is to do with what happens when the clutch is pressed. It's presumably considered better to have the bearing spinning already when it's suddenly loaded up.  
The non-contact system sees it slammed into the pressure plate, having to accelerate from a stop to 4000rpm in an instant while fully-loaded. Note: the release bearing should only just touch the pressure plate: if it's in constant hard contact, the forward pressure on the crankshaft will grind away the engine thrust bearings.  
  
**FORD GRANADA**  
**HOT UNDER THE COLLAR**  
**Q I’ve bought a Ford Granada with overheating problems. What should I do?**  
**David Grant, Swansea**

Coolant leaks cause overheating. Some are not so obvious!

  
**Ed says**  
**A** Flush the system repeatedly until the water runs clear. Then fit a new water pump, thermostat, radiator, cap and radiator fan switch and relay. Check that the fan operates when the fan switch wires are put together. Make sure also that it pulls air through the grille towards the  
engine (reverse wires if not). Check all hose clips, hoses and small water passages into the engine. Check the heater is not leaking. If overheating persists, change the head gasket. Check block and head for corrosion or warping.  
  
**REMOTE SERVOS**  
**A long brake**  
**Q I released my Morris Minor's servoed brakes joining a roundabout and the car continued to slow down. I drove it to safety, turned the engine off and it was instantly fine again. It's done it several times since.**  
**Edgar Jackson, Bushey**

Check the black rubber ring is not sticking down.

  
**Matt says**  
**A** As a preliminary check, make sure there's a small clearance between the brake pedal pushrod and the piston of the brake master cylinder. Check the piston is able to return to its rest position, up against the circlip at the end of the cylinder bore and is not hampered by rust or swollen seals.  
If the piston can't return fully, the brakes will tend to bind on – to a greater or lesser extent.  
Make sure a brake lining hasn't detached itself and been binding inside a brake drum. In this case, we'd expect the car to pull to one side, lock a wheel or heat one wheel up more than the others during driving.  
We think, though, the most likely explanation is that there's a problem with your remote brake servo. There are three main elements to the servo. The main vacuum chamber is the largest and most obvious.  
It's divided in two by a rubber diaphragm with a pushrod attached. The chamber is connected to the engine inlet manifold, which sucks the air from both sides of the diaphragm. When you press the pedal, the smaller vacuum control valve (photo) on top of the servo reacts. It has a small diaphragm and pushrod, which rises to admit air to one side of the main vacuum chamber in a controlled way. The air pushes against the vacuum remaining in the other half of the main chamber, forcing the diaphragm and pushrod forward. The pushrod pushes the piston in what's effectively a second, assisted, master cylinder in front of the main vacuum chamber, sending pressurised fluid to the wheel cylinders. The vacuum control valve has two rubber seals, and from experience we think the top one – visible in the photograph – may be sticking closed after the brake pedal is released. Try inserting a little silicone grease under it with a small paintbrush. You can dismantle the control valve, but do try the non-invasive approach first.  
  
**FORD FIESTA**  
**Round the bend**  
**QMy Fiesta MkII skips and crashes around on bends quite badly. I changed the tyres, with little effect.**  
**Olly Highfield, Banbury**

  
**Nigel says**  
**A** Change the dampers. Most cars of this generation on have them built into the struts. See the manual – but in a nutshell, remove each strut from  
the car, remove the strut top bearing (fronts) and spring (use spring compressors or a strut compressor) and simply put these parts onto the new strut.  
Replace the polyurethane bump stops on the chromed centre rod of the strut. They're usually badly damaged or completely absent.  
  
**BMW 520I**  
**Oh, pulley the other one!**  
**Q The cam timing marks of my BMW 520i project line up when crank pulley shows 40ºATDC. I am positive that the cam sprocket bolt has never been disturbed.**  
**Philip Unsworth, Armley**

Expect the unexpected!  
**Ed says**  
**A** Are you sure? We've found cam timing errors woefully common after repairs. Remove the spark plugs. Turn the crank to indicated TDC and insert a long screwdriver carefully into no.1 plug hole. Rock the crank pulley and carefully probe to see if the piston is, in fact, at its highest point (top dead centre). If not, turn the engine until it is and observe the pulley. If, as you suspect, it indicates 40ºATDC, remove the pulley and investigate. We once found a pulley that had split and turned on the crankshaft presumably from something falling and jamming in it while the engine was running (photo).  
  
**RENAULT 4**  
**STARTER’S ORDERS**  
**Q My Renault 4 is very hard to start after a few days and stutters going up hills. Otherwise, it runs very sweetly.**  
**Dan Modi, Standish**  
**Ed says**  
**A** We think you have a fuel supply issue. Make sure that rubber hoses are in good condition and tight and that the fuel tank pickup gauze is not mummified or the tank full of sediment. Change a disposable fuel filter if it’s of uncertain age. Check gauze filters which may be built into the fuel pump and/or carburettor. Remove the fuel pump, drain it of petrol and check that the one-way valves operate correctly using a long, clean plastic tube, alternately lightly sucking and blowing on the outlet and inlet in turn. There should be a sharp on-off action as you alternate. If not, the valves are defective. If the pump can be dismantled, inspect and clean. Otherwise, replace it. If the oil smells strongly of petrol, the pump diaphragm has failed. Replace the pump; change the oil and filter.

