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LightBulbFun's Invacar & general ramble thread, index on page 1, survivors lists on Pages 24/134 & AdgeCutler's Invacar Mk12 Restoration from Page 186 onwards, still harping on...


LightBulbFun

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am aware that KPL139P is missing, as well as a few other rolling chassis, still figuring out if i want to include those in the list, or do a separate list for them or such  :)

 

(I quite like the line the Model 70 pictures  :mrgreen: )

 

 

Do you know what British parts bin the wing mirrors come from for the Model 70? I'm going to need one for my MK12 eventually, maybe!

 

not sure on that one sadly, but im sure it would not be hard to figure out, but the Mk12s looked to have used a diffrent, circular wing mirror, rather then the rectangular one as found on most Model 70s

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https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/automobiles/collectibles/06INVACAR.html

 

I'm guessing you've seen the article but have these two Model 70s in the USA ever been identified (shame they no longer have UK plates)? Also there's the one used by Marion Webb and preserved by the Mobilise Organisation mentioned in that article so do we have an identity for that one?

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Have come across that article a few times :) but sadly not been able to ID those 2, or the Model 70 used by the lady

 

im also aware of a couple others that are like that, ie no UK reg or have been ringed. (or even Q plated LOL)

 

once again still figuring out how to include those in my list...

 

(added RPF19R to the list, interestingly this one looks to have steering wheel control, but with some sort of extra hand control next to the steering wheel, guessing its either the brake or throttle?)

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Stuart has kindly provided some snippets for my list :)

 

first up, RAR49R and LPO970N are the same invacar LOL its current and original ID is LNO970P, but for a while seemed to have ran under the ID of RAR49R, would be interesting to run a HPI type check and see if the chassis numbers match or if they ringed that too :) (I dont actually know if it was rung per say or such, maybe the first owner of LNO970P found themselves in an Egg type situation, so just stuck a Random invacar reg on it for shows n stuff)

 

and secondly that TJN352R, was Mrs Webb's car and was the very last Model 70 left on the road in Ministry service at the very end of the service, hence why it went to Mobilise and then to Coventry Transport Museum. :)

 

List has been updated accordingly :)

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heres a Photo that lends credence to RAR49R and LNO970P being the same car

 

post-25614-0-13914400-1551078894_thumb.jpg

 

notice how in this picture it has the purple lines that "RAR49R" where pictured with but also has the towing hook thingy that LNO970P is pictured with :)

 

post-25614-0-75323300-1548262406_thumb.jpg
 
post-25614-0-72293500-1548326092_thumb.jpg

 

Also finally unearthed the close up picture of the poor hipsterised Model 70

 

post-25614-0-82451100-1551079134_thumb.jpg

 

 

I hope to hell they still have the roof somewhere!

 

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Found you another picture that links Routemasters to Invacars.

post-20743-0-57618500-1551124837_thumb.jpg

 

For some years in the 1990's Southend Transport ran a fleet of RMs. Somewhere along the line (and I can't remember where now) I aquired a Southend Routemaster blind. It's a good blind, unlike Southampton who only put the destinations of the routes the RMs served, the Southend one seems to have every place the company served, it is huge. It even has black on yellow express routes to London and Brighton via Gatwick Airport.

 

But the Thundersley destination is my favourite. It has a nice sound to it and I think is particularly appropriate for a Leyland engined bus - they are known for their excessive volume! I often drive round showing Thundersley.

 

The intermediate blind in this shot is actually from Halifax. That's one hell of a route. It's a night bus too. Not sure I could even get from Halifax to Thundersley in one night.

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Found you another picture that links Routemasters to Invacars.

attachicon.gif20170408_135920.jpg

 

For some years in the 1990's Southend Transport ran a fleet of RMs. Somewhere along the line (and I can't remember where now) I aquired a Southend Routemaster blind. It's a good blind, unlike Southampton who only put the destinations of the routes the RMs served, the Southend one seems to have every place the company served, it is huge. It even has black on yellow express routes to London and Brighton via Gatwick Airport.

 

But the Thundersley destination is my favourite. It has a nice sound to it and I think is particularly appropriate for a Leyland engined bus - they are known for their excessive volume! I often drive round showing Thundersley.

 

The intermediate blind in this shot is actually from Halifax. That's one hell of a route. It's a night bus too. Not sure I could even get from Halifax to Thundersley in one night.

 

oh thats very cool :) (it always pleases me when another Routemaster operator sticks to the LT style/font? of blinds, as thats what i feel fits the Routemaster best :) )

 

I know Dollywobbler wishes to drive TWC back to her place of manufacture, maybe you could tag along as a support vehicle or such displaying that destination blind?  :mrgreen:

 

 

 

That would've been fun* at 37mph.

