Back when car makers were nice to kids...

[phil_lihp]

Just been clearing out a load of old cack from various boxes and found some memories. Back when I were about 9 years old (around about 1994 I think) I liked doodling car designs. My parents were impressed enough with a 4x4 design I drew that they suggested sending it to Land Rover to see what they thought of it. Land Rover kept the design and a couple of years later the Freelander was launched. (NB. These two events may not be entirely related).

 

Anyway, LR didn't return the design but, some weeks after we'd forgotten about it, the response I did get was surprising to say the least. The first department that recieved the design and accompanying letter sent back a very nice letter suggesting I keep drawing and maybe one day I could work for them, which when you're 9 is the best thing ever. However, even better was the book they sent me:

 

 

Which was very generous, I was delighted and we thought no more of it. However, it turns out they forwarded the letter to their design department who sent another nice letter and an accompanying box containing this:

 

 

Which I've always been rather fond of since. Sadly one wing mirror was bent during postage and several years of dusting eventually snapped it off but otherwise it's in good nick. Not sure what the original purpose of these was, perhaps for dealers to have on their desks?

 

I have no idea what sparked this extremely generous response to what now frankly seems like a typical 9 year old's drawing of a generic 4x4 car design but I have always thought it goes to show sometimes big corporations can be human too.

 

I tried this again with Ford, Rover and Vauxhall and got nice, if slightly corporate letters back which for some reason I kept. Vauxhall didn't send anything else, Rover sent a couple of brochures which have long since gone and Ford sent these:

 

 

Which is the whole reason for posting - anyone want them? Free to the first bidder. I have no desire to keep them so thought I'd see if anyone fancied adding them to a collection before I drop them in the recycling. I don't like hoarding stuff and this lot has no value (in fact it's really just a rather dry pile of PR stuff, no idea who it's really aimed at) but I guess someone might like it. I think it's from around 1993-1994.

 

The model and book are not for sale! Anyone else try this sort of thing or was it just me?

[Negative Creep]

Someone in my primary school class claimed he sent a picture of a pickup to Toyota, who then wrote back saying they'd put it into production

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

In early 1978, the boss of our local BL dealer held a talk and a film show at our school. They handed out BL all model catalogues (the one with theb BL logo style spaghetti junction on the cover) and I still have mine.

[RoadworkUK]

Cor, that Land Rover is lovely.

 

This is a subject close to my heart, actually. I wrote about it here: (RoadworkUK)

 

 

It was probably their encouragement as an easily lead junior that launched me in the direction of Transport Design, and hence it's probably their fault that I have a vast student loan to worry about. And no design career whatsoever.

 

Still, extremely nice of them to have made the effort.

[Split_Pin]

That was a lovely thing to receive back in the post - nice!

 

I wrote to Mercedez-Benz Western Commercial in Newbridge in Edinburgh in 1993 when I was 14 asking for help with a project on Trucks that I was undertaking at school. I was hoping to get some technical details or something so I could describe the workings of a truck.

 

By reply I got a fat file containing brochures for their entire commercial vehicle range at the time, from the 207D vans right up to the 1748 Powerliner trucks, together with a compliment slip saying 'Good Luck with your Project'.

 

I can't recall how much of the brochures I used in my project but I was delighted with them at the time and still have them to this day!

[Pillock]

I "designed" a Rover back in the late 80s, when I was 8 or 9. I never sent it anywhere but was still convinced for years that when the 600 came out in the early 90s that they'd ripped my idea off, it was bloody similar. The rear light shape especially was identical. They never paid me a penny!!

[phil_lihp]

Really? Blimey, I didn't know they went for that much although to be honest I never really thought about it like that. Even more generous of them. I don't know what it's worth now, there don't appear to be any similar ones on ebay. Not that it matters, it's one of the only things I have that I would prefer to hang on to.

 

Edit: I lie, didn't use the right search terms.

 

Disco: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Discovery-Pewter-Model-/261119945450?pt=UK_Car_Parts_Vehicles_Automobila_ET&hash=item3ccbf62aea

Freelander: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Freelander-Pewter-Model-/261119944540?pt=UK_Car_Parts_Vehicles_Automobila_ET&hash=item3ccbf6275c

 

And this is particularly cool: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Camel-Discovery-Pewter-Model-/261119946198?pt=UK_Car_Parts_Vehicles_Automobila_ET&hash=item3ccbf62dd6

[Micrashed]

Bloody Hellfire "Tom Shep" - I wonder if that is the same Tom who wrote the Saab owner article in Jalopy and used to own Groiliffe the BX estate? (And who used to antagonise our CavMad of this parish)?

