invacar LightBulbFun's Invacar & general ramble thread, index on page 1, survivors lists on Pages 24/134 & AdgeCutler's Invacar Mk12 Restoration from Page 186 onwards, still harping on...

to cut to the chase I know of a picture that was taken 9 years ago and its a picture of an abandoned invacar and I have been trying to find said invacar for reasons that are probably quite illogical (also some slight sentimental ones)

heres the picture in question

I have managed to ~~stalk~~ track down the person who took the photo, and he said that it was by an art studio on fish island bow (which is hipster-central FYI) (the photographer is currently on holiday apparently, but said that when he gets back he will go through his archives and see if he has a reg plate shot)

so the other day I went to fish island and had a good old fashion hunt (and utterly did my back in) but sadly I was unable to find it despite finding plenty of other chod.

so Im wondering if any of you guys might have any idea where this invacar is or what might of happened to it?

the sentimental reasons why I want to find and save this/get an invacar is because when I was about Age 3 I saw an invacar parked up by the side of the road and it was the the first car that ever stood out to me made me go "WTF is that?" (but in 3 year old words, I didn't learn the middle finger until i was 4 ) to which my mum said "its a car for disabled people" (which 3 year old me took as, "all cars with 3 wheels where built for disabled people" so I also thought for a long time that reliant robins where built for disabled people too...)

the "illogical" reasons are that well I have never owned a car before... and I think an invacar would be a good simple vehicle for me to cut my teeth on so to speak, and then once I got it going I could "daily it" as a small run about, since ironically enough I have a bad back which prevents me from doing much outside of the house otherwise... also owning a car in Central London is a horrible idea but if you must, best it be a small compact car right? (and also hopefully its cheap to have/run as well...)

also finally its also a case of I Just want to do SOMETHING, my chronic back injury has meant that I have been housebound for the last 5 years or so and I just want to fucking do something... and what better to do then to try and find and save a historically important vehicle thats also proper autoshite (this also leads to, even if I cant personally save it, I hope that its at least found and persevered by someone here but ideally id like to grab it )

PS while out and about looking for the invacar I came across this yard in fish island which seemed to have some traveller type people mulling around about in, I was hoping to ask one of them if they knew about the invacar since they seemed to of been the sort of person who might know about it sadly I could not find a way into the "compound",I also grabbed this shot since my inner bus person wonders what that coach is? sadly I could not grab a reg plate shot, for those wondering as well the thing with the blue tarp roof looked like a pretty old Lorry but I could not get a good view of it sadly, there where also some cars and broken transits sitting around.

so yeah I hope you all dont mind me making this post I know its a bit far fetched so to speak (the picture WAS taken almost 10 years ago and fish island has been quite heavily redeveloped since then I think)...

but I am stubborn bastard so I hope to find it still

21,669 · August 14, 2018

Why not message Dollywobbler to see if there are any left from the field he lifted his from?

20,299 · August 14, 2018

On 14/08/2018 at 20:22, Nyphur said:
Given the original photo is going on for 50MB he possibly has a jazzy enough camera that it records the long/lat location of where the photo was taken.
Worth asking him to check the EXIF data of the original, as that would pinpoint for you exactly where it was (I imagine it is probably long gone from there by now, since the photo was taken 9 years ago ).

I was thinking about that but I figured that its more applicable to a picture take on a modern internet connected device.

but if fancy cameras in 2009 where GPS connected....

ill pitch the question to the photographer tho

On 14/08/2018 at 20:28, Hertz said:
Why not message Dollywobbler to see if there are any left from the field he lifted his from?

hmm not a bad idea I had figured they would of all been cleared out by now.... but if I cant find this one then ill try asking I guess (I also hope to find this one, as at least when the picture was taken, it looks to be in fairly good nick)

17,245 · August 14, 2018

That invacar will be long gone no doubt.

The field of invacars that DW got his from mainly went to someone else, who IIRC is breaking a few of the more knackered ones (some of them were utter wrecks) and possibly restoring some of the better ones. If you're looking to restore one, I would have thought that you might be able to buy one of the ones destined for restoration and then do so.

5,130 · August 14, 2018

Fancier cameras defffo had GPS by 2009

20,299 · August 14, 2018

On 14/08/2018 at 21:41, Talbot said:
That invacar will be long gone no doubt.

