We need to get up to speed on the chrome classics
Let’s look at the introductory tag-line “unreliable gas-guzzlers”. Their reliability is largely to do with maintenance. With some of the more popular marques, such as MG, it is possible to obtain all parts as new and for a fraction of the cost of an equivalent part for the everyday family car.
Even with the more exotic cars, many parts are being remanufactured because of the popularity of the pastime.
There are also many specialist companies which can keep these cars in excellent running order — there’s no excuse for amateur DIY.
I regularly use a very exotic 1964 car on a 950-mile round trip (split over just two days). Its reliability would kick that of your mundane everyday ‘tank’ into a cocked hat. So what about performance? There’s a type of motorist who assumes anything with chrome on it is slow and will attempt to overtake you whether you’re doing 100km/h or 220/km/h (yes it can, and yes it has).
The car of which I speak has a four-litre engine, disc brakes all round and it even has electric windows from new.
If these cars can be so practical on modern roads, then why is it that the precious few insurance companies willing to underwrite them don’t really understand them.
I was once given a quote by an insurance agent that was tied to a 1,500 mileage limit. I laughed.
Then I realised he was serious when he reminded me that this amounted to so many trips to the shops per year.
My car has been on touring holidays in France, Italy, Switzerland and Holland. Such trips can easily amount to 2,000 miles.
We then have issues of insurance valuation. It seems there isn’t a single insurance company in this country which can (or is willing to) underwrite my car for anything like its real value. So what’s the point of anything other than third-party insurance?
Unfortunately, because there are so few companies offering classic car insurance, they can dictate terms and you have little or no choice but to accept them.
Your feature article also mentioned that these cars don’t need an NCT. I’m going to risk upsetting some owners and clubs here by saying this is not a good thing.
Obviously a modern NCT is inappropriate for these vehicles, but they still must have basic roadworthiness in the areas of tyres, brakes, steering, etc.
One of the reasons I no longer go on local rallies is that I don’t believe all of the cars are safe, and I fear for some wreck going into the back of me because it couldn’t stop. Contrast this with Britain where classic cars are subject to the MOT.
Tony Proctor
Ballymacarbry
Co Waterford