 

Oh common its not THAT bad

 

im pretty sure Yoss's RM can do 40 Flat out  :mrgreen:

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I tend to cruise at 40. It will happily do 45 and sometimes slightly more but the engine makes twice as much noise achieving those last 5mph which is worrying when you're sat right next to it.

 

Though it might be a good thing that the only thing that seperates me from the engine is a sheet of aluminium as you can hear when it's at its happiest and listen for strange noises. If you have an Atlantean or some such rear engined bus you have no real idea what the engine is doing.

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I tend to cruise at 40. It will happily do 45 and sometimes slightly more but the engine makes twice as much noise achieving those last 5mph which is worrying when you're sat right next to it.

 

Though it might be a good thing that the only thing that seperates me from the engine is a sheet of aluminium as you can hear when it's at its happiest and listen for strange noises. If you have an Atlantean or some such rear engined bus you have no real idea what the engine is doing.

 

Hah that point about being able to monitor the engine noise, is one of the points iv used from a very young age when pointing out how the Routemaster is the bestest bus in the world  :mrgreen:

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Do you know what British parts bin the wing mirrors come from for the Model 70? I'm going to need one for my MK12 eventually, maybe!

I've probably got one here somewhere I think, though it might need a new glass. I'll have a rummage next time I can gain access to the gigantic game of Jenga that is in that corner of the garage.

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Hah that point about being able to monitor the engine noise, is one of the points iv used from a very young age when pointing out how the Routemaster is the bestest bus in the world  :mrgreen:

 

My favourites are the Volvo B55 Ailsa's, it's not really describable in words how close the driver and passengers are to the engine. I remember getting on them when i was little and thinking the metal panel next to where you put your fare in always felt like a radiator, that's pretty much because it was mm's away from this.... No wonder they were loud! (And that's before you consider all the whines of the transmission).

post-26065-0-20764300-1551140656_thumb.png

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check this out :)

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cagiva1994/6296018648/in/photostream/

 

post-25614-0-93527000-1551234820_thumb.jpg

 

supposedly an "in service" picture of TPE409S, its pretty cool to see a picture of a preserved invacar while it was still "in service" so to speak :)

 

I wonder if TWC or TPA are pictured anywhere while still in service?

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found a a picture of the rear of one of the AC City cars :)

 

post-25614-0-78793400-1551243000_thumb.jpg

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20150421182634/http://onlycarspictures.com/photo/ac-petite/01/default.html

 

actually managed to find it while chasing some Mk12 stuff LOL

 

(looking at that grill defiantly looks air cooled to me so styre puch indeed probably, im guessing engine/gearbox/transmission went in bellow? I wonder if theres an access panel behind the rear seats or something? Model 70 style? :) )

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Just a thought, why don't you put in a freedom of information request to government asking who was the collectors or desposal companies for the UK for the model 70s and ring them, you never know more could just be parked up somewhere

That would be a fun conversation;

 

"Hi mate, do you remember those funny old blue cars you were paid to dispose of? You haven't still got one illegally squirreled away have you?"

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Just a thought, why don't you put in a freedom of information request to government asking who was the collectors or desposal companies for the UK for the model 70s and ring them, you never know more could just be parked up somewhere

 

that idea has been discussed before :)

 

turns out apparently the ICR already has all that information? (or at least I think Stuart does since i think he has all the materials)

 

but trying to talk to these chaps is quite tricky sadly (plus im not sure how you do go about doing a freedom of info request although I know someone who might know the lingo will have to ask said person about it...)

 

 

That would be a fun conversation;

 

"Hi mate, do you remember those funny old blue cars you were paid to dispose of? You haven't still got one illegally squirreled away have you?"

 

thats pretty much how we found Eggs Invacar Mk12  :mrgreen:

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Sadly? I have not

 

the closest I have is the chassis diagrams from the Model 70 service manual

 

post-25614-0-70838600-1551341212_thumb.png

 

and these Photos 

 

post-25614-0-26009300-1551340478_thumb.jpg

 

(notice how this one has a little thing installed for the driver to able to slide across :) and is tiller control with foot pedals )

 

post-25614-0-30642100-1551340496_thumb.jpeg

 

(le mans start anyone?  :mrgreen: )

 

post-25614-0-21388400-1551340278_thumb.jpeg

 

(looks like part of the chassis outriggers have been cut off along with most of the body work... )

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No, that's normal I think. The chassis really does end in two prongs at the front.

