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‘We’d turn up to callouts with glowing brakes’

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‘The paint was too thick. Then we found evidence of impacts beneath’

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‘Some panels were like lace there was so little metal left’

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Looking After No 1

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ULEZ and classic cars

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Epic Restoration: Porsche 356

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Best of Classic Cars on Ferrari 1970s – 1990s

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Best of Classic Cars On Jaguar E-type

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Best of Classic Cars On Porsche 911

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The life story of a Ford Capri 3.0S

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E-type values, of all flavours, take a hit

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#### It wasn’t just on screens that police Capris spelt disaster for criminals. Many real-life UK forces gave marked examples to traffic officers, including ex-police sergeant Geoff Roberts {#h-it-wasn-t-just-on-screens-that-police-capris-spelt-disaster-for-criminals-many-real-life-uk-forces-gave-marked-examples-to-traffic-officers-including-ex-police-sergeant-geoff-roberts}

**Words** ANDREW ROBERTS **Pictures** GEOFF ROBERTS/PAUL WALSH/UK MOD/REQUEST STOP PHOTOGRAPHY

The first Capri I used was a MkII 3.0S on the advanced driving course,’ says retired Greater Manchester Police sergeant Geoff Roberts. ‘It had a manual gearbox with no power steering; fortunately, all of the GMP’s traffic unit Capris had power steering.

Away from _The Professionals_ – with its smirking C15 agents, gripping car chases through Amersham and over-acting villains crashing FD-series Vauxhalls – several real-life police forces used the Ford Capri. By the Seventies, British constabularies had long employed sporting cars on traffic duties, from the Daimler SP250 and the MGB to the Sunbeam Tiger and the Triumph TR4. To commission the Capri, therefore, made perfect sense.

Lancashire bought its first MkI 3000GTs in 1971, and they also saw service in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Merseyside, Sussex, and Greater Manchester. Many drivers in Northwest England can still vividly remember the GMP’s liveried Capri 3.0S MkII and IIIs, with twenty last-of-the-line Injection Specials in 1986 marking the end of their association with ‘The Car You Always Promised Yourself’. Ex-sergeant Roberts regularly drove D444 KVM; over the past few years it has undergone extensive restoration to its full police specification.

Ford unveiled the Capri Injection in March 1981, the year Mark One Productions made the last _Professionals_ adventure. It was the first product of Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering department and combined the Granada MkII’s 2.8-litre fuel-injected engine with modified tyres, suspension and brakes. The five-speed transmission was standardised in 1983, and Ford launched the more luxurious Special in 1984. Production ended in November 1986 with the limited-edition 280.

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Inside the January issue we step into the shoes of Bodie and Doyle, as we:a[drive the Ford Capri Mk3 3.0Ss]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/professional-misconduct?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_professional_misconduct' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} used in The Professionals. These cars just set an auction-house record for Capris, so we tell their on-set stories. We also meet Geoff Roberts, the real-life Professional who chased down criminals from :a[behind the wheel of a police Capri]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/wed-turn-up-to-callouts-with-glowing-brakes?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_wed_turn_up_to_callouts_with_glowing_brakes' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}.

We also drive the :a[Ferrari SP3 Daytona]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/neo-nostalgia?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_neo_nostalgia' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} to see if it has a right to claim the name, discover the origins of :a[Ralliart in a Group A Mitsubishi Starion rally car]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/origin-of-a-species?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_origin_of_a_species' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, reveal the restoration tribulations of the unique :a[Guyson E12]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/we-realised-just-how-much-of-a-prototype-it-was?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_we_realised_just_how_much_of_a_prototype_it_was' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, put a film-buff reader in a :a[Roger Moore-style Lamborghini Islero]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/its-a-proper-jekyll-and-hyde-character?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_its_a_proper_jekyll_and_hyde_character' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, tell the life story of a very well-travelled :a[Mercedes CLK]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/life-story-of-a-mercedes-clk200?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_life_story_of_a_mercedes_clk200' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} and show you how to buy a :a[VW Karmann-Ghia]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/eight-steps-to-buying-a-vw-karmann-ghia?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_eight_steps_to_buying_a_vw_karmann_ghia' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}…

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists :a[Quentin Willson]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/quentin-willson-10?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_quentin_willson_10' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} and :a[Alex Riley]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/jan-24/alex-riley-4?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_alex_riley_4' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, four cars for sale tested and more, make the January issue unmissable.

