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Not a happy camper

#### Not just any replica Chris Scutt’s homemade, Toyota-engined Metro 6R4 is unique

**INTERVIEW** CHRIS LOFTHOUSE **PICTURES** JAMES WALSHE

Ialmost bought an Imp to begin with, with a mind to swapping the MR2 running gear into that, but as soon as I had the idea to build a 6R4 I just went with it. I used to race Minis a long time ago and as soon as these started appearing on the tracks, I just couldn’t keep up, so the idea of making my own excited me.

I’m no stranger to a big project having built a couple of BMWs, including a fast-road spec 2002 and an E30 peppered with M3 and Alpina parts, but this was something much more in-depth, needing a huge amount of fabrication. It was a case of finding the right ingredients and putting them together.

Being a fan of the Toyota MR2, I bought an old Metro and the donor MR2 followed. The idea to use the running gear in the Metro looked simple enough. The 6R4 engine sits between the cabin and the rear axle just as it does in the Toyota, but it still presented a good challenge for me to tackle.

Next in the process came the body kit that we sourced via Facebook and collected from Kent. It was sat in a garden but still cost £1000 as it was a complete kit with bumpers, arches, sills and spoilers. I am really pleased with the fit and finish and I’ve even added a couple of little touches here and there which I think improve the overall look. Even after studying hours of Group B footage to get things just right I couldn’t help myself – I’m not that much of a purist, so if I liked the look of something I did it.

As well as the outrageous body, the bonnet vent is an original Metro item, the roof vents are from a Mini van and the bulkhead plexiglass is an original 6R4 piece, as well as the plexiglass side windows with the vents. I relocated the entire cooling system to make the best use of these, but that wasn’t a problem as the running gear had to be adjusted anyway. Almost every bracket and mounting point inside and out is hand built, from the custom twin ignition coil setup to the latches holding the rear clamshell, and even the tabs holding the front windscreen. I made every single one.

The engine received a small rebuild but it was mainly dressed up, cleaned and powder coated in places to sit nicely under the rear clamshell. You can see a lot of it from every angle, so it had to be right. I made a jig from the MR2 with all the suspension pick-up point lugs in place. This ensured that the bottom arms, suspensions struts and tie rods would fit properly. It was then a case of making a 2in box-section chassis the length of the Metro. The plans for the 6R4 chassis are all online so it was very straightforward. I made the roll cage using 2in seamless tube, bent and welded in my workshop, with the door bars and rear upright towers made from 1.5in tube. The suspension reinforcement plates and the sump guard, the suspension rose joints and the coolant tank mountings were all made by hand in my workshop.

Finishing touches included the Rothmansesque livery, but I didn’t want to go too loud so I decided just to have little touches of the blue and gold to give it a tarmac rally theme. I added a Toyota Hybrid badge to the tailgate, which gets funny looks but it’s always fun to explain. Split rims by Image fill the arches, 17x8 at the front and 17x10 in the rear, hiding MR2 calipers with drilled discs and adjustable coilovers all round. A few new-old-stock Austin bits like light lenses have also been fitted.

Inside the seats are from an MG ZS or ZR. I completely fabricated the dash, fuses, transmission tunnel and rally-style switchgear around the original Toyota clocks. With the ear defenders and co-driver mic it’s great for spirited driving, perfectly in keeping with the theme I had in mind.

Chris wanted to go for a rally look, so he fitted exposed fuses and switchgear, and the biggest warning lights he could find. The seats are from an MG ZS/ZR.

The 6R4 donor body kit was in a garden in Kent but still cost £1000 as it was complete with bumpers, arches, sills and spoilers. These days you just can’t find them as nobody builds a replica 6R4 any more, so Chris couldn’t walk away.

The engine just needed cleaning and dressing up. It’s more than capable of giving this car the power and noise it deserves, given how light it is.

Chris chose Image split rims to fill the arches all round, nicely framing the upgraded Toyota braking system, which works a lot better than the original Metro system, he thinks!

#### **Practical Classics Restorer of the Year 2025**

Chris Scutt is entered into our 2025 Restorer of the Year competition. You can vote for your favourite in a future issue of Practical Classics magazine.

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Me and my resto: ‘I built my own rally legend!’

#### To mark its 30th birthday, we hypermile the hottest A8 from Wales to Scotland

With my current working fleet comprising one ageing but economical diesel and a pair of lightweight runabouts with tiny petrol engines, I’ve become something of a stranger to the filling station. The oil-burning Berlingo will travel more than 750 miles before the warning light flickers and whether I’m off to the shops or the Italian Riviera, both 2CV and Smart return figures of 50mpg or more.

