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100 favourite classics

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August 2024

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July 2024

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A cup of tea with… Suzanne Hankey

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June 2024

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August 2023

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Ask our experts

**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.

**Want to read on? :a[Subscribe to a PC Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' } today and** **you'll get instant digital access to this article PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss a** **copy of PC again.**

**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.

**Want to read on? :a[Subscribe to a PC Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' } today and you'll get instant digital access to this article PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss an issue again.**

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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PC is the enthusiast’s bible that truly does it all. From inspirational journeys, and adventures to classic buying guides, tales, tech advice and trials from the magazines very own workshop. Enjoy all this and more every month with Practical Classics.

**Make sure you never miss an issue by taking out a subscription. Choose the best plan below to suit you**:

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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.

**Want to read on? :a[Subscribe to a PC Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' } today and you'll get instant digital access to this article PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss an issue again.**

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' }**.

: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' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}.

### For 13 years, Suzy was Alec Issigonis’s secretary. Here, she chats to us about her working life with her ‘Issi’.

**Q So, early Sixties Longbridge. How did you begin?**

I left school before I was technically even 15 because somebody told me that if your birthday was in the holidays, you didn’t have to come back. I thought, ‘Gosh, that’s good!’ So I forged my parent’s signature and got an interview.

I went for the interview in a matching coat and gloves, as you did in those days. I remember thinking, ‘Should I have a hat?’

My interview was with a glamorous blonde lady called Miss Lilly. There were 20,000 people working at Longbridge at the time, and Miss Lilly had interviewed them all.

‘I do go to typing lessons, but I’m not very good,’ I said. Even so, I was offered a job as an office girl in the BMC design office at Longbridge. And that was how it all started.

I started with Sidney SV Smith. He was the technical director but he was an administrator not an engineer, really. The chief engineer, based at Morris Motors, Cowley, was Alec. ‘He designed the Morris Minor, right?’ I asked. The deputy chief engineer was Charles Griffin, who was actually a development engineer.

**Q What was the set up then and who worked where? What was the office like?**

Alec was there, splitting his time between the Longbridge and Cowley premises; his secretary was a young woman called Jennifer Ellis. Charles Griffin’s secretary was Alice Rothman, who came from Glasgow. I shared an office that was a sort of metal-and-glass room in the design office, with all the draughtsmen working on their big drawing boards all around us.

Through the foyer there was a commissioner, and in the posh office were Miss Greaves and Jennifer. In the inner office was SV Smith and then, further along the corridor, Alec.

I had to make coffee in the morning and, of course, tea in the afternoon – quarter to three! I did copy typing. You couldn’t reproduce a document without retyping it – impossible to understand nowadays! There was a typing pool but, because I was the inner office, I wasn’t in the typing pool; it was sort of more confidential. I can still remember the first copying we did with the Xerox – a giant copying machine that had to have a room of its own. And the copies had to be hung up to dry as well!

**Enjoyed this interview so far? :a[Subscribe to a PC Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' } today and you'll get instant digital access to this article PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss an issue again.**

**PC** donates two Rovers as the Classic Car Loan Project hits 100

The Classic Car Loan Project has now loaned out more than 100 cars to young enthusiasts, meaning that 100 year’s worth of classic car experience has been given by the organisation. To celebrate the success of the CCLP, started by Bob Wilkinson in 2017, Practical Classics editor Danny Hopkins is loaning two cars from his current fleet for a year. The first is a 1997 Rover 220 SD, the other a 2004 Rover 25 TD 101. Both cars are on offer separately or can be loaned as a pair and both will be freshly serviced with full MOTs. The cars were originally owned by Veronika and Richard Downs, who sold them to Danny earlier this year with the request that they eventually secure a good home with a younger enthusiast. ‘When I interviewed Clare Brookes and Sarah Crabtree from CCLP at the PC Resto Show, I knew what I had to do,’ said Danny. ‘These are really important cars, the last all-British volume small car. Both are ‘practical classics’ and both are prime examples of cars that are now disappearing from our streets at a rate of knots.’

The two Rovers have been meticulously maintained and, while the loan marks CCLP’s milestone, it also celebrates the 200/25 range that is 30 years-old this year. Bob Wilkinson, founder of CCLP, told PC: ‘This is a fantastic loan offer and we are all very excited about it. Thanks to Danny and everyone at PC for their generosity.’ The loan will be accompanied by an annual subscription to PC and a year's membership of the Rover 200/400 club. Go to **:a[classiccarloanproject.co.uk]{href='http://classiccarloanproject.co.uk' }** to register your interest.

**Want to read the rest of this article? Choose a :a[Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}. You'll get instant digital access PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss an issue again.**

100 classics loaned!

It might not have felt that way lately, but summer is apparently on the way! To get ourselves in the mood, **:a[we choose our favourite four-seat drop-top]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/four-play?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_four_play' }** – will it be Golf, Escort, Astra or 205?