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Inside the December issue we follow the :a[restoration of a Lamborghini Miura]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/dec-23/the-paint-was-too-thick-then-we-found-evidence-of-impacts-beneath?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_the_paint_was_too_thick_then_we_found_evidence_of_impacts_beneath' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} that first appeared in our Barn Finds section as it’s transformed into a concours-worthy road car, and reveal the secrets of tuning its mightily complex V12 for optimum road performance

We also :a[drive a rare Jensen FF]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/dec-23/excess-more?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_excess_more' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} owned by a Seventies football star, take an early :a[Subaru Impreza WRX STi]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/dec-23/built-in-japan-made-in-britain?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_built_in_japan_made_in_britain' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} for a drive in Welsh rally country and :a[reunite the Prodrive engineers]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/dec-23/colin-did-his-best-to-destroy-it?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_colin_did_his_best_to_destroy_it' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} who helped Colin McRae make it a winner, help a reader live their Eighties dream in the :a[Renault 5 GT Turbo]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/dec-23/its-a-potent-little-thing?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_its_a_potent_little_thing' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} the insurance man wouldn’t let them have, tell the life story of a military Morgan 4/4 and show you :a[how to buy a Volvo 1800]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/dec-23/six-steps-to-buying-a-volvo-1800?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_six_steps_to_buying_a_volvo_1800' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}…

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists :a[Quentin Willson]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/dec-23/quentin-willson-9?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_quentin_willson_9' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} and :a[Alex Riley]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/dec-23/alex-riley-3?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_alex_riley_3' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, four cars for sale tested and more, make the December issue unmissable.

This 1969 Miura S featured in our Barn Finds pages in December 2019 when it emerged from a lean-to garage in the Black Forest. Preservation was the aim – but would it be possible for this languishing Lamborghini?

**Words** NIGEL BOOTHMAN **Photos** JONATHAN JACOB/IAIN TYRRELL CLASSIC CARS

The Miura has remained in storage and would require further servicing should its next owner seek to enjoy it on the open road.’ So ran a line in the auction description in 2019, the year this Lamborghini emerged from storage in a wooden lean-to garage in the Black Forest, Germany. It’s the kind of statement that seasoned classic car auction watchers will recognise – perfectly true perhaps, but a masterpiece of understatement. The issue for the new owner of chassis 4245 lay in discovering the true extent of that ‘servicing’, while deciding how to navigate the choices such a task would present.

‘It was bought by a German industrialist for sentimental reasons,’ says Iain Tyrrell, whose firm has conducted this restoration and indeed many others on Miuras in recent years. ‘The car was always local to him, and he knew of it, and even knew the family who owned it. He investigated various people to restore the car and particularly asked about the interior. I said we could rejuvenate the original interior and the restoration would be focused on keeping the car as original as possible. That clinched it; on that basis, as well as on recommendations from others, he was quite happy to send us the car, even though we’d never met.’

The history of this 1969 Miura S reveals it to be a two-owner car, with the second owner keeping it from 1974 until his death in 2015, reputedly enjoying it throughout those years – though the odometer reading of just 29,000km (18,000 miles) suggests sparing use that perhaps dried up in more recent times. At first glance, it appeared remarkably original and unspolit, with the vinyl and cloth interior largely intact and not more than a few cracks in the paint. If the low mileage (well-supported and genuine) implied a drivetrain and mechanical parts with little wear, could it really become that rare thing – asmart, useable ‘survivor’?

Follow the Lamborghini's journey in the December 2023 Edition of Classic Cars magazine, or get :a[instant access on your]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/when-it-was-discovered-it-was-only-fit-for-fred-flintstone?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_prc&amp;utm_content=teaserarticle' } device for only 99p.

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SPECIAL ISSUE: Get the inside line on the :a[top 30 classics to buy in 2024]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/nov-23/the-hot-30-2?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_the_hot_30_2' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} before prices rise, straight from our expert international panel.