This is perfect for my frequent long-distance runs, for as much as I quite like electric cars, the range anxiety you get with an EV is just as annoying as having to stop all the time to feed a hungry V12. What if you could have efficiency, range and power? Three decades ago, the boffins of Ingolstadt reckoned they had the answer; a lightweight all-aluminium luxury car capable of transporting passengers across continents on a piffling quantity of petrol.

To see if the Audi A8’s twelve long years of development was worthwhile, and to mark its 30th birthday, I’ve borrowed one from Audi’s heritage collection and will drive it from the annual Pembrokeshire Classic Car Club event in Wales to the John O’Groats Classic Car Show – 676 miles away – with the aim of getting as close to Audi’s claimed economy figures as I can. It’ll involve some restrained driving – something the editor fully supports as it means I won’t be blowing the magazine’s monthly budget on fuel expenses. Not such good news for him is that Audi can’t provide the most efficient of its early A8 models, so instead of the ‘ultra-efficient’ 1500kg 2.8-litre A8, I’m aboard a beefier eight-cylinder 4.2-litre ‘S8’. It’s clear that whichever lead-footed journalist was previously at the wheel cared little for economy, as the average consumption figure is currently reading a feeble 15.1mpg. Let’s see what we can do about that…

I forget the hypermiling for now and wander the sunny airfield at Carew where the Pembrokeshire Classic Car Club have once again pulled out all the stops with an astonishing variety of classics, each accompanied by an assortment of unique stories. ‘My Passat was owned by one-legged man from Merthyr Tydfil’ declares owner Stuart Gerrish. His 1979 VW is a rarity and, although looking a bit frilly around the edges, has just 47,000-miles behind it. According to Stuart, the Valleys gent who owned the car from new had to give up driving completely after losing his second leg. I make the most of a thorough viewing of this now rarest of family cars, as I haven’t seen one in decades and it’s unlikely that I’ll see another for some considerable time (there are just four examples left in the UK).

My late model ‘D2’ S8 – slotted in next to a 1937 Morris 8 – is largely ignored by the older visitors, but it’s certainly a hit with the under forties. Most want to see under the bonnet and talk about how fast it is. The Audi couldn’t be more of a contrast to Malcolm Powell’s Morris. ‘I prefer the older vehicles, but it’s nice to see younger people and younger classic cars.’ He’s here with his daughter Jeanette, who stands beside her Morris Minor.

‘It’s like driving a tank compared to my modern Vauxhall, but it’s so much fun – and it’s always nice to come here with my dad’. Malcolm’s Morris 8 is often seen locally ‘bouncing off the dial’ as he puts it. ‘You can do sixty, but you need a good tailwind. We’ve got plenty of wind around here!’

There’s no sign of a tight isobar today as the S8 cleaves effortlessly through a gentle summer breeze to nearby Llansteffan where, for a few nights, I gatecrash my parents’ holiday. A former Audi 100 driver himself, (of the Eighties variety), dad gives the Audi the nod of approval and reminds me of the S8’s role in that spectacular car chase sequence in the film _Ronin_ – a scrap with a 6.9-litre Mercedes 450SEL and a Citroën XM V6 in the mountains above Nice. A few days later, I top up the tank and begin my gentle waft across Wales. The S8 is firm for a luxury saloon and, although you do feel the ridges and lumps, it’s never fidgety. There’s a real sense that such delicate use of my right foot is a real waste of the car’s performance prowess. I resist temptation to replicate _Ronin,_ choosing instead to enjoy the sight of a lush green Carmarthenshire countryside bathed in sunshine. The A40 drops me just east of Llandovery for a stop at the ‘Mail Coach Pillar’ – part of the world’s first official anti-drink drive campaign. This stone roadside obelisk was erected in 1841 to warn stagecoach drivers of the dangers of boozing after Royal Mail driver Edward Jenkins, drunk at the reins, crashed his stagecoach ‘at full gallop’ while travelling between Gloucester and Carmarthen. His coach, along with five passengers, tumbled into a nearby ravine. Thankfully, all survived.

