Zetec conversion in Classics magazine

[worzel]

Hi All

Oh well I'll have to eat my words.

You might recall a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I'd sent Jerry Thurston (the guy carrying out the Zetec conversion for Classics mag) an e-mail asking him whether or not his comments about elan reliability were actually based on his own experience or whether it was gleaned from bar-room banter.

I thought he wasn't going to reply- but- check out the latest issue of Classics. To be fair he's reprinted my e-mail pretty much as I sent it so full marks for candour. His reply is pretty even-handed too so my apologies for being so cynical!

John Blackwell

[Foxie]

Which "Classic" magazine is this, and which issue date ?

Sean Murray

[r.agnew]

Sean , the magazine in question is called Classics Monthly published by Future Publishing . The +2 was featured in the November , December , & January issues . If there is an Easons in Waterford you should get it there.
The car was on the magazine's stand at the NEC, needing a huge amount of work, especially paintwork (major gelcoat cracking & peeling was apparent). However , the car was complete , had a set of Lotus alloys , & even in the condition it was in was well worth the ?800 that was allegedly paid for it. I would have gladly paid twice that for it . It even had a very rare Holbay cam cover , although in this month's edition Gerry Thurston says that the engine was not highly tuned at all , & that he has sold it on . No doubt he has got his money back on that alone. The funny thing is that, even though he is doing a Zetec conversion , he has kept the Holbay cam cover . At least this car is going to be restored, it would have been an ideal (& profitable) candidate for the +2 breakers if they had got their hands on it !!

[SimonH]

I've got the Feb copy of this and he does answer Johns questions quite well. I can see his point as he is doing this for his wife, although how much is paid for buy sponsership is anyones guess!

I wonder where these ?800 cars appear from? The breakers seem to find them ok but I couldnt after a fair while of looking. Ending up probably paying over the odds for an almost complete car but with no engine which I am now regretting. The lack of engine, not the car. Thought about making an offer for that cam cover at the show but I doubted if he would sell it.

Are there enough of these virtually free cars about to keep the breaker types going? I guess the evil bay is giving more folk the idea of breaking is a good thing.