Classic cars & articles on vehicle restoration at Old Classic Car UK.

Time 2021-01-04 16:04:50

Web Name: Classic cars & articles on vehicle restoration at Old Classic Car UK.

WebSite: http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk

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Old Classic Car UK (OCC) contains a wealth of information about classic and vintage cars in the UK and beyond, plus memorabilia that relates to the nostalgia that many people have for motoring in the olden days.If you own a classic, or plan to buy one, then put the kettle on, pull up a chair, and have a wander down memory lane.Try the site search if you're looking for something in particular, & check out the spare parts ads.Dealing with rustFor every immaculate Austin, Morris or Ford out there, several other neglected examples cling onto life with the weakest of grips, rust being the main culprit responsible for them now falling into disrepair. Even the best examples need looking after to prevent rust taking a hold, this article takes a look at where to find rust, and how to prevent it from forming.DisadvantagesEven the most obsessed enthusiast will, if pressed, admit that not everything concerning our favourite four-wheeled steeds is brilliant. Cruising ability, safety, visibility, and marginal spares availability for example can all be downsides to the hobby that owners have to face up to and deal with, as this article explains.Driving 1950s styleAnyone more used to driving a modern four-wheeled appliance will, likely as not, panic at the thought of jumping behind the wheel of, and taking to the road in, anything from the 1950s. The basic theory of driving any powered transport from the 1950s is broadly comparable to its modern equivalent, but this article sheds light on the differences to be expected.Storage and garaging plus Storage in the garageThoughts on storage, whether at home in the driveway or in a garage, in a rented lock-up, or with a serviced storage facility. In the second article, ideas on how to maximise the space available in a home garage.Workshop safety and Asbestos & older carsDos and don'ts in the workshop are listed in the first article linked to here. The second looks at the issue of asbestos in certain components that might turn up on older vehicles being worked upon.More articles and More sitesMore articles with a motoring theme to them, including just going out for a drive for the heck of it, an old flame re-surfacing in the classifieds, and a promotion from the 1930s that included use of Austin motor-cars. The second page lists a few of my other sites.Automobilia and collectablesIn this corner of OCC, collectables that relate to the world of motoring ("Automobilia") are covered. For instance, there is a wealth of garage-related paperwork, including old invoices, receipts, sales and promotional items, and lots more. Items relating to specific makes and models, as well as motorsport, can also be found.Car magazinesHere, a wide selection of older motoring magazines are featured, going back to the early years of the 20th Century. British magazines pre-dominate in this section, although rare titles from the USA and elsewhere in Europe are present. A number of trade and owners' club magazines are also described in detail, as are various publications issued by manufacturers themselves.Children's motor booksA great many children's books and annuals were either about transportation, or else featured illustrations of transport-related scenes on their covers. Five pages of book scans have been uploaded to date.Motoring gamesBoard games and card games that relate to the automobile have long been produced, and in this area a number of them are described. Magnetic and electrically-operated slot-car games receive coverage too, as do old transport-related jigsaw puzzles.Pedal carsWithin this section there are several pages devoted to collectable types from the olden days, including a small archive of original photographs that feature examples from the 1920s-onwards. There is also a section describing Tri-ang's extensive range in the mid-1930s.RecordsSound-effects records (33/45/78rpm) from the 1940s-1960s recorded on road and track. One rare example recalls demonstration runs held at Oulton Park in 1958 of the Mercedes-Benz "Silver Arrows".Toy carsMany enthusiasts will have a favourite toy they remember from their youth. Here, pages are given over to retro die-cast, tin-plate and plastic toys, also including vans and lorries. Makers such as Dinky, Crescent, JNF, Tri-ang and Chad Valley are all represented, as are a few oddball one-offs.Car accessories and tuning companiesSince the early days of motoring, individuals and companies have sought to modify and improve upon standard production offerings. This section focuses on just some of the period accessories, gadgets and tuning goodies that were made available to motorists from the earliest years of the 20th Century, through to the 