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barrett

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Everything posted by barrett

  1. RIP Marcello Gandini, author of some of my favourite cars
  2. Looking at prices realised on ebay, that's actually possibly something of a bargain. The 1980s tinplate Buick, Corvette etc are extremely nostalaic for me. There was a period of time when every upper-middle class household, or young 'design' type, or Yuppie in general seemed to have one of those on their mantlepiece. A real zeitgeist moment when '50s Americana was suddenly extremely cool in the UK and Europe. As a child, they were always quite fascinating to me, although it was obvious they were 'new' and not actually old. I did actually get one as a Christmas gift one year (which I still have). If I ever become upper-middle class, or design-y, or a yuppie, it will be proudly displayed in my minimalist Bauhaus-inspired living room, alongside one of these: I'd actually like to know the story of those things. Who made them? Why did they catch on in such an enormous way? Were they actually replicas of old Bandai toys or just 'in the style of'? I bet you can still buy them new, somewhere.
  3. amazing! That's the first proper high-res picture I've seen of that car and I need that for my book! Lucky it's in a photo library. That's a genuinely really useful post, thanks for sharing. Edit: They have three other incredible photos of the same car, so amazing!
  4. Actually 123 Calvert road is still there, it's located in the yard behind 125, accessed under the arch at 121. If I ever get my Heron on the road I will be taking it back there...
  5. Yep the windscreen and I think the steering wheel are both 100E. I have changed my mind about the wheels, after looking very closely. They're a flatter profile than 100E and they also have a 'fifth hole', other than the four wheel studs, which might make them distinctive? I think it's a red herring in any case. Other things which point to it being a prototype: no provision for windscreen wipers. The 'grille' opening looks to have been an afterthought, cut-out once the body had been mounted to the chassis. Perhaps it had a small circular opening originally, which was expanded? Or no opening at all? It's a small car. Assuming it is a 100E windscreen, we can see it's both a lot shorter and a quite a bit narrower overall than a 2dr 100E. It's a two-seat economy car rather than a sports car with a hardtop, IMO. It's definitely not an Ashley, Berkeley or Fairthorpe (they only ever made GRP cars and all are well-documented). I doubt this was built by a company that was already building cars in any number, more like a car project from a company involved in another industry looking to expand (entirely guesswork here). If we say that 'bit' is part of the engine and not another red herring, that's not any commercially available air-cooled engine I know of. Certainly not Panhard/Citroen etc (although the bonnet bulge might suggest it's not 'flat' but a 'vee' or vertical twin). The only thing I can think of that looks anything like it is a toroidal engine like the ones Bradshaw was experimenting with at this time, but I don't really think any of his engines were developed to the stage they could run consistently or power a vehicle. I don't actually think it's the case, but it's an intriguing thought. Sadly the best image I have of what I'm talking about...
  6. suspect this might keep me from ever sleeping again. (re-)posted on a 'specials' group on facebook, but It's obviously not an 'off the peg' job and I do not think it's a special at all, but some sort of prototype. Look at the construction of the sills and the fully boxed-in inner wings, and the door handle recession. It does seem to be on Ford wheels, though. The registration is apparently 1955-56 Middlesex. The car is obviously photographed some time after it was built (in metal, not GRP) and it's lived a hard life in that time (of testing?). I reckon those buildings are light industrial rather than residential so this could be the courtyard of a small factory somewhere. But the biggest WTF is what's visible through the grille opening. I'd say that certainly is not a conventional engine of any type I can think of. What is that finned circular casing all about? Could it be a toroidal engine??? I am going a bit insane knowing there's a car out there which I can't identify.
  7. I've looked back over the last 8 or so pages and can't see a mention of this, so I'm daring to post it here... https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/284064684429956/ BWAG!
  8. They're 'Woodlite' headlamps, which were an aftermarket accessory popular in the 1930s and in the early days of hot-rodding. I think the Ruxton was the only car to use them as standard. Fun fact: the Ruxton uses the same body as the Wolseley Messenger
  9. My childhood 'restoration' involved a small flat piece of card taped to a cocktail stick, which gave me an opening 'normal' boot and actually didn't look totally shit. I think my one got painted sort of 'desert sand' colour which was the closest I had to beige. Once a 'shiter...
  10. Yes, that's definitely the one. I didn't realise it was still a 'mystery', I could have told you that ages ago! I remember first hearing of that Ausitn Special in the mid-90s and it has not progressed at all since then. I really hope somebody can sort it out, it's a really cool thing.
