Spotted's Spottings (2024 France holiday #5 06/10/2024)

[AnthonyG]

I wish those racing blokes luck with that Magnette!! Is it as rotten as it looks, or sound under all the muck?Out of all the above, I'd have the Rover P6. On second thoughts I'd have the Merc CLS, sell it, put a deposit down on a flat and then buy the P6 with the small change!

[bigstraight6]

You have been busy Spottedlaurel! That Mustang does it for me, but nice to see an R9 "lemon" as well!

[Spottedlaurel]

Two weeks since an update? Apologies for some of these as they've already been on Retro-Rides, but there's a few fresh additions to keep joint readers on their toes......

 

 

Quite an early one?

 

 

Especially for Mr_Bo11ox. My old 300C estate was bought from the chap who now has this, he obviously likes his big glitz-mobiles.

 

 

Yup, it's Lidl's.

 

 

Don't see so many now on a C-reg.

 

 

 

Bitsa 924/944.

 

 

Found this by the road in a very rural area of Norfolk.

 

 

 

I was cock-a-hoop to find this, so clean too. Facelift doesn't do it any favours, but when did you last see one on the road? Super-French generic small car colour too.

 

 

Initially thought this was a MkI when I saw it through a hedge (I love autumn for what it reveals). Looks very together.

 

 

Had to do a bit of random wandering so I could get this shot without being noticed

 

 

Lidl again. Why bother with spats if you haven't got alloys? Was disappointed not to snap it earlier when on the move, but I should have known the Lidl tat-magnet would work OK.

 

 

This was so clean.

 

 

Shown it before, but I've now talked with the old lady owner with a view to one day buying this from her

 

 

If you go down to the woods... #1. Seen when out for a walk with family, very unexpected but pleasant surprise. Very clean, very early.

 

 

If you go down to the woods..... #2. Lovely colour, excellent condition apart from the odd blister. Still gave off a whiff of prestige.

 

 

Tribal flames! Shame, very clean otherwise.

 

 

Something for most people here. I have no idea what the front contraption is.

 

 

Same yard also had this. HGV lovers - I thought the 8-wheel Leylands like this usually had the twin headlights?

 

 

Another shot of the HA's, with big caravan.

 

 

Panda has wheels off a Nazi/Rampling-mobile. Vamper (Edit: should say camper, but I like the idea of a vamper) is worthy of mention too, it's one of those angular Mercedes small vans that we never got here. Recall someone saying they were rubbish.

 

 

Wouldn't normally have stopped for this, but it was tidy and as I'd got out to snap the Panda nearby it seemed silly not to.

[pogweasel]

Pleased with the 104 spot!My mate had one when we were young. His was the 'original' flava with all the spangly chrome and was orange outside and orange inside. Fab. The owner of the Bedfords is clearly LIVING THE DREAM. Everything shabby, half-arsed or in decay. Quality.What of that Land Rover? I'm lustin' for another, as they are irritatingly useful machines. Officially sanctioned by the rest of the PogFamily too. Hurrah.

[retrogeezer]

Great spots..

 

How inefficient are the headlights on those big lorries!!

 

Love the Peugeot too....who remembers the Citroen version?? The LNA.

 

[bigstraight6]

Great variety there Spottedlaurel! Those Leyland Constructors are now a rare sight as "working wagons". The eight legger is a Leyland Factory built Lightweight model, fitted with the T45 narrow cab, hence the single headlamps. The majority of Constructor 8's were the heavy model with the wider cab as fitted to Roadtrain tractor units with the twin headlamps and were built at the former Scammell factory in Watford. When these were in production I was working at a Leyland/DAF dealer in the parts department, hence the knowledge :wink:The little Peugeot 104 is a massive spot!

[r.welfare]

Don't see so many now on a C-reg.

These early Mk2 Ashtrays got a real ribbing at the time for dreary bumpers and badging - any colour you like as long as it's grey!