  
**CARBURETTORS**  
**SOMERSET FLOODS**  
**Q My Austin Somerset has a rebuilt carb and fuel pump. After 2500 fault-free miles, the carb has started dripping fuel when running.**  
**Robin Laughlin, Suffolk**  
**Matt says**  
**A** It sounds like the carb's flooding – ie the float chamber is continuing to fill, when already full. Maybe the valve has started to unscrew itself, or a particle of debris is preventing the float needle valve from fully closing. If it's a chip of black material, the fuel hoses have shed bits of rubber into the fuel system. Rusty particles, on the other hand, are likely from the fuel tank or pipe. Install a fuel filter just before the fuel pump, in such a way that it will trap sediment and not just let it fall back down the pipe when the engine is switched off. The carb may have a built-in mesh filter just by the inlet stub.  
Perhaps the carburettor float has split, causing it to take on a little fuel inside and sink – fooling the needle valve into admitting more fuel even when the chamber is full. Hold the float by your ear and shake it. Listen for the tinkle of liquid inside.  
  
**READER'S TIP**  
Slow puncture? Spray tyre beads, tread and valve seat with soapy water and look for little mountains of bubbles to appear.  
**Luke Germain, Ingleton**  
Buy a telescopic ‘aerial’ magnet. Never fumble a washer off a stud (and drop it into the depths) again!  
**Mark Thurlow, Stoke-on-Trent**  
  
**FAILURE OF THE MONTH**  
**Ed fixes a misunderstanding… again…**

  
I didn't try to use this carb before examining it. Good job, too. The primary throttle butterfly and mixture were both closed right off. The carb was 'set up' to idle on its secondary throttle butterfly alone (below), which had been wedged open by slackening the screws and misaligning the butterfly plate! The engine idled beautifully, once corrected.

Ask our experts September 2025

**BUYER'S BRIEF**  
**James Walshe** says that the Frogeye is proof that size doesn’t matter

So much fun – regardless of the great British weather.  
**MARKET ANALYSIS**  
The days of picking up a basket case project Sprite for peanuts are well and truly over, as the very best now fetch around fifteen to twenty grand. The lovable Frogeye saw significant rises in the past few decades but tidy ones are not unreasonable now, with an excellent example selling in April this year at Bonhams for £12,650. The original Sprite remains a canny investment though – it’s hard to see how you’d lose out. There are plenty of dedicated Austin-Healey specialists in the UK – despite many specialising mostly in the big ’Healeys. These days, very few decent project cars turn up in this country, most having been restored years ago and cherished by doting owners ever since. Have a chat with members of the clubs to find the best. The days of picking up a basket case project Sprite for peanuts are well and truly over, as the very best now fetch around fifteen to twenty grand. The lovable Frogeye saw significant rises in the past few decades but tidy ones are not unreasonable now, with an excellent example selling in April this year at Bonhams for £12,650. The original Sprite remains a canny investment though – it’s hard to see how you’d lose out. There are plenty of dedicated Austin-Healey specialists in the UK – despite many specialising mostly in the big ’Healeys. These days, very few decent project cars turn up in this country, most having been restored years ago and cherished by doting owners ever since. Have a chat with members of the clubs to find the best.  
**Why you want one**  
You can’t possibly dislike a Frogeye, can you? Or can you? Is this fun little sportster really as joyous to own as it is to look at? We’re glad to announce that it’s mostly good news, even if you intend to buy a shabby project car. Such is the widespread wisdom available – not to mention outstanding club, specialist and parts support – ownership of an Austin-Healey Frogeye Sprite is one of simple pleasures and mostly uncomplicated repairs. There are, of course, numerous pitfalls to running any Fifties classic… especially if it has been subjected to British roads, but get to know how they tick, and we reckon this is one of the most satisfying sports cars you’ll ever own.  
BMC launched the Frogeye in Monte Carlo, and caused a stir with the press and public alike. It was meant to have retractable headlamps, but BMC cut development costs on Gerry Coker’s clever unitary-bodied masterpiece before it emerged with its charismatic bug-eyes and that grinning grille. Intended as a spiritual successor to sporty pre-war versions of the Austin Seven, the ‘Frogeye’ was fitted with a 948cc A-Series engine and shared parts from numerous other vehicles in the BMC stable. That makes this one very easy car to maintain. Just hop behind the wheel, revel in the purity of it and suddenly you understand why legions of buyers have fallen in love with it over the decades. You’ll see around 80mph out of a standard car – but there are plenty of tuned examples out there. Whatever you end up with, you can have huge fun well within the national speed limit, as this is a car that always feels faster than it is. We need more of that in the world!  
**The inspection**

**ENGINE** While later Sprites had 1098cc or 1275cc engines, the ‘Frogeye’ only got the 948cc unit – in standard guise at least. Lots, like this one, have been modified, so make sure you have evidence these mods were done properly.

**CABIN** It’s basic inside and the trim is delightfully simple. It can all be refreshed without breaking the bank, so can probably be considered among the least of your concerns when buying a Frogeye.

