NEC Classic Car & Restoration Show | Predictions, Jensen Healeys & the SD1 That Stops Traffic

Sam heads to the NEC in Birmingham for the Classic Car & Restoration Show, joining forces with Richy Barnett — Market Editor at Classic Car Weekly — to walk the Iconic Auctioneers sale floor and put their money where their mouths are on six cars that caught their eye. From a rare lilac Morris Minor Million to a first-gen Firebird and a gorgeously sinister Daimler Sovereign, they predict the hammer prices — then go back to find out how close they got. Along the way, Sam catches up with Frank from Pegasus Classics, who's fitting a Rover V8 into a Jensen Healey live on the show stand, and bumps into returning podcast guest Anthony Kersley for a passionate case in favour of the criminally underrated Rover SD1.

FEATURED 

• The Morris Minor 1 Million — One of only around 100 made to mark the millionth Morris Minor — lilac, white leather, and deeply specialist. Sam wins her bet when it sells for £12,600.
• The '69 Pontiac Firebird — A first-generation Pontiac with a full photographic restoration file on a known shunt. Big V8 energy, but it narrowly misses its guide at £19,125.
• The Daimler Sovereign 4.2 — A Juniper Green Series II coupé dripping in atmosphere — but a tough market means it comes in under estimate at £17,437.
• Frank's Jensen Healey Restomod — Frank from Pegasus Classics built his Jensen Healey from two wrecks and found a Rover V8 on a sheep farm for £350. He's fitting the cylinder head live at the show — but wisely trailering it home.
• Anthony Kersley on the Rover SD1 — Returning guest and Channel 4 Handcuffed star Anthony Kersley makes the passionate case that the Rover SD1 is a world-beater undone by industrial politics — and still extraordinary value today.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Why the Morris Minor 1 Million is a deeply specialist buy — and who's actually likely to be bidding
• How declared saleroom notices work and why auction house transparency protects everyone
• Why the Rover SD1 is one of Britain's most underrated classics — and exactly what to look for when buying one
• How to build a Jensen Healey restomod on a genuine shoestring (£350 Rover V8 optional but recommended)
• Why the classic car demographic shift is quietly changing which cars are considered cool again
• There is no such thing as a cheap Rolls-Royce — but an SZ Series Spirit at £10–15k might be the last great bargain in prestige classics

KEY QUESTIONS

Can you predict auction hammer prices with any real accuracy?

Sometimes — Sam and Richie get a few right and call a few badly wrong. The market for specialist cars like the Morris Minor 1 Million is particularly hard to read because buyer pools are small, emotionally driven, and often invisible until the gavel falls.

Should a saleroom notice put you off bidding?

Not necessarily — but it will move the price. Transparency at auction is a positive for everyone. A declared fault protects both buyer and seller from post-sale disputes, as seen with both the Hillman Hunter Restomod and the Lancia Beta Montecarlo Spider, both of which stalled under estimate because of declared gearbox issues.

Is the Rover SD1 finally having its moment?

Anthony Kersley thinks it absolutely should be. The very best examples are touching £35k but cost £50–70k to restore properly — and most serious owners simply won't sell. A presentable driver can still be found for around £15k, representing genuine value for a car that was genuinely ahead of its time.

A NOD TO

• Richie Barnett — Market Editor, Classic Car Weekly
• Frank, Pegasus Classics — Jensen Owners Club stand, NEC
• Anthony Kersley — Auto Couture / star of Channel 4 Handcuffed (Episode 1 available now; Part 2 coming soon)
• Iconic Auctioneers — Classic car auction at the NEC
• The NEC Classic Car & Restora

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:00

Welcome to the Wheels and Deals Podcast. And this week I'm at the NEC for the Classic Car and Restoration Show, alongside the iconic auctioneer's Classic Car Auction. First things first, I met Richie Barnett, the markets editor for Classic Car Weekly. We had a look around the auction at a few of the cars that caught our eye. We put our guesses on where we thought they'd end up and why. And I went back afterwards to see what they actually sold for. We did get some of them right and we did get some of them wrong. Hi, I'm Sam the old car lady. This is Richie Barnett. He's the markets editor for Classic Car Weekly and a friend of mine. We're at the NEC for the iconic classic car auctions to have a look at a few cars that have caught our eye. Discuss what we think they're going to fetch.

SPEAKER_02 0:42

Oh, good luck with that, though.

SPEAKER_04 0:43

And then we're going to come back and see how close we went. I love a Morris Miner anyway, but this is a really special car. Can we have a look around the back? It's a Morris Miner one million. And they only made these in very small numbers. I think 100-ish for one dealer. We think there's a rumour.

SPEAKER_02 0:57

One per dealer.

SPEAKER_04 0:59

Probably lightly around about 100, we reckon. To commemorate the millionth Morris Miner that rolled off the production line. They made them all in lilac. They made them all with white leather. And they very rarely come to market because most people that own them don't want to park with them. Now, these do take to change hands for anywhere between sort of£15,000 and£20,000 when they do come to market. I think this is a particularly nice one. Reported to be running, driving. It's probably the nicest one I've seen for a while, although there is another one on the Morris Miner stand that we're going to go and have a look at yet. I I think, given current market, I think 12 to 15-ish.