PLUS: Unique :a[Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/nov-23/the-fall-of-grugliasco?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_the_fall_of_grugliasco' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} tested, rare Radford-customised :a[Mini restoration]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/nov-23/some-panels-were-like-lace-there-was-so-little-metal-left?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_some_panels_were_like_lace_there_was_so_little_metal_left' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, a stunt rider’s :a[Triumph TR6]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/nov-23/life-story-of-a-triumph-tr6?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_life_story_of_a_triumph_tr6' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} life story, a reader drives her dream :a[Jensen Interceptor]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/nov-23/it-wont-throw-me-back-in-the-seat-its-too-refined-for-that?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=content_it_wont_throw_me_back_in_the_seat_its_too_refined_for_that' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, making the case for the Alfa Arna underdog, how to buy the last bargain classic Ford, the hottest market news and events coverage and more.

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A life in Majorca suggested this Radford Mini's restoration would be straightforward for Motorvation Classics. Little did Will Birrell's team know it would be anything but

**Words** RICHARD MASON **Photography** IAN SKELTON

There was a hornets’ nest inside it when we stripped it down,’ says Will Birrell of Motorvation Classics, the company tasked by owner Phil Nisbett with rebuilding this rare Radford-modified Mini. Maybe it says something about the mindset of the Swinging Sixties that a tiny utilitarian car was turned into something stupendously luxurious with a price tag to match – and it found buyers. Harold Radford Coachbuilders was doing just this to Mini Coopers by fitting Rolls-Royce electric windows, Bentley parking lights and customised luxury interiors. Almost 60 years later, Phil Nisbett decided to rescue one such Sixties curio by sending it to Motorvation Classics’ premises in Sarratt, Hertfordshire, for what turned out to be an epic restoration.

Will explains the car’s back story, ‘It was first registered October 1965, acquiring another three owners before being bought in 1982 by current owner Phil’s cousin, Russel Howard. Russel drove it around Chelsea before moving to Majorca in 1984, taking it with him. Apparently it sat in his garage for years. Phil, who has a farm there, bought it from his cousin in 2011, also keeping it in his garage for several years. Finally the Radford was moved onto the sand dunes near his house for maybe a year.

**Follow the restoration journey in the November 2023 Edition of Classic Cars magazine, or get :a[instant access on your]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/when-it-was-discovered-it-was-only-fit-for-fred-flintstone?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_prc&amp;utm_content=teaserarticle' } device for only 99p.**

## One hundred years ago, Alvis built this car in a quest for competition success to publicise its brilliant new overhead-valve engine. They called it Racing Car No 1 – does it live up to that name today? {#h-one-hundred-years-ago-alvis-built-this-car-in-a-quest-for-competition-success-to-publicise-its-brilliant-new-overhead-valve-engine-they-called-it-racing-car-no-1-does-it-live-up-to-that-name-today}

After a century of existence, this car has many tales to tell. It was completed in June 1923, built from a much-drilled Alvis 10/30 chassis of 1921 and a 10/30 crankcase, upgraded by the addition of the brand new 12/50 cylinder block and overhead-valve cylinder head. It was designated by Alvis as 12/50 Racing Car No 1 and was built for sprint and hill climb competition. In the hands of Alvis works driver Major Maurice Harvey, it began winning straight away. But that covers only the first six months of its history.

We’ll get into the other 99.5 years after a spell behind the wheel. I’m at Tom Hardman’s showroom on a farm in rural Lancashire, not a bad place to learn how to drive a racing car created before front-wheel brakes were regarded as necessary. Soon I’ll venture out in public, but first – the starting procedure, which is rather involved. There are taps and pipes everywhere. A pump, too, like something you might use to pressurise an insect-sprayer. There is also a nickelplated ignition switch I recognise from my own 1923 Alvis, marked OFF and ON, with a pointer resembling a tiny Bakelite sausage you can turn from one to the other.

 It goes like this. Turn on the fuel taps. Pump some air pressure into the fuel tank with the plunger on the outside left of the cockpit, until the gauge shows anything other than zero. Reach through the hand-hole in the offside bonnet panel and tickle the carburettor on the float chamber to flood it. Then, with the ignition off, use the starting handle to turn the engine over a few times to draw in some mixture. Retard the ignition with the timing control lever and turn the switch to ‘ON’. Ask Tom Hardman to apply the choke, which is nothing more than a special piece of flat metal on a keyring in Tom’s pocket that he presses to the mouth of the carburettor. Move the starting handle down slowly and find some resistance. Then give a swift pull upwards – never try to start on a down-stroke, for fear of a violent kickback – and it should burst into life.

