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...

[Eyersey1234]

Good to hear you are getting lessons again @LightBulbFun I hope they go well 

[bobdisk]

Seems @LightBulbFun, you are at about the same stage of lessons as a colleague! He likes his instructor, but not the car. Its a Ford Fiesta, (fiasco !) with dual controls. He does not like it, he feels compressed and everything is too close and the seat is too hard.  I said get your own car (He wants a Skoda Roomster for his musical instruments and other junk) and use that.  But instructor wont go without dual controls.   I will suggest a little progress tracking card thingy, might be useful for him as well. 

PS  One pic shows TPE285S has a hoop stay. 

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, bobdisk said:

Seems @LightBulbFun, you are at about the same stage of lessons as a colleague! He likes his instructor, but not the car. Its a Ford Fiesta, (fiasco !) with dual controls. He does not like it, he feels compressed and everything is too close and the seat is too hard.  I said get your own car (He wants a Skoda Roomster for his musical instruments and other junk) and use that.  But instructor wont go without dual controls.   I will suggest a little progress tracking card thingy, might be useful for him as well. 

Yeah I think my problem is I just dont find any modern car comfortable because as you say how cramped they are and relatively hard their seats and ride are, just does not gel with my back (and the whole pedal issue does not help either but thats true of any car with foot pedals!)

but yeah so far its doing better then the 208, but from what I understand/have been told pretty much anything is better then one of those LOL

14 hours ago, bobdisk said:

I belive its a fairly late one, going by the reg number, and speedo type.

forgot to mention in my post above but indeed she is a late one, part of the final contract/batch of 500 by AC in-fact  

[adam1db]

My first post....... we are planning on getting all 4 of my road worthy Invacar's out tomorow 25/4/2021 for a road run into and around York.  In the unlikely event that anyone wants to join us please do so. 

[st185cs]

2 hours ago, adam1db said:

My first post....... we are planning on getting all 4 of my road worthy Invacar's out tomorow 25/4/2021 for a road run into and around York.  In the unlikely event that anyone wants to join us please do so. 

Wish we could but it's a long way from Canterbury - another time, definitely!..  TWC and MHJ did Wells Cathedral a couple of years back so is this a challenge on how many Invacars can be photographed in front of a major historical landmark 😂😂

[LightBulbFun]

3 hours ago, adam1db said:

My first post....... we are planning on getting all 4 of my road worthy Invacar's out tomorow 25/4/2021 for a road run into and around York.  In the unlikely event that anyone wants to join us please do so. 

welcome aboard! very happy to see you on here at long last  

(now you can more closely follow my ramblings to help you go to sleep at night LOL)

I am very much looking forward to seeing all 4 out on the road  

59 minutes ago, st185cs said:

Wish we could but it's a long way from Canterbury - another time, definitely!..  TWC and MHJ did Wells Cathedral a couple of years back so is this a challenge on how many Invacars can be photographed in front of a major historical landmark 😂😂

Yeah that would be quite fun! 

we have I think about 12 invacars on the forum now! I think about 10 Model 70's and 2 Invacar Mk12's as well as a small gaggle of Stanley Argsons a Nelco Solocar and even a Trilox Rollsette if that chap is still around  

(even more if we count all the field find cars and KPL which is being assembled)

 

we very much need to get some sort of convoy on the go at some point that would be quite spectacular

 

as I mentioned before id love to do this with Model 70's  especially on a Motorway somewhere given how many people incorrectly think they are banned from motorways

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=550144838796350

(tho as @Yoss said at the time, i would also like to do it with Routemasters still again, but sadly I dont think there are any Routemaster owners left on the forum)

 

[LightBulbFun]

in Harding Consort news the chap who got the one that was on ebay recently, has already got it running and driving just the hand brake and the body to sort out  

he has done some amazing work given the state it was in! and im really happy to see it really has found a good home!  

