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...

[timolloyd]

10 minutes ago, DodgeRover said:

Even as a static film prop

 

I dread to think how long this thread title will become, when this vehicle starts popping up in different places on TV 😂

[Agila]

13 minutes ago, DodgeRover said:

static

Don't take the piss. 🤣🤣🤣

[LightBulbFun]

On 02/01/2022 at 18:39, AdgeCutler said:

I've just posted another diabolical piece of camerawork on the YouTube for anyone interested in seeing how Brian the Mk12e Invacar is progressing.

 

Tis very awesome to see Brian come together like that  

 

the front body support is actually a tow bar, if you look at it from the front it will be threaded, this was for a seatbelt eyelet to be screwed into to enable recovery  

it was introduced as part of the Ministry standard specification that also brought in the Parallelogram front suspension 

you can see the same tow bar on on the AC Acedes Mk15 Model 67

and even Prototype Model 70's of the time period had it  

it was also added to the Tippen Delta 8 at the same time it was added to the Invacar and AC vehicles although the Tippen Delta 8 remained a C-Tube front suspension machine but I sadly dont have a picture of Tippen Delta 8 such equipped

curiously I dont think it was added to the AC Model 64 despite the final run of 200 getting parallelogram front suspension as seen here

 however the PFS Model 64's where introduced a fair bit later then the Mk12E and Acedes Mk15 so it could be by the time the Model 64 Mk5 specification was penned the ministry had decided to drop the tow bar

and obviously by the time Model 70 production started it was dropped from the Automatic Tricycle specification , giving for a much cleaner front end IMHO! Invacar certainly did a better job at integrating the tow bar into their machines then AC did!

 

on the rear shocks front its very cool to hear that you can build you own shocks at spax like that  

I wonder if spax have any information for other manufacturers shocks? the Mk12E uses Armstrong S/62/2586 also written S62/2586 rear suspension units,

and I wonder if spax may know exactly what spec they are and build you a set of new ones to that specification? because as well as getting things to fit I imagine its important to get the damping and spring rates correct   

 

 

[warren t claim]

https://www.castingagenciesdirectory.com/blog/how-to-get-your-car-in-film-and-tv-productions

[Yank Tank]

after 237 pages and six lines of title I would expect this car to be fully restored nut and bolt, mot’d in daily use and being used for hire and reward of a weekend.  instead it’s still terminally fecked with suggestions of bandages being stuck over fresh air and a slight smell of resentment that the whole thing hasn’t been repaired gratis.

my suggestion would be just to take a step back from the keyboard and really digest what has already been suggested and offered. get it somewhere and get it fixed, or sell it to someone who can get it where it needs to be. but ultimately, stop the talking. there’s a lot of noise and heat when you just need some quiet and some light

[RichardK]

2 minutes ago, Yank Tank said:

after 237 pages and five lines of title I would expect this car to be fully restored nut and bolt, mot’d in daily use and being used for hire and reward of a weekend.  instead it’s still terminally fecked with suggestions of bandages being stuck over fresh air and a slight smell of resentment that the whole thing hasn’t been repaired gratis.

my suggestion would be just to take a step back from the keyboard and really digest what has already been suggested and offered. get it somewhere and get it fixed, or sell it to someone who can get it where it needs to be. but ultimately, stop the talking. there’s a lot of noise and heat when you just need some quiet and some light

The thread does contain quite a lot more than just one car's restoration.

[Yank Tank]

7 minutes ago, RichardK said:

The thread does contain quite a lot more than just one car's restoration.

it was purchased 180 pages ago. 2.5 years. and despite generous offers and insightful intelligent advice discussion is still around putting bandages over fresh air and the like. 

no disrespect but it just feels like a lot of heat and not a lot of light is shining 

[DodgeRover]

15 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

https://www.castingagenciesdirectory.com/blog/how-to-get-your-car-in-film-and-tv-productions

FredTransit - https://a2ecommercials.webs.com/ 

although I'm not sure how much she is having to do with vehicles at the minute

[Dick Cheeseburger]

20 minutes ago, Yank Tank said:

after 237 pages and six lines of title I would expect this car to be fully restored nut and bolt, mot’d in daily use and being used for hire and reward of a weekend.  instead it’s still terminally fecked with suggestions of bandages being stuck over fresh air and a slight smell of resentment that the whole thing hasn’t been repaired gratis.

my suggestion would be just to take a step back from the keyboard and really digest what has already been suggested and offered. get it somewhere and get it fixed, or sell it to someone who can get it where it needs to be. but ultimately, stop the talking. there’s a lot of noise and heat when you just need some quiet and some light

You've been here six months. Have you actually read the first three quarters of the thread? 

Thought not. 

