***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 21 *****
***** This thread follows on from VOLUME 19 *****
Another thread for commenting on rare, unusual, old or just plain daft cars etc.
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805853
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 12/03/2009 at 19:18
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Spotted an H-reg Austin 1800 in Reading Station car park yesterday, gentleman driver was waiting to pick someone up I think. It was in petrol blue, which was quite faded and patchy with original white on black standy-out rear number plate. Seemed to be running quite well as it ticked over. A man more concerned with mechanics than looks, it would seem. Good to see.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 19/12/2008 at 12:34
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Two 'newbies' in half an hour.
An Insignia - Enterprise hire sticker on back. Saw side view and until I caught it at a red light I didn't know what it was. Looked like a BMW 3 series coupe when I saw it appearing from the side street from a distance.
A Q5 - not as menacing as the Q7. It actually looks more like an A3 Sportback on stilts rather than the A4 it's based on.
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Earlier on this evening I decided to go and visit Lady Backbridge in her wing of the hice. She was watching an old movie on Ch 5 called "Brannigan" Fairly weak film by the looks of it but absolutely full of automotive nostalgia.
It seemed to be mainly set on the streets of central London in the mid '70s. For those of us of a certain generation, ( I began driving in '76 ) it was just a great trip down memory lane. I only caught about 20 minutes of it but even in that short time I saw a wonderful old E-type coupe, a Hillman Imp, Several Granada type things, a Mk 1 Cortina, a Lotus something, an Avenger, an Austin "land crab", a period Roller and loads more.
Majorly noticeable how light the traffic was and how few people were wearing seat belts.
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With that chap Johnnie Wayne ?? Good chase across Tower Bridge IIRC
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Missed the chase I'm afraid but JW was in it. Might have to covertly get a copy and watch it in secret.
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Currently .14p +p&P on Amazon for the VHS.
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Now that appeals to my Scots sense of value !
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Humph, admit it, for "go and visit", substitute "m'lady rang the bell and I had to go running" !!
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Heh heh Bobby, not a mile off........
;-)
PS she wants a black E-type now......
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V12 ?
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Actually I don't really mind which one she buys.........
In my and indeed her dreams I have to concede
:-(
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For, Humph, substitute Gordon Jackson...........
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Or a "Parker"...... Yus M'lady....
I always felt that I was more of a "Bodie" but the reality may be otherwise......
Still something about Capris isn't there?
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There's a black one (2.0 judging by its wheels - yes I'm that sad) parked up rather forlornly on a bit of waste ground on my usual drive home.....
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You could have that fettled by the summer...
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"SHE" sold my last project car :-(
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Capris are great. The 2.8 Injection with wide tyres and alloys like collanders. There was something very very attractive about it.
Does anyone remember the "haunted Capri" - which liked to steer into the path of oncoming traffic infrequently but only ever life-threateningly? I remember being a bit alarmed when previous owners were interviewed. All lived but all had memories of having to force the steering away from oncoming HGVs at least once or twice. It also spontaneously smelt of tobacco.
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Didn't 666 feature in its number plate....
I have a spooky story about a XR4x4
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Go on then PU, it's nearly midnight and there's a suitable fog coming down......?
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A Police car involved in a fatal accident - driver was killed outright. It was re-shelled and sent to another Division many miles away. Guys that used it there found it had annoying fault in that the interior light came on of its own accord. It steadfastly refused to be repair, even defying replacement......one of its then current crew in conversation with a colleague found that when they went to the scene they found the courtesy light on (with the switch in the "on" position)........totally true.
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spooky pug - how did it defy replacement or refuse to be repaired? I'd love to know. But I'll look in the morning if that's ok!
ps the triple 6 definitely rings a bell i think you're right.
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It has its own website and everything: www.ark666y.com
At this point I contacted the high priest of British Witches to explain to me exactly what significance "ARK 666Y" had. He explained that "ARK" comes from the bible and "666" comes from the "beast" Alistair Crowley, a black magician, hence the car is a meeting point for good against evil. On viewing the car he confirmed it had evil about it.
Chilling, or what!???!???
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Thanks for link mojo. If the car had been mine, I'd have got rid of it very quickly and not, for example, transferred the ARK 66Y number plate to my wife's Celica! Possibly not the sharpest tool in the box.
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Could be persuaded by an Opel Manta or Monza too come to think of it. Well, I could have once upon a time.
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There is a sorry looking Monza lying in a garage in Airdrie not far from me, rusting away.
