Classic cars

bluespit

bluespit

Senior member
 Near Chester
Site Supporter
As mentioned elsewhere my Z is one of three toys I’m lucky enough to own.

I’ve had far too many ‘classic cars’ to list, over 40 I’m sure. Restored some, converted others, improved most and rarely lost money on them (as my labour is free).

I currently own a Morgan plus 4 and I’m doing a light restoration on a Triumph Vitesse, the Z makes 3 and is a future classic I’m sure.

Here’s a couple of pics
 

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I've got a classic!
It's a 1962 Ferrari 250GT California SWB (with the covered headlights)! Only 57 ever made.
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Obviously it isn't a real one!
 
I always liked the Triumph Vitesse - for some reason I seem to be drawn towards straight 6 engines!

Mind you your Morgan looks lovely too. :thumbsup:
 
That’s an eyeful! I see you have twin bonnet release cables, always a good idea. A pal had his single cable snap in a stag. Wrecked the bonnet getting it open!
 
Nice TR6! We got the skim milk version out here in the colonies with carbs and about third of the power gone AWOL.

I built my own equivalent in an MG - triple carb MGC that topped out c. 130 mph

mgc2.jpg
 
It was most interesting to learn that you have a Triumph Vitesse and wondered whether it was the version with a 1600 cc six cylinder engine, or the 2000 cc six cylinder engine.

Many decades ago I enjoyed the companionship of a Mk 1 Trumph Spitfire with the 1147 cc engine with removable metal hard top,... it also had an Laycock de Normanville overdrive that operated on third and top gear.

Following the aforementioned Spitfire I had aTriumph GT6 with the 1996 cc engine as also fitted to the 2 Lire Vitesse. However, the GT6 had wire wheels and an overdrive which once again had an overdrive that operated on third and top gear. Interestingly, the GT6 without overdrive had a 3.28 final drive ratio; the overdrive version had a 3.89 ratio final drive. At the time I was covering fairly high mileages and therefore replaced the 3.89 final drive with a 3.28 final drive which substantial reduced the engine revolutions per minute. Should my memory serve me correctly the 3.28 final drive provided 21.8 miles per hour per thousand revolutions per minute but with the benefit of the overdrive engaged brought the gearing up to circa 25.5 miles an hour per thousand revolutions per minute.
 
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Mine is not as shiny as the ones on here but as it is currently under restoration, hopefully it will be one day soon! It is a Jensen 541 purchased by my father in 1969 and sold in 1973. It was the car he picked me up from hospital in when I was born, so the first car I ever saw and drove in! I searched for the car for many years and eventually found it in America in January 2024 and then imported it back to the UK. The pictures are from when he owned it, and one of it in its current state with my father recreating one of the shots. The baby is me, and yes (apparantly) my mother was hiding from shot and holding me on the bonnet:unsure:be0d9a2f-b6f3-49be-a855-febe78495a07.jpgIMG_6097.JPGPete with Jensen.jpgd59aeff5-b7b9-43a5-b05b-9bd8e165d76d.jpgdbebba40-f272-4e0c-bbe8-1138e36efd36.jpgIMG_6097.JPG
 
ShaunKC said:
Mine is not as shiny as the ones on here but as it is currently under restoration, hopefully it will be one day soon! It is a Jensen 541 purchased by my father in 1969 and sold in 1973. It was the car he picked me up from hospital in when I was born, so the first car I ever saw and drove in! I searched for the car for many years and eventually found it in America in January 2024 and then imported it back to the UK. The pictures are from when he owned it, and one of it in its current state with my father recreating one of the shots. The baby is me, and yes (apparantly) my mother was hiding from shot and holding me on the bonnet:unsure:View attachment 283399View attachment 283398View attachment 283397View attachment 283396View attachment 283395View attachment 283398
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I have been looking for our old Toyota Celica JJJ 656K, on and off for many years. Unfortunately I think it was baked bean cans many years ago.
 
Pondrew said:
I have been looking for our old Toyota Celica JJJ 656K, on and off for many years. Unfortunately I think it was baked bean cans many years ago.
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I thought the Jensen was gone, and then I got an email out of the blue in response to an article that had been put in the club magazine in 2009 about the car. It was quite a shock. So you never know if you put it out there enough it might turn up.
 