 

When I went to University in '95, a bloke on my course dropped out after 3 months and went to work at Texas Homecare full time...he turned up for a few beers a couple of months later in a B-plate one - even then, it was the rustiest car I'd ever seen

 

This was so clean.

Mmmm! Shame about the slight front-end damage, but I like these a lot.

The earliest ones sometimes came with full wheeltrims in stainless steel, or holed steels (like base E30s) with dinky hubcaps. But I'd stick it on 'bottletop' alloys - perhaps the most pleasing OEM alloy design EVER. Or they look really good on the last-shape 5-series (E39) base alloys too. Always depresses me when 'chavs' fit these hubcaps (and steel wheels) to old 7-series...

[Spottedlaurel]

Top info there BS6! Just the sort of thing that will be useful when I'm in the Autoshite Home for the Bewildered in 40yrs time, unable to remember anything about 'real' life but recounting tales of shite seen in the past.

 

Pog, isn't the home for the HA's just how we like to find our shite? It's on the edge of a fairly barren bit of Norfolk, drove home through the lanes and it was like being in another world.

 

Pleased to see the 104 going down well. Certainly it'll feature in my Spotting Review of 2006.

 

Anyway, I forgot to add these delights

 

 

What do you do see if you a sight like this through a fence? Go exploring of course!

 

 

 

Thanks to Mr Old Car PaulH I can say this is a Standard. Looks like garage around it has been dismantled. Wonder how long it's been here? It's only yards from my usual spotting route, goes to show what's still out there eh?

 

 

Proper S-Type with odd mix of D-Type replica wheels and tinted glass. Never seen it around before.

 

 

 

Bonkers lightweight Land Rover. See it every day, been in town for a week or two now.

[bigstraight6]

Blimey! Spottage overload, I'm going to have a lie down in a dark room for half an hour Those wheels on the S type look slightly odd, just like the X300 Jag with chrome wire wheels I Clocked earlier this week I Am already in that home for the confused and bewildered

[Baz]

Love the "afterthought" grille/headlights on the facelift 104 that doesn't follow the line of the bonnet! Tinted windows aside, that Jaguar is beautiful!

[Spottedlaurel]

Seems like it's the day for updating spotted threads, here's my contribution....

 

 

Sadly this is in a tricky place to get a picture. The one day I did I'd left the flash on Seems to be the home of a Ford enthusiast - Pogweasel will be gutted, but a couple of years back he had a very tidy white MkI estate on 4-spokes for sale. Started at £1500, eventually dropped to £900 before disappearing

 

 

Look carefully - not one but TWO white K-plate Rialtos.

 

 

Nothing special, and a poor picture. Sorry.

 

 

F/G-plate stuff like this is typically the oldest I see in regular use.

 

 

I stumbled across the eBay listing for this chap's previous JDM Camry TD, as previously posted here. Usefully he stated that he'd replaced it with a Toyota Cresta, so I can confidently say that's what this is (would have struggled otherwise).

 

 

Aren't these some sort of Mopar? Maybe with Mitsubishi bits? Whatever, it was on Polish plates.

 

 

I genuinely don't know what to say about this. Oh, I know - why did anyone buy them new?

 

 

Hmm, needs more gaffer tape for the next MoT.

 

 

Some kind of classic car workshop here, caught glimpse of a MkI Triumph 2000 in the workshop.

 

To be continued......

[pogweasel]

Mmmmmm. Marbella.Did know -someone- who bought one new...When I were a bit younger, some neighbours of my 'rents bought one brand new on a G plate, to replace their valueless rusty D-reg Lada. That's right a rusty 4 year old Lada. Interestingly that was the same time that my folks bought a brand new FSO Polonez, a car which somehow survived and can still be seen rattling around the local villages, usually full of potatoes as grown by the peasant farmer my dad flogged it to....Also vaguely interesting - the Marbella people also had a Chevanne, absolutely minty fresh that the fella used to bowl about in (small time carpenter). Haven't seen them for years.... wonder if the chevanne survived???