Mindful of oncoming stagecoaches on the scenic A483, I skim the edge of the Brecon Beacons and onwards to the village of Cilmeri, near Builth Wells – the location of another important granite monolith. This one commemorates Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native prince of an independent Wales. Llywelyn was killed in 1282 when the troops of Edward I rocked up at the Battle of Orewin Bridge. Llywelyn’s demise ended the autonomy of Wales with his only child – a daughter called Gwenllian –ending up in confinement at a convent in Lincolnshire until her death in 1337 – childless, at the age of 54. Wales is a land so fizzing with gripping tales, it makes _Game of Thrones_ look like _Mary Poppins._

The roads aren’t bad here, either. The S8 serenely swoops from corner to corner through Ceredigion and Powys in the afternoon sun. The magic 20mpg figure arrives in the hills above Newtown where panoramic views to the west – Snowdonia just visible on the horizon – serve as a grand finale to this scenic leg. Through Welshpool at mile number 120 and the range display is now reading 330 miles. While my economy drive has doubtless been harmed by the lumpy bits of mid-Wales, the level terrain of Oswestry and Wrexham allows the low-slung S8’s aerodynamics and lightweight all-aluminium ‘Audi Space Frame’ to really come into play. Brainchild of the late Dr Ferdinand Piëch (Audi 100, Quattro and Bugatti Veyron among many others), he and his aerospace inspired team dialled low weight into the design when he signed off A8 development in 1982. The car may have been a leviathan at launch 14 years later but at 1500kg, its chassis was 40 percent lighter than an S-Class, yet 30 percent stiffer. By comparison, the current Audi A8 is almost two tonnes, a Tesla Model S is 2100kg and the current electric Mercedes EQS is 2480kg. No wonder the UK has a pothole problem.

The extra 200kg of bulk from my S8 version is offset to some degree by the effortless nature of the 335bhp V8 up front, which never seems to be working very hard. Merging with the northbound HGVs on a thankfully quiet M6, I cruise past Shap and enjoy a view to my left of the distant craggy Langdale Pikes silhouetted against a crimson sky. Soon after, I’m pulling over for some sleep at a service station motel near Gretna.

Thursday morning begins with a 65mph cruise on the M74, fuel gauge needle now sinking towards empty. I anticipate my first stop for fuel will be somewhere around Stirling which is handy, given my penchant for a good farm shop café. By the time I’m tucking into a fry-up at Broadslap Farm, I’ve topped up the Audi’s tank for the first time – that’s 435 miles from Pembroke to a Shell garage near Gleneagles. With the driver now also refuelled, I twist the key and the dash display announces a curiously ambitious range of 600 miles. A few hours later, approaching Inverness, the range has dropped back to 495-miles… the economy display is now approaching a very pleasing 25mpg.

The A9 snakes its way north, past the oil rigs of Cromarty Firth, hugging the coast all the way to Helmsdale. Fed up with a motorhome driver oblivious to the misery they’re causing behind, I turn left and wind my way up the A897 via Kinbrace where dramatic scenery begins to drain the fuel tank a bit quicker.

A vast expanse of blue sky is besieged with colossal rainclouds that skulk menacingly across this wild landscape. Suddenly, I’m catching my first glimpse of the ocean. Turning east onto the well-trodden route of the North Coast 500, I arrive at Dunnet to be greeted by beaming friends Tom and Phyllida Sayles. The evening chatter is accompanied by a whisky or two and, next morning, Tom and I set off for the short hop to the show at John O’ Groats. In contrast to a sunny Wales, the Scottish weather is doing its best to spoil the event but despite the mad flapping of marquees and candy floss being blown clean off their sticks, Mother Nature's fury is ignored. There are tractors, vintage motors and a great showing of modern classics – everyone is having a great time, including the owner of a… MkI Volkswagen Passat. I can barely believe my eyes. This one wasn’t owned by a one-legged man from Myrthr Tydfil but a chap on the Isle of Man, which is where Thrumster resident Martin Foyle picked it up in 2020. He says it’s an unrestored car with 37,000 miles. ‘It’s on the original exhaust!’

We spend the rest of the day being relentlessly battered by wind and rain, but nobody seems in the least bit concerned – least of all the bagpipers who heroically parp their pipes into the squall at regular intervals. Commentary is by chap known as ‘A.I. Willie’ who spends the day on the mic providing inside knowledge on each of the exhibitors. I seek to clarify his name with a volunteer, who reveals that ‘A.I.’ stands for Artificial Insemination. ‘Aye, he’ll be back to his day job later – he’s got seven cows to do after this.’

I’m delighted to spot an old friend entering the field – it’s Bluebell, the Standard Ten Practical Classics helped to rescue from a scrappage scheme some years ago. She’s now on display at the brilliant Halkirk Heritage & Vintage Motor Centre – a newly opened attraction full of classic cars and memorabilia inspired by local enthusiast, the late Edward Sutherland. Volunteer Chris Eyre says it’s going well. ‘We’re getting a lot of classic car clubs and touring groups stopping off here and most importantly, everyone is coming away with a big smile on their face!’

