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Odd, bad or just plain exotic...
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 8 Apr 14 at 01:49
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The slightly funny looking sort-of-estate, T reg, burbled past as I was walking the dog along a quiet residential road in Woodley:
www.caranddriver.com/reviews/bmw-m-coupe-short-take-road-test
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My friend has a couple of Z3 convertibles, which I still think are quite pretty in a 'hairdresser' sort of way. Whyever did they go and do that to it? And now it's the sought-after one. Weird.
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The bread van. Horrible isn't it? My favourite BMW. I'd really like one.
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I knew it reminded me of something, possibly the Ashley: www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/my_car_ashley.htm
IIRC there were one or two other sidevalve Ford based specials that looked similar.
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Reminds me of a Reliant Scimitar
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Apologies to Focusless....seems I accidentally shunted this thread into a siding and forgot about it when I was creating a new Volume.
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Went to a masterclass by top clarinetist Julian Bliss on Saturday at Dawkes music shop in Maidenhead. When we got there we guessed he'd already arrived thanks to the Noble M12 in the car park with the plate JBL15S :)
Nice bloke - only 24, doesn't sound at all posh, very chatty, comes from a motorsport family. And his fingers can't half fly - he gave us a rendition of this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3_pNnfelRg
So PU - if we keep practising, one day... :)
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Julian Bliss was already brilliant at the age of 12, when I heard him at a concert outside Buckingham Palace celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2001. He played a lovely piece by Andre Messager. I'm glad he's prospered to the extent that he can buy a Noble.
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>> Went to a masterclass by top clarinetist Julian Bliss on Saturday at Dawkes music shop
>> in Maidenhead. When we got there we guessed he'd already arrived thanks to the Noble
>> M12 in the car park with the plate JBL15S :)
>>
Wow, did he earn enough for the Noble from being a clarinetist?!? If so it might persuade my son to spend more time practicing (12 year old, working to Grade 6 at the mo).
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A Great Wall 4x4 Mitsubishi replica - with a custom Ifor Williams hard-top. Looked quite smart....wonder how long lived it will be.
Last edited by: R.P. on Tue 15 Oct 13 at 18:40
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I've mentioned John's Motors at Fosters Booth on the A5 before as a brilliant site for spotting rare stuff.
Today a silver/grey 4 door saloon on an H suffix (69/70) plate. Not a British, French or I think German, though NSU went through my mind. Tried to stop for a better look but by then it was being driven away.
Almost certainly Italian, either an Alfa Romeo Berlina or a Lancia Flavia.
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Saw a '60s Alfa Berlina near here today, by coincidence. Very pretty, although white. Not tarted up for rallying either.
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We were passed, at well over the speed limit, on the M6 near Shap, by a K plate Montego Estate with a full family load, a big effoff canoe on the roof and three adult bikes hanging off the tailgate. Wagging it's tail a bit !
I wonder how far into Scotland he got !
Ted
Last edited by: Ted on Mon 21 Oct 13 at 15:03
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Going up or down Shap Ted? Just wondering if it was some kind of brakes issue...
;-)
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Probably caused by passengers clenching and unclenching buttocks in unison!
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Going up, on Friday morning. We came off at Shap so didn't see him again.
Ted
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My pal stopped off here for a couple of days on the way from his former home in the far south back to the UK. When was the last time you saw one of these?
www.flickr.com/photos/64660965@N03/10418507954/
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 22 Oct 13 at 10:09
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Is it a real Morris Oxford estate? or a rebadged Hindustan Ambassador?
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The real thing - 1958.
The replacement bonnet hinges are Hindustan - and absolute rubbish.
Last edited by: Mike Hannon on Tue 22 Oct 13 at 10:44
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FiL had a Wuzzly 16/60 that colour. Whitehall Beige over Rose Taupe IIRC.
Ted
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Couldn't believe it this morning.
I'm on the A33 turning right from where the dark coloured car is on the LHS of this link.
tinyurl.com/q2z859w
As I turn onto the old Basingstoke Road there's a woman in a small hatchback doing a 300 point turn in the LH filter lane of the opposite carriageway on the RHS of that link. She's on the pedestrian crossing facing due East half way through her manoeuver preparing to drive back up into oncoming traffic who have just come off the M4.
I should have stopped and filmed it for Youtube.
