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...

[LightBulbFun]

On 3/27/2019 at 5:18 PM, Christine said:

Lakeland museum one

 

 

Greasy !

 

located the underside picture of RPF19R  but sadly (although good for longevity!) its chassis is completely covered in rust proofing/underseal material so I cant tell what colour its chassis is

[LightBulbFun]

had another lesson today (number 43) 

managed to thankfully get enough sleep despite the earlier then ideal start time, and it went well with my instructor saying Im improving so thats good to hear  

I did some more parallel parking (he asked me what id like to do today, and I said parallel parking as thats the one manoeuvre I struggle with the most) and that well relatively well, still no means good at it tho LOL

for those curious the general structure of lesson is there will usually be an objective, like to either do some parallel parking or driving into a car park parking bay etc sometimes he will decide what we do or he will ask, but we do said objective in the area the driving test will take place so I obviously have to driving there and back and doing it this way takes care the general driving aspect of things while also familiarising myself with the area/roads the test will take place on (but can sometimes limit the amount of time to do specific things once we get there, depending on traffic etc)

 

next lesson is on Friday at 3:30PM  (so thankfully a bit later in the day so less worry on the whole sleep thing)

[Eyersey1234]

Glad to hear your lesson went well @LightBulbFun. Hopefully it won't be long before you can get your test done. 

[Eyersey1234]

On 7/18/2020 at 10:02 PM, Mrs6C said:

It's great that you have picked up where you left off, so to speak. The more practice you get, the easier and 'second nature' it all becomes. Don't get hung up about the number of lessons. It's not a competition. Many folk have the advantage of being able to practise between lessons, in a car other than the Driving School one, so in effect you are doing the same as them, just in the Driving School car! Why not? It's a sensible thing to do. Getting introduced to typical road situations and hazards with an experienced driver alongside you is also a good way to go. You'll have the benefit of that extra knowledge and understanding to hand when you go solo. All good stuff.

 

I've probably already said this but I had over 50 lessons when I was learning to drive in 2004-5, part of the reason was I didn't have a car to use outside of lessons as the Fiat Multipla we had would have been too expensive to add me to the insurance. 

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Glad to hear your lesson went well @LightBulbFun. Hopefully it won't be long before you can get your test done. 

Thanks  yeah just waiting on the DVSA to email me back to let me chose a slot of my test hopefully that will happen soon seeing as supposedly they started emailing people on the 16th of july

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-driving-tests-and-theory-tests

1 hour ago, Eyersey1234 said:

I've probably already said this but I had over 50 lessons when I was learning to drive in 2004-5, part of the reason was I didn't have a car to use outside of lessons as the Fiat Multipla we had would have been too expensive to add me to the insurance. 

yeah its comforting to know im not alone, or well that for someone who does not have use of a car between lessons that my amount of lessons is not that unusual 

there are times i do wish I had a car on hand I could drive between lessons, like to practice parallel parking manoeuvres just in the dead end here for example

and im very thankful to couple lessons I was given by/in @Zelandeth's Lada and @Mrs6C ZX, im pretty sure thanks to those, they are the reason clutch control has thankfully never been an issue for me, in that I never had to spend a lot of time learning clutch control, when I started my first official lessons

(but I do wonder how much of that is because modern cars tend to be  "soft and easy" when it comes to their clutch, hence why im really curious to see how something old (and preferably carburetted) is like to drive and how I do in it compared  my instructors car a 2019 Pug 208)

[LightBulbFun]

yay like clockwork! im currently texting with my instructor with regards to what date I should pick, most of the rest of July and August are available so I have plenty of options  

[LightBulbFun]

20 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

yay like clockwork! im currently texting with my instructor with regards to what date I should pick, most of the rest of July and August are available so I have plenty of options  

alright spoke with my instructor and have (re) booked my test  he said anytime in August is good, so went for the 4th, at 2:36PM (ideally id of liked a little later time of day, but no matter what date I chose 2:36PM was always the latest time so I assume maybe they are closing early etc)

(I have until the 30th of July to change anything if needed)

[Eyersey1234]

34 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

alright spoke with my instructor and have (re) booked my test  he said anytime in August is good, so went for the 4th, at 2:36PM (ideally id of liked a little later time of day, but no matter what date I chose 2:36PM was always the latest time so I assume maybe they are closing early etc)

(I have until the 30th of July to change anything if needed)

Good luck for your test @LightBulbFun

[High Jetter]

Yes, fingers crossed for you. Might be worth booking a final lesson on the 3rd, to keep you as fresh as possible. (I'm guessing that earlier in the day on the 4th wouldn't work for you)

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Good luck for your test @LightBulbFun

