FCF Archives: February Ferret

[NewcastleFalcon]

It is my intention to mark each day of February 2023 with a visit to the FCF Archives. There is a lot of good stuff in there destined to become yesterday's chip wrappers so I think a February ferret is worth a go.

As is my usual modus operandi, from the 245 threads I have personally started on the FCF since 2009, I have used random.org to make a selection of 28 threads one for each day to revisit, and maybe bring forward the odd snippet. Contributions welcomed, and if appropriate I will add my own contribution to the selected thread.

Todays random hand for February 1st has landed here

Peugeot Classics on Peugeot Section of the FCF
If you wondered where the Lion Emblem came from its this
viewtopic.php?p=531600#p531600

This is the meat of the thread so far...

Apologies Peugeot enthusiasts. No slick advertising presentation of a Peugeot classic vehicle in a minute-long video clip. No something much more meaty to get your teeth into. Its a film...yes that's a film....you can tell with the crackles, the "floaters" and the poor picture quality. Added to that...it is in French from start to finish, and it lasts nearly an hour (probably lost the instant gratification crowd already!). Also, added to that, it spends quite some time getting to the point...it starts off with birdsong and church bells, a merry tune on the harmonica.....but lap it up enjoy it for what it is...you don't get that timeless waffle too much these days.

A modern factory full of robots and 1000 miles from the nearest foundry, isn't going to turn out cars like they used to in 1954......I found it fascinating.....hope you enjoy it!

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

What a cheering site that avatar is!! Good to see you back Neil although I can't say the first random pick has inspired me much. I'll have a look at the film in the morning as it is a bit long for this time of night!!

[bobins]

First Peugeot car - "The first Peugeot automobile, a three-wheeled, steam-powered car designed by Léon Serpollet, was produced in 1889; only four examples were made."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peugeot

First Citroen car - "The Citroën Type A was produced from June 1919 to December 1921 in Paris, France. It was the first car Citroën made. 24,093 were built."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_Type_A

First Renault car - ".....it was on Christmas Eve of 1898 that Louis Renault sold his first car, following a test drive, of course. It was called the Renault Voiturette 1CV, and, in various guises, was sold until 1903. It had a top speed of 20mph...."
https://www.evanshalshaw.com/blog/history-of-renault/

First Austin car - "In the last week of April 1906......the new Austin car, a conventional four-cylinder model with chain drive. It was available as a 15/20 hp complete at £500 (chassis, £425) and a 25/30 hp for £650 (chassis, £550)."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Motor_Company

First Ford car - "The original Ford Model A is the first car produced by the Ford Motor Company, beginning production in 1903."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mode ... 2%80%9304)

[NewcastleFalcon]

I can't say the first random pick has inspired me much. I'll have a look at the film in the morning as it is a bit long for this time of night!!

Likely to be hard work! and its in French! but I did enjoy it particularly the forging of the components. Pretty "vertically integrated" with a foundry on site!.

REgards Neil

[CitroJim]

Great to see you back Neil Missed you!

[NewcastleFalcon]

It is my intention to mark each day of February 2023 with a visit to the FCF Archives. There is a lot of good stuff in there destined to become yesterday's chip wrappers so I think a February ferret is worth a go.

Day 2 of the February Ferret
Today's random hand for February 2nd has landed here

Favourite Colours for Cars
...a nice simple thread and currently active with 11,000 views and 300 ish posts.
viewtopic.php?p=699792#p699792

This is the snippet I have pulled out, but its pages contain many excellent examples of interesting colours...

Its definitely been the year of "next slide please" the graph and the chart. So in "favourite colours for cars" this is a nice illustration, although anecdotally I do think there appears to be a slight resurgence of colour recently.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/37001/thi ... -the-years

Neil

[Dormouse]

It is my intention to mark each day of February 2023 with a visit to the FCF Archives. There is a lot of good stuff in there destined to become yesterday's chip wrappers so I think a February ferret is worth a go.

Day 2 of the February Ferret
Today's random hand for February 2nd has landed here

Favourite Colours for Cars
...a nice simple thread and currently active with 11,000 views and 300 ish posts.
viewtopic.php?p=699792#p699792

This is the snippet I have pulled out, but its pages contain many excellent examples of interesting colours...

Its definitely been the year of "next slide please" the graph and the chart. So in "favourite colours for cars" this is a nice illustration, although anecdotally I do think there appears to be a slight resurgence of colour recently.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/37001/thi ... -the-years

Neil

Magic.
Glad you are back to your Ferreting Best.
Love the Car Colours statistics.

[mickthemaverick]

I've just watched the Peugeot production film which I have to agree is quite hard going, more because of the background white noise than the narration in French, but I enjoyed it so thanks for that Neil! I have to say it did bring back memories of a joke which I will now go and post on our jokes thread!

[NewcastleFalcon]

It is my intention to mark each day of February 2023 with a visit to the FCF Archives. There is a lot of good stuff in there destined to become yesterday's chip wrappers so I think a February ferret is worth a go.

