Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[Timewaster]

On 12/14/2019 at 11:32 AM, steveo3002 said:

i worked there for a while , they werent nothing special like a factory made kit car i guess 

Hmm, I think he was a Steve too. 

 

You're not a fat bloke who was forever being pursued by the csa and referred to the apprentice as Sausage Jockey are you? 

[hennabm]

On 12/13/2019 at 3:40 PM, bunglebus said:

I'm counting this because much as I knew about them, I didn't know who made them. Disappointed to find out they're made near me in Essex. Coming to a wedding/twee hipster shop near you soon. Asquith are the guilty company

 

The last one looks more like a Fleur de Lys than an Asquith.

The FDL was built in Newark by the son in law of the FDL pie man. It used Ford running gear but based on a purpose built chassis and body. It also used their own cast wheels (22" IIRC) rather than the lower sizes on the Asquith.

I was there in 1984/5 up to chassis number 18 and then left them to it. There all sorts of issues like leaky screen surrounds, cracking suspension mounts, upper steering column mounts to name but a few.  they were also very expensive. From memory they were around £16k each depending on spec whereas a "normal" Transit was around £6k.

The designer was quite a famous person - Len Terry who had helped design the first rear engine Lotus F1 car with Colin Chapman. Len died a few years ago and even he admitted the FDL was not one of his best designs.....

[chaseracer]

Len Terry?  Lola/Ford GT40 Len Terry?

Blimey.

[steveo3002]

47 minutes ago, Timewaster said:

Hmm, I think he was a Steve too. 

 

You're not a fat bloke who was forever being pursued by the csa and referred to the apprentice as Sausage Jockey are you? 

bit on the plump side now , but wasnt back then ...nah doesnt sound like me

i was in the paint shop with a chap called chris , there was like a line started with 2 guys making the body , then it came to the paint shop , then off for assembly an trim , was a chap there that daily'd a model A pick up too

[hennabm]

7 minutes ago, chaseracer said:

Len Terry?  Lola/Ford GT40 Len Terry?

Blimey.

The same one I believe.

[bunglebus]

 

Parati, old and new, Parati Surf and a Gol pickup

 

[bunglebus]

Ford Belina

 

 

[barrett]

On 12/15/2019 at 6:05 AM, STUNO said:

Details are pretty minimal, so I may be wrong about anything except the word Crowther !!!

I was about to type a reply about the saloon from memory but luckily I remembered its covered pretty well in Patrick Harlow's book NZ Manufactured Cars: a Cottage Industry, so here's what that has to say about it. This is one of those weird motors that has been haunting my consciousness since childhood for whatever reason. Ferris de Joux, the stylist, designed some cool cars and is worth looking up although there has been very little written about his long life and career.

[lesapandre]

33 minutes ago, barrett said:

I was about to type a reply about the saloon from memory but luckily I remembered its covered pretty well in Patrick Harlow's book NZ Manufactured Cars: a Cottage Industry, so here's what that has to say about it. This is one of those weird motors that has been haunting my consciousness since childhood for whatever reason. Ferris de Joux, the stylist, designed some cool cars and is worth looking up although there has been very little written about his long life and career.

Almost looks like a BMC take on an updated 1100. 

Presume they had a Leslie in the model range.

[martc]

[quicksilver]

Just stumbled across this, the 2017 JMC Teshun. A Chinese Mk3 Transit with a massive growth on its face.

[Formula Autos]

On 12/13/2019 at 4:17 PM, somewhatfoolish said:

Artisanaal Bereid? That Dick Strawbridge bought one and his loony wife converted it to a camper.

With what looked like (from the way the programme was edited at least) an unfixed chemical loo plonked in the back corner, allowing the Strawbridges to take a dump in full view of the other occupants of the camper van (and anyone passing, due to the windows) right next to their cooking facilities. Classy! 
 

Also, for all of Angel/Angela’s insistence on everything being “vintage” she seemed very accepting of what is very obviously an ‘80s pastiche of a vintage van. 
 

Anyway, back to obscure cars ......

[Blake's Den]

What about my Turner Ranger? Not technically a car as it is a tractor. But I'm seeing vans and trucks on these pages and it is car based.....

It is a 70's design by Ferguson Research. It uses a mid mounted 1098cc A series engine complete with four speed box. This drives longitudinally to Triumph Herald differentials to give all wheel drive. It also has four wheel steering!

It uses lots of BL parts: A35 steering box, mini pedals, Leyland 154 tractor hydraulics, mini engine and gearbox, Triumph diffs, mini track rod ends etc.

