Eye-catching black and whites

[MiniMinorMk3]

[Dyslexic Viking]

[Dyslexic Viking]

[Dyslexic Viking]

[Dyslexic Viking]

[Remspoor]

[Dyslexic Viking]

[Dyslexic Viking]

[Dyslexic Viking]

[Dyslexic Viking]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[Austat]

[lesapandre]

3 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Oh that's nice. Based on the big Hampshire I think. Austin must have sold a few cab only. I think they made a few pick-up's themselves. I think it is what is known as a gown van - made for the rag trade.

[MiniMinorMk3]

3 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Oh that's nice. Based on the big Hampshire I think. Austin must have sold a few cab only. I think they made a few pick-up's themselves. I think it is what is known as a gown van - made for the rag trade.

Its an A70, built by a company called Frank Grounds Ltd of Aston, Birmingham.

[lesapandre]

And Frank Grounds Ltd are still in business and still run by some of the Grounds family.

More pics click on photo.

So not all of the Midlands small motor businesses are gone. Can I still order an A70?

[EyesWeldedShut]

20 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Oh that's nice. Based on the big Hampshire I think. Austin must have sold a few cab only. I think they made a few pick-up's themselves. I think it is what is known as a gown van - made for the rag trade.

Back when I was a youngster we had a type of theft known as a 'van dragging' - the garment guys would have made up the prototypes for next Autumn/Spring collections and were touting them around the actual sales/manufacturing bods - they'd have a van like this (OK maybe a bit more modern) and the van draggers would basically either nick the whole van or just the entire contents. They used to go about mob handed and could be a bit 'tasty'.
Anyways - here's a picture.
Nicked this of this morning's BBC News site where there's a blurb on Mary Quant - here she is o/s her shop in the Kings Road. I rather like the sandals emporium behind her...

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[martc]

[sheffcortinacentre]

11 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Back when I was a youngster we had a type of theft known as a 'van dragging' - the garment guys would have made up the prototypes for next Autumn/Spring collections and were touting them around the actual sales/manufacturing bods - they'd have a van like this (OK maybe a bit more modern) and the van draggers would basically either nick the whole van or just the entire contents. They used to go about mob handed and could be a bit 'tasty'.
Anyways - here's a picture.
Nicked this of this morning's BBC News site where there's a blurb on Mary Quant - here she is o/s her shop in the Kings Road. I rather like the sandals emporium behind her...

Re the Sweeney episode "drag act"

[EyesWeldedShut]

10 hours ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

Re the Sweeney episode "drag act"

👍
There was also still a lot of furriers in the trade back then around Oxford Circus and they were the prime targets for the van draggers & night time burglars - the anti-fur movement succeeded where the villains didn't.

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[martc]

[martc]

A 1935 Squire roadster, Anzani 1.5 litre engine, Vanden Plas bodywork. These cost £1200 similar to a Bugatti at the time. They weren't a great success which is a shame.

[Austat]

Tokyo 1966: