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]

23 minutes ago, busmansholiday said:

My reading would be that"does not exceed 410kg", means just that. If it's exactly 410 you are ok, 410.0001, you're not hence my comment it needs to be 409.9 to be sure.

aye thats what Im thinking as well

I guess in this case it depends if the Pre rollover bar Model 70's really where 410.0Kg or if they where 410.something Kg

guess I have to find a 1980s V5 for one somehow!

[busmansholiday]

or a weighbridge, preferably of the weighing lorries etc, not the local scrappers.

[LightBulbFun]

10 minutes ago, busmansholiday said:

or a weighbridge, preferably of the weighing lorries etc, not the local scrappers.

getting pulled by VOSA because your Invacar is over the weight limit?  "sign says motorcycles only m8 and your 3Kg over!"

(while this would tell us the actual weight of the vehicle it would not tell us what they stuck on the V5 sadly, as I mentioned the official workshop manual lists the weight as 896LBS (406.42Kg) but I have never actually seen that on a V5 I have only seen 410Kg 413, and 414Kg, I know of 1 Model 70 that actually shows up on the DVLA checker as 403Kg but I think that was an OCR fail or something such)

im also quite curious what the V5's for other Invalid vehicles look like but I have only seen Model 70 V5's

(it would be quite interesting to see what the V5 For a Tippen Delta, or Invacar Mk12 or AC Acedes looks like)

[Jon]

Saw this thread and thought of you!

http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/210525/retro-trailers

Not sure if you can garner any info for number plate runs etc. from the plate in the first post?

 

[LightBulbFun]

Oh very cool thanks for the heads up/link!

stealing the picture and posting it in here to keep it safe!

Iv never seen an AC Acedes Model 64's VIN plate before so its very informative for me

its a shame the car is no more

its very interesting to see how the MoH numbering scheme is directly mentioned on the VIN plate, I do know that the Electric AC Acedes was built on request of the government

so it makes sense  that they would put it on there

for comparison's sake here's a Petrol AC Acedes (MoH Model 57)'s VIN plate

 

you know that the Electric AC Acedes VIN plate does not actually say Acedes anywhere on it, so I wonder if its actually just known as the Model 64

its also very interesting to see that it was part of its own "Mk" numbering scheme 

also very interesting to see the chassis number format, its not like what I have seen on any Petrol AC Acedes, also interesting to see it lists the Motor number like they list engine numbers   (also interesting to see it lists a differential, I had just sort of assumed the electric vehicles where 1 wheel drive like their petrol counterparts)

sadly theres very little info known in regards to Number plates to Chassis numbers for Pre Model 70 invalid vehicles so I cant tell you what its reg would of been

 

for those who have not seen one here is a Metal AC Acedes (known as the Metal AC Acedes, as the "AC Acedes" name was also used for the fibreglass Mk14-15)

the Model 64 was an electric version, they looked identical from the outside except that the Petrol ones had vent louvers on the rear where the electric ones don't

currently everyone in that thread has posted the wrong invalid vehicle LOL

[busmansholiday]

Museum of Transport, Manchester, RM 1414 is there because it operated on loan to Manchester when it was new in an attempt to get sales. 

[egg]

A couple of images that are new to me...

 

[LightBulbFun]

Oh cool find  right from the the start of Invacar

for those following this thread but might not be up to date on other threads I made a post here https://autoshite.com/topic/19386-six-cylinders-motoring-notes/?do=findComment&comment=1857251 detailing the latest exploits with REV and more, I recommend checking it out  

 

while I was at the gathering I discovered a new block of invacar registrations for me to go through, as you do

tis the KJN-P block from KJN569P to KJN668P, U will go through it soon and hopefully find a couple whose chassis numbers I can pull

looking at the date of frist registrations for a few of them I think the block was the one just before the weird LOO-P block

 

[LightBulbFun]

out of that block 2 of them survived into VIN lookup range and I was able to pull their chassis numbers as a result so I have added those to my list

while going through the block I also came across this

I dont even know what to say anymore LOL

I do wonder if its a private example, but sadly I cant pull its chassis number with the tool I have, so ill have to ask the guy with the HPI check thingy if he can run it for me

sadly none from this block before this one survived until at least 2001 so I cant pull any earlier chassis numbers and see if they suddenly fall out of step by 1 (that would tell me that if its a private one or not as well, as explained earlier in this thread

[LightBulbFun]

BTW does anyone know what this might signify exactly? 