SPEAKER_02 1:34

That's about why. I think the problem with them is, Sam, as much as anything, how many people understand a Maurice Miner million? That's the thing. Come back to it. My old mum loved these. She loved the colour and she remembered them when they were new. I I think a lot of people will look at it and go, what is it? What is it?

SPEAKER_04 1:54

If you're going to spend 12, 15, 18, 20 grand on a Maurice Miner, are you going to use it in the same way you're going to use a five to ten grander? Probably not. No. This normally ends up in a collection.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

This is fantastic.

SPEAKER_04 2:06

Where do you think it's going to land?

SPEAKER_02 2:08

This is a good show for this kind of car. Well they estimated it at. I'd like to see it draw 15 to 18 for me. 15 to 18. That's exactly what it's guided at, 15 to 18. That's where I think it'll be in the higher part.

SPEAKER_04 2:22

I think it'll be nearer the lower.

SPEAKER_02 2:24

16 and a half to 18. Bet you a cup of tea. You're on. No sugar.

SPEAKER_04 2:30

The lovely Morris Million was guided at 15 to 18. I thought it would do slightly under at 12 to 15. Richie thought it would do top end 16.5 to 18. It actually sold for 12,600 pounds, including premium. So I won my bet, and I should be calling in that cup of tea next time I see you, Rich. So rather predictively, I'm always drawn to the big V8 yan type 69 Firebird, first generation of the Firebirds. This one has had a fantastic restoration. It had had a shunt in about 2014. So it is a cat car, but it has got a full photographic file of the damage, the repairs, the remote. Let's face it, they've all had a shunt, so you may as well know all about it. Exactly. Um it's had an absolute fortune spent on it. Now, these just don't fetch the same money as the Camaros, but they are an absolutely fabulous car to drive. This needs nothing doing at all. It's the V8, the big one, the 400, so this is kicking out the highest horsepower you could get in one of the stuff.

SPEAKER_02 3:28

That's about 6.4, isn't it? It's 6.6. It's gone fault. Good colour. On the original wheel, not gone down the slot mag route, has it? The colour is fantastic. It hasn't gone for an early 80s Chelsea Cruise resale red with black vinyl roof. No nasty glass sun roof, which Sam, the Chelsea Cruise used to be full of them like that in the early to mid-80s. So this is just an absolute joy. On the right wheels, the right colour, it's just fat 20 to 25, it should do 25. If there's any justice in this world, it will do that.

SPEAKER_04 4:01

I I think this has been guided absolutely spot on. Take the fees into account as well. There is 12.0% plus fat to go on top. Yeah. Um, but I think if you want a big Gen 1 V8 Firebird, I say this is the 6.6 litre, it is the engine to have. I think you're going to struggle to find another one as nice as this. And I would, even taking its history into account, I would be very pleased with this car at this minute. Santa Pod, Rambought Your Brand. Here we come. Sainsbury's school run, you know, that's what I use them for. Why not?

unknown 4:28

Why not?

SPEAKER_04 4:29

The 69 Firebird, guided at 20 to 25, which I thought it should do, as did Richie. I thought lower end of the estimate, Richie thought higher end. It didn't quite get there. It actually sold on the day for 19,125. Right, one of my favourite cars in the sale, 77 Daimler Sovereign, but it's the beautiful 4.2 colourless coupe. Yep. Juniper green, it's the big straight six engine. It's the right engine. It's a colourless coupe. Look at that colour spec.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

But we love the fact it's a Daimler. Absolutely fantastic. I'm sorry to say it to you, but why would you bother with a cornish fixed head? You know what I think of these? I think in the straight six is far less worrying than the V12. The colour is just from that beautiful early mid-70s British Laden colour palette. But this I think was only on Daimlers. I don't think this greensand was available on the Jagulars. Which do you know? Although people out there in the big wide world will tell me I'm wrong. But this is a colour that just suits it.

SPEAKER_04 5:35

There's plenty of Series 2s around with a smaller engine with four doors, but to find the 4.2 Series 2 colourless coupe is pretty rare thing, I think.

SPEAKER_02 5:43

I love it.

SPEAKER_04 5:43

Do you think that's slightly sinister?

SPEAKER_02 5:46

What do you mean?

SPEAKER_04 5:47

A bit moody.

SPEAKER_02 5:49

Yes. There's a bit of a sort of shady night shady, pseudo-respectable nightclub owner about this. But in an urban betting shop. Turf accountant, they would be called if they were at half say. Not betting shadows. Ladies and gentlemen.

SPEAKER_04 6:06

A private someone with a private gambling setup would have this car. Love it's on its original reg. Raised plates. 20 to 25 in the current market. Do you see it's making its money?

SPEAKER_02 6:18

I think yestimot's bang on. We're calling this a tough time for the whole world, really.

