Project Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing

[plasticvandan]

I'd love to have met the civil servants in charge of this program by 2000. If I've understood the history correctly they'd have still been allocating budgets for repairs and maintenance and managing other people responsible for the upkeep of these things. Must have been one of the more bizarre parts of Whitehall or Leeds (where the Dept of Health is also based) to work in.

Heywood stores near Manchester was the nerve centre for the Invalid vehicle scheme,was meant to be costing around £3 million in the mid 1990s.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Heywood stores near Manchester was the nerve centre for the Invalid vehicle scheme,was meant to be costing around £3 million in the mid 1990s.

I wonder how much it costs for the modern equivalent disability Fiat 500s and Datsun Cashcows?

[plasticvandan]

Bear in mind that didn't include having to buy them (the last being built early 1978) so for a fleet of maybe 5000 cars at that point it was quite as lot!

[richardthestag]

Not allowed on the motorway they said!

 

https://youtu.be/azZ6MAm8WUc?t=2m49s

[busmansholiday]

Love the plastic pig video which brought back more memories. Grandfarther had an Invacar but the first car my farther had was a mk6 Reliant Regal (square rear lights rather than the two separate ones on the mk5 if I remember correctly after 55 years or so).

He bought this because he had a bike licence and as it didn't have a reverse gear he could drive it. When he passed his car test he was then legally allowed to remove the blanking plate on the gearbox tunnel that stopped you selecting reverse gear.

 

Also remember going to Tamworth with it when he complained about fuel comsumption (under normal use, not 4 adults, 2 children and a dog on a trip to Blackpool). Reliant man disconected fuel pipe, connected up a bottle with a pint of petrol in it and went for a litterally non stop drive. It stopped at the normal point, so fuel consumpsion was OK. My farther was white with experiance, and would oftern remind me of that experiance.

[dollywobbler]

The video has had over 6000 views now, which is pretty impressive. Obviously it's invoking a lot of nostalgia. Excellent.

[Inspector Morose]

I might be interested in the AC when your finished with stripping parts from it.

 

I have a problem........

[eddyramrod]

In about 1980-81 I used to work with a chap on the funfair, who had one of these.  He could walk using two crutches, and faster than I could on two legs, and drove his Invacar like he stole it, but then he was about my age, early 20s, so maybe that isn't such a surprise.

 

Early 1982 I ran into the back of one in my Toledo.  Triumph wasn't damaged but the blue thing.... I can imagine it took some repairing, from a 5mph impact!

[greengartside]

I've just remembered a lad who I went to school with, his grandad had an Invacar! I think he only had one arm or something and used this to get about in. By the time I saw it, it had been unused for a few years and was nothing more than a garden ornament at that point. I'm so happy that many escaped the cull of the early '00's.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

The video has had over 6000 views now, which is pretty impressive. Obviously it's invoking a lot of nostalgia. Excellent.

Not surprised! Just watched it. Great stuff. Looks like you have a bit of work to do....

 

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[dollywobbler]

I might be interested in the AC when your finished with stripping parts from it.

 

I have a problem........

You think you have a problem? People keep telling me I should restore both. Either that or sell the body on its own, as quite a few rolling chassis escaped the axe. We'll see.

[SiC]

When they're priced at the same level that bubble cars are now, it won't seem too ridiculous. Given the history, nostalgia, stories and rarity on these it may not be too long.

[dollywobbler]

I thought these were all on 10" wheels, but it turns out they're on 12s. Has anyone down south got any Mini wheels kicking about? The tyres are all wrecked, but there's no sense fitting new when I don't know how long it's going to take to get these road legal. I just want to make it easier to move them about. Oh, and one of them is missing a wheel, which doesn't help!

[timolloyd]

Hmmm. I may have a couple of Mini wheels with tyres at the back of a garage that you'd be welcome to. I'm on the Surrey/Sussex border, not far from junction 6 M25.

[Ben_O]

I do but i'm a ferry ride too far south

[Guest Hooli]

I think Austin Metros run 12" wheels too, they'll be much easier* to find...

[dollywobbler]

Not sure if the offset is the same on the Metro wheels.

 

Tim - I'll see if my Sussex contact can scoop them up. That's very kind, thanks.

[plasticvandan]

Only the first model 70 had 12,they moved to mini 10s soon after.

[dollywobbler]

Only the first model 70 had 12,they moved to mini 10s soon after.

 

I've seen 74/75 mentioned as the cut-off, and both mine are earlier than that. Bit academic just to get them moving I guess!

[HH-R]

Saw this on your YouTube channel before here but I'm really looking forward to this getting up and running, they're quite fascinating things. Would love a go in one - can only imagine that they're absolutely terrifying.

[mat_the_cat]

Oh, and one of them is missing a wheel, which doesn't help!

 

Surely they're missing a wheel as standard!

 

If it helps, I can loan a couple of 10" Mini wheels (slot mags!) to get it onto your transport back up here.

[coalnotdole]

I've nothing specific to add but, just wanted to say I've enjoyed reading this and await devopments!

 

I'd love to have a go at a future shitefest!

[captain_70s]

I saw one of these at a car show a while back, the owner had converted it to run some sort of 2-stroke motorcycle engine as I recall so it was probably even more lethal than a stock one...

 

[twosmoke300]

Ummmmm

[dollywobbler]

That might be the Cubota diesel one that someone has built perhaps?

[cort16]

I was at the Glasgow transport museum yesterday and this caught my eye. it's got a steering wheel rather than handle bars though disappointingly.

 

 

Don't crash

 

[dollywobbler]

Glassfibre is meant to be good in a crash, as it shatters and absorbs the impact. These do seem to be made out of particularly flimsy stuff though...

[oldcars]

If you brake heavily can you get the doors to open 

[andy18s]

Glassfibre is meant to be good in a crash, as it shatters and absorbs the impact. These do seem to be made out of particularly flimsy stuff though...

I saw one of these that had been flattened by a hgv near Oswestry way back then (pre bypass days,Gledrid crossroads if you knew it)

There was very little left,certainly more swept up then towed away

[timolloyd]

Not sure if the offset is the same on the Metro wheels.

 

Tim - I'll see if my Sussex contact can scoop them up. That's very kind, thanks.

Sorry DW, but went to check and have found just one 10" wheel.