alfa romeo - Hagerty UK

fuelling the motoring lifestyle | uk edition
the world of
ALFA ROMEO
an exploration of milan’s finest
inside
the sPy who drove me:
the other cars of James bond
cars of the royal family:
one man’s celebration of the Jubilee
kidston on cars:
mad dogs and old motors
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
1
Important Motor Cars
and Fine Automobilia
Monday 3 December 2012
Mercedes-Benz World, Surrey
PUBLISHING MANAGEMENT
EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER McKeel Hagerty
PUBLISHER Rob Sass
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Angus Forsyth
FROM THE PUBLISHERS
EDITORIAL STAFF
EXECUTIVE EDITOR/ASSISTANT PUBLISHER
Jonathan A. Stein
MANAGING EDITOR Stefan Lombard
WEB MANAGING EDITOR Claire Walters
UK EDITORIAL ADVISOR Marcus Atkinson
COPY EDITOR Jeff Peek
ART AND PRODUCTION STAFF
ART DIRECTOR Angela Wakeham
DESIGNERS Tarra Dalley Warnes, Ben Rebant
CREATIVE MANAGER Kory Felker
PRODUCTION CONSULTANT Carolyn Brooks
PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION
COORDINATOR Emily Black
VIDEO PRODUCTION SPECIALIST Justin Warnes
CONTRIBUTORS
Paul Duchene, Paul Hardiman, Simon Kidston,
Dave Kinney, Evan Klein, Donald Osborne
ADVERTISING SALES
INTERNATIONAL AD SALES EXECUTIVE
Cody Wilson
[email protected]; 001 503 866 9464
Questions about our products and services? Call
0844 824 1132 or email us at [email protected]. Questions about the magazine? Email
us at [email protected] or
call 0844 824 1132.
Hagerty Classic Cars UK, September 2012, Vol. 1,
No. 1. Hagerty Classic Cars is published by Hagerty
Media Properties, LLC.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hagerty
Classic Cars Readers Services, The Arch Barn, Pury
Hill Farm, Towcester, Northamptonshire NN12 7TB
2010 Pagani Zonda F
Estimate: £500,000 - 600,000
Further high quality entries
are invited for this sale.
Bonhams is delighted to return to Mercedes-Benz World, the outstanding
facility on the former Brooklands Motor Course. The venue provides a
dramatic sale backdrop and is tailor made to the offer the perfect sale
environment that includes free and convenient parking, exceptional
viewing facilities, first class dining and overnight accommodation
at the adjacent Brooklands Hotel.
Motor Cars:
+44 (0) 20 7468 5801
[email protected]
Catalogue:
+44 (0) 1666 502 200
[email protected]
Automobilia:
+44 (0) 8700 273 617
[email protected]
Bonhams
101 New Bond Street
London W1S 1SR
Our December sale is one of the highlights of the calendar and this year is
no exception, with the magnificent Pagani Zonda F heading the entry list.
© 2012 HAGERTY. All rights reserved. No part
of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. All unsolicited submissions,
including manuscripts, photographs and queries,
must be accompanied by adequate return postage and
an addressed return envelope. Submission implies
right to edit and publish. Editorial correspondence:
Hagerty Classic Cars magazine, The Arch Barn, Pury
Hill Farm, Towcester, Northamptonshire NN12
7TB. Publisher’s correspondence: publisherhagerty@
hagerty.com. Products and services advertised in
this issue are not necessarily endorsed by Hagerty or
affiliates. Complaints or inquiries should be
forwarded directly to the advertiser. All purchases are
at the complete discretion of the consumer.
Associate Publisher Angus Forsyth (left) and
Executive Publisher McKeel Hagerty, all smiles on
the 2011 Mille Miglia with Abarth #1.
celebrating more than the motorcar
Welcome to the UK Edition of Hagerty Classic Cars. Enzo Ferrari is famous
for the cars bearing his name, but much of his early success came with
another marque; Donald Osborne’s story about the cars of Alfa Romeo is
a must-read for all European sports car enthusiasts.
As many of you will already know, there is an exceptional display of Bond
cars (being 50 years since 'Dr. No' was first released) at the ‘Bond In
Motion’ exhibition at the National Motor Museum. This is a celebration of
most famous vehicles from the 007 franchise. But what of the lesser-known
cars? In this inaugural publication of our very own classic car magazine,
Publisher Rob Sass tells you all about them.
We could not let the Jubilee year pass without recognition of Her Majesty’s
astonishing reign. We were honoured and delighted to assist the Queen
Elizabeth Scholarship Trust in making the appropriate arrangements so that
many of the classic vehicles she has owned or ridden in could be displayed
at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed. Paul Duchene has that story.
Classic car savant Simon Kidston reminds us that we have only ourselves to
blame for this eccentric pastime, and that our approach remains different
from that of our American friends. Analyst Dave Kinney takes a look at
five everyday Brits to use and enjoy — without breaking your bank.
Finally, no classic car magazine is complete without a perspective from the
reader. Our thanks go to all who contributed to ‘Your Turn,’ which provides
an eclectic and interesting look at your cars. A special mention must also
go to Steven Hames for his dedication and tenacity in restoring his VW
Camper to the roadways and camp sites of the UK and Europe. If you have
a similar story and would like to share it with our readers, please email your
‘before’ and ‘after’ photos and some information to hagertyeditoruk@
hagertyinsurance.co.uk
Happy motoring to you all.
ISSN 2162-8033
International Auctioneers and Valuers – bonhams.com/cars
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
3
12
CONTENTS
FEATURES
12
20
24
THE WORLD OF ALFA ROMEO
Alfa has embodied the quintessential Italian
sports car for more than a century. Donald
Osborne explores the models that brought
the marque to thousands of motorists.
THE ROYAL TREATMENT
For the first and likely only time, one man
brought together the most storied vehicles of
the royal family. Paul Duchene tells the tale.
THE SPY WHO DROVE ME
The Silver Birch Aston Martin DB5 gets all the
press, but 007 has driven a gaggle of other
cars during his top secret exploits,
as Rob Sass explains.
DEPARTMENTS
03
06
08
10
30
32
34
From the Publishers
Short Shifts
Your Turn: Before and After
Kidston on Cars: Mad Dogs and
Old Motors
Marketwatch: Usable Classics
Gear Guide: Kit for All Occasions
Backlight: 1976 VW Camper
24
4
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
PLACES TO BE
SHORT SHIFTS
Petrolheads have no lack of
great automotive gatherings
in the months ahead
mgb50
PLACES TO SEE
Paul Hardiman
The country is dotted with
collections large and small,
which are devoted to all
forms of transport, including
tanks and aircraft. Here are
three great ones
National Motor Museum
More than 250 cars and motorcycles
tell the story of motoring on the
roads of Britain at the National Motor
Museum at Beaulieu. Founded in 1952
by Edward (Lord) Montagu, it’s home
to several national treasures, including
record-breakers Golden Arrow and
Bluebird. It also features special exhibitions: Until the end of 2012, it’s ‘Bond
in Motion’, showcasing 50 of the original vehicles that appeared alongside
007 — everything from a DB5 to a cello
case. For the full effect, coincide your
visit with the legendary Autojumble
held every September. It’s the largest
in Europe, with bargain-hunters hoping
to unearth that elusive spare part from
three fields of junkward treasure. It’s
possible — and it’s been done — to
buy enough parts to have a whole car
driving by the end of Sunday.
