Spotted's Spottings (2025 France holiday #11 07/09/2025)

[Spottedlaurel]

Gutted this morning. Had a work –related trip where I had to drive somebody to a site, on the way I saw a T-reg Volvo 244, Dolomite and best of all a really clean, white, pov-spec A-reg Alpine!!!

[500tops]

Thats a 2CV Beachcomber if my memory serves me correctly!

It is and I think it was launched to co-incide with the french entry into the Americas cupoh how sad

Very true Bstardchild! It was also available on the french market with a decal of the Yacht used on the bootlid. The french was called the 'France 3'.They also marketed it Holland, again with the Yacht on the boot lid. Here it was known as the 'Transat'!!

[Baz]

This lot from a quick foray down to Suffolk yesterday. Baz may reconise some of the locations.....Strangely, although there was a Subaru dealers in my home village where I found this it actually came from elsewhere.

A140 at Coddenham just before it joins up with the A14....The place where the crazy girl and her parents live in Needham Market....And Boxford unless I'm very much mistaken?Is Riddlesdell's in Boxford still trading then? They used to be Austin-Rover years ago....I remember my mate and I cycled from Great Waldingfield to Riddlesdell's (before Barrett-Lee existed) for a brochure on the NEW Austin Montego when it was launched....Came across the very brochure whilst searching for something else at my Dad's on Sunday! Last I heard, they were "specialising" in classic cars, and had just sold a dog of an MG Midget to a friend of my Dad's!.

[Spottedlaurel]

Is Riddlesdell's in Boxford still trading then? They used to be Austin-Rover years ago....I remember my mate and I cycled from Great Waldingfield to Riddlesdell's (before Barrett-Lee existed) for a brochure on the NEW Austin Montego when it was launched....Came across the very brochure whilst searching for something else at my Dad's on Sunday! Last I heard, they were "specialising" in classic cars, and had just sold a dog of an MG Midget to a friend of my Dad's!.

They sold the site a few years ago to some guy who used to trade in Hadleigh. My stepdad bought an MGB from them a couple of years ago, when we drove past on Sunday the showroom was mostly full of Porsches of varying descriptions (some tat out the back, but it was starting to get dark).I too remember them in the proper days selling BL etc. Dad bought an Allegro from there in 1974 or so, I recall the test drive even now. They they lost the franchise in the 80's and picked up Subaru/Isuzu which suited the rural location.You're right of course on the locations!

[Spottedlaurel]

An update of two halves this week, first the excellent selection I found in a small area of Watford when I stayed there for a course, then the usual local finds (all from one trip out this morning, been slow until today).

 

 

Tatty facelift Espace on Polish (?) plates. Convinced I saw an early one recently when on the move.

 

 

This Colt didn't seem to have moved for a while. Very impressed by the amount of crazy paving in the 'burbs of Watford. Sorry about quality, most taken quite early in morning on a pre-breakfast stroll (the luxury of being away from the kids).

 

 

 

Cherry N12's now getting scarce. This one quite late being a Spirit run-out model, still featuring 'Dan Dan the Nissan Man' plates Was a sufficient landmark that I arranged with RWelfare this would be our rendezvous point

 

 

Nowt special, just interesting to see one still about. They certainly don't survive in the way that, say, MkII Golfs or Volvo 300-series do.

 

 

 

Wow! Check the Hammerited lower half. This was the reason for my stroll, as I'd seen it when arriving the night before. Amusingly it was blocking in three MkV Escorts.

 

 

Love how the grille doesn't quite fit properly.

 

 

 

Had a current tax disc, but didn't seem to have moved recently judging by 'tidemark' on pavement below it.

 

Another Watford batch to follow.......

[pogweasel]

good spots SL!Liking the big Rowva.Re the Nova.... i think there may have been a batch of 'duff' grille/bumpers floating about at one time. My brother owned a very early 1.0 Nova (Y-reg!) with an identically poor-fitting front.

[Baz]

Loving the Espace....Saw a proper flat grille one in a carpark next to the Boundary Rd. today (red, cheapie wheel trims ) but Frances was driving, and I hadn't the heart to ask her to turn back....She's been very patient with my Shite-snapping all week, but I don't wanna push it! The Hammerited Amigo is Particularly vile....Good work!

[Spottedlaurel]

Thanks for the comments so far. One amazing street held everything in this next batch up to and including the Chrysler.

 

 

 

Shonky wedding shite! The Rolls even seemed to have the flowers still on the parcel shelf. Contents of tarp behind to be revealed below.

 

 

On checking with RWelfare confirmed that this wasn't a pukka Quattro, but just the 4wd version of the 'normal' coupe. Fairly rare though?

