Old Cars

[Doc Vernon]

LOL Funny though his Surname was Butler!
Cheers

[happy daze john in oz]

Yes the old Morgan, very popular with some.
First car I had was a Lanchester with a pre selected gear box.

But cars then were made to last, when I bought my first Land Rover in about 1998 I was told that of all of them made there were still about 75% somewhere in the world.

Two of the very first ever built in 1948, sent out here for testing in the Simpson Desert, are still on the road as special occasion cars.

But the cars of today have built in obsolecence in them, not built to last just throw away and buy a new one.

[j.sabourn]

#4... !947 think that was the year that the Zephros missed the Tyne Piers and finished up on Cullercoats Rocks . The master blamed the new Zebra Crossing newly installed as being mistaken for the North Pier light. Some of you must have been brought up posh if you had a family car. The first car I ever owned was in 1968 and was a second hand vauxhall viva and had to be away for a year to be able to afford it. I never drove it as never passed a test in the UK , every test I sat they said I drove too fast and did not restrict myself to the traffic flow, that was one excuse there were others. However the wife learned to drive so I could visit the pub in style. JWS

[j.sabourn]

#13... The Zephros was a Greek Freighter. Maybe that joke " Why did the Chicken cross the Road" answer " Because it saw the Zebra crossing " may have originated from here. JS

[Keith Tindell]

Ref post 6, Des, in the fire service we had a real spate of those Robin Reliants i think they were called, petrol engine, and fibre glass body, catching fire from a faulty plastic petrol pipe. We always used to say that to clear up afterwards just needed a dustpan and brush, they went like the clappers when on fire, you could throw water on them all day, and not put it out, kt

[Keith Tindell]

My present car was given to me by my eldest son, when he sold his business he gave me his 18 month old Subaru Outback H6 with 18000 miles on the clock, the old gal is still going strong a beautiful car to drive, so its 20 years old in January, i have clocked up 158 thousand miles in it, i had my previous car for seven years, so i have not bought a car for 26 years, kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

All those wonderful memories of 'They don't make them how they used to' I wonder how many would go back to cleaning the ice off the inside of the windscreen, switching on the ignition, pulling out the choke, going round to the front inserting the starting handle and getting your knuckles rapped as the bloody handle bit you on kickback, and then finally driving off with a periscope view in the windscreen until the wipers (if they worked) cleared a patch, no heaters in the car in those days, count me out!.

Yes those primitive cars and lorries could go places in the snow that modern cars wouldn't even look at, this was due to the very narrow profile of the tyre and its deep sidewall, which bit through the snow (and mud) to solid ground, today's modern tyres are broad profile and shallow sidewall and cannot bite through the snow, so tend to float on it. Forget the old fashioned chains invest in a pair of motoring snow socks made from polyprop-canvas which slide over the wheels, are as light as a feather, allow you to drive on ice (and sand) and go where you want and not go where the car wants to take you. They are approx £50 -£70 per pair depending on tyre/wheel size, after use at end of season, just stick them in the washing machine and leave them in the boot, they weigh nothing. Another not as good as snow socks solution is Cross-Climate tyres, good for light snow conditions and you don't have to change them in summer as they work all year round and are no noisier than normal tyres, but are a little more expensive, but money well spent.

[Keith Tindell]

interesting post Ivan, first i have heard of these socks, now, i might regret this next statement, but not much use for them here on our tropical Isle, not seen more than a dusting of snow for many years, now that statement might just mean the Island suffering a really bad winter, lol, kt

[Tony Taylor]

ref post 6, des, in the fire service we had a real spate of those robin reliants i think they were called, petrol engine, and fibre glass body, catching fire from a faulty plastic petrol pipe. We always used to say that to clear up afterwards just needed a dustpan and brush, they went like the clappers when on fire, you could throw water on them all day, and not put it out, kt

aka plastic pig

[Ivan Cloherty]

interesting post Ivan, first i have heard of these socks, now, i might regret this next statement, but not much use for them here on our tropical Isle, not seen more than a dusting of snow for many years, now that statement might just mean the Island suffering a really bad winter, lol, kt

Made in Sweden Keith, where studded tyres are being phased out and will eventually be illegal, as too much damage to the roads as cars get heavier and heavier. I have found them a godsend on occasions. You can get them on the internet, but I believe Vauxhall have become the franchised dealers, but don't stock them, so no doubt they get them off the internet and put the price up. So easy to put on and take off.