S A Barrett's Sussex shite spots: Best Spot Ever???

[timolloyd]

I love the Honda (Beat?). Those 90s Kei cars are often overlooked, apart from the Cappucino and Figaro.

 

I live on the Surrey/Sussex/Kent border and papped this sad Bentley while accidentally straying into Tier 3 (Eridge) at the weekend.

Taxed but no MOT.

[Christine]

Fumbler says an old guy opens the doors and dusts the inside..sometimes it even moves  /\  Its been there for years .. I live  a mile from there..

[timolloyd]

That makes me feel better. I’ve seen it a few times over the past few years and wondered if it had been local for a while.

[barrett]

The final slim pickings of 2020...

A nicely shabby Consul Classic on xmas eve

and some assorted Farm Tat from my Boxing Day walk

Here's hoping 2021 is chock full of tat spots!

[barrett]

So the first month of 2021 has been relatively unremarkable, but I did at least get a chance to visit a couple of places I'd not been before to scoop up the obvious spots.

Actually, I've realised this lot was all seen in one day, which isn't too bad I suppose. this scruffy Viva drove past a few times whilst I was queueing for a shop, and then parked up and the bloke joined the queue. Cool story eh? I don't really like HA Vivas, but it was great to see something of this age just being used as 'an car' on a Winter morning

Next up, a rather sad looking Mini in an excellent 70s BL colour and an unusually high amount of wheel balance weights

These two were parked a few streets apart, and are clearly owned by the same person. There was a '60s American truck nearby too, but I didn't bother to photograph that for some reason

And finally (this is a small update), this Mk1 Sierra hatch, one of only a handful I've ever photographed. A bit modified but still looking good.

More soon, I hope, when it gets a bit warmer

[wuvvum]

Wow, that HA is the spit of the one I used as a daily for a while back in about 2005.  EEN137D if memory serves.

[barrett]

Here are some vehicles I have seen and taken photographs of recently. Ford and Volvo-heavy.

I had a dream recently that somebody on here had 'spotted' this Jag, and I was really pissed off that they'd beat me to the punch by uploading it first

To get a photo of the above, I had to climb on to a wall to get a good vantage point. Behind the wall was this lot

I love these little Peugeot vans. Every childhood holiday to France was littered with these things, although they seem to have mostly disappeared these days

A scruffy, street-parked Mk2 Escort is a rare thing these days

I've known about this for ages, but it moves about a lot and I only just managed to snap it. Properly shonky

Much tidier and weirdly desirable in that colour

The first Xant I've seen in use in ages. I parked right opposite this but couldn't get both cars in the same photo

Some serious 'old money' vibes here. Massive, massive house in posh part of SE with a slightly ropey old Polo outside (excuse the Xtreme Zoom)

Finally for now, my spot of the year so far. I had seen this on Street View a while back but it was mostly obscured by other things and I could not work out wtf it actually was, which was incredibly frustrating. Wasn't expecting one of these! It's on SORN so no idea how long its been sitting here, but quite a while by the look of it

 

[Spottedlaurel]

The Polo and Escort Mk1 settings are great.

[timolloyd]

The V5 for that mk1 Escort must be worth more than the house.

[barrett]

A rare singular spot update, but this is far and away the best thing I've seen for a very long time. A scruffy, flithy AC Greyhound tearing into central Brighton. Looked and sounded incredible. These are probably my favourite British GT cars of the era. I remember when they were basically worthless not that long ago but they're Proper Money now, sadly. I love how taking off the racing numbers has peeled off a load of paint, too. And the filthy windscreen. Just perfect.

[Skizzer]

That’s just perfect.

You do realise what will happen now you’ve mentioned AC though, right?

[barrett]

I did consider that before posting, but it's worth it I reckon @Skizzer

[vulgalour]

If you hadn't said what it was I'd've had no idea on that Greyhound.  What a fantastic looking thing, well worth the singular post.  The Consul Classic from a few posts back is equally delightful.

[RoadworkUK]

Good lord, that's the spot of the millennium.

Right now I can think of nothing more splendidly anti-establishment and non-partisan to the all-consuming whirlpool of destruction wrought by society's throwaway tendencies than to rock about in a sixty-year old AC.

I am in awe.

[dozeydustman]

This is an excellent threat Mr @barrett. I'm annoyed as I'm stuck in an office most of the time I don't get a chance to see what's squirrelled away on people's driveways much these days.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

10 hours ago, barrett said:

A rare singular spot update, but this is far and away the best thing I've seen for a very long time. A scruffy, flithy AC Greyhound tearing into central Brighton. Looked and sounded incredible. These are probably my favourite British GT cars of the era. I remember when they were basically worthless not that long ago but they're Proper Money now, sadly. I love how taking off the racing numbers has peeled off a load of paint, too. And the filthy windscreen. Just perfect.

