Practically Classics Forum

It has now been renewed I believe. A couple of things struck me since my last post, firstly DVLA must know when the car was built, otherwise it would be on a Q plate. Secondly, Glass's Check Book doesn't cover vehicle which were not officially imported into the UK. I've got the 76-85 book and Traba...

It has now been renewed I believe. A couple of things struck me since my last post, firstly DVLA must know when the car was built, otherwise it would be on a Q plate. Secondly, Glass's Check Book doesn't cover vehicle which were not officially imported into the UK. I've got the 76-85 book and Traban...

Good luck with the DVLA. My Matra had the year of manufacture shown in the special notes on the front page of the V5C although the date of importation was two years later. Your best course of action would be to contact the owners' club to see if they can provide build data. The DVLA will only accept...

Dick wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 01, 2024 9:14 pm

Update, I've given it a damn good thrashing..

So you are Basil Fawlty

Yes that is normal, only the front has liners.

My advice would be to visit as many classic car shows as you can and talk to the owners of any vehicles that take your fancy. Most owners love to talk about their vehicles, so you can learn a lot and have a few enjoyable days out into the bargain.

With the low mileage, if it hasn't got any elderly driver dents and scrapes and has been garaged, I would imagine a lot of people would want it. From next April 1st it will be tax and ULEZ exempt, so out of the clutches of Mr Khan.

Also, more than slight envy with regards to your Matra. They are very high on my list of "favourite cars I've never actually seen in person and know next to nothing about, but want anyway." A neighbour of ours in the early 90s had a Rancho in almost neon orange which obviously very much appealed to...

Almost certainly due to vapour lock, to which V8s were prone. Many owners have fitted electric pumps to combat this. My four pot P6 doesn't have a return, but my Matra does, and the return has a very small orifice, 0.7mm. I would imagine that if the Rover is similar it would get blocked very easily.

That may have been the case in the sixties, but I have owned four cars with DU carburettors since then, and all have had mechanical pumps from new. I have never come across a return feed with an SU carb/mechanical pump combination.