[wuvvum]

I think the black coupe is an Eagle Talon, and yup, it is basically a rebadged Mitsubishi Eclipse. They did a 4x4 Turbo version which must have been quite fun to drive for a Yank motor.

[Spottedlaurel]

 

 

Long range spotting! Seen this Avenger 4dr resting here for a while now.

 

 

 

This was the only haul from an interesting trip down to Essex's version of The Fens (Maldon down to Dengie Marshes). Sadly a travel-sick daughter and packed timetable of visits to elderly relatives curtailed photographic opportunities, but there were some good sights. I thought the LR and P6 were in convoy, but the Rover turned off. The MGB was a coincidence too, later on we saw a lovely 'Series' Minx of some sort. Lots of quality bilge to be seen too.

 

 

An out-of-the-dirty-office-window shot. Wouldn't have looked much cleaner if I'd bothered to go outside. I rarely go more than week without seeing one or two of these.

 

 

Now, this pair did make me go downstairs. Tempras somehow seemed hopeless even when new, not helped nowadays by a local cab firm using them in line with its policy of running clapped-out Fiats. I got a ride in one of their Regatas some years ago. They're now moving onto Mareas. Oh, that 'CE' registration, is it a Fiat one? Years ago all the Cromas I used to see seemed to be something like G...HCE - lots of pre-registering? Always a sign of future shite

 

 

Not seeing so many of these now. Always struck me as being a crib of the MkII Cavalier hatch.

 

 

How long did they keep these going for? Was looking at another today, and can categorically state that early pov-spec versions look much nicer.

 

 

If I'd have known 10 years ago that I'd be taking pictures of these

 

 

RHD Cadillac whale. Is this an STS? Is it FWD?

 

 

May be a bit commonplace still, but whenever I see a facelift 5-series they just look so right. This was a 525e, probably a good in-between model?

 

 

Something for Marty. Huuuge dog inside, I don't want to think about the smell Disappointed not to snap anE-plate one earlier in the week on those odd alloys - could it have been Expression or something equally daft?

 

 

Hooray! This model still seems relatively small compared to my later one.

 

 

Now, surely no-one has ever slept in one of these?

 

 

Finally, not so much a spot, more an acquisition! Let's hope that old lady with the nice silver one that's basically identical doesn't now ring up It's the first fruit of my liaison with the Hyundai dealer, was cheap, and has turned out to be a Very Good Buy.

[wuvvum]

Not sure if that Seville is an STS or not, but those cars were all FWD, unfortunately. How they managed to get all the power of that 4.6-litre Northstar V8 through the front wheels (upwards of 300 brake in the STS as I recall) I don't know. That engine was about the only thing the car had going for it though. I remember sitting in an STS at the motor show when they were first introduced over here and it was the most ridiculously over-equipped car I'd ever seen. I remember thinking that if they'd spent a bit less money on automatic illumination for the sun visor vanity mirrors and a bit more on improving the quality of the plastics the overall effect would have been much nicer. They hardly sold any over here, which is not really a great loss

[mouseflakes]

...why did anyone buy them new?

 

SL - if it was the limited edition V8, as this one clearly is, then that would be reason enough surely?

 

[Spottedlaurel]

SL - if it was the limited edition V8, as this one clearly is, then that would be reason enough surely?

I noticed that

[pogweasel]

 

 

 

 

If I'd have known 10 years ago that I'd be taking pictures of these

 

 

If you think photographing one is embarassing....

 

 

That is the absolute spit of the one I owned about 6 years ago.

Question - is that a genuinely quick one? Or like mine, a dressed up old rust bucket propelled along with the wonderous technology of the 1300hcs lump and a 4 speed box. Oh the shame!