When I was growing up there was someone with the original (I think) Senator a few doors along. Or was it a Commodore? What was the Royale, was that the VX version of Monza?
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Think you are right Bobby
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alloys like collanders.
Generally known as pepperpot wheels.
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....She was watching an old movie on Ch 5 called "Brannigan"....
In the film, Wayne is driven from the Hilton on Park Lane to New Scotland Yard - via Tower Bridge.
Bit like going from Leeds to Manchester via Birmingham.
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A Bristol! Last week. But I don't like Bristol because they don't like Top Gear and often choose not to sell a car if they don't like the cut of your jib. Their prerogative of course and I'll defend their right to do that but I don't have to like them for it. Fancy banning James May from owning one of your cars. Daft apeths.
Also a Renault 16 in navy blue and not very good condition. Brings back memories of skinny thighs sticking to burning hot plastic seats on highdays and holidays, such was the 70s predilection for shorts. Also, dad in the front seat puffing away on his pipe with the windows firmly shut!
Lamborghini Gallado round here (in the posh bit) but they're not really cars so much as highly-strung machines needing to be fed money. And I'd have no compunction about judging the personality traits of someone who feels comfortable driving to and from his office in a lurid lime-green racing car on a frosty Monday morning. Of course it's not an option for most of us so I suppose that's where the envy comes in. But never to the extent of being as green as his Gallardo...
My own focus continues to gain credibility as an "original" though appreciation still seems a long way off. One day, perhaps in 10,000 years, there will only be a few million Focuses left.
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Quote:...""A Bristol! Last week. But I don't like Bristol because they don't like Top Gear and often choose not to sell a car if they don't like the cut of your jib. Their prerogative of course and I'll defend their right to do that but I don't have to like them for it. Fancy banning James May from owning one of your cars. Daft apeths.""
I never had a lot of time for Bristol cars as they seem totally pointless. I mean the current model looks like it's a customised 1970's Ford Escort Mk2 with a stretched bonnet.
But if Bristol Cars Ltd. don't like Top Gear, they go up in my estimation!!!
Edited by Sofa Spud on 01/03/2009 at 23:02
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>>I never had a lot of time for Bristol cars as they seem totally pointless. I mean the current model looks like it's a customised 1970's Ford Escort Mk2 with a stretched bonnet.<<
Bristol and Morgan survive by not doing what everyone else has done. Bristol especially sells only a handful of cars a year, so what joe public thinks of them is immaterial - many well to do people have chosen them over the years though so they must have some redeeming features.
"exclusive obscurity" appeals to some people. Lian Gallagher apparently bought one though so if HE is allowed to buy one, being the kinda fellow that he is, one imagines it was more to do with JCs media spotlight that Bristol wouldnt want to be associated with, such is the discreet way they present themselves. If you only sell 100 cars a year, you dont need to send a car round the TG test track to make the numbers.
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Saw a 1979 Golf 5dr in metallic green in Northampton. Not bad condition given its age, but smoking a bit.
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e28 M5, right hand drive of which about 150 ever existed. Nice looking car. Not sure I could cope with the servicing costs, mind.
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A red Yugo 45 which looked in good condition on a J plate must have been one of the last ones registered. It was on a drive and had a tax to 2003. The paint work looked good though slightly faded but it seems it is still being cared for even though its not on the road.
A few weeks ago I got a ride in a 1985 C reg Leyland Olympian with the original Northern Counties SELNEC bodywork. This should have been scrapped ages ago but due to shortage of MagicBuses Stagecoach were forced to use this, the brakes were noisy but the sound of the clattering old engine bought back the memories. I think its been taken of the road now as I hae not seen it since, considering most of Stagecoach Manchester fleet is now less than 2 years old and that fleet replaced their 10 year old buses it is very very unusual to see such an old bus running in Manchester by one of the big 3. As this is the last SELNEC bus to ever run on public service in Manchester I feel it should be preserved, it would be a real shame if it was scrapped.
SELNEC stands for South East Lancashire North East Cheshire, and was created as a result of a merger between local co-operations bus garages round the Manchester area in around 1968. When Greater Manchester was born in 1974 the same design which was introduced around 1969 was kept, but the named changed to GMPTE and GM Buses. For this reason the bus I travelled in is of huge importance to Manchester.
Not sure what other rare cars I have seen, seen loads of Morris Minors but they are hardly rare.
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Arriva the Shires who operate in High Wycombe have a few G-reg Alexandra bodied Leyland Olympians with Gardner engines & a few others have Northern Counties bodies with Cummins engines.
