Historic vehicle road tax

[Horsetan]

Weren't those Jags supposed to be gangsters' cars? Or was that an image invented by The Sweeney, etc?

[Arthur]

Talking of my old sales manager, I'm reminded now about my own cars of the time. My first company was a dark blue Mk IV Cortina which seemed very 'plain' alongside that vinyl roofed Marina though it was probably a darn sight more reliable. I swopped it for a much more glamorous, dark blue, Talbot Alpine hatchback with a kind of vinyl sunroof, which could be wound open, oh! brave new world!! Within a year the bonnet had faded from dark blue to a strange purple, and it became very unreliable.

 

The same chassis was used, I think, under the Talbot Rancho, that pseudo off-roader, any of them still on the road?

[Londontram]

Weren't those Jags supposed to be gangsters' cars? Or was that an image invented by The Sweeney, etc?

I think the Krays had a black Mk X once

[trisonic]

My elderly Aunt used to drive a 1952 Mark VII. She used to peer out below the top of the steering wheel.... She later bought a Mk X which I really liked too - it was black. As she lived in Wanstead at the time I must assume she had Kray connections.,,

Nice photo, thanks.

 

Best, Pete.

[Londontram]

A funny but true story back in the 1960s we lived at Newbury and my dads work took him regularly up to London around the Windsor Richmond area at the same time Sir Angus Ogilve the husband of Princess Alexandra also had a red Mk X and lived in Richmond park. We would often go with dad and go on for a day out in London after.

 

      One day while sat in a traffic jam my mum noticed about 200 yards ahead a young pc on point duty had stopped all traffic at a crossroads and was it seemed franticly gesturing to us, my mum told my dad who with a resigned nod just said he got it all the time round the Richmond area pulled out of the traffic and much to my mums embarrassment drove down the wrong side of the road past every other car all of whom were trying to see who the “famous” occupants of the bright red Jaguar were, over the cross roads taking the salute of the police man as we passed my mum by this time was all but crouching in the foot well. As I said apparently this was not a rare occurrence my dad being a senior manager for a well known food retail chain always had a suit on and looked the part it seems.

[Prometheus]

On its debut, at the Paris Motor Show back in the Fifties, the demand for the new DS was such that Citroen were caught napping when deluged by over 12,000 orders at the end of the first day of the show.

 

 

I remember seeing the earliest of them in France in 1956. They were from outer space when compared to the Somersets that you could still then buy, new, in the UK. They must still be one of the most beautiful cars ever designed. And so French.

 

Tony.

[edcayton]

Just thought I would bore you with an old family snap, I’ve always been a classic car fan and the 1949 Rover is the end of a long line (and hopefully a keeper) that has consisted of 4 classic Jags 2 x Mk 2s and 2 x Mk Xs one a 1963 3.8 and one a 4.2 a 1968 1600 E Cortina (First ever car) Triumph R6 (should have kept) dolly sprint (wish I hadn’t) Herald and Standard Ten (both cheeky little cars and great fun) and a few others that came and went and in my younger days served my time at a Leyland garage when most of the above were still “new” cars. But here’s a photo of me about 8 years old with my dads Mk X in the 1960s when they were still building them the car that started it all for me

 

That looks lovely. I came within an ace of buying a mkX, the engine blew up between me giving a deposit and picking it up!

 

Is that a standard colour? I certainly don't recall seeing them with black roofs.

 

Ed

[Londontram]

That looks lovely. I came within an ace of buying a mkX, the engine blew up between me giving a deposit and picking it up!

 

Is that a standard colour? I certainly don't recall seeing them with black roofs.

 

Ed

No I think it was one colour when new though not sure if it was all over black or red to start with. The seats were dark blue leather which I would have thought would have been an option with a black car so most likely it was black to start with, my dads was the second owner the first being the owner of a Jaguar dealership near Andover I think, so the car was in tip top order and about three years old when my dad got it. I seem to recall it was a 1963 3.8 dad got it in 1966 and sold it in 1970

[Horsetan]

.... Talbot Alpine hatchback with a kind of vinyl sunroof, which could be wound open, oh! brave new world!! Within a year the bonnet had faded from dark blue to a strange purple, and it became very unreliable....