[LightBulbFun]

Harding Consorts a bit too luxurious for you, just not autoshite enough?

how about this 1962 Harding Electric, the last of the really basic invalid carriages, (tho still slightly different in that by this point in time Harding got front Forks from Invacar Ltd  )

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133739408312

I believe this one to be NFB683

(another bath registered machine like the consort so I wonder if this one too was factory registered? sadly no mention of any registration documents or such, and I dont think the bath registration records still exist for registration marks this late)

a bit pricey at £2K mind! 

[Zie]

On 4/24/2021 at 10:20 AM, adam1db said:

My first post....... we are planning on getting all 4 of my road worthy Invacar's out tomorow 25/4/2021 for a road run into and around York.  In the unlikely event that anyone wants to join us please do so. 

Someone spotted you and posted on Facebook. 

https://m.facebook.com/anthony.fowler.127/posts/pcb.3069204946734383/?photo_id=10227918531134958&mds=%2Fphotos%2Fviewer%2F%3Fphotoset_token%3Dpcb.3069204946734383%26photo%3D10227918531134958%26profileid%3D1417870945%26source%3D48%26refid%3D18%26__tn__%3DEH-R%26cached_data%3Dfalse%26ftid%3D&mdp=1&mdf=1

[Dick Longbridge]

15 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

in Harding Consort news the chap who got the one that was on ebay recently, has already got it running and driving just the hand brake and the body to sort out  

he has done some amazing work given the state it was in! and im really happy to see it really has found a good home!  

Is that the one which had been parked in a hedge for half a century? 

[LightBulbFun]

3 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Is that the one which had been parked in a hedge for half a century? 

indeed!

been off the road since 1967 if the Buff Logbook is anything to go by!

so its mighty impressive how well and quickly the guy has been able to fix it up!

[LightBulbFun]

19 minutes ago, Zie said:

Someone spotted you and posted on Facebook. 

https://m.facebook.com/anthony.fowler.127/posts/pcb.3069204946734383/?photo_id=10227918531134958&mds=%2Fphotos%2Fviewer%2F%3Fphotoset_token%3Dpcb.3069204946734383%26photo%3D10227918531134958%26profileid%3D1417870945%26source%3D48%26refid%3D18%26__tn__%3DEH-R%26cached_data%3Dfalse%26ftid%3D&mdp=1&mdf=1

Hah yeah it was inevitable!  (I would of been very impressed if someone managed to sneak 4 Model 70 round any major area without being papped!)

heres a desktop link to the post https://www.facebook.com/groups/carsyoudontseeanymore/permalink/3069204946734383/ 

 

hopefully @adam1db will be along posting pictures later today, he has been sending me a whole bunch in real time and its a really awesome sight to behold  

[AdgeCutler]

Brians Dynastart is alive and the engine very nearly re-built. Apologies for the wind noise and generally awful video: 

 

[LightBulbFun]

10 minutes ago, AdgeCutler said:

Brians Dynastart is alive and the engine very nearly re-built. Apologies for the wind noise and generally awful video: 

 

very Awesome! glad you got the engine together and turning over nicely after it wall sized solid for 40 years!! thats a big milestone in and of itself  

the "hearts not beating but the defibrillator is on standby" made me chuckle especially as during one of the FoD gatherings while getting @Mrs6C's Model 70 to idle and go again we where discussing what body part a carburettor would be and we settled on a lung, so that fits in with your analogy LOL  

not long now until the first start hopefully! (dont forget to consult the users manual for the correct 2 stroke oil and fuel mixture to use! during running in  )

[Dick Longbridge]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

indeed!

been off the road since 1967 if the Buff Logbook is anything to go by!

so its mighty impressive how well and quickly the guy has been able to fix it up!

That's a seriously impressive turnaround in such a short space of time. Wow.