 

aye im aware, but using KPL as a reference, I think they are meant to stick out a bit further :) (at least I think so)

 

e610f3aaddc7ddb83d82da4a11dab941.jpg

 

(although I will concede, the angle all the photos are at, and the fuel tank on some, make it hard to judge, the middle one in the line up has defiantly been chopped off tho LOL)

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haha yeah :) cant say iv heard many reports of Model 70s exploding in front end crashes however...

 

post-25614-0-91243100-1550354572_thumb.gif

 

going by this poor Model 70, I think if you did get into a font end smash, whatever is plowing into you will end up twatting one of chassis rails before it crushes the fuel tank or the passenger compartment at least.

 

(wonder if the front of the chassis rails where done like that for that reason or its just a happy coincidence?)

 

BTW heres another better picture of TPE409S in Service :) https://www.flickr.com/photos/cagiva1994/5408365890/in/album-72157628070816331/

 

post-25614-0-92137400-1551351210_thumb.jpg

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Hasd a wander round the Riverside Museum today. Thought id take some pics for ye chap...7fd708446b0d59a5fe1143339e3a011a.jpgfec08ba61ca5c1a913d07f19c3badf7b.jpgb061de58b10d3d8d769ff753a2de806d.jpg9236dd5d1268c322130ba6d31880f293.jpgb842b6b5f3a0a731b68d7cc30131a6da.jpg3e261a4eb2f9ec8a030b377e7c9163ee.jpg770d528aaff3706b0dab8e611a5aefd9.jpg75be11330aa8829cc98a65fe07714405.jpgd105137b02620cf91840092c301f6a88.jpg884444570c8dda02df8945b23ea3e6ae.jpgd88285c984983da9a63e4b0fca58ed38.jpgc9a3ca0702af68eb48a35065489c2545.jpge907f306f4cb5e2cd9c439d370bacc77.jpg1cc92f5edd756d51ae592203c6c51ced.jpgf8e56420a06fe25e2ab3ef1cfc42be1f.jpg553d4b2327d6d1b702e849c43bbee61d.jpgc04a09cdffc69982b36c76c7ac8d2f6c.jpg

 

Some have come out sideways....sorry

 

ohhh very cool! thank you for grabbing those :)

 

any chance if your back round next time you could grab a vin plate shot?

 

its interesting to see that running in label I really do wonder what the history of that Model 70 is, being the oldest known surviving Model 70 and also the longest untaxed that iv come across, having been untaxed since 1978! so its been off the road, or at least out of tax since it was only 7 years old

 

I wonder if its ever been on the road?

 

do you remember how many miles the speedo said? :)

 

not sure if its your phone or if its tapatalk but your photos are somewhat low rez so its hard to make out all the details sadly 

 

but I appreciate the effort very much :)

 

 

(once again they speak of invacars as one vehicle, ignoring the fact there where many different models and types, and the tiller control they show is not of a Model 70)

 

 

50mph maximum? Oops...

 

oh dont worry thats just a recommended top speed, not an actual hard limit, its just saying if you go above 50 you automatically get a mad man certification  :mrgreen:

 

it is interesting to see the 40Mph break in rule, because its basically saying "do not exceed 3500RPM" (since above 40Mph is when the CVT goes into fixed ratio mode and RPMs start increasing)

 

and it reminds me the 2CVs 4000RPM limit :)

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heres an interesting one

 

https://www.motorcheck.ie/

 

found this site while looking for any irish sites that might tell me the DOM/DOR for the 2 NI Model 70s without having to pay for it

 

and while sadly that site does not tell me such up front, it does tell me the body type

 

so iv been having a bit of fun popping in a few different invacars :)

 

TWC725K comes back as a tricycle as expected because DW changed the body type to such, but interesting TPA621M comes back as invalid vehicle still despite Zel changing it to tricycle on the V5 I think? (although i dont actually know if he got the V5 back from the DVLA)

 

 

its also interesting to see the following preserved and on road or previously on road Model 70s: TTW991R NPN924P ATW722L JPA268N and JBY 503J the Mk12E all come back back as "invalid vehicle" for body type still :)

 

so as stuart says, it doesn't seem to actually matter/the DVLA dont care about the body type, so you dont actually have to change the body type from invalid vehicle to Tricycle :)

 

(I wonder if you can change it back if you did change body type to tricycle, i know personally its always bugged me LOL)

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Cor! I didn't know his book had been published, I thought it was still 'draft' (maybe I'm reading very old forum posts).

 

I will be getting this too for sure.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Introduction-British-Invalid-Carriage-Abandoned-ebook/dp/B00G706R0O/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1551440074&sr=1-3&refinements=p_27%3AStuart+Cyphus

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