ANORAK FACT: You can buy tyres
for your classic around the back of
the museum at Vintage Tyre Supplies.
beaulieu.co.uk.
6
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
Heritage Motor Centre
The compact Heritage Motor Centre,
mushrooming like a flying saucer out
of the Warwickshire countryside, houses cars from the history of the British
motor industry, including Paddy Hopkirk’s ’64 Monte Carlo-winning Mini
and the Rover gas-turbine prototypes.
Kids love the interactive displays, and
club meetings take place outside
most weekends. There are two guided
tours every day, and ‘bonnets up’ days
every third Friday. More than just a
museum, the Heritage Motor Centre
also holds the build records and
factory photo archives for many
British marques.
ANORAK FACT: Aston Martin’s
test track is just over the fence.
heritage-motor-centre.co.uk.
Coventry Museum of Transport
Coventry is the birthplace of the British motor industry, and the Coventry
Museum of Transport, not far from the
Heritage Motor Centre, showcases
It was the E-Type last year, and this
year the B turns 50. Celebrations of the
sportster’s half-century have been apace
all year, with an amazing 55-car race
grid at MGLive! in June, but the biggie
is the joint MG Car Club/MG Owners’
Club bash at Blenheim Palace on 23
September. And if you still haven’t had
your fill, there’s a black tie gala dinner
to cap it all off on 24 November, with
reservations required. mgb50.com.
brighton run
The Heritage Motor Centre (top) is home to
the world’s largest collection of British cars.
The Coventry Museum of Transport (above)
sits firmly in the birthplace of Britain’s car and
cycle industry.
250 cars (and commercials, in a separate gallery) 200 bikes, and is claimed
to be the world’s largest road transport collection. Best of all — it’s free.
ANORAK FACT: The museum is
looking to acquire a red Mini Cooper
as featured in the original ‘The Italian Job’, because the scene where
the Minis escape Turin via the sewer
system was shot in some of Coventry’s
enormous sewer pipes.
transport-museum.com.
Coming up on 4 November, this annual
classic has been held every year since
1927 to commemorate the 1896 repeal
of the Locomotives, or ‘Red Flag’ Act,
under which every motorised vehicle
had to be preceded by a man
on foot fluttering
an advance warning, at a maximum 4 mph. Best
get to Hyde Park
in central London early to see pre-1904
runners from the dawn of motoring setting off, and then chase down the M23
to Brighton to watch them arrive; in
between the road sections are crowded.
Check out the Bonhams Bond Street
auction two days before and buy a car
to do the Run yourself.
veterancarrun.com; bonhams.com.
classic motor show
Realistic dioramas help set the tone
at the National Motor Museum.
This is the UK’s biggest indoor show,
covering 10 halls at the NEC in Birmingham from 16 to 18 November. Expect
1,400 cars, hundreds of clubs, a live
stage, plus specialist engineering and
restoration services, an autojumble and
restoration theatre, dealers and an auction. There are even classic bikes next
door. necclassicmotorshow.com.
events at the ace
In addition to five major yearly events
in the spring and summer, the Ace Café
London has no shortage of smaller
classic car and bike gatherings, with
something on the calendar nearly every
day of the year. Whether your interests
lay in home-grown Brits or air-cooled
VWs, red Italians or any number of
motorcycles from around the world,
a trip to the Ace is a must.
ace-cafe-london.com.
goat gatherings
Always fun are the gatherings of the
Hertfordshire Classic Car Club at the
Goat Pub at Hertford Heath, every first
Sunday of the month at lunchtime. They
always garner a good crowd — like an
English version of Donut Derelicts —
with the added attraction that you can
enjoy a proper pint.
thegoathertfordheath.co.uk.
International historic
motoring awards
The second annual International
Historic Motoring Awards take place
29 November in London at the St.
Pancras Renaissance Hotel. The black
tie affair honours excellence within
the classic car world, with categories
recognising the best of the year for the
following: Museum or Collection; Restoration; Product or Service; Publication;
Club; Industry Supporter; Race Series;
Motorsport Event; Motoring Event; Car;
and Personal Achievement. A Lifetime
Achievement Award is also presented.
Nominations for each category are
submitted through the IHMA website,
with submissions closing 30 September.
They’re then voted on by a panel of international judges, including Jay Leno,
five-times Le Mans winner Derek Bell,
designer Ian Callum and Hagerty CEO
McKeel Hagerty.
LOG YOUR NOMINATIONS AT
HISTORICMOTORINGAWARDS.COM.
Top to bottom: Happy 50th to the
MGB (photo, Paul Hardiman); veterans head for the sea (photo, LBVCR);
all the cars you want to see at the
Classic Motor Show (photo, Classic
Motor Show); always an event on at
the Ace (photo, Ace Cafe London);
International Historic Motoring
Awards celebrate the best in classic
cars (photo, IHMA).
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
7
YOUR TURN
1959 MGA TWIN CAM ROADSTER
before & after
£
LABOURS
OF
LOVE
Jonathan A. Stein
WHETHER YOUR TASTES RUN
TO MID-ENGINE EXOTICS
OR VINTAGE MOTORING, IT
TAKES ALL KINDS
1971 OPEL COMMODORE COUPÉ A SERIES GSE
£
PRICE RANGE:
£1,300 – £5,000
Habitual Opel owner Simon Downs of Milton Keynes
was on a club museum visit when he saw an old
magazine from 1971 with a photo of an Opel
Commodore GSE coupé. He told his friend: ‘I like the
look of that’, to which the friend replied: ‘You have
no chance of finding one’. Although they were never
imported into the UK, Simon was lucky to find a Swissbuilt one on eBay for just £360. Off the road for years,
the car required complete restoration. Resisting the
restorer’s pressure to replace the injected six with a
V-8, Simon kept it largely original. But first he had
to find parts, which came from all over Europe and
North America. Four years later, he has a gorgeous
Opel that won its class first time out at the national
Vauxhall Bedford Opel Association show.
8
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
1925 SALMSON D-TYPE
RANGE:
£ PRICE
£5,000 – £25,000
Donald Hill of Somerset has had a dozen Salmsons, although
until his D-Type came along in 2007 they had all been cycle
cars. The Salmson had been dismantled for restoration when
the previous owner passed away. Hill was fortunate enough to
acquire the car and has just completed a five-year restoration.
He admits that his ‘contribution has been limited to cleaning,
painting chassis parts and sourcing parts’. The 1,207-cc TwinCam engine was built by a Salmson expert friend, and another
friend, who is an upholsterer, was responsible for recovering
the body in grey fabric and remaking the seating. Hill looks
forward to participating in rallies in France and showing it to
other Salmson enthusiasts.
PRICE RANGE:
£7,000 – £29,000
About 10 years ago, Roger Skinner of Northhampton, who works on the MercedesBenz Formula 1 race engine program,
was visiting MGA Twin Cam guru Peter
Wood, from whom he had bought an MGB
restoration project. Roger wanted another
project and Peter suggested an MGA. Roger
countered that it would have to be a Twin
Cam. Peter offered him the former Scottish
Motor Show car, which consisted of a chassis,
a body and many boxes of bits. After a year
and a half in which Roger did everything but
the paint and engine — which Wood built —
he has a concours-quality car which he uses
on weekends and holidays and whenever it
isn’t raining.
