For those interested in old cars.

[PhilJ W]

Elfin safe tea are having kittens!

[Kickstart]

1 hour ago, johnlambert said:

 

I'd like to ride a sporting two-stroke 'bike although I understand the power delivery is very peaky.

Depends what you call peaky. From the mid 1980s most had a form of power valve to give some low down and mid range power.

 

There are 2 basic types. Ones that alter the top of the exhaust ports to change the port timing (in effect, variable valve timing). And those that change the volume of the exhaust port. First time far more effective, but at first they seemed to struggle getting designs that didn’t infringe Yamaha's patents. Gilera managed to come up with a design that did both.

 

But still peaky compared to lazy car engines. Part of what makes them so much more fun to ride.

 

All the best

 

Katy

[Rugd1022]

More Americana -  first up, a couple of typically middle aged lady shots followed by some shots  from the 1968 Chicago Auto Show.... they illustrate very well the different aspects of the period, the suburban housewife / family appeal of the early '60s and the growing youth market from the middle of the decade onwards....

 

 

 

[Oldddudders]

Those massive gas-guzzlers! But those mature ladies obviously were used to them. 

 

In 1971, just 21, Sherry flew to Michigan to be with her (English) fiancé, and to get married. He was on a GM training scheme with a number of other Brits from Vauxhall. Most of the other guys had bought sensible compact cars, but Pete had bought a Chevrolet Impala. Now Sherry was a confident driver, having driven her father's Corsair, and loved his later 1600E Cortina - but this was something else! Given that Pete's car at uni had been a Spridget, it was an odd choice, but Sherry coped. 

[Kickstart]

This turned up elsewhere. Thought people might be interested

 

All the best

 

Katy

[russ p]

2 hours ago, Kickstart said:

This turned up elsewhere. Thought people might be interested

 

All the best

 

Katy

 

 

Probably useable as brake fluid now! Great prop for a car show though 

[Rugd1022]

3 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Those massive gas-guzzlers! But those mature ladies obviously were used to them. 

 

In 1971, just 21, Sherry flew to Michigan to be with her (English) fiancé, and to get married. He was on a GM training scheme with a number of other Brits from Vauxhall. Most of the other guys had bought sensible compact cars, but Pete had bought a Chevrolet Impala. Now Sherry was a confident driver, having driven her father's Corsair, and loved his later 1600E Cortina - but this was something else! Given that Pete's car at uni had been a Spridget, it was an odd choice, but Sherry coped. 

 

Lovely little snippet there Ian. I'm being drawn more and more towards the US stuff of late, not helped by nipping round to see a mate from work who's busy turning his '73 Camaro into Santa Pod special. When I went to the Stoneleigh American show last Summer I was reminded just how big some of those behemoths are, even the so called mid sized / intermediate cars are gynormous compared to British built fare. It's rare to see any of them on the roads apart from the when the show season is on (looking forward to things getting back to normal on that score, eventually). The internal dimensions of my garage allow anything up to about 16'6'' in length to fit in reasonably comfortably, the trouble is even those mid sized cars like the Plymouth Furys, Dodge Coronets etc are easily 17' long. I've got enough room behind the garage to build another one large enough to take a yank mobile but any decision will have to wait until the current CV malarkey passes.

 

Meanwhile, another bit of gratuitous self indulgence - some more American Auto Show photos from Chicago, Detroit and New York taken between 1966 and 1972.... they were very different times....

 

 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Did I see a Mk. III Cortina slipped in there? A good look at 60's clothing fashions as well.

[boxbrownie]

8 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Did I see a Mk. III Cortina slipped in there? A good look at 60's clothing fashions as well.

Yes, I knew her, Julie Ege...at the 1970 Earls Court show.....

