BRITISH MOTORING MOSS MOTORS LTD. | VOL 22 | NO 1 | SUMMER 2004 Mini Shootout: New ‘03 Vs. Classic ‘67 • New Tire Tech For Classic Cars • Rubber Rub-Out: MGB Chrome Bumper Swap • California British Extravaganza Action • TR2-TR3 Value Guide Jaguar XJ–S: Last Of The Great V12s? www.britishmotoring.net POPULAR WEAR PARTS ON SALE! UP TO 20% OFF! Header TECHNICAL MOSS MOTORS LTD. 16 Modern Tires For VOL 22 | NO 2 | SUMMER 2004 www.britishmotoring.net Classic Sportscars The ups and downs of EDITOR retrofitting modern radials Tom Morr CONSULTING EDITOR 24 MGB Chrome Bumper Ken Smith Conversions Upgrading 1974 ½–1980 rubber ART DIRECTOR Gary Smith, PerformanceDesign, cars for class and elegance www.performancedesign.net PRODUCTION MANAGER 35 British Value Guide: Kathi McCallum TR2–TR3 Fun, punchy, and affordable— TRAFFIC MANAGER Christine Knight if you can find one for sale CONTRIBUTORS Scott Dahlquist, Bill Delaney, FEATURES Kelvin Dodd, Leonard Emanuelson, Rick 12 Jaguar XJ-S Feibusch, Robert Goldman, Lance Lusignan, John Rettie Celebrating the last of the classic British V-12 sportscars EDITORIAL ADVISORS Giles Kenyon, Eric Wilhelm, Harry Haigh, Mike Chaput 20 New Mini Vs. Classic Mini Has BMW bred the Britishness out ADVERTISING of our hottest new hatchback? Automedia 2000, Inc. 5285 Kazuko Ct. Unit B Moorpark, CA 93021 28 British Extravaganza (805) 529-1923 x203 [email protected] Moss Motors and VARA throw a high-performance bash for the British Motoring is published four times per year for Moss Motors, Ltd., by Automedia ninth year running 2000, Inc. It is distributed with the understanding that the information presented within is from various sources from which SUMMER SALE there can be no warranty or responsibility as to the legality, completeness, and accuracy. All 37 Wear Parts Priced To Go materials, text, illustrations, and photographs Save up to 20% on hard parts are the property of British Motoring and cannot be reproduced in whole or part or for hard driving altered without the written consent of Moss Motors, Ltd. DEPARTMENTS Editorial inquiries are welcome, but we 3 Editorial recommend that contributors query in advance. Moss Motors, Ltd., reserves the ON THE COVER: 4 Reader Letters right to use materials at its discretion, and we Often overlooked, the Jaguar XJ-S 6 Readers’ Cars reserve the right to edit material to meet our requirements. Send contributions to British represents exceptional bang-for-the- 7 Tech Q&A Motoring, 440 Rutherford St., Goleta, CA 93117, buck sportscar fun. Scott Dahlquist 8 News USA, [email protected]. photographed a pristine V-12 example of this breed. Photographer Bill Delaney 10 Hot Products documented our quest to find the best- 31 Car Mart Classifieds vintage Mini. 38 Events Calendar 2 | Summer 2004 • British Motoring Header Editorial Magazines And Parts Prices by Tom Morr Moss Motors ferrets out the best possible prices for our customers, even when that and hopefully entertaining Moss even natural disasters can cause the means squirreling away less profit. customers pay off over time. Moss’s cost of the raw materials to increase. phenomenally successful MGB Ultimately, the customer bears the ove of British sportscars aside, supercharger kit is a prime example. burden of the higher costs. LMoss Motors customers have The system was unveiled in British The average consumer doesn’t another common denominator: They Motoring a year ago, and people who care what happens behind the scenes. aren’t shy. You let us know in no read that article are continuing to For example, a few years ago while uncertain terms what you thought buy the kit. (A supercharger isn’t an working at a different magazine, I about our abbreviated edition of impulse-buy for the average MGB got a call from an irate reader. He British Motoring. owner.) was incensed because an advertiser That issue was an attempt wouldn’t sell him a part at the price at making the best of a difficult Truth In Advertising advertised in the magazine. He situation: Last fall, the U.S. dollar Magazines and parts prices have wanted the magazine’s editor and began to depreciate compared to the been linked since shortly after Hot publisher to intervene and demand British pound. In September, a pound Rod debuted in 1948 (coincidentally, that the company sell him the part at could be had for about $1.57. By the same year that Moss Motors the advertised price. After holding the November, a pound cost around $1.70, was founded). In the early days of phone a foot away from my left ear for a 12% increase in a few weeks. The automotive-enthusiast publishing, 10 minutes, I finally asked the reader pound surpassed $1.90 in February the two best