Kevin Leaper
Has more cars than most main dealers and more projects than South-Central LA. Almost none of them work.
Website URL: http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/kevin-leaper.html E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
T-16 Powered MGB GT
I admit it, I like MGBs. Okay it’s not something I’m proud of but it’s probably best I get it out in the open straight away. Since first being diagnosed with the affliction I’ve probably had more than ten bouts of MGB, some cases were worse than others. Full restorations, Heritage shells, V8s, Roadsters with dodgy Bermuda roofs, I’ve had them all, but my current project started off as the most boring of the lot.
It began life as a 1973 MGB GT, I got it six years ago and ran it around in standard form for the first two years. Then I found out the family history of the Rover 800 turbo engine. It turns out the Rover engine was a development of the the O-series engine, and the O-series engine was a development of the original B-series engine. With an illustruisous family heritage like that I had to find out if the Rover
(T-16) engine would fit an MGB, well you would wouldn’t you.
Bought in the Dark
When PPC’s Kevin Leaper had his mid life crisis he did what most petrolheads do - he bought a Porsche. Only his crisis was a little deeper than most, so he was broke. That ruled out a 911 so it had to be a 928. In an alternative galaxy the 928 could be the ultimate Porsche; big V8, stunning looks and quirky interior. Only in the Milky Way we live in they’re been completely overlooked.
Kev’s wish list included manual gearbox (very rare), black interior and a decent service history. He bought this 928 in the dark, not noticing the interior was actually brown, and the speedo worked erratically on the way home, suggesting the recorded mileage was just that, the recorded mileage, not the actual mileage.....
1964 Jaguar E-Type
There could easily be a trend occurring with my staff cars that goes along desired car A, bought car B. Ownership of my 1964 3.8 E-type coupe began like most these days, by browsing on the web. But this was ten years ago and it’s hard to believe but buying cars off the web was a new concept.
At the time I was mature student funding my course by servicing cars at weekend and drinking at student bar prices. When the letter came offering a student loan I nearly threw it in the bin as I didn’t need a loan but the bit about zero interest grabbed my eye. I could get ten grand interest free and back then interest rates were pretty high. So I took the loan and started looking at cars I’d always dreamed of owning. E-types came top of the list but....

Kevin Leaper