Meanwhile, our **:a[Ian Tisdale  heads off around Germany in his Tatra]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/tatra-test?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_tatra_test' }**, there’s a guide on **:a[how to buy the best Jaguar XK8]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/jaguar-xk8-x100-1996-2005?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_jaguar_xk8' }** and **:a[Series 2/3 Land Rover]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/land-rover-series-ii-iii?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_land_rover_series_ii_iii' }** and a fascinating **:a[insight into the world of Sir Alec Issigonis]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/a-cup-of-tea-with-suzanne-hankey?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_a_cup_of_tea_with_suzanne_hankey' }**, as told through the experiences of his secretary.

Aside from loads of oily action at our workshop, there’s **:a[a truly epic VW Beetle restoration story]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/rachael-was-overjoyed-to-see-it?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_rachael_was_overjoyed_to_see_it' }** – plus a man who went from washing his neighbour’s **:a[Fiesta Mk2]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/shine-on?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_shine_on' }** as a kid – to fully restoring it in time for his wedding day!

Plus: **:a[learn how multiplex electrical systems work]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/understand-multiplex-electrical-systems?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_understand_multiplex_electrical_systems' }** and **:a[how to diagnose temperature gauge faults]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/is-my-temperature-gauge-telling-the-truth?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_is_my_temp_guage_telling_the_truth' }** and **:a[fix your distributor]{href='https://members.practicalclassics.co.uk/read/jun-24/distributor-checks?utm_source=practicalclassics.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_practicalclassics&amp;utm_content=content_distributor_checks' }**. No other mag does all that!

## Weekend workshop: save £200 in four hours {#h-weekend-workshop-save-200-in-four-hours}

We explain how to test and rebuild your alternator for as little as £20

**Using a Lucas 15 ACR as a guinea pig, we'll reveal all you need to know to diagnose and rectify faults in a typical alternator. There are many designs, but the basics are the same.**

When a conductor (the wire) is moved through a magnetic field, a current flows in one direction. Reversing the wire’s direction reverses the flow. The output is increased by having a stronger magnet, using several wires or moving them faster.

An alternator works by rotating a magnet – the rotor. Its magnetic field moves through static conductors. It comprises of a piece of wire wound around an iron core. The ends are connected to circular contacts, called slip-rings.

**Want to read the rest of this technical guide? Choose a :a[Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}. You'll get instant digital access PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss an issue again.**

Rebuild your classic’s alternator

Danny’s newly arrived hot-ish hatch is the very definition of Noughties Italian fun

Modern manufacturers build cars according to the results from the same focus groups. They come up with cars that are brilliant tools for living and it’s been that way for years. I don’t have a problem with it. However, every now and then a major manufacturer has a little moment of marvellous madness to alleviate the tedium – and that happened in 2006 when Fiat decided to warm up its second-generation Panda. {#block-afce85e5-10f7-4ef4-954d-675f213fabbf}

For four marvellous years – and, initially, for a smidge under ten grand – the Fiat Panda 100hp struck a rich seam of what we like to call ‘fun’. It was the first properly developed fast car to come out of Fiat in years and, with group five insurance, it was greeted with a universal thumbs-up. I have always wanted one and that is why, when I was recently offered one at a good price, I jumped at it. {#block-e3c73909-805d-4f52-8bea-539a2db92962}

In the same way that Ford’s SportKa turned something nifty into pure pocket dynamite, the 100hp gave the Panda – a car that was already full of utilitarian charm – a new sense of purpose. It changes its character without losing its blue-collar roots; it’s still part of the family. {#block-7fb896de-ec2f-422d-b372-825d0d143705}

So, it puts a smile on my face every time I drive it because it is hugely entertaining, without being ostentatious. It has a naughty, boisterous, rasping Italian exhaust note that reminds me of an Abarth from the Sixties… neat, because a previous owner has replaced all the Fiat badges on this car with Abarth items. The 100hp was never an Abarth, but it certainly _should_ have been.

**Want to read more about Danny's hot-ish hatch? Choose a :a[Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}. You'll get instant digital access to this article PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss an issue again.**

Pandamonium!

On this, the 40th birthday year of the Ferrari Testarossa, we’re on the hunt for classics that match its 0-60mph figure… but which cost a fraction of the price. Our team of writers have come up with several speedy bargains to bag in 2024.

Elsewhere in the mag, we meet the man who restored his stunning Golf Mk1 and another who revived a basket case Mercedes-Benz 190 Cosworth. We explain why the time has come for the Triumph TR7 and there’s an in-depth guide to the iconic Ford Sierra RS Cosworth. Would you go two or four door Cossie?

The gang showcase their classics too – with Danny buying more Bangernomics cars in the form of a Fiat Panda 100hp and Volvo C70, while Tomkins talks classic Mini Countryman and James goes wild in his Smart Roadster.

Workshop tips this month includes paint chip repairs, fuel gauge faults and alternator rebuilds. No other mag does all this!

The May 2024 issue of Practical Classics is out now at all good newsagents, or why not subscribe?