"You may be able to tax this vehicle at a Post Office Branch that deals with vehicle tax without the V5C registration certificate."

some Model 70's I look up have it some don't, I have not noticed any particular rhyme or reason to it (in regards to vehicle details on the DVLA)

so I was wondering if it means anything

(my only thought behind it is if it has anything to do with if the vehicle had been marked as scrapped, LOO1P has a scrapped marker and does not have it, while LOO150P is not marked as scrapped and does it have it, sadly I cant readily check if a Model 70 was marked as scrapped as thats a HPI thing I think)

[LightBulbFun]

voltmeter/USB charging thingy has arrived for the Invacar  shown here running off a 9V battery I have kicking around (the 1 bar was blinking on and off probably to indicate that your battery is very low this being for 12V systems)

also charged my phone off the 9V battery, well it was at 100% already so not a massive load but the phone register being plugged into a power source so thats good

 

speaking of Invacars, dollywobblers tweet of TWC parked next to the G class's https://twitter.com/HubNutVids/status/1160855127642836995 made me wonder

is there a list of Vehicles the Steyr puch 500/650cc flat twin was used in?

because from what I can see both the Steyr puch 500/126 and the haflinger ended production in 1975

but the Model 70 continued in production until March 1978 or so, does that make the Model 70 the last vehicle to use the Steyr puch Flat twin engine?

[LightBulbFun]

Found a website that gives me engine numbers and last keeper change and how many previous owners

sadly its very picky about what it wants to look up and sadly does not give me Chassis numbers

(anything even remotely out of tax it dosent like, like JHJ548N for example) and it will randomly decide to stop looking up any cars

but I was able to shove LVX293J into it and it told me that the last keeper change was in 2010, so theres a good chance that LVX293J is one of the few surviving Mk12 Invacars

[ZombiePaul]

On 8/2/2019 at 9:37 PM, LightBulbFun said:

Oh hello! sorry I missed your post as when the moderator approves your first few posts they dont get posted as new posts when they are validated but they just get inserted into the thread where you originally commented

curiously enough that garage you mention is where @dollywobbler's 2CV was sold from when she was new  

as for the Photograph, not one I have come across so thanks for posting  the J plate Mk12E indicates that the photos are at least post 1970

KVX770J or KVX710J its not very clear sadly, must be a relatively close relative of JBY503J, the only Mk12 I know of that's roadworthy and actually on the road/driven about its registration used to be LVX250J before it was plate raped

Hi, I'm a member now ?

It was me that told @dollywobbler about the garage, I remember them 'roosting' around the back of the garage, when I used to take my NHS supplied pedal trike in for repair.

I'm glad than you found the photos useful

[500tops]

what's the website?

[LightBulbFun]

here https://www.enginecentre.com/

iv seen it mentioned a few times elsewhere on the interwebs, but it would never work for me until today

but now its back to its not working state where if you put any reg in the page just loads for a bit before refreshing itself

if it works for someone can you try YVX206L please  im curious what the date of last keeper change is on that given its not taxed for on road status

(I sadly didn't get a chance to run it before the website broke again, it could also be that iv hit some sort of look up limit that its not telling me about but I tried from another computer tethered to my phone and got nothing still)

[egg]

Not working for me (tried Chrome/Edge)

[LightBulbFun]

yeah I tried a few web browsers

its weird, iv known about the website for a few months now, and everytime I come across it again in my search for a site that will give me VIN/Chassis numbers from UK registration numbers

id chuck a registration or 2 into it to see if it does anything, and today it actually did work for about 5 minutes before breaking again *sad face*

[richardmorris]

Same here using my iPad.

[plasticvandan]

Have you not thought of getting a job as an archivist/data entry/spreadsheet compiler etc etc? Seems your energies would be better spent while earning money for lessons and Invacar repairs rather than staying up all night looking up vin numbers for scrapped cars.

[LightBulbFun]

40 minutes ago, plasticvandan said:

Have you not thought of getting a job as an archivist/data entry/spreadsheet compiler etc etc? Seems your energies would be better spent while earning money for lessons and Invacar repairs rather than staying up all night looking up vin numbers for scrapped cars.

when Life allows it I plan to get a job in the computer industry as thats the 1 hobby/thing I enjoy that is actually applicable to getting a job

the Chassis numbers from those scrapped Invacars have helped me get other Invacars either back on the road or a better chance at returning to the road  and also fill out the gaps in the production history of the Model 70

[LightBulbFun]

I made a post about REV etc on the retro rides forum, since I signed up to thank the guy for posting that Model 64 VIN plate/trailer stuff

I figured it would be rude not to make a post about my own exploits 

http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/210592/1976-invacar-model-general-ramblings

who knows I might get horribly lynched, either way should provide some entertainment for you guys if nothing else

but hopefully this will broaden the awareness of all things invacar

[Mrs6C]

That's a nice write-up in the RR forum. Well done!