To be a classic car enthusiast in this part of the world requires a certain ingenuity. With Inverness 120 miles and three hours to the south, (double it for Edinburgh) classic car owners often find it easier to fix and fabricate themselves – learning new skills in the process. That’s evident when chatting to those who aren’t in the least bit daunted at the need to be self-sufficient. ‘It is the same if I need something for the house’ says Steve, a member of the Caithness & Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club. ‘Ask around and you’ll find what you’re looking for, sometimes in a shed, sometimes in a neighbour’s field’.

After a few days exploring the area, I’m parked up at the most northerly point of mainland Britain, near Dunnet Head, and realise that I really don’t want to leave. The ever-hospitable Tom has introduced me to a band of friendly and fascinating enthusiasts, (all of whom you’ll read about in the coming months) with their astonishing stories. Others we’ll return to, once their restorations are complete, like James Mackay who shows us a 2001 Jaguar X-type, onto which he’s grafted the front and rear from a Humber.

I ask why. ‘Why not?’ he shrugs. We’ll definitely be returning to see him, along with John Anderson, who opens his garage door to a genuine Humber; a half-finished 1950 Super Snipe and one of 120 Tickford dropheads made. My final stop in Scotland is George Sutherland’s yard. He began at an early age building and restoring carriages.

‘I was always doing work on the croft, working in my father’s smithy or milking the cow – we never stopped working!’ George has admitted he isn’t sure how many classic cars he has accumulated but knows it’s probably time to count them.

‘I really ought to sell a car or two.’ As for the astonishing collection of historic carriages, he’s less sure. ‘I’d ideally like them to go to a local museum, but there are quite a few!’

I return to the sumptuous driver’s seat of the Audi – relieved I don’t have to put up with cart springs on dirt tracks like the passengers of George’s 1870 Parishioner’s Phaeton carriage… or endure the whiff of a horse’s bottom. My right foot continues to gently caress of the throttle as I swoop down the coast alongside a sparkling seascape. The range display now reads 100 miles and so the decision is made to refuel the other side of Inverness. However, the temptation of the Cairngorms is too great. I’ve never been to this part of Scotland before but there’ll be a petrol station somewhere in the hills, right? As the miles go by, the corners tighten and my speed increases with every bend. The Audi is extraordinarily agile – sharp steering and tenacious 4x4 grip coupled with a surprising light-footedness that makes it feel more like a hot hatch than a colossal barge.

Appropriately near Cock Bridge, there’s a ping from the dashboard. Zero range. I’m an idiot. Fifteen miles of heavenly Scottish tarmac has sent the numbers tumbling and were it not for the can of petrol in the boot, I’d be in serious peril. I pass Balmoral Castle and still nothing – despite the big fat zero on the range display. Some 430-miles after the last fill-up, I pull into Braemar filling station and wonder what could have been had I not foolishly floored it.

That night, having dispatched the rest of southern Scotland and northeast England in around six hours, I pull into the Old Swan Hotel at Harrogate. Classic Lodges’ Richard Smith arrives in his MGB and joins me for dinner under the spectacular glass ceiling of the dining room.

I reflect on the past 1500 miles, Richard suggesting that I must be a bit knackered, but I’m honestly not. I don’t feel even slightly fatigued – testament to a time when car makers were stretching themselves and the engineering budgets. We’re not talking about the techno-fluff of today’s screens and gadgets here, either; despite its Eighties roots, this benchmark model’s advanced aluminium space-frame is a masterclass in weight saving. It’s proof that lightness really matters. Given the comparably heavyweight nature of the modern car, the A8 is even more relevant today than it was 30 years ago.

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Figure of A8

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#### Danny gets right to the end of his camper van tether

My 1985 Mercedes 207D Auto-Trail Sioux camper… named ‘Siouxsie’ for obvious reasons, is an enigma, but now she is trying my patience.

As with any classic camper it’s a work in progress with ongoing tweaks, or should I say, ongoing disasters. A T1 camper van, with the first generation 2404cc OM616 diesel engine should be bulletproof. The 65hp version of the legendary diesel is under the bonnet, mated to a dog-leg five-speed box – good for 500k, right?

Well, wrong actually. But I’ll start with the MOT failure, which was extensive, with welding required to a spring hanger and the chassis around it. The rear brakes needed freeing up, rear lights required rewiring, new track rod ends were on the list and a headlight beam adjustment was overdue. A week was then spent working through the list. The welding was tricky but essential, thanks Clive, and while the van’s bottom was in the air, I also rewired the rear lights. Two days in I realised the track rod ends were at either end of a track bar that ran the width of the front axle. Expensive. Or not.

One of the bizarre anomalies about owning a very rare vehicle that was once very common is the fact that, where some parts simply don’t exist anymore, others are piled high seeking homes. So, £40 delivered for my new track bar. Then I broke the inner workings of the headlight while trying to fit a bulb. This resulted in a four-hour trial of extraction, followed by an afternoon deconstruction, superglueing the brittle plastic mounts and adjusters and then the reverse engineering of the whole lot.

