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Reg's relics...as punctual as ever - a Bromley interlude!!


MrRegieRitmo

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I don't think any Marina diesels were ever sold in the UK, even though A-Z of Cars of the 1970s mentions them. About 3,000 were built, all with a 40bhp 1.5 B-series dervler, so it's conceivable - but bizarre - that they all went to Malta.I need to ask my Maltese mate about the trials and tribulations of car ownership there, but he's currently in Moscow. I do seem to recall it's virtually impossible to export anything though, sadly. Also you have to kiss the cross if you commit a traffic offence is the other weird bit of Malta info I can remember.

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A-Z of Cars of the 1970s mentions them.

I wonder if that's the same as my book....is it called exactly that? Mine are "Cars of the 70s" in a blue cover and "Cars of the 80s" in an appropriate brown cover & they are possibly my two favourite books that I own. They are an extensive & interesting read. One of them, the 70s one I think, is written by Geoffrey Robinson, can't remember the other but it was somebody different despite clearly being in the same series. I haven't seen or read them for ages but I remember the 80s one being a bit more sympathetic towards the R14 & both making reference to the looks of the MkI Strada impeding it's success (how dare they?!) :D
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A-Z of Cars of the 1970s mentions them.

I wonder if that's the same as my book....is it called exactly that? Mine are "Cars of the 70s" in a blue cover and "Cars of the 80s" in an appropriate brown cover & they are possibly my two favourite books that I own. They are an extensive & interesting read. One of them, the 70s one I think, is written by Geoffrey Robinson, can't remember the other but it was somebody different despite clearly being in the same series. I haven't seen or read them for ages but I remember the 80s one being a bit more sympathetic towards the R14 & both making reference to the looks of the MkI Strada impeding it's success (how dare they?!) :D
I wouldn't hold much store by that 'cars of the 70's' book is the section on Datsun is anything to go by. Possibly the worst reseached info I've seen in a book. Just laughable. There's something wrong with amost every single entry under Datsun so I definately wouldn't take anything else in it as gospel.
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I need to ask my Maltese mate about the trials and tribulations of car ownership there, but he's currently in Moscow. I do seem to recall it's virtually impossible to export anything though, sadly.

There's definitely been a couple of old Maltese buses exported back to Britain in recent years, I wonder what sort of conditions they insisted upon to allow that to happen. Although it sounds like it's actually super-easy to import stuff into the island, trucks in particular.
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Fantastic spots - I love the Marina!

 

Did you see any of these?:

 

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Its a Shelvoke and Drewery Revopak. These were used throughout the UK in the 70's and 80's but now the only survioirs are the ones exported to Malta.

 

I have fond memories of Glasgow Corporation ones - although the huge rotating tines at the back terrified me at the time lol!

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Stay tuned Keef, I have a feeling there'll be plenty more for you in this......maybe some way down the line though.....

I've bought a ticket to cover me for the whole journey; it's actually quite nice stopping off at all stations for a change. :-)Can you make out the badge on the C-pillar on the original?
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A-Z of Cars of the 1970s mentions them.

I wonder if that's the same as my book....is it called exactly that? Mine are "Cars of the 70s" in a blue cover and "Cars of the 80s" in an appropriate brown cover & they are possibly my two favourite books that I own. They are an extensive & interesting read. One of them, the 70s one I think, is written by Geoffrey Robinson, can't remember the other but it was somebody different despite clearly being in the same series. I haven't seen or read them for ages but I remember the 80s one being a bit more sympathetic towards the R14 & both making reference to the looks of the MkI Strada impeding it's success (how dare they?!) :D
I wouldn't hold much store by that 'cars of the 70's' book is the section on Datsun is anything to go by. Possibly the worst reseached info I've seen in a book. Just laughable. There's something wrong with amost every single entry under Datsun so I definately wouldn't take anything else in it as gospel.
I don't know if we're talking about the same books, but the only niggle I've got, (mainly on the 80s one as I don't think the 70s one even attempts trying to give figures) is that it doesn't give a complete list of figures for all cars on things like performance / top speed etc, some of them just get a 'N/A' which isn't very helpful.I just like them because for me they act as a comprehensive database of every car that was available from all manufacturers during the 70s & 80s, I haven't seen any other books like them. You always get general type books on the decades of cars but nothing that goes through them make by make, model by model like an encyclopaedia of cars.
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Fantastic spots - I love the Marina!

 

Did you see any of these?:

 

Posted Image

 

Its a Shelvoke and Drewery Revopak. These were used throughout the UK in the 70's and 80's but now the only survioirs are the ones exported to Malta.

 

I have fond memories of Glasgow Corporation ones - although the huge rotating tines at the back terrified me at the time lol!

Darn it Iain! You've only gone & ruined my story! I thought I had a scoop! :roll::lol:

 

Yes I did see one or two of these & for me they were a revelation because I never knew they actually existed! Imagine my delight when one pulled up alongside our bus heading into Valletta & I recognised this dustcart as a real life version of a Corgi toy I had as a child & assumed it was based on a fictitious vehicle because I'd never ever seen a real one before! :shock::D

It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling as if a long time mystery had suddenly been solved after about 20 or more years!