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On the same country garage forecourt where I saw the VDP 1300 a couple of weeks ago, yesterday there was a Ford Taunus Coupe - a Mk 3 Cortina with 2 doors and a fastback. Only the second I've ever seen. No great shame it never got to the UK, I think.
I'm going to have to investigate the place before long.
tinyurl.com/npwq4yl
By coincidence, friends stayed with us this week (after the pal with the Morris) and were rescued by a back street garagiste in a nearby town when their BMW X5 broke down. I went down there yesterday to cross his palm with silver and - yet again - stumbled upon a garage full of not just fascinating old cars but old motorcycles and scrambles machinery (from what I think they now call the 'twin shock era') as well.
I could write a book...
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>> tinyurl.com/npwq4yl
Cor. I love that. Properly. Rock, and, indeed, roll.
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Mike.
Keep looking :-)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-24674106
The mMissing Jaguar E-Type, which was recently found at a derelict farm in France, could fetch up to £100,000 at auction,
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I will, don't worry.
The Morris 1300 was outside the vet's office in Limoges again this week.
Talking about barn finds, I've told you about my latest baby, haven't I? The Fiat?
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My friend inherited a house and outbuildings a couple of hours south of here. This is what we found in the barn (among other things). 1967, one owner, 16k kilometres, with all paperwork.
tinyurl.com/pbhku5o
I told her I would help her maximise her advantage in moving it on but fell into temptation...
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This was on a trial the other weekend: picasaweb.google.com/FalconMotorClub/GuyFawkes2013#5946830481223554850
There was some muttering that as it was as rare as hen's teeth it shouldn't be used for this sort of thing. Someone suggested it could be worth a four figure sum.
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I assume we are not talking about the imp, tell me thats not an NSU TTS?
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>> I assume we are not talking about the imp, tell me thats not an NSU
>> TTS?
>>
Is that not a NSU Prinz?
Last edited by: swiss tony on Sat 16 Nov 13 at 20:26
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>> >> I assume we are not talking about the imp, tell me thats not an
>> NSU
>> >> TTS?
>> >>
>>
>> Is that not a NSU Prinz?
Check out the TT and flag on the boot lid. I think thats the 1400 sports model based on the prinz
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>> >> >> I assume we are not talking about the imp, tell me thats not
>> an NSU TTS?
>> >> Is that not a NSU Prinz?
>> Check out the TT and flag on the boot lid. I think thats the 1400 sports model based on the prinz
Having done a bit of Googling* it seems in this case, Zero.. you are correct.
* other search engines may be available....
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We drove up to Birmingham today for a fencing competition. On the way up I saw a (camouflaged) Jag F-type coupe. Very nice. On the way back I saw a (camouflaged) new new new Mini. Not very nice - the spy shots are right, it's getting too big.
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Wire fencing or fencing panels...?(yeah I'm back)
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>>(yeah I'm back)
That's a relief, some of us were worried you might have been hyphenated.
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>> you might have been hyphenated
Oh, very good. I cannot compete with that.
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>> Wire fencing or fencing panels...?(yeah I'm back)
did you go somewhere?
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>> Liverpool....
The LAd's just got back there after a weekend at home.
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A Mark 1 Escort on a trailer this morning in Abergele. Looked very original and unrestored. Looked like a cooking version but was on very attractive but contemporary Minilite wheels. What was odd was that it was LHD and on French plates. Department 92 - Calais ??
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>> A Mark 1 Escort on a trailer this morning in Abergele. Looked very original and
>> unrestored. Looked like a cooking version but was on very attractive but contemporary Minilite wheels.
>> What was odd was that it was LHD and on French plates. Department 92 -
>> Calais ??
Pas de Calais is 62. Acording to Wiki 92 is Haut Seine. Relatively few of the 'old' numbers left now as cars seem to transfer to the new sequence on change of ownership etc.
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Thanks Brompie....looked to me as if it was a "rescue" from somewhere...maybe a barn find.
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As the supply of Mk1s and 2s has dried up people are looking further afield for half decent cars to do up.
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Lovely red Alfa 156 JTD, slightly too clean and polished for my taste, mimsed rather down the twisty hill I so often drive down and then, when the very long empty straight opened out at the bottom, mimsed very slowly forward up to about 50... by then I was well past and drawing away into the distance at a cautious 65.