1970s.Gadgets & toolsHandy inventions designed to help the motorist and/or garage owner, or improve upon a particular type's specification - including lamps, servicing/diagnostic systems, auxiliary gauges, lifts and more.Period tuning companiesIn this section, many of the leading British engine tuning companies of the 1950s and 1960s are featured, including Speedwell, Speedex, Aquaplane, Marshall Nordec, Bowden and SAH Triumphtune, to name just a few. Classic lorries, vans and pickup trucksAncient vans, lorries and pickups have long been favourites in these parts (see "In the Motor House" on this page for examples at OCC HQ), so here the subject of classic commercial vehicles - whether large or small - falls under the spotlight. Historic lorriesAdvice for anyone thinking of buying a preserved lorry. This article considers subjects such as the likely running costs of such a machine, whether to choose a restored or un-restored example, and the oft-sticky issue of storing an over-size vehicle given that so many old farm buildings have been converted into living accommodation. Also a few thoughts on driving licence restrictions on larger vehicles are covered. Vans and pickupsCollecting vans and pickups is a popular pastime for many, partly because they tend to be rarer than their contemporary saloon brothers, and also because even if you have a line-up of similar models at a show, their varied liveries still make for an interesting display. This article considers points to think about when choosing a light van or pickup to buy, and also has pages dedicated to some of the popular British types worthy of consideration.Image archiveThousands of pages at OCC are given over to photographs of veteran, vintage, and classic vehicles. There's a mix of images taken at shows in recent years, and a large collection of in-period, "back in the day", photographs - many of which are in black & white - featuring automotive gems from the 1900s through to the 1970s.Photo Of The Day: Sunbeams were represented at this show by a couple of vintage examples, including this tourer.The image archive has been built up over many years, and now contains several thousand original, period, photographs of road transport in its many forms. These date from the early 20th Century, through to the 1970s. Many are from my own collection, while others have been kindly sent over to me by site visitors since OCC's launch in 2001. The above dropdown offers a quick way to jump to pages within the archive. A number of the photographs have been put into slideshows hosted on Youtube, on the left is one example, available to view here.In the Motor HouseA number of aged motor vehicles clutter the garage here at OCC HQ. They include the Mk1 Austin A40 that has been in the family from new, now needing some restoration, to a couple of lorries, a vintage Dodge tourer, a post-war Volvo PV444, and a pre-war Morris that - like the A40 - needs restoring.Austin A40. This Mk1 example of Austin's A40 Farina model was built in 1960, and bought new by my (late) great aunt and uncle, from a BMC sales agent in Exeter. He owned and ran the Austin until the late 1980s when it came to ourselves. I took (and passed) my driving test behind the wheel of the A40, and then used it as school transport during my A levels. It was last on the road in the mid-1990s. More history on this it can be found on the Austin A40 Mk1 page.Commer Superpoise racing car transporter. In 2014 I discovered that this unique vehicle from 1950 was likely to be scrapped, if a home couldn't be found ASAP. It was a genuine "barn find", sat in an open-sided barn since 1970/1972 after its final outing to a race meeting at Crystal Palace. The full history of this unique lorry is now on the Commer racing car transporter page.1924 Dodge tourer. The Dodge spent most of its life in Australia, although when I bought it in 2012 it had been imported already by a dealer. It needed a lot of fettling to get it something like usable, and has been used regularly for local trips, shows, VSCC meetings and school runs. More details can be found in the Dodge tourer thread, running on the OCC Forum.1940 Dodge racing car transporter & trailer. I stumbled across this mighty Dodge back in 1995, corroding away and looking very forlorn. Later research uncovered its fascinating history, from its early years as a crewbus serving in the RAF during WW2, to a post-war life as a transporter. Its history, and the story of its restoration, can be found in the Dodge racing car restoration section, here at OCC.Grey Fergie tractor. Buying this was dad's idea. As kids, my brother and I would often cadge a ride in the tray on the back of a Ferguson tractor, so when this Fergie came up for sale locally, it seemed like a good idea to take it on.MGB Roadster factory development car. Anything with a traceable history is always of interest, so when this rubber-bumper MGB Roadster turned up for sale, I set my sights on buying it. It has