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...

[Out Run]

13 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

Neat its like a combination of all the different standards  

as a fun side note theres a rainbow "zebra" crossing like that just down the road from here

so I could replicate that shot with REV almost! (well if I did not mind blocking up a major road and intersection LOL)

Yeah, you may need to find somewhere a tad less lively! 😄

13 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

 

 

[Mrs6C]

Have you seen this one?
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-prince-charles-meets-disabled-drivers-1981-online

See towards the end of it, at 2:48...

There are several films in this particular BFI collection that feature our favourite three wheelers...
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/collection/body-politic

[LightBulbFun]

7 minutes ago, Mrs6C said:

Have you seen this one?
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-prince-charles-meets-disabled-drivers-1981-online

See towards the end of it, at 2:48...

There are several films in this particular BFI collection that feature our favourite three wheelers...
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/collection/body-politic

indeed I have  

 

On 23/05/2019 at 11:26, Braddon81 said:

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-prince-charles-meets-disabled-drivers-1981-online 

Here's some Bfi footage of the same day. There's a couple of Invacar shots here too. 

I think this was the event also that the Elswick  Envoy was debuted. ☺️

 

but as always I appreciate the heads up  

ya never know when it might be something I had not seen before or missed the first time round  

[Eyersey1234]

Hi LBF this cropped up on my Facebook feed today, sorry I don't know which one has moved there but thought you would be interested 

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Hi LBF this cropped up on my Facebook feed today, sorry I don't know which one has moved there but thought you would be interested 

indeed saw that earlier  

that will be the last of Alan's Mk12's moved on (he still has a Mk12D but he is keeping that for himself)

it will be interesting to see how the museum will get on with their Mk12E given how far gone all of Alan's Mk12's where sadly

hopefully they will be able to manage and are able to find this thread to help them with their restoration  

 

speaking of Mk12's for sale it looks like the Ex Trysull car thats been on Facebook market place for yonks has finally sold https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3097752890480067

I wonder where thats going to end up

 

[Mrs6C]

12 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

it will be interesting to see how the museum will get on with their Mk12E

May I suggest you drop the Black Country Living Museum an email, introducing yourself and the ICR and offering to point them to information resources they may find useful in restoring and getting the history correct for their new purchase?

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Mrs6C said:

May I suggest you drop the Black Country Living Museum an email, introducing yourself and the ICR and offering to point them to information resources they may find useful in restoring and getting the history correct for their new purchase?

I May just do, the only issue is the whole "information resources" thing  in that the only good place on the internet for Invacars is this thread!

its one of the big reasons why I have not touched wikipedia, because I dont really have much in the way of good linkable references to satisfy the wikipedia people 

most of what you find on the internet is mostly inaccurate or down right false sadly, just see all the places that say they where/are illegal to even drive on the road!

or that dont understand that Invacar was just 1 make and line of invalid vehicles in amongst many others by completely separate companies! (which is further confused by the fact the Model 70 was made both by AC and Invacar, so people mentally go "see they are all just Invacars")

 

the best I can do, is give them a detailed writeup on the general gist of things, and point them towards this thread as my personal blog (which is what I call it when I have to point someone to this thread and im communicating as the ICR, just so people dont think that this has anything to do with the ICR LOL)

 

this is why im really hoping stuart will be able to publish his big book in time, so I can just say "alright heres a really awesome book on the history of the invalid carriage, buy it, give it a read it will tell you everything you wanted to know and then some"

 

and all this is pretty much why I started this thread and everything in the first place because when I started in my own search to find out more about Invacars I soon quickly realised "its all bollocks out there!" and here we are 260 pages later  

[LightBulbFun]

I see they have posted on twitter with some better photographs   

https://twitter.com/BCLivingMuseum/status/1519984384530599937

sadly they have already called it an AC! ill have to ask Simon if he knows anyone I should contact specifically at the museum or if I should just go through the general inquiries line 

but I just really dont like writing emails especially when they have to be all formal and stuff! (thats when the social anxiety really kicks in and I spend about 3 hours worrying over the wording of things to make sure I dont come across funny, especially knowing that im representing the ICR)

 

but as an aside 

this shot would have made for a good calendar shot contester if it had happened here on the forum!  