1967 LAMBORGHINI MIURA
RANGE:
£ PRICE
£190,000 – £295,000
Christopher Lord of Hertford never would
have bought his 1967 Lamborghini Miura
in 1972 without the persistence of a friend.
Originally owned by Prince Faisal of Saudi
Arabia, the Miura was severely corroded,
‘although it looked immaculate’, says Lord.
‘The thin box section chassis had suffered’.
The car sat for years before Lord’s son,
Tarquin, and a friend stripped it and sent
the box chassis for rebuilding. The restored
body and engine were displayed at
Alexander Palace in London before the car
was returned to the body shop, where it
suffered fire damage. After further delays,
Tarquin sourced missing parts and arranged
for a Norfolk garage to respray it in the
original pale metallic slate blue color and
complete the restoration.
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
9
16 17 18 NOV
KIDSTON ON CARS
The Footman James
Including
MOTORBIKE
of mad
dogs
&
old
crocks
Simon Kidston
Brits? We’re all slightly eccentric;
that’s why Johnny Foreigner compares us to Mad Dogs. Who else
would have thought, back in 1927,
of celebrating the short history of
the motorcar by organising the first
veteran car tour — known rather
unceremoniously as the Old Crocks’
10 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
Run, rather than the more genteel
London to Brighton title by which it
goes today? We Brits did, after all,
invent this rather curious hobby.
Of course, America (being America)
believes that Bigger is Better —
whether the amount of food on your
plate, the size of the population (see
previous point) or cubic inches under
your ‘hood’. In the car collecting
world, the difference couldn’t be
more obvious: Europe’s most glamorous concours d’elegance at Villa
d’Este is strictly limited to 55 cars; at
Pebble Beach the field is four times
the size. In my auctioneering days,
100 cars were the most you could
expect to muster, and if you tried to
sell any more your bidders would
complain it was time for dinner and
leave you trying to sell the last lots
to rows of empty chairs.
In America, auctions are entertainment, and the longer the better.
One well-known firm gets through
more than 1,000 ‘unique opportunities’ in one auction, like a sausage
machine with cars going in one end
and dollars coming out the other.
What’s even more contrasting is the
effect TV cameras have on bidders.
In Europe, the sight of a lens has
them scurrying for cover. In America,
it turns bidding to fever pitch as
Hank and Billy duke it out to show
the folks watchin’ back home who’s
really The Daddy.
Of course, our tastes in cars have
always varied, too. Drive a Corvette
in Arizona and you’re cool. Drive one
here and you’ll be mistaken for an
Essex nightclub owner. We Brits
pioneered ‘shabby chic’; now the
SHOW
The NEC, Birmingham
Call or book online 0871 230 1088
Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras
www.necclassicmotorshow.com
Tickets also allow FREE entry into The Footman James Classic Motorbike Show,
with 100s of fantastic classic bikes, special guests and live bike action!
Quote Code: HAG
Drive a Corvette in Arizona and
you’re cool. Drive one here and
you’ll be mistaken for an Essex
nightclub owner
Cars for Sale | Live Stage | Auction | Restoration Theatre | Autojumble | 100s of Trade Stands | Dream Rides
Americans have gone one better
and taken barn finds to an art form
with their own class at Pebble Beach.
Between us, our two great countries
‘separated by a common language’
have elevated an eccentric pastime
to the status of high collecting. Let’s
see where new friends like Sergei
and Mohammed help take it next.
Over 1500 Amazing Classic Cars
All bookings are subject to a single transaction fee.
Sponsored by
Official Partner
In Association with
All information correct at time of publishing.
See website for all information.
Tickets include showguide to the value of £7.50
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
11
THE WORLD OF
ALFA ROMEO
alfa romeo’s blend of technical and emotional attributes
resonates with everyone who encounters one
BY DONALD OSBORNE
12 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN KLEIN
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
13
1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint,
owned by Mike Riehle.
Practically every car made by Alfa Romeo has won the
hearts and souls of people around the world . . .
It doesn’t matter if it’s a racy convertible (spider, in the vernacular), a boxy saloon
or a sleek racer. It could be the way they look — leading Italian body builders, or
carrozzerie, designed many Alfa Romeos. Perhaps it’s the elegantly cast engine
parts, transmission cases and rear differentials — proof that they were engineered
by people who believed that what you don’t see is as important as what you do.
All Alfa Romeos ignite a certain passion in both those who are devoted to them
as well as more casual onlookers. That is especially the case when it comes to
the cars that came from Milano from the mid 1950s through the mid 1970s — the
Giulietta and Giulia.
1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto,
owned by Al Evans.
The marque’s emblem is based on the coat of arms of the Visconti family of Milan,
Italy, home of Alfa. It shows a figure being consumed by a large snake, or biscione.
It’s symbolic perhaps that the Alfisti — the people who live and breathe Alfa
Romeo — are truly bitten with desire for their favourite car.
(Top) The 6C 1750 Gran Sport
with Zagato styling was one of Alfa’s
pre-war racing heroes; courtesy RM
Auctions. (Bottom) The 8C name was
used on its own lineup of successful
racers, as well as elegant road cars like
this 1938 8C 2900 B Lungo; courtesy
Alfa Romeo Museum/Pebble Beach
Concours d'Elegance.
Most love affairs start with an unforgettable encounter. In the case of Bill Gillham
(past president and current restoration/preservation chairman of the Alfa Romeo
Owners Club USA) it happened in 1977 when he was a 29-year-old teacher. The
school’s auto repair instructor brought in a Giulietta Spider on which his
students could work. Gillham was impressed with its craftsmanship, then he took
it on the road.
‘After my first drive, my face hurt from smiling’, Gillham says. It’s fair to say Gillham
was moved by the experience; he’s owned 130 or so Alfas since and is known for
his body shell restorations.
Changing with the times
The Alfa story began when the French Darracq firm set up business in Milan in
1906 with Italian backing as S.A.I.D., or Società Anonima Italiana Darracq.
14 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
15
they were engineered by PeoPle who believed that
what you don’t see is as imPortant as what you do
When the Darracq venture failed near
the end of 1909, the factory became
home to the newly established Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili —
the Lombardy Automobile Manufacturing Public Company — or A.L.F.A. The
brilliant engineer Giuseppe Merosi
designed its first car, a 24-horsepower
model. It went racing the next year
and almost won the demanding Targa
Florio in Sicily.
the legendary 6C 1750 (six-cylinder,
1,750-cc displacement) racing and road
cars were followed by the 8C 2300 and
8C 2900s. Alfa excelled in Grand Prix,
long-distance, circuit and hill climb
events through the 1920s and mid
1930s, until the all-conquering German
teams from Mercedes-Benz and Auto
Union came along with government
funding in the years preceding
World War II.