[Dick Longbridge]

47 minutes ago, AdgeCutler said:

Brians Dynastart is alive and the engine very nearly re-built. Apologies for the wind noise and generally awful video: 

 

Brilliant work. Shame about the wind noise as you say - I'm assuming you're southwest somewhere? Plenty of the blowy stuff here in sunny Cornwall right now.

[Dick Longbridge]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

Hah yeah it was inevitable!  (I would of been very impressed if someone managed to sneak 4 Model 70 round any major area without being papped!)

heres a desktop link to the post https://www.facebook.com/groups/carsyoudontseeanymore/permalink/3069204946734383/ 

 

hopefully @adam1db will be along posting pictures later today, he has been sending me a whole bunch in real time and its a really awesome sight to behold  

This is bloody brilliant. 

 

[LightBulbFun]

44 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

That's a seriously impressive turnaround in such a short space of time. Wow.

Yeah it really is! another example of his is this Stanley Argson 

On 09/03/2021 at 12:56, LightBulbFun said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114718672663

Cheap, Rusty but mostly complete Electric Stanley Argson anyone? going by the Registration its a Private Non ministry example  

which looked like this by Mid April! 

frankly amazing stuff, and I know the owner does stalk the thread so im sure he will appreciate your compliments  

33 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

This is bloody brilliant. 

 

indeed! @adam1db has been keeping me fed with lots of photographs

its been truly an epic sight to behold

he sent me a photo of when they where by the water like that but in the photo only 3 cars where visible and I was worried one had fallen in the water LOL

but the next photo showed all 4 thankfully!

 

I admit I also feel quite proud seeing all 4 on the road like that, having identified/figured out each cars identity/registration mark and helped him get Logbooks from the DVLA  

and I hope he also feels the same as he has single handedly doubled the amount of Road worthy Model 70's on the road now!

 

I cant wait until we can get all of the Forum Invacars in 1 place and on the road, now that would be something!

[Dick Longbridge]

5 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

Yeah it really is! another example of his is this Stanley Argson 

which looked like this by Mid April! 

frankly amazing stuff, and I know the owner does stalk the thread so im sure he will appreciate your compliments  

indeed! @adam1db has been keeping me fed with lots of photographs

its been truly an epic sight to behold

he sent me a photo of when they where by the water like that but in the photo only 3 cars where visible and I was worried one had fallen in the water LOL

but the next photo showed all 4 thankfully!

 

I admit I also feel quite proud seeing all 4 on the road like that, having identified each cars registration mark and helped him get Logbooks from the DVLA  

and I hope he also feels the same as he has single handedly doubled the amount of Road worthy Model 70's on the road now!

 

I cant wait until we can get all of the Forum Invacars in 1 place and on the road, now that would be something!

Well done with efforts helping to get them registered fella. Bet you're chomping at the bit to get yours roadworthy when you eventually get the opportunity from Boris! 

[AdgeCutler]

1 hour ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Brilliant work. Shame about the wind noise as you say - I'm assuming you're southwest somewhere? Plenty of the blowy stuff here in sunny Cornwall right now.

Ah, Ize vrum the Brizzle areawl.

[Dick Longbridge]

12 minutes ago, AdgeCutler said:

Ah, Ize vrum the Brizzle areawl.

Arr. *Nods with a wave and mouthful of pasty. 

[Mrs6C]

4 hours ago, AdgeCutler said:

Brians Dynastart is alive and the engine very nearly re-built.

Fantastic!

Well done! It's great to see it running like that and sounding so healthy.

[LightBulbFun]

adam has given me permission to post the photos for him (I was waiting just incase he wanted to post em himself)

so here are some from the trip out, just some choice favourites for now  (id upload them all, but I dont want to DDoS the server LOL)

 

when was the last time anyone saw anything like this! Convoy of Model 70s on the move  

Model 70s, Passenger carrying is forbidden vehicles, at a "drop off only" area, I think thats a physical embodiment of an oxymoron LOL

I bet some poor nurse walked in for their shift and thought they accidentally walked through a time warp to 1982!

obligatory petrol station shot  

"Cheese Gromit!"  

obligatory football  

 

and it got very Autoshite at the end, Model 70's are apparently quite good at towing other Model 70's!

but they where able to get home in the end!  