under 20k miles on the clock, and - being a LHD smog-equipped MGB - was destined for the USA before being removed from the production line, and tasked by British Leyland with various development duties at Gaydon etc. The documented history of the MG is on the MGB Roadster page.Morris Minor two-seater. I've always liked pre-war cars. In 2009 I was able to purchase this 1932 Morris Minor. It had been sat in a brick outbuilding for a few decades, but it didn't take long to get its engine running. Currently it needs more work to see it back on the road. For several years it shared garage space with a 1934 saloon that I ran. More on the '32 Minor on the OCC Forum: Morris Minor.Volvo PV444. Old Volvos have been a part of my life since I was a child. Dad owned a 121 Amazon and a 144S in the 1970s, so that's probably the reason that I keep returning to the Volvo fold. Over the years I've owned a few Amazons, and a sole PV544 that I miss to this day. Because of this, when an earlier (1953) PV444 turned up in 2019, I grabbed it. More information on the 444 can be found on the OCC Forum: Volvo PV444 thread.Others classics >>Tales of my occasional motoring woes can be found across OCC, including on the following pages: Misbehaving Jaguars and BMWs, SAAB meets Porsche, Spitfire woes, and Three-wheel Austin A40. My wife's take on life at OCC HQ can be found on the Living with a hoarder page, while this page outlines what might make up my dream garage line-up.Motoring memories and nostalgiaOne of the reasons for setting up OCC was to collate and present memories of motoring in byegone times, when today's "classics" were usually just run-of-the-mill sights, background wallpaper to day-to-day lives at the time that they were current. Many visitors to OCC have sent their own memories as part of the Motoring Memories Project.Dad's motoring memoirsLife on the road, beginning in 1963 with a Raleigh Runabout moped, leading onto such delights as a Bond minicar, a Riley RMA (followed later by a 2.5 Litre Roadster), a Ford 100E Popular ("the worst car of my life"), then a brace of Volvos before moving into more modern times.Memories of the '50s and '60sA visitor to OCC relates his earliest recollections of life behind the wheel, starting out with a (now rare) Standard 8 of the early 1940s, then through cars such as Ford's 105E Anglia, to more recent times.Motoring Memories ProjectA large collection of articles submitted by site visitors, describing their formative years behind the wheel of a wide variety of interesting vehicles. If you can add to this collection of pages with your own experiences, please please get in touch.Old garagesCars wouldn't run for long without a network of garages supplying their owners' needs, and fixing their motors when required. Many keen motorists would also ensure that they had access to a domestic garage at home, not just to store their pride and joy, but also to offer weatherproof accommodation for when a home service was undertaken. Other transportInterest in classic cars can often lead to a passing appreciation of other forms of transport and wheeled contraptions. So to recognise this, a few pages on bicycles, caravans, trailers, and other mechanised delights now follow.TrailersA soft spot for ancient trailers has led to a number of them gracing the driveway here at OCC HQ. Photos of surviving trailers can be found here, as can numerous scans of period literature from the likes of Eccles, Dixon-Bate, and Leason.Reference libraryThe ongoing build of the Library section will grow to include pages of reference material, for example on setting up carburettors, spark plug recommendations, and bulb choices, through to more specialised subjects such as Wilson pre-selector gearboxes. There is also a specialists' directory and a clubs' directory.Researching a classic car's historyResearching history is one of my favourite aspects of this hobby. Below are a few sections that should assist anyone planning to document the early life of their car. Records aren't always available, especially for pre-war examples, but it's surprising just how many documents still survive in council-run archives across the UK. Research its historyThis article looks at why it can be worth researching the history of an old car, and how to make a start on the quest for its past life. Registration numbersA list of UK-wide registration numbers, with their regions of issue and - where available - the date period that they apply to. Registration re-claimingGuidance on how to go about re-claiming an original registration number.Spare parts adsThis free-ads, or online autojumble, section enables anyone to place Wanted or For Sale notices, with no fees and no registration required. It's not designed for selling complete vehicles, unless they are most suitable as a parts donor, just spares and automobilia. Latest ad: 1 Jan 2021 on the Ford Fiesta Mk1 XR2 parts page. TriviaOdds and ends, including a fictional children's story