Pretty much a day of pain thanks to my sheer cack-handedness.

MOT secured anyway, so ready for the festivals! The van would be primed for Wilderness and then Beaulieu Autojumble, plus other jaunts and perhaps even use as a temporary home while I waited to exchange on my new house. I set off for Wilderness with the diesel chugging away merrily beneath my feet.

Top speed in Siouxsie is 55mph and 50 is the cruising velocity, so I took the country route with a friend shadowing me in the Volvo C70, which we needed to use to go off site during the festival.

As we skirted Bicester I tried to change down from fifth gear on the dogleg box. The shift was stiff. Then it wasn’t stiff at all. And I was still in fifth gear. I immediately went into ‘riding the clutch mode’ with the knowledge that the linkage had probably broken. I made it round the roundabout and onto the next section of road. Long straight, no hills. Good.

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In the November 2024 issue of Practical Classics, **we meet the man who wanted a Metro 6R4 so much, he built his own Toyota-powered version!** There’s a **clash of the modern classic roadsters** as the BMW Z3 goes head-to-head with Mazda’s second-generation MX-5 and we hear from a father and son who restored their stunning Fiat X1/9 together.

There’s loads more restoration action at the PC workshop too, with **work taking place on a Land Rover, Morris Minor and Peugeot 205** among others, plus **top tips on refurbishing callipers and deep cleaning the carpets in your classic.**

Meanwhile, James heads for the hills to **celebrate 30 years of the Audi A8** by hyper-miling an example from St David’s in Wales to John O’Groats in Scotland – to see if we can get the big 8-cylinder monster close to 20mpg!

There’s an in-depth guide to the **Rover 800 and Sunbeam Alpine**, a national radio DJ finds good use for a **Renault Kangoo** in Bangernomics and we choose between a **Lancia Delta Integrale**, **Escort Cosworth**, **Mitsubishi Evo VI** and a **Subaru Impreza**.

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#### After 20 years of ownership, Kim wonders if this is the end for his Zafira

When Vauxhall introduced the first series Zafira (‘A’) in 1999, I knew that this model would be a practical vehicle for me. However, it was not until 2004 that ownership became a reality. When Vauxhall announced the introduction of an SRi model, featuring a body kit and unique five spoke aluminium alloy wheels, I decided a 2.0 litre DTi diesel version was just what I needed. I covered long distances daily, often carried seven people, and sometimes needed a van-like carrying capacity. Additionally, I was looking for an economical vehicle to run. The 2.0 litre diesel Zafira SRi ticked all these boxes.

I eventually discovered a one-year-old example, first registered in August 2003, with just 8000 miles on the clock. It was to be sold off by Vauxhall at a trade auction and had been a ‘Management’ car (as opposed to a hard-driven press fleet test vehicle). We suspect that it was the actual vehicle photographed for the publicity and brochure shots when the SRi models were announced.

My son Anthony and I travelled by train to collect the Vauxhall from Buckinghamshire, and as we drove home, a 130-mile journey, we played _Magic Bus_ (by The Who) on the excellent CD player and decided to name our Zafira after the song.

During the past 20 years, our Magic Bus has carried has carried seven adult family members and friends on adventures, has been loaded with car books, furniture, vehicle components and tools, and has been used as a mobile classic car workshop and towing vehicle. While practicality has been a strong point throughout my ownership, sadly in electrical aspects, reliability has not. The car has had a new front subframe fitted, along with new brake discs and pads, while the diesel fuel supply system has been re-plumbed. Due to an air leak in an underbonnet rusted feed pipe, the car became increasingly difficult to start. I tried to obtain new pipework, but unfortunately none was forthcoming: ‘It’s obsolete, sir!’.

With the help of a mechanic pal (thanks John), the pipework supplying the fuel filter assembly, and the diesel pump was renewed by ‘do-it-yourself-design’, incorporating a Volkswagen fuel filter. This setup works fine and has kept the car on the road. However, we now have a more serious problem. Not long before the Covid pandemic, the Bosh PSG16 ‘twin plug’ combined assembly incorporating the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) for the whole vehicle and the diesel fuel pump, failed. In this case the engine would intermittently fail to start, and eventually wouldn’t run at all.

This is a known and notorious problem with this set-up (on Zafiras with engine code Y20DTH). This cost me around £3000 to have fixed, and this problem has put many Zafira ‘A’ diesel models into scrap yards. Usually this crazy, poorly-engineered setup lasts about 100,000 to 120,000 miles, but this car has covered fewer than 10,000 miles on the new ECU/pump assembly – and I am unwilling to ‘invest’ in another unit that lasts for such a short distance.