Day 3 of the February Ferret
Today's random hand for February 3rd has landed here

Just passed your driving test...
...don't take the title too literally...its a reminisce about passing your driving test and many members will have come along since 2016, and the subject matter is perennial. My particular lament was how easy it was back in 1977 when I passed mine to move into car ownership with an inexpensive banger compared to 2016 when the cheapest insurance quotes were in the thousands for our next generation of test passers.
link viewtopic.php?p=511379#p511379

A few snippets I have pulled out, its a shortish thread well worth a brief read through, taking a bit of an off topic into Karate but mostly to the point

First a couple from Peter and Gibbo...

I took my driving test at a unique time, it was in 1956 when I was 17, the Suez crisis had just erupted and petrol rationing was in force, as a result driving tests were suspended but if you already had a provisional license you were allowed to drive by yourself. I did pass my test after hostilities were halted, but they couldn't really fail you after that.
Peter

I passed my test in the army in the Suez Canal zone before all that trouble blew up.

Then Citro Jim

I well remember passing my driving test in 1977 - I was in no rush as I was a biker too... I took it in my own 1964 Mini in Bletchley, a car I'd driven many hundreds of miles on a provisional... I could drive without any problems at all - well practised... The test was uneventful apart from the emergency stop. The car slewed badly ad ended up facing the kerb at 45 degrees. The Examiner simply said "OK, we won't do that again!"

I passed at the first attempt... That afternoon I drove to Somerset. A few days later I stripped the front brakes to find one side had wider shoes than the other... No wonder they were unbalanced...

and finally my threadstarter for 10

Can you remember the genuine thrill and elation of passing your driving test. I certainly can. Next though on your mind, I need to get mobile, get my own car, and join the magical world of independance and freedom that motoring can give you. All this often in your teenage or early 20's. In my test passing era of the 1970's there were no real unsurmountable barriers to this, plenty cheap near MOT failures to buy and no real problems getting insurance.

Fast Forward to 2016, and if you are under 25 and a recent test passer, insurance if available is eyewateringly expensive. Thousands not hundreds. If anyone has ploughed through this process, and I'm sure many of us as parents will have, share your experience here. may help someone else!

I will be making my own new contribution to the thread, still plenty to be written on it. Link here for a read or a contribution.

Just passed your driving test ...

Neil

[CitroJim]

This 'digging into the archives' feature is great Loving it

[mickthemaverick]

I guess I have an unusual driving test history. I passed my motorcycle test one month after my 16th birthday and then took the car test one month after my 17th birthday in my newly aquired Morris 1000, unfortunately I failed that test for passing too close to parked vehicles down a side street!! I was very peed off about the fail and swore I'd stick with the bike license for the rest of my life! By the time I was 18 I had need for more storage so I bought my first three wheeler a Mk6 Reliant sidevalve. Within months I changed to the Messerschmidt KR200 which in turn I relinquished pretty quickly and bought my first Reliant Supervan III (Del boys model). Further down the line I bought another Supervan III which was only really a spares van but I transferred its rear seat and windows into my original one and then ran that for 9 years claiming 35.5p per mile from BT in the process.

In 1982 I bought a brand new, top of the range, Reliant Rialto GLS Estate which really was a great machine. Eventually it was pointed out to me that if I wished to get further up the promotion ladder I needed to upgrade my transport to managerial status and so in April 1983 I reluctantly applied for another car test. The test came round in July and, having been driving three wheelers for 13+ years the test was a doddle and the examiner actually complimented me on my relaxed, confident and competent style!! I treated myself to my first brand new 4 wheel car on 1st August, the Ford Orion Ghia and two months later having gained promotion I bought my first Rally car the RS2000 Mk1 and the rest is history!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Excellent and unusual driving test tale Mick, I reference it in the randomly selected Archive thread of the day for completeness

Regards Neil

[myglaren]

I passed two weeks after my 17th, ten lessons but also used to drive my mate's A35 to work and back, then the works van and the boss' car - a brand new Austin A60 Cambridge estate.
Thought that I had failed as I went right at a roundabout (which was the usual test rout) instead of left as he asked, it was a cul-de-sac with only a small railway station there.
Also closed the window and said I would use the fancy electric indicators rather than hand signals as the snow was coming in sideways and making the wheel slippy.

Granddaughter recently passed hers first time about a month after her 17th, may have been sooner if she had got her provisional sooner but they rejected the photo a couple of times.
Given her appearance the examiner might have passed her even if the car never moved. Very tall sinuous redhead.

Every other member of the family had several goes at it and all were over 18 by the time they passed.
Nine of them anyway, three to go.

[NewcastleFalcon]

driving test tales...

Excellent post Steve, I reference it in the randomly selected Archive thread of the day for completeness

Neil

[Dormouse]

I failed my first Driving Test because I was too considerate. The Examiner decided that slowing down to allow oncoming traffic to pass parked cars on my side of the road was "not maintaining adequate speed". My Instructor was puzzled too as he was sure I would pass. However, 6 weeks later, in my Instrucror's new HC Viva, I didn't give oncoming traffic any quarter and passed. I then went back to being considerate by planning my passes again and have tried to do that all my driving life -especially when driving trucks or tractors and especially when towing caravans or trailers.
As an aside, my daily driver in 1975 was a Reliant Rebel which disgraced itself, while my future mother in law was in the car, by pulling the fuel pipe off the tank at the back as the axle was lower than usual with the extra passengers in it.