MOtoring Classics Magazine

SPRING 2012

• Classic Motorsport 2012 • Important New Products From BMH

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MOTORING CLASSICS | SPRING 2012 motoringclassics.co.uk2

CONTENTS

1962 – it was the year of the Beatles first single, ‘Love Me Do’, and the inaugural Bond film, Dr No. It was also a vintage year for UK car launches, and among the many now coveted classics that broke cover during those hectic 12 months were the AC Cobra, Lotus Elan, Ford Cortina, BMC 1100, Jensen CV8, MGB and Triumph Spitfire. We’d love to have paid tribute to them all, but sadly we only had space to celebrate two on this occasion – the ubiquitous MGB and the Triumph Spitfire.

This issue’s Classic Character was neither a designer nor industry mogul, but a much adored eccentric who brought motorsport to life for thousands of fans via his monthly race reports and assisted Sir Stirling Moss to arguably his greatest victory. We are, of course, talking about the one and only Denis Jenkinson. The Missing Moniker is WSM – the tiny company that ceased manufacture of

its pretty, special-bodied Austin Healey Sprites in 1965, but sprang back to life in 2009.

British Motor Heritage’s MD, John Yea, talks us through the coming season’s Motoring Classics-sponsored Thoroughbred Sportscar racing series, and outlines the many exciting motorsport events planned for racing MGBs during 2012. He also details how classic braking systems can be suitably updated for modern motoring.

Last but not least, we bring you details of some new British Motor Heritage products and review the fascinating findings of the FBHVC’s latest survey on the UK’s £4.3 billion historic vehicle movement. Enjoy!

Gordon Bruce Editor

WELCOMEFor all the latest news, offers and great tips…

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NB Motoring Classics© is the printed

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Publisher

British Motor Heritage Limited, Range

Road, Cotswold Business Park, Witney

0X29 0YB, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1993 707200

Email: [email protected]

Editorial

Gordon Bruce Associates

Email: [email protected]

Web: gordonbruce.com

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The Spitfire: A Leyland Triumph

Who Put The B In Britain?

New Products From BMH

Missing Moniker

Classic Character

Classic Motorsport 2012

Fresh Facts From The Federation

Braking News

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The MGB line at Abingdon, 1963 (BMIHT)

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motoringclassics.co.uk SPRING 2012 | MOTORING CLASSICS 3

steering featured an amazing turning circle, matched only by that of a London taxi! In comparison with the diminutive Sprite, the Spitfire offered more interior space and luggage accommodation, a larger fuel tank and the convenience of wind-up windows.

Spridget fans may blanch at the thought, but figures suggest the Spitfire outsold its BMC competitors for almost two decades. By the time production ceased with the 1500 model in August 1980, 309,640 had been built, more than 77 per cent of which were exported. The model also enjoyed a successful competition career, being raced in such major events as Le Mans and Sebring and campaigned in the Alpine, Monte Carlo and RAC rallies, among others. Not a bad record for a model that was so nearly stillborn.

There have been many four-wheeled casualties of Britain’s up-and-down motor industry,

and the Triumph Spitfire very nearly swelled the list. A new sports car had been mooted by the company for a while, but finally began taking shape in 1960 in response to the success of BMC’s Frogeyed Sprite. Spurning the industry’s move to monocoque construction, Triumph saw advantages in basing its new model on modified versions of the Herald’s backbone chassis and running gear. As with the Herald, the body was penned by Italian stylist Giovanni Michelotti.

However, by the time the promising-looking prototype (code-named Bomb!) arrived from Turin in October 1960, Standard-Triumph was in severe financial trouble and the car ended up sitting under a dust sheet for months, until funds and enthusiasm resulting

from the merger with Leyland brought the green light. The Spitfire was finally launched at the London Motorshow, 50 years ago this year.