SPEAKER_04 6:23

And for that reason, I think this one might struggle today.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

I think you're all nudging. It will have to nudge past 20. If there's any justice in this world, this car will go past.

SPEAKER_04 6:33

I agree with you, but I think it's probably gonna 16? 18? Late teens. Mid-late teens, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 6:38

Yeah, I got yeah, I probably is. I also understand where you're coming from.

SPEAKER_04 6:42

Well, we'll soon find out. Wait, wait. Anyone need to find out? Right, let's see what else we've got to find. The Dame the Sovereign guides at 20 to 25. Now, I thought this would struggle with that estimate. I put my guess at mid to late teens. Richie thought it would do the 20 to 25, and it landed at£1,7437, including fees. This one's a bit of you.£71. Pellman Hunter Super. Resto mod. You do like your hot rods when we rest no mods. I do like your hot rods. It has got the, I believe it's got the original 70 roots, 1725 bulletproof unit still in it. Um, but it has been rodded slightly.

SPEAKER_02 7:16

Slightly, but it's preserved the whole character of the car. There's no mucking about with it, no buggering around with it. It's got a decent set of hand on me or something. It looks quite low to me. It's a bit of. Now, you see, you say that. My missus would say she'd love this, but she doesn't like it being so low. Yeah. Not speed bump friendly. But what a brilliant thing. What a change for a minute. Whisper it, a fast forward. This is just brilliant. I love the fact I actually think this is super cool.

SPEAKER_04 7:43

But I think they're super cool original.

SPEAKER_02 7:47

Well, I agree completely because I love the Humberceptor version of this. Which are making big money now. They are getting strong, strong money. So this is a little bit. It's it's it chimes in with the event, I think. With the show what's going on out here, I think this is a really gonna be a popular.

SPEAKER_04 8:04

I agree. It's in the it's it's in the right place. I love these in original condition. I find them really difficult to value in Resto Mod 4. I agree with that. I think I think eight to ten for a really nice, good condition, running and driving, ready to go, standard car is spot on. Yeah. Probably nearer the eight than the ten, realistically. Yes, yeah, full fitness. There is a sale room notice on this, it's got a dicky clutch, so you can't select gears at the moment.

SPEAKER_02 8:29

Well, this is the time to go to put an automatic in it.

SPEAKER_04 8:32

And this is the great thing about an auction that as soon as they know there's a fault, it is declared. So it is on a sale room notice this. As soon as they found out that, yeah, so that there is an issue with the cliches you need to know about. I think that that is gonna wobble a couple of people on it. And for that reason, I don't think I think it's gonna struggle with the eight to ten. Five to six? Do you know what? I'd like to see it doing not far off, maybe seven, six or seven, nearly eight, but I think I think ten's ten's a big ask.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

Well thing is saying, find another. When are you or I seen one of these in auction? But you can pick them up as projects for a grand. Well, yeah. And have to be crushed it together. Yeah, and then and then you can build it as you want.

SPEAKER_04 9:13

So normally the argument is, but this is a this is a ready-to-go, but this one isn't because the glitch is not good.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

So but it's also a reflection of the vendor. If the vendor was someone who's built it like this, it's their taste. Yeah. And so, really, I suppose if you wanted to create something like this, you'd buy a product, wouldn't you?

SPEAKER_04 9:30

I'd rock up to a show in this, though. I'd love to take this to a car meet.

SPEAKER_02 9:34

This is just fantastic. I would love only one thing, it's a shame it's not an estate.

SPEAKER_04 9:38

If it was an estate, I would see no problem with it doing eight to ten.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

Wagons, wagons are where it's. Waggons are cool, wagons are cool.

SPEAKER_04 9:44

Go on, Richie, where do you think this is going to land? Six to seven. So we're in agreement on this one. The Hillman Resto mod guided at eight to ten. We both thought it would struggle to hit the guide. Unsurprising because it did have a sale room notice. It actually got to 4,200 on the day. Is still available. It did not sell. If I'm absolutely honest, then I could pick one to drive Holman. Or two. I'd take the Silver Shadow.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:09

Uh the Firebird, I'd probably trail about. But um, I would love to pick this one up. So 78 Lancia Beta Monte Carlo Spider.

SPEAKER_02 10:19

Bit of a rarity.

SPEAKER_04 10:21

Yeah, so only 27 built in 78. It's rare because it's right-hand drive. Now, we all know the coupés, but the spiders have got these rollback, yeah, manual, sort of target style soft top. This has got two litre twinkle on engine. It's had 13 grand spent in the last few years.

SPEAKER_02 10:36

But is he detailed? Where's that 30 frank blonde?

SPEAKER_04 10:39

It's it all in the file, everywhere across the board. This has been guided at 20 to 25. Again, really hard one to price. Cool. The one thing I would say, Rich, is there is no such thing as a cheap Lancia.

SPEAKER_01 10:48

So do not with one of these.