[Spiny Norman]

Slightly related tale...

 

When I was a kid I used to collect car brochures, like a lot of lads did before they discovered beer & girls.

Sometimes I'd go and visit a showroom and sometimes I'd just phone up a dealer and ask for some stuff to be posted out. This was back in the days when kids got an education and learned some manners so I was quite well spoken with my 'Sunday voice' on the phone and I was often quite successful.

 

One time I thought I'd branch out a bit and see what truck literature I could get hold of, so I phoned the local Volvo truck dealership and asked if they'd be good enough to send me some bits and bobs. They said 'no problem' and the next morning before school there was a loud 'thud' as another envelope full of booty landed on the mat. (Remember the days when the post used to come before breakfast, rather than lunchtime?.....) I ripped it open, had a quick look at the big pile of brochures they'd stuffed into the envelope and trotted off to school, happy as Larry.

 

What I hadn't bargained on was the salesman not realising he'd been talking to a 12 year old kid and arranging to have the demo model sent round for my approval! Mum got quite a shock when a man with a brand new Volvo F series appeared at the door the following afternoon....

I was in the doghouse for a week after that!

[Cavcraft]

Probably not, I doubt he could manage more than three sentences without someone wanting to set fire to his head.

 

I wrote to Rolls Royce many years ago (about 1974 I think) to ask if I could have a Silver Shadow as I always wanted one and they looked great. They didn't write back so a fortnight later I wrote back again and told them to piss off. I bet that learneded them a lesson.

[Micrashed]

Probably not, I doubt he could manage more than three sentences without someone wanting to set fire to his head.

THIS made me smile, and cheered up a Monday morning that is going to be utterly shite with a blood clinic, flu clinic and somebody's manky piles to look at I have no doubt.

[CreepingJesus]

I have nice letter from William Towns, somewhere in the collection of junk/posters/brochures etc., after I wrote to him (no email in them days ) to enquire about a new Hustler kit, which had been shown in a kit car mag. Sadly the revised Hustler remained a one-off, and Mr Towns passed away shortly after; but it was good of him to reply to some random youth.

I too got into a trucks/brochures mix up, after sending the information request coupon away, from a copy of Commercial Motor. Someone from Leyland Trucks phoned the house, and after Dad explained the situation, they sent a bunch of brochures instead!

I've been waiting around in Ford, Renault and a joint Fiat/Volvo dealer's showrooms in the last few years, and I have to say, the brochures just aren't the same anymore. Truck places are even worse - you'll be lucky to even find a copy of the in-house rag nowadays.

Among other non-brochure tat I've scored at motor shows and the likes, a MAN tie pin is about the only bit I've actually used!

[alf892]

When I was a kid i went to the Motorshow at Earls Court...............not sure what year exactly but is was when the Allegro was launched and they were handing cardboard sheets that you cut out and made a model car from. Anyway I was with dad and grandad alf and got lost (suspect dumpled actually) so was picked up the the show security and spent quite a few happy hours making paper allegros.

 

I didn't realise at the time they used the same process/materials on the real thing...........

[CreepingJesus]

I didn't realise at the time they used the same process/materials on the real thing...........

 

That'll be ditto for the paper Royal Mail Sherpas I got from the motor show one year!

[whitevanman]

I once had a picture on the wall of 'vision on'..........

[Split_Pin]

If its random motor show tat we're talking about, I still have the plastic FSO Polonez pin badge proudly displayed on my shelves that I was given at the 1989 Scottish Motor Show

[R9UKE]

The title of this thread sounds a bit Jimmy Saville-ish, but I'll go with it.

 

I've had the same positive experience with Land Rover. I remember writing to them when the new Range Rover was launched in 2002/2003 (I would've been about 13), telling them how I loved the design and in particular how nice the instrument panel was (don't ask). I got a parcel about a month later containing an actual instrument panel from the new Range Rover with a note saying "now you don't have to buy an actual Range Rover to enjoy it!". Absolutely made my day, I still have it, probably a very expensive piece of kit from a dealer!

 

I also wrote to Citroen around the same time about the XM and how I knew very little about it but couldn't wait to own one some day when I can drive. Got sent a good 5 brochures on the XM and a Citroen "Dates" book detailing their history in chronological order.