[Ashcombe]

13 hours ago, Rugd1022 said:

 

Lovely little snippet there Ian. I'm being drawn more and more towards the US stuff of late, not helped by nipping round to see a mate from work who's busy turning his '73 Camaro into Santa Pod special. When I went to the Stoneleigh American show last Summer I was reminded just how big some of those behemoths are, even the so called mid sized / intermediate cars are gynormous compared to British built fare. It's rare to see any of them on the roads apart from the when the show season is on (looking forward to things getting back to normal on that score, eventually). The internal dimensions of my garage allow anything up to about 16'6'' in length to fit in reasonably comfortably, the trouble is even those mid sized cars like the Plymouth Furys, Dodge Coronets etc are easily 17' long. I've got enough room behind the garage to build another one large enough to take a yank mobile but any decision will have to wait until the current CV malarkey passes.

 

Meanwhile, another bit of gratuitous self indulgence - some more American Auto Show photos from Chicago, Detroit and New York taken between 1966 and 1972.... they were very different

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your photos brought back memories! We went to the 1971 or 1972 Detroit Auto Show (I was in the US from June, '71 - May, '72) and remember the models (cars and girls!!), if not the exact year! 

[Rugd1022]

Glad to be of service Ash .

 

A while ago I posted some examples of Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kauffman's work for Pontiac, I found out this morning that Art painted the cars and Van did the backgrounds and figures, what a terrific collaboration with wonderfully evocative results....

 

 

 

 

[great central]

Quote:

 

The internal dimensions of my garage allow anything up to about 16'6'' in length to fit in reasonably comfortably, the trouble is even those mid sized cars like the Plymouth Furys, Dodge Coronets etc are easily 17' long. I've got enough room behind the garage to build another one large enough to take a yank mobile but any decision will have to wait until the current CV malarkey passes.

 

To give you an idea, my son's Chevrolet Camaro (M reg) fits quite comfortably, only thing to be aware of is it's a two door soft top with very long doors. It wouldn't fit in the garage at the bottom of the garden because that's partitioned to give space for Deepcar to be erected. The 2012 Dodge Challenger he had for a while also fitted but with the much higher bonnet (hood) made it a bit difficult to get to the bottom bolts on the doors.

I've just measured the garage beside the house, roughly 16' 6" from back wall to doors.

The other vehicle he got when he bought his Camaro back in exchange for the Challenger definitely won't fit, he'd regretted selling the Camaro almost as it was driven away.

I'd like to keep the other one but finances don't allow. It's a Chevrolet Silverado pick up, 350 cu.in. V8 and very little in the way of silencer!

Edited May 10, 2020 by great central
Missing word

[Rugd1022]

Thanks for that GC, duly noted .

 

Here's another splash of yankydoodle colour - not everyone's cup of tea granted, but following on from the 'Mod Top' photos I posted last year here are some more examples of American vinyl roof and interior eccentricity from the Plymouth and Dodge stables, as well as the floral / psychedelic stuff there's even a snakeskin version amongst them on a '72 Dodge Charger, I've also included a few model shots.... bottles of mind bleach are available at the nearest exit for those easily offended....!

 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

A pal has a 72 (I think) Olds Delta 88 Royale Convertible, unfortunately I can't find a photo just now - it has a 455 so goes OK for a huge tank.  It is black so is known as The Boat, as in 'Das Boot'!!

 

For such a huge car it seems to be a little cramped in accommodation, except in width!

[great central]

Something a little more mundane for a lockdown Sunday, refitting the dashboard in the Montego after repairs to the non-functional heater. 

These things were only designed to be fitted once I think!

Got it neatly into place then realised the heater controls were still trapped at the bottom, d'oh!

 

[gr.king]

Having several times had hours of "fun" getting the probably simpler dashboard in and out of a RWD Cavalier, trying to damage nothing, normally getting something trapped or mis-located in the process, I understand quite well.....

[russ p]

21 hours ago, great central said:

Something a little more mundane for a lockdown Sunday, refitting the dashboard in the Montego after repairs to the non-functional heater. 

These things were only designed to be fitted once I think!

Got it neatly into place then realised the heater controls were still trapped at the bottom, d'oh!