 

 

Looked tattir from the side than this view suggests. Rusty sill, flat paint and missing rear light, wonder if it'll end up on the track?

 

 

Wonderful.

 

 

This Chrysler wagon wasn't there in the morning, but had been wheeled out in the afternoon as I sauntered back to the B&B. See, always worth wondering what's behind every garage door isn't it? Consensus at the evening meet-up was that it's about a '54. Didn't have an engine, looked to be a fresh dry-state import. More crazy paving too.

 

 

Finally left that one road, wouldn't usually worry about these but the faded paint caught my eye. Anyway, worth it because I turned around to see this.....

 

 

Legend! Always good whatever age, not sure of vintage of this off the top of my head. Early 90's?

 

 

Roadworks caused slow traffic, allowing me to snap this tidy MR2 and........

 

 

Very early Transit! My favourite Watford spot, just yards from my B&B. Had a quick chat with the owner (thanks to the sliding door!), says he's had it for 20 years and only just got it back on the road, with later DI engine. Discussion point at the meet-up was whether they did diesels that early, or has front been retro-fitted?

 

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4116/imgp0055gi7.jpg

 

Final one for Watford, this was outside the B&B when I left! Early one I think, and V6 too. Would rather have driven this home than the Astra TD van I had.

[Baz]

 

Legend! Always good whatever age, not sure of vintage of this off the top of my head. Early 90's?

 

 

Very early Transit! My favourite Watford spot, just yards from my B&B. Had a quick chat with the owner (thanks to the sliding door!), says he's had it for 20 years and only just got it back on the road, with later DI engine. Discussion point at the meet-up was whether they did diesels that early, or has front been retro-fitted?

That model of Legend was produced between about '90 and '96....Meaning that, that particular car is somewhere between '91 and '96, assuming that's a private plate.

 

S.L....Cast Your mind back to Your youth in the Sudbury area....Do You remember the white Mk1 Transit camper with a blue stripe down the side and a confederate flag painted on the bonnet?

 

That was an "A" suffix....Supposedly the oldest in existence....Ford wanted it back for it's museum....It was owned by a rather eccentric old boy called "Chuck" who liked to re-enact western gun fights....Dunno if he sold it back to Ford in the end!

[Spottedlaurel]

Local stuff now......

 

 

I've posted the silly 500 before, but the 360 saloon next to it was a nice bonus. Still see a good number of the hatches, but not so many of these.

 

 

This will have its fans here I think!

 

 

 

Not often I'll be able to say this, but here's one for Baz! We need to talk about this car, it's very local, in fact we've both driven within yards of it many times......

 

 

Subject of discussion the other night. Better than most of their other efforts, see below.....

 

 

PaulH inspired repair!

 

 

What's going on here? Airbrushed Japanese woman on pinky dappled effect Daewoo? Bizarre.

 

 

Non-sporting recent Subarus always look a bit ungainly to me.

 

 

 

What an intriguing pair. Blah blah Nazis blah blah Charlottle Rampling etc. Shame about the VDP's windows.

 

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/1369/imgp0070jj8.jpg

 

W-reg must be late for an XM? Not sure if it's visible but plate was W16EON, wigeon?!

 

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2457/imgp0071vc2.jpg

 

Wow, someone threw the whole RS accessories brochure at this one didn't they?

 

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/5213/imgp0072zm9.jpg

 

Sorry to finish with such a depressing last picture. I think these are one of the most awkward looking modern cars I can think of, bizarre lines. Errghh.

 

All the above from one trip out to buy fence stain and potting compost!

[Spottedlaurel]

S.L....Cast Your mind back to Your youth in the Sudbury area....Do You remember the white Mk1 Transit camper with a blue stripe down the side and a confederate flag painted on the bonnet?That was an "A" suffix....Supposedly the oldest in existence....Ford wanted it back for it's museum....It was owned by a rather eccentric old boy called "Chuck" who liked to re-enact western gun fights....Dunno if he sold it back to Ford in the end!

Yeah! I forgot to mention that, it came to mind when I saw the one above. Remember I often used to see it on Cornard Road, near the garages. Recall him being in the paper with it saying the above.That's made me remember the Mazda 929/RX4 coupe that used to be in the car park of the silk weaving mill just further up Cornard Road. It seemed immaculate then, wonder how long it survived?

[Baz]

 

 

Not often I'll be able to say this, but here's one for Baz! We need to talk about this car, it's very local, in fact we've both driven within yards of it many times......

FLIPPIN' HECK!!!!