SPEAKER_04 10:50

Do not buy a sub 10 grand Lancia and expect it not to have problems. At 20 to 25 grand, this one, according to the description of the file, has had everything done. Um, it has had a late sale room notice of a problem with the gear change. So whether that's a minor linkage thing or something more sinister, and that's the only reason I don't think this will hit the estimate. Otherwise, I think it would go happily again.

SPEAKER_02 11:15

It won't go near the estimate then. I thought people will be won't. But what as you say, it's wonderful when what the auction tells us this. Yeah. It's a declaration. So you can either try and have a quick investigation if you can.

SPEAKER_04 11:28

Yeah. It doesn't do an auction house any good to not declare a known fog. Any car that goes out with a fog is likely going to be aggro for them. And that is the last thing anybody wants post-sale. So they will always declare can't. And the vendor will always be realistic, you know. And the vendor will be glad of it because it means that they don't get the aggro after a sale as well. So we're everybody's happy. But look at this. So this is like a manual rollback target up. And this what makes this is what makes it the spider. I think this is really rare. Uh I would love to own this. I would I think the trick with this is I would drive it so much I would probably keep it running, all right. I think they don't like to be sat. I have a horrible feeling this is gonna stutter in the mid-teens because of the because of the gearbox question.

SPEAKER_02 12:08

I don't think people still understand this mobile. Any beta monster colour. It's just wonderful. But I don't think people get them. And that is the problem.

SPEAKER_04 12:21

And it's just I know I have a an odd love of quirky cars and and the underdogs and the marmite stuff. But I think this is lovely. Yeah, a little bit of paint correction I'd probably sort out here and there. Um, but I think this is it's probably at the very top end of what I'd call usable example.

SPEAKER_02 12:39

Yeah, yeah. I love it.

SPEAKER_04 12:41

Once you get the gearbox sorted out, right? Off and go to northern France. And the Lancia Beta Monte Carlo spider that I took a real shine to was guided at 20 to 25. I thought that was too high. I thought it was going to get round about the mid-teens, as did Richie, and it actually landed at 16,000 on a provisional and did not sell. Quick honourable mention. Uh, 85 Lambeau job, because my dad had so many of these. I've got to come say a later it. Uh P350, 3.5 V8. Had many a run out in one that I shouldn't have done. Dude.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

I was young. No, no, I don't. Oh, we draw a vial over that.

SPEAKER_04 13:18

Tell the police for their inquiries. No, no, no. Yeah, I've got very fond memories of these. I absolutely love them. Yeah. Guys at 65 to 70 should romp away at that, but we'll keep an eye on. I thought the gel per would absolutely romp away at 65 to 70. It got to 54 on the day. It has since sold for an undisclosed sum, so give the hazard a guess that it did get to there or thereabouts, the estimate. You know I love a BMC for Rina Classic. We've got 66 Woolsey, 1660, in pretty fabulous condition.

SPEAKER_02 13:48

It's just right. I'm struggling to fault this one. I really am. I love it. Well, you don't see many of these in auction anyway, but here we've got two. There's another one at three cars away.

SPEAKER_04 14:00

Do you think it's just because people that own them when they're this nice just don't want to part with them? Yeah. I don't think.

SPEAKER_02 14:04

They really do. And of course, they are really sort of backbone of the British classic car explosion in the late 70s, early 80s.

SPEAKER_04 14:12

1600B series engine, the price of these don't fluctuate with the market, I don't find. When the market flies, they don't fly. When the market flops, they don't flop. I think steady away for the past few years, a really, really good one will always fetch five grand. And a perfectly usable one will always fetch three grand.

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Oh, don't know, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 14:31

And it doesn't really differ. I think this is definitely the top end of the three to five grand price bracket. And it's going through no reserve. That's so we really can play with our predictions on this.

SPEAKER_02 14:43

The interesting observation you can make as well, not about these, but the bigger for realings is the really big upswim in interest in Westminster's Wormsley 6110 and the Van den Blaer 3 litre and 4 litre. Yeah. And that should have a pull-through on these posher versions. I love a bit of a fin.

SPEAKER_04 15:02

So I love an Oxford as well.

SPEAKER_02 15:04

It's a bit school teacher, the Oxford. Oh, I just love it.

SPEAKER_04 15:09

Um bit rakish.

SPEAKER_02 15:12

Well, the thing about the Wolseley as well, I almost could see your retired, quite decently ranked army officer with one of those. Bit of ding-dong. A bit of, yes. When the wife's at home doing the Sunday lunch.

SPEAKER_04 15:26

And I think this is a bit of ding-dong this one.

SPEAKER_02 15:28

This is, and what a late one this is on a J.

SPEAKER_04 15:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:31

That's about a lot. I think you could have got just about got one on a K.

SPEAKER_04 15:35

If you've got five grand to spend on a classic and you want to do shows and meets, long journeys, short journeys, easy to spanner, cost you next to nothing to insure. Well, 80 quid a year to insure, including for breakdown, crucial with the with the old car, obviously. I don't think you can go far wrong with these. I think these have turned a corner to the point where they used to be a bit fuddy-duddy. When you see somebody a bit younger driving round in these now, you think that's cool.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

He needs someone famous and young to buy one. And then that.

