For those interested in old cars.

[Stubby47]

Is it a split radiator for two separate cooling circuits ? Engine and Oil for example ?

[MJI]

Both engines shared the same cylinder dimensions 63mm X 105mm.

 

That is a bit extreme

 

My last Rootes engine was about 88 by 67

[Silver Sidelines]

Hi Stubby

Is it a split radiator for two separate cooling circuits ? Engine and Oil for example ?

Well it looks split!  But no - a standard '72 radiator from an MGB.  One big connection at the top right and one big connection at the bottom right.

 

It looks wrong to me and I cannot ask the last owner why he kept the radiator because he has sadly passed on.

 

Ray

[MJI]

 

Avenger Tiger.

 

Keith

 

I definately would, or even better a sorted Lotus Sunbeam

 

That chassis could handle a lot more than 100bhp

[russ p]

I had a 225bhp lotus sunbeam , it should have had wipers on the side windows as it was hardly ever in straight line.

Great fun but not very practical for Norfolk country roads.

Ideal for the North Yorkshire moors

[skipepsi]

Hi Stubby

Well it looks split!  But no - a standard '72 radiator from an MGB.  One big connection at the top right and one big connection at the bottom right.

 

It looks wrong to me and I cannot ask the last owner why he kept the radiator because he has sadly passed on.

 

Ray

Is it possible that this a repair / reconditioned item where they found two cores that fit the header and footer and couldn't get the right part quickly enough?

[37114]

Saw this little gem in town on wedding duties today:

 

 

Sufficiently spurred on by the Series 1 and Nidge's photos of his mini wheels, I decided to get my recently restored wheels back onto my project, which enabled it to leave the garage for the first time in 5 months:

 

[Silver Sidelines]

Thanks skipepsi

Is it possible that this a repair / reconditioned item where they found two cores that fit the header and footer and couldn't get the right part quickly enough?

Well it looks like two cores.  Obviously Acorn radiators were sufficiently proud of their radiator to add their name to the header - or was that left over from before a repair.

 

I don't know anything about repairing radiators and what size cores might be available but using two different sizes doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

Ray

Edited October 15, 2016 by Silver Sidelines

[PhilJ W]

That is a bit extreme

 

My last Rootes engine was about 88 by 67

Virtually all British cars had long stroke/narrow bore engines between the wars. This was due to the taxation system which was based on the RAC horse power formula rating system which was calculated on piston area alone. Thus an engine with a narrow cylinder bore could have a lower hp rating than a similar sized engine with a larger bore but shorter stroke. Such engines were limited in the rpm they could deliver and tended to suffer excessive bore wear so the tax system was replaced wth a fixed rate for all cars which led to cars with the short stroke engines we have today.

[skipepsi]

Thanks skipepsi

Well it looks like two cores.  Obviously Acorn radiators were sufficiently proud of their radiator to add their name to the header - or was that left over from before a repair.

 

I don't know anything about repairing radiators and what size cores might be available but using two different sizes doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

Ray

No but if it is all you have to hand then make it work. Two extra joints to be made and you are up and running again.

[Wolseley]

Both engines shared the same cylinder dimensions 63mm X 105mm.

 

 

The bore on both engines was the same, but the stroke on the 1930s Minxes was 95mm.

[jetmorgan]

Saw this little gem in town on wedding duties today:

 

WP_20161015_14_37_10_Pro.jpg

 

Sufficiently spurred on by the Series 1 and Nidge's photos of his mini wheels, I decided to get my recently restored wheels back onto my project, which enabled it to leave the garage for the first time in 5 months:

 

a14.JPG

Looks very nice...recently bought myself a Discovery, off Ebay, to replace my old Defender but I was very very tempted by several series 3 LWB's that needed mild restoration...including several with the 2.6 straight 6 like my very first Landy

[PatB]

Not a fantastic vintage car - just an old radiator. 

 

 

But why the rather obvious 'join'?  I am rather hoping that some of you more knowledgable will have an answer.

 

 

It looks far older than 1972 which is when the car was registered.

 

Here's hoping

 

Ray

 

 

Is it possible that this a repair / reconditioned item where they found two cores that fit the header and footer and couldn't get the right part quickly enough?

 

I'd agree that it's probably the result of a repair, possibly after damage rather than corrosion. I suspect that, once upon a time, radiator core was sold by the square foot and so replacing only the broken bit was cheaper by some margin than doing the whole thing.

 

A favourite means of damaging large areas of radiators used to be (for all I know still is) leaving off the longitudinal tie bars that prevent excessive movement of engine and gearbox. Much of the time you won't notice but combine slightly squidgy engine mounts and a good hard emergency stop and, if underbonnet clearances are a bit tight, the engine strains forward and the fan leaves a lovely circular impression in the back of the radiator.

[Wolseley]

Here's a photo my late father took back in 1961 or 1962 of the car park at St Ives Village Shopping Centre.  I have no idea why on earth he took this photo but, with the passage of time, it has gained interest.  The grey and white Hillman Minx is my father's car and, for the benefit of a large slice of this forum's membership, the car on the right is an FB Holden Station Sedan (for some odd reason Holden called them station sedans for a few years before they bowed to common usage and started calling them station wagons).

 

[PhilJ W]

Here's a photo my late father took back in 1961 or 1962 of the car park at St Ives Village Shopping Centre.  I have no idea why on earth he took this photo but, with the passage of time, it has gained interest.  The grey and white Hillman Minx is my father's car and, for the benefit of a large slice of this forum's membership, the car on the right is an FB Holden Station Sedan (for some odd reason Holden called them station sedans for a few years before they bowed to common usage and started calling them station wagons).

 

The raritey has to be the Simca Aronde centre stage.