In the 1930s, Enzo Ferrari was contracted to manage Alfa’s racing activities
through his Scuderia Ferrari, which
he had established in 1929. Cars like
Following WWII, Alfa took up where
it left off in the mid 1930s with a new
winning tradition in Grand Prix and
sports cars. However, poverty-stricken
16 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
postwar Europe had little time for the
ultra-expensive passenger cars that
Alfa had built before the war.
the evolving alfa
To bring the company to the upper
middle class, a new, smaller fourcylinder saloon — the 1900 — was
launched in 1950. But the car that
represented Alfa Romeo’s real new
beginning was the Giulietta saloon,
which appeared in 1954.
The Giulietta was an even smaller
four-door saloon to accompany the
1900. The new 1,290-cc car continued
company tradition by using a doubleoverhead camshaft engine mated to
a four-speed manual transmission, but
unlike the 1900, the engine was all aluminium. All Giulietta models featured
unit body construction and paired
independent front suspension with a
well-located live rear axle.
Production delays caused the Giulietta
saloon to miss its scheduled introduction date in 1954, so to appease
customers, a lottery was conducted for
holders of Giulietta orders to ‘win’ a
limited-production coupe, the Sprint,
in place of their saloon.
The Bertone-designed and -built
Sprint proved so popular that it
became a cataloged model, along
with the open two-seat Spider and the
four-door Berlina TI. In various states
of tune, including the 50-hp Berlina,
65-hp single-carburettor ‘Normale’ and
90-hp twin Weber-equipped Veloce
versions, the Giulietta line changed the
company and improved the outlook
of driving enthusiasts worldwide. With
the Berlina, Sprint and Spider models
offered in both left- and right-handdrive versions, the Giulietta became
popular in many markets, including the
UK and Australia.
In 1962, the Giulia joined the Giulietta,
ultimately replacing it. The new model
used a 1,600-cc version of the aluminium twin-cam engine, with either single
or dual carburettors, producing from
104 to 122 horsepower. Spider, Sprint
and the Sprint Speciale bodies were
carried over with minor trim changes,
while a new, four-door Giulia saloon (in
TI and Super versions) came along in
1963, as did Bertone’s new notchback
coupe, dubbed the Giulia Sprint GT.
From the introduction of the Giulia series, a smaller 1,300-cc ‘Junior’ version
of the Spider, Sprint GT and Berlina was
offered in European markets. There was
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
17
1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce,
owned by Daniel Cytrynowicz of Los Angeles.
came from Pinin Farina (later Pininfarina), while Bertone defined the
Giulietta Sprint coupe and the later
Giulia Sprint GT and GTV coupes that
replaced it. The dramatic and shapely
Sprint Speciale — also the work of
Bertone — was based on the three
extraordinary Berlina Aerodinamica
Tecnica show cars of the mid 1950s.
Known as the BAT cars and based on
the 1900 platform, they were built to
showcase aerodynamic concepts in a
particularly futuristic style.
The Duetto was so named as the result
of a competition. The winner, Guidobaldi Trionfi of Brescia, Italy, received a
new car as a prize, although it turned
out that the name was never used on a
badge due to commercial conflicts. In
any case, the original ‘boat-tailed’ spider certainly is one of the best-known
and best-loved sports car shapes ever.
even a Junior variant of the competition GTA. The last of the RHD 1300 Juniors
was offered in the UK in 1972, with the introduction of the 1600 Junior, although
its effective replacement was 1973’s Alfasud.
Together, the Giulia and Giulietta models took Alfa Romeo from a company that
built only 12,000 automobiles in its first 42 years to one that built almost 180,000
cars from 1954 to 1965.
The Giulia continued into the early 1990s, although the name was dropped
gradually in the mid 1960s. It may have been mechanically similar, but the Duetto
Spider — which was introduced in 1966 — never wore the Giulia name. Similarly,
by 1969, the coupe that had started as the Giulia Sprint GT had simply become
the GTV.
(Top) Alfa Romeo 6C production carried
on post-WWII, with elegant creations like
this 1949 6C 2500 Super Sport by Touring;
courtesy RM Auctions. (Bottom) The Sprint
Veloce with alloy Zagato bodywork is
considered one of the loveliest post-war
Alfas; courtesy RM Auctions.
By 1969, Alfas — with the exception of the Juniors — used a new 1,779-cc version of the venerable engine. Many enthusiasts argue that the 1750 — as it was
known — was the smoothest and best version, with improved flexibility and
performance. In the UK and Europe, Weber carburettors continued to be used,
although American and Canadian market cars received the company’s proprietary
SPICA mechanical fuel injection to both maintain power and comply with emission regulations. For 1972, Alfa’s venerable all-aluminum engine was enlarged to
1,962 cc, largely driven by U.S. emissions requirements. But by 1975, the Berlina
and GTV were gone, replaced by the Alfetta sedan and coupe, which first had
been seen in 1973, although the Spider Veloce soldiered on until 1994.
A typically Italian sense of style
In the 1950s, Italy’s leading bodybuilders all designed and/or built cars for Alfa
Romeo, with contracts going to Pinin Farina, Bertone, Touring and Zagato.
The Giulietta (1954–63), Giulia (105-Series; 1963–68) and Duetto Spider (1966–68)
18 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
It’s hard to believe today that many
were greatly disappointed in the
Duetto’s looks in 1966, viewing it
as unworthy to follow the beloved
Giulia Spider. In 1970, the distinctive
pointed rear end gave way to a cut-off
Kammback design, making the early
cars more desired and valuable — just
as the Series 1 Jaguar E-Type with
its delicate bumpers and covered
headlamps is more desirable than
the Series 2 with bigger bumpers and
raised headlamps. In any case, millions
of non-Alfa Romeo enthusiasts came
to know the marque through its part in
the 1967 movie ‘The Graduate’.
While the spiders and coupes received all the attention, the saloons
were often better cars to drive. Styled
in-house by Alfa’s own studio, to many
they appeared to be the box the car
came in. But that boxy styling hid a
secret — sophisticated aerodynamics.
A reputation on the racetrack
Alfa Romeo’s reputation was built on
competition from the start, so it’s no
surprise that the small post-war cars
were raced.
The lightweight Giulietta Sprint Veloce
was introduced in 1956 and was soon
followed by a Spider Veloce. They succeeded in Europe and America, being
very competitive in the 1,300-cc class
with their dual Weber carburettors,
revised cranks and cams and stiffened
suspension. Privateers raced them, as
Alfa left Works competition in 1952
and didn’t return until the early 1960s.
Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, Alfa
once again shone in competition, with
cars ranging from the productionderived, Giulietta-based, Zagatobodied SZ and Giulia GTA coupe to
the lightweight, tube-framed TZ-1 and
TZ-2 and the V-8- and flat 12-powered
endurance racers (Tipo 33, 33TT12
and 33SC12), which earned Alfa the
Manufacturer’s World Sports Car
Championship in 1975 and the Sports
Car Championship in 1977.
A detuned version of the competition
V-8 found its way into the Montreal, a
fast Bertone-styled GT based on the
Giulia 105 platform. Fewer than 200 of
these characterful coupes were built
in right-hand-drive form, and unlike
the four-cylinder models, the Montreal
used SPICA injection in all markets.
could bring the less costly car up to
the highest standard for the £19,000
difference between the two prices.
Finding the right car
As always, it pays to buy the best you
can. While mechanical restoration on
a twin-cam Alfa is much less expensive
than on rarer thoroughbred Italian
machinery, bodywork can be costly.
