The Incredible ULK
Retro Cars|Winter 2019
It had turned green, had an appropriate number plate and did something quite remarkable - what else were we going to call the new Retro Cars project car?
Craig Cheetham
The Incredible ULK
With the MG ZS nearing completion, it was time for Retro Cars to look out for a new project car. So when Associate Editor Tom Barnard alerted me to a Nissan Micra K11 that had spent 16 years abandoned in a bush near his home, the outcome was inevitable. After all, what could possibly go wrong, given the K11’s reputation for corrosion?

A quick call to the vendor revealed that he was a banger racer and if the Micra wasn’t gone by Wednesday it’d be going round the oval the following weekend, so cue a hasty rearrangement of my Tuesday plans and a trip in the Retro Cars beavertail (a suitably aged Nissan Cabstar) to Letchworth to go and do the decent thing.

When I arrived, the Micra was sitting outside the bloke’s house looking very sorry for itself, covered in mould and algae and with two tyres that had been butchered by bramble bushes (though they probably still had better handling characteristics than the Ukranian remoulds that were fitted to the front), so I reversed the truck up, handed over a few notes, and proceeded to winch it up on to the flatbed. Except…

Moment of disaster

Yep, that morning was the morning that the electric winch on the recovery truck decided to make a disconcerting fizzing sound, followed by a loud pop. It was as immobile as the Micra appeared to be.

With no option but to see if there was another way, I took out my trusty 6-metre jump leads - a gift from a mate who used to jump start trucks for a living - and connected the Cabstar’s battery to the 16+-year old Micra one. A quick crank showed that the engine was turning freely, so I took out my jerry can and splashed some fresh petrol into the air intake (don’t try this at home, kids…).

Esta historia es de la edición Winter 2019 de Retro Cars.

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Esta historia es de la edición Winter 2019 de Retro Cars.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

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The Incredible ULK
Retro Cars

The Incredible ULK

It had turned green, had an appropriate number plate and did something quite remarkable - what else were we going to call the new Retro Cars project car?

time-read
5 minutos  |
Winter 2019
They Rebadged It, You Fool!
Retro Cars

They Rebadged It, You Fool!

40 years ago, the UK waited with baited breath for the ‘British Car to Beat the World’. 20 years ago, Rover dealers were still trying to boot the last ones out of their showrooms. Ahead of its 40th birthday, we put the first and last Metros head-to-head

time-read
10+ minutos  |
Winter 2019
One Saved - On To The Next…
Retro Cars

One Saved - On To The Next…

After last month’s mechanical woes, we’ve finally finished our MG ZS project car. Here’s our final instalment, followed by an all-new project

time-read
3 minutos  |
Winter 2019
Reverting To Type
Retro Cars

Reverting To Type

The S-TYPE was a huge car for Jaguar; the first model developed from the ground-up under Ford’s stewardship and its first mid-size executive car since the Mk2. Two decades on, how does it fare as a classic?

time-read
8 minutos  |
Winter 2019
Knightsbridge Or Kensington?
Retro Cars

Knightsbridge Or Kensington?

Tempted by the Metro’s swansong? Here are two virtually unused examples for sale at the same dealership

time-read
2 minutos  |
Winter 2019
360' Kickflip
Retro Cars

360' Kickflip

This BMW E30 may appear relatively unassuming, but to the trained eye there are clues that all is not as it seems. No-one, however, will be expecting the self-styled 360i’s fi repower!

time-read
6 minutos  |
March 2017
Copper Wink
Retro Cars

Copper Wink

When Kicker Audio decide to build a showcase for their latest speakers, they don’t mess about. This 1950 Studebaker is testament to the passion of a bunch of enthusiasts who didn’t want to just screw some speakers into yet another minivan…

time-read
5 minutos  |
March 2017
Ade's Volvo 850
Retro Cars

Ade's Volvo 850

This month sees Ade sorting out up his Volvo with an awesome Kenwood headunit.

time-read
3 minutos  |
March 2017
Take Five
Retro Cars

Take Five

Carlo de Grundt’s fifth-generation Skyline might not have a GT-R badge, but that doesn’t stop it from looking every bit as awesome as its ‘Hakosuka’ forefather...

time-read
7 minutos  |
May 2017
Coupé De Grâce
Retro Cars

Coupé De Grâce

Escobar’s '90s Civic coupé hides many surprises, each one developed to​ Edenilson deliver a killer blow…

time-read
7 minutos  |
May 2017