[LightBulbFun]

Thanks good to know it makes some vague sense! it took me a couple days to throw together  (I really should of given myself a few more days to recover from the weekend before writing the post, so yeah happy it still came out good LOL)

one of my main hopes with the post is to to debunk/correct a lot of the miss information thats out there when it comes to invacars

if there's one thing I learnt during all of this is that a lot of info about invacars on the internet is just down right false/not true LOL so hopefully I can correct that somewhat

hence the "Q&A" thing at the start of the post (also because I have seen what a lot of people always ask when people first post about invacars on a public forum)

[LightBulbFun]

Woop website is working again! YVX206L is a weird one, AFAIK the first keeper of all Government invacars was Invacar themselves (unless companies could register a vehicle without being its first owner? I know REV does not have invacar as her first registered keeper but rev is a private example) and then they would of been handed off to the government for them to do as they please

so it looks like YVX206L never left Invacar for one reason or another? (either that or the records are slightly messed up and its putting date of first registration as the last keeper change, but for the more normal stuff, it does show correctly, like TWCs last keeper change is shown as 2017 with 3 previous owners)

(I specficly looked up YVX206L as its one with the "not taxed for on road use" and one whos chassis number i was able to pull using my other tools, so I was curious if it was a survivor flying under the radar like LVX293J looks to be)

there is an engine number but I have hid it

[LightBulbFun]

18 hours ago, ZombiePaul said:

Hi, I'm a member now ?

It was me that told @dollywobbler about the garage, I remember them 'roosting' around the back of the garage, when I used to take my NHS supplied pedal trike in for repair.

I'm glad than you found the photos useful

Oh Cool! do you remember much about your pedal trike?

from what little info there is out there on these things, the last "hand propelled" Tricycles was the Model 33 produced by harding until 1978 ending production about when the Model 70 also ended production

http://rumcars.org/forum/index.php?topic=4147.msg31492#msg31492

[Zelandeth]

Dez, just a word of advise regarding the intensive courses.

Knowing how frazzled an afternoon of driver trainer can leave me feeling, I reckon you would struggle with it.  Especially given the issues you have with muscle tension when you're dealing with stressful situations.

I reckon get at least a few normal lessons first and see how it goes.  I'd hate to see you commit to one of those courses and have to bail after a day or two on medical grounds because you were coming apart at the seams and couldn't hold the clutch down.

[LightBulbFun]

that is a very valid concern! and something I have been thinking about (especially after driving a couple normal cars again) as yeah I had my left leg spazz out on me (quite literally) when trying to drive the ZX, it really is quite frustrating

for that reason (and obviously just to see how good or bad the school/instructor is before lumping down a load of cash) my plan is to book a regular lesson or a few and see how those go, and then work out some sort of plan etc

[Billy - Medhurst]

Not gone back through to page 1 - but do you know of the one that was at Coventry Museum Of Transport?

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

 

Registration TJN352R 
Make INVACAR
Date of first registration  29 July 1977
Cylinder capacity 493cc - PETROL
Vehicle status Tax not due 
Vehicle colour BLUE
Wheelplan 3 WHEEL - TRICYCLE

[plasticvandan]

Yes,that was the last one in service.

mr lbf,don't know if you've already come across this reg series,but here's a pic of one used by a friend of my Aunts,was used quite near the end,I think the pics were taken in 2002,I believe at the time she told me there were around 18 left in use or something like.Its got an Invacar badge on the front.

 

[LightBulbFun]

10 minutes ago, Billy - Medhurst said:

Not gone back through to page 1 - but do you know of the one that was at Coventry Museum Of Transport?

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

1977 INVACAR 493cc TJN352R by Jonathan, on Flickr

 

Registration TJN352R 
Make INVACAR
Date of first registration  29 July 1977
Cylinder capacity 493cc - PETROL
Vehicle status Tax not due 
Vehicle colour BLUE
Wheelplan 3 WHEEL - TRICYCLE

aye im well aware of that one  but I appreciate you posting it  

@dollywobbler grabbed some detailed photos of it but im still waiting for those

it has the same floor mounted handbrake mechanism that Dolly (OPH868R)

TJN352R was the Last Model 70 in Ministry service, its user Marion webb, married to Dennis webb the owner of REV451R my Model 70 at one point

I do wonder if there's any pictures from back in the day of REV and TJN parked together (Marion webb had TJN352R from 1979 to 2004, and dennis webb owned REV451R from 1985 to 2000 so they definitely over lapped