EASY MISTAKES

Q: Fumes in the cabin exhaust leak?

Look for loose boot seals, poor sealing around rear lights and gaps at panel intersections where seam sealer might have dropped out or not been replaced after repairs.

Q: Will I ever find new tailgate struts?

A number of UK online suppliers list new struts for cars of the Seventies and Eighties from as little as £20 a pair, so there’s no excuse to keep cursing a sagging boot lid.

Q: All old cars smell of damp, right?

This is undoubtedly caused by one or more water leaks. Take the time and trouble to find them all. Dry out or replace soggy sound insulation felt.

Q: Weren’t old cars rattly and noisy from new?

Manufacturers put huge amounts of time and money into ensuring their cars were quiet and taut when they left the factory. It should be eminently possible to replicate or better their achievements now.

Q: But the more parts I replace, the less orginal the car becomes?

Do you still have the original air in the original tyres? Repairing wear isn’t modification – but it does make the car more like it was originally.