**BODY** The Sprite is of a very clever monocoque design which means the strength of what lies beneath that pretty face really matters. Be wary of fresh underseal that could be masking horrors beneath and pay particular attention to the panel gaps and alignment.  
Firstly, it’s wise to decide what level of DIY skills you are in possession of, because the Sprite’s clever monocoque body shell can harbour wallet-emptying amounts of corrosion if you buy a bad one. Bodged and filler stuffed so-called ‘restorations’ are still out there, so allocate an appropriate amount of time to inspect the car inside and out before you commit to buying. Rot spots include the lower wings and door bottoms, while it’s not uncommon to discover crusty metal around the A-posts, wheel arches and battery tray. The seams between wings and bonnet/ boot panels are another problem area, so take a close look at those areas, while the inner sills need careful checking even if the outers look fine. Check the quality of the chrome plating on the brightwork. If you can, get the car on a ramp and check the state of the bulkheads, jacking points – plus the floors of the cabin and boot. Repairs here can be a major undertaking and, obviously, the lack of a boot lid hampers access, so be vigilant. Look for a gap of three inches between the rear wheelarch and the tyre. Anything much less and it could mean that the rear spring boxes have dissolved.  
That delightfully revvy A-series engine just needs the usual health checks. Look for at least 40psi of oil pressure when it has warmed up and listen out for the rumble of worn big-end bearings. Excessive blue smoke from the exhaust points to valve stem oil seals on the overrun or cylinder bores that are past their best and check for escaping oil (a leaking crank scroll seal is an A-series bugbear) and coolant and any signs of cylinder head gasket failure. Fuel and ignition systems are thankfully cheap and easy to overhaul.  
The clatter of a worn timing chain and valve-gear is often the result of neglected oil changes but a top end overhaul is both cheap and straightforward. A spin-on oil filter conversion is good news when it comes to improving lubrication, though. Look for signs of overheating caused by a silted-up cooling system. Lastly, with upgrades and engine swaps so common, make sure that you quiz the vendor about the car’s exact specification.  
The four-speed gearbox – donated by the A35 – lacks synchromesh on first, but should shift sweetly. Second gear synchromesh is usually the first to go once the ‘box is worn and check for jumping out of gear on the over-run. The Frogeye’s gearbox has ratios more suited to the Austin A30, so fitting the ’box from a later Spridget is a good idea for those in need of a more relaxing drive. The ratios are far better spaced, and the gearing is raised at the same time. It’s also worth listening out for knocking from the rear caused by wear in the half shaft splines and checking that the back axle is still oil tight.  
Vague handling will need investigation so take a good look at the lever-arm dampers and springs, the latter of which can rust and fracture. Rock the front wheels with the car off the ground (if you can) to reveal wear in kingpins and wheel bearings. Stiff steering suggests a lack of regular lubrication. The all-round drum brakes are trouble-free unless neglected, but don’t be surprised to find a Midget disc conversion at the front, especially if a bigger engine has been fitted.  
You needn’t worry too much about a cabin that’s in need of renovation as long as the bodywork is in sound condition; every part is available – although it’s worth checking the condition of the hood and making sure that the wiring hasn’t degraded through age. Rubber mats were fitted originally, although these are likely to have been ditched in favour of carpets; either way, be sure to peek underneath for signs of hidden frilly floor sections. Modification is often a fun way of increasing appeal of a Frogeye for modern roads. Swapping the standard engine for a 1098cc or 1275cc lump is easy; the latter will give you 75-80bhp after a bit of tuning (air filter, carbs, spicier camshaft and maybe some cylinder head work). Lots of Mini bits fit, too. If you fit a 1275cc engine, it’s easy to swap the standard cylinder head for a Metro A+ item, enabling you to use unleaded petrol. While you’re at it, fit a fruitier camshaft; the Midget and Sprite Club recommends an AC Dodd item from A-series guru, ML Motorsport.  
Meanwhile, fitting a thicker anti-roll bar from a later Spridget pays dividends, while poly bushes will help to stiffen things up nicely. Finally, with unassisted drums all-round, the Frogeye isn’t overburdened with stopping power, but help is at hand in the form of a front disc setup from a Spridget. For even more stopping power, you can plumb in a servo, but chances are you won’t need this. It’s a lightweight zinger of a car – a classic British sports car that’ll never fail to put a grin on your face!

No more than it needs to be – Frogeye has perfect proportions.  
  
**WHAT TO PAY**  
**PROJECT** £2000-£3000  
**GOOD** £6000-£8500  
**EXCELLENT** £15,000-£20,000  
**TECH SPEC**  
**ENGINE** 948CC/4-CYL/OHV  
**POWER** 43BHP@5000RPM  
**TORQUE** 52LB FT@3300RPM  
**GEARBOX** 4-SPEED MANUAL  
**TOP SPEED** 83MPH   
**0-60MPH** 16SEC   
**ECONOMY** 33-41MPG  
**USEFUL CONTACTS**  
**Austin-Healey Club UK,** :a[austinhealeyclub.com]{href='https://austinhealeyclub.com' }   
**Healey Drivers’ Club,** :a[healeydriversclub.co.uk]{href='https://healeydriversclub.co.uk' }   
**Midget and Sprite Club,** :a[midgetandspriteclub.com]{href='https://midgetandspriteclub.com' }  
  
