For those interested in old cars.

[Horsetan]

Just spotted this:

 

 

Forty quid's a bit steep if you're only going to be seeing the one film during the day....

Edited August 8, 2018 by Horsetan

[Rugd1022]

Shame.

 

IHD_2324.jpg

 

But if you are thinking of Lamborghini - the man who makes tractors - look at something classier than the ugly macho cars.

 

Like this.

 

IHD_2326.jpg

 

These were in the car club section at the Le Mans Classic a month ago. I was there on the Sunday morning, when life is a little quieter, but the exhibits are not all present. You can have a good mooch round and stare at all sorts of exotica. Sometimes, though, you have to pinch yourself, before accepting it is a replica.

 

IHD_2330.jpg

 

Of course, the real thing, which came 4th in 1967, had a broad yellow stripe, being Belgian-entered. But a 330P4, real or fake, is exotic beyond imagining. Although when I lived in Kent there was a local firm manufacturing the replicas. I saw one leaving the local filling station one evening. 

 

Just had another shuftie at your photos Ian - I'm certain the yellow Urraco belongs to Tony Waites, he restored it all by himself in his wooden garage and almost gave up on it at one point. He mentioned taking it to the LM Classic on the Lambo-talk forum a while ago. It's one of the very few RHD Urracos left.

[PatB]

The second pic must be post 1971 (J reg. on 1100).

Well, post August 1st 1970 anyway. Nice bit of battleship architecture there.

[steve1]

Problem with me is it would gain a AVFR3 cam. And I would love a Megasquirt system on one. Twin carbs are not fun and getting through MOT on emmisions not easy.

 

Mind you a lot had electronic ignition.

Neither of mine were electronic ignition. A 'J' reg 1250 and 'H' reg 1500.

 

steve

[Oldddudders]

Just had another shuftie at your photos Ian - I'm certain the yellow Urraco belongs to Tony Waites, he restored it all by himself in his wooden garage and almost gave up on it at one point. He mentioned taking it to the LM Classic on the Lambo-talk forum a while ago. It's one of the very few RHD Urracos left.

And if you don’t flaunt a car like that at such gatherings - why bother? I think it was four years ago that a genuine Ford Mk IV appeared. I told the guy he’d knocked my socks off. From memory, Ford had 8 of these innovative composite chassis made up in the first place in 1966, J1-8. One was written off 52 years ago this month at Riverside, when Ken Miles was killed while testing - the J-type prototype unaccountably became undriveable at speed - and in the 1967 race I think another perished in the “Fords all over the road” accident when Roger McCluskey’s Mk II seized a brake in the Esses. I believe replica chassis, J9 and up, are now extant.

[Rugd1022]

And if you don’t flaunt a car like that at such gatherings - why bother? I think it was four years ago that a genuine Ford Mk IV appeared. I told the guy he’d knocked my socks off. From memory, Ford had 8 of these innovative composite chassis made up in the first place in 1966, J1-8. One was written off 52 years ago this month at Riverside, when Ken Miles was killed while testing - the J-type prototype unaccountably became undriveable at speed - and in the 1967 race I think another perished in the “Fords all over the road” accident when Roger McCluskey’s Mk II seized a brake in the Esses. I believe replica chassis, J9 and up, are now extant.

 

Preston Learner's excellent book 'Ford GT : How Ford Silenced the Critics, humbled Ferrari & Conquered Le Mans' sets everything straight regarding chassis numbers, who drove what, when and won, lost or crashed with some beautiful photography by on the spot man Dave Friedman. I've been through it twice and still haven't caught up! Many of the surviving genuine cars now run around with replacement body panels made and supplied by Tornado Sportscars in Kidderminster, so's to keep the original panels from being damaged at Goodwood, Silverstone, Spa etc.

 

A bit more good cheer on the Mini front - I now have another avenue to investigate regarding the Jap auto thanks to my mate who popped round on Monday, his Reading based pal at Downton Motor Engineering suggested I go for it and have a supercharged 1275 or 1380 dropped in, which sounds like a lot of fun. I've gone from almost giving up on the car to having two specialists giving me lots of food for thought / encouragement in the space of a fortnight. I had half an hour with it this morning walking round it, making a list of all the things I'd like to do to it or change on it as though it were a blank canvas, and looking through my parts stash at all the period bits which would make it look like a Radford or W&P job.   

[doilum]

the only four door escorts i ever saw being used for rallying were the mk2 1300 sport which were popular for road rallies where the cars were built to a lower spec than those used for stage rallying . i did once see a hybrid 2 door mk1 shell with a mk2 front end which was apparently possible using front wings etc from the mk2 estate & van which retained the mk1 shell from behind the A pillar did look a little odd but was quite successful on local road rallies

 

In the days before roll cages became structural, a four door shell would have quickly broken its back after a few good yumps in a forest. I once had a drink with a rep who having shaved 5minutes off his PB time from Aberdeen to Bradford in an Avenger down the A68, found that once opened, none of the doors would close again.

Having spent much of the 80s marshalling in the Yorkshire forests, the only 4 door rally cars I recall were the single class Skodas and Ladas running after the main field.

My transport being a mk1 RS2000. Genuine.

[russ p]

The works dolomites and I believe works avenger tigers were four doors

[Oldddudders]

The works dolomites and I believe works avenger tigers were four doors

 

I don't recall a two-door version of either. 