The Cummins are more smoother on the hear the Gardner counterpart. ;-)
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Are the Northern Counties ones ex Manchester ones by any chance? There is a lot of G- H reg ones which have suddenly dissapeared and must have ended up some where as they are too new to be scrapped.
I have no idea what engine this Olympian in question had, but it was certainly a lot quieter than the ones in the last of the Atlanteans I remember from my childhood.
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These northern countie bodies have served the area since they were a year old, they were originally registered in Essex.
They've been with Luton & District, the Shires & now Arriva.
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These sort of bodywork then I assume
www.fortunecity.com/oasis/brighton/142/s30.jpg
We had a few of them in Manchester after the SELNEC design was phased out, but then the bland Volvo BL10s took over before the more interesting Alexander Dennis products we have now.
I wonder if I will still be living when the new Enviro 400s became a rare sight.
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Heres One example I meant earlier.
londonbuspics.fotopic.net/p53147721.html
Rattle you latest link is a blank page.
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Thats the one :) That was the design which was introduced after the SELNEC orders dried up, Northern Counties then hard to start supplying a lot more PTE's and private companies. They are still of those running in Manchester but most of them are phased out now. I remember getting some Scania's with that bodywork back in 1990 when I was 8 and the ride was very very very bouncy. Anybody that knows Bonsall Street in Hulme (full of pot holes) sitting on the top deck will know what I mean! Its more uncomfy than a roll coaster.
I will be glad when they become a rare site, one of the most bland and boring buses ever produced.
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At last I've got the Mac working and broadband too - just in time to 'come out'. I thought I was this site's only bus spotter.
Anyone still got any Ian Allan Spotter Guides?
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I got some 10 year old Ian Allen DVDs for Christmas. One on traisn, one on buse and one on trams. I admit when its dark and I am 1000% sure nobody is looking I will pop into Ian Allen and casualy 'glance' at the fleet lists before casually leaving.
I've got a few books on buses and trains, but my prized piece of my collecton is a GM buses time table from 1992!
I am a very casual spotter though, I don't take pictures or take down numbers.
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I think I mentioned it here before I bought a beautiful book on the history of Crosville - I got it for a song in a charity shop and flogged it on e-bay for three times what I paid. I really regret selling it now. And before I'm flamed in a pang of guilt donated what I made to another charity.......:-(
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Worked for me.
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I got a page, but nothing on it!
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Y reg 635 CSi in Erdington on Saturday.
Pale metallic blue with tan leather, looked very nice. SWMBO said it looked awful.
One of the very few BMWs I would have. Only 25/26 years old!
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Oh yes and me ! The Acme of BMW loveliness.
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www.pistonheads.com/SALES/848759.htm
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 19/01/2009 at 19:08
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Driving behind a faded red 1988 Vauxhall Nova SALOON today in Stockport...how did that escape the crusher ?
Ted
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The other morning en route to work I was passed by a mid-Seventies Vega hatchback! Holy buckets, Batman--when was the last time you saw one of those on the road?
Also when I was at the local Mitsubishi dealer last week, their techs were working on a 1980s Chrysler Town and Country station wagon (K car version), wood grain, roof rack and all.
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Vauxhall Viva HA in powder blue, driving through Bedford.
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There's a guy not far from me, presumably French, with TWO Ford Country Squires parked outside his house!
Every time I pass there it takes me straight back to The Thomas Crown Affair (the proper one):
'Buy the big Ford wagon, the one with the wood on the sides...'
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Saw a tatty but presumably roadworthy 1972 Beetle pottering along this lunchtime.
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Two today - Not one (one would be unusual) but two Val Satis parked at my local Morrisons....same colour as well (sort of bluey silver) far enough apart to be unconnected. Also a Reliant Rialto - tiny thing, big dog in the back, I could swear that there was a torque reaction to his giant tail wagging.
I could tell he was a he without tailgating.
Edited by Pugugly on 02/02/2009 at 23:34
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a "SCAMP". Not seen one before.
JH
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Just this morning I have been following an "E" reg Fiesta XR2. It was pretty grubby but didn't look rusty. The centre section of the exhaust was banging on the road, however the screen mounted satnav seemed to be installed and working, so that's the main thing.
Or so I thought. After following for a few minutes, *pop*, and the sat nav tumbled to the floor from the screen. This, of course, was a far more urgent job than the exhaust, so was rectifed instantly whilst driving at around 30mph, following the car in front closely, head under the dash whilst retrieving the unit. I backed off even further at this point.