[AdgeCutler]

6 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

Tis very awesome to see Brian come together like that  

 

the front body support is actually a tow bar, if you look at it from the front it will be threaded, this was for a seatbelt eyelet to be screwed into to enable recovery  

it was introduced as part of the Ministry standard specification that also brought in the Parallelogram front suspension 

you can see the same tow bar on on the AC Acedes Mk15 Model 67

and even Prototype Model 70's of the time period had it  

it was also added to the Tippen Delta 8 at the same time it was added to the Invacar and AC vehicles although the Tippen Delta 8 remained a C-Tube front suspension machine but I sadly have a picture of Tippen Delta 8 such equipped

curiously I dont think it was added to the AC Model 64 despite the final run of 200 getting parallelogram front suspension as seen here

 however the PFS Model 64's where introduced a fair bit later then the Mk12E and Acedes Mk15 so it could be by the time the Model 64 Mk5 specification was penned the ministry had decided to drop the tow bar

and obviously by the time Model 70 production started it was dropped from the Automatic Tricycle specification , giving for a much cleaner front end IMHO! Invacar certainly did a better job at integrating the tow bar into their machines then AC did!

 

on the rear shocks front its very cool to hear that you can build you own shocks at spax like that  

I wonder if spax have any information for other manufacturers shocks? the Mk12E uses Armstrong S/62/2586 also written S62/2586 rear suspension units,

and I wonder if spax may know exactly what spec they are and build you a set of new ones to that specification? because as well as getting things to fit I imagine its important to get the damping and spring rates correct   

 

 

Thanks Dez, it's been a lot of work but starting to feel the reward is in sight.

I've read previously your telling that it is a towing point and don't doubt the fact that is what it's quoted as being in literature, it's also good to read a bit more about it. But, I feel it must have been an addition just to appease the  demands of perhaps the MOH and isn't really functional. I did note during cleaning of the part that the end is threaded. I am however certain if it were used to tow the car that any little jolt would cause it to deform and tear a chunk of the body away.  It will however be providing a little support to the front of the body which without it is entirely in suspension.

I tried to speak to someone at SPAX but she wasn't very interested in the situation and told me the only way to get the product I wanted was to check a file they kindly sent me, take the code of each suited component and compile a complete code to send back to them. As all of the measurements of the crucial components are all obtainable from them I feel this is probably the way to proceed. The shocks are adjustable as are the springs, the coil spring will be of the dimensions as original but can also be adjusted. I did try to search for the Armstrong units you mention above or any cross referencing of them but have thus far drawn a blank. 

[Yank Tank]

5 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

You've been here six months. Have you actually read the first three quarters of the thread? 

Thought not. 

have read most of it. hence my ability to quickly identify the page at which the car was purchased. are you always this welcoming to newcomers ?

[Dick Cheeseburger]

3 minutes ago, Yank Tank said:

have read most of it. hence my ability to quickly identify the page at which the car was purchased. are you always this welcoming to newcomers ?

Touché.

To be fair, joining a car forum with plenty of long established members and threads then telling one of the aforementioned members that your expectations of him are that he should have already completed a nut and bolt restoration are rather assuming. That's putting it politely.

Are you Jay from The Inbetweeners? 

[Psycho Charlie Knobcheese]

Buy the Corsa being sold by chris667 for less than one years rent on a council lock up/parking space.

Just my two penneth worth

 

 

 

[JJ0063]

I think it’s only a matter of time before LBF will come to realisation that this isn’t going to be the first car he planned it to be. 
 

Even if it found it’s way onto Car SOS and had a full nut and bolt rebuild from the ground up, it’d still be a pain in the arse to daily and function driving around London. 

[Dobloseven]

What would be a good car /vehicle to drive round London, though? One of the forum members who visited LBF reckoned on taking an hour to cover 9 miles. Believe Hackney has a 20mph speed limit as well. As a city vehicle, an Invacar almost makes sense. Automatic, easy to park, good visibility, sliding doors for tight spaces. And of course no tax and ULEZ compliant. Small bumps and scrapes shouldn't be too difficult to repair either, with Halfords technology. It's almost the "car of tomorrow " from yesterday. 

[JJ0063]

2 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

What would be a good car /vehicle to drive round London, though? One of the forum members who visited LBF reckoned on taking an hour to cover 9 miles. Believe Hackney has a 20mph speed limit as well. As a city vehicle, an Invacar almost makes sense. Automatic, easy to park, good visibility, sliding doors for tight spaces. And of course no tax and ULEZ compliant. Small bumps and scrapes shouldn't be too difficult to repair either, with Halfords technology. It's almost the "car of tomorrow " from yesterday. 

A bus or a bicycle 

LBF wants a car though, so a city car would be best - 107/aygo/panda/c1/smart car. 
 

 

[dave j]

5 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

What would be a good car /vehicle to drive round London, though? One of the forum members who visited LBF reckoned on taking an hour to cover 9 miles. Believe Hackney has a 20mph speed limit as well. As a city vehicle, an Invacar almost makes sense. Automatic, easy to park, good visibility, sliding doors for tight spaces. And of course no tax and ULEZ compliant. Small bumps and scrapes shouldn't be too difficult to repair either, with Halfords technology. It's almost the "car of tomorrow " from yesterday. 