SPEAKER_04 16:02

Do you think we could get like JK driving around in a while?

SPEAKER_02 16:06

Well, why not?

SPEAKER_04 16:08

Why not? If anybody knows JK, we'd love to put him in a wolsey for a bit of a video if he's up for it.

SPEAKER_02 16:14

I will even put an acid jazz sticker on the back window.

SPEAKER_04 16:16

Put whatever he wants in it if we would have a driver one. I'm gonna stick with my. Oh, okay. I hope you're right.

SPEAKER_02 16:31

Maybe six and a half. It's just lovely. And the thing is saying, all right, when you go back and look at them, the problem is they're like Morris Miners. We're too familiar with them.

unknown 16:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:42

Know them too. A mate of mine used to say, Lead used to say, problem with cars like this was they're too familiar. There's nothing wrong with them. You go to a car, oh, it's another Oxford. Or an Oxford Cambridge through the city.

SPEAKER_04 16:52

I don't think that's the case anymore because we've got younger, we've got younger people coming to the meets, we've got less of these going to the meets. So when they pull in the car park now, people are asking what this is. And I know that ten years ago everybody knew what it was, but they don't anymore.

SPEAKER_02 17:05

That's interesting, because that's go capital. You have tapped on the demographic thing, which is a few. It's a big shift. What it needs are some I've been to Clacton stickers in the back window, doesn't it? And what one of those um stick-on things instead of a heated rear window. Do you remember? Almost like the pub.

SPEAKER_04 17:21

The uh strip things, if you can actually stick on.

SPEAKER_02 17:24

And maybe even a driving instructor's wind deflector on the driver's door. Make it into what we used to call a grandad custom. Because you've already got Yeah, the fishtail.

SPEAKER_04 17:36

This delightful Woolsey was actually entered with no reserve. I thought it would do four and a half to five K. Me and Richie were pretty much in agreement with this one. It did do slightly under including fees at£4,275. We've had around the five or six cars that we've both had our eye on. Um, not probably the ones that everybody else is looking at, but the ones that we what we like. We like. We like. So thanks very much, Rich. And it wouldn't be a trip to the restoration show without having a chat with somebody who was restoring a car live at the show. So I managed to chat to Frank from Pegasus Classics on the Jensen Owners Club stand about his very special Jensen Healy and the work he was carrying out live at the show. So I'm with Frank from the Jensen Onis Club. Yep, hello. Well, from Pegasus Classics.

SPEAKER_00 18:20

Well, yeah, Pegasus Classics first, but I am here with the Jensen Onus Club.

SPEAKER_04 18:24

With your own Jensen?

SPEAKER_00 18:25

Yeah, this is my uh 1974 Jensen Healy. Uh it was a car I made out of two recs. Okay. So I uh it had a front end smash, and there was a breaker's yard in Wigan, and I made one out of the two, long story short. But the uh engine I couldn't afford. I couldn't afford a Lotus at the time, and and I did a bit of a.

SPEAKER_04 18:43

But the Lotus twin cam engines on it.

SPEAKER_00 18:45

Lotus 904 engines. And um my wallet wasn't big enough. But I managed to find this three and a half litre Rover V8 with the gearbox to match. As you do, on a sheep farm in Bala for 350 quid. So I went on my little Peugeot 206 and we swung it into the boot and then I drove it back um with a rear suspension on its on its knees.

SPEAKER_04 19:08

Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:08

On its ass with it and got it in.

SPEAKER_04 19:12

What other upgrades you have to make for this to be safely compatible?

SPEAKER_00 19:16

So the only adaptations I had to make, of course, was the the engine mounts, which I had to make. Claster welder. That's yeah, yeah. And then the prop shaft that had to be that had to be made for it as well.

SPEAKER_04 19:30

Right. But the cooling system, the brakes, everything else?

SPEAKER_00 19:34

So everything suspension-wise is all original to the car. I did cut all of the front radiator out and inserted this monstrous aluminium radiator.

SPEAKER_04 19:47

A little bit, a little bit, a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 19:49

But this is uh a lot of the restorations that I do is original. It's originality is key because that's you know, especially as they get quite rare. But if you're gonna save a car that was unsavable, then it then this was the only project I let myself like externally I wanted it to look original. Mechanically, I kind of wanted to do I wanted to give myself free reign to do indulgence, mechanical indulgence. I just wanted to experiment and do different things and see what worked and if I could do that or not.

SPEAKER_04 20:17

And I've had two Junsen Healers and they both went like stink anyway with the lotus drink up. So this is gonna be a handful.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

I've been all over in this. I've I've had this a few years, so I've done a big road trip around Germany in the Black Forest.

SPEAKER_04 20:30

I noticed you've got the Le Mans Classic. Have you been down to Le Mans in it?