Also yesterday I spotted something which must be exceedingly rare. A FIAT 126, which had had it's top chopped off and a soft top convertible roof installed. BRight metallic red paint job, and a "J" prefix I think. Very, very odd.
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I saw an 06 Mazda 6 doing doughnuts in a supermarket car park this morning.
It was somewhere in West London and it had a 'sold' sticker on it. :)
Edited by ifithelps on 13/02/2009 at 10:00
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Ha Ha, very good!
Fortunately, mine's an 06 but a Jan 06, and so on a 55 plate!
:-)
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Parked next to a Nissan Pao in Morrisons Car Park the other day. Micra base, auto, power steering, aircon, splitting tailgate. Nice retro, bit like a Renault 4...I've got one of them but it's a van....rare.
Ted
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I saw an A-reg Leyland double-decker thundering down the A509 the other day - made my car sway as I passed it! Wasnt in colours of any local firm I know of so perhaps in private ownership.
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One day last week I saw a 1941 Plymouth panel truck parked at an auto parts shop...when was the last time you saw one of those? Later that same day I passed a 1940s Studebaker pickup, painted the loudest traffic-cone orange imaginable.
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Saw a Sunbeam Rapier in very good condition in South East London the other day.
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N-reg motorcyle combination which I think was a Ural, but there was no readable tank badge.
Flat twin, bit like a BMW.
Sidecar was quite long and the whole combination was tatty, but looked like it was in regular use.
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Just saw an F-reg Escort estate in beige - not seen one of those for ages, cant be many left.
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I recently saw a C-reg purple escort estate at the end of my road, I believe it's owned by a window cleaner as it's fitted with a roof rack & has a cloth hanging on it too.
REgarding the Leyland double-deck bus, it sounds like a Leyland Olympian or maybe a Titan.
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A burgundy 72 reg Mustang at the timber cash and carry today. Couldn't have got my 10 3metre lengths of scant in that though !
Ted
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Spotted a burgundy Opel Monza this morning, didn't catch the reg, but it looked very well cared for. I suppose a Vauxhall Royale would have been an even rarer sight!
Always lusted after one of these as a youth, along with the Granada Ghia Coupe. There's something so right to me about big coupes like this. I suppose the Audi A5 is the nearest equivalent these days although it seems a bit small in comparison. Liked the Honda Legend and Rover 800 coupes in their day too.
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White and gold Renault Avantime....hideous!
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I sa an E-reg Orion yesterday - that in itself isnt too unusual BUT it was a diesel and given that most of them tended to lead hard lives, to still see one chugging along was quite a suprise. It was a GL D in solid blue. Not much rust either.
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A Chrysler Epica, with taxi plates.
Will this be the fastest depreciating car in the country?
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'57-plate Honda Legend - probably the most miss-named car in existance.
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You wouldn't make a cheap jibe like that if you'd ever owned one.
Of course, it has to be said that not many people actually have.
Personally, I'd rather have a car with a name using a word that means something, rather than a collection of letters, designed to mean absolutely nothing to low intelligence buyers worldwide. Kuga? Aygo?
I've always thought 'Accord' was about the friendliest car name in the world. I've owned a few of them as well...
Rant over (for now).
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Driving down the Shinfield bypass dual carriageway this morning - a line of cars doing 70mph+ weaving to overtake a dropside Transit doing about 15mph in the LH lane.
As I go past the Transit I see that it's being towed - by an emaciated-looking pony at full gallop!
Kevin...
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1 BHP then - Broken Horse Power.
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>1 BHP then - Broken Horse Power.
Groan!
It did leave me wondering what they were going to do when they got to the end of the dual carriageway where it meets the M4.
If they went onto the M4 how would they stop the pony running into vehicles in front?
Kevin...
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I heard my first lawnmower of spring today.
It would've been a couple of days earlier, when I saw my red-faced neighbour pulling in vain on his starter rope. He's been known to cut the grass on Boxing day!
Cuckoo anyone?
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Once gave mine a trim on Xmas Eve. Cuckoo cuckoo cuckoo.
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Whilst walking to work yesterday I was past by a Vauxhall Chevette sporting a big stainless steel exhaust, which actually sounded really good, not to mention it was shod with wide alloy wheels.
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A squillion years ago I had the chance to do a few laps of Snetterton in a race prepped Chevette Ecosse on slicks. 2300 engine I want to remember ? Can still hear and feel it in my head now........
;-)
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Driving back home from Kent on the M25 this afternoon, I saw a very new (might have been 09 reg but didn't think to look) Mitsubishi which I think might be new 2009 Colt.