[Sheefag]

I can ring the bastards and explain in words of few syllables if it helps. Guarantee they'll be left in no doubt.

[egg]

How many chaps does it take to move a 400kg Invalid carriage! 

I'm sure the museum would welcome an authorative source of info...

[LightBulbFun]

now that @dollywobbler has posted his big video on the Pembrokeshire site

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml7LwqIL_K4

figured id give an update on the Model 70 there  

DollyWobbler very kindly was able to grab me its details, and at long last since I first started chasing it in 2018 I know what Model 70 it is!

and it looks like its, an AC Model 70, RPF21R, not far off RPF19R in the Lakeland museum  

tax due May 1986, no scrapped marker which is interesting

very curiously it has NO controls fitted, I wonder if it was equipped with a special setup and when it was withdrawn from service (or caught fire!) it had its controls transferred  to the replacement Model 70 for that user?

I sadly dont have any better photos to share of current

but @adam1db is working with the site owner to get it saved, there is now some heavy machinery on site so hopefully it can be got to, loaded up and whisked away  (thankfully the side window glass is still there in the car)

so hopefully I will get some better pictures then!  (and maybe see if I can tell what controls it would of had)

[dollywobbler]

That was a nasty one to try and get to! Brambles had fun with me.

[LightBulbFun]

11 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

That was a nasty one to try and get to! Brambles had fun with me.

indeed! I very much appreciate the literal blood sweat and tears you went through just so I could oggle at its chassis plate!  

its interesting to see how much more buried it is since whenever the bellow photo was taken

its still one I find very interesting, given how its on its own, normally where you find 1 Invacar you would find many more, since they where usually disposed off in lots to a contracted yard

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

now that @dollywobbler has posted his big video on the Pembrokeshire site

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml7LwqIL_K4

figured id give an update on the Model 70 there  

DollyWobbler very kindly was able to grab me its details, and at long last since I first started chasing it in 2018 I know what Model 70 it is!

and it looks like its, an AC Model 70, RPF21R, not far off RPF19R in the Lakeland museum  

tax due May 1986, no scrapped marker which is interesting

very curiously it has NO controls fitted, I wonder if it was equipped with a special setup and when it was withdrawn from service (or caught fire!) it had its controls transferred  to the replacement Model 70 for that user?

I sadly dont have any better photos to share of current

but @adam1db is working with the site owner to get it saved, there is now some heavy machinery on site so hopefully it can be got to, loaded up and whisked away  (thankfully the side window glass is still there in the car)

so hopefully I will get some better pictures then!  (and maybe see if I can tell what controls it would of had)

Are you calling @dollywobbler 'heavy equipment'?

[Zelandeth]

Seeing how fast the brambles consumed the corner of our back garden that level of burying wouldn't take more than a couple of years I'd think!

[AdgeCutler]

Finally I've managed to make a quick video update on Brians progress. It's been a pain in the posterior of late trying to upload one, firstly my old Chromebook died a death and the one I was given to replace it has no SD port so I tried an adaptor which wasn't recognised. Then I tried to upload using an old smartphone I was given only to find that I couldn't sign into my old Youtube account on it as it uses an email address other than Gmail. Finally I had to borrow another Chromebook with an SD port, all this to upload a desperately crappy video, I hate electronic technology! 

Anyway, yer tis.

 

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, AdgeCutler said:

Finally I've managed to make a quick video update on Brians progress. It's been a pain in the posterior of late trying to upload one, firstly my old Chromebook died a death and the one I was given to replace it has no SD port so I tried an adaptor which wasn't recognised. Then I tried to upload using an old smartphone I was given only to find that I couldn't sign into my old Youtube account on it as it uses an email address other than Gmail. Finally I had to borrow another Chromebook with an SD port, all this to upload a desperately crappy video, I hate electronic technology! 

Anyway, yer tis.

 

very awesome to see another Video on Brian, the Chassis is simply stunning!

when you do get a Model 70 (and ill damn well make sure you do at some point!) its going to be the best Model 70 out there! although hopefully wont require the same amount of work as Brian has needed!

 

I am pleased to see you managed to find some rear coil-overs that near enough match the original armstrong units, are they custom shocks or are they from another application? if they are it would be interesting to know what they are from  

 

sorry to hear about all the computer issues! you can always drop me a line if you need help with something  computers are one of my other hobbies, so im well versed in making them behave when they dont want to!