**WHAT IT’S LIKE TO OWN A FROGEYE SPRITE**  
**Danny Hopkins** on reuniting with a special old friend of the mag

PC’s project cars from 45 years ago reunite.  
Frogeye Sprites have appeared periodically in the pages of Practical Classics over the past 45 years but there’s one that stands out for us. Back in the May 1980 issue, our very first, the we offered a 1959 Austin-Healey Sprite as a competition prize. The inner of that competition was the brother of current keeper Colin Robinson from Gloucestershire, for whom that time was especially precious. ‘I went with Richard to collect his prize from the then editor, Paul Skilleter, at Practical Classics HQ, at that time based in Malvern. It was so exciting for two young brothers, aged just 21 and  
17!’ The pair drove ‘JPH’ home to Reading in heavy rain. ‘The hood wasn't the best fit, so I had to hold onto it from inside to stop the slipstream lifting it up!’ Richard joined the Austin-Healey Club, and they started going to events. By now he'd moved to Shrewsbury, where he drove the Sprite regularly with one of his two daughters, Emily and Sophie.  
Colin says his brother passed away in 2008 after a long battle with cancer. ‘Shortly before, we talked about the Frogeye and I agreed to be its custodian, promising to keep it in the family as an heirloom. It will never be sold on.’  
From before the prize giving, and since, the Sprite has a rich history and still runs its original 948cc engine. Apparently the 1980 **Practical Classics** team bought it from a musician in St John's Wood in London and were particularly happy the car had a rust-free and original steel bonnet – it is fitted to the car to this day!

Austin-Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite

**TEAM ADVENTURE**  
Danny Hopkins rescues a vision of the future that is firmly in the past  
**WORDS** DANNY HOPKINS **PHOTOGRAPHY** DANNYHOPKINS, JO HULL

  
I’m a sucker for a car in need. I have dragged a rich variety of waifs and strays back to the PC workshop, all in the name of revival. A car in need is catnip and, luckily, this magazine allows such folly, indeed, it encourages it. When challenged over my habit the excuse, ‘content creation’, shields me from any further interrogation. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.  
So, when Stephen Barlow emailed me with the offer of a Renault Avantime, I was preprogrammed to respond in the affirmative. Only one problem with that, I already had a Renault Avantime – same spec, same colour, everything. Now here’s where the God of Cars played his card.

  
I received the email on Monday, said yes on the Monday evening and then spent a sleepless night wondering how I could justify to my family and friends owning two Renault Avantime manual 2.0l Dynamiques in Iliad Blue at the same time.  
Then on Tuesday morning, having mentioned my conundrum to a friend, I was contacted by Jon Murden, bossman at the National Motor Museum asking if my Avantime was available and would I be interested in seeing it on display at Beaulieu. The deal was done in seconds – the God of Cars had blessed me with good fortune. Now you can experience my old Avi at the museum’s ‘We had one of those’ exhibit. Yes, I know very few people (just over 300 in the UK) had one of ‘those’ but as you approach the exhibit it looks like a generic people carrier. Once at the Avi though it all goes weird… but you get to play with its massive double hinged doors – worth the entrance fee alone if you ask me.  
So. I was now a believer in automotive divinity, and my ‘yes’ could be acted upon without needing to resort to feeble excuses for a bizarre addiction. My new Avantime was situated in France, deep France, past Limoges on the edge of the Dordogne. Once again, thoughts turned to exactly how I could justify to the team the days off I would need to collect it. Trying to make it sound like work, not holiday, was pointless, especially because Stephen, and his wife Stephanie, owned a beautiful gîte, in which they were threatening to put me up for a few days while we sorted some of the new Avi’s possible issues.

  
**Holiday mission**  
So, I gave up trying to justify it as work and headed off on what, for me, was the perfect holiday – to my favourite part of my favourite country, doing my favourite thing with one of my favourite cars. I love a European rail journey, so the entire escapade would involve both my favourite and second favourite modes of transport.  
Eurostar first, departing St Pancras Station, (favourite building) on the first train to Paris. Crossing the French capitol to Gare D’Austerlitz for the Limoges train was easy. Then the spacious ‘wagons’ of the French national carrier took me south – on time and on the money, it cost about half the price of an equivalent journey in Britain.

  
‘Stephen kept the Avantime simply because he liked looking at it!’  
A final change at Limoges put me on the local to La Coquille and my first meeting with Stephen and Steph. We got stuck into car talk straight away focusing wholly on the Avantime. Officially here in France, the car’s status was ‘removed from circulation’ their version of SORN. It was still on their system, and once re-registered, Stephen would inform the French authorities of the export therefore enabling it to be registered with the DVLA. The DVLA hadn’t reassigned the original number plate, which was lucky because Steve and Steph still had the UK plates in the loft.  
At this point it is worth mentioning that this Avantime was originally a UK car. Stephen had bought it back in the UK at Anglia Car Auctions, and exported it to France. He stopped using it about three years back as circumstances dictated that he needed a 100 per cent reliable motor. ‘The Avantime had a habit of dropping into limp mode because of a drive by wire fault,’ he told me – Avantime owners will be nodding at this point. The throttle pedal and throttle body were both replaced, but the fault persisted. Steve subsequently learned that the throttle adaptions needed to be reset on the Renault Clip diagnostic system, which he didn’t have.

Mechanic Steve and his big diagnostic probe.

  
Steve looked at me as he spoke with the eyes of someone who has been down a very deep technical rabbit hole. I asked why he had held onto it for so long? ‘Simply because I just like looking at it,’ he responded. ‘Fair,’ I thought. Back at the gîte and into the barn I came face to face with the car and a man with a hi tech bit of Renault diagnostic kit. Before being re-registered with a Carte Grise (UK V5 equivalent) it would first require a Contrôle Technique (MOT) and proof of insurance. The registration process could then be completed online and would not be a hold up. But to get the MOT the Avi would need to be in perfect condition. ‘I have an iCarsoft diagnostic machine for Renault that can read the state of play with most systems, but can’t reset the drive by wire,’ said Steve, ‘the drive by wire is showing a difference between the pedal tracks and resting position. However, my kit is not capable of re-setting the throttle adaptions. Meet Steve.’  
A man with technical kit shook my hand. This was ‘other Steve’, mobile mechanic, Steve Brooks, an English ex-pat who had the full diagnostics on his Snap-on equipment. As expected, the throttle positions were at fault. Mechanic Steve cleared all codes and reset the throttle. We had the car running for around 30 minutes and then drove it up and down a private lane. Mechanic Steve checked the live data, which looked fine and for new fault codes, all was clear. Job done.