ways for a parts company which issue and page the ad was on. 2004—approximately a 20% increase to get its phone ringing were by His demeanor changed: “Well, it’s in in six months. Moss Motors chose to advertising a better mousetrap that this issue from six years ago. But that maintain its existing prices through solved problems or by advertising shouldn’t matter. They advertised much of this turbulence, even after attractive prices. Pricing has been a that price, so legally they should have our competitors had raised theirs. Catch-22 since. Before our economy to sell it to me for that.” A decade In order to absorb this hit on all later, I’m still awaiting that promised England-sourced parts, the company subpoena to testify in his court case. cut corners in other areas—including ATTENTION This long-winded editorial strives the employee holiday party and British BRITISH CAR ENTHUSIASTS to serve two purposes: 1) British Motoring package size. Due to the rapidly rising value of the British Motoring was downsized due to strong We weren’t thrilled about Pound, prices are subject to change without foreign currency. We’re planning attaching the British Motoring logo notice. Prices in this catalog are guaranteed four “full” magazines for 2005; with to a five-page editorial section only through March 18, 2004. any luck our Fall ’04 issue won’t be followed by a seasonal sale notice. another abbreviated version. 2) Moss Alternate titles along the lines of went global, companies improved Motors prices are subject to change Moss Gazette & Sale Flier were their profit margins by implementing without notice. Dollar values in these considered but ultimately vetoed more efficient ways to do business. pages are only guaranteed through in favor of continuing to produce Parts prices remained relatively the published cut-off date. For up-to- four publications flying the British stable and would even come down date prices and promotions, look for Motoring banner every year. when competition increased. Price- Moss email notices and visit www. On the surface, the magazine is matching evolved as one way to mossmotors.com often. a money pit: Our limited advertising attract and retain customers. Regrettably, Moss Motors was opportunities are by invitation The advent of global economics recently forced to raise prices on only, and the token $10 fee collected introduced volatility into the system. some of the British-bred parts. But for each classified ad covers only a Even though your replacement springs the worst seems to be past, and the fraction of those pages’ paper and may have the Union Jack on their British pound carries less weight right printing costs. But like strategic label, they might be manufactured now. We’ll roll with the blows and event sponsorship, we feel that the with Korean steel these days. Labor continue working hard to make British positive vibes generated by informing unrest there, political turmoil, or Motoring the best it can be. Summer 2004 • British Motoring | 3 Header Reader Letters Whodunit? We Did It? transmission. I couldn’t be happier. financial caution to the wind when I Moss gave me my start! In the Winter These photos show a little comparison. learned of the Moss supercharger system. 1995 issue of Moss Motoring, you kindly One picture was taken in 1979 when When the MG-owning shop owner published the story of my 1957 MG, she was brand new and the other a few called me to say that my car was ready, Emily. Last year on a whim, I submitted weeks ago on her 25th birthday. The his comment was, “I want one.” I picked a manuscript to an agent. It quickly driver may have weathered a bit over the up the car and all I can say is WOW. blossomed into a three-book series of years, but you can see that the car hasn’t. What a transformation. The car pulled mysteries published by Harper Collins. —Timothy A. White, Tampa, FL strongly and smoothly all through the The first book, Dead End, should be RPM range and accelerated like the bat out by the time you read this. I thought Blown Away from the nether regions. It felt almost it might amuse you to know that the I avidly read the article on the MGB like there was a V-8 under the hood. All protagonist, who owns a classic-car supercharger system in the Summer ’03 this from something much less intrusive repair shop and discovers the dead body issue. I immediately decided that I had and expensive than cross-flow heads, hot of her rival in a glass-beading machine, to have this system for my somewhat cams, tuned carbs, boring and stroking. drives a 1957 MGA—still in need of a anemic ’73 MGB. I did hesitate a As a bonus, the supercharger looks like tune-up and a coat of paint.