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Limping home

In the October 2024 issue of Practical Classics, our pals at **MINI throw open the doors to the Cowley plant** and allow us to celebrate 65 years of the original car. Matt Tomkins tells the story of the car as he drives his freshly restored Mini back onto the production lines at the iconic Oxford factory.

Meanwhile, there’s loads of restoration action, with **one man bringing his exotic Lancia Fulvia back to life** and an American car enthusiast in Middlesborough who created a monster in the form of his **deafening Chevrolet Camaro**.

**Our writers choose between a bunch of classic super saloons** – from Cortina to Dolomite – while we bring you an **in-depth guide to buying a Caterham Seven** and show you what not to do when **searching for your perfect Citroën CX**.

Elsewhere in the mag, a bunch of pals go on an **adventure in their Triumphs**, **Danny buys a bargain Rover 75**, **James gets annoyed with his Berlingo**, **Matt goes racing in his Austin Seven Special** while there’s **a focus on leather and wood** in our detailed tech pages.

## Buying & selling modern classics in the real world

#### The clever little 200/25 series is 30. So Danny bought one...

Launched on a development budget that most European manufacturers would have laughed at (around £250 million) the R3 200 was a clever package. Using the front underpinnings from the R8 (front structure, heater, steering and front suspension) and the rear Maestro/Montego H-frame suspension set up, it was cost effective and delivered a Metro replacement of sorts. In 1995 it launched at Earls Court, so 30 years young next year and, to my eye, the David Saddington design is ageing well.

I’ve owned a ZR and 216 SLi and both were excellent road companions. This car came as a pair with the Rover 25 featured in the June issue and lived with the same family for over 25 years. It was well loved and in its ample boot I discovered two folders of history including original brochure and bills for a full body restoration and respray some 15 years ago. That restoration ended with some consternation as the steam clean that followed it resulted in headlining sag and the degradation of the cloth seat covers. It did, however ensure that this rare example survived.

Lightly used by the previous owners after they bought the 25, it was kept as a second car and always garaged at its home in Hythe on the south coast. With a new Skoda came the decision to move it on, with the 25 TD 101, to be sold as a pair. The SD was revived, after spending a couple of years off the road, with a full service, new battery and new alternator.

In other words, this Rover 220SD was a dream find with its 25 TD 101 sibling. Both cars came back to PC Towers and enjoyed some further pampering. Worth noting at this point the marked difference in performance between them. The 25 TD 101 being a bit of a weapon and the 86hp, mechanically injected, SD being a much more relaxed experience off the mark – nine seconds plays 15 seconds 0-60. No matter, both were comfy, competent and extremely frugal, with 50+ mpg easily achieved and both gave a fascinating cradle to grave vision of what the R3 evolved into. The late car being made to a budget, aimed at a younger, more practically minded, audience whereas the earlier SD was definitely a luxury item, aimed at the traditional Rover buyer.

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Bangernomics

https://xd.wayin.com/embed/c10f1d4c-6c44-4d60-8ec1-5822921b572e?mode=responsive

In the September 2024 issue of Practical Classics, **we’re in search of the ultimate practical classic** – a car that’s affordable to buy, easy to own and restore, simple to maintain and has the best club support? When the first copy of Practical Classics hit shelves 44 years ago, the ‘practical’ in PC meant the 'practical application of car restoration and repair'. So, which classic possesses all these elements? Our writers picked **Morris Traveller**, **Reliant Scimitar**, **Renault 4**, **Rover P6** and **VW Beetle**. **What would you choose?**

Also in this issue, our **James celebrates 90 years of the Citroën Traction Avant** with an epic trip from Lincolnshire to the south of France, there’s an amazing story of a **6.7-litre 21st century Railton rebuild** and a **Riley RM restoration**, while the team get stuck into projects at the Practical Classics workshop – from **BMW cabrio** to **Austin Seven**.

There are essential guides to two German superstar hatchbacks - the **VW Golf Mk1** and **Seat Leon Cupra** while our tech section reveals all about **dynamos**, **changing window glass** and **diagnosing all kinds of running issues**.

:a[**Choose your subscription here**]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/practical-classics-magazine?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=promo_subscribe_today_aug_24' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} and never miss an issue. **:a[Get your first 3 issues for £5]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/practical-classics-magazine?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=summer_all&amp;utm_content=promo_subscribe_today_sept_24' }** with our limited-time summer offer.

**Q** My 1978 Vauxhall Viva conks out after 30 minutes' running. It starts off fine, then misses, cuts out and finally stops. I've noticed the coil gets very hot. Mark Mountfield, York.