The chassis ended up stiffer and 8.5in shorter than the Herald’s. Power came from the four-cylinder OHV Herald 1200 (1,147cc) unit equipped with a higher lift camshaft, 9.0:1 compression ratio and a pair of 1.25in SU carburetters. Peak output was 63bhp at 5,750rpm – sufficient for a top speed of 92mph and a time of 15.5 seconds for the 0-60mph dash. The engine was mated to the Herald’s four-speed manual gearbox and the fully independent suspension was from the same source – there was a tendency for the rear wheels to tuck under during hard cornering, but this problem was finally eradicated with the MK IV version. Braking was by discs/drums and the rack and pinion

THESPITFIREALEYLANDTRIUMPH

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Like the MGB, the Spitfire is celebrating

its 50th anniversary this year (BMIHT)

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Well MG of course, and the 50th birthday of this immensely popular sports car is now being celebrated the world over – not least in North America, to where around 80% of the production was exported. Though technically unremarkable, the B was good enough at everything to win the hearts of all manner of motorists and etch its name into a veritable library of record books

MOTORING CLASSICS|SPRING20124 motoringclassics.co.uk

A Roadster at rest, 1965 (BMIHT)

WHOPUTTHEBINBRITAIN?

The long-awaited replacement for the body-on-chassis MGA, the B was MG’s first

monocoque sports car, the design of which was evolved within MG, complete with more than a hint of the company’s record-breaker EX 181. The Roadster broke cover first and was a major success of the 1962 London Motor Show, while the

beautifully proportioned Pininfarina-penned GT was equally lauded when it appeared three years later. The many fans of the model could now choose between the wind-in-the-hair motoring of the open car and the practicality of the 2+2 Coupe, with its Aston Martinesque opening tailgate and fold-down rear seat. The car was smart enough to be

welcome in any company, while sufficiently sporting for modified versions to finish 11th overall at Le Mans, achieve class victory in the Monte Carlo Rally and win outright the 84-hour-long 1966 Marathon de la Route at the Nürburgring.

During its 18-year reign, the B spawned a number of memorable derivatives.


MGB

the (now British Leyland) hierarchy, the MGB continued into 1980, by which time a staggering 514,834 examples had left the famous Abingdon production line – making it not only the best-selling MG of all time, but comfortably the biggest volume sports car of its generation. Despite such phenomenal success on both sides of the Atlantic, Leyland not only axed the B from its portfolio, but the MG brand as well, making October 23, 1980 the end of a truly memorable era.

Twelve years later, the company created the handbuilt RV8 in an attempt to simultaneously reverse the brand’s fortunes prior to the launch of the MGF and commemorate the MGB’s 30th anniversary. It was based on the British Motor Heritage MGB shell, powered by a 187bhp 3.9-litre version of the Rover V8 and featured a thoroughly reworked interior. 2,009 examples were produced.

Happily, a very high percentage of all variants of the MGB remain in existence around the world. The model is simple to repair and restore and parts are readily available. Indeed,

British Motor Heritage can supply everything from a boot lid hinge to a complete new shell, produced on the original tooling – 2,477 of the latter have been made so far.

The Book of the B As part of the celebrations, the MGB50 Committee (comprising representatives of the MG Car Club and MG Owners’ Club) is producing its own collectors’ book on everybody’s favourite sports car. Professionally designed and printed on quality paper, it highlights the more fascinating aspects of the car’s history and development, and its competition exploits (past and present). It also features the B’s various derivatives, plus the original Autocar road test. Further details of this not-to-be-missed publication will be available on the clubs’ and BMH websites in due course.

The MGB featured design cues from the company’s record-breaking EX 181 (BMIHT)

Don’t miss the MGB50 celebration book

Rover’s ubiquitous V8 engine provided extra oomph for numerous cars over the years and, 40lb lighter than the B’s standard four-cylinder 1,798cc unit, it was the obvious solution to endowing the model with more performance. Although BMC opted for less output (137bhp) than Ken Costello had for his aftermarket V8 conversion (150bhp), the MGB V8 was a fine touring car – good examples of which are suitably sought after today. They are also hard to find, as the variant was only manufactured in Coupe form, of which a mere 2,591 were produced.

The MGC was evolved as a potential replacement for the Healey 3000. As both V4 and V6 engines had been considered for the B at birth, there had always been plenty of room in the engine bay for bigger powerplants, and an updated version of the six-cylinder C-Series unit was eventually chosen for the C. Unlike the Rover one, this was an overly heavy engine and, along with the move to torsion bar front suspension, created a car of very different handling characteristics. The press panned it from the outset – a public drubbing from which it never recovered – and production ceased at 8,999 units. In fact, improving the handling is a simple task and those lucky enough to have an MGC in their garage today know only too well what an endearing car it is.