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#### **It’s the oldest surviving MG Maestro 1600, but this barn find’s restoration severely tested Joe Barlow’s skills and patience** {#h-it-s-the-oldest-surviving-mg-maestro-1600-but-this-barn-find-s-restoration-severely-tested-joe-barlow-s-skills-and-patience}

##### **WORDS MIKE RENAUT | PHOTOGRAPHY MATT HOWELL** {#h-words-mike-renaut-photography-matt-howell}

Joe Barlow recalls what inspired him to own an MG Maestro 1600, when he was aged 22. ‘In Nottingham there’s a stretch of road over Trent Bridge between two sets of traffic lights – in a fast car you could get to the second set while they were still green. I had an XR3 and was used to beating Golf GTis. Then, one night, an MG 1600 left me standing and I thought, “I gotta find one of them…’”

Fast forward to July 2021 and Joe wins a 1600 on eBay. ‘It was a mess. It hadn’t run since 1993, and when my mate Bish and I pulled it from the barn I thought, “What have I done?” Although it was virtually complete there was a lot of hidden rust because they rot from the inside out. I decided that if I could get it running I’d restore it. Otherwise I’d scrap it and wave bye-bye to the £2400 I’d just paid.’

Once home Joe put a battery on the Maestro and was amazed. ‘It lit up like a Christmas tree and everything worked! Even the digital talking dashboard worked – although I’ve since found out that these were actually very reliable.’

He rigged up a petrol feed to the carburettors and, almost before he knew it, the car was running. ‘I didn’t touch the plugs, distributor or even check the water levels, although I did ensure it had oil. It coughed until it warmed up, then it was spot-on.’ Now committed to the restoration, Joe began stripping the MG and sourcing the parts he knew he’d need. It quickly became obvious he’d need a donor car. ‘It was strange how there’d be an area of solid metal then, right next to it, a piece completely rotted out,’ remembers Joe. ‘It was as if they’d built half the car from already rusty steel. I bought a 31,000-mile Maestro LX for parts, which proved vital – not only for replacement panels and repair sections, but also as a datum point for ensuring everything was going back in the correct place.’

Enjoyed this teaser? If you want to read more about the restoration of the oldest surviving MG Maestro 1600, :a[choose a Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' }. You'll get instant digital access to this article PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss an issue again.

Silver Streak

In the first of a new series, we pitch two early hot hatches against each other in a battle of thrills

**WORDS** JOE BREEZE **PHOTOGRAPHY** ROB COOPER

In the early Eighties, before the hot hatch war kicked off, manufacturers were flexing some tiny muscles. Inspired by motorsport these were fast cars for city dwellers: little fun chariots that would do the commute and the shopping run, but still get you away first from the lights.

The Renault 5 and Fiesta were Group 2 rally rivals and are today highly sought-after. There’s also an anniversary to celebrate here: we mark 50 years of the R5 by putting one of its lesser known variants, the gorgeous Gordini, up against Ford’s answer to the baby hot hatch – the XR2.

By the time the XR2 arrived as the long-awaited firecracker of the Fiesta range in December 1981, the Renault 5 was pensionable, having been launched almost a decade earlier. But there was nothing retiring, or indeed shy, about the Gordini. ‘The Gordini is for the man who wants to go fast, but who wants to do it in a bit of style and comfort,’ proclaimed the period advert, and the plush red corduroy seats feel like they come from a royal theatre, all soft and plump. Except they have matching side bolsters grafted on.

In mainland Europe the model was called the R5 Alpine, but Chrysler already had dibs on ‘Alpine’ over here, so the Gordini name came out of retirement. Amédée Gordini was a racer turned tuning magician who was a folk hero in his homeland, but his name didn’t have the same clout here. Maybe that’s why the Gordini Turbo sold so modestly in the UK compared to its continental Alpine cousin.

**Enjoyed this teaser? If you want to read more about the Ford Fiesta XR2 and Renault 5 Gordini Turbo, choose a :a[Print + Digital subscription]{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_teaser_article' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}. You'll get instant digital access to this article PLUS FREE UK delivery so you'll never miss an issue again.**

Ford Fiesta XR2 vs Renault 5 Gordini Turbo

Baby boomers

In the Spring 2024 issue, we check out the classic car scene in the Scottish Highlands and meet some great people and their truly extraordinary cars!

We decide what’s best out of a Renault 5 Gordini and a Fiesta XR2, then meet the family of a stunning Rover SD1.

Plus, restoration stories galore – including that of an Austin A30 and an MG Maestro.

Meanwhile, we find out how to buy the best Lotus Elise and Jaguar Mk1 and we’re off to Monte Carlo for a look back at the scene in 1963.

Plus, we go rummaging around the bushes in search of project cars in Rust in Peace, while our writers try to decide what’s best out of a Beetle and a gullwing Mercedes among other nonsensical endeavours.

Speaking of which, we pour unreasonably long hours of time into reviving our own classics at the workshop – just like you do – so find out how we’re getting on in the latest issue of the mag!

The Spring 2024 issue of Practical Classics is out now at all good newsagents, or why not subscribe?

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