based on a bullnose Morris Cowley, and a couple of caption competitions to finish with.Videos of classic carsVideos now on the OCC Youtube channel (link). These include various on-board pieces from a few years ago (Ferrari 250 GT, Austin-Healey 100S etc), photo slideshows, and also a number of stop-go animations featuring a variety of die-cast and tin-plate toys put together by our young son.A vintage AC tourerA fine 1920s touring car photographed in AustraliaTin-plate toy carsTop 10 tin-plate toy cars & other vehicles, by HJ age 12Land-Rover Series 3 88 & 109Catalogue for the classic Land-Rover Series III range in 1979WW1 Vulcan ambulanceThe Vulcan test driver with a donated wartime ambulanceSpeed magazine 1937HJ (12 yrs) reviews three copies of the BRDC's Speed magazineCitroen SMSales brochure for the 1973 UK-market Citroen SM V6Marble Arch Motor SuppliesAdded, a 1955 letter regarding the sale of a British motorcycle1927 Chevrolet & caravanAdded, a 1920s Chevy truck & home-built caravan in the 1930sAustin A40 Mk1 CountrymanLooking at literature for the new-for-59 A40 Countryman Mk1Caerphilly garage in 1955Letter relating to Ford 103E, Standard 8 & Velocette MACMG J2Three more b&w photos of a sporting MG J2 added inFord Model BAdded in, post-war b&w photo of a UK-registered Model BFord Popular 103EBrochure review for the Pop 103E and related '50s Ford leafletsHalley motor-lorryRare photo of a solid-tyred Halley commercial vehicle1906 AA badge?Added, request for help regarding a first style AA member's badgeAustin 8 & 10 VansReview of two period publications for these classic vansAD spark plugsEarly 1900s notebook issued by A. Dutemple, ParisF.J. Grandin & Co. Ltd.Invoice issued by a Jersey-based Morris cars garage, 1931Austin 7 in 1962More photos of an Austin 7 box saloon in 1962 added inRare FL touring carPhoto of an early 1900s FL (Floreat Lindum) in LincolnDinky toy animationAdded, the Lego/Dinky classic car 'barn find' filmRaymond Way Motors LtdA former employee from the 1950s sends her memoriesAdlards Motors Ltd (Allard)1943 letter issued by the Fulham constructor of Allard carsClassic vans videoAdded, 270 photos of classic British vans & pickupsHumber 12hp DHCPhotos of a c1936/1937 Humber 12 drophead coupeCentral GarageAdded, a letter from this Welsh garage during WW2 (1944)British Cars 1950s Pt1Added, video review of a 1952 'The Motor', plus 130 photosStandard SwallowRare photograph of a Swallow-bodied Standard CoupeAviation museumNow on Y/Tube, a visit to City of Norwich Aviation MuseumMore Austin 7Added, a second colour photos from the early 1960sMotorcycle museumAdded, virtual tour of the Norfolk Motorcycle MuseumHomer races tin-plate FerrariNew to the tin-plate car section, an animated motor racing filmMotoring MemoriesBarry L tells of his early motoring memories in the 1950s/60sTrolleybus rideAdded to the museums page, a video ft a 1960 trolleybusOCC vlog updateAdded, film of venerable vehicles owned by family and friends1965 Sunbeam AlpineAdded, b&w snap of a gent with his dashing Series IV/V AlpineEdwardian pedal carAdded, photo of a rare 'touring' car circa 1902-1906A40 restoration updateY/Tube update added regarding progress on the A40's restoCastrol oilsOriginal leaflet from the 1950s describing Castrol products1932 Austin 7Colour photo from 1962 of Austin 7 box saloon reg. OW 2310Facel Vega HK500 (ROB 2)F1 team owner Rob Walker and his swish Facel Vega HK5001932 MG J2Added, pre-war photograph of an MG J2 sportscarAuburn Speedster in the UKPhoto of Amy Mollison (nee Johnson)'s Auburn & Beech a/cAustin 7 Gordon England CupPre-war view of a Gordon England Cup A7 and its owner addedStop-motion pedal car actionNew to the pedal cars page, a second stop-motion animation1934 Triumph GloriaPreviously unpublished photos of a 1934 Triumph Gloria saloonA further 280 lorry imagesAdded, a second video collection of British lorry imagesHillman 16 updateA side view of the four-door 16hp saloon has turned up1931/1932 BSA three-wheelerB&W photograph of OV 2797 stopped on Porlock Hill, addedAustin 10 CambridgeThree early photos of a c1937 Austin Ten Cambridge added in300+ classic British lorriesAdded to the lorries page, a 'virtual' Y/tube lorry showRover 8 updatePhoto of a circa 1924 Rover 8 long wheelbase tourer addedBraime oil canNew to the gadgets page, a clip featuring old oil cansHillman 16hp saloonTwo 1930s photographs of a circa 1933/1934 Hillman SixteenBean 11.9hp tourerA 1920s photograph of a Bean motor-car and its passengersBedford racing car transporterAdded, photo of a CA collecting a race car from Italian scrapyardCitroen DS SafariAdded, a colour slide of a UK-registered Citroen DS SafariTri-ang Meteor addedPhoto from the 1950s of a Tri-ang Meteor pedal car addedNational Benzole petrolAdded to the petroliana page, a short clip ft. item of memorabiliaWest End GarageA 1946 letter issued by this Wolseley cars agent in Wales

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