> ‘A racing car created before front brakes were seen as necessary’

To my astonishment, it works first time from stone cold. Tom has clearly learned the drill very well and passed it on exactly. Racing Car No 1 settles into a pocketa-pock idle and sits there, trembling lightly and scenting the air with Castrol R. So far, so docile – and, as hundred year-old racing cars go, something of a pussycat. Will it be quite so obliging to drive?

Thanks to the cut-down cockpit side, your right knee can splay out as you hunker down behind the aero screen. The biggest worry is moving your right foot from the central accelerator and passing it under the steering column to the brake pedal on the right. Then there’s the gearlever, waiting outside the cockpit to produce a cringe-inducing crunch when engaging gear from a standstill. This car has no clutch stop, and the cone clutch assembly would normally be well enough lubricated to slow down and stop spinning the gearbox input shaft soon after you dip the pedal, but this one has seen little use since before Covid. Still, if you set a slow idle, and take some speed off the whirling metal by half-engaging second gear for a moment or two, you can click it smartly into first. Clutch pedal up and away you go.

 Now it gets easier. The flywheel is quite light and the gearbox ratios seem more evenly spaced than other vintage Alvis gearboxes, so you double-declutch smartly into second, build speed, tap-dance smartly again into third and then again for top. Which isn’t worth bothering with below about 40mph, because the tall back axle ratio needs revs on the clock to allow the engine to pull cleanly. The rear axle ratio is high and the light flywheel combines with Racing Car No 1’s relative lack of torque (it sacrifices low-revving grunt for a very high redline, up near 5000rpm) to make it less than happy in slow traffic… as I soon discover when I venture out, managing to stall the engine at a junction in the village. Cue red-faced acrobatics as I leap forth and repeat the starting palaver.

> ‘It won speed trials, and was sometimes competing twice or three times in a week’

I had expected No 1 to be geared lower for hill climbing. The rear axle ratio feels rather tall, which means midrange acceleration is stronger than it is off the line. The centre of gravity feels a long way up, so the high-ratio steering (pleasingly light and direct) needs a careful touch if you’re not to unbalance the car during sudden changes of direction. There are rod-actuated brakes on the rear wheels only, but equally large handbrake shoes alongside them in the same drums. Using the latter (or a bit of both) scrubs off some speed. But not much. Mind you, if they were more powerful you could lock the two skinny tyres very easily with so little weight over the back of the car.

In its era No 1 must have been formidable, because only a week after completion it was making Fastest Time of the Day. The hill climbs at which it triumphed are now almost forgotten: South Harting, Sharnden, Ringinglow, Peak Hill. Kop Hill has made a comeback as a classic event. The Alvis won speed trials, too – in Southsea and Thetford – and was sometimes competing twice or three times in a week.

Two other 12/50 racers followed No 1, completed by early September 1923 to much the same specifications, but with streamlined Brooklands bodies. They were immediately entered for the track’s major event that year - the 200 Miles Race, held at season’s end in October. This success has become a part of Alvis legend, because it did much to make the company’s name – though knowing that it came on the back of a highly successful summer on the hills for Number 1, and that the factory would have learned lessons from how No 1’s engine was behaving, helps put the win in context. Major Harvey took one of the two new racers and defeated rapid but less reliable opposition, including Malcolm Campbell in a twin overheadcam supercharged Fiat. Harvey and riding mechanic George Tattersall won at an average 93.29mph, a new class record.

The Autocar offered glowing praise. ‘The sharp bark of its smooth engine never missed a beat, nor faltered, nor altered its pitch. It ran as Alvises run in everyday use – sturdy, swift and steady.’ It also averaged a remarkable 24mpg, humming along at 4000rpm. Clearly it had the makings of an impressive road car. Alvis’s Managing Director, TG John, didn’t think it got sufficient press attention at the time. By 1929, though, he said, ‘There is no doubt that without competitions and racing, it would have taken us another ten years to get as far as we have now.’

