Issue 211 IVS & Issue 51 RC

Description

IRISH VINTAGE SCENE ISSUE 211

Another new year and another new issue – the cover of the January 2024 edition of Irish Vintage Scene showcases a Morris Minor 1000 that was carefully chosen by a seventeen-year-old classic enthusiast as his first road car. Having grown up reading magazines such as this from cover to cover, a combination of hard work and lots of research saw him taking the plunge into Minor ownership in the last year. We certainly hope there are other youngsters like him to keep the hobby alive! Our second feature car is another sixties beauty, but from the other end of the cost and size scale – the W111 Mercedes ‘Fintail’ packs all of the quality and elegance that made its maker a household name, and this six-cylinder 1966 220 is a fine specimen that’s used regularly by its enthusiastic owner.

While we feature a vintage or classic tractor in each issue, this month we’ve plumped for a related vehicle that surely ranks as the largest machine we’ve ever had in the magazine. This enormous 1977 John Deere 955 was initially picked up by its current owner for a quick clean-up, but this quickly escalated into a complete strip-down and rebuild spanning four years. Our commercial vehicle feature looks at an African-spec Land Rover Series 3 109 powered by the 2.6-litre straight-six petrol engine, which is the top prize in a raffle being held by the Killarney Valley Classic & Vintage Club at the start of January, and rounding off our features for this month is a 1974 Suzuki TS 125 trail bike that’s been so well restored, its owner is reluctant to ride it!

Lots of the usual favourites are in there too, including our annual Christmas bumper giveaway and Head Skimmer Crossword and event reports from earlier in the year from the IVVCC Gordon Bennett Rally, Cultra Ferguson Working Day, the Classic & Old Skool Summer Show in Fermoy, the Longford Vintage Club Annual Show and the Shrule & District Vintage Club Show, so don’t miss out!

RETRO CLASSICS ISSUE 51

The October to December 2023 issue of Retro Classics is now on sale at good newsagents nationwide, or direct from us by ordering online quickly and conveniently. As always, we’ve combed the island for some of the most interesting classic and retro machines, starting with our very eye-catching cover car. It’s hard to believe now, but about a year ago this Toyota MR2 was sitting in a scrap pile as a parts car, with no engine or gearbox, missing components, faded paint and a rotted sill! Only after a change of heart by its owner did its fortunes turn around, resulting in one more of these mid-engined legends being returned to the road.

Further into the mag, we also feature a Mini 1275 GT that’s decades in the making, a beloved VW Polo that’s gone from learner car to show stopper, an unrestored Toyota Celica GT4 and a lairy pair of hot Fords – a 1700 crossflow Anglia and ST170-powered Cortina – both built at home. Reports in this issue come from Classic Fest 2023, the Donegal International Rally, Cultra Hillclimb, Here Comes the Sun, Carlow Vintage & Classic Motor Club’s Oak Park Show, the Clonmel VCC Car Show and the Celica Ireland Birthday Meet at Slane Castle, along with our regular detailing guide and a look back at the often-quirky car ads of decades past, so don’t miss out!