[mk2_craig]

What's always puzzled me about the Escort turbo is that hardly any of the dealer network sold them, they must have made only two or three thousand, yet 10,000-plus still seem to survive. As do the Escort cabriolet turbo, Fiesta mk2 turbo (neither actually produced by Ford) etc. Where are all these blown CVH engines coming from? Haven't seen a totally standard one in ABSOLUTELY YONKS, but when they come up for sale the going rate seems to be about 5 grand nowadays Always preferred the XR3i on those white plastic hubcaps anyway

[wuvvum]

If you think photographing one is embarassing.... That is the absolute spit of the one I owned about 6 years ago.Question - is that a genuinely quick one? Or like mine, a dressed up old rust bucket propelled along with the wonderous technology of the 1300hcs lump and a 4 speed box. Oh the shame!

There's a chap not far from me who had a genuine Mk3 RS (even rarer than the Mk4's), and he'd taken out the original engine and dropped in an 1800 DIESEL

[pogweasel]

REALLY?Must be a bit bonkers in the nut to do that.Recently there was Mk3 Xr3 on eBay that had been fitted with the 1800TD unit out of a Focus. I was seriously tempted... only the distance and rust issues put me off. That would be a pretty exciting combo IMO... our Focus TD ain't slow, and in a lightweight mk3 shell the results could be entertaining to say the least. Can you spell torque-steer?

[Baz]

More great spots there S.L....Loving the Reliants especially!

 

Renault 5 continued alongside the Clio as a "budget" model called the "Campus Prima" until about '96 if I recall correctly....Making that one a pretty late one!

 

 

Finally, not so much a spot, more an acquisition! Let's hope that old lady with the nice silver one that's basically identical doesn't now ring up It's the first fruit of my liaison with the Hyundai dealer, was cheap, and has turned out to be a Very Good Buy.

Congratulations S.L....Clean looking 323....But I've been to Your home, and You strike me as a man of taste, so presumably You'll be BINNING THOSE WHEELTRIMS???

[MrRegieRitmo]

I thought you'd have waited for the silver one seeing as it was A*** NOO one! ?

[Spottedlaurel]

I thought you'd have waited for the silver one seeing as it was A*** NOO one! ?

Ho ho! ‘Buy and sell cars when you can, not when you need to’ is how I’m trying to work it - I’ve missed out on too much good stuff in the past because I thought I didn’t need a new car. Fool.Yes, Baz, those ghastly wheeltrims will be coming off soon. It’s even worse the other side, with a different style again on the back and it missing on the front to reveal a dirty, rusty and rather boring steel with far too much offset. Got some ex-Sunny B11 stainless trim rings waiting for it, and I’ll repaint the wheel a gunmetal colour in the short term. Slightly chunkier steels would be good, as the 323 GT had – local acquaintance specialises in breaking/exporting Japanese stuff so I might have a root-around there over Xmas.Important thing is just gets better with every drive

[Spottedlaurel]

Nothing earth-shattering, but despite wintry weather still some good stuff around and unphotographed like a tatty GT6 this morning and an old Mitsubishi dropside pickup yesterday (local, so hope to get that one day).

 

 

Discussion yesterday on R-R revealed that UK ones probably have less interesting spec than French models. Still unusual to see one in everyday use I thought.

 

 

This more interesting than it looks as it's a Clubman. Saw it once on the move when I was in the Starlet, he certainly gave it a look.

 

 

People do still work on their cars on the driveway! Reckon this is a lost cause as it's been like it for a while

 

 

Thought this might please the Renault fanciers here. Must have been one of those semi-official service centres in the past, he still specialises in them.

 

 

Slightly more interesting Peugeot estate.

 

 

Another week, another beige MkII 4dr. Someone was inside so I got no closer......

 

 

Don't usually worry about every old Land Rover I see - living in the sticks there's a fair few around - but thought this looked interesting. Over to you Pogweasel.......

 

 

Woah! Don't see many Ballades around nowadays, tidy one sold a few days ago for something like £168. Quality sunroof leak solution.

 

 

I'm not a great fan of modern German cars, but A8s appeal to me due to their excess. This one's pearl white and I often see it. Future shite?

 

 

I feel a bit cheap and dirty putting this in here. Such an easy target aren't they?

