For those interested in old cars.

[boxbrownie]

13 hours ago, Captain Cuttle said:

My elderly mums mk 3 Fiesta stood outside all the time she owned it in a Cornish seaside village with no evidence of rust at all. Mildrew inside yes, wet carpets and rusty wheelarches, started first time every time, tappety engine but so reliable! Apart from the spare wheel carrier under the floor which released the spare wheel on a dual carriageway between Helston and Falmouth once. Nobody stopped and we had to retrieve around speeding traffic....happy days.

I must admit I am surprised at the lack of rusty wrecks down here, and we live literally yards from the sea, lots of very old "modern classics" still running around doing proper daily duties as well, probably because a lot of people cannot afford newer cars, they may be old and battered (mainly due to the unforgiving Cornish "hedges" but they certainly don't have rust showing everwhere.

[Taigatrommel]

35 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Lovely cars, Mrs BB actually mentioned a couple of months ago that she'd like us to try and find another

There's a well restored 1980 example for sale in Swindon currently, they're asking £6500.  That's got the GS dash rather than the satellites and bathroom scale speedo/rev counter.

 

3 hours ago, Hobby said:

 

Definitely here! When I set up the other thread I did say cars designed in the 80s onwards as "moderns", i.e. when the electronics were starting to get more complicated and other gizmos added, as that was in production from 1970 and so was 60s designed...  

The dashboard is pure 80s even if the body isn't!

[PhilJ W]

I read somewhere that the GS engine was two 2CV engines on a common crankshaft.

[Hobby]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

I read somewhere that the GS engine was two 2CV engines on a common crankshaft.

 

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/passenger-cars/michelin/gs/flat-4/engine.html

[boxbrownie]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I read somewhere that the GS engine was two 2CV engines on a common crankshaft.

Similar design and concept but not as simple as two engines together.

[MJI]

I knew someone with a new one when I was a teenager

[Northmoor]

10 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

I must admit I am surprised at the lack of rusty wrecks down here, and we live literally yards from the sea, lots of very old "modern classics" still running around doing proper daily duties as well, probably because a lot of people cannot afford newer cars, they may be old and battered (mainly due to the unforgiving Cornish "hedges" but they certainly don't have rust showing everwhere.

Growing up in Pembrokeshire in the 80s was similar.  I reckoned the county had the highest number of original (i.e. not restored) Morris Minors still in everyday use, of any county.  Likewise, because of the agricultural industry being the second largest employer at the time, Land Rovers were everywhere.

If you ever want to buy a "modern" classic as a running restoration, go and explore the parts of the UK with low average wages.  The cars are more likely to still be in everyday use, as opposed to the weekend toys they become in more affluent areas.

[boxbrownie]

15 hours ago, MJI said:

I knew someone with a new one when I was a teenager

Ours from the auction was only two years old which is probably why we liked it so much, it hadn’t yet got to the “bits falling off or spewing hydro fluid” category

[MJI]

3 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

Ours from the auction was only two years old which is probably why we liked it so much, it hadn’t yet got to the “bits falling off or spewing hydro fluid” category

 

 

And it was in Observers book of cars 1977, which we all used to look through and think what we would like, and laugh at US car engines at 4.2l 80bhp.

 

Then drool at the Lambourghini pages.

 

Book with SD1 on the cover

[boxbrownie]

1 hour ago, MJI said:

 

 

And it was in Observers book of cars 1977, which we all used to look through and think what we would like, and laugh at US car engines at 4.2l 80bhp.

 

Then drool at the Lambourghini pages.

 

Book with SD1 on the cover

We had an imported Chevrolet Lumina MPV it had (from memory) 3.2L V6 with just 120/130 bhp but it had the classic all low down torque that the yanks love, it was front wheel drive and you couldn't pull away with anything other than a feather foot or you got the sudden screech of tyres (tires? ) from all the american detective programs of the 80's.

 

It was glorious for touring Europe which we did with the kids on several occasions.

[boxbrownie]

1 hour ago, MJI said:

 

And it was in Observers book of cars 1977,

I think the GS actually got COTY when it was launched.

[Northmoor]

2 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

I think the GS actually got COTY when it was launched.

Correct, 1971, that's actually a more memorable car than some COTYs.  The Renault 9 won in 1982......

 

Although the Fiat Uno won in '84 and the runners up were the Pug 205 and the Golf Mk2.  That was quite a year.

