Classic Car Buyer Magazine No.218 Police Classic Wow London Back Issue

Welcome to another jampacked issue of Classic Car Buyer. As I write this
it looks like the dismal weather over the past few weeks might have finally passed, to be replaced by spring and, with it, thoughts about getting summer-use only classics out. As most of us realise, standing
idle doesn’t do cars any good, so you do need to check a few things
when you get your car out following its hibernation. One thing I always
do first is check underneath for fluid leaks – look especially around
the wheels in case a brake cylinder seal has failed. Check levels under
the bonnet too, and if your car has been stored in a slightly rural
environment you may need to gently remove a hibernating animal
– don’t laugh, I once found two hedgehogs under the bonnet! If your car has a mechanical fuel pump and your carburettor float chambers are easily accessed it’s not a bad idea to ‘prime’ them with fresh fuel before trying to start the engine; that way the engine should start up more easily and once it’s running it’ll draw fuel much more easily than if it’s
cranking. Don’t try to change the oil when the engine is cold – get
the engine running first, warm it up and then drain the sump once the
oil is warm and free-flowing. Once you’ve got your pride and joy out into the open for the first time in months, you’ll probably want to give it a good wash and polish. It’s also tempting, if the paint is looking a bit dull, to give it a ‘cut’. I’d counsel caution. Cutting paint is not a routine treatment; it’s something you do to deal with a particular fading problem and each ‘cut’ makes the paint thinner. If you do cut, it’s important that
the process is followed with a coat of polish, as cutting leaves paint
slightly soft and if any moisture gets on it it’ll soak in, causing
spotting to the surface. I know that I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve
lost count of the number of times I’ve seen paintwork that’s been ruined by over-enthusiastic or unnecessary cutting.