The field of invacars that DW got his from mainly went to someone else, who IIRC is breaking a few of the more knackered ones (some of them were utter wrecks) and possibly restoring some of the better ones. If you're looking to restore one, I would have thought that you might be able to buy one of the ones destined for restoration and then do so.

Yes I remember someone here had like 7 invacars listed in their sig I may just chase that up, however im worried it will be priced out of my range

being a "Crippled" 18 year old im not exactly flush with cash sadly, (I was/am hoping to use the invacar as a means of transportation so I can get a job and bring in a steady income, as my back cant handle the daily commute on public transport) but if he does happen to have an invacar in "fairly good nick" kicking around/for sale I am very much interested

On 14/08/2018 at 21:46, AMC Rebel said:
Fancier cameras defffo had GPS by 2009

Cool ill chase that up then (I did send the guy a text message a couple days ago asking some other questions but I have not heard back, I would call again but I dont want to be a bother if he is on holiday)

27,331 · August 14, 2018

GPS isn't a bad shout actually. The one with had at work around then (one of the ruggedised ones Pentax made) definitely had GPS tagging on it, and that wasn't even massively fancy.

Not sure what that coach is...though the smoked tail lights make me think Berkhof. Think some of the earlier Plaxton Premiere variants had them laid out like that too - though the window line and windscreen rake doesn't look right to me for a Plaxton...

We'll definitely need to get you up here for a proper look at my Invacar when it's roadworthy, given you're just a short bio on the train away. Heck, you're welcome to take a look at it anyway...hoping to get more stuck into that again now the mad panic to get the van ready for a holiday is past!

I reckon this particular one is most likely long gone, though will keep my fingers crossed!

17,245 · August 14, 2018

On 14/08/2018 at 22:02, LightBulbFun said:
being a "Crippled" 18 year old im not exactly flush with cash sadly....
.... as my back cant handle the daily commute on public transport)

Then you really don't want an invacar. They are not exactly a comfortable thing to drive, and given the complete lack of any support in the seat, you'll probably do yourself an injury.

Buy a Hydraulic citroen, the older the better, and fit comfort spheres to it. Your best bet is probably a BX or a Xantia. CX would be even softer and more comfortable, but they are becoming pricey. The description of "magic carpet ride" is well deserved.

20,299 · August 14, 2018

On 14/08/2018 at 22:29, Zelandeth said:
GPS isn't a bad shout actually. The one with had at work around then (one of the ruggedised ones Pentax made) definitely had GPS tagging on it, and that wasn't even massively fancy.

Not sure what that coach is...though the smoked tail lights make me think Berkhof. Think some of the earlier Plaxton Premiere variants had them laid out like that too - though the window line and windscreen rake doesn't look right to me for a Plaxton...

We'll definitely need to get you up here for a proper look at my Invacar when it's roadworthy, given you're just a short bio on the train away. Heck, you're welcome to take a look at it anyway...hoping to get more stuck into that again now the mad panic to get the van ready for a holiday is past!

I reckon this particular one is most likely long gone, though will keep my fingers crossed!

Thanks for the info I did make sure to screen shot the location the coach is at (and I can point to where it is on google maps, curiously the satellite shots show that yard fairly empty so it looks whoever is "living" there moved in fairly recently) so if anyone here happens to be looking for it I can provide info

I would love to pop round for a visit at some point and check out your fleet etc ill just have to see how much train tickets are and what the exact logistics would be

On 14/08/2018 at 23:12, Talbot said:
Then you really don't want an invacar. They are not exactly a comfortable thing to drive, and given the complete lack of any support in the seat, you'll probably do yourself an injury.

Buy a Hydraulic citroen, the older the better, and fit comfort spheres to it. Your best bet is probably a BX or a Xantia. CX would be even softer and more comfortable, but they are becoming pricey. The description of "magic carpet ride" is well deserved.

could always swap the seat out for something with a bit more support? you do make a valid point tho, back injuries fucking suck

(on the citroen front I have heard Zel speak quite highly of his Xantia however )

27,331 · August 14, 2018

Seat swap in an Invacar is pretty easy as the seat base frame is a simple square box. Mine has a Xantia seat in because the original one was shot, and I too have a slightly stuffed back, though thankfully not debilitating in my case.

