Vauxhall to showcase a Ground Up two year restoration of the Viva GT HB, it looks stunning, a job well done !!!!

• Newly-restored rare Viva GT takes bow at this year’s Classic Motor Show
• Two-year, ground-up resto undertaken by Vauxhall Heritage’s skilled team
• Set to be highlight in ’50 Years of Viva HB’ section of Vauxhall’s ten-car stand

The restoration of a rare model, which turned in to a labour of love for Vauxhall’s Heritage team, will see the light of day for the first time at next week’s Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, held at the NEC.

A centre-piece of Vauxhall’s multi-themed stand this year, the gleaming Monza Red Viva GT will take pride of place in the area, celebrating 50 years since the Viva HB model was launched. 

The ten car stand also features displays based around Vauxhall’s vast export history, and 85 years since the birth of Bedford, its commercial vehicle division.

Restored on and off over a two-year period by Andy Boddy and Terry Forder (with assistance from their apprentice, Chris Smith) the 1970 Mark 1 ½ GT is believed to have been registered by Vauxhall as one of its company cars back in the day (its ‘YXD’ suffix makes this likely) and was purchased by Vauxhall from the partner of its late owner, Steve Walton, in June 2014.

Remarkably, the GT had just one other owner before Steve bought the car, making its history relatively easy to plot. Originally painted Sebring Silver, the team opted for a more vibrant hue and settled on Monza Red, which would have been available when the car was new. But before painting, the surprisingly sound body was stripped and acid-dipped at Enviro Strip in Tamworth, after which it was returned to Luton for some sheet metal work.

Since many HB panels, especially around the chassis, inner wing areas and in the boot floor, are difficult to source, specialist Keith May was brought in to painstakingly craft new metalwork from scratch, helped by the Heritage Centre’s apprentice, Chris Smith.

After a final visit to Enviro Strip for a further acid dip and etch priming, the body was prepared for paint, including long-blocking the shell. Automotive Refinish in Milton Keynes – part of the BASF group, Vauxhall Heritage’s regular paint supplier – undertook the priming and final colour coats. Such was the VH team’s attention to detail, that they tasked AR with applying the Viva GT’s Tasman Orange stripes – but these weren’t mere graphics, they were actually painted on.

In the meantime, back at the Heritage Centre, the GT’s 2.0-litre engine was being overhauled by Andy and the team, ready to be reunited with the rest of the car. The race was then on to have the GT ready in time for the show.

‘We’re now on the finishing straight with this restoration,’ said Andy. ‘It’s been a real labour of love for the team over the last couple of years, and sometimes quite a challenge when we have 70 other vehicles in the collection to maintain, too. But we’re confident that on Friday, November 11^th – the first day of the show – the car will be ready to take pride of place on our stand.’

Go behind the scenes at the Land Rover Classic workshop at Solihull with the new Land Rover ‘Reborn’ Tour

• Go behind the scenes at the Land Rover Classic workshop at Solihull with the new Land Rover ‘Reborn’ Tour
• Jump in the driver’s seat of a Defender at the Land Rover Experience centre
• Three-hour experience brings visitors closer than ever to the icons from Land Rover’s rich heritage
• A Reborn Tour costs from £29pp, and from £150pp when combined with the Driving Experience
• Book today at this link >> HERE

Land Rover Classic has opened its doors to the new Reborn Tour giving visitors the chance to experience the restoration of an early Land Rover live at the brand’s bespoke workshop and facility at Solihull – the ‘Home of the Legend’.

The Reborn Tour and Driving Experience begins with refreshments and welcome from an experienced and knowledgeable Land Rover tour guide. With the scene set, visitors are granted exclusive access to the newly updated Jaguar Land Rover Classic workshop at Solihull where the exquisite Series I Reborn fully restored project continues under the expert team from Jaguar Land Rover Classic.

Visitors also gain access into the newly upgraded facility to admire the full capability of the Classic Workshop where skilled technicians carefully restore cherished Land Rovers to their former glory.

Those attending the Reborn Tour will gain a unique and fascinating insight into Jaguar Land Rover’s history at the plant, plus 1940s production techniques and the many fascinating stories of the 1948 Series I to the recent Defender.

