More snaps from the South Wales area (mid-1980's)

[Station]

Tremendous foresight taking these photos and we can all now share them!

[Vin]

 

A 124 coupe. I like that colour and the whole 'workworn' look of it.

 

By the look of it's stance it's as if it's wishing it could have lived it's life down in Napoli, rather than Wales, and is just resigned to it's fate.

 

I wonder if like many 124 coupes it donated all it's RHD running gear, steering and dash, to a LHD rot free American import 124 spider............

[The Main]

is it the same gillard that had the scrap yard in neath?

Now that was a fantastic place! Top place and Mike was a great guy always up for a chat. Plenty of old stuff in the yard at great prices - never concentrated on the new stuff but anything that was between 10-25 years old that was the first port of call.

 

It got smaller in the last few years it was open as they turned the lower part of the yard (the bit down the bank) into what looked like some sort of oval, but when the ELV guidelines came in the cars had to be depollouted they still sat on the grass/dirt

 

It closed because Mike had health problems

 

Much, much missed yard

Here it is, these pictures from a visit there sometime around 1987 I think. Three XJ6's in close proximity, something tells me the Wedgewood blue Series 1 wouldn't sit around like that for long anymore:

 

 

Wonder how long these had been there...

 

 

Fastback Sunbeam Alpine cosies up to an Escrote Estate and a two-door 'Tina

 

[The Main]

More Neath-area dross. Over to nearby Tonna sometime in the late 1980's. This derelict Minx and Mark 2 Cortina had been left outside the former filling station for years so it's hard to date the picture. Have they finally been cleared I wonder? The Minx was 479 ATH, according to the back of my photo:

 

 

Triumph Herald outside the Jersey Bakery, Briton Ferry one Saturday morning in January 1986

 

PA Velox on Sidings Terrace, Skewen c.1987. The car was often seen at local shows

 

 

This Ford Classic was also a local car and I'm pretty sure was owned by the bloke with the Velox. This is again Sidings Terrace, Skewen, sometime around 1987/8

 

 

Used to see this smart Corsair V4 around Skewen in 1986/87. Here it is near The Crown pub, opposite the chemist on New Road. A really sound 1700 deluxe - hope this one is locked away safely somewhere!

 

 

Very early Hunter seen opposite the Star Snooker Club on Alfred Street, Neath c.1987. Belonged to the daughter of Jim Selby, who owned the snooker club, where I used to spend much of my free time. Which explains a lot, come to think of it.

 

 

Mega-dubious Super Minx convertible seen parked outside the British Legion in Mumbles, Summer 1986. It was there for months before I finally persuaded my Dad to go in and find out who owned it. A bloke called Hoppy, apparently and we could have it for a couple of hundred quid. But we didn't bother, as usual.

 

 

Saw this Corsair 2000E in the Roath/Penylan area of Cardiff in (I think) March 1986. I thought it looked great, so I took this photo. Amazingly, I saw SUH 181H again just off Salisbury Road in the Cathays area of Cardiff, while visiting friends there in 1999. It looked really tatty by this time and I never saw it again. I wonder what became of it.

[The Main]

Here's a few more. This Riley One-Point-Five was (I think) in the Roath area of Cardiff, not far from the Heath Hospital during Winter/Spring 1986...

 

...as was this tidy GT6

 

Penllygaer, Gorseinon (near Swansea), 1989. I'd seen this Anglia Super parked on the grass here for years before I finally knocked on the door of the nearest house and politely asked if it might be for sale. No, came the answer, and the door was shut in my face. Wonder what eventually happened to the Anglebox - the offside rear window had already been smashed. The interior looked perfect.

 

Behind a corrugated iron fence in James Street, Briton Ferry lurked no less than eleven Rover P4's. They ranged from an early 75 'Cyclops' to a last-of-the-line 110. I took these pictures while clearly trespassing one Sunday afternoon in February 1986. They stood there for years and all belonged to the same bloke. A few years later I read in the South Wales Evening Post that a Briton Ferry man was taking legal advice after his landlord had instructed a scrap dealer to clear his collection of 'classic' Rovers, allegedly in lieu of unpaid rent. The cars were all crushed. What a waste. Apologies for the stain - I think that's brown sauce.

 

This early Singer Vogue saloon could clearly be seen on waste ground behind some houses off Fabian Way, Swansea. Took these pictures in Summer 1987, I think. The car eventually disappeared.

 

Tidy Vauxhall 101 saloon photographed somewhere in the Swansea (Pontardawe?) area during early 1986.

 

This PB Cresta used to belong to an old boy who lived in Westernmoor Road, Neath (up the hill behind opposite Stockham's Corner). It looked to be a really nice car, at least until I saw it one day in the late 80's with one of it's front wings stuffed in. Must have taken this picture just in time, around 1987/8.

 

Saw this fabulous E-Series Vauxhall Velox somewhere behind the chip shop in Penclawdd, near Swansea. It was sometime during May 1985. No idea what happened to the car - I hope it survives.

 

This mid-50's Vauxhall Wyvern had been parked outside a bungalow up on Drummau Road, overlooking Skewen/Neath for some time when I photographed it during 1985/6. After I knocked on the front door, the owner told me he intended to fix the brakes and put the car back on the road. I wonder if he ever did.

[Talbotman]

These are really great photos!! These were taken a couple of years before i had my driving licence other wise id have done the same thing! As regards the super minx convertible it stayed parked in the Mumbles british legion until 1990 - disapeared for a bit and then resurfaced at peniel green autospares in llansamlet circa 1993/4 where i was offered it for £150 if my memory serves me right - it was restorable in the 80s but by the time was given the chance it was a soft as a peach! Sombody bought it though- so it might be out there somewhere!

[retrogeezer]

Awesome pics - cheers for posting them up.