Despite dwindling support from

2012 celebrationsIt’s going to be a big party, with activities already announced across four continents – see mgb50.com for details. The big bashes in the UK will be MG Live! (June 23-24), the Silverstone Classic (July 20-22) and Blenheim Palace (September 23). We’ll see you there!


The last MGB Roadster makes a dramatic return to Abingdon

British Motor Heritage’s usual role is manufacturing replacement parts for others to

fit. Its input in December’s dramatic homecoming of the last production MGB Roadster was rather different.

The car belongs to the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon and has been placed on indefinite loan to the Abingdon County Hall Museum. However, while most such projects would entail a journey by transporter followed by a quick push through a suitably wide door, practical limitations created by the picturesque 17th-century building called for a far more complex solution, for which BMH provided both technical resource and financial backing.

As the only way of getting the Roadster inside the picturesque Grade I listed premises was to

‘post’ it sideways through one of the arched upstairs windows, the first task was to strip it to its bare shell. A specially designed cradle was crafted, from which the car could be suspended while it was hoisted up and through the minimal space available. The job was cunningly timed to coincide with the road outside being closed for late-night Christmas shopping.

This allowed access for the gigantic 30 ton scissor lift required to raise the car to the required height. Thanks to careful preparation and no little skill from those involved, two hours after it had arrived back in the town of its birth, the MGB was safely housed in its new home without so much as a scratch on its Bronze bodywork. BMH’s final task was to put the car back together again.

WELCOMEHOME

The last production MGB Roadster is

persuaded into the Abingdon County

Hall Museum


The museum is currently undergoing restoration and, by the time it reopens this summer, the B will form the centrepiece of a suitably large MG display. Said BMH’s Managing Director John Yea: ‘As the only manufacturer of original-quality replacement panels and complete bodyshells for the ubiquitous MGB, we felt we were the appropriate company to help bring this challenging task to fruition for all concerned.

‘As 2012 is the 50th anniversary of this perennially popular sports car, it is very fitting that a representative example will be proudly displayed in the town where over 500,000 were built, a high percentage of which were exported to America.’

From MGB shells to MGF sills…The world is cottoning on to what incredible value MGFs represent in the current market, which in

turn is increasing the interest in replacement parts for these pretty mid-engined two-seaters.

Under the circumstances, British Motor Heritage is delighted to announce the reintroduction of both left- (ALG460050) and right-hand (ALG460040) sill panels for

the model, which have been unavailable for the past year or so.

They are manufactured on the original tooling in the same zinc coated steel as the original panels and, like all such BMH products, finished in industry standard electrophoretic paint. They are available now from all the company’s MG specialists, as listed on the website bmh-ltd.com. The suggested retail price is the same as when the items were last available – £72.60 per sill, including VAT.

…and new galvanised fuel tanks for most MGBs, Minis, Midgets and SpitfiresThe Achilles heel of most original fuel tanks is their lack of corrosion resistance. This is especially true of MGB ones, which tend to rust from the top down due to the water trap between the tank and the boot floor.

To overcome the problem, BMH has invested in the refurbishment of its roller welder, the uprated performance of which has allowed the company to manufacture the pressings from galvanised rather than ordinary steel. All the new tanks are produced using this original tooling and to the original specification – ie, if the original tank was equipped with baffles, then so is the replacement one, which is not the case with examples sourced elsewhere.

Further information on BMH’s ever-increasing range of replacement parts for the Mini; MG B, RV8, F, TF and Midget; Triumph TR6, TR7, TR8, Spitfire, GT6 and Stag; Austin-Healey Sprite; Morris Minor etc can be found at bmh-ltd.com, along with a global list of suppliers.