 

It's weird how I never came across one in the UK despite them originating here. Also weird how you can get lorries that you only ever see as refuse collectors / dustcarts, I mean Fire Engines are usually things like Scanias & Volvos, although there were things like Dennis'. It's just the SD lorries look good enough to be proper lorries that could have been used for all sorts of things, not just refuse collection....

 

There were plenty of the slightly newer Shelvoke type dustcarts too, a picture of one will come later.

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Wow that looks funny! :lol: It's been through the trash compactor in all directions by the look of it! That's not a Revopak though is it? It's different at the front, that's the style I'm far more familiar with, of which I saw plenty in Malta besides the Revopak style & over here in the UK that's the style I remember seeing about as a kid.

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A few more before I start to prepare to get razzled in the drizzle....

 

Shonky jeep thing, don't think it's a Wrangler. Daewoo Lanos included because it reminds me of an R14....

 

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Saw a couple of older E28 5-Series out there, this was by far the nicer of the two, unusually for an old car in Malta it was obviously being looked after!

 

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There were Suzukis out there but they were outnumbered by ones badged as Maruti which is the Indian arm of Suzuki.

 

Here we have a Maruti version of the Suzuki Carry called an Omni & a modern ish Suzuki Alto (?) or Maruti 800.

 

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Ssangyong Rodius. This beautiful vehicle was owned by the glamorous Casino which obviously made a faux pas by advertising / representing their business with something so tasteless. Although maybe they were just aiming for distinctive. If that's it then it's job done!

 

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Here's the Casino, as you can see, nothing tacky or classless about it, despite the image portrayed by the vomit inducing rOdious....

 

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Right on that note, I'm off out. Night all!

 

:mrgreen:

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Lol sorry I stole your scoop :oops: I have the Corgi toy one too - its pretty good! Its of the 'NY' series.The Revopak pictured looked like other lorries, as it used a much modified Motorpanels Cab, as seen on the Guy big J, Seddons and some panels on the Scammel Crusader cab. There are probably more.The Blue one on Salvage Squad has the later Ogle designed cab.I wish someone would repatriate one of the ones pictured!

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What's so offensive about the Rodius? It's a bit 'function over form', but it's not too appalling compared to say, a Peugeot 308.

Nah, it's really the back end with it's blurring array of swooping lines which is a bit OTT. It isn't too bad in black as the frames / windows are the same colour so not so in yer face! My first thought when I saw it was 'Mercedes R Klasse' which would have befitted the chintz of a casino! Then I realised it was something even worse.I did see a handful of these things in Malta & you'll see later on one which is much worse on the eyes in a different colour which picks out the body lines much better.
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I guess all the mid '60s Fords that were all over the place 10 years ago have finally disappeared? :cry:

There wasn't much to see like that I'm afraid, there were a few gems still about though. Most common old Ford was that Harry Potter chariot!

 

EDIT: Ahh but it depends whether you count the MkI Escort as a car of the 60s or 70s. They were actually around for more of the 70s than the 60s but people tend to associate them with the 60s. Anyway they were everywhere, so many that they were another one that I decided not to keep snapping unless I saw an outstanding one. Every bit as common as the Marina & MkI Astra.

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Rough MkII Transit phase 1....

 

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with phase 2 rear lights.....

 

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Some shite sounding pizzas here....

 

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this one in particular sounds like it would need to be washed down with alot of water. I asked the waiter, how comes this is the most expensive one on the menu, it's just a pizza shite!

 

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Look through the arch & you should make out Hyacinth Bucket's car...

 

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I think this is another Suzuki Alto (or Maruti 800)....

 

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Land Rover 90

 

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Land Rover Series......IIa?

 

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Some sort of Toyota pickup....

 

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Daihatsu Charade (MkII?). These were everywhere to be seen...

 

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Merc 190E with fancy wheels...

 

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Mazda 626 looking shabby & in need of work, or in the middle of receiving some by the look of it. But it also has big fancy wheels. So that's alright then....

 

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These Subaru Justys were also on every street, but I don't recall seeing them too often over here so I thought they deserved a pic or two...

 

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Well here goesIt might be anywhere from 1958 to about 1962 ish. Change to 2a came in September 1961, and the only real change was the 2286 diesel that brought about the nomenclature change. It stayed this way until early 1963, and the headlamp panel then had inset headlamps, the apron was rounded, and little items like steering components were underhung as opposed to overhung (and had railko bushes on top as opposed to bearings top and bottom)Flat apron, 4 bolt bonnet hinge, chrome headlamp surrounds. Hard to see the vent flap controls, it appears to have short screwed on vent flap hinges, not long spot welded variants, but thats no giveaway. It has all the appearance of being ex Military, probably British, Due to the rear crossmember being square in profile, rather than tapered. Rear body tub has all the correct earthing connections and trailer electric points.I could be more exact, if there were more pictures! Well done on the diagnosis, I wonder if it belongs to a S2C member called Autokaci.

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