[AdgeCutler]

12 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

I am pleased to see you managed to find some rear coil-overs that near enough match the original armstrong units, are they custom shocks or are they from another application? if they are it would be interesting to know what they are from  

After having gotten tired of the receptionist at SPAX telling me I couldn't speak to an engineer re. spring ratings etc. I decided to pop in to Merlin motorsprt who are based at Castle Combe race track which is nearby.  Right then and there one of the team measured the spring resistance of the originals and found dampers with suitable travel and length. All I had to do was machine some bushes and spacers of a suitable size to allow them to fit.

[Mrs6C]

2 minutes ago, AdgeCutler said:

found dampers with suitable travel and length

Reckon you could contact AVO UK and let them know they can add a new Make and Model to their list of vehicle applications... their online Fast Part Finder tool could then be updated to suit...
https://www.avouk.com/

 

[LightBulbFun]

12 minutes ago, AdgeCutler said:

After having gotten tired of the receptionist at SPAX telling me I couldn't speak to an engineer re. spring ratings etc. I decided to pop in to Merlin motorsprt who are based at Castle Combe race track which is nearby.  Right then and there one of the team measured the spring resistance of the originals and found dampers with suitable travel and length. All I had to do was machine some bushes and spacers of a suitable size to allow them to fit.

thats awesome!  looks like the damping is adjustable on them as well, it will be interesting to see what setting you end up setting them to  

[AdgeCutler]

6 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

looks like the damping is adjustable on them as well, it will be interesting to see what setting you end up setting them to

Yes, the springs are too.

[LightBulbFun]

13 minutes ago, AdgeCutler said:

Yes, the springs are too.

you can take Brian to your local car meet, and truthfully say "got custom fully adjustable Spax and Avo coilovers fitted all round" bonus points if you manage to convince anyone that the Blower motor assembly is actually a large turbo

on a more serious note I wonder if Avo would also be able to do the front coil-over if needed as well?

although given that the front is a spax item, I do wonder if they still have the data for that one in their records and would be able to reproduce it if needed/requested?

 

on the flooring front, I think another reason they may have the lines going side to side, is to better allow any water or what have you dragged(or leaked!) into the cabin to drain back out

[garbaldy]

Here's  one for you to investigate.

 

[Crackers]

Sod the car*, look at that moustache!

[Sheefag]

It's Golden Gordon!

 

[RayMK]

2 hours ago, Sheefag said:

It's Golden Gordon!

 

Brilliant!  Those were the days. Not much before my time.

[dozeydustman]

22 hours ago, Crackers said:

Sod the car*, look at that moustache!

I detect envy of that fine walrus

[Crackers]

1 hour ago, dozeydustman said:

I detect envy of that fine walrus

You've seen my poor attempt at facial fur. That's a magnificent bit of slug balancing, of which yes, I am quite jealous...

[LightBulbFun]

one of the fun/nice things about when an Invacar or such is posted on social media, especially by a fairly well followed person or page, is you often get lots of comments of people reminiscing about their experience with them and with some of those comments, some nice period pictures

https://www.facebook.com/bclivingmuseum/posts/368011275364884

and there where a couple nice ones in this post

and

this second one is particularly notable in that, its a VERY Early Invacar Model 70, when I say early, I mean its the 9th car off the Invacar Model 70 production line!

making it the earliest Invacar Model 70 I have seen pictured to date, its also nice to have because, while I had discovered the PPU-K block myself via my DVLA bashing (on Page 70 fittingly enough ) I had never had any actual photos of a PPU-K car so its nice to have one at long last!

(the block is PPU521K-PPU600K, you will note that it is only 80 cars big, I suspect that PPU501K to PPU520K where the final 20 Invacar Mk12's, something I suspect looking at the Invacar Mk12 chassis number allocations as theres a final 20 Mk12s from xx481-xx500 I cant find! but I have never been able to verify this for sure since nothing from that range is DVLA live sadly, but when I visit the Essex records ill be checking it out for sure  )

[AdgeCutler]

I’ve just cut open the heat exchanger to see how it is put together and materials needed to reproduce. It’s now happily smouldering away the years of carbon deposits and the steel needed for the job has been ordered.