  
**And relax**  
Time for a glass of wine and a mooch around the fabulous gîte that Stephen and Stephanie run. Plenty of space, in the middle of some amazing driving country, and geared to welcome British classic car fans. As classic petrolheads and Francophiles, this was their perfect business. It’s also why they both read PC. And it’s also why their barns house some juicy classics: 911, XJ6, Smart Roadster, Lotus Esprit and MR2. I felt right at home.  
Next day was MOT day. In the UK, we are permitted to drive to an MOT appointment even if our MOT has expired, but this is not the case in France. The good news was that the local Contrôle Technique centre was at the end of the road. Stephen and I conducted pre-test checks and then it was CT time. As the tester tested, I looked through the paperwork. There was a lot of service history (a sign of previous frustrations). This Avi had had many replacement parts including gearbox, clutch, brakes, driveshafts, the list was long. Hopefully this lot would pay off as the man with the clipboard did his thing. Stephen then explained to me some of the gentle frustrations of owning unusual motors in the delightful Dordogne. The Avantime had been to the local Renault dealer. ‘Despite telling them what needed doing, their response was to not to diagnose anything and charge me €100 for four spark plugs. They recently closed down on account of being hopeless!’ There were two other Renault dealers within 20 minutes. ‘One of them didn’t want to get involved with a RHD Avantime, while the other hasn’t responded to my calls.’

  
‘A shakedown run through beautiful countryside on fantastic roads’  
The Carte Gris was issued without advisories and, back at the barn Stephen handed me the original RHD headlamps and a box of parts. Stephanie put in a shift at this point re-registering the Avi online and, within a couple of (very relaxing) days, the car was officially road legal again. Time to explore the locality then, the Avantime’s shakedown runs taking photographer Jo and myself to a variety of tourist destinations through beautiful countryside on fantastic roads.  
First a local run to Busiere to see if there were any issues with the 80,000 mile car. None found. Then we headed off to the beautiful riverside town of Brantôme, on empty, ribbon-like roads devoid of potholes. I can’t emphasise enough the difference between the UK and France when it comes to road conditions. It’s all down to maintenance. Main routes are the responsibility of the state, while local roads are fixed by local councils. Lighter traffic, a rigorous maintenance regime, a centralised management of resources and yes, slightly higher taxes, make for better roads. It’s that simple – but what a difference.

  
The day after our proving run a pilgrimage of sorts to Oradour. This was the French village devastated by the SS, whose inhabitants were murdered in cold blood… 642 men women and children in one afternoon, as an act revenge. The village has been preserved in aspic, as it was found by the allies, to remind us of the evils of fascism. It was the perfect place to visit on the day we celebrated the 80th anniversary of the victory of decency over barbarism – VE Day – lest we forget. Sombre, but beautifully and respectfully done, this was the high point of the trip for me. Everyone should visit.  
**Home time**  
The next day we were back on the road, but this time it was the big trip. Time to return to the UK. The domestic MOT had been booked, beam deflectors were ready for sticking onto the French headlights (once we crossed the channel) and the V55 form had been filled out and sent with all the right paperwork. Then we said farewell to our amazing hosts and headed off again, north, past Limoges and onto Romorantin-Lanthenay, headquarters of Matra and home to the factory where this Avantime and three generations of Espace were made.  
Well it used to be the home of the factory. After Renault took the manufacture of the Espace in-house and away from Matra, the Romorantin factory had all its eggs in one basket – the dice were thrown. The launch of the Avantime was meant to be a new dawn, Renault’s flagship to keep the factory busy with a projected output of 20,000 units a year. However, sales were way below expectations and, following the discontinuation of the Avantime, on February 27, 2003, Matra Automobiles announced the closure of its Romorantin vehicle factory.

  
A paltry 8557 Avantimes were built between 2001 to 2003, a figure that makes it one of the worst-selling cars of all time. Patrick Le Quement’s outside the box design, which sought to be a multitude of things, part MPV, part Coupé, part Convertible, part shooting brake, fell between all those stools. It’s a heroic failure and visiting the restored former factory gatehouse site and the marvellous Matra Museum, the original factory, was a fantastic experience, partly because we got such a warm welcome in the car that closed the factory. The museum is truly worth a visit by the way. It tells the rich and diverse story of how Matra was heroically eccentric to the end.  
Off onto the Route Nationale again, this time via Blois to Le Mans for a trip around the circuit. You can still traverse most of the 24 hour Tarmac and, having watched the Steve McQueen movie the previous evening, Jo and I were keen to take this Matra (it is a Matra really despite the badge) around the track where the Matra MS670 beat all comers in 1972. There’s no feeling like taking a trip down the Mulsanne straight, despite being stuck behind a camper van.

