For those interested in old cars.

[boxbrownie]

1 hour ago, Captain Cuttle said:

I could never understand why there was nothing under the carb to deflect fuel away from the maniifold on the Mini/ 1100 etc

Didn’t need it, carbs with shields are there for heat protection from the exhaust manifold to keep the inlet manifold/carb cooler, not for protecting against fuel dripping on the manifold, fuel dropped on a hot manifold will  just evaporate rather than burst into flames.

 

I think (although not that familiar with late Minis) the later Minis before they had the silly single point injection “carb” did have a heat shield, it helped with the emission regulations.

Edited May 7, 2021 by boxbrownie

[alastairq]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

 

I still have a copy, the 1960 issue with the Wolseley 6/90 on the cover. It was relevant when I passed my test a little over 30 years ago and still is now.

I remember an ex of mine taking the IAM course, partly because I had. She quit after three sessions because she kept arguing with the instructor.

Three was the also number of cars that she had trashed in three years of driving. 

 Indeed, properly delivered, an advanced driving course is primarily about altering driver attitude.

The fact that many see an advanced course as a ticket to be able to drive faster, is missing the point entirely.

 

I always find I am applying the principles without thinking nowadays...regardless of what speed I pootle about at.

I also found that [when undergoing instructor courses especially] I had been 'applying' the same principles for many years [as a bus driver , of the hairy-nether-regions variety, rather than a ''shop assistant'' ], without actually being 'able' to identify or stick a name on things. In my last job, at first, I sat down and really took a good look at what I had been doing, as a driver, for the previous 25 years....getting rid of the assumptions I had apparently held for so long.

 

I always believed, as an instructor in the various arts associated with 'driving', that I had to really understand , not just 'what' I was teaching, but the  reasons, as well.  Because of that, I found I could be really annoying as far as students were concerned, as I always had the answers to whatever deviousness they came up with.  In other words, I could explain why they should do something, not just, what they should be doing [because I said so].

It was  easier for someone to make decisions in the future, if they understood why things were needed? Rather than simply doing things by wrote, simply because ''my instructor said so''....

 

These 'Speed Awareness' courses, proffered as an alternative to a fine & points for Speeding Offences , properly conducted, with appropriate content, are an opportunity which, I feel, is missed, with regards to driver education.

From reading comments here & elsewhere concerning these courses, and their effectiveness, I conclude either [a] they are not conducted from a  driver training viewpoint, or they are simply seen as an alternative which must be endured, to penalty points?

Far better in my view, if punishment were doled out for the Offence, and driver education included as mandatory in addition. With further penalties for non-attendance? 

Time, I think, for insurers to also take a hand in matters?

Mind, I have never had the opportunity to attend one of these courses [which may vary from location to location?] , so I really ought not to comment. I've tried, but been unsuccessful thus far....

Perhaps my understanding of the 'why' a speed limit is in place, has something to do with it?

Edited May 7, 2021 by alastairq

[Northmoor]

4 hours ago, alastairq said:

 These 'Speed Awareness' courses, proffered as an alternative to a fine & points for Speeding Offences , properly conducted, with appropriate content, are an opportunity which, I feel, is missed, with regards to driver education.

From reading comments here & elsewhere concerning these courses, and their effectiveness, I conclude either [a] they are not conducted from a  driver training viewpoint, or they are simply seen as an alternative which must be endured, to penalty points?

Far better in my view, if punishment were doled out for the Offence, and driver education included as mandatory in addition. With further penalties for non-attendance? 

Time, I think, for insurers to also take a hand in matters?

Mind, I have never had the opportunity to attend one of these courses [which may vary from location to location?] , so I really ought not to comment. I've tried, but been unsuccessful thus far....

Perhaps my understanding of the 'why' a speed limit is in place, has something to do with it?

I know people who have done/had to do these courses and they can apparently feel like a Maoist Self-denunciation meeting where you cannot leave until you have chanted Speed Kills in answer to every question.

 

While it's undoubtedly sensible to drum into the people that think doing 35mph+ up the High Street in the rush hour, that it isn't OK, there can be a focus on "Speed Kills, at all times, driving slowly is safe".  Therefore people driving at 70 on fast and empty single carriageways because the camera van happened to be out at that time on a dray and bright Saturday morning, are treated the same way, when their conscious safety assessment may have been very different.

[alastairq]

23 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

Therefore people driving at 70 on fast and empty single carriageways because the camera van happened to be out at that time on a dray and bright Saturday morning, are treated the same way, when their conscious safety assessment may have been very different.

 Depends on the local policy ?

 

 

[boxbrownie]

1 hour ago, alastairq said:

 Depends on the local policy ?

 

 

Nah depends upon whether the van operator was actually online and not eating his left over pizza from the night before.

[MrWolf]

Whatever it is, it's like shooting rats in a barrel and far more profitable than tackling actual criminals.

[Oldddudders]

14 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Whatever it is, it's like shooting rats in a barrel and far more profitable than tackling actual criminals.

Correct. 

 

We can all understand Gatsos save lives in built up areas, protecting the vulnerable  - the elderly and infirm, mothers with prams, young children. Great. So why do they still flash at 2 a.m., when all those are safely tucked up indoors? Answer - to help achieve the HM Treasury Holy Grail of zero-cost policing. 

[Hobby]

Weren't they looking at variable speed limits based on time of day decades ago? 

