For those interested in old cars.

[Wolseley]

Standard 8 also had no boot lid. Austin Healey Sprite [mk1] the same.

 

 

There were a fair few cars of the late 1940s/early 1950s that did not have boot lids and not all of them were at the lower end of the market.  Early Jowett Jupiters were another car with this feature (or should I say, lack of this feature).

[Rugd1022]

Nice period shot of the much missed Jochen Rindt with his daily driver, note the dented front bumper...

 

 

His good friends Mr.Stewart and Mr.Hill taking ballet lessons at the Nurburgring in '65...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sidecar Racer]

 I wonder how the current drivers would get on with those skinny tyres .     

[RJS1977]

Nice period shot of the much missed Jochen Rindt with his daily driver, note the dented front bumper...

 

F1 JR Rindt Porsche 1967.jpg

 

His good friends Mr.Stewart and Mr.Hill taking ballet lessons at the Nurburgring in '65...

 

F1 Jackie-Stewart-and-Graham-Hill-at-Nurburgring-in-1965A.jpg

 

I think at least one of the cars in the bottom picture is now in the Caistor Castle Motor Museum.

 

No, sorry, it's Jim Clark's though I think one of Jackie's cars is in there as well.

Edited April 27, 2017 by RJS1977

[DDolfelin]

Many years ago, my car broke down and I had to get from London to Eastbourne and back.

A friend lent me a Metropolitan he had 'restored'.

In the event it turned out that the heater didn't work and it was in the chill of winter that I returned and was stopped by police (out of curiosity I think)

and was virtually unable to speak I was so cold. My teeth chattering were making more noise than the engine.

I returned the car with many thanks.

[BernardTPM]

There's a Metropolitan hiding in this picture taken in July 1962:

 

Clue: it's light blue and white. This was actually a reject slide my Dad took so it got a bit scuffed, hence the off mid-blue drop-out marks in places. There's a few other now very old vehicles to spot. 'The Robin Hood' was on what was then the A11 where it runs through Epping Forest.

 

[PatB]

There's a Metropolitan hiding in this picture taken in July 1962:

RobinHoodJuly1962.jpg

 

Clue: it's light blue and white. This was actually a reject slide my Dad took so it got a bit scuffed, hence the off mid-blue drop-out marks in places. There's a few other now very old vehicles to spot. 'The Robin Hood' was on what was then the A11 where it runs through Epping Forest.

Apparently complete with "Continental" spare wheel which I think was an optional extra (although I may be wrong).

[Jol Wilkinson]

There's a Metropolitan hiding in this picture taken in July 1962:

RobinHoodJuly1962.jpg

 

Clue: it's light blue and white. This was actually a reject slide my Dad took so it got a bit scuffed, hence the off mid-blue drop-out marks in places. There's a few other now very old vehicles to spot. 'The Robin Hood' was on what was then the A11 where it runs through Epping Forest.

Taken in the days when going to Clacton was still thought to be a good idea for a holiday or day out.

 

The Bedford on the left looks like a "personnel" van. I am not sure if it is a Dormobile or if that name only applied to the camper van version. My father had one for his work with two fore/aft slatted benched in the back. Three speed (I think) column shift  and very sloppy steering.

[w124bob]

Spotted these 2 little gems yesterday, the VW bus was sitting the town square in Civray, Charente. Whilst the Renault 4 van was in the nearby village of Villeganan, my minimal grasp of french was tested as the owner was nearby but I did get the reference to a trip to Morocco, I assume thats what the stickers are about.

 

 

A car rally consisting of nearly 200 vehicles passed through the area yesterday but I contrived to miss most of it as they were running late, and I finished up driving in th opposite direction as the tail enders passed me. But spotted a Ferrari 264, an E type, Alfa Remeo Juliette saloon from the 60's, a 50's Mercedes Benz 190 coupe, Volvo 121 and finally a full rally spec Ford Escort mk1

Edited April 28, 2017 by w124bob

[BernardTPM]

The Bedford on the left looks like a "personnel" van. I am not sure if it is a Dormobile or if that name only applied to the camper van version.

Dormobile was a trade name used by Martin Walter Limited who did conversions and bodies, a lot based on Bedford vans, but it became something of a generic term for Motor Caravans.

[petethemole]

There's a Renault 4CV in the background of the Robin Hood photo, not exactly a common sight in UK at the time.

[PatB]

There's a Renault 4CV in the background of the Robin Hood photo, not exactly a common sight in UK at the time.

Your eyesight must be better than mine. I thought it might be a split window Beetle (if we're looking at the same car) but the Renault identification is probably right.

 

Oddly enough my Aunt and Uncle owned a 4CV c1960 and lived somewhere in North London (the suburb name is in one of those annoying blank spots in my memory). I wonder...

 

On the Bedford CA, there was also a crew-bus with conventional seating by rows-almost a precursor to the modern people-carrier. I'm not sure if sloppy steering came as standard. Dad had a rental Dormobile at one stage and always described its driving characteristics as very pleasant. Mind you, a few years later he bought a Morris Oxford automatic so I'm not entirely sure of his judgement vehiclewise .

 

Edit: That elusive place name was Harpenden, which is, of course, not actually in London and is quite a long way away from Epping Forest. So probably not them then.

Edited April 28, 2017 by PatB

[Jol Wilkinson]

Dormobile was a trade name used by Martin Walter Limited who did conversions and bodies, a lot based on Bedford vans, but it became something of a generic term for Motor Caravans.

