Classic Car Touring
The classic car breakdown kit
Old cars rarely fail dramatically. They fail cheaply, a belt, a hose, a set of points, a blocked jet. And the difference between a twenty-minute delay and a flatbed home is a box in the boot. This is what lives in ours, why each item is there, and the checks that stop most of it being needed.
The short answer
Carry spares for the five things that actually strand old cars, fuel, ignition, cooling, belts and electrics. The tools to fit them, a litre each of oil and coolant, water, a torch, a jack that works, and the paperwork. If the box weighs more than you can lift with one hand, you have packed a workshop, not a kit.
The core kit
Tools. Combination spanners and sockets in your car’s sizes, AF, Whitworth or metric, and never assume. Flat and cross screwdrivers, pliers, side cutters, an adjustable spanner, feeler gauges, a small hammer, a tyre pressure gauge, a test lamp or cheap multimeter and a roll of insulating tape.
Ignition. On points cars: points, condenser, rotor arm, distributor cap, HT lead, a set of plugs and a coil. Ignition faults are the single most satisfying roadside repair because they are usually fixable in ten minutes with a screwdriver and a feeler gauge.
Fuel. Spare fuel filter, a length of fuel hose with clips, and a mechanical pump repair kit or a spare electric pump if yours is a known weak point. Carry a short length of clear hose, being able to see whether fuel is arriving settles the argument instantly.
Cooling. Fan belt (the correct one, fitted once at home so you know it goes on), top and bottom hoses or at least a universal repair hose, jubilee clips in two sizes, self-amalgamating tape and a litre of pre-mixed coolant plus a couple of litres of plain water.
Electrics. Fuses, bulbs for every position, a metre or two of wire, crimp connectors, a spare earth strap and cable ties. Most “dead” classics are a bad earth away from running.
Fluids. A litre of engine oil of the grade you use, brake fluid of the correct specification, and a small bottle of penetrating oil.
Safety and recovery. Warning triangle, hi-vis vest for each occupant, torch with spare batteries, gloves, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher within reach of the driver, a working jack, a wheel brace that fits, a plank or pad for jacking on soft ground, and a tow rope.
Paperwork. Workshop manual, breakdown policy number, insurance details, and a written note of the car’s tyre pressures, plug gap, points gap and timing. Nobody remembers all four at the side of a moor road in the rain.
The five failures worth rehearsing
- Fan belt. Fit one on the drive at home, in daylight, before you need to do it in the dark. Note which bolt has to be slackened.
- Burst hose. Self-amalgamating tape and a jubilee clip will get you to a garage; a spare hose gets you all the way.
- Vapour lock. A hot fuel pump on a slow climb starves the engine. Let it cool, drape a wet rag over the pump, and consider heat shielding before the next tour.
- Points and damp. Damp cap, cracked lead, closed-up gap. Clean, gap, spray with water repellent, carry spares.
- Puncture. Check the spare’s pressure and the brace fits before the trip. Old tyres fail by age as well as tread, check the date codes.
The pre-tour check
An hour in the garage the weekend before saves most roadside dramas. Work round the car: oil level and condition, coolant level and hose feel, belt tension and cracking, brake fluid level and pedal feel, tyre pressures including the spare, tyre age and sidewall cracking, all lights, wiper blades, battery terminals and earth straps, and a look underneath for fresh drips. Then drive it fifty miles loaded. A car that is fine on a five-mile Sunday run is not necessarily fine on a hot climb with four up and a boot full of luggage.
Breakdown cover for an old car
Read three clauses before you buy: the upper age limit on the vehicle, the recovery-to-home provision (a car that cannot be repaired at the roadside needs to get back, not to the nearest garage that will not touch it), and whether European cover is included or an add-on. Some classic insurers bundle recovery designed for older cars; some general providers do not carry flatbeds routinely, which matters for a car that should not be towed on its driven wheels.
Touring the moors specifically
The North York Moors adds two local wrinkles. First, fuel is scarce on the high roads, there is nothing for long stretches on the A169, the Blakey Ridge road or the moor between Whitby and Guisborough, so fill up in Pickering, Helmsley, Whitby or Guisborough and treat a half tank as empty. Second, the gradients are genuine: Rosedale Chimney, Sutton Bank and Blue Bank all punish a marginal cooling system or tired brakes, and Sutton Bank and Rosedale Chimney carry restrictions for caravans and larger vehicles. Mobile signal is patchy on the tops, so note where you are before you call for help, a grid reference or the nearest farm name beats “somewhere past the Lion Inn”.
With the box packed, pick a route: our five Yorkshire classic-car road trips run from an easy half day to a full weekend.
Frequently asked questions
What should I carry in a classic car breakdown kit?
A basic toolkit sized to your car's fasteners, a spare fan belt and top and bottom hoses, ignition spares (points, condenser, coil, plugs, rotor arm and cap on older cars), fuses and bulbs, a litre of oil and a litre of coolant, brake fluid, water, jubilee clips, self-amalgamating tape, cable ties, wire, a torch, gloves, a warning triangle and a working jack with a wheel brace that fits. Add the workshop manual and your breakdown policy number.
What is the most common classic car breakdown?
Fuel and ignition faults dominate, followed by cooling and charging failures. A hot fuel pump vapour-locking on a slow climb, damp or worn points, a perished hose, a slipping fan belt and a failed dynamo or alternator between them account for most roadside stops. All five are cheap to carry spares for and repairable at the roadside with basic tools.
Does breakdown cover include classic cars?
Most UK breakdown providers cover older vehicles, but the terms vary: some set an upper age limit, some exclude cars off the road for long periods, and recovery of a non-running car with no ignition key interlock can need a flatbed rather than a tow. Check the age limit, the recovery-to-home provision and whether European cover is included before touring rather than at the roadside.
Can you drive a classic car long distance?
Yes. The engine is rarely the limiting factor, cooling, brakes, lighting and driver fatigue are. Plan 150 to 250 miles a day rather than 400, favour A and B roads over motorways where a 1960s car sits uncomfortably close to its limits, stop every hour or so, and check oil, water and tyres each morning before setting off.
How do I stop a classic car overheating on a long climb?
Turn the heater on full to shed heat, drop a gear early so the engine keeps revs and the fan keeps working, and avoid stopping and idling at the top. Before the trip, flush the system, fit new hoses if they feel soft or crunchy, check the radiator core is clear of debris and confirm the thermostat and fan are working. On the moors, that matters on Rosedale Chimney, Sutton Bank and Blue Bank above Sleights.
What tools do I actually need for a roadside repair?
Enough to do the five jobs you can realistically do at the roadside: change a fan belt, replace a hose, clean or swap ignition parts, clear a fuel blockage, change a wheel. That means combination spanners in your car's sizes, a socket set, screwdrivers, pliers, a feeler gauge, a small hammer, a torch and a multimeter or test lamp. Anything more usually means a recovery truck.
Should I carry a fire extinguisher in a classic car?
Yes, and mount it where the driver can reach it without leaving the seat. Old fuel lines, cloth-braided looms and worn carburettor gaskets make fire a real, if uncommon, risk. A 1kg or 2kg dry-powder or clean-agent extinguisher, serviced or replaced within date, is a small price for a car that would otherwise be unrepeatable.