[vaughan45]

1 hour ago, Hobby said:

Weren't they looking at variable speed limits based on time of day decades ago? 

 

Yes, but they found that many members of the public didn't understand them (or didn't want to). They are of course used on motorways, where the operators (or the auto bot) controlling them seems to derive perverse pleasure from setting them to 40mph when there are no obvious traffic issues, although I suspect it does help raise speeding fine income.

[MrWolf]

The variable limit on motorways is supposed to stop the traffic from bunching a few miles from a junction when everyone in the first two lanes has had to throw out the anchor because self involved ####s in the third lane suddenly realise they're about to miss their exit and carve everyone else up. Hopefully they won't drop their phone into the passenger footwell or spill that red hot Costa all over the open laptop on the passenger seat.

 

 

Edited May 7, 2021 by MrWolf
SNAFU

[Kickstart]

I have heard clams the setting of the variable limits is automatic. But I have also been stuck dawdling on a virtually empty (2~3 cars within line of sight max) late night motorway with a low variable speed limit. No sign of a build up of traffic anywhere afterwards. On the other hand the opposite direction had no lower limit set, despite being nose to tail and barely moving at all.

 

All the best

 

Katy

[PhilJ W]

15 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

The variable limit on motorways is supposed to stop the traffic from bunching a few miles from a junction when everyone in the first two lanes has had to throw out the anchor because self involved ####s in the third lane suddenly realise they're about to miss their exit and carve everyone else up. Hopefully they won't will drop their phone into the passenger footwell or and spill that red hot Costa all over the open laptop on the passenger seat.

 

 

That's better.

[MrWolf]

32 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

That's better.

 

Cheers. 

[MrWolf]

The shed find wasn't just an ordinary Vauxhall Velox.

 

 

[PatB]

On 07/05/2021 at 00:52, w124bob said:

Just to even things up here's Le Flic's chase vehicle

 

I'm reminded of the climax of the excellent, and very funny, animated film The Triplets of Belville . Hopefully it's not too much of a spoiler to mention that it's an extended chase scene that includes, possibly, every 2CV visual gag ever devised. 

[steve1]

9 hours ago, MrWolf said:

The shed find wasn't just an ordinary Vauxhall Velox.

 

 

 

Hearse?

 

steve

[alastairq]

30 minutes ago, steve1 said:

 

Hearse?

 

steve

Probably his?

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, alastairq said:

Probably his?

Or even Coleman-Milne?

[PhilJ W]

Looks to short to be a hearse, its usual to extend the rear overhang  when doing a hearse conversion. More likely a one off custom conversion.

[Captain Cuttle]

28 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Looks to short to be a hearse, its usual to extend the rear overhang  when doing a hearse conversion. More likely a one off custom conversion.

Looks like a Martin Walter conversion i think, i worked at the Cliftonville branch in the sixties.

[johnlambert]

I've just caught up on the last few days of chat on here.

 

The post about gear-change points on the speedometer of the Volkswagen reminded me of the Citroen 2CV, which also had the change-up points marked on its instrument.  I've heard it suggested (I only drove a 2CV once, a very long time ago and wasn't in the position to try for myself) that these are the optimum change points.  Change up too early and the engine bogs down, too late and the engine runs out of puff.

[MrWolf]

It is the Martin Walter conversion, a company better known for converting Bedford CA vans into Dormobile brand buses and campers. Coach builders Grosvenor built a few too. 

This one has a strange glass fibre tailgate and rear window frames.

When the new Victor F and Velox / Cresta PA were launched in 1957 Vauxhall farmed out the conversion of the six cylinder cars to Friary Motors of Basingstoke. Even the queen had one as Sandringham's grocery getter and it's still there amongst the Rolls and Daimlers.

Conversion of the Victor into an estate was Luton's first attempt at an in house estate car. I think that they did it rather well.

 

 

[boxbrownie]

7 minutes ago, johnlambert said:

I've just caught up on the last few days of chat on here.

 

The post about gear-change points on the speedometer of the Volkswagen reminded me of the Citroen 2CV, which also had the change-up points marked on its instrument.  I've heard it suggested (I only drove a 2CV once, a very long time ago and wasn't in the position to try for myself) that these are the optimum change points.  Change up too early and the engine bogs down, too late and the engine runs out of puff.

Pernod points.......for the instruction of French farmers juiced up after lunch 

[boxbrownie]

5 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

It is the Martin Walter conversion, a company better known for converting Bedford CA vans into Dormobile brand buses and campers. Coach builders Grosvenor built a few too. 

This one has a strange glass fibre tailgate and rear window frames.

When the new Victor F and Velox / Cresta PA were launched in 1957 Vauxhall farmed out the conversion of the six cylinder cars to Friary Motors of Basingstoke. Even the queen had one as Sandringham's grocery getter and it's still there amongst the Rolls and Daimlers.

Conversion of the Victor into an estate was Luton's first attempt at an in house estate car. I think that they did it rather well.

 

 

Like the curved glass wagon windows

[MrWolf]

 

As @Captain Cuttlepointed out, we have a Dormobile.

 

 

Grosvenor versions were a little more adventurous, this was their 1953 offering on that years Vauxhall. There's one known survivor in Canada AFAIK.

 

 

The sun visor is part of the roof and the car appears to be built using body parts that were usually sent CKD to Australia to build the Vagabond convertible.

 

 

Grosvenor also produced the Swansong estate model for 1957, which to me looks the best of the three.