They had indeed got a long way. By 1929, Alvis had sold almost 3000 12/50s and it had secured a reputation as a quick, sturdy and well-engineered machine – something the model would never lose. The success of the 12/50 funded the innovative (though loss-making) Front Wheel Drive and the six-cylinder Silver Eagle that led eventually to the Speed 20. Racing Car No 1 represents the foundation on which that success was built.

You can feel it in every hill and sweeping corner. Partly this is thanks to No 1’s low weight, which reveals everything in greater detail, but it’s mainly down to the crackling overhead-valve engine. I find myself wondering whether to overtake a dawdling hatchback with a blip down into third, then I remember what I’m driving... and those brakes. You wouldn’t even consider such a move in any other four-cylinder, 1.5-litre car from 100 years ago. A ‘bullnose’ Morris Cowley, a typical side-valve example of the 12hp class, makes 40mph feel like plenty. This car will do twice that and more – and even in roadgoing tune, a 12/50 SA could pass 70mph. You’d need a Bentley 3 Litre to keep up, and in 1923 they cost £1000 for a rolling chassis, sans coachwork. A 12/50 SA Sports was £550, all in.

So what happened to No 1 after the limelight faded?

## **To read the full article, or try a :a[Digital Membership for 99p]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/membership?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_bwsarticle' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} for your first month.**

See an article you like? Click on the link to be directed to our Members-only app/website and :a[become a Digital subscriber to read the September 2023 issue of _Classic Cars_]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_clc' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} from just 99p!

Inside the September issue we dive into the cool, vibrant world of classic Volkswagens, driving Beetle, Type 2 Camper, Karmann-Ghia, Golf GTI MkI, Corrado VR6 and Lupo GTI to get to the essence of their appeal, while lifelong aircooled VW enthusiast James Peene lifts the lid on the diverse, unique and often confusing cult of ownership these cars have inspired.

We also drive the Jaguar XJR-9 Group C car which won the 1988 Le Mans 24 Hours – the marque’s first since the Fifties, reveal the epic restoration of a surprise-present Bedford CA2 restored by creator Dormobile itself, let a reader loose in his dream Lotus Esprit V8, recall the life of a trans-European Mercedes-Benz 230 ‘Fintail’, and show you how to buy a Triumph Spitfire…

The September issue of Classic Cars is out now at all good newsagents, or why not subscribe?

## :a[Choose your subscription here]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=newissue_clc' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} {#h-choose-your-subscription-here}

Celebrating 60 years of Lotus-tuned saloons, Mercedes-Benz 600 at 60, epic BMW M3 restoration, life story of a rally Datsun 180B, TVR Taimar dream drive, Porsche 956 heroes recall the 1983 WSCC, Honda S2000 buying guide…

Inside the July issue we celebrate 60 years of Lotus-tuned saloons with a Lotus Cortina, Talbot Sunbeam-Lotus, Lotus Carlton and Proton Satria GTi, while WRC navigator Ian Grindrod tells the story of the Talbot’s turbulent first season in rallying, remembering his friend, the inimitable and infamous Tony Pond.

We also speak to the drivers and engineers who made the Porsche 956 a success 40 years ago, assess the groundbreaking Mercedes 600 at 60 with the men who sold and serviced them, tell the story of an exacting BMW M3 restoration, put a reader in a dream TVR Taimar, tell the life story of a tough Datsun rally car and show you how to buy a Honda S2000…

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists Quentin Willson and John Fitzpatrick, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, four cars for sale tested and more, make the July issue unmissable.

The July issue of Classic Cars is out now at all good newsagents, or why not subscribe?

See an article you like? Click on the link to be directed to our Members-only app/website and :a[read the August 2023 issue of _Classic Cars_]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_clc' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} from just 99p!

Inside the August issue we take a full-throttle drive into high-octane Eighties car-culture with the Vauxhall Astra GTE, BMW 635CSi, Ford Sierra Cosworth, Audi Quattro and Ferrari Testarossa, while legendary Hollywood stuntman:a[Jack Gill lifts the lid on the pre-CGI four-wheeled action]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/aug-23/wed-toss-a-coin-and-one-of-us-would-put-on-the-daisy-dukes?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_wed_toss_a_coin_and_one_of_us_would_put_on_the_daisy_dukes' } that blazed across the big and small screens throughout the decade.