It transpires it really is a rather special car...

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/news/general-classic-car-news/amazing-ac-trio-unearthed-near-birmingham

[barrett]

So, what's been happening in the world of Sussex shite spotting? Not much, I'm afraid.

This faded, bird shit-plastered ZX really warmed my cockles, however. This is a great example of something that's virtually disappeared from the streets, and this particular spec just looks so alien. Three-doors are rare enough, but a mid-spec petrol three-door is a very odd thing indeed these days. Also may or may not belong to Cardi B and/or Megan Thee Stallion

This Triumph was parked on my road recently. A good example of how a bad colour choice can totally ruin a car. Who thought powder blue and contrasting white roof would look good on this oh-so-70s design? Don't get me started on the wheels and number plates... SHE NASTY

More number plate crime. This belongs to a friend and in all other respects it's lovely, so I'll forgive this one indiscretion

A modified Mk2 Golf. Looked nice to me, so I photographed it

A great pair of rotting 2CVs. It's difficult to see, but the one behind has been turned into a sort of lawn-art/greenhouse thing with loads of potted plants strung up all over it. I'm a big advocate of this sort of thing in 2021 when everyone else is obsessed with giving their shitty bungalows a coat of white render, fitting dark grey garage doors etc and generally pretending they live in a much nicer area than they actually do

Small French family hatchbacks: a lesson in diminishing returns

Here's a good one. If you'd told 25-year old me I'd be photographing Lagunas one day I'd have laughed in your face, but I guess that's progress

This looks amazing blezzing along the road. I thought it might be an old giffer at the wheel but actually it appeared to be a typical Ford-owning MEATHEAD (apologies if you're on this site)

A pair of Mercedeseses within spitting distance. Never seen either of them before. This one was amazing - beige cloth interior which looked like the most comfortable place to sit ever

Whilst this one just looked totally wank. It had AMG badges and a body kit and shiz and was just in such poor taste I audibly laughed when I saw it

Right, that's yer lot for now. I have located a couple of driveways of excellence recently which need documenting but, honestly, there is just less and less stuff I want to photograph these days

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

1 hour ago, barrett said:

....More number plate crime. This belongs to a friend and in all other respects it's lovely, so I'll forgive this one indiscretion

....

 

Not seen this one before.

[barrett]

Hey, what's up? How about THIS:

Also, this

A guy on site at my new office has two cars, a Mk4 Spitfire, and this. I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a modern, so I'll forgive the number plate. An Australian import apparently, which explains the colour. He's since re-fitted the spats

Saw this the other day, which was then replaced by a minty Herald 13/60 convertible. Compare to the one further up this page for a lesson in how much details can make or break a car. This one is perfect.

A shitty twofer

I think I've seen this knocking about before but never bothered with a pic. Not really my cup of tea, but in this colour it just looked very appealing in the early evening light

And finally for now, a funny Corsair

[egg]

On 11/02/2021 at 17:04, barrett said:

And finally (this is a small update), this Mk1 Sierra hatch, one of only a handful I've ever photographed. A bit modified but still looking good.

Ah yes, as seen on Saturday

Top work as ever.

[mitsisigma01]

You probably won't be taking any more of this one... Doovla clamped it for no tax and I think it was removed 😕

[phil_lihp]

I don't think I've ever seen a CX sans spats, looks quite good actually.

[barrett]

Sup?

This 2Cv was in the Sainso's car park when I went in...

...and this lovely (really, really lovely) P5 was parked up when I came out

An attractive XJ6 seen in Hampshire en route to Beaulieu the other day

And then in the exhibitors' car park, always a good place for tat spotting, this manky Sherpes

And this almost equally manky Horse Bollox

But star of the show was this fuggin' thing!!!! It's not super obvious in these pics, but it was in beautifuly scruffy condition, just the right amount of worn-in, with a few little dings and scratches and faded paint, plus muddy arches from being actually driven like a real car on the road. These are in the top 10, maybe top 5 most desirable things ever. Just so bloody cool.

A close second was... a FLIPPIN' RHD ZAZ TAVRIA!!!111! Alright, I know the guy who owns this and knew of its existence, but it was still cool to just stumble over it in a car park. There was a small crowd of excited men gawping at it when I arrived too. They obviously know what's up.