 

 

Super pov-spec AX! I missed a Samara later on in the day in this car park

 

 

My old car! As R-Rers may know, it now belongs to ScrapingScrap/UtterPiffle, we'd just popped in to say hi.

 

 

Also on his driveway was this, which belongs to his lodgers. Like it KingMaz? Odd spec of 2-litre auto saloon but with bodykit and white alloys. Just about to be put through another MoT, but I've asked for an option on it should it ever need a new home Also on the drive are SS's Dodge camper and his M-B 560SEC which is the subject of a 5-day lowrider conversion (hence the hasty garage extension).

 

 

 

SONATA! Neatly, and accidentally, got the yellow V-reg Mini in shot as posted here recently.

 

 

Wouldn't normally worry about these, but the notices on the window intrugued me. It's outstayed its welcome in Sainsbury's car park and is due to be removed very soon. I'd kept seeing it in the same place and just assumed it was someone who worked there.

 

 

Again, maybe a bit bilge-tastic but getting rare. Saw a nice coupe verson this morning, I do like them.......

 

 

Have photographed this before, again turning out of a junction, but nice to see it clean and still in regular use.

 

 

Bit blurry and dark, but couldn't resist! Must remember to see if it's still there tomorrow.

[mouseflakes]

Nice tat selection SL.Is ScrapingScrap he of the old ScrapingScrap website (I've not found it recently)? They were building a chopped and slammed Renault 4 - it was looking good. Does anyone know if it was ever finished?

[Baz]

That 610 estate is lovely isn't it? It looks familiar....Have You posted pics of it before S.L?

 

Had aspirations toward a new bog-standard AX10E in white when I was a whippersnapper (amazing to think that, that car is EIGHTEEN years old isn't it? ) Still looking good, and pleasing that no-one has seen fit to cover those lovely rollerskate wheels with crappy cheap wheeltrims!

 

Yugo is gloriously Shite....Definately worthy of a daylight mission I'd say!

 

Tell me S.L....Where is that Renault specialist? Always handy to know these things!

[MrRegieRitmo]

 

 

Thought this might please the Renault fanciers here. Must have been one of those semi-official service centres in the past, he still specialises in them.

 

 

Have photographed this before, again turning out of a junction, but nice to see it clean and still in regular use.

Top picks (pics) for me! I love those Renault Dodge S75 vans, especially the shapely crew cab version! Southern Water (Portsmouth water?) had a whole fleet of Renault Dodge service vans a few years ago, I think they went up to a K or L plate. All gone now though.

 

I love those small headlight / incorporated grill (base model?) Sierras. They're definitely scarce now! The least special versions of cars never get preserved.

 

Oh, & obviously I also love your former Datsun estate S.L !

[Spottedlaurel]

Yup the same ScrapingScrap, but looks like his site doesn’t exist any more sadly. Not sure if the R4 got finished, think it got sold on. Those with longer memories may remember him as Skodaboy. He’s built lots of silly things, most of them involving hydraulics.Baz, I may have posted pic’s of the 180B here before, something I’m proud to have owned so I probably would have shown it off. SS bought it off me a year or so back. He has lowered it and fitted TR6 wheels, but even he realises it’s not the right candidate for turning into a lowrider though it may eventually get more modern Nissan running gear. Is currently in the process of fitting the struts from my spare 240K fitted to it.I bought it off eBay from its original owner in Yarmouth in 2004, with 27k on the clock! Fantastic styling, much improved by fitting ex-240K alloys to it. I did 5000 miles over a year but amount of rot under the front wings when they came to be replaced was more than I could handle so it had to be sold on. I believe Wuvvum had a bid on it?That garage is here in Attleborough, I think they may trade under the name Newstead if you can’t find them under Morters.The Yugo was still there this morning so I’m going to take a wander up that way at lunchtime.

[renault25]

I like that 305 estate. Friend of ours used to have a GTX estate - had the 1.9 petrol lump I think. Seemed pretty quick too - a good 'sleeper'. Where have they all gone?