Edited February 10, 2022 by Northmoor
Extra sentence

[Taigatrommel]

I took the GSA to a Citroën specialist (spécialiste?) today to have a couple of minor issues (known at the time of purchase) looked at, feast your eyes on the selection in his yard!  DSs certainly have the exterior cool, but the CX interiors seem like the sort I would very happily spend a long journey in.  The rear legroom looks like it compares favourably to our Skoda Superb!  Externally I've always found them a bit ungainly, I feel the shape suits the shorter GS/As better... I daren't take a ride in one, I'm sure I'd be swayed!  There were restored cars around the corner, but there's an buzz for me of seeing the unrestored ones.

[Captain Cuttle]

On 11/02/2022 at 00:45, Taigatrommel said:

I took the GSA to a Citroën specialist (spécialiste?) today to have a couple of minor issues (known at the time of purchase) looked at, feast your eyes on the selection in his yard!  DSs certainly have the exterior cool, but the CX interiors seem like the sort I would very happily spend a long journey in.  The rear legroom looks like it compares favourably to our Skoda Superb!  Externally I've always found them a bit ungainly, I feel the shape suits the shorter GS/As better... I daren't take a ride in one, I'm sure I'd be swayed!  There were restored cars around the corner, but there's an buzz for me of seeing the unrestored ones.

Lovely, i expect all those motors talk to each other and tell thier stories!!

[Captain Cuttle]

I have a question for you all, a friend who lives in the USA is looking to buy a 50s/60s medium or large British car to use over there. He is looking for something reliable  with automatic transmission, is that possible considering the age and spares do you think?

 He has mentioned Morris Oxford, Daimler and Armstrong Siddeley.

[Rugd1022]

Spotted just round the corner from where I live this morning....

 

 

[boxbrownie]

50 minutes ago, Captain Cuttle said:

I have a question for you all, a friend who lives in the USA is looking to buy a 50s/60s medium or large British car to use over there. He is looking for something reliable  with automatic transmission, is that possible considering the age and spares do you think?

 He has mentioned Morris Oxford, Daimler and Armstrong Siddeley.

For spares availability probably a Jaguar of some kind would be better, plenty of specialists.

 

A Mk10 would be about mid size in the States! 

Edited February 12, 2022 by boxbrownie

[alastairq]

3 hours ago, Captain Cuttle said:

Lovely, i expect all those motors talk to each other and tell thier stories!!

I bet they all send the Mercedes in the middle, to Coventry? 

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, Captain Cuttle said:

I have a question for you all, a friend who lives in the USA is looking to buy a 50s/60s medium or large British car to use over there. He is looking for something reliable  with automatic transmission, is that possible considering the age and spares do you think?

 He has mentioned Morris Oxford, Daimler and Armstrong Siddeley.

 

2 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

For spares availability probably a Jaguar of some kind would be better, plenty of specialists.

 

A Mk10 would be about mid size in the States! 

I was about to say Jaguar. Perhaps an early XJ would be suitable. From a spares point of view there are some American components that could be used especially if its a Borg Warner gearbox (American designed). Some diff components such as gaskets and bearings are identical to some American Fords or so I understand.

[Hobby]

There are quite a few Rover P6s over in the States, I suspect most with the auto and V8. Once fettled they are reliable enough. I think one of them is preferable to a Morris Oxford!

[Oldddudders]

14 hours ago, alastairq said:

I bet they all send the Mercedes in the middle, to Coventry? 

Stuttgart Untertürkheim, surely?

[MJI]

14 hours ago, alastairq said:

I bet they all send the Mercedes in the middle, to Coventry? 

 

That is where they send Hillmans and Jaguars

[Taigatrommel]

On 12/02/2022 at 18:48, alastairq said:

I bet they all send the Mercedes in the middle, to Coventry? 

If I hadn't managed to find a GSA, I'd probably have ended up with a Merc W123 or W124.  Would you guess that I like comfortable cars...?

[Captain Cuttle]

On 13/02/2022 at 08:53, Hobby said:

There are quite a few Rover P6s over in the States, I suspect most with the auto and V8. Once fettled they are reliable enough. I think one of them is preferable to a Morris Oxford!

He has come back with some more suggestions, now keep the language in your replies civil please!!

Humber, Austin Princess,Land Crab, Maxi, Hillman's and Wolseley automatics.

[PhilJ W]

Given that spares can be expensive, if they are available. It comes down to a straight choice between a Jaguar and a Rover P6. The Jaguars as I stated above used many American designed components and the US was Jaguars biggest market, some years 60% of all Jaguar sales were in the US. The Rover P6 also sold well in the USA and its V8 engine was originally produced by Buick as well as using the American designed Borg Warner gearbox as used in the Jaguar.