Back to Sussex, another supermarket twofer. This Mini Cooper S actually lives on my street but I've never had a chance to take a photo before. It's owned by a sour-faced couple who are much too fat to drive a Mini, really, and they seem totally... what's the opposite of nonplussed? plussed?... whenever I pass them in an old car. Like, eyes forward, not a hint of acknowledgement or interest or anything. I mean, that's what I do when I see an old car on the road, I don't want people to think I'm a friendly guy or anything, but it's still galling when somebody does it to me. Anyhoooo. It's a nice Mini.

This thing was in almost the same space this morning. Looked utterly mint, and made me really pine for an old Volvo (I was in the boring modern) to tool about in on a damp Autumn morning.

And then this thing, seen by my colleague the other day. Looks lovely in the pic.

Right, that's it. BYE

[vulgalour]

I wonder why that Zagato appears to have a number plate behind the front bumper?  Also, I never knew the rear window opened like that, what an excellent spot.

[adw1977]

10 hours ago, vulgalour said:

I wonder why that Zagato appears to have a number plate behind the front bumper?  Also, I never knew the rear window opened like that, what an excellent spot.

Looks like the second number plate is painted on.  Maybe the owner tried the bumper-less look and didn't like it.

A really excellent find.

[dozeydustman]

On 11/08/2021 at 20:56, barrett said:

Hey, what's up? How about THIS:

Also, this

A guy on site at my new office has two cars, a Mk4 Spitfire, and this. I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a modern, so I'll forgive the number plate. An Australian import apparently, which explains the colour. He's since re-fitted the spats

Saw this the other day, which was then replaced by a minty Herald 13/60 convertible. Compare to the one further up this page for a lesson in how much details can make or break a car. This one is perfect.

A shitty twofer

I think I've seen this knocking about before but never bothered with a pic. Not really my cup of tea, but in this colour it just looked very appealing in the early evening light

And finally for now, a funny Corsair

My word that Fiat is pretty.

The vibrant CX I have seen driving around Chichester a few times, not sure if it’s local to here or a frequent visitor.

Bonus 309 playing peekaboo. Always a win.

[Mr Pastry]

17 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Also, I never knew the rear window opened like that

It has a very slow electric motor and a leadscrew so that you can vary the ventilation.  When it works.   That one is open as far as it goes.  There is a manual catch, like a bonnet safety catch, to open it fully like a tailgate.    Similar arrangement on the Fulvia Zagato.

 Actually it  is a compete faff.  If, say, you want to load your shopping.  Unlock door, get in, ignition on, try window switch, very slow, start engine for hopefully more juice, still very slow, get bored with that, stop engine, get out, wiggle finger into tiny opening, release catch.  It would be a lot more sensible just to have a proper lock on the outside.

 

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

On 8/11/2021 at 8:56 PM, barrett said:

.... An Australian import apparently, which explains the colour. He's since re-fitted the spats

....

Interesting to see that his wiper parks to the right rather than the left, so he may have fitted a LHD motor. The blade looks like a Bosch Aerotwin and he's got the same problem as me: the blade doesn't flex enough to follow the curve of the windscreen; the outer eighth is suspended in air.

[Talbot]

2 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Interesting to see that his wiper parks to the right rather than the left, so he may have fitted a LHD motor.

The motors are no different LHD to RHD.  It's a mechanical change to make it park either side (or any other position you choose)

And aero blades look shit on anything that they didn't come on.  This should have a proper 24" "normal" wiper on it.  The aero blade looks worse than either the silver-on-black plates or the missing rear spats.

[barrett]

Hey up shite fans. Here are some more cars wot I saw. This 205 appeared on my street for a couple of days. Looks snazzy but it's a boggo one-litre

a 'pure shite' experience in a semi-rural small town

And this winning combination round the corner, including bonus K8!!

A surreptitious R5 snap. This looked amazingly clean

I was walking over to this place when the R5 went past. Saab could be a Turbo

A very handsome Godess

Yesterday I stumbled on a little hidden world of old shit. My attention was caught by this incredible Maxi

Then I spotted this... It's a RHD UK-market Lada complete with dealer sticker in the rear window. I hope it's being restored rather than stripped for something unsavoury

Hidden away further into the undergrowth was this hideous (but great) Marina floppytop. Blime, these are just so massively shit aren't they??

There was a bloke lingering about who I chatted to for a bit, he was busy pulling this snazzy little beast out of the hedge where he parked it four years ago in preparation for an MoT. Looked pretty good under the grime tbh

He explained this bit of dead-end road wasn't owned by anyone, so it become a dumping ground for cars. He reckoned this lot had been there for 5 or 6 years at least

And finally, this most pleasing '1980s council estate' scene