The Alfa didn't like it I thought, but damn well asked for it. Self-important twozzer. Can't abide people who just get in the way like that when they've got nice brisk good-to-drive cars... 1920s Austin 7s are another matter of course.
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>> Can't abide people who just get in the way like that when they've got nice brisk good-to-drive cars
I worked with a guy who had a TVR. Often saw it bumbling along in town (lovely V8 burble) and asked if he ever 'gave it it's head'. He replied he'd give it a burn from one motorway junction to the next (70MPH in top) every couple of months. Looked at me oddly when I said I took the Kia to over 7K RPM more often.
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Saw one of these at the weekend:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Element
It was parked on my driveway as it goes. A friend has just moved from San Francisco to, er, Cardiff, and exported/imported his beloved vehicle, as there was very little chance he'd find one here in the UK.
Interesting vee-hikle, with its suicide rear doors and totally rubberised, flat interior (when rear seats removed). He's a keen triathlete and likes the vehicle as it houses his muddy bikes in the back, which he can hose down after use. Nothing else like it on the market, and so it was worth it to him to ship over here.
2.3 litre petrol and TC auto, nice in the US, but possibly a little juicy here. Still, he's a childless (for now) architect so can live with that.
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Cardiff can be nicer than SF on a good day...!
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>> Cardiff can be nicer than SF on a good day...!
Not while the earth is still revolving it can't.
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>>Cardiff can be nicer than SF on a good day
No, it can't. it really can't. And I've lived in both; each for several years.
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>>Cardiff can be nicer than SF on a good day...!
www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/bangor
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Walking to BMW Leics the other day, stopped at pedestrian crossing and an unusual (well, not a Qashqai or Juke) white Nissan drove past slowly. Looked at back and it said "Leaf". Not seen one before. Have any of you? Only a thousand or so sold this year I gather??
Not much noticeable re external design - prob wouldn't have noticed it if it had gone past a bit quicker.
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I saw one in Newport of all places on Monday. The only thing that made me look twice was the pig-ugly back end of the car..... and, I have to confess, the rather yummy mummy driving it.
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An eco-warrior friend of ours has one - I really ought to get a go in it and report back.
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Cross Nissan Leaf off the unusual sightings list.
Was dragged to Fosse park, Leics by Mrs W to do some Christmas shopping and what did she park next to? A blue Nissan Leaf! All of 200 yards from where I saw the white one the other day!
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... and, I have to confess, the rather yummy mummy driving it.
[Fri 20 Dec 13 10:32 Nissan Leaf - Boxsterboy]
An eco-warrior friend of ours has one - I really ought to get a go in it and report back.
The car, BBD, he means the car.
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Followed an AMC Rambler locally this morning. White and brown with a brown vinyl roof, LHD. On a 1969 Manchester plate. Probably local but I've not seen it around before.
Like this
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdG5s3QQfSA
Ted
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 20 Dec 13 at 17:00
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I saw a W reg White Granada estate on Friday. The ones that have survived tend to be the 2.8 ghia versions, but I think this was 'just' an L or GL! Looked remarkably tidy.
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>> I saw a W reg White Granada estate on Friday. The ones that have survived
>> tend to be the 2.8 ghia versions, but I think this was 'just' an L
>> or GL! Looked remarkably tidy.
>>
I saw a Y reg low spec saloon one in red the other day, I couldn't believe how small it looked !
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Yes, cars have ballooned over the years. The Granada looked almost petite - quite low, very narrow and huge glass area. All of which are missing from modern cars...
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When we were kids my mate's dad had an Aston Martin DB6. It seemed huge at the time.
I parked next to a beautifully kept DB6 not long ago in an underground parking garage in London and was mildly astonished to notice that it was, by modern standards, really small.
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Back along I returned to the XJS to find a Renault Modus parked next to it - almost dwarfing it. I was so struck I took a picture.
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I forgot about the Peugeot as well.
Here's the pic...
www.flickr.com/photos/64660965@N03/11493759376/
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>> Here's the pic...
>> www.flickr.com/photos/64660965@N03/11493759376/
>>
That looks identical to my friends, same colour V12. (He swopped the original 'orrible headlights for the twin set up.
His is just a two seater with a goodie box where the rear kiddie seats normally are.
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>> Here's the pic...
Is that you in the second photo Mike, at the coal face?