Stay away from rusty cars and try to
ensure that the car you’re considering is as original as possible. Malcolm
McKay, writing in Classic & Sports
Car magazine, summed up the Giulia
coupe beautifully: 'It’s one of the great
car designs, among the most satisfying ‘60s cars to drive and still utterly
practical for daily use'. Few 40-year-old
cars can offer more.
The cost of Alfa motoring
Although post-war Alfas were much
less expensive than their pre-war
siblings, they were never cheap cars.
In 1958, after a price reduction, a
Giulietta Sprint Veloce would set you
back £2,698 with tax, while a ‘Normale’ Sprint cost £1,918 with tax. As
a comparison, a much more powerful
Jaguar XK150 coupé cost just £1,763
with tax. The 1974 2000 GTV coupe
was priced at £2,945 with tax, while
an MGB/GT V-8 sold for £2,699 and a
Triumph Stag hardtop cost a bit more
at £3,352.
Today, you’re most likely to encounter only the rarest racing variants of
the all-aluminium-engine cars at the
major auctions in Europe or America.
Most post-war Alfas can be found in
club classifieds, at small dealers or on
online auctions, although most deals
are done privately.
(Top) Giulietta Sprint Speciale has its roots
in the BAT cars of the mid 1950s; courtesy
RM Auctions. (Middle) The 2600 Spider was
the last Alfa to carry a twin-cam inline-six;
courtesy RM Auctions. (Bottom) 1600 Duetto
was widely popularized by Dustin Hoffman in
‘The Graduate’; courtesy RM Auctions.
Prices can vary considerably for a
model based on condition and the
quality of the work. A Duetto can be
a £9,000 work in progress or a £28,000
gem. However, it is unlikely that you
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
19
ROYAL
THE
TREATMENT
HOW DOES A CAR GUY CELEBRATE THE
QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE? WITH ROYAL
CARS, OF COURSE.
BY PAUL DUCHENE
20 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
21
Since the first day I ever saw a royal
car — at age six in Folkestone in 1954,
as HRH Queen Elizabeth II and HRH
the Duke of Edinburgh returned from
France — I wondered, ‘Where do royal
cars go’? Are they like the Bentley in
the carriage house of a famous castle,
where a friend’s father parked it when
he went off to war in 1939?
RICHARD
WATLING WAS
BEHIND THE
ROYAL TRAVEL
CELEBRATION
The answer is yes, more or less. The
royal family has cars scattered (or,
more properly, tucked away) in stately
homes across the British Isles. And
that’s not counting all the cars elsewhere in the world that have been
used on state visits.
In honour of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee this year, the Cartier
Style et Luxe Exhibit at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Sussex was
given over to a Celebration of Royal
Travel. Elements of the royal collection will also be seen at other locations around the British Isles through
the rest of the year.
The Royal Travel Celebration was
the brainchild of Richard Watling,
who was the Royal Warrant Holder
for Johnnie Walker & Sons, the
whiskey distillers. Royal Warrants
are jealously guarded by companies
entitled to display the royal coat of
arms, because they do business with
the royal family. Such warrants can be
withdrawn (the most notable being
that of Harrod’s department store) if
the company is seen to discredit the
royal family.
Watling is now retired, but in 2008 he
was president of the Royal Warrant
Holders Association and involved
with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST). This charity was
established in 1990 on the Queen
Mother’s 90th birthday to support
people who wanted to become the
best in their craft. When he became
chairman of the charity, Watling went
to Sandringham, the Queen’s country
house on 20,000 acres in Norfolk,
and discovered a collection of cars
belonging to the Queen, the Duke of
Edinburgh and other members of the
royal family.
‘I’d been involved with classic cars
and racing’, Watling says. ‘I looked
at Goodwood [The Festival of Speed]
and the Cartier Style et Luxe and I
thought, “There’ll never be another
Diamond Jubilee in my lifetime; 2012
would be an opportunity to celebrate
the concours with a royal theme”’.
Watling approached Lord March,
whose family seat is at Goodwood,
and by 2011 he understood that
the Queen would OK the plan. The
Land Agent at Sandringham, Marcus
O’Lone, supported the idea, because
of the QEST connection, and it was
discussed in his audience with Queen
Elizabeth. The Queen was concerned
that the public have some cars to
look at while the royal ones were
away, so Watling gathered suitable
replacements, including a C-Type
Jaguar and several Aston Martins.
Watling spent time at Windsor Castle
burrowing through the royal photo
archives, looking for cars that were
used in overseas visits. The Henry
Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan,
was willing to loan a Lincoln Cosmopolitan bubble top limousine, used
by the Queen in her 1951 visit to
President Harry Truman, and in presidential service until 1967.
Other cars from overseas included a
1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost used by
Lord Louis Mountbatten as Viceroy of
India in 1947–48, and a 1927 RollsRoyce 20 hp belonging to the Maharajah of Bharatpur, used by HRH the
Duke of Edinburgh in India in 1965 for
a bird-watching expedition.
From a 1954 six-month Commonwealth tour of Australia and New
Zealand came a Humber Super Snipe
drophead coupe, and from France
a spectacular Citroën SM four-door
presidential phaeton. Built by Henri
Chapron, it was used by the Queen
and Duke of Edinburgh for a visit to
Paris in 1972.
Also on hand was Prince Charles’
1969 Aston Martin DB6 Volante, which
Prince William and Princess Kate used
immediately after their wedding.
The royal family has a 100-year
relationship with the UK company
Daimler, and another enormous car in
the show was the 1949 DE 36 Open
Landau by Hooper. This was one of
seven ordered for state use during
the reign of King George VI and used
by the Queen during her coronation
in 1953, then sold to the Australian
government for royal visits.
Among the larger Rolls-Royces was
a 1954 Phantom IV Hooper Landaulette, kept by Rolls-Royce for
exclusive use of the Queen. Phantom
IVs were only sold to heads of state,
and it’s the sister car to the 1950 Mulliner limousine, which is still in regular
use. Queen Elizabeth also lent her
own Rolls-Royce Phantom V State
Limousine, used often at home and
abroad. The limousine has a removable rear roof, leaving a Perspex
bubble, and the bumper
can be removed,
so it could be
shipped on
the royal yacht
Britannia.
Speaking of yachts, Britannia was
too large to be included in the show,
but a model of one of the yacht’s
tenders was displayed. One of the
Queen’s flight of eight aircraft was
also included — a de Havilland
Chipmunk trainer, used to teach the
Prince of Wales and Duke of York to
fly. ‘Permission for the aircraft took a
long time’, Watling says. ‘Air space is
severely limited and controlled more
than usual because of the Olympics’.
The organisers ended up landing the
plane on the nearby golf course and
pushing it into the exhibit.
Perhaps the largest and most challenging item was the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Royal Train
Carriage, used from 1928 to 1979
by George V and George VI, Queen
Elizabeth II, Sir Winston Churchill and
many heads of state including President Eisenhower. It was visited by 200
people an hour for four straight days,
for a total of almost 10,000 guests.