SPEAKER_00 20:33

I've been to Le Mans a couple of times in it. I've been around the NC500 in Scotland and So it's an old friend then?

SPEAKER_04 20:39

Oh yeah, I've got to. How long have you had it?

SPEAKER_00 20:41

About five years. Uh I I I used it as my daily at one point. I had the uh I had an Audi A6 and that the hay gasket went on it, so I was like, ah, binned it, and I thought, well, I'll use this. And uh yeah, I love it to bits. Funnily enough, there's a friend of mine, Adam, who's just there with a battress, he's got an original with a with a lotus in it. And we we usually go on long road trips, and we were interested to find out a acceleration on the autoban, which was quicker. I think.

SPEAKER_04 21:10

But you you got a much heavier doing it, haven't you?

SPEAKER_00 21:13

So funnily enough, because the block is aluminium as well, it is slightly heavier, but not by much. I think there's about 20 kilograms in it.

SPEAKER_04 21:21

Okay, so it doesn't affect handling that.

SPEAKER_00 21:23

No, and the MPGs as well is very similar. Like he was getting 32 miles to the gallon, I was getting 30.

SPEAKER_04 21:30

So it's negligible, really. Because the car weighs so little until petrol's like 45 pounds a litre, and then it will matter.

SPEAKER_00 21:37

Yeah, it's getting there now, but we'll we'll we'll pretend we didn't see that for now.

SPEAKER_04 21:41

Listen, it's our hobby. And I don't spend it on the golf club membership, I spend it on fuel. So I choose to spend it on what I choose to spend it on.

SPEAKER_00 21:47

Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 21:48

So what's the grand plan for this then?

SPEAKER_00 21:49

So far, I don't know. So far, you should have been here at the last year at the show, because the engineer gearbox come out, changed all the big end bearings and main bearings. And stuff. Everything's done now. The back axle's new. Sorted all the bushings on the front sub sense suspension. Everything's done. These are new heads going on it.

SPEAKER_04 22:10

You're doing it on live at the show?

SPEAKER_00 22:11

Yeah. Doing it here at the show. And last year was the big that was the big ticket. We got a lot covered at the show. Adam helped me and uh and Carl, our mutual friend.

SPEAKER_04 22:20

So are you driving it back on Sunday? Are you under pressure to have this all done or are you trailering it away?

SPEAKER_00 22:24

No, not that I don't have confidence in my own ability, but it'll only take one head bolt to snap and I'm knackered.

SPEAKER_04 22:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:30

So I did trailer it down here and I am gonna trailer it back. So there's not that time pressure.

SPEAKER_04 22:34

So you've not got you've not got Carl on standby then. You have bought your own trailer.

SPEAKER_00 22:37

After last year, the three of us who didn't speak to each other for a week, it was that intense.

SPEAKER_04 22:42

A bit aggie.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

It was a lot. It was too much to do. But yeah, we're not doing that this year.

SPEAKER_04 22:47

Oh, fabulous. Well, thank you so much for the chat. No, it's all right, it's lovely to see you. It looks a solid cart.

SPEAKER_00 22:51

No, it is good. I'll love it.

SPEAKER_04 22:53

I'm a big fan of them. I think these are hugely underrated, practical, usable, fun as fuck. Yes, sports cars. I really do. I think they're brilliant. I'm a big fan.

SPEAKER_00 23:02

We are great.

SPEAKER_04 23:03

If you ever get the chance to own one, and they're not a lot of money at the moment either.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

No, no, they're reasonably priced. Reasonably priced.

SPEAKER_04 23:09

Reasonably priced. Cheap to keep and fun to run. Right. On that note, thank you very much, Frank. I'll see you later. I met up with Anthony Kersley, and if you haven't listened to his episode of the podcast, I highly recommend it. He runs Auto Couture. He's recently been the star of Channel 4's Handcuffed, and he has got a wonderful classic car collection. Now I wanted to talk to him about one of his favourite marks, and it might surprise you where we were. So I'm at the NEC Classic Car and Restoration Show with Anthony Kersley, recent guest on my podcast and star of Channel 4's Handcuffed. But what not a lot of people know about you, Anthony, is your huge love for rovers and specifically Estee Wells.

SPEAKER_01 23:43

Yeah, absolutely. It's a real passion of mine.

SPEAKER_04 23:45

You have one of the nicest ones I've ever seen. Yeah, I've got it was the nicest one I'd ever seen until I saw it. Yeah, no, JJ's is a fabulous car.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

No, it's fabulous. No, I've got uh two or three of them. And it all goes back to '75 when I saw my first one at uh Headmaster's uh garden party at the public school where I was, where little boys were showing off what their parents had, and of course we're all waiting to see what parents would arrive in. One of my friends said, We got the new rover, and we went, Rover. Wow, I mean porridge. And this fabulous apparition appeared that nobody with a wonderful noise. I mean, really, it knocked the world for six. It was platinum silver. I'm still friends with him, and I always said, I'm gonna have one of those one day, and of course I have three or four of them. I love them. People forget just how amazingly well designed it was at the time.