The XJS quite nice. So is the black Ford.
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I've noticed a gradual trend to downsizing in America in recent years. Of course there are still plenty of huge vehicles too but for example I saw a NY yellow cab recently which was a Ford C-Max. Didn't seem right somehow. Yellow cabs should rumble both from the engine and the diff, the autobox should clonk at every change and be massive wallowy saloons which smell a bit fusty inside. Anything else just doesn't scan.
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Ours is one of the last, with two useless rear 'seats' instead of the useful luggage locker. That's progress...
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I saw an Aston Martin Cygnet this morning (in the M&S car park at Brooklands). Did wonder how much she paid and why.
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I'll have a guess at the why. Vanity.
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There was (is?) some scheme where you got one free if you spent enough on a "proper" Aston.
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>> There was (is?) some scheme where you got one free if you spent enough on a "proper" Aston.
>>
IIRC it was all about reducing the overall consumption across the range.
If you fancy on , be quick.
Autotrader :-
£35K for S/H LHD
£27K -£28 K normal S/H price
£19K for private sale but it has done 14K miles
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Bit of an oddity really. A 2.0 litre turbo Maestro, rare enough these days, but this one was on an M plate...thought they were long gone by then.
www.flickr.com/photos/67389469@N02/12537628313/
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>>Bit of an oddity really. A 2.0 litre turbo Maestro, rare enough these days, but this one was on an M plate...thought they were long gone by then.
From Wiki:
1983–1995 (Austin Maestro)
1983–1991 (MG Maestro)
1995 -2001 (remaining CKD kits)
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This was badged as a Turbo....they stopped in 2001
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Good Photo stream Rob. I like that Spaniel. Looks proper mischief.
I like that er6 kwacker thing too.
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He is Martin - whilst I was otherwise engaged briefly yesterday afternoon he half-inched a nice bit of chicken breast yesterday that was waiting for the oven to pre-heat.....
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Looks like Caernarfon that , am I right? Had a small holiday there and around N Wales at the back end of 2012.
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It is indeed. They day of the big blow here. This was badged as an MG Turbo...again from Wiki...
"Production of the MG Maestro finished in 1991"
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Morning all. A pristine white '88 reg Robin at Tesco's yesterday and a white Figaro outside a neighbour's this morning.
Looked a lot better in white than the usual sludge grey !
HO
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Two new Maclarens looking very tasty in the Monaco showroom, followed by two in the street. At 232k plus options rather better value, I thought, than the line of butt-ugly RRs in the showroom next door where a used big brute was 460k. Then the bus I was in followed a silver Ferrari 456 - nicer than all the others, not to mention affordable...
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Saw a 1970s 4 door Vauxhall Viva last night, darkish purple colour, looked in unrestored condition, transporting a family of four through town. Didn't catch the reg as it went past me side on. Gave the impression of a daily driver. Can't be many of those doing daily duties these days.
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A very unusual sight...A tax disc removed from it's perforations in one go without any tearing. Now on the Nissan.
That's got to warrant a round of applause :-)
HO
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Give that man the clap he so richly deserves..>>
>> A very unusual sight...A tax disc removed from it's perforations in one go without any
>> tearing. Now on the Nissan.
>>
>> That's got to warrant a round of applause :-)
>>
>> HO
>>
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And now you've mastered that skill, it will become redundant shortly.
:-(
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Saw one of these for the first time today. Strangely odd looking, very snub nosed not sure the normal BMW grill suited it. An oragne colour with a black bonnet made it look even odder.
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Orange and black seems to be very fashionable in France just now. Showrooms and streets are full of new Clios and DS3s in that odd combination.
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>> Orange and black seems to be very fashionable in France just now. Showrooms and streets
>> are full of new Clios and DS3s in that odd combination.
What goes around comes around. See pictures of my 1978 Pug 104 in 'The Drive' thread.
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>> >> Orange and black
>> What goes around comes around.
See also my FIAT 127 Sport. Black with orange trim. They were also available in orange with black trim. Wish I had some photos of it. RMB 821V. Sigh.
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Probably not that unusual, but the first one I have seen. Quite a rude exhaust note for a 4 cylinder.
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I reckon this counts as an unusual sighting, with a motoring link.
My friend's very elderly mother lives in Monte Carlo and she (through her late husband) has big rallying history, with which I won't bore you at the moment.
