Through the past darkly...

[Junkman]

These days I swiped one of my old laptop computers and low and behold, I found oodles of ye olde photographse on it.

 

All these were taken in my former life when I was still a classic car dealer in Belgium.

They must have been taken from when I started to use an electric camera around 1994 until 1998, when my world collapsed within a day.

Back then, I had the habit to photograph cars I went to see and buy in "as found" situations. These were predominantly in BeNeLux, France, and Germany.

 

Because my memory is rather patchy (something that just is so when you lead a life as busy as mine was back then), I can't tell you all the exact locations, dates, and who I was with, etc, but I can assure you that the majority of the cars you see in this thread were saved and lead happy lives today.

Because I can't remember most of the minute details, I will just post them in alphabetical order, as they were stored on that computer.

I'm confident that you are going to enjoy this, as they are predominately shite.

 

So let's start with the only Alfa Romeo I ever owned ever so briefly.

 

 

 

BMW

 

 

 

 

Chevrolet

 

 

 

 

Citroen

 

 

This one I remember pretty well:

 

 

Because after some tinkerage some putterage was had:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[wackywacerwill]

OMGBARNFINDZ

[Guest Breadvan72]

I thought this was a thread on how shit the lights were on shiteheaps of yore, but it's still good. 

[Mr Livered]

Sounds like you had a tough 1998. Great pictures though, hunting for old crocks like that, with the ability to purchase them, sounds like an excellent job.

[DVee8]

Wow any more? That alfa just wow

These were all yours at some point? To sell on or to run for a while?

Also if you don't mind me asking what brought the world crashing down?

[londonm]

Is that black jag like Beemer pre or post war? They were reduced to building 500cc wooden cars after being left as a smouldering pile of rubble. I like the truck too, looks like Corporal Jones drove it!

[Junkman]

Wow any more? That alfa just wow

Loads moah, but I must sort and upload them, and with my computah skilz* that takes ages.

 

These were all yours at some point? To sell on or to run for a while?

Most of them I bought to sell on, or even to order. This was my business after all.

A few I ran for a while, I will point those out as we go along.

 

Also if you don't mind me asking what brought the world crashing down?

Divorce.

[HMC]

Wow! The 90s must have been a busy and interesting time for you, basically doing what a lot of us would only dream of doing! Plus some really brilliant and rare machinery must have passed through your hands.

 

Plus actual barn find cars in actual barns. Those were the days!

[Guest Breadvan72]

Is that black jag like Beemer pre or post war? They were reduced to building 500cc wooden cars after being left as a smouldering pile of rubble. I like the truck too, looks like Corporal Jones drove it!

 

 

Also, Bristol fecked all BMW's tools and stuff as war reparations.  

[Junkman]

Is that black jag like Beemer pre or post war?

1952-63 BMW 'Baroque Angel'. This was the first car BMW built after the war.

 

 

They were reduced to building 500cc wooden cars after being left as a smouldering pile of rubble.

This should go into the "Autoshite cliches, myths and old wives tales" thread, BMW never made a 500cc wooden car.

[Junkman]

Also, Bristol fecked all BMW's tools and stuff as war reparations.

This should also go into the "Autoshite cliches, myths and old wives tales" thread.

[HMC]

Not just BMW

 

Picture Rootes representatives laughing to themselves at the quaint little rear engined aircooled curio factory they visited (albeit damaged) and decided it was worth a bit of loose change. Unlucky! 

[Junkman]

OK, where were we?

Ah, D next.

 

Delage

 

 

 

OK, now comes a Marathon.

At some stage, I was determined to get me a Facel Vega, something I want to this day. I went after each and every hint and rumor.

The following are all the cars I encountered during my quest, but not one of them ever stayed with me.

Most of them were total rubbish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HMC]

FV Excellence!!!!

 

I think i need a paramedic

 

Tell us more junkman!

 

Edit- I count 3 thats a reasonable chunk of production

[nigel bickle]

You Sir, have damn good  taste.

 

I'd also give nearly every one of those serious consideration.

 

Thank God I was far away then -we'd have probably met!

[DVee8]

The blue Facel Vega that is under cover dosn't look to bad.Tell us more.

[Junkman]

FV Excellence!!!!

 

I think i need a paramedic

 

Tell us more junkman!

 

Edit- I count 3 thats a reasonable chunk of production

 

It was an Excellence I was after - and still am. But as you can see in the pics, they all were hopeless.

I can't understand why such expensive and special cars are treated like this, but trust me, from my experience, this is rather the rule than the exception.

[Junkman]

The blue Facel Vega that is under cover dosn't look to bad.Tell us more.

 

It was just an empty shell. Pretty much everything was plucked. You could not have possibly made it back into a complete car.

It was subsequently banger raced, and you know my attitude towards that sport. However, in this case even I mustard mitt that this was the only sensible thing to do with it.

[Junkman]

The F-Word. Furrari.

 

This one I did tidy up and use for while:

 

 

Stereotypical holiday at the Cote Azur was had with it.

 

 

 

This one I remember being mended in the workshop of a friend of mine in Spa. It had suffered considerable damage in a vintage car race at Francorchamps.

Vintage car racing is banger racing for the rich. Please note that I never owned, or even dreamed of owning this car.

 

 

 

OK, staying with 'F', this was more my collar size:

 

[vulgalour]

Very worthy content.  Looking at the above it feels like I'm very much on the same page when it comes to taste in cars, none of the ones you mentioned as being of interest would not be of serious interest to me, particularly the Facel Vegas which are stunningly beautiful things.

[Junkman]

Very worthy content.  Looking at the above it feels like I'm very much on the same page when it comes to taste in cars, none of the ones you mentioned as being of interest would not be of serious interest to me, particularly the Facel Vegas which are stunningly beautiful things.

 

We might both be Autoshiters.

[Junkman]

Anyway, after 'F' comes 'J', of course, so here are my Jags.

 

 

 

 

[cort16]

This is the one found on chasing classic cars is it not?

 

[Junkman]

Some Lambo.

 

 

The inevitable Mercs.

 

 

 

 

[Junkman]

This is the one found on chasing classic cars is it not?

 

 

The very one. I just can't remember when this pic was made.

 

I also found the 250GTO that was in the garden of an abandoned villa on the island of Ischia, but can't prove it, because I never took a photo of it.

[vulgalour]

A brown Muira!

[Junkman]

With beige interior.

[Junkman]

Opel
 

 

 
 
This was an unbelievable find. Rekord A Coupe with 12k km on the clock. I used it for a while and sold it on to a friend who still owns it.
 






 

And a more believable P2.

 

[derskine]

 

 

That mildly minds me of the truck from the movie jeepers creepers...

 

Some very nice cars there I must admit.

[dollywobbler]

A late contender for thread of the year. If we did awards, which we don't.