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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

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On 10/13/2020 at 11:42 PM, Eyersey1234 said:

I believe officially they were meant to be scrapped but some managed to escape their appointment with the cutters torch

That would be interesting considering they're made, mainly, from plastic! I wonder if the escapees escaped because of the difficulty of destroying them safely (can't be burnt. can't be burried, not recyclable etc). I reckon they just got piled up at various locations around the UK, with some being more efficient at safe disposal than others. Incidentally there is the same problem with disposing of Reliants etc.

Gone for a decade: The invalid carriage - BBC News

 

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Just now, martc said:

That would be interesting considering they're made, mainly, from plastic! I wonder if the escapees escaped because of the difficulty of destroying them safely (can't be burnt. can't be burried, not recyclable etc). I reckon they just got piled up at various locations around the UK, with some being more efficient at safe disposal than others. Incidentally there is the same problem with disposing of Reliants etc.

Gone for a decade: The invalid carriage - BBC News

 

Yeah I was thinking that!

 

but yeah indeed as mentioned in my post above on the matter

that is pretty much exactly what happened and how a lot of the ones that survive today, did survive

On 13/10/2020 at 21:28, LightBulbFun said:

but thankfully a handful have slipped through the net, helped in part that a fibreglass car has no scrap value and would actually cost money to get rid of, so a few scrap yards simply bundled them away, until they where forgotten about and then unearthed again 20-40 years later and saved :) 

and this is how 3 out of the 5 forum Invacars survived :) 

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6 minutes ago, martc said:

Incidentally there is the same problem with disposing of Reliants etc.

The same problem for Trabants.  I believe there were hundreds them left in Prague when many East Germans fled to (then) Czechoslovakia.  This happened again in West Germany when the Berlin Wall came down.

No-one knew what to do with them, it's a different sort of plastic to that used on the Model 70 and Reliant vehicles (it's not really like fibreglass) but they couldn't be destroyed.  It seemed that unwittingly, the state-owned car manufacturers had created something more indestructible than the politics!

trabants.jpg

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in other sat around for 40 years plastic car news

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114457976093

looks like Scott slung the Trysull Mk12 he had for sale on ebay and I think someone actually bought it! but have asked Scott to confirm this

if it has been sold I wonder who bought it! quite brave given it has no identification marks that I know of sadly

especially as 1940PE is going up for sale soon I think (scott is still trying to figure out how to price it, he is worried someone will just buy it, rob it of its registration mark, then sell it on, he said he had been stung like that before so is keen to avoid it happening again)

although I do wonder what condition its in, iv not had any good photo's of it sadly, would like at least an over view shot of it for the survivors list! 

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1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

... as everyone else in the past 20 years had been taught on preselector or automatic gearboxes (RT or RM), so  I guess back in the day they only counted as an automatic gearbox?  I suspect if you just did not say anything the examiner would still see 3 Pedals and think its a manual car (until he notices you shifting before "clutching" LOL)

 

hey @vulgalour can I borrow the Lanchester for my next driving test? :mrgreen:

I'm not sure what the pre-selector is properly classed as for insuring.  When attempting to switch the BX insurance over to the Lanchester just to keep the policy running, we opted for manual once I explained how it worked, since you do have to change gears.  Never found out for definite with that insurer since the Lanchester was too old to swap the insurance over.

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51 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

I'm not sure what the pre-selector is properly classed as for insuring.  When attempting to switch the BX insurance over to the Lanchester just to keep the policy running, we opted for manual once I explained how it worked, since you do have to change gears.  Never found out for definite with that insurer since the Lanchester was too old to swap the insurance over.

ah the fun of insurance

try insuring an Invacar

them: "is it Right or Left hand drive"

me: "uhh erm... it doesn't have a steering wheel..."

 

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53 minutes ago, egg said:

Lbf, I'm thinking your test failures have mainly been about observation. I wonder if you should take your next test in a less urban environment. Less to observe!

Yeah, did wonder and Joke if I should go up to Carlisle where my sister lives, for a couple weeks and take a few lessons and the test there instead LOL

 

in driving lessons news, after the test I did a request to change instructor and just now I got a call from BSM to do so, so I have been moved to another instructor, and a lesson has been booked with her, I had 2 hours left on the account already so that works out well, lesson is on the 22nd between 3-5PM

will be interesting to see how it goes with the new instructor, hopefully It goes well!

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4 hours ago, quicksilver said:

I can imagine how that conversation would go:
"Is it left or right-hand drive?"
"No."

"What do you mean 'no'? Which side is the steering wheel on?"
"It hasn't got one."

"What the hell is this thing anyway?" <click>

the amount of times I got bounced to different  people and departments and then immediately put on hold then bounced to yet another department, when I described what I was trying to insure LOL

 

I like to think every-time I immediately got put on hold that the young person working the phone put me on hold so he/she could go ask the 1 old person in the office who might have a slight clue what an "Invacar" is :mrgreen:

 

at one point someone went "Oh! is it an AC Invacar?"

at which point It was literally this meme

image.png.6c3d2611ad7c87cbfd09e6ea0aa0c136.png

(and I explained that she is an Invacar Model 70, and that Invacar and AC are 2 separate companies but both made the Model 70 at the same time)

 

in the end they asked for some photos of REV and her control scheme, at which point I got bounced to their motorbike devision because she has handle bars LOL (which makes me wonder how it would of gone if I was trying to insure Dolly instead of REV LOL)

so I pointed out and made sure they noted down the fact REV weighs 413Kg (which made it onto her MID description when you look her up amusingly LOL)

because according to the law REV is a Motor car not a Motor bike unlike most other 3 wheelers, and I just wanted that to be noted down so they could not weasel their way out of a claim in the future (as this legal classification is down to a vehicles weight, so made sure they where aware of said vehicles weight!)

 

so yeah REV is a Motor Car for Legal purposes but a Motor Bike for insurance purposes

 

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''so yeah REV is a Motor Car for Legal purposes but a Motor Bike for insurance purposes''  with all that straigh forward and simple insurance process, what sort of £ does it cost to insure, I know all drivers will cost differently etc but a rough idea? Have you found a company that is more willing to insure than others?

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On 16/10/2020 at 12:21, MT606 said:

''so yeah REV is a Motor Car for Legal purposes but a Motor Bike for insurance purposes''  with all that straigh forward and simple insurance process, what sort of £ does it cost to insure, I know all drivers will cost differently etc but a rough idea? Have you found a company that is more willing to insure than others?

 

most people have no trouble insuring their Invacars, usually with any of the number of classic vehicle insurers out there, normally only about £100 a year from what I have been told and researched

but I was/am a bit of a different case because I had/have no regular car, no off road parking, or even a full licence 

so I would not use my case to judge if you can get an Invacar insured yourself or something such

(unless your also a 21 year old mad man living in a council estate flat in central London trying to run an Invacar as his first and only car? :mrgreen: )

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25 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

Randomly thrown up on social media this afternoon...

 

 Image may contain: 3 people

 

...Kingston (upon Thames?) not sure of year, sorry.

not one I have seen before :) looks like the driver was trying to camouflage himself into the side of the building :mrgreen:

Date will likely be post 1st of January  1973, as im pretty sure I see a reflective plate on that Model 70

(Model 70's used white on black plates right until reflective plates became mandatory on the 1st of January 1973)

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49 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

They are stalking me!

This one turned up on a 25 sec FB clip posted by Gareth Abbott on the pre 1994 spotted group. I cannot work out how to link the video so have a screen shot.

FB clip from pre 94 group.jpg

hah :) that one will be "WPD607G" owned by the same chap who has UOI8850 

On 02/10/2020 at 14:50, LightBulbFun said:

had a good phone call just now with The owner of UOI8850, (I have been helping him over the phone over the past few months with said Model 70 :) )

he mentioned last phone call that he had got his hands on a Model 70 to break for spares, and it sounded a lot like he might have got his hands on RRE20L, so I pleaded with him not to break that one for spares given its private example status

turns out its not RRE20L but he actually got his hands on "WPD607G" the Model 70 that had been sitting behind the Invacar factory for who knows how long now!

and he realised that its far to good to break for parts, so has now somewhat accidentally ended up with 2 Model 70's LOL, I did try and ID which Model 70 "WPD607G" is over the phone with him, since that number plate is of an AC Acedes Mk14A Model 67!

but strangely he says the normal chassis number location on the chassis is blank!, (I was able to send him some pictures of the location thankfully) so thats quite odd, but hopefully he will get me some pictures in the next couple days and Ill see with my own eyes whats going on there

 

but am pleased to know which 2nd Model 70 he got and its good to know where "WPD607G" has ended up, I am a Little bit surprised it was sold as I knew the elmsleigh invacar people did not want to sell it (I believe @bobdisk did enquire about this Model 70 just earlier this year)

but it sounds like its gone to a good home and hopefully ill be able to ID which Model 70 it really is :) 

(page 157 is when he got it)

 

 

on sharing FB posts/videos etc if you look at the post title/posters name there will be a time stamp in grey text just bellow it, which is a clickable permanent link to that post, so if you click on that

then you can, copy the video/post URL from the browser's URL bar and then you can paste it into autoshite or wherever as a permanent link to that post  :)

like so :)(clickable timestamp highlighted in grey)

image.thumb.png.dae2777d575aa4c223df0ad3b3c56b63.png

https://www.facebook.com/groups/950689934973969/permalink/2349234528452829

 

(but I think that Pre 1994 spotted group is a private group Im not part of so I dont think id be able to see the video without having to join sadly)

 

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continuing the news of Scotts Mk12 he put up for sale, he confirmed that it indeed has sold, but cant share with me the details of the buyer as he promised the buyer it would be a private sale etc, but he did tell the buyer he would point him in my direction if he ever wanted to get it registered, so ill probably hear from the new owner at some point in time!