Problem with a Xantia as a first car is twofold. Firstly they're a bit daunting, they're not unreliable or temperamental cars, but sorting stuff and preventative maintenance on them does call for a bit of background knowledge, or at the very least a local specialist who's willing to do jobs if you're unable for whatever reason. That obviously calls for deep enough pockets to pay for that.

Biggest killer factor though? Insurance. Both of mine have been surprisingly expensive to insure. While I didn't expect the Activa to be cheap (heh, high performance, rare and worth less than the pen I'm writing the quote details down with...), I was really shocked at what it costs to insure. Lada, van and Invacar between the three of them are about half what it costs me.

They're also not the best things to work on with a bad back, Xantias in particular can be pig awkward sometimes.

XM,or CX are just too big for a first car I reckon, and PSA's bloody hopeless approach to legacy parts supply would put me off using one as a daily.

Shame really, as the perfect car otherwise I reckon for you would be a late TD Xantia in automatic form. Probably not an easier car to waft around in out there.

Discussions like this make me realise how out of touch I've got with the car market now...I really don't know what is the best suggestion now! Mid 90s CVT Micra immediately springs to mind given how mechanically indestructible I seem to recall them being...

Well, aside from getting friends involved so you can buy it well away from London and just have it driven back - the closer to London you get in general, the more you pay for a given car as a rule. Luckily I'm sure there are folks on here who can assist in making as sure as possible that you got as good a bargain as possible.

Return ticket to London we get is usually around £20 I think - though that's just getting an any-operator one at the station, I'm sure if you planned it out you could do it cheaper. We're literally a couple of minutes drive from the station, so collection from there's not a problem.

EDIT: That coach is bugging the hell out of me. Looking closer, the ridged rear panel and cut outs for additional brake lights have made me change my original guess. I'm now going with a relatively early Plaxton Premiere. As for what's under the body? Who knows...though the default guess, especially if it still goes, has to be B10M doesn't it!

As for the satellite images, not necessarily recent! Union Square in Aberdeen is still a hole in the ground on the satellite images...it opened something like ten years ago!

20,299 · August 15, 2018

Yeah the cost of buying the car itself aside insurance is another Problem I fear when it comes to buying a modern/"fancy" car.... (tho I could always enter a roffle because insurance on a MGF or XJ6 Jag is going to be cheap for a 18 year old right? )

if I do end up procuring an invacar im hoping I can chuck it on some sort of classic car policy.

the automatic thing is another thing that worries me, I have never really driven a car much* and I really hope just the act of driving dosent do my back in, as I have always wanted to be able to and learn how to drive. (and hopefully operating a clutch aint too bad as well... I like the idea of having full control over what im driving if possible...) (theres also the fact that currently, learning how to drive and getting a car seem to be my only options for getting out of the house and getting a job for myself sadly...)

the only way to find out however is to actually drive a car for a while on some private land and find out... sadly living in central London means thats easier said then done

(*I did drive a Manual 2009 Land rover of some kind for a couple mins on a private dock road in brighton and it was "fine" apart from the fact there where lorries going up and down every 30 seconds and this was my "first time" and I was utterly shitting my self because of said lorries. but this is a story for another thread I did manage to hit 3rd gear tho )

£20 for a ticket dosent sound too bad at all I was expecting more tbh

I didn't realise the coach is a bit of an oddball, if I end up back in Fish island looking for the invacar again or something Ill defo see if I can grab more shots of the coach (at-least I know exactly where it is)

any-who enough of my ~~sob~~ life story, gotta stay positive and find an invacar

1,885 · August 15, 2018

The coach is an early plaxton premier in my eyes. We still had some J and K plate ones at stagecoach when the S plate jonkheers were there. The later N plate plaxtons had a different boot lid, the rear lights were vertical. Those early ones had a seriously heavy boot to open as the lights were on the lid.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

27,331 · August 15, 2018

Run away from Jags. They're lovely cars to drive, but parts are often expensive and there are far too many occasions when helping a mate look after four of them in sequence that any job started with "Step 1: Dismantle the entire car..."

The one thing to watch with classic policies is that many these days require you to have access to a car that's on a normal policy before they'll provide you with cover. Not all, but it does seem to be getting more common.