  
Circuit done we hit the autoroutes again and, with the Avantime spooled up, headed north-east past Rouen to Abbeville for an overnight before joining Le Shuttle in the morning. The Avantime is a beautiful touring machine. Dynamically it’s not the most intuitive B-road weapon, but when on an open fast road, or motorway it is like flying first class four feet off the ground. Of course you can’t deploy its ‘party trick’ at those speeds – the ability to drop all its glass and open the roof with the pressing of one button – but no matter, the glass space itself gives you a magnificent platform from which to look at the world around you.  
Before overnighting at the Aerodrome du Abbeville, I enjoyed the perfect sunset with a car that has behaved impeccably all the way here. There have been plenty of thumbs-up for this mercurial beast from other drivers. The French seem to value it in the spirit of Vive Le Difference, but tomorrow it would return to the UK and a new life on my drive – the world’s most eccentric MPV. I wondered what the neighbours would make of it.

Boarding Le Shuttle. Driving onto a train always raises a smile.

  
I always get a huge sense of excitement when I’m travelling on Le Shuttle… for the uninitiated it is the train that takes you and your car under the channel in a barely believable 35 minutes. I was even more buzzed than usual with an Avantime under me. Both the tunnel and the Avi were bold, brave design choices and enjoy engineering solutions that answer specific questions… although the Avi’s double hinged doors (the largest and heaviest on any production car) are on a different scale to a 31 year-old, 31-mile long, tunnel under the seabed.  
Still, once aboard I could relax in the knowledge that we had pretty much made it. Rescue almost complete. Dozing-off, in comfort, beneath the fishes, I marvelled at the age we live in, and revelled in the fact that eccentric dreams can still be enjoyed – the tunnel, this car and my mission prove it.  
  
**USEFUL CONTACTS**  
**Matra Museum,** :a[museematra.com]{href='https://museematra.com' }  
**Bonnes Routes, Gîte** :a[bonnesroutes.fr]{href='https://bonnesroutes.fr' }  
**Le Shuttle,** :a[leshuttle.com]{href='https://leshuttle.com' }

Not before time

GROUP TEST  
We find out if MG captured the spirit of its illustrious sports car past by driving three very different examples of the breed  
**WORDS** JAMES WALSHE **PICTURES** MATT HOWELL

  
It’s as if the Practical Classics workshop is hosting a royal visit. There’s a genuine hullabaloo as workers and friends emerge from neighbouring units and shuffle across to greet our guest of honour – the striking new MG Cyberster. All seem to know exactly what it is. This is no Lamborghini or McLaren supercar, but the MG certainly has the presence of one. There’s an ensuing hubbub of enthusiastic chatter, especially startling as just feet away, ticking itself cool, is a thumping V8-powered MG SV-R and next to that, dwarfed by both, one of the nicest examples of MGB we’ve seen for a while. So why on earth, I hear you cry, is the 2025 Cyberster in the pages of Practical Classics? What possible place has a modern EV in Britain’s favourite classic car magazine? All will become clear…

Perfectly proportioned MGB still looks the ’biz.  
  
1966 MGB  
**Engine** 1798cc/4-cyl/OHV  
**Power** 95bhp@5400rpm  
**Torque** 110bhp@3000rpm  
**Gearbox** 4-speed manual + o/d  
**0-60mph** 12.1sec  
**Top speed** 103mph  
**Economy** 25.5mpg  
**Weight** 920kg  
  
**MGB: I BOUGHT ONE!**

  
Richard Harrison bought his 1966 MGB 20 years ago. ‘I was retiring, and I wanted a proper sports car – preferably an already fully restored one that I could use right away. I’m now 80 years-old and I can happily report I can still get in and out of the car just fine!’ Richard says it has lived up to its reputation as a classic you can enjoy. ‘I’ve never had issues finding parts or in fixing it. After two decades of ownership, I can’t complain at all. We don’t do too many miles these days, but we regularly used to go to the coast and do rallies. The MGB is a brilliant tourer’.

Low windscreen can be an issue for tall folk!

  
You may have noticed over the years that we rather like an MG. In the same way Greatest Hits Radio plays a selection best-loved favourites on a rotating playlist, you’ll regularly spy a product of Morris Garages in these pages – be it rotten project or restored showstopper. The ever-popular MGB, especially, remains the pinnacle of classic motoring for millions and for good reason. Firstly, the ’B still looks sensational. Forget that we’ve all seen a zillion of them; just study that shape. It has one of the most neatly sculpted, well-proportioned bodies of all time. It is no more than it needs to be, with deftly chiselled details – from the neat front grille and headlamps, to the lines that flow down its elegant flanks and into the tail lamps. Visually, there was, and still is, a rightness and perfect balance to it.

  
The MGB launched with superior engineering substance over its predecessors, with unitary structure adding stiffness and safety; customers also appreciating its refinements (such as wind-up windows) over rival sports cars. Some mechanical bits of the MGA were carried over and, while that B-Series engine had its roots in the late Forties (upgraded from 1622cc to 1798cc for the ’B), it’s barely detectable when you get behind the wheel. A twist of the dainty key is met with a pleasing rasp and while the MGB is no frenetic firecracker in a straight line, a well-sorted one like this feels lively enough; especially after the five-bearing crankshaft upgrade from late ’64.  
From the start, the ’B set new standards of performance and comfort – road testers even ambitiously suggesting it felt like it had an extra two cylinders. A little over the top perhaps, but planting my size eleven to the floor reveals a pleasingly smooth delivery of torque. The engine is a little uncivil around peak revs and there’s some gentle joggling on uneven surfaces, but it isn’t intrusive. Back off a little and you discover the MGB’s sweet spot. It’s a car you can enjoy calmly and at modest speeds, especially with such nicely spaced ratios, and road manners that match its performance perfectly. Space is a slight issue when pressing on, so smaller feet would probably help my progress and those of us taller than six feet will be put off a bit by the view ahead, which is significantly obscured by the top of the windscreen. I try hunkering further into the seat, but end up in a hunched, Quasimodo-esque driving position. Not ideal.