Or a Citroen Ami when it comes out!

 

Edit- forget that, just thought you would need a bloody long extension lead to charge it!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

3 minutes ago, dave j said:

Or a Citroen Ami when it comes out!

 

Edit- forget that, just thought you would need a bloody long extension lead to charge it!

Don’t be daft , the Ami is not even a real car, plus they’re hideous to look at , uncomfortable , only available in blue, made of  plastic and are dangerously unstable. Oh, wait…

[Yoss]

4 hours ago, Jazoli said:

Has anyone mentioned just buying a normal small hatchback and getting rid of this thing? It's not a suitable vehicle for daily use, its a curio, an anachronism, no more, you can't really use it to travel to get a job as it won't be in any way reliable, you don't have the skills to fix it, you are a new driver and trying to drive this (if it ever runs) will not do you any favours and will make you a target for all the wankers who will cut you up on purpose and try and run you off the road (which London is full of them), I also agree with Sheefag's comments above re mentioning Adam, you need to take some responsibility for this yourself, how you ever thought you'd be able to drag it out of a field and start using after a bit of free minor fettling is beyond me and this thread just continues to run on and on and on.

Seriously, get rid, stop relying on others and just buy a normal old shitter and all the problems you are facing will go away.

Sometimes this thread just goes round in circles because people don't read it all and the same things just get said again and again and again.

You are completely missing the point. 

[warren t claim]

1 minute ago, Yoss said:

Sometimes this thread just goes round in circles because people don't read it all and the same things just get said again and again and again.

You are completely missing the point. 

Nobody wants to see the lad fail.

[Yoss]

3 hours ago, warren t claim said:

Local parking for only £23 a week.

https://www.yourparkingspace.co.uk/locations/show/4016302567

That looks no better than the parking space Dez already has for it which is right outside his flat and free. 

 

[warren t claim]

1 minute ago, Yoss said:

That looks no better than the parking space Dez already has for it which is right outside his flat and free. 

 

But it would give him somewhere to park REV whilst also owning a more sensible daily.

[Yoss]

8 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

Nobody wants to see the lad fail.

That's not what I said, I don't even think the car is that far away from usable, I just mean at least once every few days somebody suggests just buying a normal car and every time Dez politely responds as to why that is not an option and yet it keeps happening. Which makes the thread longer and longer and leads to other people complaining that a thread this long should have a fully restored car. And in doing so makes the thread longer still.

And yes I realise I'm adding to the problem. It's 237 pages long because it is essentially the history of the Invacar. All of them, not just model 70s.

 

Edit :

238 pages. 

[warren t claim]

5 minutes ago, Yoss said:

That's not what I said, I don't even think the car is that far away from usable, I just mean at least once every few days somebody suggests just buying a normal car and every time Dez politely responds as to why that is not an option and yet it keeps happening. Which makes the thread longer and longer and leads to other people complaining that a thread this long should have a fully restored car. And in doing so makes the thread longer still.

And yes I realise I'm adding to the problem. It's 237 pages long because it is essentially the history of the Invacar. All of them, not just model 70s.

 

Edit :

238 pages. 

I agree that it's his thread and he can post whatever he wants here but myself and others are just trying to play devil's advocate and offer a counterpoint that our life experiences have taught us.

[Mally]

2 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

I agree that it's his thread and he can post whatever he wants here but myself and others are just trying to play devil's advocate and offer a counterpoint that our life experiences have taught us.

This is true.

But did you ever listen when you were younger?

 

[warren t claim]

1 minute ago, Mally said:

This is true.

But did you ever listen when you were younger?

 

Yes, which is why if you search my posts from a few days ago on this thread you'll see that's why I didn't drive to sixth form in an Espada.

[warren t claim]

If you're racked with morbid curiosity then I'll let you know I drove an Alfasud to school when I was in sixth form. 

[Out Run]

3 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

Yes, which is why if you search my posts from a few days ago on this thread you'll see that's why I didn't drive to sixth form in an Espada.

I was just gonna say this, on your behalf! 😂

I don't bother saying much in here, anymore. As it all falls on deaf ears. 😂

[Mally]

8 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

Yes, which is why if you search my posts from a few days ago on this thread you'll see that's why I didn't drive to sixth form in an Espada.

Read it already, legacy iirc.    I tend to remember your more risque posts though.

6 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

If you're racked with morbid curiosity then I'll let you know I drove an Alfasud to school when I was in sixth form. 

I went to school  on a 250 BSA C11G. The wealthy ones had Nortons.

My son used a Dutton Phaeton, that worked with the girls at the time.

[warren t claim]

The irony is that I spunked the money on a cottage on a piece of land in one of the most desirable areas and after making a six figure profit I used the money to donate to the Warren T Claim Benevolent Fund For Ex Wives and ended up with fuck all.