Lazy spotters thread

[500tops]

[ProgRocker]

The place I was temping at last week (before being unceremoniously canned after 12 hours of decent graft*) was near to an AA site. Interested me because when I was learning to drive from 1994-95 I employed the services of the AA. Learned to drive and passed my test in a white 1994 VW Polo "coupé" 1.3 CL. Learner cars are a BYD Dolphin and Skodas. Just clocked the Mini on the right as well.

Also, not the VW Transporter and Vauxhall truck (Brava?) in the middle. Both Y reg and very clean. 

*See the "Worklessness" thread on the Politics subforum for more on that situation.

[IronStar]

It’s not every day you see a Samara. It’s really remarkable when you see a Samara sedan!

[N19]

Searching for some pictures earlier, I came across these taken on a lockdown walk in Archway back in April 2020.

I lived in the area for 9 years, and there were so many cars like the Golf and the Laguna - old, but driven by normal people on a rare basis - maybe once a week for a big shopping trip, or for a longer trip out of town or something - by the nature of inner suburban / outer suburban London life. ULEZ has probably put paid to most of these.

 

 

and a couple from Hampstead.

 

Bonus Barnet

[catsinthewelder]

12 hours ago, ProgRocker said:

The place I was temping at last week (before being unceremoniously canned after 12 hours of decent graft*) was near to an AA site. Interested me because when I was learning to drive from 1994-95 I employed the services of the AA. Learned to drive and passed my test in a white 1994 VW Polo "coupé" 1.3 CL. Learner cars are a BYD Dolphin and Skodas. Just clocked the Mini on the right as well.

Also, not the VW Transporter and Vauxhall truck (Brava?) in the middle. Both Y reg and very clean. 

*See the "Worklessness" thread on the Politics subforum for more on that situation.

I passed the rear half of one of those AA Vauxhall Bravas earlier on the M5,  it had become a trailer and was being towed by a mk1 Berlingo.

[uk_senator]

On 03/04/2025 at 10:57, neil72 said:

Brilliant, i'm slightly obsessed with the Mk1 Charade as my Dad had one, brilliant little motor for nipping around North London, i've snapped a few but not this one, if you remember where it was drop me a PM!!

This wasn't your Dads, was it Neil? Seen near me 11 years ago:

[neil72]

52 minutes ago, uk_senator said:

This wasn't your Dads, was it Neil? Seen near me 11 years ago:

Nope, it was red, and probably didn't last that long, he sold it to someone in Edmonton Green.....

[neil72]

9 hours ago, N19 said:

Searching for some pictures earlier, I came across these taken on a lockdown walk in Archway back in April 2020.

I lived in the area for 9 years, and there were so many cars like the Golf and the Laguna - old, but driven by normal people on a rare basis - maybe once a week for a big shopping trip, or for a longer trip out of town or something - by the nature of inner suburban / outer suburban London life. ULEZ has probably put paid to most of these.

 

 

and a couple from Hampstead.

 

Bonus Barnet

That camper is still around Archway as i snapped it a couple of months ago! The Allegro used to be around North Finchley for a bit when i lived there, i think it lives over Chingford way now.

[ProgRocker]

Yesterday I spotted a late Triumph Spitfire on some 1990s alloys. Silver seems to be an unusual colour for these, so maybe resprayed.

[iainrcz]

A 2CV in Matlock.

[N19]

2 hours ago, neil72 said:

That camper is still around Archway as i snapped it a couple of months ago! The Allegro used to be around North Finchley for a bit when i lived there, i think it lives over Chingford way now.

I bumped into the owner actually at FoTU. For a while I did see it parked in the area with the circular-canopy former petrol filling station, towards Whetstone. 

[Datsuncog]

Quite a tidy Nissan Pulsar GTi-R that passed us on the M3 yesterday.

Also, this massive land yacht unexpectedly hove into view in North Belfast - some sort of early '70s Ford or Mercury, maybe a Cougar? Didn't look quite gargantuan enough to be a Thunderbird or LTD, though had similar frontal styling.

Tried snapping more pics as we passed, but got blocked by cars coming the other way each time. This was the best I could manage:

But, a low-spec 1999 Honda Civic coupe did some of the photo bombing, so it's not all bad.

Best I could do, sorry!

Good to know there's someone running one of these behemoths locally, though!

[neil72]

46 minutes ago, N19 said:

I bumped into the owner actually at FoTU. For a while I did see it parked in the area with the circular-canopy former petrol filling station, towards Whetstone. 

Yeah, it was parked opposite for ages, an interesting garage, there was recently an early Mk2 Astra parked up there.

[uk_senator]

18 hours ago, N19 said:

Searching for some pictures earlier, I came across these taken on a lockdown walk in Archway back in April 2020.

I lived in the area for 9 years, and there were so many cars like the Golf and the Laguna - old, but driven by normal people on a rare basis - maybe once a week for a big shopping trip, or for a longer trip out of town or something - by the nature of inner suburban / outer suburban London life. ULEZ has probably put paid to most of these.

Just realised I`d seen that Allegro parked:



As well as driving!
 

 

[rmt87]

[EyesWeldedShut]

Turns out the guy that owns our Gite likes cars

 

[Datsuncog]

Ooft, Renault 6!

[MiniMinorMk3]

On 19/05/2025 at 10:58, Datsuncog said:

Also, this massive land yacht unexpectedly hove into view in North Belfast - some sort of early '70s Ford or Mercury, maybe a Cougar? Didn't look quite gargantuan enough to be a Thunderbird or LTD, though had similar frontal styling.

 

Tried snapping more pics as we passed, but got blocked by cars coming the other way each time. This was the best I could manage:

 

1973 Mercury Cougar

[500tops]

Bradford taxi

[High Jetter]

Aargh! Those plates!

[egg]

[EyesWeldedShut]

11 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Ooft, Renault 6!

Also a late R5 GTL, a Lotus, a PT Cruiser and this (sorry shite picture)

 

 

[High Jetter]

Simca 1100?

[Madman Of The People]

On 19/05/2025 at 04:58, Datsuncog said:

 

Also, this massive land yacht unexpectedly hove into view in North Belfast - some sort of early '70s Ford or Mercury, maybe a Cougar? Didn't look quite gargantuan enough to be a Thunderbird or LTD, though had similar frontal styling.

Tried snapping more pics as we passed, but got blocked by cars coming the other way each time. This was the best I could manage:

But, a low-spec 1999 Honda Civic coupe did some of the photo bombing, so it's not all bad.

Best I could do, sorry!

1973 Mercury Cougar convertible.  1973 was the last year for the convertible Cougar and the first year for the 5-MPH front bumper.

 

[Datsuncog]

Suspect it may be this one, auctioned a year and a half ago.

SGU89L is just about visible in my pic, if you zoom in.

Can't be a lot of them around!

[D.E]

You obviously need racing seats in a 40 bhp Alto...

[EyesWeldedShut]

19 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Ooft, Renault 6!

The Vel Satis is lovely too - I've never been that up close and personal with one and it ticks a few of my boxes. My wife (of course) was 'meh' - but she likes the Simca as her Dad owned one back in the day.

[Morris 63]

A few recent spots.

Herald at a garden centre near Reading, Mercedes in a garden in Worcestershire, and Discovery near Uffington White Horse.

[Remspoor]

12 hours ago, Morris 63 said:

A few recent spots.

Herald at a garden centre near Reading, Mercedes in a garden in Worcestershire, and Discovery near Uffington White Horse.

 

 

Honey I shrunk the Herald.

[High Jetter]

58 minutes ago, Remspoor said:

Honey I shrunk the Herald.

Looks full size to me