 

[Sir Snipes]

That's a fantastic little odd ball. I don't  think the lack of dampners is so unusual with the hydrolastic? suspension. I remember a story  years ago of some kwik-fit geezer selling dampners as an "upgrade" to card that didn't have them as standard.

[Timewaster]

Reminds me of this. 

[somewhatfoolish]

Tractors traditionally don't have suspension, never mind dampers, but if it can do 20mph then it might get a bit exciting over bumps. Rubber is self-damping to a degree but there are limits.

[bunglebus]

Did I post this electric turd up before?

 

20180427_202144 by RS, on Flickr

20180427_202129 by RS, on Flickr

20180427_202153 by RS, on Flickr

[JeeExEll]

FSO Wars.  No, not a TV prog unfortunately.  

[somewhatfoolish]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Did I post this electric turd up before?

 

20180427_202144 by RS, on Flickr

20180427_202129 by RS, on Flickr

20180427_202153 by RS, on Flickr

Imagine how miserable that would be on a sunny day, that's presumably why it's missing half the roof to avoid the need for AC; bonus pantograph and Y tho.

[Blake's Den]

7 hours ago, Sir Snipes said:

That's a fantastic little odd ball. I don't  think the lack of dampners is so unusual with the hydrolastic? suspension. I remember a story  years ago of some kwik-fit geezer selling dampners as an "upgrade" to card that didn't have them as standard.

It's not the hydrolastic suspension, it has rubber cones like a 'dry' mini.

It is bouncy over the bumps! Not helped by the fact that you sit ahead of the front axle.

[Blake's Den]

7 hours ago, Timewaster said:

Reminds me of this. 

Me too!

Even better than that, they appeared in The Spy Who Loved Me. I tell everyone that I have a Bond car ?

http://www.imcdb.org/vehicles_make-Ferguson_model-Turner+Ranger.html

[Timewaster]

3 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

FSO Wars.  No, not a TV prog unfortunately.  

I remember reading about these in What Car? in about 1986.

In the black and white picture I think there is a lot of Talbot Horizon in it. A touch of Astra too. 

Quite a handsome car and light years ahead of anything FSO produced before or since. 

And the beige one looks ace of bASe! 

 

See its not just BL that missed opportunities and lived in a world of what might have been. 

[cms206]

5 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Tractors traditionally don't have suspension, never mind dampers, but if it can do 20mph then it might get a bit exciting over bumps. Rubber is self-damping to a degree but there are limits.

We ran a couple of Reliance Mercury cargo kings that, unlike their AMSS-built cousins, had four speed transmissions.

They had hydraulic steering.

They also had no suspension.

Interestingly they also didn't have governors, meaning that when you got the wound up and the belt started to bounce - the belts were 28ft long, steel framed and on four pivots and a hydraulic ram - you more or less lifted off and held on for fear the cunts would catapult you out the seat. I managed an indicated 48mph in one of ours and hit a ridge between the taxyway and the road system.

Pat my fucking shants, make no mistake.

They lasted well - this is one of our old ones after Circusair took over and fucked it.

[GBJ]

12 hours ago, Blake's Den said:

What about my Turner Ranger? Not technically a car as it is a tractor. But I'm seeing vans and trucks on these pages and it is car based.....

It is a 70's design by Ferguson Research. It uses a mid mounted 1098cc A series engine complete with four speed box. This drives longitudinally to Triumph Herald differentials to give all wheel drive. It also has four wheel steering!

It uses lots of BL parts: A35 steering box, mini pedals, Leyland 154 tractor hydraulics, mini engine and gearbox, Triumph diffs, mini track rod ends etc.

 

It would be nice to see this running and moving. Not sure why you did a walk round without finishing it properly?

[chaseracer]

10 hours ago, GBJ said:

It would be nice to see this running and moving. Not sure why you did a walk round without finishing it properly?

Because it's still interesting as it is.  Looking forward to further updates.

[chaseracer]

Cue temporary NZ resident coming over all unnecessary in 3... 2... 1... !

?

[Blake's Den]

12 hours ago, GBJ said:

It would be nice to see this running and moving. Not sure why you did a walk round without finishing it properly?

For your viewing pleasure

 

[UltraWomble]

[martc]

Whilst trying to find, unsuccessfully, more info about the e-Riva, I came across these absolute monstrosities. Someone must have actually designed them and someone else must have signed them off. They look like a very angry pair indeed.

if you want to 'know more' - https://www.mahindrasupro.com/esupro/

[bunglebus]

6 hours ago, UltraWomble said:

 

We really need a puking emoji