alastairq Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 If an old but cheap sports car is one's barra.....then one cannot beat one of the 'specials' that were produced throughout the 1950's. Find one with 'sidevalve' Ford running gear, and you'd have a sprightly motor, with all the driving characteristics of a pre-WW2 car. It would have a chassis..probably the Ford item....and all the necessaries, parts, bits 'n bobs, and stuff generally needed to replace stuff, or keep it running, are available freely via the Ford Sidevalve owners club, or specialists like SmallFordSpares.[without whom, I, for one, could not have done without over these past 2.5 decades!!]. Whilst sidevalve Ford engines are no longer cheap as chips in every scrap yard..[they compare with buying a new engine these days]...they are reliable. The FSOC has a specials section...well worth joining if sidevalving appeals.... Rusty floors could be ignored, too......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) Well talking about the two Daimler's got me a bit nostalgic so I've dug a few old photo's out of some of my previous classics Number one is one of two Mk X that I have owned this one an early 3.8 and with FSH and only 36,000 she was a beauty and drove wonderfully but I've never been able to track her down after I sold her and I think (fear) the chap who had her - a garage owner from Ipswich brought her for the 3.8 engine which is a shame as she was a very sound car and when I sold it it was with four brand new old stock genuine doors still in original factory undercoat, they weren't fitted because quite simply she didn't need them. she won best in class (S type, 420, Mk X) at the Jaguar drivers club east of England rally one year. The first photo is a black and white done by an old girl friend who fancied herself as a bit of a photographer. The other one I had was a 1970 white 420G which I fear I've lost the photos of but the 3.8 was by far the better car Here's the 3.8 again doing wedding duties for a friends wedding Next photo is my first Daimler V8 a 1969 model which I did a lot of welding on the underside on, never a good car but helped me cut my teeth on in my early days of car restoration. PS yes I know the bonnet is on first catch which I didn't notice until after the photo was developed Here is the second Daimler V8 this time a 1967 model in very good condition which had been fully restored but was brought with an auto gearbox fault which was fixed by Danes the gearbox people in Norwich. A lovely car but was a bit of a money pit and took a lot of work to keep it on the top line. In these pictures she is seen along side the Rover at various car rallies Heres my little Standard 10 well the wife's but I used it most trust me though it was a lot rougher than it looked but was fun if some what tinny and basic for three years or so. Note the Rover in the back ground this photo taken on Yarmouth sea front Thanks for bearing with me with these. here is one of the Rover at an evening photo shoot at the East Anglian Transport museum with a friends MG and the museums HR2 London tram And finally where it all started me as a 6 or 7 year old sat on the bonnet of my dads 3.8 Mk X when it was still an almost new car back in the mid sixties back in the day when having a jag meant something The Rover as you all know I still have and the British racing green Daimler lives with some good friends of mine Bob and Doreen who live in Lowestoft Thanks Steve Edited April 12, 2015 by Londontram 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted April 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2015 You've not changed a bit Steve! Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 (edited) Of interest in one of the photos of the Daimler and Rover taken at a rally in Southwold in Suffolk you can just see the front of an XK150 behind the Rover this Jag belonged to some friends of mine Malcolm and Jill and is the XK150 that has just been brought by Dragons Den Theo Paphitis as seen in this article http://www.jagxk.com/news/title/theo-paphitis-collects-his-car.html Here's the photo again Edited April 11, 2015 by Londontram 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 You've not changed a bit Steve! Andy G Thanks Andy I wish I was that thin again Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 but did you ever polish it just to prove the analogy wrong ? Fortunately I didn't have it for very long. I must have bought it while I couldn't drive due to my broken collar bone, as it came from the company I was working my notice at when I had my head-on collision. I only started driving again a few days before I started my new job, so probably wasn't keen on the pain involved in polishing! Having had the only (very minor) accident that was my fault a few months before my XR3 was written off, my no claims bonus went from 60% to nothing at the next renewal, and I replaced the Turd with a Polo, that was much nicer, and cheaper to insure. So I'm delighted to say that I've almost certainly never proved the analogy wrong! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 ...... back in the mid sixties back in the day when having a jag meant something.... Yes, the criminal fraternity certainly thought so! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Yes, the criminal fraternity certainly thought so! I think the Krays had a black Mk X didn't they? and no episode of the Sweeney would be complete without a Mk 2 or an S type as the get away car usually with it ending up being rolled or driven of a cliff into a water filled quarry or some such similar fate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I think the Krays had a black Mk X didn't they? and no episode of the Sweeney would be complete without a Mk 2 or an S type as the get away car usually with it ending up being rolled or driven of a cliff into a water filled quarry or some such similar fate. Don't forget the big stack of empty cardboard boxes... at least it was kinder to the car which would live to see another chase. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 but did you ever polish it just to prove the analogy wrong ? Hmm, I know. Why don't we ask the MythBusters? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 I think the Krays had a black Mk X didn't they? and no episode of the Sweeney would be complete without a Mk 2 or an S type as the get away car usually with it ending up being rolled or driven of a cliff into a water filled quarry or some such similar fate. Quentin Willson once reviewed these cars in the old incarnation of "Top Gear", and found that at least one model was capable of standstill to 60 in about 10 seconds, which must have been unbelievable for a saloon car in the '60s. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 FIAT 124 was a revelation when it came out...in the 1960's... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 FIAT 124 was a revelation when it came out...in the 1960's... And rusted away again a couple of years later. I had a Russian one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The FIAT 124 was actually quite a different beastie to the Russian [Lada] version..or indeed, the SEAT version, or the various others [including KIA?].. For example, it had disc brakes all round.....and shook the European car world with a 1200cc engined, family saloon capable of over 90 mph! The Russian variant had several hundred differences over the Italian product....[including the engine...which, although I think it was FIAT designed,FIAT never used it themselves?] The point being, when it was introduced [in around 1966, I think?]...what else could be had on the family car market? Nissan [Datsun] and Toyota were still yet to arrive in the UK.....VW still clung on to the aircooled beetle.....Renault were still rear engined, I think....[although the R4 came out earlier..but, hey ho, who in the UK wanted to have one of them seen on their driveway? [yes, automotively-speaking, we were a pretentious lot back then too....although not as bad as we are today?]].......so we were left with Ford Anglias, the first Cortina's [Escorts didn't arrive until '68...I once owned an F-plate 1300GT!]....BMC 1100 &1300, Viva from Vauxhall...the Opel Kadette..... Then FIAT announced the 124! In my view, the very first family car with what are now seen as modern ideas about performance! Heck, they sold a 4 door saloon that would blow off an MGB, ffs! Really, the 124 & it's FIAT derivatives announced the beginning.....and the end.....of an automotive era. [the end of the traditional sports car?] ''Things will never be the same again?'' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 The Russian variant had several hundred differences over the Italian product....[including the engine...which, although I think it was FIAT designed,FIAT never used it themselves?] The engine IIRC was an all-Russian affair being an alloy OHC job that was quite advanced compared to the Fords etc of the time. It did sound like a bag of spanners though. They addressed the rot problems by simply making all the metal thicker. Mine was an estate with colossal finned alloy drums on the back. It also had the best heater of any car I've ever had. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 .......so we were left with Ford Anglias, the first Cortina's [Escorts didn't arrive until '68...I once owned an F-plate 1300GT!]....BMC 1100 &1300, Viva from Vauxhall...the Opel Kadette..... Don't forget the new Triumph 13/1500 fwd models and the Hillman Imp Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Worryingly, the Russian navy had Lada [class] submarines..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lada-class_submarine Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 (edited) Don't mention the Imp or its relative, the Singer Chamois! Bought and sold at an auction in Leicester. THE most Gawd-awful rotbox I have ever owned - the whole ar$e end of mine was eventually composed of rubberised horsehair and multiple tins of Isopon - The tappets were impossible to keep in adjustment, the head gaskets had to be replaced at 1000 mile intervals, it used more water than petrol, and I can honestly say that it was the one car I was MOST pleased to get shot of! - I think I put up suffered with it for around 4 months! Edited April 12, 2015 by shortliner Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 no episode of the Sweeney would be complete without a Mk 2 or an S type as the get away car usually with it ending up being rolled or driven of a cliff into a water filled quarry or some such similar fate. I understand that when John Thaw took on the role of Inspector Morse he insisted on having a MkII Jag (rather than the Lancia as in Colin Dexter's books) because he'd always wanted to drive one when he was in The Sweeney but never got chance to! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Don't mention the Imp or its relative, the Singer Chamois! Bought and sold at an auction in Leicester. THE most Gawd-awful rotbox I have ever owned - the whole ar$e end of mine was eventually composed of rubberised horsehair and multiple tins of Isopon - The tappets were impossible to keep in adjustment, the head gaskets had to be replaced at 1000 mile intervals, it used more water than petrol, and I can honestly say that it was the one car I was MOST pleased to get shot of! - I think I put up suffered with it for around 4 months! So you didn't like it then? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted April 12, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2015 Mike, I'm very much a blue collar everyday Ford bloke, so little chance I'll ever be in the market. As far as looks go, it doesn't quite sit right with me... can't quite put my finger on it, but the lines seem a little "awkward" somehow. The dead straight lines of the fins seem to be at odds with the curves elsewhere. I'd genuinely never seen one before stumbling across the picture. Regarding floor rot, sadly that's common across a lot of marques. Just one of the many pitfalls, I guess. I certainly wouldn't take a gamble on an old car without having a decent garage to keep it in, a good selection of tools, and more skill and knowledge than I currently possess! One day... Actually if you intend to use a classic car (as opposed to a vintage car) a garage isn't a very good idea. I have a moggy minor GPO van in daily use (LNERGE and Beast66606 will testify!) and that sits outside the box in all weathers, but at home it sits under a carport. This is better than a garage as it allows air movement all around it, and therefore you get much less rot that putting it in the garage (especially if you put it away wet!). If you do use a garage a must is a de-humidifier...... Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 One of the above does the same job.....around £300 or so, Dancover, from Denmark...excellent service & backup....survived an awful lot of gales too....allows a throughput of air, yet surprisingly, keeps stuff dry....only advise using the heaviest PVC cover they offer, however. The one above is 6 metres long, too big for the car inside, so houses things like lawnmowers, logs, bits & bobs, etc...accessible from both ends, and wide & high enough to drive a Daihatsu Fourtrak through, from one end to the other...[just].... After much mulling, decided it was the best option for me...since the ground it is on [well hardcored and gravelled] is sloping....so any sort of rigid, fixed shelter would have levelling issues...the Dancover does not! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 ^ There's also the Carcoon, which is a sort of inflatable bubble that you stick the car in, fed by a small compressor, I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 With the Dancover garage, it is simply that...a drive-in-drive-out shelter....I can even work on the car inside it..[i have some lights strung up]....I am surprised how resilient it has proved in foul weather. During the cold spells....surprisingly the interior warmed quite rapidly once the sun came out...... During strong winds, the ends are secured with elasticated bits....somewhat like bungee straps....indeed, I have used a bungee or two to replace lost bits... The outcome of this is a flexible end which can bell out, or in, according to wind direction & strength.....thus allowing the air to pass through unhindered....the steel tube frame is anchored at at least 4 points, by long ground anchors....and although there is some movement, it never shifts position. Sometimes, condensation can form on the inside of the cover in cold weather, but this soon dissipates.... a simple cover over the car suffices.....[keeps the seat dry, if nothing else].... Starting the engine, which needs full choke, doesn't result in a coughing fit on my part.....unlike when I had a real garage for it..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted April 12, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2015 The engine IIRC was an all-Russian affair being an alloy OHC job that was quite advanced compared to the Fords etc of the time. It did sound like a bag of spanners though. They addressed the rot problems by simply making all the metal thicker. Mine was an estate with colossal finned alloy drums on the back. It also had the best heater of any car I've ever had. Most Russian cars appear to have very good heaters, they have to cope with Siberian winters. Don't mention the Imp or its relative, the Singer Chamois! Bought and sold at an auction in Leicester. THE most Gawd-awful rotbox I have ever owned - the whole ar$e end of mine was eventually composed of rubberised horsehair and multiple tins of Isopon - The tappets were impossible to keep in adjustment, the head gaskets had to be replaced at 1000 mile intervals, it used more water than petrol, and I can honestly say that it was the one car I was MOST pleased to get shot of! - I think I put up suffered with it for around 4 months! Obviously not maintained properly before you bought it. If the wrong, or as in some cases no anti-freeze was used you would very soon end up with a scrap engine, excessive use of water was a sign of poor maintenance. The cause was electrolytic corrosion between the aluminum block and the cast iron 'wet' cylinder liners. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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