BMH is now making galvanised fuel tanks – this one’s for the Mini

A BMH replacement sill for the MGF

Open-top fun – the MGF

(MPL, National Motor Museum)

WELCOMEHOME

http://www.bmh-ltd.com


MISSINGMONIKER

A WSM shot from 1963: (L-R) Douglas Wilson-Spratt, Peter Jackson, Jim

McManus, George Snively (who’d come from the USA to receive and ship 203S) and

Mike White (who was collecting 205S)

The WSM story began in 1961, when Peter Jackson damaged his Sebring Sprite on the

Gold Leaf Rally and commissioned a bespoke new alloy bodyshell from Peels Coachworks of Kingston. With input from his boss at Delta Garage, Leighton Buzzard – designer, racing driver and aviator Douglas Wilson-Spratt – a notably pretty and rapid racer was created. The potential to commercialise such a car was evident and a prototype (chassis 201S) was built and unveiled at Silverstone in October 1962.

The response was positive and sparked a production run of 10 Sprite MKII-based cars, several of which were exported to America and mainland Europe and at least six of which remain in regular use today.

The name WSM is a compounding of Wilson-Spratt and McManus – Jim McManus being another key

player at Delta Garage, who had previously been sales manager at the Donald Healey Motor Company premises in London. Though each WSM Sprite was arguably unique, there were ostensibly two types offered – the GT, which was based on an unmodified Sprite chassis and primarily intended for road use, and the Sprint, which featured a lightened chassis and was aimed at competition customers. The bodies were formed in either aluminium or fibreglass, depending on the weight requirements of the customer. Probably the lightest of all was the fibreglass-

WSMbodied chassis 206S, successfully campaigned by Douglas Wilson-Spratt himself – the current whereabouts of which is unknown. Four other cars received the WSM treatment in period – an MG 1100 saloon, Healey 3000, Jaguar XK150 and MGB. The latter is now owned by Douglas’s son, Tony Wilson-Spratt, along with WSM Sprites 208S and 301GT.

Douglas passed away in April last year, only weeks away from his 90th birthday, but not before hearing that his beloved ‘Wuzzums’ (as his wife Laurette nicknamed them) had just

qualified 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 10th for an HRDC Touring Greats race at Brands Hatch. Moreover, under the guidance of his son Tony, five ‘Sanction 2’ WSMs were already in build and others available to order – see wsmcars.com. Douglas had every reason to die a proud and happy man.

Tony Wilson-Spratt campaigning 208S at

Brands Hatch, 2009

MISSING MONIKER

There’s a bit of journalistic licence in choosing WSM as the second manufacturer in our Missing Moniker series – although the last of the original cars was built in 1965, the marque made an unexpected, phoenix-like re-emergence 44 years later and is therefore missing no longer


CLASSICCHARACTER

on the 1955 Mille Miglia, aided by a self-devised metal box housing a 14.5ft-long roll of carefully-honed instructions – the prototype for today’s rally pace notes.

Diminutive in form but a colossus in character, the red-bearded Jenks was highly respected by the drivers he reported on – not least Senna, Clark and Moss. Of modest means (his ramshackle Hampshire home had neither mains electricity nor water!), his legacy of motorsport books and articles is however as rich as they come.

DENISJENKINSON(1920-1996)

Jenks’s favourite photo of

himself that he christened

‘two cranks together’

‘Panda eyes’ – Jenks and Stirling Moss celebrate their Mille Miglia victory

It has been said that achievers achieve and the rest of us either tell them what to do (teachers) or report on

their results (journalists). But there will always be exceptions – multi-talented characters for whom one classification is insufficient. Denis Sargent Jenkinson was just such a mortal. As vital a component of motor racing as the starting grid or chequered flag, he will never be forgotten by those who played a part in his endearingly eccentric existence, or those for whom he brought motorsport fully to life via his 40-plus years as the Continental Correspondent for Motor Sport magazine.

Jenks to his friends and DSJ to his loyal readers, was born in London in December 1920 and obsessed by cars from the age of three. By 12 he had discovered Motor Sport, for which he religiously saved the required eight pence a month. By his teens, he was cycling up to 220 miles a week, attending every race and hillclimb event he could. Always of firm convictions, he registered as a conscientious objector in 1940, and on completing his engineering studies joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough.

It was there he met Bill Boddy, who was editing Jenks’s favourite magazine in his spare time.