  
‘A twist of the dainty key is met with a pleasing rasp from the exhaust’  
Neither was the big facelift of 1975. The grumbles about raised suspension to suit US safety regulations and the iffy effects it had on handling were justified, but many owners have found a way to eliminate the pitfalls. As for the styling, I happen to think British Leyland did a decent job of tweaking it. The revised Midget’s rubber lips looked a tad gormless to my eyes, but Abingdon managed to do a more cohesive job with the MGB’s neat polyurethane bumpers. Regardless, half a million MGBs rolled off the line in 18 years of continuous production. That is, by sports car standards, astonishing. All versions are regarded with affection, with the ’B reaching all four corners of the globe, including the United States where there remains an enthusiastic following and among Australians, who built the MGB between 1963 and 1972.  
  
**ENTER THE BEAST**

  
**Engine** 4996cc/V8/OHC  
**Power** 385bhp@6000rpm  
**Torque** 375lb ft@4750rpm  
**Gearbox** 6-speed manual  
**0-60mph** 4.9sec  
**Top speed** 175mph  
**Economy** 20.8mpg  
**Weight** 1500kg  
  
**MG SV-R: I BOUGHT ONE!**

  
After he first saw this example at the 2004 motor show, Dom Middleton later attempted to buy it in a liquidation auction, but was beaten to it. Then, five years ago, he noticed it for sale so bagged it. He says the years haven’t dulled its appeal. ‘I still love everything about it. When you open the garage door it feels like an occasion. Each time you drive it, it’s an exciting experience. Compared to modern cars, you could say it has a slightly clunky gearchange and a heavy clutch, but you only notice those things at 20mph. You don’t notice when you’re going fast!’  
Any subsequent claims of a car maker capturing the ‘essence of MG’ was in for scrutiny. Mazda beat Rover Group to it with the supreme MX-5 in 1989, but Cowley swiftly – and somewhat surprisingly – hopped into action when it took to fettling an MGB body remanufactured by British Motor Heritage. The RV8 was hardly sophisticated, (it was largely original ’B spec underneath) but this intriguing Connolly-lined rehash of the formula, with the insertion of a rumbling 3.9-litre Rover V8, gave Longbridge enough confidence in 1995 to commence production of its all-new MGF to a delighted public.  
From its origins as a K-Series powered sports car riding on Hydragas, the handsome little ’F sat at the top of the sales charts for the next few years, morphing into the coil-sprung TF from 2002. While those tweaks gave it an athletic feel on the road, MG Rover at that time needed something with more ‘meat’ – a brassy headline grabber. Nobody expected what would happen next. The sheer absurdity of the XPower SV was noted at the time – but MG Rover’s purchase of Italian car maker Qvale and subsequent reinvention of its wonky looking Mangusta did the trick. Suddenly, everyone was talking about MG Rover.

  
‘Turns out the SV-Ris more whippet than bulldog’  
I open the door and sink into the menacing embrace of this barbarous old thug. Yet… I’m thrown by first impressions. With soft touch textures and Alcantara, the cabin feels equal parts classy, well-made and roomy. The dashboard is pleasantly simple, peppered with tasteful instruments, nicely weighted controls and chunky switches. Hugged by a supportive Recaro seat and four-point harness, I’m surprised to feel almost cosseted. That is until I fire up the Mustang-based V8 and my ears are assaulted by a scandalous cacophony. My colleagues watch from a distance, laughing and fully aware that this really isn’t my cup of tea.

Stevens influenced by The Fast and the Furious.

Excellent quality cabin surprisingly comfy.

  
Gingerly nosing out of the yard and onto the main road, I’m conscious of the responsibility and sense unruliness ahead. I arrived today in a 29bhp 2CV, for goodness’ sake. While the standard 4.6-litre £65,000 SV got 320bhp, this £83,000 5-litre SV-R has a walloping 385 horses to play with. The rollercoaster of anxiety continues as I leave the village, as it soon becomes apparent this is no graceless, unwieldy brute after all. I chuck the SV into a set of bends, and I receive nothing but unanticipated levels of conversion from the steering wheel. I expected stodge, but directional changes are instant – it feels sharp and communicative. What is going on? Well, it turns out the MG SV-R is more whippet than bulldog. Braver now with the throttle, (although I dare not touch Ford’s switchable traction control), I hustle the SV-R across a rapidly blurring landscape, noting also its supple ride. Somebody extremely clever has been at work here; that Peter Stevens fellow. His achievements with any of MG Rover’s performance models – from ZR to ZT 260 – remain vastly underrated. Let’s face it, anyone can build a fast car… one that’s all mouth. But Stevens has a way of engineering his with the trousers to match.  
  
