chickenjohn wrote:At 4500RPM with an A series engine you are ready to change up a gear.
In the Metro 4500 is about where the revs drop to after I've changed gear!
Classic Practical classic issues before they started featuring rubbish 80's hatchbacks.
I hate to point it out to you, but "rubbish" 80s hatchbacks are becoming classics now, the youngest will be coming up for 20 years old! And they are on the practical side. So I don't see the problem with them bing in a magazine called Practical Classics.
I don't buy PC or any magazine as the sort of information I like to read is available on various forums (such as this one), but if people only want it to be about a certain era of car maybe a change of name (and so focus) to "Particular Classics" would be more suitable...
They don't deserve the name "Practical classics" anymore. "Modding old bangers" would be a more fitting name. The only 80's hatch thats a classic is the Mk1 Golf GTi and maybe a few other groundbreaking performance models, and exotic/ rare marques from the 80's (Porsche, Lotus, etc).
Classic practical cars have carburettors and conventional ignition. Otherwise they are not practical to the average home mechanic anymore.
I think we need a new practical classics magazine. One that features restoration, welding, and proper decent classic cars. Running an 80's car and calling it a classic is a cop-out. There is not much difference between an 80s hatch and a modern car , apart from age and 20 years of development. So whats the point?? Just run a proper classic car.
I'm sure the proper "practical classics mag would get a lot of readers and help keep the classic car movement on track.
BTW, Minors were beginning to be considered classics in the 1970's so age has nothing to do with it. Its the worth of the car in itself thats important, and the different philosophy of construction and parts maintainance. EG on a Minor you can repair/service parts, wheras an 80's or later car parts are sealed/ non home servicable so you have to throw the bits away and buy new. Ditto grease nipples on suspension joints versus sealed for life then throwaway ball joints. This practice started in the 1970's and was fully in place in the 80's.
I realise my views may be considered controversial, but it needs to be said, and a lot of other people share this view as well.
I think what's needed is a publication for retro cars to fill the gap and cover 'rotting old bangers' of the 80's and 90's as well as classic and modified classics. Leaving practical points and condenser and rather special cars from later to fill the pages of PC. I feel they have no idea where they're going and trying to cover all bases. It's hard to follow a magazine where they start so many projects and after a few episodes put them on the back burner. Such as the westfield build.
"Retro Cars" is making a comeback. The title's been bought by the people behind Retro Ford, Performance VW and Banzai magazines.
They've already relaunched "Performance Car", as far as I know, Retro Cars will be out in May-ish,
Last edited by twincamman on Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
well i and a lot of my mates would not have considered the minor as a clasic in the 70`s, they were old bangers to us, as they were about the only car or van we could afford to buy, along wioth many other 70`s cars and vans , so can not see where u get that idea from
twincamman wrote:"Retro Cars" is making a comeback. The title's been bought by the people behind Retro Ford, Performance VW and Banzai magazines.
They've already relaunched "Performance Car", as far as I know, Retro Cars will be out in May-ish,
I look forward to it. I've been enjoying the retro rides website recently. Its nice to look over an array of scenes with a tolerant and honest attitude amongst members.