Driving a £250 Frazer Nash, he competed in the first post-war UK motorsport event. However, it was soon exchanged for a more affordable 350cc Norton International, and it was astride this that he joined the continental racing circus in 1948, and progressed not only to passengering Eric Oliver in the inaugural FIM Sidecar World Championship of 1949, but helping him to outright victory in the Series. By 1953, he’d abandoned his own competition career to cover F1 for Motor Sport fulltime. In that revered role he travelled up to 45,000 miles a year, progressing from a company Lancia Fulvia via a Porsche 356 to a Jaguar E-Type. Jenks’s finest achievement, though, was surely co-driving Stirling Moss to victory P

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Motoring Classics is pleased and proud to be supporting the MG Car Club Thoroughbred

Sportscar Championship again this year. The provisional 2012 calendar is shown opposite and features races on many of the best UK circuits, and may even include a rare foray overseas to the fabulous Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. Once more I will be contesting the series at selected meetings in my

British Motor Heritage MD John Yea previews the Motoring Classics-sponsored MGCC Thoroughbred Sportscar Championship and his own season on track

Class B 1964 MGB Roadster.This year being the 50th anniversary

of the MGB, there are a number of racing events planned to mark the occasion. The premier one is being staged by the MG Car Club at MG Live!, on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit during the weekend of June 23-24.

This is a 50-minute race for two drivers competing in FIA-compliant MGB Roadsters, and is likely to attract

a full grid of 50 cars. I hope to be among them for what should be a very special event.

MGBs will also be represented at the 2012 Le Mans Classic event, courtesy of Barry Sidery-Smith in his ex-Works Le Mans racer (DRX 255C) and Anthony Binnington in his ex-Sebring car – Motoring Classics is planning to support their endeavours. There is also an MGB 50th race series being organised by Julius Thurgood

CLASSICMOTORSPORT2012

A quartet of Works MGBs that will be in

action during 2012


CLASSICMOTORSPORT2012

and his respected HRDC organisation, details of which can be found at the website hrdc.eu.

I shall be competing in the MG Car Club’s new Ecurie GTS series too, dates for which are also included below. This is one of two series to have evolved from the old Equipe GTS one, which suffered organisation problems last year. It is for FIA specification ’60s sports cars, and with the benefit of seasoned racers on its committee and the excellent administrative support one has come to expect from the MG Car Club, it will hopefully enjoy a stable platform going forward. A popular concept, it is known for the high-quality presentation of the cars and the strict enforcement of good driving standards, which makes it appealing to competitors, spectators and race organisers alike.

The 2012 season will comprise two 30-minute races at MG Car Club two-day events, and a single 50-minute one at MGCC one-day

meetings. The only exception is the MG

Live! two-day extravaganza, where there will be a single 50-minute race, recognising that many MGB drivers will also want to compete in the special anniversary race that weekend.

Somewhat confusingly, the second series retains the Equipe GTS name

and has been established under the wing of the new Aston Martin Club Racing (AMCR) organisation. It is expected to comprise 30-minute-long, single-driver races at five meetings throughout the year, plus two 30-minute races at the St John Horsfall trophy meeting that’s being held over the Queens Jubilee holiday ( June 4-5) on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit.

It will also form part of the AMOC sprint event at Goodwood. This series will benefit from the professional organisation of the AMCR and the invaluable experience of Jim Lowry, one of the original founders of Equipe GTS. Hopefully, the two GTS series will develop complementary paths with similar regulations, so further widening the choice of events for FIA-specification cars.

All in all, there is a fantastic array of events from which to choose, with the chance to drive on some of the best British circuits. As if this wasn’t enough, we are planning to sprint and hillclimb the BMH MG Midget when the dates don’t clash with our circuit plans; so yet again ensuring a good variety of driving disciplines. We will bring you news of our exploits as the year unfolds.