Last year over 10,000 visitors saw the final year of Defender production as part of the Defender Celebration Tour and now this stunning exhibit has been relocated alongside the Classic Workshop at Solihull for visitors to see and experience.

Following the workshop tour, guests have the opportunity to experience a piece of history for themselves by getting behind the wheel of a Defender with a trained and experienced instructor. The unforgettable experience will allow you to put the British automotive icon through its paces on the legendary off-road tracks at Land Rover Experience Solihull – Home of the Legend.

The Reborn programme sees Land Rover Classic’s expert team draw on decades-worth of experience to hand-pick Series I chassis from the brand’s global network. Each model undergoes a complete restoration according to original 1948 factory specification and using Land Rover Classic Parts to preserve full authenticity. This includes the choice of five period finishes including Light Green, Bronze Green, RAF Blue, Dove Grey and Poppy Red.

Customers will be able to select their preferred base vehicle with the help and guidance of Land Rover Classic’s experienced restoration team, and they will be able to follow the restoration of their cherished Series I from start to finish at Land Rover’s new Classic workshop located within the original Defender production centre at Solihull. Each classic comes with a 12-month warranty – and a lifetime of history.

Jaguar Land Rover Classic forms part of the business’s Special Operations division. The division’s aim is to nurture the passion for the brand through its owners and the provision of the very best cars, service and maintenance, original parts and unforgettable experiences for owners of classic Jaguars and Land Rovers.

One of the most rare cars in the world today is coming up for sale via Hexagon Classics.

• Hexagon is delighted to offer for sale an incredibly rare, right-hand-drive Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet
• The stunning example could well be the only right-hand-drive convertible 280 on sale in the world today
• Car is offered in near-concours condition, having been the subject of a highly detailed restoration by Sleeping Beauties of Brisbane  

Hexagon Classics is delighted to offer for sale an extremely rare example of the timeless Mercedes-Benz 280.

This right-hand-drive SE 3.5 Cabriolet version was handbuilt back in 1970 to extremely high standards, and it could well be the only RHD convertible 280 on sale in the world right now.

The subject of a detailed restoration by Australia’s leading Mercedes-Benz restoration company, Sleeping Beauties of Brisbane, it is in incredible condition. Features include a super smooth four-speed, floor-mounted automatic gearbox, electric windows and a six-layer folding roof.

With a refined but powerful V8 engine, excellent sound deadening and power steering, it all adds up to one of the most relaxing cars in the world, a four-seater cabriolet that can cruise along in classy quietness.

This impeccable Mercedes comes in striking black paint, which contrasts beautifully with the luxurious red leather interior. On top of this, the car has its original handbook and detailed pictures of its full restoration.

The 280 was first introduced in 1965 and was built to rival Rolls-Royce and Bentley Corniche Convertibles. This car is perfect for a Mercedes enthusiast looking to enjoy the one of the world’s most relaxing four-seater soft-top convertibles and is available to view at Hexagon’s central London showroom.

Paul Michaels, chairman of Hexagon Classics, said: “Seeing a right-hand-drive Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 for sale is extremely rare, let alone one like this in such incredible condition. It’s one of the greatest cars in the German brand’s history and certainly deserves all the plaudits it gets. Sleeping Beauties of Brisbane has done sterling work restoring this stunning car, and a lucky buyer can now profit from their brilliance and Mercedes’ expertise.”

And Anstead will be at the International Ford Show for a meet & greet & to talk about the escort Mexico they restored.

• For the Love of Cars host to appear at The International Ford Show on Sunday May 1
• Star to talk about the show’s Escort Mexico restoration and answer visitors’ questions
• Advance tickets now available, from just £10 a head

One of the stars of Channel 4’s hit series, ForThe Love of Cars, is to be the special guest at the first ever The International Ford Show, which takes place on the weekend of April 30-May 1.

Ant Anstead, who stars alongside Philip Glenister in the popular programme, will attend the event at Sandown Park, Surrey, on the Sunday. He will regale showgoers with stories about his vehicle restoration business, and talk about the iconic Mk 1 Ford Escort Mexico that he and his team restored in the first ever episode, as well as making himself available to meet and answer questions from show visitors.

