Eye-catching black and whites

[Dick Longbridge]

[Tadhg Tiogar]

3 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Those two fellas standing to the left of the CF photo almost look like twins...

[lesapandre]

Recent years have shown us that some seemingly very sound companies can - because of change - economic, technological or social allied to some poor decisions  - disappear in a few years. 

None more so than poor Rootes - winners of the Monte Carlo Rally in the 50's to gone by the 70's.

Here is their pomp.

Sir William Rootes, Brian Rootes and Geoffrey Rootes in front of their new Park Avenue showroom in New York.

[lesapandre]

Their Acton London trim factory...(one of their reasons for failure was their long supply chains eating into profits). Acton London to Linwood Scotland is a long way apart to be managed effectively.

[lesapandre]

Humber Snipe on an endurance run to Cape Town.

[lesapandre]

1963 Geneva Motor Show Alpine III - Rootes loved 'updating' their cars virtually annually.

[lesapandre]

Imp prototype  with longer cabin - a radical more 2-box shape that did not make production - pity.

[lesapandre]

Ryton factory - later Peugeot - now demolished - final spit and polish to the glamorous Sunbeam Rapier.

[lesapandre]

And briefly colour... Ryton by  artist Terence Cuneo early 50's - Humber and Hillman.

[lesapandre]

RIP Rootes...you were a  distinctive household name and nicely made but unable to generate enough profits  to innovate effectively and independently survive.

We could not love a car called Super Snipe or Imp alas.

[High Jetter]

I've always wondered why they jumped from CA to CF for the vans with nothing in between. Just found that there were CB & CD prototypes, no CC or CE though.

[Rab]

[Remspoor]

8 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Their Acton London trim factory...(one of their reasons for failure was their long supply chains eating into profits). Acton London to Linwood Scotland is a long way apart to be managed effectively.

Would not get away with the way that workforce is structured now.

[Remspoor]

[ETCHY]

4 hours ago, Rab said:

Is that  a WW2 Pillbox in that shot ?

[Dyslexic Viking]

Norway 1959

Harstad Norway 1970s

Hamar Norway 1949

[adw1977]

7 hours ago, High Jetter said:

I've always wondered why they jumped from CA to CF for the vans with nothing in between. Just found that there were CB & CD prototypes, no CC or CE though.

Vauxpedia has some images of the aborted CD van program, which was forward control:

Vauxpedia page

[Rusty Pelican]

9 hours ago, lesapandre said:

RIP Rootes...you were a  distinctive household name and nicely made but unable to generate enough profits  to innovate effectively and independently survive.

We could not love a car called Super Snipe or Imp alas.

Got a couple Imps here , i love em even if no one else does 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

19 minutes ago, Rusty Pelican said:

Got a couple Imps here , i love em even if no one else does 

This is one of the few instances where the wheels actually look the right size for the car.

[High Jetter]

One is a Husky. I had one once, in a garage. Had a girl too, loop to 30

[Rab]

[Richard_FM]

One of my Uncle's farm hands had an Imp in the 1980s when they were already rare. 

To a young me it seemed a real platypus of a car with a rear engine & opening rear screen among other quirks.

[High Jetter]

I had one in the late 70s, my first car. EDY 667E, IIRC, a white Californian. My girlfriend had already passed her test so I got a lot of practice in that car driving to and from school (amongst other things!)

[Rab]

Guy Le Querrec.

[martc]

[martc]

[martc]

[martc]

1926, when aeroplanes where seen as highly unreliable and extremely dangerous. No-one told the pilot, or co-pilot both of whom had testicles of steel. I think the ball boy should also be given some credit.

This picture is from the series 'Why Women Live Longer'.

[LightBulbFun]

[Remspoor]