Thanks  they have changed the test slightly so if you have a fail they just direct you back to the test centre (so people are not together unnecessarily, previously if you failed the test would still go on for the full 40 minutes they would just tell you at the end you failed, but now they end it early)

hopefully it wont be a case of pulling out of the test centre then being told to do a U turn where safe and back to the centre LOL

20 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Yes, fingers crossed for you. Might be worth booking a final lesson on the 3rd, to keep you as fresh as possible. (I'm guessing that earlier in the day on the 4th wouldn't work for you)

Thanks, not sure booking a lesson on the 3rd would do me much good sadly as, driving lessons always leave me physically very broken/in a lot of pain afterwards sadly and it takes me a few days to recover from them, its why I went for Tuesday the 4th and not Friday the 7th, as the 4th will give me 3 days prior to recovery from the last lesson on the  31st of July (this also why I never went beyond 2 lessons a week)

[High Jetter]

Jeez, am sorry for you - I didn't realise it affected you so badly.

[Eyersey1234]

I didn't realise it affected you so badly either, sorry to hear it @LightBulbFun

[LightBulbFun]

51 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Jeez, am sorry for you - I didn't realise it affected you so badly.

 

9 minutes ago, Eyersey1234 said:

I didn't realise it affected you so badly either, sorry to hear it @LightBulbFun

yeah, I appreciate the sympathies

I think its a combination of stress, (its not like im having a panic attack every time I drive, but driving in Central London does keep you on your toes so speak) and stress causes my muscles to tense up which always does a number on me sadly regardless of anything else, and then its compounded by the fact that I dont think the car itself is very comfortable for me sadly

(and there are a number smaller things that dont help like the fact I live 3 stories up in a building with no lift)

 

im really quite curious to see how I do driving around London in REV with regards to my body pain issues, I do know from driving REV around the FoD that she is thankfully surprisingly comfortable and the fact that she is a standard hand control handle machine,  means because theres no foot controls and a nice wide open foot well, my legs are able to find their most comfortable rest position which helps a lot, and are not forced into one location (like when driving a normal car) which can cause me pain if it goes on for any length of time (even as a passenger I find a tight footwell can cause me issues in that regard and why I generally avoid riding in the back of cars if I can)

[Eyersey1234]

Yes driving in Central London is fun, especially in a tri axle coach lol. The last time I did a service back from Southend I ended up on a mystery tour thanks to a road closure at Elephant and Castle ?

[High Jetter]

Would it be rude to ask ( nearing retirement, it's a long thread) what turned you on (sorry) to lightbulbs? My gran said her eldest (my uncle) was fascinated by a light switch when a babe, turning it onandoff. He went on to be an engineer at Marconi for many years.

[LightBulbFun]

2 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Would it be rude to ask ( nearing retirement, it's a long thread) what turned you on (sorry) to lightbulbs? My gran said her eldest (my uncle) was fascinated by a light switch when a babe, turning it onandoff. He went on to be an engineer at Marconi for many years.

its "just" a life long fascination/hobby I have had  as a baby I would  reach up for the living room lightbulb, so mum would pick me up and I would smack it with my hand LOL

then around age 2 I got my first lightbulbs the first 2 broke but the 3rd one didn't and after then it was all down hill from there as they say!

im very fortunate that my mum has always been very supportive of my hobbies  

[High Jetter]

Do you write installation dates on end caps like I was taught as well? Normal service stuff, I mean.

[LightBulbFun]

10 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Do you write installation dates on end caps like I was taught as well? Normal service stuff, I mean.

*reaches over and grabs random lightbulb* 

indeed I do , especially so if its a lightbulb where im curious to know how long it will last (the pictured lightbulb was removed/died a week or 2 ago and was run 247)

 

[brownnova]

I’m sure these have featured on this thread before (I’ve not got the inclination to trawl through) or if not at least in your consciousness... but someone posted pics of the Soviet Including carriage an SMZ on BookFace earlier...

Early incarnation 

 

Later model 

interior shots

Also a video review of later model... (in Russian... but pretty pictures!)

https://youtu.be/ddjjxlv449s

Just in case it was of interest... 

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, brownnova said:

I’m sure these have featured on this thread before (I’ve not got the inclination to trawl through) or if not at least in your consciousness... but someone posted pics of the Soviet Including carriage an SMZ on BookFace earlier...

Early incarnation 

 

Later model 

interior shots

Also a video review of later model... (in Russian... but pretty pictures!)

https://youtu.be/ddjjxlv449s

Just in case it was of interest... 

ah cool I appreciate the heads up indeed they have been talked about a few times in this thread

there is 1 model in between the SMZ S-1L (the 3 wheeler) and the SMZ S3D 4 wheeler you have pictured

and that is the SMZ S3A which looks like a combination of the 2, this was (AFAIK) the soviets first 4 wheeler invalid car

 

and there is a SMZ S3D for sale here  https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1115317

(tho I notice its listed as an SZD but I think that might be to do with the different control options offered)

[LightBulbFun]

so someone at the DVLA has utterly ruined the look of the vehicle checker LOL

it looks like its not loaded properly in internet explorer in windows 98 with missing/broken fonts LOL

[keef]

Looks fine to me Safari on iPad.