  11. It's overcast and miserable here today so not easy to take photographs, but here's some more detail of my top choice from the little job lot fo Politoys that was delivered the other day. They worked out at £15/car which I think is a proper bargain. The Politoys Export Iso Grifo is Number 553 and, like others in the range, is a simple toy-like effort with only opening doors, but it's charming and carries quite a bit of weight The proper Grifo wheels are a nice touch. I've never had the Corgi version, but I'd say this one is actually a touch less detailed although the overall effect is very nice. If I could have picked a different colour I would've, but I can't complain about a near-mint Politoys at this price
  12. I consider myself something of a microcar nerd, but I only recently found out they also sold Bond Mincars in the USA (or tried to, at least), where it was marketed under the name Sharp's Bear Cub. Who knew?
  13. Quite a good parcel arrived this morning...
  14. That's been there forever. It'll definitely still be there next time! If you want to haggle on the price, that stall is run by the young-ish French guy who looks straight outta Mai '68. What's the 'good' chazza shop then? I don't really look at toys when I visit, but would be nice to know where it's worth checking in future...
  15. Currently being restored by somebody I know, I think it's gonna be really cool when it's done
  16. Blimey, blast from the past there. When did you get back?
  17. I've surprised myself by going to a bookshelf and immediately locating this! Which includes some reasonably-priced new houses And this. I wonder what the fragrant Mrs Jane Onrust-Kloosterman is up to these days? But also this, which I hope you'll be able to read
  18. Indeed. I'm going to stretch the limits of my memory here, and I don't think there is a huge amount of confirmed information anyway, but alongside that very conventional Westcar the same firm built a car called a Heron, and later Westcar Colonial, which was a variation on the Marks-Moir car which was meant to be built in Australia. This is a really interesting thing - it's a plywood monocoque 'hull' with a mid-mounted engine in 1922. Obviously not the first time those things had been done but very much an unconventional design at the time. And it looked really cool, with a 'prow' for a nose That's the Marks-Moir prototype (which was actually designed and constructed in England) That's the only image I've ever seen of the Westcar version. That's the 'Westcar Colonial' I think, because it has no doors and four seats (obviously trying to add some integrity to the 'hull'). The bodies were built on the Isle of Wight, sent to Southampton and then by road to Herne Bay were they were built up by Westcar (although I don't think very many were actually constructed, of either type - between 50 and 100 in total iirc). I seem to remember Westcar is best known for constructing something like a tram that ran on Herne Bay pier (or somewhere else local)?? Mike Worthington-Williams was very 'into' the whole saga so I have inherited a fair bit of material, but I don't think he ever truly got the absolute full story. He first wrote it up in the 1960s in Kent Life magazine, I think, and even then it was all quite mysterious.
  19. There's a connection. The next generation Graham in 1940 used obsolete Cord body dies, with a restyled front end, but on a rear-wheel drive platform. Called the Graham Hollywood, which I always thought sounded like a cruise ship comedian or a local radio DJ Edit to add: I wonder if this is the only case of a car being replaced by a design which was older than the one it was replacing?
  20. Let me know if you'd ever like to move that one on... I only have one CIJ model (I'm not sure when the 'Europarc' branding came in, probably late 1950s) which is this Dyna X They did a few cool models of cars nobody else did, including the Dyna Junior, Rovin and this early Alpine, all of which I'd love to find
  21. £19 for this Polistil 1:24 Fuego on ebay (which has been slightly personalised but nothing major) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204522704050
  22. Gosh, not much has happened since then has it? In fact, not much happened at all in 2023, motoring wise, for me. No silly car-buying adventures, and most vehicles off the road for longer than they were on the road meant fewer road trips. Also money is just really tight now innit, which makes everything less fun, and I'm definitely feeling my age these days and am less willing to jump into untested cars and drive a million miles without stopping. I've also somehow avoided doing much article-writing which meant fewer cool cars to drive. Anyway, here's my very brief 2023 in review (comprised entirely of quick phone snaps with very little thought, sorry): January started on a high note. On a bitterly cold day I ventured into deepest Surrey to get up close and personal with one of my dream cars, this Flaminia Sport Zagato. It was everything I expected, but I think I'd still rather have a PF coupé (which is lucky for my bank manager) In February I went to Rétromobile, which was back at almost-full-size and filled with cars I desperately wanted to bring home with me. Plus, food, wine, friends etc, so it's always a good trip. I particularly fell for this little Simca and also this outrageous Buick Woodie But for some reason I couldn't ignore this dreamboat P6, a V8 in avocado on French plates just looked so cool March (it was only on the last