 

 

I've got this job to do soon, there is actually only five bolts that hold the dash , once the instruments are out everything else is 'supposed ' to slide off. Mine is to replace a cracked dash was yours the heater motor? 

The manual says remove the dash for matrix removal but this is not the case

[jwealleans]

Heater controls, especially fans are a ba***rd.   The one on the Allegro needs virtually the whole dashboard removing.

 

Score one for the Germans - when the fan on my Skoda stopped working last Autumn, up behind the glove compartment, two thumbscrews rotated half a turn each and the whole lot just dropped into the footwell.   Took me longer to order the new one online than change it.

[peanuts]

1 minute ago, jwealleans said:

Heater controls, especially fans are a ba***rd.   The one on the Allegro needs virtually the whole dashboard removing.

 

Score one for the Germans - when the fan on my Skoda stopped working last Autumn, up behind the glove compartment, two thumbscrews rotated half a turn each and the whole lot just dropped into the footwell.   Took me longer to order the new one online than change it.

my last astra was pretty much the same unscrew a small panel in the passenger footwell and boom access to the lot .contrast with my Renault espace  which required removal of the whole dash and center console which  in turn required removal of the front seats to give access the dash was that big 

[great central]

20 minutes ago, russ p said:

 

I've got this job to do soon, there is actually only five bolts that hold the dash , once the instruments are out everything else is 'supposed ' to slide off. Mine is to replace a cracked dash was yours the heater motor? 

The manual says remove the dash for matrix removal but this is not the case

 

The motor is fine, some tatty looking bits of curly wire and a cut out on a scratty bit of PCB. The cut out was open circuit so my son's replaced it with a fuse on long wires so it's accessible.

While he was at it replaced the corroding heater inlet pipes with a mixture of copper and hose, the copper because I had some sitting around.

Biggest problem seems to be getting the top of the dash back behind the clips at the bottom of the windscreen and also realigning the heater controls and vent outlets, not really a one man job.

[russ p]

52 minutes ago, great central said:

 

The motor is fine, some tatty looking bits of curly wire and a cut out on a scratty bit of PCB. The cut out was open circuit so my son's replaced it with a fuse on long wires so it's accessible.

While he was at it replaced the corroding heater inlet pipes with a mixture of copper and hose, the copper because I had some sitting around.

Biggest problem seems to be getting the top of the dash back behind the clips at the bottom of the windscreen and also realigning the heater controls and vent outlets, not really a one man job.

 

Those heater pipes can be a right pain.

Dash replacement  is definitely one job I'm not looking forward too when I put mine back on the road, I've removed and replaced the mk1 plastic dash but only removed the later mk2  ones

[96701]

My dad's Hillman Hunter 1725 alloy head with overdrive. I'd passed my test and he let me borrow it. What a beast. It would see off Cortina 1600 Es with ease. Lots of fun, but seemingly unavailable today...

 

[Killybegs]

Didn't they also do a sporty version. I seem to recall my Dad having one with stripes down the side when he sold his Midget. Not his normal cup of tea at all. He moved on to Imps after that!

[Rugd1022]

9 hours ago, 96701 said:

My dad's Hillman Hunter 1725 alloy head with overdrive. I'd passed my test and he let me borrow it. What a beast. It would see off Cortina 1600 Es with ease. Lots of fun, but seemingly unavailable today...

 

 

The reg' number isn't far off my first Rover P6, a '73 2000TC (one of the last made) which was 'WCW 375M'....

 

 

[Northmoor]

9 hours ago, 96701 said:

My dad's Hillman Hunter 1725 alloy head with overdrive. I'd passed my test and he let me borrow it. What a beast. It would see off Cortina 1600 Es with ease. Lots of fun, but seemingly unavailable today...

 

I've clicked "Like" but can't believe I've done that for an image of a Hillman Hunter.....

 

Weren't the warmed versions known as Holbay Hunters after the manufacturer of the special carbs?  Just consulted Wikipedia; yes).