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Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing


dollywobbler

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Sorry folks. I've been tearing about the countryside with a huge grin on my face.

DNok_bWWsAEums7.jpg

 

Sadly in the Lexus, not the Invacar. However, a plan has been formed to get my TWO Invacars back to Wales. Actually, one is an AC Model 70, the other is an Invacar Model 70 - AC's design, built in two different factories and all but identical.

 

Let's have a look inside TWC, which is the oldest surviving Invacar known! It's in pretty decent condition bodywise.

DNonvQRW4AEavu3.jpg

 

28,000 miles is pretty high mileage for one of these. I saw one with under 7000.

 

Anyway, no further progress until they land in Wales. A friend in Sussex needs to collect some vehicles from Wales, so this is all looking spiffing at the moment.

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Imagine the fun you'd have turning up to an AC Owners Club meeting in your AC Model 70 :-D

 

Sadly, the one I'm getting back on the road is not an AC. Production was split between Invacar and AC, though the design was apparently ACs. 

 

The mechanical layout is very interesting. The engine is Austrian - a Steyr-Puch flat twin similar to those used in their own licence-built 500s, and the Haflinger. They go up to 650cc in size, but the Model 70 uses the 493cc unit. This has a dynastart, and the gearbox is a DAF-esque pulley gubbins built by Salisbury. Drive is sent via Fiat 500/126 driveshafts to the rear wheels. Yes, they're variomatic baby!

 

The handlebars have a typical motorbike throttle control, but the brakes work by pushing the handlebars down! 7 inch drums on each wheel for that, fully hydraulic. Suspension is by coil springs with Spax dampers.

 

Top speed? Apparently 70mph is nae bother!

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I haven't seen one of these in years!

My dad once was on gate duty at HMS Dryad in Southwick when one of these pulled up to go through the gate into the site.

My dad lifted the gate but accidentally dropped it as the invacar was going through! The gate beam crashed down onto the little invacars roof. No damage though! God knows what the driver thought had happened.

 

Great purchase though. Can't wait to see what more!

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