SPEAKER_04 24:32

I think if I had to make a list of ten very underrated cars at the moment, British underrated cars, th this would always be on it. I don't I think people well people worry about the rot for a start, with with good reason. Yeah, yeah. But when you find a good one, they really are fun to say.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

Yeah, they're not they're not very difficult to put right. I mean, they're very simple motor cars. But the actual concept of a three the 260s are very nice too, but the three and a half litre, manual automatic, if it's sorted, as long as your interior trim's good, they suffer. So um I I think they're just wonderful. And I've always loved the the uh combination of the manual gearbox and the three and a half litre engine again appeared, because this was the car it was actually first properly designed around. I mean it was put into the P5B and the P6, but this whole car was designed around it. And I I just I just think they're well, they're of the time. You know? I think they were well ahead of their time. Well, they were, but I mean it was SD1, there wasn't an SD2. You know, it was S special development one, British Leyland's brilliance, and they were brilliant. Snuffed out by terrible bill quality, workers' management, the management was worse as as bad as the bloody workforce. The whole thing was a disaster, and it was a dreadful shame because that this was a world beater.

SPEAKER_03 25:47

So do you think they were just a victim of circumstance?

SPEAKER_01 25:49

Yeah, but but they weren't alone, you know. The paint was a big problem because of course they spent millions on this plastic painting. So all the first rovers were a yellow or white or red. But look at the Jaguars of the time. They were the same, yellow, white, or red. The paint processes were rubbish, but it was plastic painting.

SPEAKER_04 26:08

A lot of the cars uh during that time, and Fords are the worst, I think, came out of the factory with shocking paintwork. Shocking. And you you can tell original paint because it's awful.

SPEAKER_01 26:17

Well, they all had r they all had worker problems. Lazy it us. Well, they did, but they were all gripped by communism by the trade unions. But they wasn't just British Leyland, it was the whole lot of them. People forget, but the management of British Leyland were as much to fault with uh as the workforce. I mean they were shocking. But no, the SD1 has a a great place in my heart for that. And I I've loved them, especially in Shumeric. I love them.

SPEAKER_04 26:41

What uh what are they worth in the sort of condition that yours in this particular?

SPEAKER_01 26:44

Well the market's sort of gone down now, but I mean for the very best of the best of the best, it's 35,000 was realized for a beautiful Vitesse twin planner not long ago. I mean, it's fifty to seventy thousand to restore one. Where are we? Well, you could buy a Rover SD1 for£1,500,000,£2,000, up to£5,000. You will need to do something to it.

SPEAKER_04 27:05

I wouldn't. I really wouldn't.

SPEAKER_01 27:07

Well you should buy the most expensive you can afford.£15,000 is where it's at for something that's presentable and lovely. But the top cars, my cars, I wouldn't park for less than$35,000 and I don't care what people say. I think you can't replace it for that.

SPEAKER_04 27:22

We don't really see them coming to market in that condition because most people that own one like yours and like this one, they don't want to park them at any price. So they generally don't come to market very often.

SPEAKER_01 27:31

Well it's a replacement cost, and it's just not possible. Even though the market's dipped. Um, and Kev's got a fabulous V8S here that he happens to like running them as he finds them. I mean, that's a rare car, the V8S, and he likes to drive around them with a bit, you know, to I don't like that. They've got to be right for me.

SPEAKER_04 27:49

I'm okay with that. Yeah. I I don't mind tattoo usable.

SPEAKER_01 27:52

No, well, he's got it, and he's a great guy, and he's a spirit of the club. And I I admire him for it, and I really like it. I'm just gonna be the OCD, I like to have everything right.

SPEAKER_03 27:59

But um I like I like to use them, and I think that I especially with three kids and a dog and and a busy life to be able to jump in something and go and not worry about a stone chip or the slight date kind of works for me at this point.

SPEAKER_04 28:12

I'm sure.

SPEAKER_01 28:14

But if you pilot an SD one on the motorway, it'll stop traffic. If you pull into London in one people, say, What's this? It's fabulous. I mean, people don't know what they are.

SPEAKER_03 28:23

Crucially, it will also stop itself. They cope really well in one traffic, don't they?

SPEAKER_01 28:26

Yeah, they do. I mean, they're they're a usable, very simple car, they're not difficult. Of course, you've got to look at your fuses, you've got to make sure your electric connections haven't suffered over time for the windows, especially. But these are simple things, they're not complicated cars.

SPEAKER_04 28:39

I think quite often they suffer from damp if they've been stored somewhere that isn't dry.

SPEAKER_01 28:43

Yeah, well, that's that's very true.

SPEAKER_04 28:44

And that's where the electrical checks can be getting they.

SPEAKER_01 28:47

The rear light clusters, you've got to get the gaskets right on those because they can pour water into the back. Absolutely. So, yeah, but I mean there are issues, but you know, we all need issues. I mean, you know. I mean, these are 56-year-old cars.