Date Circuit Organising Club

Series Race Duration

April 8 Donington MG CC Motoring Classics 20 mins

Ecurie GTS 50 mins

May 5 Brands Hatch MG CC Motoring Classics 20 mins

Ecurie GTS 30 mins

May 6 Brands Hatch MG CC Motoring Classics 20 mins

Ecurie GTS 30 mins

June 4 Donington Morgan SCC Motoring Classics 20 mins

June 23/24 Silverstone GP MG CC Motoring Classics 20 mins

Ecurie GTS 50 mins

August 11 Oulton Park MG CC Motoring Classics 20 mins

Ecurie GTS 50 mins

August 27 Castle Combe CCRC Motoring Classics 20 mins

Sept 9 Thruxton MG CC Motoring Classics 20 mins

Ecurie GTS 50 mins

Sept 22/23 Spa, Belgium BSS Motoring Classics 60 mins

October 13 Snetterton 200

MG CC Motoring Classics 20 mins

Ecurie GTS 30 mins

October 14Snetterton 200

MG CC Ecurie GTS 30 mins

Heritage Relay 240 mins

The BMH MGB has another busy season ahead of it…

...keep an eye open for the BMH Midget too


We owners and drivers of historic vehicles know better than to assume

they will start first time, or that air will have remained in their tyres since the last outing. However, we do take it for granted that, once they’re firing on all cylinders, we can drive them exactly where and when we choose. The purpose of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) is to try to ensure we can

FRESHFACTSFROMTHEFEDERATIONOur hobby now contributes £4.3 billion to the UK economy

continue enjoying our old cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles etc in this gloriously unrestricted way. To that end, its membership comprises 500 clubs (representing 250,000 people), transport museums, 300 or so specialist traders and many individual supporters.

Formed in 1988 by the amalgamation of the Historic Vehicle Clubs Committee (HVCC) and the

Classic Vehicle Clubs Committee (CVCC), the Federation achieves its aim by:

• Monitoring legislative

developments and responding

to consultations as necessary

• Lobbying MPs, MEPs, civil

servants and Government

agencies so they are aware

of our interests and needs

The Scottish Military Vehicle Club on

manoeuvres

The FBHVC’s latest research report


FBHVC

Drive It Day 2012 April22One of the ways the Federation maintains and raises awareness for the historic vehicle movement each year is by encouraging owners to take to the roads en masse on a dedicated day. That day is always the nearest Sunday to April 23, the date in 1900 when 64 cars set off from London on the Thousand Mile Trial – an incredible undertaking so early in the history of motoring and one surely well worthy of ongoing celebration.

Further details of the FBHVC, its many activities (including Drive It Day) and the recent survey can be found at the body’s excellent website, fbhvc.co.uk.

• Liaising with

related bodies

in the UK and

Europe in order

to share concerns

and information

and maximise

political influence

• Publicising its lobbying activity

and informing its subscribers of

measures that might affect historic

vehicle owners

It also regularly researches the British historic vehicle movement so it has up-to-date facts that allow a quick and effective response to any worrying developments – eg, proposed changes in fuels, taxation, emission regulations, MOTs etc. The most recent such report was published last December, and makes extremely interesting and, in the main, very encouraging reading.The stand-out findings from this very comprehensive document show:

• The value of the UK historic

vehicle movement had risen from

£3.3 billion per annum in 2006 to

no less than £4.3 billion in 2011

• The export value of such business

is now almost £1 billion per annum

• The number of people employed

by the movement is 28,000

• There are over 850,000 pre-1981

vehicles in Britain today

• 82% of these vehicles

are used no more than

twice a month and

cover fewer than 500

miles a year

• They are responsible

for just 0.24% of the overall

traffic mileage

• 68% of the vehicles are valued

at less than £10,000

• There are 4.5 million person-

attendances per annum of events

organised by FBHVC clubs

• 52% of the traders involved in the

movement expect their businesses

to grow over the next five years and

41% expect to recruit new staff

during that period

The only really downbeat message seems to be that 66% of traders are concerned about increasing regulation hampering future growth – an understandable fear that underlines exactly why the FBHVC is so important to all those involved in the historic vehicle movement,

in whatever capacity.Said John Yea, the MD of British

Motor Heritage (an avid supporter of the FBHVC and its work): ‘We are very lucky to have such a dedicated body looking after the interests of our hobby and the industry that underpins it.

‘The FBHVC enjoys the respect and cross-party support of our politicians, and has more than proved its worth in staving off legislation that could have so badly affected the old vehicle fraternity. It relies on the voluntary services of some very dedicated and gifted individuals, and I have no hesitation in encouraging all enthusiasts, clubs, relevant businesses etc to support the Federation’s activities in any way they can.’