I was amazed at its rear end. While it was bombing along at 80 quite happily, it looked like a retro wardrobe on stilts. I'm sorry to say I thought this car looked truly DAFT - despite my liking dinky new cars like the i10.
But having been on the Mitsubishi site and downloaded their 2009 Colt brochure PDF, it doesn't really tally with what I saw. Oddly there seems to be a different layout for the rear light cluster on the base models to the higher spec (lovely looking in the brochure) models.
So what did I see? It looked like a very slim wardrobe, with thin wheels (the stilts); the sort which might fit between the chimney breast and window in my bedroom.
It was definitely brand new and definitely a Mitsubishi.
Edited by FocusDriver on 28/02/2009 at 20:07
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Mitsubishi i. Can be seen currently on Mitsubishi UK website. Front end looks like a Nano Tata.
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Driving around in horrendous Las Vegas traffic yesterday, I saw a Ford Ikon, with Mexican plates. This is not a model that's sold domestically. Lately it's becoming slightly more common to see cars with Mexican plates that are overseas models unknown here (even saw a SEAT one day, first one I'd ever seen in America). I've also seen oddball Chevrolet and Hyundai models visiting from Mexico, totally foreign to us.
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On two separate visits to the States separated by 13 years I saw British registered bikes - a big Kwacker in Gettysburg and a BMW 1150GS Adventure in Maine.
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Must've been around 1990 when a British friend of mine was posted to Manhattan by his company. He was on some fully expensed deal where they funded his accomodation etc for 18 months or so. He took advantage of his temporary wealth to ship a racing green XJS to America. Kept it on UK plates and of course it was RHD. I met up with him a couple of times while he was there and for some reason it felt uber cool to be cruising around New York and up to Connecticut in that Jag. Certainly felt more adventurous than going to Leeds via Bradford in my Mondeo / Signum !!
:-(
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Oh I don't know Humph; Bradford sounds pretty exotic to me.
The XJS was always my favourite car when I was growing up in the 80s. I pointed out each one I saw to anyone who'd listen. IMO one of the most beautiful cars ever to exist. On my thirteenth birthday (1988) I looked out of the window to see one in the drive which my parents had hired for the weekend. I smiled so much I've not been able to frown since.
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Actually, so do I.
And I want to make a grand tour of the Americas in it.
Ah well, Glasgow in the Siggy tomorrow....sigh.....
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Fancy it next year Humph ?
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If I have any customers left and if those who do remain pay their bills sometime !!! Then would love to. Not holding my breath on either count at present !!
:-(
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Humph what colours the Siggy? I will watch out and wave if you are anywhere near the City Centre?
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Your call Bobby, delighted as I would be to receive a cheery greeting, waving and smiling randomly at blokes in silver Vauxhalls is not something I would try in Glasgow.....
;-)
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Humph, agreed re silver Vauxhall, but not many siggies about!!
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I came across a 1975 edition of the Isle of Man Courier recently. (Brought back from a trip the Manx International Rally)
There is an advert for the XJ-S:
"The XJ-S is here-
EXCLUSIVE. ECONOMICAL with FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE
150+mph 0-60-6.8 seconds
15-18 mpg"
Wow, that would cut my petrol bill!
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Saw a beige Porsche, either a 911 or 912, by the looks of it, 1960s vintage. Engine sounded pretty puny albeit soulful, so id plump for it being a 912.
Spotted in rural Leicestershire.
Also saw yesterday my first Alfa Mito and Toyota IQ on the road, black and white respectively.
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A rather tidy Volvo 121 Estate (I hope that's the correct model number) on a 67 "E" plate, towing a large Ifor Williams flat trailer westwards on the M4 near Llanelli Friday morning. Going at a fair lick too.
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The Jaguar club my uncle runs (help run these days?) have done tours of east coast of America. They ship the cars over (obviously classics or why bother) and fly out to meet up with them. Can't cost much ;-)
They also do runs down into France.... some go in XJ220's. My uncle the last time I checked used an XK150 although has at least one other classic.
If you have the health and money then why not. He's had poor health for the last year or so but getting better.
Edited by rtj70 on 01/03/2009 at 22:02
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If rather annoying. A fully kitted out cyclist (all lycra and rubber) hanging onto the back end of a lorry on a windy road (going uphill - me going downhill), his chosen hanging on point was on the offside of the road bringing him dangerously near to the crown of the road. What a total honest to goodness idiot. An unusual sight nonetheless.
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