 

BTY 875V

✗ Untaxed

Tax due: 
1 September 1993

Incorrect tax status?

MOT

No details held by DVLA

Incorrect MOT status?

[LightBulbFun]

12 minutes ago, keef said:

Looks fine to me Safari on iPad.

 

BTY 875V

✗ Untaxed

Tax due: 
1 September 1993

Incorrect tax status?

MOT

No details held by DVLA

Incorrect MOT status?

well looks fine (or does not look fine) is a matter of opinion of course but it still just almost just as bad for/to me on my iPad LOL (although I think the much higher pixels per inch of my iPad's screen is helping smooth things out a bit LOL)

it does not look like the previous version did is what im getting at LOL

[LightBulbFun]

I sent an email to John the previous owner of REV and Dolly earlier today, giving him a quick general update on their progress to road worthiness

as it had been a while since I last heard from him (around christmas time) but sadly with progress on things having been much slower then Id have liked I did not have all that much to say, but seeing as things have happily progressed a little bit now, and it being over a year now since I got REV I figured I would finally write and send an update email to keep him updated and make sure all is going well still  

to which he was happy to get, and he mentioned he was just thinking about me the other day as he unearthed some old 150W PAR38 reflector lamps and had wondered if Id like them, to which I do  

(150W PAR38 lamps have not been made for a good few decades now as they where replaced by a more efficient 120W rating that gave the same light output for a few less watts)

so yeah happy to hear from him once more, he also mentioned in his last email around christmas time that he was having a clear out, so I asked today if he happened to unearth anymore invalid vehicle material that may interest me, will be interesting to see if he did find anything or not  

[ETCHY]

I assume you know about them already, but will you be getting one of the Oxford Diecast Invacars when they come out? I certainly will !

[LightBulbFun]

58 minutes ago, ETCHY said:

I assume you know about them already, but will you be getting one of the Oxford Diecast Invacars when they come out? I certainly will !

Oh yah for sure very much so  I do hope the wheels move, as well as being models' I do still want to be able to play with them LOL (cost aside its one of the reasons I never got one of the low volume 1/43th Invacars LOL)

 

on a somewhat related note, I was looking at some photographs again from the same place I found the Heywood pictures and noticed something I had not before, check out the floral pattern floor! LOL  

https://pro.magnumphotos.com/CS.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&STID=2S5RYDWRKHAD&VBID=2K1HZOBNAYY33L

had not noticed that before I had heard plenty of stories of Users adding personal touches to their own invalid vehicles (despite them being government property 90% of the time!) so its neat to see an actual picture/example of such  

[mitsisigma01]

Your idea of heaven 

[High Jetter]

SPA is quite late - 72/3?

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, mitsisigma01 said:

Your idea of heaven 

haha, yeah thats been featured a few times  heres a post from earlier in this thread where I consolidated all the heywood pictures from website that the above photo came from  

 

On 9/27/2019 at 8:41 PM, LightBulbFun said:

*cracks knuckles*

 

note the the towing eye on the AC Acedes Mk15's thats are not present on the Mk14 and the Model 70  

someone left the indicators on one of the Model 70's!

 

 

and where wheelchairs go to die!

 

 

IIRC Julian got a chance to visit in the 1990s and snapped some pictures would be very cool to see those some day  

 

 

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

SPA is quite late - 72/3?

for a Model 70 it is actually a fairly early one, the SPA-L block SPA181L-SPA250L however, is the very last L Reg AC Model 70 block, it was followed by the TPA-M block TPA581M-TPA780M which was the first M reg AC Model 70 block  (which makes @Zelandeth's TPA621M the oldest known surviving M reg Model 70 out there!)

for those curious heres a quick break down on the Last Model 70's so to speak  

the Last Model 70's rolled off the production line in March 1978,

the Last AC Model 70 made was registered TOI8137

the Last Invacar Model 70 made was registered SOI7570 

the Last Model 70 to be registered was CXI936, not registered until 1983!

the last block of AC Model 70's was VPG243S-VPG269S (with 53 cars after this block to the end of production, all going to NI)

the Last block of Invacar Model 70's was XEV49S-XEV116S (with 6 cars afterwards to the end of production all going to NI)

[Mrs6C]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

check out the floral pattern floor! LOL  

I suspect that's a piece of leftover carpet from the driver's hall or sitting room, cut to size to fit the floor of the car. It has the kind of pattern that was popular for such carpets at that time.