If a pre-war classic has a manual charging switch on the dash, don't leave it in the high position for more than 5-10 minutes after starting.

If (carefully) wiring coil + directly to battery + solves your problem, the fault is in the ignition wiring.

Smiths RVI tachometers: the ignition circuit passes through the tachometer. Are the connections sound? Try bypassing it.

**A** We'll generalise, starting with the hot coil. Is the car over-charging? You should measure about 14.5V across the battery with lights off, engine running fast. If the voltage regulator fails, the increased voltage pushes excess current through the coil, overheating it and causing failure.

Next, check the points gap. Too small a gap, and the coil stays 'on' much longer than it should during its normal cycle, which overheats it. Now measure the resistance of the coil between + and - terminals. For points ignition it should be 5 – 7Ω (standard coil) or 3Ω ('sports' coil); no less. With ballast ignition, the coil resistance may be less, or be rated at a lower voltage – see manual.

Has someone bypassed the ballast resistor, allowing unrestricted current through at all times? Also, is the coil the right way round? If the + and wires are reversed, the result is a very weak spark when the engine gets hot, and difficult restarting. The conking-out problem may be the coil, but maybe not. Try another condenser – they're famous for playing up when hot and acting fine again when cool. The car would break down in exactly the way you describe.

Give all the 12V ignition wires a tug to make sure they're securely attached, firmly crimped and not broken or frayed. High resistance causes heat, causing higher resistance and so on. Also, check the ignition switch isn't red-hot due to poor contact.

Scrutinise the distributor: check the 12V wire braid to the points is in good order and that the earth braid is intact. In both cases, the ends are prone to fraying. Make sure the points are free to open and close and that the plastic pivot bush isn't swollen, causing the points to bind in the open position. Do also make sure the distributor can earth to the engine by cleaning around the retaining clamp or collar.

**Q** I’ve just bought a 1985 Vauxhall Carlton estate. While I had the fuel tank off, I could hear that something was rattling around inside – possibly loose bits of rust. How can I get rid of this? Russell Newell, Morecambe, Lancs.

A The best way to remove debris from a tank is to remove it, put liquid in it and swill it around. With the liquid still on the move, vigorously pour it out into a bowl or funnel. Let the sediment settle in the bowl, then pour the liquid back into the tank via a sieve. Repeat as necessary. For safety reasons, use diesel or paraffin. Some tanks are awkward because their shape doesn't allow a straight flow of liquid to be sloshed out and down the filler neck. You could try emptying it via the tank sender unit hole, but this will depend on its design. If the tank has baffles in it then the task may be nigh on impossible. An alternative, easier strategy is to simply install a reusable glass fuel filter as close to the tank as possible. Make sure you inspect and clean it on a regular basis.

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Ask our experts

**One ZT-T, two dogs, and some 3000 miles to cover – it is truly a mercy mission like no other**

It’s June and we’re at a 60th birthday celebration. A friend of ours tells me of the plight of some other friends and their broken down car. They have a bungalow just outside Alicante, Spain, which they frequent regularly and the couple, Michaela and Dave, have two dogs, Oscar and Murphy who always travel with them.

Anyway, I was told that Dave and Michaela’s car had failed on the return trip to the UK a few days before and it was pretty much terminal. So, Dave ended up flying home while Michaela and her dachshunds returned to San Miguel de Salinas, Alicante.

As with every trip abroad, there was insurance in place but sometimes it doesn’t quite cover every eventuality and I was told that getting Michaela back to the UK before she exceeded the 91-day European limit wasn’t necessarily an issue, however getting the dogs back could be problematic, expensive and could push Michaela out of the 91 days in 180 days limit.

It would then cost around £1100 to get the dogs repatriated by a professional animal mover. Well, anyone who knows me, knows I have a singular wit but when I said: ‘For £1100, I would put Michaela in the cage with the dogs and fetch them all back to the UK in my car and save you an air fare!’ I didn’t actually think it would happen.

And yet it soon turned into a plan and, just nine days later, an actual mission had been formulated (Michaela of course would not be caged!). Here was a rough outline of the plan… drive down to Alicante in Spain, pick up Michaela, Oscar and Murphy (the dogs) and drive back to the UK, simples! But who was going to help me? So I asked my daughter Maria if she could get a couple of days off work… when I said where we would be going and why, she was on the phone to organise time off.

The plan came together and at 7pm on Saturday June 24, we set off from Wolverhampton in our 2003 MG ZT-T, fully fuelled with diesel and loaded with snacks and drinks. After a brief stop at South Mimms on the M25, we arrived at the tunnel at 10.45pm and after buying a ‘UK’ sticker for the back of the car, we boarded the train. By 1.20am (local time) we were in France and heading southbound with me driving until around 4.30am.

