HAPPY BIRTHDAY OSCAR

[mercrocker]

Oscar the Cowley is 60 today.   His build sheet started yesterday (23rd) but he was signed off on Thursday 24th February 1955.    Same day as Alain Prost and Steve Jobs were born, apparently!

 

To mark the occasion I drove him to the village a few miles away where he lived from 1962 until I bought him from the local salvage yard.   The tin shed coal dealers are also the local garage and the old boy there remembers the car from its time in the village!   Had a good chat and took a photo.  I shall be returning Oscar to the supplying garage in Southampton next month to celebrate 60 years on the road - its a Voxhole dealer now and clad in grey metal.....

 

[Squire_Dawson]

Nice story and good photo, incredible how time flies. Does it have the 1200 or 1500 engine?

[mercrocker]

Thanks Squire, the original 1200 went yonks ago I should think.  Had a knackered 1622 when I got it but now on a low-mileage 1500 which suits the gearing a lot better....

[Angrydicky]

That is lovely.

[PiperCub]

Was that photo taken on the road between Ower & Wellow (heading to Salisbury)? That tin-shed looks familiar to me!

 

And where was the original dealer place (Now an Ovlov shop)?

[mercrocker]

Absolutely spot-on with the location, PiperCub....The original owner lived down the next right hand turn toward Salisbury.....Original dealer was Wadhams along the Avenue in Soton.   Somebody told me it was now a Vauxhall garage but it isn't - its opposite that and is now Fox the LR/Jag dealership.   Didn't have time to go in today.....

[oldcars]

Very nice, happy birthday Oscar, have an oil change on me 

[mrbenn]

What a great story, suits a great car!

 

Can't believe the supplying dealer isn't now represented by a Sainsburys Local and a load of posh apartments....

[mercrocker]

I know....most of Southampton is indeed now apartments and Tesco Excesses but the old rivals main Austin dealer and main Morris dealer still face each other, one selling Vauxhalls the other selling LR-Jaguar, totally unrecognisable but still car dealers after some 80 odd years.  Incredible!

[Angrydicky]

We absolutely have to get your Cowley and my Somerset together at some point.

[mercrocker]

Sounds a good plan to me, AD!

[mercrocker]

Update!

 

As planned, today marked the 60th On The Road anniversary of the Cowley.   I took a late start at work again and headed off to the Land Rover dealership that stands where Wadhams Morris Distributors once was.    Actually, they weren't terribly interested (surprise) although the reception ladies were all over it and the young chap in charge of the car park was very accommodating letting me use two valuable slots for a photo.   There is nothing left to tie the place in to how it once looked so it was a bit pointless but I took a shot anyway.    I was a bit anxious in case oil dripped on the glistening herringbone stonework but it didn't!   

 

I then re-traced what I imagine may have been its first journey with its original owner back to the house he then lived in.   The main street through the suburb linking the garage to the house is pretty much as it was, structurally, in 1955 although the facias are of course all different.    It actually started to feel really poignant as I neared the original owner's house, - the car's survival is a testament to how he looked after it and preserved it.....The house now has had the footpath in front of it cut back and double yellows laid down but I risked a ticket for the money shot.   I was sure there were tears in his headlamps but it was probably just condensation....  

 

[scruff]

Love it

 

I may well follow your example, a great idea.