 

was really awesome to see! only wish I could of been there to see it in person

I wonder what others thought, imagine just idly chatting to your m8 "wonder what happened to those funny blue cars weren't they all banned?" 

and suddenly 4 trundle past LOL

 

twas truly an awesome sight to behold and makes me very happy to see these Model 70 actually on the road!  (when so many are just static items in someones collection etc) 

[busmansholiday]

Some interesting pictures there. You / they'll not get to repeat the one outside Bootham Crescent as the ground has been sold for redevelopment and is due to be flattered shortly.

[LightBulbFun]

7 minutes ago, busmansholiday said:

Some interesting pictures there. You / they'll not get to repeat the one outside Bootham Crescent as the ground has been sold for redevelopment and is due to be flattered shortly.

indeed I believe this is one of driving reasons Adam got his 4 on the road when he did etc 

which reminds me how could I forget this photo, this is the building (whats left of it) where they where found a few years ago and almost flattened along with the rest of the building!

heres the riverside shot from pavement side

and some close up/diagonal shots of each of the 4 for the survivors list finally  

[Dick Longbridge]

I bet you're in heaven with these shots aren't you LBF? I still don't quite 'get' it, but totally appreciate the efforts that are going into keeping the survivors recommissioned and alive. Some belting photos there too - the one of them outside the partly demolished building is particularly evocative. It's a proper 'we survived against all odds' image. 

Great work all. 

[St.Jude]

Tomorrow nights call will be a hard one to avoid the I word...

[Six-cylinder]

No, no, no invasion, call Dr Who and get him to send them back to the planet they came from!

[Dick Longbridge]

1 hour ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I bet you're in heaven with these shots aren't you LBF? I still don't quite 'get' it, but totally appreciate the efforts that are going into keeping the survivors recommissioned and alive. Some belting photos there too - the one of them outside the partly demolished building is particularly evocative. It's a proper 'we survived against all odds' image. 

Great work all. 

Edit - what was that building? The remains look pretty significant. 

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I bet you're in heaven with these shots aren't you LBF? I still don't quite 'get' it, but totally appreciate the efforts that are going into keeping the survivors recommissioned and alive. Some belting photos there too - the one of them outside the partly demolished building is particularly evocative. It's a proper 'we survived against all odds' image. 

Great work all. 

indeed its been very awesome for me  

not sure ill ever be able to truly explain what it is that I find so fascinating about these vehicle what makes me so enthusiastic about them

but its a combination of things from childhood memories, to how there is/was basically nothing, no information out there about them at all and just their general story of how they came to be and where all condemned and as you say how the lucky few survived despite everything stacked against them, and how most people just write them off without having even remotely tried one or understand why they existed etc

just something about them that I just find them so fascinating and interesting!

but yeah I appreciate the compliments, I have put so much effort and many hours  into everything, its nice to see it pay off so to speak  

1 hour ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Edit - what was that building? The remains look pretty significant. 

I dont know the history of the building per-say, but it do know it was one of Clark and Partners satellite buildings 

they where a MASSIVE approved repairer up there, as such they had one big ass building then a bunch of smaller ones

they also amusingly sold and serviced Yugo cars so if @dollywobbler or @brownnova you find bits of blue paint/fibreglass in your yugos you know why now! (would be quite fun if Dollywobblers Yugo did come from Clark and Partners as IIRC his 2CV was supplied new by the garage that was the Ministry AR for the area)

KPC538P even has a set of clark and partners "dealer" plates, which is pretty neat  (and quite amusing given they where all government owned etc!)

and one of the cars (also KPC I think) has a neat little service sticker on one of the doors still