We also drive the :a[Frazer Nash-BMW]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/aug-23/from-tiny-acorns?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_from_tiny_acorns' } that began the UK’s love affair with the German marque, take Graham Hill’s :a[Ford GT40 to the supermarket]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/aug-23/street-wise?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_street_wise' }, tell the story of a battered :a[Chevrolet Lumina NASCAR]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/aug-23/a-massive-crash-had-wiped-out-a-whole-side-of-the-car?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_a_massive_crash_had_wiped_out_a_whole_side_of_the_car' } restored in the UK, put a reader in a Mercedes-Benz ‘Pagoda’ SL, recall the :a[life of a Ginetta G33]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/aug-23/the-life-story-of-a-ginetta-g33?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_the_life_story_of_a_ginetta_g33' } rescued from bankruptcy and show you :a[how to buy a Ford Capri]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/aug-23/eight-steps-to-buying-a-ford-capri-mki?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_eight_steps_to_buying_a_ford_capri_mki' }…

All that, plus our columnist Quentin Willson, introducing new columnist Alex Riley, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, four cars for sale tested and more, make the August issue unmissable.

The August issue of Classic Cars is out now at all good newsagents, or why not subscribe?

The London low emissions zone currently extends to the area **inside** the North Circular and South Circular, but excludes the roads themselves. From 29 August 2023 it will expand to include all London boroughs, covering much of the area inside the M25 motorway (:a[https://lruc.content.tfl.gov.uk/guide-to-ulez-expansion-2023.pdf]{href='https://lruc.content.tfl.gov.uk/guide-to-ulez-expansion-2023.pdf' }).

At the time of writing, the only other English cities with Class D ULEZ (affecting private cars, among other vehicles) are Birmingham (:a[**inside** the A4530 Middleway Ring Road]{href='https://www.brumbreathes.co.uk/info/25/welcome-2/45/charges-operation-1' }) and Bristol (:a[https://www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/bristols-caz/view-a-map]{href='https://www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/bristols-caz/view-a-map' }). In Scotland, Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh are included.

### ULEZ exemption for classic vehicles {#h-ulez-exemption-for-classic-vehicles}

Cars registered in the historic vehicle class (more than 40 years old, on a rolling basis), and therefore road tax exempt, are also exempt from ULEZ charges.

Cars not registered in the historic vehicle class and which don’t have low enough emissions to be ULEZ exempt are liable for the ULEZ charge on each day the car **is driven** within the zone. It does not apply to cars parked.

You can check whether your modern classic is ULEZ compliant here: :a[https://pay.drive-clean-air-zone.service.gov.uk/vehicles/enter\_details]{href='https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'}

ULEZ compliance/charge exemption is based on petrol cars having been **originally built to Euro 4** (or higher) emissions standards: • CO 1.0g/km • THC 0.1g/km • NOx 0.08g/km. Petrol cars sold in the UK from January 2005 had to be built to Euro 4 standard or higher, although some older cars were already built to this standard and are therefore ULEZ compliant. The TFL check-your-vehicle page above should confirm this for your vehicle.

### Can I modify my non-compliant car to Euro 4 (or higher) standards? {#h-can-i-modify-my-non-compliant-car-to-euro-4-or-higher-standards}

ULEZ exemption is based on the standards that the car was originally built to. It is our understanding that modifying a non-compliant car to the emissions standards above will not make it ULEZ charge exempt.

### Can I rely on the TFL ULEZ vehicle checker? {#h-can-i-rely-on-the-tfl-ulez-vehicle-checker}

The FBHVC (Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs) warns that this is unreliable and may flag up exempt classics as being liable. \*\*\*\*\*As a test, on 11 August 2021, we ran a 1962 Jaguar E-type through the online vehicle checker and it informed us that the car was liable for the charge.

