A summer afternoon drive through smooth open roads is one of life’s greatest little pleasures.
There is nothing better than having the wind in your hair, a patchwork quilt of sun-kissed country lanes to thread your way through and a great set of wheels to enjoy. We’ve picked one out for every budget – which would you go for?
1970 Triumph Herald 13/60 - £1500
For those on a budget, this Herald is in sound running order after a few replacement parts. The seller freely admits it needs a little TLC, with visible decay around the sills and doors, and patches of rust on the bonnet. The cab is in need of a bit of a revamp before you head off towards that weekend on the coast, but won’t be long before this motor is becomes a brilliant run-around for your summer holidays.
1971 VW Beach Buggy – £7000
Fully restored and upped from 1600cc to 1650cc for added oomph, this roadster’s great for pretending you’re in sun-kissed California rather than Sunbury-on-Thames. This sky blue 1971 car is perfect for taking a couple of surfboards down the beach or at least popping out for a paddle.
1967 Austin Speedex 750 – £12,000
This roadster has been stripped down, cooled off and completely rebuilt. 50% of the bodywork is still original and it comes with plenty of history. The Speedex became so successful in early 1960s that creator Jem Marsh was given an award for the car’s creativity. Now it’s ready to grab plenty of attention at a car show near you.
1959 MG TD - £23,500
This wonderful MG is just waiting for you to take it along some quiet country lanes to a charming riverside pub. No it’s not in the more obvious shades of red more readily associated with T-types, but it’s been fully restored and has a measly 6000 miles on the clock. They’re great fun to drive and brimming with character.
1957 Ford Thunderbird – £47,603
This Thunderbird has been lovingly maintained and has a laundry list of original style refurbs and replacements. It’s been repainted in its original vanilla paintwork, and the 5.1-litre, 245bhp V8 is perfect for cruising lazily to your nearest classic car show. It’s also – seeing as the car’s located in France – the perfect excuse to disguise picking it up as your next holiday!
1955 Austin-Healey 100 – £69,995
topping pace, this racey Austin-Healey 100 looks to be in great condition, and should have plenty of summer adventures left in it. This fully-restored roadster will not only keep you entertained on England’s leafy lanes, but also grab the attention of every passer by with its shapely curves.
1984 Jaguar D-type - £360,000
It says a lot about D-types that even replicas attract six figure sums, but this is just about the closest you can get to popping to the pub in Jaguar’s 1950s Le Mans winner. Maintained by CKL for a number of years, this 1984 model is an authentic Jaguar recreation. In the real world it’s beautiful and bizarre in about equal measure, but it’s the ultimate of upstaging the E-type owners at a summer pub meet!