 

IT'S AN R20 IN A BUSH!

 

It looks like You're in the Diss area there....I'm assuming this is on the side of the A140 somewhere in that vacinity?

 

That'd be a great source of spare parts....I'd love to see if they wanted to sell it, then dismantle it at my leisure and store all useful parts for future use!....Don't have anywhere to put the car OR store the parts unfortunately....

 

ACE SPOTTING S.L!

[r.welfare]

W-reg must be late for an XM? Not sure if it's visible but plate was W16EON, wigeon?!

 

Difficult to tell actually when the XM was dropped from the Cit pricelists. They moved the Chevron badge to the centre of the grille for '95, I think. I can recall auditing a Citroen dealer in February of 1999 when they were ringing up customers and telling them how the new, every-6-months reg changes were going to work, and saying "Yeah, we're still selling the old XM as well", but W-plate indicates 12 months later than that...

 

Going back to Novas, I like the way the grilles differ between the hatch and saloon, just like Sierras/Sapphires, Mk3 Granadas, and Mk3 & Mk4 Escorts and Orions. Ford obviously seemed to think everyone gave a shit, but odd that Vauxhall just did it for the Nova 'cos the Astra/Belmont and Cavs looked the same from the front no matter what the bodystyle.

 

I think the grilles just droop over time, like late Sierra rear bumpers always hang down in the middle. A sort of automotive sundial to mark the passing of time!

[pogweasel]

PICS BONANZA!!!Where does one start!!!??I'll go back to the Watford Transit for a moment.Now forgive me if I am totally WRONG, but I believe that one would originaly have housed a diesel engine.I think that the 'long snout' on early transits was to accomodate the in-line diesel engines.... remember that the flat-faced ones were propelled by the god-awful V4!As for the renner 20 in the bush... what is going on there? Obviously it's down at heel, but from those pics it looks like surface grot only. Further investigation needed - AS group purchase??Back to watford, and I love the yank thing. Question is will it be a faithful resto or a patina'd rod-job??? cool either way!Love the CF Camper completely obliterating all daylight into the front room. Why people do this is a mystery. My neighbour has recently relocated his caravan to just such a position. Madness.

[Baz]

As for the renner 20 in the bush... what is going on there? Obviously it's down at heel, but from those pics it looks like surface grot only. Further investigation needed - AS group purchase??

Hmmm....If the bonnet is rotten through, then I think we can assume that it will be pretty far gone in all the hidden places....I'm not sure if inside a bush is the ideal place to store a car!

 

Lack of windscreen means the interior will be shot too....Is it my eyes, or is the steering wheel a funny shape?

 

Having said all that, if we do decide on an AS "project car" COUNT ME IN!

[r.welfare]

Looks to me like the front nearside valance where it meets the wing has completely rotted through and is dropping to the ground, so no 'slap on the Turtle Wax and trundle round to the MOT station' job this!Still Baz I would see if you can raid it for all the bits of trim etc made out of unobtainium that you might need for the longer haul.

[55bloke]

if we do decide on an AS "project car" COUNT ME IN!

What about the R 30 Mr30TX was going to rescue from the garage forecourt near me? Believe it's still there.

[55bloke]

This will have its fans here I think!

That'll be me then!!! Looks like a nice one- my fave colour, too.

[Spottedlaurel]

I'll go back to the Watford Transit for a moment.Now forgive me if I am totally WRONG, but I believe that one would originaly have housed a diesel engine.I think that the 'long snout' on early transits was to accomodate the in-line diesel engines.... remember that the flat-faced ones were propelled by the god-awful V4!

What got me wondering was whether they did the long-snout diesels that early? I've got a very early Transit minibus brochure where they're all on 'C' plates and it lists only petrol engines.

[r.welfare]

My understanding (anorak on!) is that the Transit was launched in '65, so I can't work out how this Chuck bloke has one on an A-plate, unless it's a 'private plate' or a prototype of some kind.I thought diesels were done pretty soon after launch, I think it was a rotten Ford lump called a 'York' with about 40bhp? There was a Transit feature in Practical Classics in about 1998/99, might have to dig it out now I can get at my PC stash after putting about 300 mags in the loft last night

[jonkw]

If we can believe Wikipedia on this one, then the original diesel was a 41BHP Perkins?

The engines used were the Essex V4 for the petrol engined version in 1.7 L and 2.0 L capacities, while a 41 bhp (31 kW) diesel unit sourced from Perkins was also offered. The Perkins diesel engine was too long to fit under the Transit's stubby nose section, which had to be restyled for the diesel version. Producing a paltry 40bhp, the Perkins unit was not popular, and was replaced by Ford's own "York" unit in 1974.

