I-Spy Classic Cars/Bikes-What have you spotted?

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Peter.N.
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by Peter.N. »

I had a couple of Minor 1000 vans, one in the '60s when we lived in Kent and the other in the '70's down here. The first one was ex 'Rentokil' in Canterbury and had the Reg PFN14, with I had that now! It was my initials too apart from the 'F' I used it for work so did a fair few miles in it, but it wasn't comfortable enough for me so I set about improving it.

I got a couple of nice seats from the breakers, can't remember what they were but it didn't matter in those days you just made them fit. I put windows in the side thus relieving it of the low speed limit that commercials were subject in those days, then I sprayed it yellow and white. The standard heater was as good as useless so I fitted a Vauxhall Cresta heater between the drivers seat and wheel arch, you had to run the fan all the time of course but you didn't need it on for long. I also insulated it with sound deadening, made quite a nice vehicle out of it.

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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by CitroJim »

peter, I love your tales of your earlier motoring endeavours :) Keep 'em coming ;)
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Peter.N.
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by Peter.N. »

I will tell you about the other one then - if you are sure. :?

We moved down here with a Morris Oxford estate but we needed two vehicles so I looked for another 1000 van, I found a place that sold ex GPO vans in Guildford and bought one that still had shiny paint on the floor for £95 I believe it was. They had a speed limiter fitted in the form of a plate under the carburettor with a small hole through it, as a result they used to thrash them in first and slam into second to try and keep the speed up, with the result that the synchro failed.

We had a BMC garage in Axminster, great big place it was, you could drive your car up the the parts counter, Websters it was called - its now a car park. I bought a second gear, synchro ring and gaskets for about a fiver and duly fitted them and it drove fine, I seem to remember that it had only done 19,000 miles.

I gave it the same treatment as the first one, seats, windows and a yellow and white respray and had it sign written, it served me well until I started doing colour TV's, you couldn't fit many into it. I then bought a non running diesel Bedford Dormobile with windows and seats, one of the first diesels, ex British rail, apparently seized up, brought it back from London on a trailer. In one of the cubby holes there were some round things with strips of lead each side, turned out to be fog warning detonators!

I knew the engine well, it was a Perkins 4/108 that I used in my diesel conversions so I removed it and started stripping it down, when I cam to remove the bell housing, which was separately bolted to the engine I found a bolt had dropped out and jammed the flywheel :x but I went on and reconned it anyway.

I sold the Morris 1000 to a girl at college in Bath and was told that it was still driving round the area with my sign writing on it about a year later.

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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by Gibbo2286 »

Called in on my old car painter friend, he had one of these in his workshop for repaint, says the guy who owns it has bought a batch of them and they'll be for sale once refurbed. Nissan S Cargo.
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by CitroJim »

Peter.N. wrote: 15 Nov 2018, 09:42 I will tell you about the other one then - if you are sure. :?
Oh yes, definitely sure :)
Peter.N. wrote: 15 Nov 2018, 09:42 They had a speed limiter fitted in the form of a plate under the carburettor with a small hole through it, as a result they used to thrash them in first and slam into second to try and keep the speed up, with the result that the synchro failed.


I remember dad telling me about those plates Peter... He was a time-served postman and drove every sort for postal vehicle from just after the war right up until he retired when the Bedford HA van was still in front-line service with the Post Office... He told of many adventures...

I hope you disposed of those BR detonators properly - in such a way as you had some fun with them ;)

They are still in use to this day on some lines - the health and safety rules that surround their storage and use make the Brexit deal look like a mere pamphlet :lol:
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

This thread started out 59000 odd views ago with this Karman Ghia.

Image

Saw another one today. In my book, absolutely gorgeous, can't think of anything VW have made before or since which I would prefer.
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by CitroJim »

Not sure if trikes count on here but spotted quite near my house on my walk back from my run today...
Own Work
Own Work
Own Work
Own Work
I have no details but assume the prime mover is a VW Beetle engine...

I've known the owner of the property is keen on trikes for a while but never managed to strike up a conversation with him - he's a bit of a grump :(
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by moizeau »

Bikers can seem that way, we are just a little private. Ask him about the engineering and he'll open up, guaranteed.
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by CitroJim »

moizeau wrote: 18 Nov 2018, 16:58 Ask him about the engineering and he'll open up, guaranteed.


Tried it - got the stony silence and please go away stare :(

I was a biker once - I was never like that ;)
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by moizeau »

That's a shame, I've got 2 very good friends that were like that for the first half dozen group chats in the pub, then they opened up, we've been good mates for the last nearly 25 years, great blokes, and would do anything for you..possibly after you've passed the interview?
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by CitroJim »

moizeau wrote: 18 Nov 2018, 17:11 That's a shame, I've got 2 very good friends that were like that for the first half dozen group chats in the pub, then they opened up, we've been good mates for the last nearly 25 years, great blokes, and would do anything for you..possibly after you've passed the interview?


Yes, some people are naturally a bit shy and can be really brilliant once they open up... I've known a few in my time... One took a whole year!

Maybe in the eyes of the subject in question I don't pass muster as he only ever sees me riding a pushbike...

We cyclists on the other hand, are the friendliest, most open people you'll ever meet ;) Runners too are generally very friendly...
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by moizeau »

CitroJim wrote: 18 Nov 2018, 17:16

We cyclists on the other hand, are the friendliest, most open people you'll ever meet ;) Runners too are generally very friendly...
So you are 2 very friendly people :-D
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by van ordinaire »

Are these the same cyclists that ignore the Highway Code & swear at people who dare to suggest they read it? In fairness, I think that might be peculiarly London sub-group.
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by CitroJim »

van ordinaire wrote: 18 Nov 2018, 23:14 Are these the same cyclists that ignore the Highway Code & swear at people who dare to suggest they read it?


:rofl2:
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Re: I-Spy Classic Cars-What have you spotted?

Post by myglaren »

One of these but not this one - no camera on hand.

Spotted near Neil's hangout. Driving up the A1. In good nick but not quite like the one in the vudeo.
I had no idea that they existed before seeing this.



So rare I actually spot anything.
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