[russ p]

There were two door avengers but not dolomites

There were two door Toledo's, shame they never made a two door dolomite

[doilum]

The works dolomites and I believe works avenger tigers were four doors

Not an expert, but don't remember a 2 door Avenger. Forgot about the Dolly. Suppose we should include the Landcrab.

[peanuts]

In the days before roll cages became structural, a four door shell would have quickly broken its back after a few good yumps in a forest. I once had a drink with a rep who having shaved 5minutes off his PB time from Aberdeen to Bradford in an Avenger down the A68, found that once opened, none of the doors would close again.

Having spent much of the 80s marshalling in the Yorkshire forests, the only 4 door rally cars I recall were the single class Skodas and Ladas running after the main field.

My transport being a mk1 RS2000. Genuine.

the skodas were running atthe front in the main field and were pretty much dominant in the 1300cc gp B class on loose surrfaces .iirc they won their class on the lombard 13 years in sucsesion google john haugland .also citreon visa GTIs ran in the wrc as a 5 door

[Sidecar Racer]

 For  enlightenment .

 

Edited August 8, 2018 by Sidecar Racer

[keefr2]

Not an expert, but don't remember a 2 door Avenger. Forgot about the Dolly. Suppose we should include the Landcrab.

Later works rally Avengers were two doors - blue & white colour scheme & IIRC they were Chrysler Dealer Team branded....

[doilum]

the skodas were running atthe front in the main field and were pretty much dominant in the 1300cc gp B class on loose surrfaces .iirc they won their class on the lombard 13 years in sucsesion google john haugland .also citreon visa GTIs ran in the wrc as a 5 door

Had one myself for a winter. Great fun in the snow. Seem to recall that they had their own championship as well as being class leaders in class.

Should aso include the Audi 100 and Sapphire Cosworth. And the Rover sd1. And......

[doilum]

For  enlightenment .

 

2 door.jpg

Wasn't questioning, just couldnt recall. Was it a late development? Seem to remember reading comments bemoaning the lack of a two door as it would have been an Escort beater.

For  enlightenment .

 

2 door.jpg

Wasn't questioning, just couldnt recall. Was it a late development? Seem to remember reading comments bemoaning the lack of a two door as it would have been an Escort beater.

[New Haven Neil]

We had a 2 door Aggrovator Avenger, 1600 Super.  Funny barrel control switches on the column.  Sad git edit - JCN 604 N. yet I struggle to recall yesterday sometimes.....

 

Saw a lovely Volvo P1800 today in Peel, from the UK.  A dark green colour, rather than white which they always seem to be now.  A bit like BMW R90S bikes, there are now more smoke orange ones than were made - and very few smoke silver!

 

Edit again - much like this one:

 

Edited August 8, 2018 by New Haven Neil

[Sidecar Racer]

Later works rally Avengers were two doors - blue & white colour scheme & IIRC they were Chrysler Dealer Team branded....

 

Indeed they were .

 

And Minilites ,   

 

Edited August 8, 2018 by Sidecar Racer

[New Haven Neil]

Not a bad looking car really.  Awful reputation for unreliability though, not sure if it was deserved or not - ours was OK.

[great central]

Only just remembered, son asked me a couple of weeks back if I was doing anything this Sunday because he'd booked two cars into the Ilkeston classic car show.

Looking like I'll be taking the Montego, wouldn't trust myself driving his Camarro

[steve1]

 

Awful reputation for unreliability though,

 

Mine ate starter motors and the water pump had to be changed on the 1250 but other than that, no probs at all.

 

steve

[Sidecar Racer]

Wasn't questioning, just couldnt recall. Was it a late development? Seem to remember reading comments bemoaning the lack of a two door as it would have been an Escort beater.

 

 

 

From wiki ,

 

 

The two-door saloon models were added in March 1973, with all engine and trim options of the existing four-door range.[7] Styling of the two-door was similar to the four-door, but the side profile was less curvaceous

[doilum]

By which time Ford were already thinking about the mk2. Can't remember names but there were only one or two regular Avengers rallying as privateers.

[Sidecar Racer]

Not a bad looking car really.  Awful reputation for unreliability though, not sure if it was deserved or not - ours was OK.

 

 When I worked for the Plod we had a large fleet of 1300's in Panda blue/white and a lot in assorted colours 

for general purpose and CID use , and some 1600's , reliability was never a problem AFIR , only real recurring

fault was the clutch cable pulling through the bulkhead , but this was usually at a quite high mileage , the bulkhead

would crack around the  cable entry point and eventually pull through , easily repaired with a home produced over

size plate riveted in .

 

Engines were pretty bullet proof as was the gearbox , but then again maybe the regular servicing and maintainance

routine played some part in that .

 

A nice easy car to work on in it's day , once you new what you were at it was easily possible to do a cluth

change in 30 minutes if you were pushed .

 

At one time I gad a 1500 estate that was used as a tow vehicle when I was hillclimbing the outfit , it used to drag us

all over the country from Cornwall to Yorkshire and never missed a beat despite having a good few miles on  the clock ,

admittedly not the most comfortable but still a good workhorse .

[russ p]

Only just remembered, son asked me a couple of weeks back if I was doing anything this Sunday because he'd booked two cars into the Ilkeston classic car show.

Looking like I'll be taking the Montego, wouldn't trust myself driving his Camarro

Didn't know you had a montego? What model is it?

 

I always thought it odd that the avenger tiger was four door especially the second run as I believe the two door was in production by then

Not sure about the second run but the first tigers had the horrible long rectangular instruments with a aftermarket rev counter which seemed a bit naff to me