LIVING CLASSIC LIFE IN ISOLATION

Not being able to drive during the coronavirus crisis doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy our cars. Here’s what C&SC readers have been up to

JEREMY BALL LINCOLNSHIRE

“I have spent the past 18 months collecting engine parts for my 1935 Riley 12/4, all I needed was some time to put it all together… The crank is in, the pistons and rods are in – the next job is getting out the dial gauge and timing the cams.”

SØREN WICHMANN DENMARK

“I have three classics, so there’s always work to be done. My E-type was perfect when put away in November and my Porsche 911 has a loose wire in the ignition, but that can wait. I’m using lockdown to refurbish the wheels on my 1970 bay-window VW bus. It’s totally rust-free, having lived its first 25 years on Hawaii. I bought it last year in Amsterdam from its second owner.”

DREW BELLAMY SHEFFIELD

“I am still working as a police controlroom operator, taking 999 calls and deploying officers, but I’ve got some work done on my ’75 MGB GT V8 on my days off. Jobs so far include a coolant flush, fitting a new engine drain tap, flushing and refilling the radiator, and installing new oil pipes and a new oil filter.”

MARTIN DIBB AUSTRALIA

“My 1970 Boss 302 Mustang has been restored to be exactly as it left the line. I’ve spent five years swapping every repro nut and bolt for OE/NOS parts. While in isolation I’ve replaced the internals of the rear drums with factory-correct components, rebuilt the wiper motor plenum and swapped the powersteering pump for a date-correct unit.”

KEITH FOX MERSEYSIDE

“Lockdown has been an opportunity to work on my 1949 MG TC. I have it on my ramp for detailing, so the underside is ready for show season if we have any this year. I’ve designed and made some new wind deflectors that fit better with the shape of the car, in place of the off-the-shelf items. Plus, I’ve been compiling all the standardissue tools for a TC and restoring them along with manufacturing a reproduction tool roll in the same mohair fabric I previously made the hood out of. Next is restoring an original, badly damaged air-filter box, and a pair of overmats to cover the factory carpets.”

ADAM GILES AUSTRALIA

“I need to start by organising my 10-car garage before I get fettling. It’s an unusual collection of very well-preserved everyday vehicles with ties to my family and includes my first car, a 1975 Toyota Corona, a ’79 Corona, a ’72 Triumph 2000, a ’65 Shelby Mustang GT350 tribute built with real parts 25 years ago, and a 17,209-mile ’55 De Soto.”

ALAN WALES SCOTLAND

“I’ve carried out a proper deep clean of my Volkswagen Beetle, along with sorting a few squeaks and rattles, and completing a full service and tune-up. It’s now ready, along with my early bay-window camper, for the open road as soon as the restrictions are lifted.”

GAV BURBIDGE AUSTRALIA

“I’ve just had to hacksaw off the exhaust manifolds on my Mini because a farmer had welded them in – time for the engine to come out! It’s a late 1964 Australian Dream Blue 850, factory-fitted with winding-window doors a little earlier than the official ’65 release. It was a mate’s daily driver in the ’90s, but has been in the shed since ’98. I retrieved it during the recent bushfires – a timely extraction, as it turns out.”

RIC WEEKS SOMERSET

“I have used the time to refresh my 1978 MGB GT’S high-impact areas, with an anti-corrosion treatment of the wheelarches and a new layer of underseal. I’ve been detailing the engine bay, and at the same time I am refreshing the front grille and the radiator brackets, plus replacing any tired-looking nuts, bolts and washers with new stainless-steel items.”

NIEK GROENENDIJK GERMANY SETH STANBURY SOMERSET

“I’m 17 and am rebuilding my 1971 Land-rover SIIA – known affectionately as ‘Charlotte’ – from the chassis up; at the moment I’m working on putting it back on its wheels. My current project is getting the axles bolted on. From there I will start work on the bulkhead, which requires some substantial rust repair on the door pillars.”

JOE ELIAS MIDDLESEX

“My ’91 Toyota MR2 Turbo was bought by a friend 22 years ago, but he recently lost his fight with cancer. I plan to keep it as a rolling tribute, and I’m currently painting the mirrors and spoiler. I’ve given the interior an intensive clean and restored the leather. The next job is to sort the underside. A positive to the lockdown will be all the restored classics – the 2021 show season is going to be epic.” “I have wanted a Volvo 1800ES since I was a child, and I traded in my TR6 for this car. It was in the right colour, but it was a project – the body done, the mechanics not – so this is what I’ve been doing. I’ve finished the front suspension, fitting new springs and shocks to improve the handling, and I’ve just finished refurbishing the rear suspension, the brakes and the propshaft. Next up is the engine bay, the gearbox and engine, then the interior. I like having this to work on because it means I don’t have to do the gardening!”

TIM HUGHES FRANCE

“I’ve just fitted a period high stop-lamp to my 1946 MG TC. The car was fully restored in 2014, and now it just requires lots of tinkering and servicing.”