The Cornish Austin 7 Club in search of a cream tea

An eclectic gathering at Bishopstone

by British Motor Heritage MD, John Yea

Efficient and effective brakes are a necessity for safe and enjoyable motoring. They are

the second most important part of any car in my personal opinion, coming only behind tyres. Tyres top the list simply because they are the only point of contact with the road. They need to be the size and make specified for the car, in good condition with adequate tread depth and inflated to the correct pressure. If they are not, every other aspect of the car’s safety and

performance, particularly the braking, will be compromised.

It is too easy to take a car’s brakes for granted, and ensuring that the system is in good condition is an absolute must. We also need to recognise that braking performance is a field in which there have been huge improvements in recent years. So much so that many classic cars, particularly those of relatively humble origin, cannot begin to match the stopping power of modern machines. Indeed almost

any car of 30 years old or more will take far longer to arrest than even the most basic of contemporary small vehicles, most of which have anti-lock braking (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC) systems as standard.

Driving most classics with original braking systems requires drivers to be keenly aware of all road hazards and the traffic around them, as the stopping distance required is likely to be much higher. Added to which, there are too many sub-standard brake parts

motoringclassics.co.ukMOTORING CLASSICS|SPRING201214

BRAKING NEWS!

MOTORINGCLASSICS

PowerStop’s X25 brake upgrade kit for the MGB

FROM

BRAKES

performance of the MGB and the Triumph TR6. The PowerStop X25 package for the MGB includes thicker brake discs that result in faster heat dissipation and, when coupled with Greenstuff pads, dramatically increases the available stopping power. The TR6 kit features vented discs for even better heat dissipation. As with the B kit, when paired with Greenstuff pads, the results are extremely rewarding.

Of course, rear brakes should not be ignored either, and PowerStop also offers replacement brake shoes fitted with either competition or standard materials. Common fitments are

available from stock, but there is a bespoke service through which any shoes can be relined quickly and efficiently.

Equally important is the hydraulic operating system, and it is all too easy to suffer from poor braking performance through loss of efficiency in these components. All brake lines should be checked regularly, as should the master cylinder, disc callipers and wheel cylinders. A frequent weak point in these older systems is the flexible hoses on the front wheels. The traditional rubber type deteriorate over time, literally bulging when the brakes are applied and reducing the available braking effort. PowerStop offers an easy solution to this problem with the availability of the acclaimed range of Goodridge reinforced hoses.

So before venturing on to the road with your cherished classic, make sure the braking system is as efficient as it can be. Confidence in its stopping power will pay big dividends in your overall driving experience. The best news is that this peace of mind comes at relatively little cost.

Vented PowerStop disc plus Greenstuff pads equals powerful braking

on the market, and I am particularly concerned about some of the very cheap pads and linings that are sold within the classic sector. It is an old adage that there is no such thing as a ‘free lunch’, and with brake components I’m afraid you largely get what you pay for. In the extreme, cheap brakes might not just cost you your car, but your life as well.

Fear not, however, as help is at hand, and it is relatively easy to enhance braking performance without excessive expenditure. For example, the acclaimed range of EBC brake pads is a proven and cost effective means of obtaining an immediate improvement, with the fitment of Greenstuff pads demonstrably improving the braking performance of disc-braked cars. British Motor Heritage became the classic sector distributor for EBC brakes when it acquired PowerStop Brakes, and the entire range is available through motoringclassics.co.uk.

Going a stage further, there are two PowerStop-developed kits that will further enhance the braking

EBC ‘Greenstuff ’ pads give- REAL stopping power- HIGH grip- LOW dust EBC ‘Redstuff ’pads are a heavy duty upgrade for sport, race and high performance road use.

EBC ‘Yellowstuff ’ pads are the agship award-winning race and extreme road brake pad.

EBC have developed their world renowned brake discs and pads for your classic and they are available from the PowerStop on-line shop at Motoring Classics.

on-line at www.motoringclassics.co.uk or phone 01993 707230

motoringclassics.co.uk SPRING2012|MOTORING CLASSICS 15

Tailpiece – three Works Spitfires at Le Mans, 1964

Choose equipment for your Triumph Spit re or clothing and accessories for yourself from top British brands, online at Motoring Classics.

e at

Buy on-line at Motoring Classics or contact:British Motor Heritage Limited, Range Road, Witney, OX29 0YBt: 01993 707200 e: [email protected]

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