[The Main]

Cheers, guys. Quite enjoying putting these pictures up, I must say. Here's an HA Viva SL90 saloon, this was hiding in someone's garden behind a fence in Gowerton, Swansea in late 1985/early86. I remember the tax disc expired in 1977. I doubt it survives which is a shame, it's a rare motor now and it looks to have been worth saving.

 

This Mark 1 Cortina (an early 'Consul Cortina', in fact) was often to be seen smoking around the Neath area. During business hours it was usually parked outside the chemist in Dyfed Road, near the swimming pool. I remember the woman who owned it giving me a somewhat quizzical look when I took this photo in January 1986!

 

Here's another Mk1, this 1966 Deluxe was seen outside the owner's house in Ruskin Street, Briton Ferry. No idea if it survives, but it was in really tidy condition. I took this photo in 1987 or 88.

 

I can't remember exactly where I saw this filler-laden Sunbeam Alpine, but it was definitely Cardiff (so maybe Cathays, or Splott?), sometime during March/April 1986. Bet the owner used to hate MoT-time! Nice Wolfrace Slotmags though. And on a 'G' plate too - surely one of the very last of it's type to be registered?

 

Apologies, but didn't someone (Jetronic?) ask me if I'd found any pictures of a Mk1 Cortina ECY 684C which belonged to their grandparents? how about this, caught in the background in this photo? I can't remember exactly when, but I'm pretty sure this was at the Singleton Park 'May Day' show, sometime between 1989 and 91. I always attended this show, and as soon as I passed my test in 1992 I'd turn up with my blue and white Super Minx.

[Volksy]

Looks like the HA never made it back onto the roadConsul only lasted another year till 1987Tidy Cortina lasted until 1992Sunbeam made it through at least one test, lasted till 1988White Anglebox was last taxed in 1996

[Split_Pin]

I'm really enjoying these pictures!Its interesting to see these cars before they truly became regarded as 'classics'. Some of them have that great 'still-in-service' tiredness about them - keep them coming if you have more please! Interesting that all of the cars photographed in the background, especially that 2-tone Fiesta, are now all appreciating too.

[Guest Tony Hayers]

Ah so close!My grandparents one was ECY 764C. Would have been seen outside M&S in Neath every Thursday morning Great pictures and thanks for looking for the Cortina

[Guest]

The cars generally look much more tired than most similarly-aged ones do now - no need for scrappage, they practically scrapped themselves!!Out of interest though, was it necessary to have a valid MOT certificate in order to buy tax in those days, or were the two not linked at that time?

[mnde]

Great pictures! I wish I had that forethought when I was growing up in the 80s!!

 

 

This picture piqued my interest: next to the Yellow (?)Viva is sitting the front subframe (complete with wheels) from a Citroen GS Pallas - note the full chrome wheeltrims and the two suspension spheres poking upward.

 

Mark.

[seth]

This picture piqued my interest: next to the Yellow (?)Viva is sitting the front subframe (complete with wheels) from a Citroen GS Pallas - note the full chrome wheeltrims and the two suspension spheres poking upward.

And the other wheel will be attached to a Hunter or maybe a late series Minx axle I reckon Still being astonished by these pictures. Its all well and good for us to be filling our digital libraries with photos of rotten hulks but must have taken dedication to shoot all these on film

[trigger]

Awesome pics - cheers for posting them up.

I agree, Fantastic photos and cheers for sharing!.

 

Can't believe how good your memory is though!, I can't remember what i had for tea last night let alone the story behind a car 20+ years ago!.

 

Why do i recognize the number plate on this? Very familiar for some reason?. Was PWK a Jaguar number?.

 

[The Main]

Awesome pics - cheers for posting them up.

I agree, Fantastic photos and cheers for sharing!.

 

Can't believe how good your memory is though!, I can't remember what i had for tea last night let alone the story behind a car 20+ years ago!.

 

Why do i recognize the number plate on this? Very familiar for some reason?. Was PWK a Jaguar number?.

 

Yes - I know what you mean! My brain's always had a tremendous capacity for retaining pointless bollocks. Here's another 'Gillards' scrapyard shot - this time of a very tidy Granada coupe seen outside there one Saturday morning (probably the same day as I photographed those Jags)

[retrogeezer]

Those Granada Coupe's are really lovely aren't they..

[Volksy]

The Corsair was last taxed in 2001, not a bad run at 31 years!The Granda Coop lasted till 1988

[Richard]

The cars generally look much more tired than most similarly-aged ones do now - no need for scrappage, they practically scrapped themselves!!Out of interest though, was it necessary to have a valid MOT certificate in order to buy tax in those days, or were the two not linked at that time?

Yes you did need an MOT to get tax.

[bigstraight6]

Thanks for taking time to post these pics, I've been enjoying them very much The PA Vauxhall reg '300 RYB' is interesting for me, as my first car in 1985 was a MK3 Zodiac reg '300 YYB'.......

[The Main]

 

I think this was owned by a fringe antique dealer known as Scouse, he was only licenced to drive automatics and when I last saw him (last year) he had progressed to an early 80's Volvo 240 (saloon) I think the Corsair finally died a few years ago

Well, SirTainlyBarkin, this is interesting stuff - thanks very much for your comments. Did Scouse used to run that bizarre 'Emporium' place on Salisbury Road, a couple of doors down from Ramons Cafe? I used to go in there all the time as a student living in Cathays in the early-mid 90's. I'm sorry to hear the Corsair is 'dead'.

 

Can I just say that if the car survives, however poor it's condition, I'd be very interested in buying it. Probably not very sensible, but I remember SUH 181H very well and would like to try to save it if it still exists. So if you happen to come across the aforementioned Scouse again, please PM me or contact me on 07974 341445 (my name is Gavin). I'd really appreciate it.