page of this thread!) saw another journey for the Riley from Sussex to mid-Wales for the VSCC Light Car weekend. As ever with this car, it ate up the miles and performed perfectly. Always a calendar highlight, this. In April nothing happened, apparently. In May a friend organised a little drive in the country and lunch but selfishly had a heart attack in the morning. He insisted the rest of us carry on regardless, but it was a bit of a muted affair (don't worry, he's fine!) the same month I bombed up to the Field of Dreams for the first time, with the sole aim of lovingly rubbing a sponge over this absolute beauty June was the epic drive, to the centre of France in the Quadrilette a lovely run down, followed by an incredible weekend surrounded by cyclecars, cheese, bread, wine, friends, wine, cheese and wine Slightly scuppered by the exhaust falling off on the way back, but we got home eventually and the car followed soon after (thank you, European breakdown cover!) although it's still not fixed. In July, more cyclecars! I got the opportunity to drive a Seal, which I doubt anyone else here can say. It was... mental, but fun Although I got a bit sophisticated and really fell for this Ceirano S 150 instead. To the point that I was quite seriously working out how I could buy it, but thankfully the moment passed. It was very nice, though (full story in the February issue of The Automobile, etc) In August I drove the Peugeot 202 solo to Prescott were it rained, horrendously, briefly clearing up enough on Sunday to take two photographs Must get an SM1500 at some point. In September I finally got my Rover back from its six-month spell away from home, not actually fixed but at least vaguely functional, so I drove round in that for a bit I also went to Beaulieu Autojumble, where apparently the only photo I took was of this food stall. I had the prawn noodles with surry sauce, it was good (not many options for a non-meat eater at car events) Also September, Goodwood Revival. Track porridge: and car-park chod: In October I thought I was going to die, and then went to look at a car for sale whilst in the grip of a sustained panic attack. I did not buy it because it looked like this underneath, but I'm I sort of think I should've done it anyway In November the R16 was dragged out of its barn storage and cleaned up And in December it sold, and that was all that happened. Car resolutions for 2024: Buy more cars, sell some cars, more wine, more France, more events generally, more road trips. Drive the Palladium?!?!?!
  23. Good story, but wrong car. This was the Howe Atalante as found Probably one of the most desirable cars of all time at that point. It was crying out for a light-touch conservation to preserve all its character but, alas, it was totally stripped and given a nut-and-bolt restoration and it now looks like this, chromed wires n all I saw it shortly after the restoration was finished and I walked straight past it, didn't even clock it was the same car. It was only when somebody pointed out the reg that I realised what it was. A real shame. The one in your picture is a 57C (supercharged) not a 57S (low-chassis) and the Atalante body is, I'm pretty sure, not original to that car hence the slightly odd proportions
  24. I think it's safe to assuem this will be my last update for 2023. It's certainly been a lean year although I saw a handful of cool bits. Anyway, this Saab was parked at the hotel by my office, which often has interesting visitors. Apart from the whitewalls and the number plates it's pretty much perfect. I haven't left my house since December 22nd so I thought I'd go out today and actively look for things which didn't go as well as hoped. Lots of potentially interesting cars under tarps , etc, and some things I'd seen on streetview which had vanished. I did see this Lancia Delta* though. I didn't realise but there was somebody working on it round the other side, which I discovered when I heard somebody mutter 'you cunt, what are you doing!' under their breath. Assumed it was directed at me, but in fact it was just 'mechanic's fristration' in action. Anyway, cool thing, right? This was on the same street. Not sure if it's a 12 or a 14, but in any case it looks to have been sitting there for some time. I discovered the motherlode. A garden filled with abandoned cars which is right next to a pubic footpath so I could be very nosey and stick my camera through the fence. I'm never sure if the sort of people who live in these places are gonna be invalids, or champion curtain-twitchers, and in case it was the latter I didn't hang around too long, so failed to snap the early Metro. This Vectra wasn't interesting, really. Land Rover behond, and just out of view 80s Rolls-Royce and various bits of 90s bilge (Metro just visible on the left) This is a Sierra estate, but you'll have to take my word for it Best thing was this, which was right up by the house behind the Metro. I think there was a Mini in the back garden but it was totally covered by tarp and not very photogenic. Anyway, RENAULT 20!! Gotta be my spot of the year. So that's it for 2023. Thanks to everyone who's looked at this thread,c ommented, liked or whatever. IT'S ALL FOR YOU!
  25. Amazing they still had stocks of Maxicars they were trying to flog in 1977! Pretty sure the range came out in 1972, maybe even a bit earlier, and by all accounts they sold terribly. Still looking for the Opel if anyone ever sees one...
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