I can remember that years ago a mate had a 72 or 73 L reg Tranny diesel with the long front. He only bought this as it meant that he could then shoehorn in a Rover V8, which he then proceeded to do!The van in the picture is a great spot BTW.

[Baz]

My understanding (anorak on!) is that the Transit was launched in '65, so I can't work out how this Chuck bloke has one on an A-plate, unless it's a 'private plate' or a prototype of some kind.

All I can confirm is that the van definately existed, and was definately on an "A" suffix....I somehow don't think it was a private plate - I remember it being around long before the whole "plate transfer" thing took off, plus I don't think "Chuck" was/is the sort to worry 'bout things like that.... Maybe it was some sort of "Pre-Production" model, or prototype, as You suggest Mr.Welfare....I wonder if the Suffolk Free Press (The Sudbury Newspaper) would have the article in it's archives still? It'd be interesting to solve the mystery....

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Is it my eyes, or is the steering wheel a funny shape?

Quartic.

[Marty]

Is it my eyes, or is the steering wheel a funny shape?

Quartic.

[trivia mode] Designed that way, because drivers could not see the original instruments clearly with a circular more wheel like wheel, the advertising bumf of the time made great noise about it being ergonomicaly designed, rather than say we fluffed up the design of teh car, so you have to duck down if you want to see the speedo with a round wheel fitted.[/anorack mode]

[pompei]

Ex Beloved had a Punto Sporting, and when the steering wheel was adjusted to its lowest setting, you couldn't see the instruments. I had to nod to see under it, and when on the motorway, she always assumed I was falling asleep ... Cue for much shouting and grief from her

[Vin]

Hmmm, I'm sure my Dad's old Rover SD1 had a 'quartic' steering wheel too. It was a C reg Vanden Plas model with all the trip computers and shitloads of buttons that operated god knows what.....

[Mr H Sceptre]

Those buttons probably didnt operate anything, knowing Rover's build quality in the mid 80's.

[j-j]

oF COURSE THE aLLEGRO WAS NOT [/CAPS] the only car to have a weerd wheel; many Fords in the80s had oval steering wheels that looked wonky when you unwound them from a bend. And the Citroen SM had an oval wheel too. Oval steering wheels are cool

[renault25]

 

This will have its fans here I think!

 

 

Too true!

I wonder if I could sneakily swap its front bumper for the one on mine - same colour and would save me having to repair the big crack in the nearside corner........

[Spottedlaurel]

That R25 certainly is a tidy old thing - pretty sure I saw it the week before somewhere else, private-ish plate rang a bell with me.

 

For once, apologies to the R-R readers who've already seen one or two of these, and Baz who had a sneak previw of some when he visited mine last week - good to meet up at last!

 

 

Seen in Romford, a Wyvern? Can't quite make out the badge properly.

 

 

Same people who have the Capri LS recently posted also seem to have this, think I saw it go through the recent classic auctions for £800 or so. It's one of two 2.8's I see on the way to work.

 

 

Nice 420G(igantic).

 

 

Neat.

 

 

This pic and one or two of the following mainly for the background, as this is Sudbury where I was born, went to school and first worked.

 

 

Baz knew what the reg'n on the XM would be, apparently FOO 5 has graced several CX's in the past, he wondered if it would be on a C6 in years to come?

 

 

TV rental shop in the background has been like this forever. Very sad to see it now closed. Baz confirmed they used to run R4 vans, then had a Honda Acty before going over to Rascals.

 

 

As this parked next to me it would have been rude not take a quick snap.

 

 

One day, everything you see here will be SHite. Somewhere on here there's the equivalent postcard shot taken in the late 70's, thought it would be good to compare them in a few years' time.

 

 

This pleased me. It's a 1.6HLS, and was sat outside a nicely period-looking 70's house. Extra special for me as it had its Riddelsdell Bros dealer sticker still present, which was the garage in my village where I grew up.

 

 

Tidy late second generation Prelude.

 

 

 

Now, not sure if this counts as a spot, as it's currently on eBay which was why I saw it. Very local to me, and I've got some spare car money having just sold my yellow 240K. It's not quite as good as the listing suggested - drove nicely and quite tidy in many ways, but a lot of dinks and minor corrosion which would still be pricy to put right.

 

Seems to be going for half-decent money already, so we'll see what happens. Failing that there's one or two others I have in my watch list, but if anyone sees anything cheap and interesting that could be used regularly and give me cost-neutral motoring, or even some profit, let me know!

 

That's it, fairly quiet week for me but looks like you've all been making up for it