The thing I remember about Talbot (initially badged Chrysler here) was that their engines tended to go all rattly after about 12,000 miles. The rest of the car might be fine, but the engine sounded like it was worn out, especially the valvetrain. A family friend once lent me her Talbot Samba. It was fun to drive, but that little engine was very loud....

[Peter Bedding]

(Some) Historic vehicles I have known, and paid the road tax.

 

Firstly, me in my first car. Actually I bought a one fifth share for one pound in 1956, but the other share holders fell by the wayside, and I held on to it for nearly two years. In 1956 the gummint suspended the need for "L"-drivers to be accompanied by qualified drivers, so the "L"- Plate was fixed semi - permanently. Cooking petrol was just over 4s per gallon, and it was not unknown for the ungodly to cut it with TVO at 2s per gallon. I did buy road tax, honest, the disc must have fallen down inside. At 17, the Island was mine until the tank ran dry.

 

 

 

Secondly, and five years on, and after several more "historic" episodes, my all-time favourite, for one year only. At 16mpg, and serious wet rot in the coach work, it had to go. The A 40 was mine until the tank ran dry.

 

Happy days, salad days.

 

PB

[Jon Fitness]

I used to own a motorbike that only did 15mpg......

Bet it was a H1!

JF

[Horsetan]

A funny but true story back in the 1960s we lived at Newbury and my dads work took him regularly up to London around the Windsor Richmond area at the same time Sir Angus Ogilve the husband of Princess Alexandra also had a red Mk X and lived in Richmond park. We would often go with dad and go on for a day out in London after.

 

      One day while sat in a traffic jam my mum noticed about 200 yards ahead a young pc on point duty had stopped all traffic at a crossroads and was it seemed franticly gesturing to us, my mum told my dad who with a resigned nod just said he got it all the time round the Richmond area pulled out of the traffic and much to my mums embarrassment drove down the wrong side of the road past every other car all of whom were trying to see who the “famous” occupants of the bright red Jaguar were, over the cross roads taking the salute of the police man as we passed my mum by this time was all but crouching in the foot well. As I said apparently this was not a rare occurrence my dad being a senior manager for a well known food retail chain always had a suit on and looked the part it seems.

He must have dined out on that one for years!

[MJI]

Completely shocked about the lack of Avengers, I thought them excellents cars, so much better than the horrible Marina or crude Escorts.

 

I used to borrow my mums estate with interesting 1600

[MJI]

The thing I remember about Talbot (initially badged Chrysler here) was that their engines tended to go all rattly after about 12,000 miles. The rest of the car might be fine, but the engine sounded like it was worn out, especially the valvetrain. A family friend once lent me her Talbot Samba. It was fun to drive, but that little engine was very loud....

 

Best Talbots were a 3 door hatch and a 4 door saloon with estate option, no engine rattle as they had a very good pushrod lump, (or a Lotus 2.2)

[APOLLO]

A few pix of my old Rover, bought for £600 in 1982. Never rebuilt but has had a respray a few years ago and bits & bobs done over the years. The new colour was a Nissan blue, a touch darker than the correct Rover Zircon blue. The bodyshop got the colour a touch wrong, but I think it's a nicer colour so I wasn't bothered.

 

New brake master cylinder fitted last Sunday - I hour to do ! Allways a few jobs to do here and there. The time clock has never worked since I bought it, though as I disconnect the battery in the boot everytime I garage it it's no hardship. Time stands still for this car anyway !!. The heater under the rear seats has never worked either, the plumbing works, electric fan doesn't - again as I don't use it in winter no bother.