The 36-year old, who runs his own design and restoration business and has recently bought himself a rare Escort Mk1 van, said: “I’m delighted to be attending The International Ford Show, as the very first car we featured on For the Love of Cars was an Escort Mexico Mk 1.

“There’s a huge amount of love around for classic Fords, and the popularity of the marque means it has touched almost everybody’s life at some point – every single one of us has a Ford memory, either owning one, riding in one, or having a friend or family member who owned one, so being part of an event that celebrates those cars and those memories is a real honour.”

The International Ford Show will bring together fans of the blue oval from all over the globe and will feature some of the finest Fords from the UK and beyond, be them standard, restored or modified. There will also be premium trade stands from a variety of Ford experts and specialists, live demonstrations throughout the day and a significant presence from two of the Ford scene’s most respected magazines – Classic Ford and Fast Ford.

Further highlights of the indoor event will be announced soon and will further strengthen its position as an unmissable season opener for Ford fans.

Advance tickets for the show are available now, priced at just £10 per person for single day access, or £30 for the weekend (up to two children below the age of 14 go free) including camping. Those wishing to make a weekend of it at shorter notice can also take advantage of on-site camping for an extra £10 per person on the gate, adding to the show’s festival feel. Advance tickets can be bought from the show’s official website at 

www.theinternationalfordshow.co.uk

Full details of the show, the cars and the various activities will be announced nearer the date, on the event website, or via the official Facebook page and twitter feeds.

One of the rarest cars in the world the 1936 Squire, one of only seven ever built, has been restored by CMC.

More than 4100 man-hours have gone into the restoration of this car

Leading classic car restorers Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth (CMC) have restored a 1936 Squire, one of only seven built, which has now been shortlisted for Restoration of the Year at the prestigious International Historic Motoring Awards 2015.

This charismatic, costly and extremely rare British sports car was displayed at the 2011 Retromobile event in Paris in a very sorry state, its upholstery had been providing home to a family of rodents and it had been completely stripped of paint. Peter Neumark, chairman of Classic Motor Cars (CMC), saw its potential and a deal was made for the Squire to undergo a complete rejuvenation at the company’s workshops in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, in the UK.

Managing Director of CMC Nick Goldthorp said: “No detail has been too small to ensure originality. The work was completed on 26^th May 2015, after more than 4100 man-hours. A finishing touch was the reissue of the Squire’s original registration number of CLO 5, forfeited on its export to the States in the 50s.”

CMC is no stranger to receiving accolades for its restorations. In 2011, the company won the Restoration of the Year award at the International Historic Motoring Awards for the epic restoration of the Lindner-Nocker Lightweight E-Type. 

The car had crashed in at the Montlhery circuit in 1964 and was so badly damaged that a complete restoration was thought to be impossible. After over 7,000 hours of work and using more than 90% of the original parts, CMC managed to bring it back to its former glory.

When the Squire arrived at CMC’s premises early in 2013 for a full nut and bolt restoration, it was practically complete but there were no spare parts. It had also undergone a few modifications over the years, which have all been carefully reversed to the state in which it left Squire’s Remenham Hill Works in 1936.

The original radiator shell was badly twisted so CMC fabricated a new one from brass. Even the missing quick-release caps on the radiator and petrol tank have been scrupulously reproduced using originals from another Squire for reference.

Although all of the instruments were present, a wooden dashboard had replaced the metal original. These were reconditioned and accommodated in a new plywood one, faced in aluminium and finished in the body colour as per the original specification.

When it came to restoring the body, all the original aluminium panels were carefully detached from the ash frame and re-beaten at CMC, saving as much of the original metal as possible. Over 2100 hours were spent by CMC’s head panel beater Luke Martin, who attended to all of the body work.

The car retained its original maroon colour thanks to examples of paint found inside the boot lid and on the engine bay plates, which allowed CMC’s John Langston to reproduce the original colour. The internal woodwork has also been painted in maroon.

The re-trimming was entrusted to CMC’s Tom Hampton, who coincidentally was responsible for reviving the interior of X103 (the second Squire to be completed).

Nick Goldthorp said: “The future of this Squire is now assured and is a credit to the team of skilled specialists at CMC that undertook this superb restoration.”

The car appeared today (Tuesday 17^th November) at the Phyllis Court Classic Motoring Group, which hosted four original Squire cars that were built in near Henley (Remenham Hill) from 1934 to 1936. 

Piers Flashman, President of the Classic Motoring Group, said:  “This was a marvellous opportunity, Phyllis Court Members Club has a long history in Henley and so have these famous cars. 

We know that only seven were built and we planned this event when we realised we could invite the owners of four of these cars to come together, to coincide with the publication of a history of the marque.’

All Squires that were present at Phyllis Court are privately owned and came together for the first time since they were manufactured in a small garage nearby. 

Members of the family of Adrian Squire, the founder, attended the event together with several relatives of the original management team responsible for making and selling the cars from a small showroom in Henley.

Classic cars to benefit from expanded Gaydon Museum, after lottery grant award.

The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, based at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire has been awarded a Round Two grant of £1.45 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for its Museum Collections Centre project, it has been announced.  The award is the culmination of more than 2 years work to develop plans for a new building in which to store and display more than 200 historic British cars from the collections of both the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and its partner the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.

The £4 million project received initial support from HLF in 2011, and the latest HLF grant, together with match funding from Jaguar Land Rover, The Garfield Weston Foundation and both Trusts, will enable work on this exciting new project to begin in the spring of 2014.

The new Museum Collection Centre will enable people to view many cars from the reserve collections of both Trusts for the first time in a purpose-built facility which will also include a vehicle restoration and conservation workshop and space for enhanced education and lifelong learning programmes. In addition, the project will also include an ambitious programme of activities aiming to involve people locally and regionally through outreach and learning events.  It will also aid the further development of the Trust’s existing volunteer programme which allows people to become more involved with the collection, by helping with its conservation and interpretation.

Tim Bryan, Head of Collections & Interpretation at the Heritage Motor Centre said: "We are delighted that, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Jaguar Land Rover and our other partners, this exciting project will become a reality.   It will allow us to make our collections far more accessible and will enable people to learn more about the motor industry, which has played such an important role in the West Midlands".

Reyahn King, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the West Midlands said: “We are delighted to support this project that not only provides a new and improved display and storage venue for these historic cars, but also creates opportunities for more people to learn about their conservation."

Stored 30 Years: 1957 Jaguar XK140 MC OTS Project

This 1957 Jaguar XK140 MC OTS (chassis S812895) has been parked in a garage for 30 years and will need work as a result, but is said to be fully matching numbers and complete. The front passenger side corner has taken a hit at some point, but the engine is said to turn freely. MC’s (SE’s in their home market) were fitted with a C-type head, 2” sand-cast SU H8 carbs, heavier torsion bars and twin exhaust pipes, making this one an ideal restoration candidate. Find it here on eBay in Bayonne, New Jersey with a $55k Buy-It-Now.

Silver or dove gray paint looks like it could be original but has seen better days, and the partially repaired front end damage will necessitate a respray anyway. Trim and accessories seem mostly intact, though the taillight lenses are missing or have been busted out. Our main concern here is rust, especially as the rockers and lower extremities of the car aren’t shown. The car is said to be straight aside from the corner, and if corrosion free looks like it’d be a relatively easy refurb.

The interior is covered in musty, busy floral carpet that we wish would have been stripped in order to get a better assessment of the floors’ condition and also to prep it for something less terrible. Veneers are shot, but switchgear and instrumentation seem to be all there if likely in need of internal repair. Leather seems dirty but free of tears or rips, and though the padding underneath will need replacement the hides themselves are probably very serviceable. The top and side curtains look pretty good and may be useable as well.

The seller speculates that the car will start easily after a fuel system cleaning, but even so we’d still want a full teardown. It may turn over freely but that doesn’t mean bearings, seals, valve guides and other perishable parts have weathered the years intact. A full re-wire is another big job to budget for, as are brakes and suspension overhauls. Even if it is relatively rot-free there will be plenty of systemic jobs to tend to, but we’d rather shell out for all of them than pay for a new chassis and extensive body repair.

XK’s are wonderful driving, beautiful old cars, and these MC’s are particularly special. Though we say it often it bears repeating—we hope this car avoids over-restoration and another three decades consigned to storage.

REPORT HERE