 

in other things for sale news

I noticed The Bubblecar Museum has been selling off a number of their cars and other bits, (I do hope they are not going bust! they mostly seemed to be selling off not exhibition cars but they recently put an NSU Prinz up for sale that looks to be from the main exhibition)

but I was thinking for @bobdisk as I know your looking for a Model 70, and I was thinking if it might be worth contacting them and asking whats going exactly, and see if you could put your name down incase they ever decide to sell KPK71P? just figured id give the heads up as something to keep on eye on :) 

On 23/02/2019 at 12:15, LightBulbFun said:
KPK71P, AC, Date of first registration: 10 October 1975, Current status: in "The Bubblecar Museum" in Langrick England, No MOT, Untaxed since 01 October 2002, Date of last V5C (logbook) issued, 5 March 1993
KPK71P.jpg
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2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

continuing the news of Scotts Mk12 he put up for sale, he confirmed that it indeed has sold, but cant share with me the details of the buyer as he promised the buyer it would be a private sale etc, but he did tell the buyer he would point him in my direction if he ever wanted to get it registered, so ill probably hear from the new owner at some point in time!

 

in other things for sale news

I noticed The Bubblecar Museum has been selling off a number of their cars and other bits, (I do hope they are not going bust! they mostly seemed to be selling off not exhibition cars but they recently put an NSU Prinz up for sale that looks to be from the main exhibition)

but I was thinking for @bobdisk as I know your looking for a Model 70, and I was thinking if it might be worth contacting them and asking whats going exactly, and see if you could put your name down incase they ever decide to sell KPK71P? just figured id give the heads up as something to keep on eye on :) 

I will give them a contact in the week. Will see what they say

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On 10/15/2020 at 8:30 PM, LightBulbFun said:

 

so yeah REV is a Motor Car for Legal purposes but a Motor Bike for insurance purposes

 

Are you absolutely sure? Insurance of a vehicle that purports to be one class but actually is another is, well, not.

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1 hour ago, red5 said:

Are you absolutely sure? Insurance of a vehicle that purports to be one class but actually is another is, well, not.

 

the legal writing from the government: 

image.png

and her V5c see listed revenue weight

image.png

as you can see legally she is classed as a Motor car

but here is her insurance page LOL

 image.thumb.png.bd029ac544c4d8f5ef0adb5e7c227ac9.png

 

although to be exact, looking at it I dont think she is specifically insured as a motor cycle, more just insured by someone who normally only insures motorcycles, but happens to be insuring this motor car class Invacar as well, if that makes sense? so maybe insured a motorbike is not the right term/wording...

(when I check the actual insurance certificate it does specifically say "vehicle" rather then "motorbike", nowhere does it actually mention motorbike in the certificate etc)

I started out by calling Adrian flux but in the end they bumped me to Bikesure their motorcycle department because REV has handle bars and not a steering wheel

I did make it clear that she weighs 413Kg etc

 

 

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5 hours ago, red5 said:

I know what the classification is, my concern is that the insurance company will wriggle if challenged if they have 'mis-underwritten' it. 

Yeah that is a concern of mine, (tho it will always be a concern of mine regardless of how or who she is insured with, because I know what insurance companies are like LOL)

which is why next time I insure her ill try and push for further details, on exactly how she is insured, or see if the motor car side will actually insure her

I was hoping by next renewal id of had my full licence for a while so I could go with one of Haggerty's classic car policies, but sadly thats looking unlikely now (as they require you to have a full licence for at least a year)

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On 10/18/2020 at 12:59 PM, LightBulbFun said:

in other things for sale news

I noticed The Bubblecar Museum has been selling off a number of their cars and other bits, (I do hope they are not going bust! they mostly seemed to be selling off not exhibition cars but they recently put an NSU Prinz up for sale that looks to be from the main exhibition)

I recently bought one of the vehicles they had listed (no prizes for guessing which!) I don't believe the museum is closing but think the couple who run it are heading their separate ways so the chaps selling off un restored items and duplicates.

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3 hours ago, coalnotdole said:

I recently bought one of the vehicles they had listed (no prizes for guessing which!) I don't believe the museum is closing but think the couple who run it are heading their separate ways so the chaps selling off un restored items and duplicates.

ah good to know, its always a bit sad when a museum has to close down or runs into difficulties, and when they start selling off their items things can often get lost etc

im still trying to track down a number of invalid vehicles from past closed museums etc, so figured with the Bubble car museum I could be a little bit proactive and see whats happening in real time, and if things are being sold off, try and make sure their Model 70 goes to a good home and is not lost never to be heard of again

I look forward to seeing which vehicle of theirs you bought :) 

1 hour ago, barrett said:

Hmmm... I wonder if now is the time to try and buy the Anzani Astra project/box of bits which is 33.3% of my dream garage....

hah funnily enough I was looking that one up on the DVLA the other day, 

it caught my eye because it looks like a 4 wheeled AC Acedes estate car LOL (complete with Surrey registration too)

image.thumb.png.8ae699cd1ac539604b2e417b277dbfc3.png

(another fun one to insure I imagine LOL  "Hello Id like to insure my Astra estate, From 1957"    "1957? yeah... right" *click brrrr* ) 

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