Bernard,

 

thanks. The Martin Walter name rings a bell (I have recollections of a build plate with that  name on it) , so I think it must have been a Dormobile.

 

Jol

[petethemole]

It's behind the CA. There's a distinct break in slope on the rear which rules out the VW and the louvres are much larger; the VW had narrow ones below the rear window. I only noticed it because there was one in a TV programme the other night and I'd had to look it up!

[Rugd1022]

There's a Metropolitan hiding in this picture taken in July 1962:

RobinHoodJuly1962.jpg

 

Clue: it's light blue and white. This was actually a reject slide my Dad took so it got a bit scuffed, hence the off mid-blue drop-out marks in places. There's a few other now very old vehicles to spot. 'The Robin Hood' was on what was then the A11 where it runs through Epping Forest.

 

Going by the date the surf blue / old English white Mk1 Mini will most likely be an 850 'Super' or a 997 Cooper, which both shared the two tone paint combo and stainless steel brightwork around the tops of the doors.

[PatB]

It's behind the CA. There's a distinct break in slope on the rear which rules out the VW and the louvres are much larger; the VW had narrow ones below the rear window. I only noticed it because there was one in a TV programme the other night and I'd had to look it up!

Indeed you are correct. Now I've had the opportunity to look at the picture with a bit more magnification it becomes fairly obvious.

 

On the rarity of European cars in the UK at the time, Dad used to tell the story of how he was interested in (I think) a Renault Dauphine until his discovery that his local Renault dealer didn't have a single metric spanner in their workshop .

[PhilJ W]

The Bedford Workabus was the one with the wooden slatted seats in the back. I had a former Workabus in the 70's, the wooden slatted seats had been replaced by a pair of front seats from a Mk. IV Zodiac. Nothing wrong with the steering, it was the gearchange that was sloppy. One little niggle, the battery was under the floor, just inside the passenger door. Martin Walkers installed a step in that doorway that prevented the battery from being removed as it had to be slid sideways and then up.

[BernardTPM]

It's behind the CA. There's a distinct break in slope on the rear which rules out the VW and the louvres are much larger; the VW had narrow ones below the rear window. I only noticed it because there was one in a TV programme the other night and I'd had to look it up!

I can confirm that it is a Renault 4CV - here's a close-up. Next to it is a Vauxhall PA. It has the original style rear lights, but I'm not sure if it has the single or 3-piece rear screen:

 

The period signs may be of interest. The garage itself would make a good model scene.

[Oldddudders]

I note the Rindt Porsche has a Stuttgart plate. We don't know the year, sadly. Personal transport delivered to him on a trip to Zuffenhausen, no doubt. Now they are at Weissach.

 

Tour Optic 2000 is a belter. Passing close to Chez Moi a couple times in recent years, the cars can be jaw-dropping. Daytona Cobra, anyone? Porsche 906, 907, 910, sir? No problem. GT40s by the bucketload. All on B-roads among everyday traffic, at thoretically legal speeds. Yeah, right, that's why the racing Porsche was audible several rises and dips after passing!

[Fat Controller]

It's behind the CA. There's a distinct break in slope on the rear which rules out the VW and the louvres are much larger; the VW had narrow ones below the rear window. I only noticed it because there was one in a TV programme the other night and I'd had to look it up!

Would that have been 'Maigret'? There were some lovely classic French cars and commercials in that.

[Oldddudders]

I note the Rindt Porsche has a Stuttgart plate. We don't know the year, sadly. Personal transport delivered to him on a trip to Zuffenhausen, no doubt.

I note Rindt was in a works Porsche with a V8 at the Nurburgring 1000km in 1966, although at LM he drove a Comstock GT40. The previous year he had won LM in a Ferrari 250LM. I think this pic shows an early 911. Any other guesses or clues about the date?

[petethemole]

Would that have been 'Maigret'? There were some lovely classic French cars and commercials in that.

 

Yes, it was Maigret. My looking up of old cars on TV has mostly been for the recent re-runs of Poirot, but this site http://www.imcdb.org/ often comes in handy for when my son asks what a car or truck is. Convoy recently prompted a lot of queries (and I ID'd the '37 Chevy coupe in the truck stop parking lot without looking).

[w124bob]

More French gems, including a Renault 4CV in the same square as the VW from yesterday(today was market day). The DS is owned by an english chap living in Theil and is in a nearby supermarket carpark. The gent lived very close to his father and mentioned british sportscars. As I walked back from taking my next picture an early Spirfire trundled past, french registered but with silver on black UK numbers. It headed in the same direction as the DS towards Theil. Across the road out side a Citroen work shop was this well used Peugeot 403 estate, insurance sticker in the window is current so I assume thecar gets used.

[Ohmisterporter]

I had a workmate with a CA. He had worked at a local factory with security gates but was allowed to take his van inside because he occasionally transported stock between two sites. One day he took a fancy to a brand new shovel and decided that to avoid the security check he would fasten the shovel underneath his van. With shovel duly in place he set off home and was stopped for a check. Given the all clear he set off and had just moved when there was a clattering from under the van. Fearing the worst he climbed out desperately thinking of an excuse for the security guys. Looked under the van and..... the exhaust had fallen off! 

[Horsetan]

I note the Rindt Porsche has a Stuttgart plate. We don't know the year, sadly. ...

That's an old-style Austrian plate. Salzburg, possibly. W = Wien, K= Kärnten / Carinthia, N = Nieder Österreich, etc. Back then, Austrian plates were assigned to each registered driver, and would go with the driver rather than the car. In effect, a plate for the life of the driver.