ShaunKC said:
Mine is not as shiny as the ones on here but as it is currently under restoration, hopefully it will be one day soon! It is a Jensen 541 purchased by my father in 1969 and sold in 1973. It was the car he picked me up from hospital in when I was born, so the first car I ever saw and drove in! I searched for the car for many years and eventually found it in America in January 2024 and then imported it back to the UK. The pictures are from when he owned it, and one of it in its current state with my father recreating one of the shots. The baby is me, and yes (apparantly) my mother was hiding from shot and holding me on the bonnet:unsure:
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An Edinburgh registered car I see. Lovely old thing.
 
ShaunKC, what a truly wonderful selection of photo-images with an equally delightful story detailing the most interesting odyssey of how it found its way to make its return to its rightful tutelage.

I hope my memory hasn't failed me, but from my recollection of the dim and distant past I believe the Jensen 541 had a glass-fibre body and also was fitted with a BMC C Series engine of circa three litres.
 
Z4MAD said:
ShaunKC, what a truly wonderful selection of photo-images with an equally delightful story detailing the most interesting odyssey of how it found its way to make its return to its rightful tutelage.

I hope my memory hasn't failed me, but from my recollection of the dim and distant past I believe the Jensen 541 had a glass-fibre body and also was fitted with a BMC C Series engine of circa three litres.
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Thank you :) You are partially correct, it was the first production car to have a fibre-glass body and the 541 deluxe was the frst production car to have disc brakes all-round. My car is an early non delux version, but it had all the delux option fitted, heater, windscreen washer and disc brakes. The engine is a rather thirsty 4 litre Austin engine. There aren't many left, mine was built in 1956, and there were only 226 to start with (including the delux versions). I think the side view is what has always drawn me to the Z4 Coupe, with its (kind of) similar side profile.
 
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BeeEmm said:
An Edinburgh registered car I see. Lovely old thing.
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Thank you, old thing is certainly a good description of the car 🤣. CA registration is Denby in Wales, or at least it was in the 50’s The original plate on the car started MCA, the car was first owned by Bobby McAlpine the great grandson of Robert McAlpine. When he sold the car he must have wanted to keep the plate but to do so had to go back to Denby to do it, and so the car got SCA, coincidentally SCA works perfectly with my initials!
 
Z4MAD said:
It was most interesting to learn that you have a Triumph Vitesse and wondered whether it was the version with a 1600 cc six cylinder engine, or the 2000 cc six cylinder engine.

Many decades ago I enjoyed the companionship of a Mk 1 Trumph Spitfire with the 1147 cc engine with removable metal hard top,... it also had an Laycock de Normanville overdrive that operated on third and top gear.

Following the aforementioned Spitfire I had aTriumph GT6 with the 1996 cc engine as also fitted to the 2 Lire Vitesse. However, the GT6 had wire wheels and an overdrive which once again had an overdrive that operated on third and top gear. Interestingly, the GT6 without overdrive had a 3.28 final drive ratio; the overdrive version had a 3.89 ratio final drive. At the time I was covering fairly high mileages and therefore replaced the 3.89 final drive with a 3.28 final drive which substantial reduced the engine revolutions per minute. Should my memory serve me correctly the 3.28 final drive provided 21.8 miles per hour per thousand revolutions per minute but with the benefit of the overdrive engaged brought the gearing up to circa 25.5 miles an hour per thousand revolutions per minute.
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Mine is the 2.0 straight six from 1967. It’s far from show standard although it’s steadily improving under my stewardship.

I tell the youngsters in our club it was the M3 of its day.
 
ShaunKC said:
Thank you, old thing is certainly a good description of the car 🤣. CA registration is Denby in Wales, or at least it was in the 50’s The original plate on the car started MCA, the car was first owned by Bobby McAlpine the great grandson of Robert McAlpine. When he sold the car he must have wanted to keep the plate but to do so had to go back to Denby to do it, and so the car got SCA, coincidentally SCA works perfectly with my initials!
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Ah! I was going with the first letters, SC which is Edinburgh.
 
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