Less fancy and more personal cars
included Queen Elizabeth’s first open
review vehicle, a 1954 Land Rover 86,
which featured special upright seats
she could lean against, and which
traveled all over the world. HRH the
Duke of Edinburgh lent his 1961 Alvis
TD 21 SII drophead, complete with
five-speed gearbox. A 1956 Ford
Zephyr woodie wagon was driven by
all members of the family, and a 1951
Ford V-8 Pilot woodie wagon was the
last car ordered by King George VI.
One of the most unlikely survivors,
considering their propensity to rust,
was the 1961 Vauxhall Friary Estate
wagon, often driven by the Queen as
an estate runabout.
As a reminder that even kings and
queens start out as children, the display included a lineup of scale drivable cars, including a 1928 Daimler,
(Opening spread): Goodwood was the
perfect backdrop for the royal display. (This
page, clockwise from left): Prince Michael of
Kent in the 1920 Rolls-Royce 20 Horsepower
built for the Maharajah of Bharatpur; the
collection includes coupes, convertibles,
limos, train carriages and more, including
something for little princes; the French
president’s Citroën SM limousine.
1951 Austin J40, Aston Martin Volante
modeled after the Prince of Wales’
own full-size car, a James Bond Aston
Martin DB5 and a 1955 American
Midget racer.
Looking at the lineup of royal cars,
one is struck by the extreme height of
the rooflines. The immediate conclusion would seem to be (a) the royal
family is very tall, (b) they like to wear
big hats, (c) they really want a good
view or (d) they are claustrophobic.
It’s actually much simpler: Part of the
job is being seen.
And a final instruction from Watling,
which makes his achievement at
gathering all the cars seem that much
more impressive: ‘One never sits in
the Queen’s seat’.
B-LIST
BOND
BY ROB SASS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EVAN KLEIN
LEGENDARY SUPER SPY
JAMES
BOND
DIDN’T ALWAYS DRIVE
AN ASTON MARTIN
THE OTHER BOND CARS
24 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
25
Where’s my
Bentley ?
It’s had its day,
I’m afraid ....
You’ll be using
this aston
martin db5, with
modifications
This dialogue between James
Bond and Q from the 1964
movie 'Goldfinger' introduced
the most enduring and famous
relationship between a car and
a film franchise — and perhaps
the greatest bit of product
placement — ever. Alas, this
article isn’t about that Bond car.
Over the 50-year screen history
of Ian Fleming’s immortal spook,
James Bond has driven countless other cars besides the Silver
Birch 1964 Aston Martin DB5
equipped with everything from
machine guns to an ejector seat.
Although most became interesting collector cars in their own
right, none achieved anywhere
near the level of immortality and
indelible association with 007 as
the Aston. Not coincidentally,
none are remotely as expensive,
either. Good news for those of
us mortals who like a little bit of
James Bond trivia in our collector cars’ past.
Strictly speaking, an official
'Bond car' is one that was
actually issued to Bond by
MI6 armaments quartermaster
Major Boothroyd, otherwise
known as 'Q'. The long-suffering
character was played by Desmond Llewellyn in most of the
official EON-produced Bond
films through 1999’s 'Die Another Day'.
Over the series of 22 films to
date, some of the 'official' Bond
cars have been either forgettable
or barely seen at all (Bond’s Bentley Mk IV in 'From Russia With
Love' is only briefly on screen),
while some of the unofficial Bond
cars — the ones 'borrowed' by
007 — were involved in some of
the more memorable scenes in
Bond moviedom.
Although Bond’s Lotus Esprit (opposite)
never made it near Las Vegas, it seems very
much at home, while the Mach 1 (right) is
clearly in its element in the Nevada
gambling capital.
The first car chase in a Bond film
happened in 1962’s 'Dr. No'
between Bond in a 'borrowed'
1961 Sunbeam Alpine and — of
all things — a 1939 LaSalle funeral
coach driven by No’s henchmen.
Bond slides the Alpine under a
crane, the LaSalle can’t follow; it
goes over a cliff and explodes for no
apparent reason. When a bystander
runs up and asks 007 (played by
Sean Connery) what happened, he
quips in what became his trademark
gallows fashion, 'I think they were on
their way to a funeral'. The Alpine
was reputed to have been loaned to
the producers of the film because it
was the only sports car available in
Jamaica at the time.
Of the 'borrowed' Bond car subgenre, perhaps the most memorable
was the red 1971 Ford Mustang
Mach 1 from 1971’s 'Diamonds Are
Forever'. In a fantastic chase scene,
the great stunt driver Carey Loftin
drives on two wheels through Las
Vegas (the streets were cleared via
a 'favour' done by none other than
James Bond fan Howard Hughes).
'Diamonds' was possibly the
weakest of the Sean Connery Bond
films. An out-of-shape Connery
had been bribed back into the role
after the failure of his replacement,
George Lazenby. But it was at least
partially redeemed by the scenes
involving the Mach 1. Corgi even
issued a model of the Mustang, an
uncommon honour for an unofficial
Bond car.
The appearance of a 1971 Mustang
in the film gives a little bit of added
26 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
collector lustre to what was arguably
the most controversial of the first
generation of the original 'pony' car,
the largish 1971–73 version. By the
early ’70s, perhaps both Connery
and the Mustang had put on a bit
of a middle-age spread.
The Roger Moore era of Bond started
with 'Live and Let Die' in 1973, and
while it sported a henchman driving
the Corvorado — a truly bizarre combination of a Cadillac Eldorado and
a Chevrolet Corvette — it held little
else of automotive interest.
Moore’s next turn as Bond was
1974’s 'The Man With the Golden
Gun'. And if the placement of
the Aston DB5 in 'Goldfinger'
was the Bond franchise’s golden
Like the DB5,
the Esprit came
with modifications
from Q, the most
famous of which
turned the car
into an actual
submarine
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
27
to turn an Esprit into a U-boat a
good five years before Tom Cruise
did the same thing to a Porsche 928
in 'Risky Business'.
Orange colour aside, the Lotus Esprit S1
is the second most famous Bond car.
While less famous, the Mach 1 had a major
role in 'Diamonds are Forever', while by
comparison the Z3 had a minor role.
high and with arresting wedge
styling from Giorgetto Giugiaro,
it looked like just the thing to
replace Bond’s hoary Aston Martin,
which seemed so out of step in the
disco-era 1970s.
moment, then the over-the-top,
virtual sponsorship of 'The Man
With the Golden Gun' by American
Motors was its zinc moment.
In 'Golden Gun', Bond steals a 1974
AMC Hornet hatchback and drives it
through a Hong Kong AMC showroom window. If the notion of an
AMC dealer in Hong Kong wasn’t
strange enough, in one scene, the
million-dollar-a-shot hitman referenced in the title (played by the
great Christopher Lee) makes an
escape in a flying AMC Matador
with Tattoo from 'Fantasy Island'
for a co-pilot. Needless to say, this
particular plot device wasn’t found
in the original Ian Fleming novel.