### Congestion charge {#h-congestion-charge}

Classics of any age are not exempt from the central London congestion charge. The zone and the times when charges apply is defined here: :a[https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone]{href='https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'}

### Other useful links {#h-other-useful-links}

• :a[MoT and road tax exemption]{href='https://www.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/blog/features/mot-and-road-tax-exemption/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'}

• Ethanol-blended petrol and :a[E10]{href='https://www.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/blog/features/ethanol-blended-petrol-and-classic-cars/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'}

• White/silver-on-black number plate :a[rules]{href='https://www.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/blog/features/white-or-silver-on-black-number-plate-rule-changes/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'}

## 230 classics hidden for 40 years: the greatest find in a decade? {#h-230-classics-hidden-for-40-years-the-greatest-find-in-a-decade}

In what must be the largest and most significant barn find discovery since the Baillon collection in France in late 2014, 230 cars covering a vast range of ages and styles have emerged from the ownership of one collector in the Netherlands. The cars, many of which are desirable models from quality marques, appear to be in much better condition overall than the bulk of the Baillon hoard – many of which were rescued after road accidents.

The collection has been hidden in three sites near the owner’s home in Dordrecht, a town just outside Rotterdam. It was known only to a few friends and enthusiasts until February 2022 when a fire in one warehouse destroyed one car and caused some smoke damage, making the news. More recently, the owner, a Mr Palmen, has required the care of a nursing home and the collection was apparently entrusted to a third party. A subsequent bidding process for the entire stock, plus the buildings in which they were housed, was won by The Gallery in Brummen, run by father and son team Nico and Nick Aaldering.

Nico has been interviewed about the collection for Dutch news outlets, walking around one of the buildings and pointing out some of the most impressive finds, including one of the 40-odd Monica saloons constructed in France in the early Seventies. ‘I’d have regretted it for the rest of my life if we hadn’t bought everything,’ Nico told _Omroep Gelderland._ ‘Mr Palmen, for the last 20 or 25 years, didn’t let anyone in, so he lived here like a hermit, amongst his cars. He bought everything he liked. He had two criteria: he mainly chose original Dutch cars with their Dutch registrations, and he liked sliding roofs. Don’t ask me where that came from!’

Is there a car in the collection Nico wants to hang onto for himself? ‘We will sell the whole collection and maybe there will be one left over for me,’ he says. ‘Or two. Or three...’

### **See more of the collection in the July 2023 Edition of Classic Cars magazine, or get :a[instant access on your]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/when-it-was-discovered-it-was-only-fit-for-fred-flintstone?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_prc&amp;utm_content=teaserarticle' } device for only 99p.**

 {#h-see-an-article-you-like-click-on-the-link-to-be-directed-to-our-new-members-only-app-website-and-read-the-march-2023-issue-of-classic-cars-from-just-99p}

See an article you like? Click on the link to be directed to our NEW Members-only app/website and :a[read the June 2023 issue of _Classic Cars_]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_clc' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} from just 99p! {#h-see-an-article-you-like-click-on-the-link-to-be-directed-to-our-new-members-only-app-website-and-read-the-march-2023-issue-of-classic-cars-from-just-99p}

Inside the June issue, Quentin Willson reveals his :a[Smart Buys for 2023]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/quentin-willsons-smart-buys-2023' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, with road tests of an **Alfa Romeo Spider S2, Honda NSX** and **Mercedes-Benz C124 300CE**. In a new-style format for turbulent economic times, we pick no fewer than 12 cars that represent safe places for your money, with something for every pocket.

We also drive the earliest-surviving :a[Pegaso Z-102B]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/flying-without-wings' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, meet the :a[intrepid design engineer]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/apart-from-the-model-we-had-no-drawings-it-was-all-in-the-bosss-head' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} who turned **Panther**’s six-wheeled dream into reality, reveal what it took for a **Porsche** specialist to carry out the :a[definitive 356 restoration]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/when-it-was-discovered-it-was-only-fit-for-fred-flintstone' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, put a :a[reader in a well-travelled Bentley S]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/exactly-what-a-standard-steel-bentley-ought-to-be' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, reveal the :a[globetrotting life of a Mercedes 190]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/the-life-story-of-a-mercedes-benz-190td' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} and show you how to buy a :a[Ferrari 550 Maranello]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/eight-steps-to-buying-a-ferrari-550-maranello' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}…

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists Quentin Willson and John Fitzpatrick, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, four cars for sale tested and more, make the June issue unmissable.