You'll be able to find a perfectly serviceable car for a couple/few hundred quid. Especially if you've not got your heart set on anything specific and just bide your time.

If you're living in London I'd pretty much say an auto is almost essential... you're going to spend so much time stuck in traffic or trying to get into parking spaces that are too small that a clutch is a stressor that you just don't need.

If you've got your provisional licence I'm more than happy to provide some basic guidance. You won't be the first I've helped nudge some basic skills on vehicle control into someone before they went to see an instructor to learn how to pass the driving test. So far everyone I've done that for has returned a first time pass, so would like to think I'm doing something right.

20,299 · August 15, 2018

On 15/08/2018 at 01:02, Zelandeth said:
Run away from Jags. They're lovely cars to drive, but parts are often expensive and there are far too many occasions when helping a mate look after four of them in sequence that any job started with "Step 1: Dismantle the entire car..."

The one thing to watch with classic policies is that many these days require you to have access to a car that's on a normal policy before they'll provide you with cover. Not all, but it does seem to be getting more common.

You'll be able to find a perfectly serviceable car for a couple/few hundred quid. Especially if you've not got your heart set on anything specific and just bide your time.

If you're living in London I'd pretty much say an auto is almost essential... you're going to spend so much time stuck in traffic or trying to get into parking spaces that are too small that a clutch is a stressor that you just don't need.

If you've got your provisional licence I'm more than happy to provide some basic guidance. You won't be the first I've helped nudge some basic skills on vehicle control into someone before they went to see an instructor to learn how to pass the driving test. So far everyone I've done that for has returned a first time pass, so would like to think I'm doing something right.

only kidding on the Jag

interesting on the classic policy, it would be "fun" to try an insure an invacar via a regular insurer, I imagine after giving the person on the other end the details id get a response back with something like "excuse me one moment sir, it appears that the computer just grew legs ran out the window and committed suicide"

yeah I have heard others mention that on the clutch thing, I got nothing against driving an automatic if thats what suits the situation best, but when I do take my driving test im making sure i do it in a manual so i get a full licence

and speaking of insurance, thats one thing Iv not yet quite figured out, how does it work with insurance and provisional licences? do most insurance policies just automatically cover anyone in the car who is on a provisional as long as the normally insured guy is in the car as well or do you have to add a provisional licence holder to your policy like you would a regular licence holder? (to be fair I have not actually looked into it that much...)

August 15, 2018

Insurance is the biggest barrier to getting behind the wheel of a car (any car) at your age I'm sorry to say. It'll likely far exceed the cost of your first car/maintenance/running costs and there's just no avoiding it.

Choosing a car that sits in insurance group 1 or 2 and making sure you have another low risk driver on the policy are pretty much essential imho. Even then, the online quotes are going to give you palpitations.

19,736 · August 15, 2018

On 14/08/2018 at 23:12, Talbot said:
Then you really don't want an invacar. They are not exactly a comfortable thing to drive, and given the complete lack of any support in the seat, you'll probably do yourself an injury.

Buy a Hydraulic citroen, the older the better, and fit comfort spheres to it. Your best bet is probably a BX or a Xantia. CX would be even softer and more comfortable, but they are becoming pricey. The description of "magic carpet ride" is well deserved.

How much better would a xantia be than an omega..... going off topic slightly....

19,736 · August 15, 2018

Do you get mobility allowance?

3,675 · August 15, 2018

i know some one selling something like that,not invacar,was made in yorkshire,needs some work.

17,669 · August 15, 2018

Invacars seem a little too practical, why not go large and search out a Minissima/Elswick Envoy for the full bhuna bonkers concept car/disabled person conveyance experience?

1,660 · August 15, 2018

if youve got back issues are you able to put the hours /work into a car thats been stood 20+ years ? the other chap on here that has one seems to have put a fair amount of hard graft into his , lots of lifting /rollng about on the floor etc

dont be thinking you can find one and give it a quick wipe down and its good to go

4,070 · August 15, 2018

Seconded Zel's suggestion for buying away from London, and willing to assist if it turns out to be in my direction. Cars are really expensive in London.

10,733 · August 15, 2018

Can't help in the slightest with the Invacar, but that coach is 100% definitely an early Plaxton Premiere (1991-93 season build). It's done well to survive as the build quality of these early ones wasn't great and those rear windows curved into the roof apparently leaked badly.