A couple of weeks ago we were walking to her favourite restaurant for lunch and it was pouring with rain, as almost usual at the moment. I was sharing her large umbrella and when we got there I said 'that was useful'. She said 'yes and it's pretty old too - it used to belong to Maus.' I said 'not...' She said 'yes, he left it behind when he came to visit G------ years ago'.
So, I have sheltered under an umbrella that once belonged to Maurice 'Maus' Gatsonides, the once-famous Belgian rally driver who - much more importantly now - is acknowledged as the man who invented speed cameras. Funny old world, eh?
Last edited by: Mike Hannon on Fri 7 Mar 14 at 17:10
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Also rallied a Jowett Javelin in the early 50s. I might have a photo in one of my books.
HO
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Saw a Mk2 Cortina GT in town yesterday on an H suffix. It looked in mint condition and fair play to the guy, he wasn't hanging about in it and I had to switch off the Mimse Control to keep up. I had to smile at the stick on rear screen heater, God knows how long since those were last sold and it was probably fitted 40 odd years ago.
I think the Mk2 was the best looking of the Cortinas, especially in Lotus guise.
Last edited by: Robin O'Reliant on Sun 9 Mar 14 at 13:16
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>> I had to smile at the stick on rear screen heater,
>> God knows how long since those were last sold and it was probably fitted 40 odd years ago.
>>
Soon after I got my 18 month old 1600E I saw a Corsair with a proper HRW.
On enquiry I discovered that a batch of HRWs IIRC 40 were made after car production had ceased.
I managed to track down one and had my rear screen replaced.
>>I think the Mk2 was the best looking of the Cortinas, especially in Lotus guise.
I am of course biased but my white, revised model, 1600E with a proper black padded Everflex stitched roof was a real eye catcher.
I added lots of non bling extras to it so it was a pretty unusual example of the model.
( never found out why it had seats from the two door export model.)
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>> Soon after I got my 18 month old 1600E I saw a Corsair with a
>> proper HRW.
>> On enquiry I discovered that a batch of HRWs IIRC 40 were made after car
>> production had ceased.
>> I managed to track down one and had my rear screen replaced.
I bet that gave the dynamo a work out when it was switched on especially with the lights, heater fan and wipers etc going ! Or had they started fitting alternators by then, I know my G plate 1300 had a dynamo ?
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>> I bet that gave the dynamo a work out when it was switched on especially
>> with the lights, heater fan and wipers etc going ! Or had they started fitting
>> alternators by then, I know my G plate 1300 had a dynamo ?
>>
I am almost certain it had a dynamo but I do not recall any problems in spite of the standard Wipac spot lights mated to the mains ( replaced with Cibies) plus twin front AND rear foglights and electric screen washers.
The dynamo must have been one of the very few things that failed on it.
I loved the car but it cost me an arm and a leg to keep it going.
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On the M42 on Friday
A German registered Rover 75 . . . .
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M1 Nthbnd J18 or so hard shoulder this afternoon. A recovery truck, with a recovered Hyundai on the back. Truck's bonnet up, presumably awaiting a recovery vehicle...
"There once was a man who swallowed a fly.."
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On my way to work this morning:
A Jaguar Mk II with sparkling burgundy paintwork... horribly extended wheel arches, wide low profile tyres on alloys and lowrider suspension.
Why, oh why would anyone do that?
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>> Why, oh why would anyone do that?
Probably seemed like a good idea at the time.
I quite liked John Steed's XJC.
4.bp.blogspot.com/-rI5CgbyUisw/URVVFl853II/AAAAAAAAMLs/paFslJbmjMU/s1600/Steed+&+Big+Cat+copy.jpg
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Parked outside an undertaker's office in a back street of St Junien, Haute-Vienne, yesterday - a smart Citroen CX hearse, still in use. It even had a separate air conditioner inside to keep the coffin deck cool. When she saw me taking a pic the woman from the office came out for a friendly chat!
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she didn't say "hope to see you again soon" ?
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I was at my uncle's funeral years ago and saw his aged father-in-law, an Exmoor farmer, shake hands with the Vicar and say 'Nice to meet 'ee vicar and I hope to see 'ee out here again soon'. I had to get well away from the crowd before I cracked up.
And that wasn't the funniest thing I heard that day.
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BMW M Coupe - Focusless