At this point my eyes were ready to have the lids tested for pin holes and Maria took over, for what turned out to be her first time driving my MG ZT-T! Also her first time driving a diesel car and definitely her first time driving on European roads. Around 6am we pulled into the services – the first of many – near to Le Mans. Time for some fuel and a much-needed food break.

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MG pet rescue to Alicante

In the August 2024 issue of Practical Classics, we go behind the scenes with the nation’s favourite digital content creators and **:a[find out what it takes to run a YouTube channel]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/the-youtubers?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }**.

There are two big guides this month – an **:a[in-depth analysis of the Renault 5]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/renault-5?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }** and a **:a[celebration of the Vauxhall Calibra]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/wise-buyer-vauxhall-calibra-1989-1997?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }**. Meanwhile, **:a[we choose our favourite 1970s grand tourer]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/super-coupes?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }** – from Citroën SM to Jensen Interceptor – and get under the skin of two extraordinary restorations; a **:a[Ford Sierra]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/me-and-my-resto-back-from-the-dad?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }** and **:a[Jaguar E-type]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/clawing-it-back?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }**.

Plus, Steph Holloway spends **:a[a weekend back in time]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/drive-it-back-in-the-day?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }** with a stay at the Retro Bungalow – complete with Chopper bike, a Fondue dinner and classic motors from the era.

There’s loads of action from the Practical Classics workshop too, with **:a[tips on solving rainwater leaks]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/how-to-stop-water-leaks?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }** and dynamo woes – plus our own projects, from **:a[BMW 735i]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/carmaggedon?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }** and **:a[Lanchester]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/a-great-vintage?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }** to **:a[2CV]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/gaining-traction?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }** and **:a[Morris Minor]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/aug-24/yes-minister?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=article_aug_24' }**. No other car magazine does all this!

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## Readers step in to make something good come from it

After reporting on thefts and vandalism to cars for the past few years, Practical Classics has now become a victim of the scourge. A break in and vandalism at the PC lock up in Peterborough has left several future project cars destroyed and others damaged. Danny Hopkins’s VW Bora project had every piece of glass smashed while cars including the 300,000 mile Alfa 156 featured in a trip to Italy last year were written off. Editor Danny said: ‘I don't understand why people do this...

I never will. It’s a sign of an empty life with no meaning, I actually pity the people who did it.’ The incident occurred over the early May Bank Holiday weekend and anyone with information is urged to contact Cambridgeshire Police. ‘We have been touched by the response,’ said Danny. ‘A large sum of money has been raised by a third party and, if the team can find an automotive glazier willing to sort out the mess, at least two of the cars can live again – my Bora and Clive Jefferson’s mint E39 BMW 5-Series.’

Once that work is done then the generosity will be paid back by the team. A charitable road run will be undertaken in the cars once they are repaired, followed by a sale to raise money for a good cause.

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PC projects ruined

In the July 2024 issue of Practical Classics, we reflect on **:a[our own early days of driving]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jul-24/first-car-face-off?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_first_car_face_off' }** and showcase your first cars, as well as our own.

Danny fondly recalls his Morris Marina, Craig Cheetham talks Allegros and James gets misty eyed over having to scrap his Talbot Samba back in the 2000s. Meanwhile, Matt George and Matt Tomkins still have their first cars – a Morris Minor and Triumph 2000. Also in this issue, we find out why the **:a[Clan Crusader]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jul-24/out-of-the-deep?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_out_of_the_deep' }** was one of the most innovative cars of the 1970s through the words of a man who restored his, while we meet an enthusiast who loved restoring his **:a[Triumph TR4]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jul-24/me-and-my-resto-i-restored-little-and-large-tr4s?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_tr4' }**, he built a miniature version of it! You’ll find pages and pages of handy advice on fixing and maintaining your classic and there are two in-depth guides this month: on the **:a[Mk1 Vauxhall Cavalier]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jul-24/buyers-brief-vauxhall-cavalier-mki?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_buyers_brief-vauxhall_cavalier_mki' }** and **:a[Alfa Romeo 156]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jul-24/wise-buyer-afa-romeo-156-1998-2005?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_wise_buyer_afa_romeo_156_1998_2005' }**. Danny celebrates 30 years of the **:a[Aston Martin DB7]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jul-24/the-peoples-aston?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_the_peoples_aston' }** and James hits the road to Coniston to visit **:a[Donald Campbell’s Bluebird K7]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jul-24/return-to-the-lake?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_return_to_the_lake' }**.

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