Eye-catching black and whites

[Yoss]

10 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

And the car in front is the Gordini T-16S, chassis number 0038S. Here it is on the 1953 Tour de France Auto

Any particular reason why it is right hand drive?

[EyesWeldedShut]

10 minutes ago, Yoss said:

Any particular reason why it is right hand drive?

Allegedly* RHD was favoured as most tracks were driven clockwise and this put the driver's weight in a better place for cornering - dunno how much truth is in that though.
(may just have been a 'thing' that evolved - like which pedal goes where?)

[lesapandre]

Factory car park Coventry 1954 or just after. Shows how many Pre-War cars in use still.

[Metal Guru]

13 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Factory car park Coventry 1954 or just after. Shows how many Pre-War cars in use still.

Wasn’t it quite difficult to get a new car then as the government wanted to export as much as possible to pay some of the war debts?

[lesapandre]

5 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

Wasn’t it quite difficult to get a new car then as the government wanted to export as much as possible to pay some of the war debts?

Yes - and purchase tax was high. A flat-rate of 33.33% rate was increased to 66% for cars costing over £1000 in 1947 and this rate was extended to all cars from 1951. In 1953 it was reduced to 50%.

[RayMK]

11 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Factory car park Coventry 1954 or just after. Shows how many Pre-War cars in use still.

They remained as a common sight until 1960 when the introduction of the MOT started to weed them out quite quickly.  Many had questionable braking ability when new.  20 years on, probably with the same tyres, they slowed down rather like a railway loco i.e. gradually.

[lesapandre]

Renault Frégate - rare even then in the UK.

[MiniMinorMk3]

1 hour ago, Yoss said:

Any particular reason why it is right hand drive?

 

1 hour ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Allegedly* RHD was favoured as most tracks were driven clockwise and this put the driver's weight in a better place for cornering - dunno how much truth is in that though.
(may just have been a 'thing' that evolved - like which pedal goes where?)

The car's first outing was the 1953 Le Mans. With the driver on the right they could exit more quickly and safely during driver changes. Back then the pits were at the side of the track with no separate pit lane.

[sheffcortinacentre]

10 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Beware of white fiats! 

Oops to soon?

[Richard_FM]

9 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Yes - and purchase tax was high. A flat-rate of 33.33% rate was increased to 66% for cars costing over £1000 in 1947 and this rate was extended to all cars from 1951. In 1953 it was reduced to 50%.

I think 3 wheelers were taxed at a lower rate, which explains by some smaller makers went down that path.

[D.E]

[High Jetter]

53 minutes ago, Richard_FM said:

I think 3 wheelers were taxed at a lower rate, which explains by some smaller makers went down that path.

IIRC, both purchase & tax discs were cheeper for 3's, insurance too - maybe L-drivers were allowed solo?

[Metal Guru]

25 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

IIRC, both purchase & tax discs were cheeper for 3's, insurance too - maybe L-drivers were allowed solo?

Are 3 wheelers still taxed at a lower rate or is it emission based? ( not that you see many at all these days).

[martc]

Blackheath Village, the '20's or early '30's.

[martc]

Vivian Ave, Hendon. Early '50's is my guess.

[DSdriver]

12 hours ago, High Jetter said:

IIRC, both purchase & tax discs were cheeper for 3's, insurance too - maybe L-drivers were allowed solo?

I remember they could be driven at an earlier age than cars, was that on a motorcycle licence? I can't remember if you had to have a qualified passenger if on L plates. It was a long time ago that I used to borrow my sister's Isetta.

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[lesapandre]

7 hours ago, martc said:

Blackheath Village, the '20's or early '30's.

That view remains virtually unchanged - all the buildings seen are still present.

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[MiniMinorMk3]

[Remspoor]

1 hour ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Double the Woollarding.

[Remspoor]

Rotterdam.

[Rust Collector]

6 minutes ago, Remspoor said:

Rotterdam.

I remember being shit scared of lorry trailers as a kid after my mum told me about a family friend crashing into/under one and getting decapitated. That thought stuck with me for ages.

[sheffcortinacentre]

What's the car under the truck?  Police are using a Chevy suburban.

[D.E]

43 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

What's the car under the truck?  Police are using a Chevy suburban.

My initial thought was that it may be an Autobianchi A112, but the rear light doesn't seem to match. ''-HS-'' is a 1976 plate...