Moore wasn’t issued an official
Bond car until the 1978 film 'The
Spy Who Loved Me'. And it is likely
the best remembered of the 'other'
Bond cars chronicled here, particularly for Baby Boomers and Gen
Xers. The production version
of the Lotus Esprit had been introduced just prior to filming. Waist
28 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
goldeneye
featured a
then-new bmw Z3
in light metallic blue
with a tan toP.
the accomPanying
marketing camPaign
caused a significant
Z3 sales sPike
Like the DB5, the Esprit came 'with
modifications' from Q, the most
famous of which turned the car into
an actual submarine, something
heretofore done only by Amphicars
with leaky door seals. This being the
days before computer animation,
midget submarine builder Perry
Submarines of Florida was retained
Bond put the Lotus’ submersible
capabilities to good use while being
strafed by villain Karl Stromberg’s
helicopter pilot/henchwoman
(played by Carolyn Munro). In the
famous scene, Bond drives the
Lotus off a pier (to the shock of his
passenger, played by Barbara Bach).
The wheels fold up into diving
planes, propellers and a periscope
deploy, and Bond takes care of the
pesky helicopter with missiles fired
from the hatch area of the Esprit.
I remember thinking as a 14-yearold watching the film, 'Wow, that’s
hardcore. Bond offed a girl — and
a smoking hot one at that'. C’est la
guerre, I suppose, or plenty of fish
in the sea if you’re Bond.
It wasn’t the Esprit’s only big
moment in the film. There was a
memorable mountain road chase in
Sardinia that proved problematic for
the filmmakers. Due to the Esprit’s
particularly high handling limits, the
stunt driver just wasn’t able to wring
enough obvious speed and drama
out for the cameras to satisfy director Lewis Gilbert. Not wanting to artificially speed up the film, a factory
Lotus test driver was brought in to
suitably thrash the car for the scene.
A couple of later Esprit Turbos made
brief appearances in the 1981 film
'For Your Eyes Only'. Like so many
other Bond cars, Corgi issued a
model of the white Esprit in submarine mode, complete with plastic
shooting missiles, which were usually
lost within 10 minutes of removing
the model from the box.
The rest of the Roger Moore era
was relatively dull from a car standpoint, save for a decent chase scene
in 1983’s 'Octopussy' involving Bond
in a 'borrowed' Alfa Romeo GTV6
as he flees some German cops in
BMW cars and motorcycles.
Cars figured little into the brief two-film Timothy
Dalton era, other than an Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Volante in 1987’s 'The Living Daylights'. Both Dalton
and the film were vastly underrated and the later
Aston tried gamely to capture some of the gadgetry
and magic of the DB5, but a more jaded 1980s
audience was having none of it.
£
bond values
1961 - 63 SUNBEAM ALPINE SERIES II
MSRP: £986 | CURRENT: £21,500
Dalton handed the Bond franchise off to Pierce
Brosnan (whom the producers had wanted anyway
when they cast Dalton), and the series went into full
blatant product placement mode with Bond driving
predominantly current-model BMWs. In 1995,
'GoldenEye' featured a then-new BMW Z3 in light
metallic blue with a tan top. The accompanying marketing campaign caused a significant Z3 sales spike,
particularly those in the 'James Bond colours'. Not
bad for a whopping two minutes of screen time. Near
the end of his tenure, Brosnan was back in an Aston,
this time a V12 Vanquish.
An Alpine is a fun, stylish, well-built alternative to an
MG or Triumph.
It’s hard to say why none of the subsequent Bond
cars have taken off in value the way Aston Martin
DB5s have. One could argue that Connery was the
first and the best James Bond and that the Silver
Birch DB5 was the first and the best of the gadgeted
Bond cars and made the most lasting impression on
a generation of then wide-eyed and now moneyed
Baby Boomers. But for the rest of us, it’s just as
well to be able to lean on the wing of our red ’71
Mach 1 and tell the neighbour, 'You know, James
Bond drove one of these. Maybe even this one'.
AMC HORNET
MSRP: £2,856 | CURRENT: £3,670
To see more from our photoshoot, go to
hagerty.com/bondcars.
1971 FORD MUSTANG MACH 1
MSRP: £3,730 | CURRENT: £27,050 (IN THE U.S.)
With the 370-horsepower, 429-cid V-8, the Mach 1
is fast. The fastback 'Sports Roof' style works better
than the convertible or Grande coupe bodies.
1974
AMCs are quirky and rare in the UK, but they’re a fun
way to buck the herd mentality.
1977 LOTUS ESPRIT S1
MSRP: £9,138 | CURRENT: £17,500
An Esprit represents tremendous value for an exotic
car. A white S1 gives you the second most recognised
and glamorous Bond car for used Mondeo money.
1981 ALFA ROMEO GTV6
MSRP: £9,495 | CURRENT: £7,100
The GTV6 is another currently undervalued work of
the great Giorgetto Giugiaro, and like the Esprit, it
represents a great deal of car for the money.
1986 ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE VOLANTE
MSRP: £68,500 | CURRENT: £94,000
Handsome and a little brutish, Aston Martin V8s used
to trade for as little as £20,000. Those days are gone.
1996
BMW Z3
MSRP: £21,480 | CURRENT: £9,950
The appealing Z3 is still just a used car that hasn’t
yet hit the bottom of its depreciation curve. Buy
based on condition and mileage.
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
29
1964 lotus
MARKETWATCH
1964 ford lotus-cortina
mk i saloon
AN EYE ON VALUES
SOLD AT £43,700
BONHAMS, GOODWOOD, SUSSEX
29 JUNE 2012, LOT 261
Quintessentially
BRITISH
Five fun ones that won’t
break the bank
1949 triumPh
Dave Kinney
It can be tough to find cars that
are both unusual and usable. We
selected five cars that have slightly
different levels of entry in today’s
market, but each should be easy on
your wallet to maintain. We sourced
them from recent UK and Euro auctions, and it should be said that our
hidden agenda was to add fun
into the selection.
1949 triumPh 2000 roadster
SOLD AT £7,504
H&H AUCTIONS, BUXTON, DERBYSHIRE
5 JULY 2012, LOT 27
The Triumph 2000 is a tad rare; with
around 2,000 built with the 2,088-cc
ohv four-cylinder Standard Triumph
motor. This cream over red leather
example has had three owners since
1990. It showed a number of needs, if
your intention was to restore it to its
original lustre. The vendor described
the brightwork as in need of rechroming and the doors in need of
re-trimming. The paintwork was far
from concours, but with room for two
up front and a dickey seat for your
mates, it’s post-war open-air driving
as your mum and dad might have
experienced it.
Let’s be honest: Ford are good at
building solid cars, Lotus at building
revvy engines. When they got together
to build the Lotus Cortina, good
became great. There are a handful of
1960s cars that were perfect in period
for rallying as well as driving spiritedly
on a daily basis, but none was better
than the car presented here. Like the
‘hot hatches’ that followed, very few
of these creations were treated with
care by their early owners. This one,
however, was described by Bonhams
as an outstanding example, and at
the price paid it was certainly one of
2003 mg tf sPorts roadster
1993 cagiva
SOLD AT £1,995
BONHAMS, SHIPTON-ON-CHERWELL, OXFORD
16 JUNE 2012, LOT 204
1956 land rover 86
SOLD AT £6,944
H&H AUCTIONS, BUXTON, DERBYSHIRE
5 JULY 2012, LOT 5
1956 land rover
1974 bmw
30 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
With an MOT that runs through June
’13, this handsome green with blue
and black trim short-wheelbase Series
I example is nothing short of utility with
a smile. It was used as a garage-based
recovery vehicle until 1963, when it
was apparently reconditioned for both
private and agricultural use. In 2009,
it started its third career as a pleasure
vehicle following restoration. The
absence of brightwork and exotic bits
make it perfect for our list, and those
who know these early off-roaders will
be happy to confirm that long after the
human race is gone, it will be cockroaches and Landies that survive.
the more expensive sold — either
at auction or privately. If you could
afford the entry price here, the
payoff might just continue in terms
of both fun and future appreciation.