6,824 · August 15, 2018

On 15/08/2018 at 00:56, Daviemck2006 said:
The coach is an early plaxton premier in my eyes. We still had some J and K plate ones at stagecoach when the S plate jonkheers were there. The later N plate plaxtons had a different boot lid, the rear lights were vertical. Those early ones had a seriously heavy boot to open as the lights were on the lid.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

About L reg? Mate worked for Travel Greyyhound and his motor on a P had the vertical lights as you said.

3,675 · August 15, 2018

will get pictures when i can catch up with him

10,733 · August 15, 2018

On 15/08/2018 at 08:18, oldcars said:
About L reg? Mate worked for Travel Greyyhound and his motor on a P had the vertical lights as you said.

L reg was the changeover point. A local firm had both a 93L old style like the one in the OP's photo, and a 94L new style with the vertical lights.

22,409 · August 15, 2018

On 15/08/2018 at 07:37, steveo3002 said:
if youve got back issues are you able to put the hours /work into a car thats been stood 20+ years ? the other chap on here that has one seems to have put a fair amount of hard graft into his , lots of lifting /rollng about on the floor etc

dont be thinking you can find one and give it a quick wipe down and its good to go

Was thinking similarly. Also, considering public transport is too rough for your back, I really can’t see a GRP-clad trike is going to sort your woes. What about the little Kia FOAD is selling on here? Cheap, reasonably refined, and won’t involve spending the next three years trying to fix it.

17,245 · August 15, 2018

On 15/08/2018 at 03:27, Simonsays said:
Insurance is the biggest barrier to getting behind the wheel of a car (any car) at your age

I slightly forget about the cost of insurance for teenagers these days. A quick Comparethemoneysupermeerkat seems to indicate for an 18year old, getting anything on the road for under £2k is near impossible.

1,660 · August 15, 2018

On 15/08/2018 at 10:51, plasticvandan said:
and getting insurance for a 45 year old invalid tricycle that was meant to have been destroyed?

can imagine the call eh...isnt on the system sir can you spell it I N V A.... ah yes sir same section as the ac cobra

what you spend on insurance you will save on road tax!!

20,299 · August 15, 2018

On 15/08/2018 at 07:37, steveo3002 said:
if youve got back issues are you able to put the hours /work into a car thats been stood 20+ years ? the other chap on here that has one seems to have put a fair amount of hard graft into his , lots of lifting /rollng about on the floor etc

dont be thinking you can find one and give it a quick wipe down and its good to go

Yeah I dunno what im going to do there I was mostly just thinking "slow and steady"

I also completely lack any set of tools suitable for car work

and I live 3 stories up in a council estate flat in the middle of London

I am so Fucked... but I try and not to think about it too much

(my entire life has been a bit of a shit show sadly and im only 18! no wonder I feel like I fit in so well here , my only "saving grace" is I know a shit load about computers, and luckily computers are what everyone uses these days some im hoping to a get a job in that field, I also know a shit load about LightBulbs but I dont think theres many job opportunities there...)

as for insurance well with how well* things are going for me currently, by the time I get a car/a licence ill be like 25 and not have to worry about it (one of my mates has a pretty basic 2000/2001ish Skodia fabia and a while back he tried for shits and giggles to get a quote for me and they actually wouldn't give him a quote LOL...)

On 15/08/2018 at 05:04, New POD said:
Do you get mobility allowance?

im currently working on getting PIP, and I know the motability scheme is a thing but I think I need to have PIP first before I can do anything about that.

On 15/08/2018 at 10:55, steveo3002 said:
can imagine the call eh...isnt on the system sir can you spell it I N V A.... ah yes sir same section as the ac cobra

what you spend on insurance you will save on road tax!!

thats another thing I was thinking pretty much all invacars are older then 40 years so I would get free road tax

7,477 · August 15, 2018

You could be a bit more pragmatic and start with an old moped, smaller, lighter to work on, need less tools, ones like Mobylettes have spares available (Aplins in Bristol). There's a couple of general clubs which organise local meets, runs and have a lot of knowledge NACC https://thebuzzingclub.net/ and ICENICAM http://www.icenicam.org.uk/articles2/art0035.html which is a link to an article about the nippi tricycle.

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