SPEAKER_03 28:59

I leak a little bit as well at this late stage. You're absolutely right.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

No, I mean it's it's a pleasure. Not only that, but the club itself is fantastic. I'm a member of a lot of car trusts. Yeah, the SD1 owners are they're a lovely group of people.

SPEAKER_03 29:11

So, what else have you seen at the show that's caught your eye?

SPEAKER_01 29:14

I haven't really got myself stuck into too much, to be honest.

SPEAKER_03 29:17

You're here tomorrow, aren't you?

SPEAKER_01 29:19

Yeah. I've hit the auto jumble. But my main mission today was to find out how to polish the bonnet on the Phantom Coupe, which somebody very carefully put a box on, pulled it off, and they've scratched it. Rolls Royce don't know what to do about it. What year is it? It's 2008.

SPEAKER_03 29:35

I know with phantoms it could be pre-war with you, or it could be modern. It could be either. You're quite right.

SPEAKER_01 29:39

No, it's a 2008 with a stainless steel top, and nobody knows how to deal with it. So today I've been asked to go and meet the guy on the Pride of Ownership stand with the DeLorean. Yes, because he's the he's the guy. But the Rolls Royce network have been useless. Rolls Royce themselves have been absolutely useless, they're not bothered. It's really incredible how you can be yesterday's news so quickly.

SPEAKER_03 29:59

So quickly.

SPEAKER_01 30:00

But it's that's the main the modern world, and it's a shame. But there you go. That's what I'm here to do today.

SPEAKER_03 30:04

Corporate world now, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 30:06

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Disposable cars.

SPEAKER_03 30:08

Have you managed to have a look around the auction at all?

SPEAKER_01 30:10

Yes, I've seen a few cars at the auction. I thought the prices are pretty good on Rolls-Royce. It's half a dozen spirits there that I think are really very competitively priced.

SPEAKER_04 30:19

Very usable cars as well.

SPEAKER_01 30:20

Well, Spirit SZ series is a series I've always championed. Because they're a fabulous car. You know that. I've got your late father's spirit, which I love in France, is coming back this year. Um and I love that car. I love them all. I have about a dozen of them.

SPEAKER_03 30:33

And they're wonderful to use and drive.

SPEAKER_01 30:35

It's a great thing, but you peop people who don't know them think a ridiculous thing to be driving around in. But when they actually get in it and they shrink, of course, we know that. Uh I love them. And the price is from ten, well, four to ten to fifteen thousand. This is ridiculous. What else can you get for that? That was mad. Mad. And as long as they've got good service history and the simple things like the relays, which are thrums, they're done. The car itself is very reliable. It doesn't cost you that much. Now buy a basket case and it'll bankrupt you.

SPEAKER_03 31:03

No such thing as a cheat rolls.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

No, no such thing as a cheat roll.

SPEAKER_04 31:06

I think um as long as they're mechanically sound and those engines are pretty bulletin. Make sure the suspension's where it should be. Well, again, that's the thing.

SPEAKER_01 31:14

The brakes, the brakes are the we've got to make sure the brakes are right, because that and big heavy car to anchor it. Stick it right in the ass for that, and it's bad news that seven grand for a proper brake job on those.

SPEAKER_04 31:22

But I think rather than buy one for three, if you do buy one, that's seven or eight, all that will be right.

SPEAKER_01 31:27

It will, yeah. I wholeheartedly recommend anybody who hasn't had one to buy one. Yeah. And a Rover SD one, of course.

SPEAKER_03 31:33

Well, my dad always said with cars like that, best way to sell them is to get someone to drive it. Because if they drive it, they'll want it.

SPEAKER_01 31:38

Absolutely right. Absolutely right.

SPEAKER_03 31:39

Right.

SPEAKER_04 31:40

Well, thank you so much, I think. It's been lovely to see you again. We're going to be doing part two of your podcast. That'll be very soon. Yeah. So if anyone enjoyed part one with Anthony, keep an eye on what we're doing because we're going to be back really soon with part two. And more excitingly, maybe a little look around your garage while I'm there.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

Of course, no, you I really would love you to come down and go through it all with me. It'd be a pleasure. And come and stay for the weekend. Be great.

SPEAKER_04 31:58

Let's do it. Okay, lovely. A little bit of wine on the go, maybe? Are you and two? Yeah, I wouldn't think so. Alright, thanks, Anthony. Bye-bye. I'll be back next week with part two of my chat with James from Chops Garage, a fascinating look at the difference between classic car dealing and modern car dealing and where we both feel the market is today. Is James tempted to move into my world and shift from modern car dealing to classic car dealing? If you'd like to see what I get up to on a day-to-day basis, please follow me on social media at the old carlad. Or do get involved on my Facebook group, The Old Car Lady Classic Car Community, where you get to have your say. Show me your cars and ask me anything that I might be able to help with. And if you're listening to this podcast and you'd like to have a look at our walk around the show, please do head over to YouTube. The full video is online now at the old carlad. Until next time, happy motoring.