1993 cagiva moke
SOLD AT £19,040
RM Auctions, Monaco,
11 May 2012, Lot 303
While the remains of literally hundreds
of early Mokes are now the foundation
for coral reef building off the coast of
large continents and small Caribbean
islands, the Mokes that survived are
being bought up by collectors. It’s a
Mini in its most basic guise, as you’ve
taken an easy-to-love and easy-toservice car and removed about half
the things that could either rust or
break. What could possibly be bad
about that? This Moke, one of many
built under licence, was completed
by Italian motorcycle builder Cagiva.
As one of the final ones built, it was
quite dear at the price; you’ll find
older examples for much less.
It’s not old and it would be a stretch
to call it anything close to collectible
at this point, but it does have three
major points in its favour. One, it’s
cheap; two, the top goes down;
and three, it’s different. That it was
presented at a Bonhams sale and
sold cheap as chips isn’t noteworthy.
That it represents an almost guaranteed conversation starter certainly is.
Whether that conversation is about
what happened to MG, Chinese
manufacturers, open-air motoring or a thousand other subjects,
all you need do is park it on a city
street and wait for the comments.
2003 mg
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
31
GEAR GUIDE
kit for all occasions
SMITHS GAUGES
You can’t possibly have a proper motorcar without
the proper parts, and that means Smiths gauges.
Holden Vintage & Classic carries a full range of the
essential instruments, including speedos, tachs,
clocks, ammeters and more, all in either magnolia
or black faces with contrasting figures and chrome
bezels. See these and hundreds of other items for
your classic car needs at holden.co.uk.
When the time comes to outfit your car — or yourself —
Stefan Lombard
with something new, only the best will do
The cars themselves are only one great aspect of the
classic car world. Part of owning these wonderful cars
is protecting and accessorising them. Here are some
ideas for great products you might want to try.
LUSSO COLLECTION
Travelling light or have tight space in the old
motor? The Document Case, Monza Weekend
Holdall and Imola Wheeled Holdall from Caracalla-Bath are an elegant way to carry the essentials
for a few nights away. The collection is classically
styled in tobacco hide with an oatmeal linen
lining and hand-made in Italy. Order yours at
caracalla1947.com.
INDOOR CAR COVER
Even at home in your garage, your classic is safer
under a car cover to protect it from dust or paintscuffing hazards. Classic Additions offers two smart
choices: Their soft, lightweight indoor cover comes
in seven different sizes, and their bespoke offerings
are made to fit your specific car. Both choices are
fully breathable and just the thing to keep your shiny
bits shipshape. classicadditions.com.
PERIOD OVERALLS
If you want to make the most of the vintage
motoring experience, then be sure to dress the
part in Greycar’s white overalls. Made in England of a heavy cotton twill and perfectly replicating the overalls of past eras, they feature
a traditional tie belt, two large breast pockets,
two side pockets and a rear rule pocket on the
right leg. Go to greycar.com for this and other
historic motoring attire.
32 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
THERMOHOLD EXHAUST COATINGS
Managing heat is a real challenge in any classic car. It adversely affects reliability, comfort
and safety, and it can also ruin your paint finish.
Zircotec’s plasma-sprayed ThermoHold ceramic
exhaust coatings and foils work to keep heat
where it belongs — inside the exhaust. This
lowers underbonnet temperatures by about
30 percent and helps to preserve your car. For
this and other heat-reduction solutions, go to
zircotec.com.
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
33
1976 vw camPer
BACKLIGHT
Quantity Produced:
1976 - 79: 3,292,272
original Price:
£4,475
current Price:
£2,250 - £18,000
Original ownership documents (above)
helped prove that the white ’67 Camaro
(left) offered for sale started life as the
black car (below) that Robert Jordan
bought new and drove to his wedding.
It also started the chain of events that
reunited it with its original owner.
busman’s holiday
MORE THAN A PRETTY FACE, THIS 1976 VW CAMPER
STILL GOES CAMPING
Jonathan A. Stein
One of Steven Hames’ strongest
memories revolved around a family
holiday he took as a boy, when his
parents, brother and family dog set
out for Devon and Cornwall in a
borrowed VW camper.
That long-ago holiday and the VW
camper made such an impression
that eventually Hames had to have
a bus of his own. He finally took the
plunge in 1992, when he bought
‘an extremely rotten 1976 camper
from a couple of girls’. He probably
should have had misgivings when
he saw the words ‘love’ and ‘hate’
tattooed on one of the women’s
hands, or when he realized that ‘the
bottom six inches of the camper were
completely rotten’.
But severe body rot wasn’t enough to
scare Hames away, largely because
he really bought the bus for the
interior. ‘I liked the layout’, he says.
‘It was very functional and everything
fitted together’. He was also taken by
the simple fact that the interior was
completely original.
34 HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
For many people, a newly acquired
camper needing so much work would
have been an overwhelming project.
But for Hames, it was the beginning
of a seven-year challenge in which
he did the vast majority of the work
himself. He stripped the shell, cut out
suspension and the engine, all of
which were done at Hames’ home.
Although the body is completely
stock, a few carefully chosen
modifications yielded slightly more
power, a higher final drive ratio and a
somewhat lower suspension.
‘I liked the layout, it was
very functional and everything
fitted together’
Rather than show the gleaming blue
camper, Hames uses it as originally
intended — for camping. Twice he’s
driven to France from his Windsor
home to watch the Le Mans Classic,
and on another occasion he took it
as far as northern Italy. Even with the
slightly bigger engine, the camper is
anything but quick, but thanks to the
higher final drive, the old VW is more
relaxed at motorway speeds.
the corroded sheet metal and welded
in the new panels. When that was
done, he did all the finish bodywork,
to the point of spraying the primer
himself. Then he carefully flattened
the primer in preparation for having
the finish coat — a blue Subaru hue
— professionally sprayed. Inside, he
chose to retain the functional layout
of the interior, but removed the
extensive Formica, replacing it with
wood veneers. Meanwhile, a good
friend assisted with all mechanical
work, which included rebuilding the
Although he has enjoyed his visits
to the Continent, Hames’ favourite
use for the old camper is to take his
wife and young children along and
find a family-friendly campsite, where
‘the environment is safe’. As Hames
explains, ‘I just want to share much
of the same experience that I had’.
HAGERTYINSURANCE.CO.UK
35
Return Address:
The Arch Barn
Pury Hill Farm
Towcester
Northamptonshire
NN12 7TB
AS GOOD AS OUR WORD
WHY
PRETEND
TO BE SOMETHING
YOU’RE NOT?
You’ll find no camouflage or hidden surprises
in our policies, just plain English.
Home Insurance 0845 365 1294
Business Insurance 0845 213 8900
hiscox.co.uk
Policies are underwritten by Hiscox Underwriting Ltd on behalf of Hiscox Insurance Company Ltd, both of which are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. 10602 08/12