 

I need to fully service her in the next few weeks, and feed the leather, which is in good nick.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited to add - You can see the original Zircon blue at the rear of the bonnet in the engine photo. In reality you can't tell the difference, it's only here and the door-shuts.

 

Brit15

[Horsetan]

It has been said that the present-day Chrysler 300c drew heavily on the P5/P5b. If true, it shows there's nothing new under the sun...

[PhilJ W]

The same chassis was used, I think, under the Talbot Rancho, that pseudo off-roader, any of them still on the road?

Only four left!

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk

And enter the car of choice

[PhilJ W]

One of the best cars I ever owned was a Nissan Prairie 1.8GL. There's only four of them on the road now as well.

[Horsetan]

One of the best cars I ever owned was a Nissan Prairie 1.8GL. There's only four of them on the road now as well.

The neighbour across the street had one for many years for his gardening / landscaping business. He swapped it a few years ago for a decidedly secondhand Toyota Previa.....with a towbar.

 

I remember the Prairie as a taller variant of the Nissan Sunny 130Y, but with even less personality....which isn't saying much!

[PhilJ W]

The neighbour across the street had one for many years for his gardening / landscaping business. He swapped it a few years ago for a decidedly secondhand Toyota Previa.....with a towbar.

 

I remember the Prairie as a taller variant of the Nissan Sunny 130Y, but with even less personality....which isn't saying much!

Mine was rear ended by a truck, rolled at least three times before ending up on its roof. My only injury was a cut finger from the broken glass. Despite the damage all the doors, including the sliding side doors, opened and shut perfectly.

[Londontram]

A few pix of my old Rover, bought for £600 in 1982. Never rebuilt but has had a respray a few years ago and bits & bobs done over the years. The new colour was a Nissan blue, a touch darker than the correct Rover Zircon blue. The bodyshop got the colour a touch wrong, but I think it's a nicer colour so I wasn't bothered.

 

New brake master cylinder fitted last Sunday - I hour to do ! Allways a few jobs to do here and there. The time clock has never worked since I bought it, though as I disconnect the battery in the boot everytime I garage it it's no hardship. Time stands still for this car anyway !!. The heater under the rear seats has never worked either, the plumbing works, electric fan doesn't - again as I don't use it in winter no bother.

 

I need to fully service her in the next few weeks, and feed the leather, which is in good nick.

 

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Edited to add - You can see the original Zircon blue at the rear of the bonnet in the engine photo. In reality you can't tell the difference, it's only here and the door-shuts.

 

Brit15

Clocks seem to be a weak point on Rovers, I gave up on mine and ended up fitting a cheap pound shop clock mech with a remote battery box with a pencil battery blue tacked out of sight behind the dash so easy to change. The clock mech is glued behind the original face and the hands are filed down and painted to look like the originals.

[trisonic]

Mine was rear ended by a truck, rolled at least three times before ending up on its roof. My only injury was a cut finger from the broken glass. Despite the damage all the doors, including the sliding side doors, opened and shut perfectly.

They were good cars if "plain" - the roadholding was amazing considering their boxy height.

Best, Pete.

[New Haven Neil]

The Prairie was years ahead of it's time - think Picasso or Zafira.

 

As for Ranchos, weren't they Simcas? - we had several Simca 1000's when I was ickle, then a 1501 Special, which was replaced by an Avenger 1600 - oh boy was that a mistake!  Dad went Japanese (Colt - became Mitsubishi when more established) after that trail of Hillman unreliability and never again had a breakdown. Ever.

[PhilJ W]

They were good cars if "plain" - the roadholding was amazing considering their boxy height.

Best, Pete.

Considering that they were not that big, the same length as an Orion, you could pack a lot inside them. 3 adults, two layouts and a static display to an exhibition just east of Paris with all luggage for three days (and duty free on the way back). They were extremely comfortable as well, plenty of legroom in the back.

[Horsetan]

....Dad went Japanese.....

Turning Japanese?