**Become a Member today and you'll never miss an issue, PLUS you'll get access to Members-only content and rewards on the Classic Cars Member's app and website. :a[Try our digital membership today for only 99p!]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/membership?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=latest_issue_clc' }**

## Turning a 70 year-old basket case Porsche 356 into a minter is a challenge. Elevating it to one of the most representative examples of its kind is quite another, but that's what Phil Parry and his team achieved. {#h-turning-a-70-year-old-basket-case-porsche-356-into-a-minter-is-a-challenge-elevating-it-to-one-of-the-most-representative-examples-of-its-kind-is-quite-another-but-that-s-what-phil-parry-and-his-team-achieved}

**Words** JJ Vollans **Photography** Ian Skelton. :a[June 2023 Edition.]{href='https://www.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/magazine/issues/june-2023/' }

'I knew I wanted to get something collectible and interesting', Phil Parry, owner of this glorious 356, tells us during a visit to his Essex-based workshop. Phil's rare 'Pre-A' Porsche was put on a long road to concours-grade restoration over a decade ago, back in 2011. 'I'd made friends with a Porsche car hunter in the States called Rusty Tubs. He started searching all over the US for a special 356 for me. After rejecting a lot of examples, he sent me an email simply stating, "This is your car".

The 356 that Rusty - an appropriate name as it turned out - had found was indeed special. It has both a prominent former owner and tantalising hint of racing history. 'Originally consigned to Paris dealer Sonauto, its first owner, according to the Porsche Kardex build information, was "His Excellency Minister Bartels", a Danish diplomat who took the car to the US in 1955. It was serviced that year at Hoffman's New York with 12,000km on the clock'. Plenty of provenance, but as shipped to Phil,m the 356 was a very long way from ready to resume diplomatic service.

'It was found as part of the clearance of the estate of Gary Kempton, who ran GK Restorations - an early VW and Porsche restoration business in Crawfordville, Florida.' Phil's collectible Porsche hound Rusty sniffed out the car languishing under a mouldy cover. 'Gary had a lot of his own donor vehicles onsite and this 356 was one, nestled out the back. It was known as one of Gary's "special" cars. When found, it has a racing stripe up over the roof and along the bonnet'. Despite the livery and accompanying entry found in the car for the 1955 Sebring 12-hours, there's no categoric evidence of competition.

It might have looked like a racer, but by the time Rusty found it, only Fred Flintstone could have pedalled it to pole position - its floors and sills had largely disappeared. The moist Florida climate had taken it's toll, but Phil was impressed enough with the car's former keeper and general originality - plus a load of spares and original parts on the back seat - to take it on.

### Follow the 356's journey from basket case to concours-grade in the June 2023 Edition of Classic Cars magazine, or get :a[instant access on your]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/read/june-2023/when-it-was-discovered-it-was-only-fit-for-fred-flintstone?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_prc&amp;utm_content=teaserarticle' } device for only 99p.

See an article you like? Click on the link to be directed to our NEW Members-only app/website and :a[read the May 2023 issue of _Classic Cars_]{href='https://members.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk/?utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_medium=bws&amp;utm_campaign=bau_clc&amp;utm_content=content_clc' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} from just 99p!

Inside the May issue issue we reveal six overlooked gems from **Aston Martin, Lotus, BMW, Alpine, Rolls-Royce and Fiat**, and TV’s **Alex Riley** explores why cars fall in and out of fashion.

We test a unique **AC prototype** once intended to take the **Cobra** manufacturer upmarket, and we also drive the **Mercedes 500SEL AMG** owned new by **ex-Beatle George Harrison**. This issue is also a chance to see inside a **private Scottish collection** and understand the motivations of the man who owns and maintains the cars.

Our exclusive feature series include Epic Restoration about a hideously rotten **Vauxhall Chevette HSR, painstakingly resurrected after being found with a tree growing through it**, The List where **we put a reader in his dream Ford Thunderbird** and Life Cycle in which **we tell the story of a Morris Marina** that survived multiple phases of family life.

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists **Quentin Willson** and **John Fitzpatrick**, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of **our own classics**, four cars for sale tested and more, make the May issue unmissable.

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