**CHINESE WHISPERER**

  
**Engine** Single electric motor  
**Battery** 77kWh  
**Power** 335bhp  
**Torque** 350lb ft  
**0-60mph** 5sec  
**Top speed** 121mph  
**Range** 316 miles  
**Weight** 1885kg  
  
**MG CYBERSTER: WE BOUGHT ONE!**

  
Reactions to BMC/ BL fans Ian and Dawn Kennedy’s recent purchase has been mixed, so far. Says Ian: ‘Predictably, you get people telling you it’s not a real MG or a sports car – that it’s an overweight, bloated EV. But it’s like my Riley Elf or Morris 1100.’ He notices our double-take reaction. ‘No, really. It’s so much more than you expect it to be. It has a similar sharpness to those cars. It’s so eager and direct.’ It’s for that reason the couple fell for the Cyberster. ‘Cars are meant to be fun – to us, the Cyberster feels exactly like an MG should’.  
Two decades after MG Rover died, along with its thunderingly talented SV, is this where everything falls apart? Have MG’s new Chinese masters cheapened the legacy of MG in slapping an octagonal badge on some chintzy, bloated EV? I’m sure that some out there are truly willing this to be the case but… it simply isn’t. While Brits dominated the market in the Sixties, Japanese cars took the Seventies by storm and the Germans conquered the Eighties and beyond, it is now China’s turn. The reality is that the Chinese are so far ahead when it comes to advancements in battery tech and electronics in 2025, car makers from Stuttgart to California are now seemingly struggling to keep up.  
If the Cyberster is anything to go by, there have been giant strides in the quality of Chinese cars, too. It’s hard not to be impressed by the sensuous curves, (styled by MG’s London office), deep, flawless paintwork and the tightest of shut lines. The scissor doors rise silently (no awkward whirr of motors here) and, once cocooned in the cabin, it’s all soft touch plastics and stitched leather. I can’t find a single bit of scratchy plastic anywhere.

An EV that feels like a driver’s car? Yep!

  
Believe me, I was trying. Push the start button and everything wakes up in front of you but while in most new cars, you’re subjected to a crude and distractingly large screen carelessly nailed to the middle of the dash, not so here. The Cyberster’s crisp looking displays are wrapped neatly around the driver in a nacelle. Given a ten-minute fiddle and prod, it all becomes pleasing intuitive – although I will always personally favour buttons to vague haptics. There are a few push-pull switches in the centre console though, which adds a bit of old world charm.  
No gear stick, of course. There’s a selector for the drive modes – Comfort, Custom, Sport, Track – which tweaks the level of steering assistance, accelerator mapping and torque distribution between front and rear axles. Bet it’s disappointing to drive, though? Like any other woolly, disconnected EV, right? Erm… MG UK has been very keen to point out that this is a car worthy of 100 years’ worth of MG history – what it calls ‘a halo car’. This is make or break for the firm’s reputation in Britain – the Cyberster had to be right. It needed to feel like a proper sports car and boy… it really does.

  
What the Cyberster lacks in alluringly farty exhaust sounds, it makes up with supreme road manners. Feeling 500kg lighter than it is, and with a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, the Cyberster darts into bends and zips out of them with fine composure – no sign of any chassis flex, squeaks or rattles on even the poorest surfaces. Steering is quick and brakes have instant bite. It’s an electric car that, dare I say it… feels alive.  
Both models on sale in the UK use a 77kW battery (74.4kW usable) with a 7kW onboard charger. Maximum charging capability is 144kW – nothing that special by today’s standards but good enough for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 38 minutes on a fast charger, or 10.5 hours on a domestic 7kW wallbox. Sorry, I almost bored myself to sleep. More excitingly, the Cyberster is predictably fast. This entry level Trophy is powered by a 335bhp/350lb ft motor driving the rear wheels and will do sixty in five seconds. Opt for the all-wheel-drive GT and you’ll get an extra 161bhp and 295lb ft of torque from a second motor driving the front axle, which equates to 496bhp and 535lb ft of torque – and a 0-62mph sprint in 3.2sec (matching a McLaren F1). Range? About 300 miles, they say… but not driving like that, madam. Seriously, this is a classic car magazine, and we’re not obliged to sing its praises, but the Cyberster deserves every scrap of recognition it gets. I never imagined I’d find myself being so impressed by an EV but… I’m glad that when it happened, it was an MG.

  
**WHICH ONE IS COMING HOME WITH ME?**  
Oh dear. How harshly will you judge me by declaring such praise for an electric car? For the purposes of our general 20-year ‘classic cut-off’, the Cyberster is decisively excluded, but know this: Those who keep theirs for 20 years or more will be preserving an important slice of the company’s history. It’s in possession of all the qualities you expect from an MG – the Cyberster recaptures the spirit of the cars we’ve known, respected or loved our whole lives. But hey, it’s disqualified. For now…  
The lineage between these three MGs is, to say the least, irregular. Tenuous even, to some critics. But as with any car maker that’s been through so many incarnations, it doesn’t mean you can’t draw the link between them. All three were developed, born from, and into, very different worlds but their all-round talents echo each other’s. Throughout its lifespan, the iconic MGB managed to brilliantly harmonise fun with comfort, as did the MG XPower SV-R – unexpectedly. With the death of MG Rover in 2005 came the end of the astonishing SV – arguably the firm’s greatest achievement of all. What nobody talks enough about is its supremely advanced body engineering – far beyond that of mid-level supercars at the time. Its carbon fibre construction is the stuff of the exotic hypercar. An SV-R might look utterly ludicrous these days, but I think it’ll go down rather well in the driveway next to my 2CV. Without doubt, the extraordinarily talented MG XPower SV-R deserves its place there, and in British automotive history.

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