[£1.38]

The raritey has to be the Simca Aronde centre stage.

Just what I was thinking, but you beat me to it.

 

I guess they would have been very rare in Australia?

 

EDIt

 

though they were obviously on sale

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1959-SIMCA-ARONDE-Australian-Sales-Advert-/121083719681

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1955-SIMCA-ARONDE-Australian-Sales-Advert-/121506112347

Edited October 16, 2016 by £1.38

[PatB]

And on the left is, I think, a Morris Major (or possibly an Austin Lancer; afficionados can probably tell ), which had a lot in common with the Wolseley 1500.

 

As for the Simca, I suspect it was part of someone's brave but doomed attempt to commercially import something a bit unusual, something with which Australian motoring history is extensively littered.

[Rugd1022]

Saw this little gem in town on wedding duties today:

 

WP_20161015_14_37_10_Pro.jpg

 

Sufficiently spurred on by the Series 1 and Nidge's photos of his mini wheels, I decided to get my recently restored wheels back onto my project, which enabled it to leave the garage for the first time in 5 months:

 

a14.JPG

 

Splendid stuff!

 

I've just got back from the Mini show at Stoneleigh and on the way back along the A45 found myself behind a lovely old 1963 A reg'd Landie in 'standard' dark green with white hard top, trundling along on its skinny tires it looked a treat. As I followed him something caught my eye which looked a bit odd, in place of the usual small round tail lights and indicators it had a pair of large oblong light clusters grafted on, similar to those on a Lotus Elan +2! It was sat quite high too so I could see the chassis was in fine fettle.

 

Re the Mini show, I had intended to buy just a pair of side indicator lens for the green Jap Mini but managed to come away with a pair of Radford style Perspex sun visors and Wood & Pickett style front indictor lenses as well! Also had a useful chat with the lads on the Optimise stand, they specialise in bespoke interiors and it looks like I'll be booking the Mini in at their Staffordshire workshop in the New Year for some interior tweaks and a dark green vinyl roof.

[Wolseley]

 

I guess they would have been very rare in Australia?

 

Unusual but not rare.  I remember seeing a number of them around - someone I went to high school with had one for a few years.  They were manufactured in Australia in the late 50s and early 60s (although how much of the cars were local content I don't know.  One price list I have in a car magazine from 1962 shows the Simca as costing  £1095 against, for example, the Hillman Minx, which cost £1099.

[Wolseley]

And on the left is, I think, a Morris Major (or possibly an Austin Lancer; afficionados can probably tell ), which had a lot in common with the Wolseley 1500.

 

I don't want to disagree, but it looks more like an Austin A55 to me.

 

Now, the Morris Major/Austin Lancer/Morris Major Elite, there's something that's interesting, and quite a lot of them have survived.

[Wolseley]

Well, I've gone digging through my photos, and here we have an early Austin Lancer:

 

 

And an early Morris Major:

 

 

And the facelifted Morris Major:

 

 

 

Morris Major Elite:

 

 

There was also a facelifted Austin Lancer, but I don't have any photos of them.

 

There was no Austin Lancer Elite as BMC Australia rationalised their dealerships in 1962 and made them all BMC dealerships, so there was no need for separate Austin and Morris models (similarly, in Australia the Mini was only sold as a Morris, the 1100 as a Morris, and the 1800 as an Austin).

Edited October 16, 2016 by Wolseley

[Steve K]

Fans of the recent genre of "slow" telly, might like this attempt to start a long-inactive Series 2 CX GTi Turbo:

 

 

The running commentary is beautifully understated

 

Back when the Citroen CX was a car you could expect to see on the road most days, I thought they were hideous, absolutely horrible. But now, looking at pictures again, I think they are really quite beautiful machines. They look like a sleek aircraft with the wings removed, and I'd be overjoyed to spot one on the road again.

 

Similarly, I've started seeing a Rover SD1 on the roads around here recently, and it's quite amazing, the warm fuzzy feeling of nostalgia that it invokes. At the time, those cars were derided (probably with good reason), but 40 years on, it's easier to appreciate the design, and the mere fact of this car's survival brings a smile to my face.

[Rugd1022]

Well, I've gone digging through my photos, and here we have an early Austin Lancer:

 

 

And an early Morris Major:

 

 

And the facelifted Morris Major:

 

 

 

Morris Major Elite:

 

 

There was also a facelifted Austin Lancer, but I don't have any photos of them.

 

There was no Austin Lancer Elite as BMC Australia rationalised their dealerships in 1962 and made them all BMC dealerships, so there was no need for separate Austin and Morris models (similarly, in Australia the Mini was only sold as a Morris, the 1100 as a Morris, and the 1800 as an Austin).

 

That Austin Lancer looks fantastic, very purposeful... there's something about an old car in British Racing Green with racing circles that always hits the right spot.

 

Before I bought my XJ6 two years ago I had my eye on a late ('67) Mk2 2.4 in Racing Green, the owner had already modified it under the skin somewhat and had I bought it, the plan was to replace the standard steel wheels with painted wires, fit new anti-roll bars and spruce up its all black interior. The plan fell through when it sold the same day I was supposed to go up to Shropshire and view it... I'd still like one some day.

Edited October 16, 2016 by Rugd1022

[w124bob]

There is an episode of Police Camera Action which features a donor organ run, the Met do a swap somewhere off the M11 to central London in an SD1. Pretty sure the car and one of the outriders retire(expire!) on reaching the hospital.

[PatB]

I don't want to disagree, but it looks more like an Austin A55 to me.

 

Now, the Morris Major/Austin Lancer/Morris Major Elite, there's something that's interesting, and quite a lot of them have survived.

 

You may well be right. It's a long time since I saw either an A55 (British or Australian) or an unfinned Major.