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...

[chadders]

That's my view as well, unless you're absolutely anal about having the original registration, which normal people wouldn't be.

If/when I buy an E Type it'll be because I want an E Type not an E Type with its original registration number.

Basically it's WGAF. 

[Weird Car]

I doubt it but worth an ask, I’ve got £3000 burning a hole in my pocket, has anyone got a MK12 or Model 70 for sale? Obviously don’t expect a mint car, projects are fine

[LightBulbFun]

42 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

 Even here, where the old card indexes exist, they often don't tell you anything very useful.

the Essex archives are one of the few that are very nicely detailed and was vital in getting @Mrs6C's Invacar Mk12c Road registered again  

42 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

Could I respectfully suggest that you could look into liberating certain manufacturing drawings, so that I can see some material specs which will help me in making certain replacement parts safely?

as previously mentioned thats simply out of my hands both figuratively and literally! and will require an in person visit to properly sort out, something I cant do until I have REV back and roadworthy!

(im hoping I can convince Simon to let me borrow them and then work with Zel to digitise them properly)

37 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

I doubt it but worth an ask, I’ve got £3000 burning a hole in my pocket, has anyone got a MK12 or Model 70 for sale? Obviously don’t expect a mint car, projects are fine

No love for the AC Acedes?  (Routemaster not included sadly!) 

 

On 15/10/2022 at 17:12, LightBulbFun said:

Just thought id mention quickly that this AC Acedes is looking for a new home!

the seller is looking for about £3500 for it (its not been owned by the museum for some time now sadly)

but the seller is looking to sell it to a proper enthusiast, not just a random dealer or such!

so if anyone is interested, let me know and ill pass on the details  

I will say for anyone looking for a Villiers machine this is a very nice example! probably would not take much to get it on the road  

 

if I had the means id help myself to it! but sadly I dont

otherwise ill contact the person who had TPE285S up for sale a while back and just let em know, and also I believe the Graham Walker and Danny Walker also still have TPE409S for sale (speaking of which I was able to get the details to verify that one and it is indeed what it says on the tin so to speak, so thats good )

Frasers Model 70 VES108S (XEV88S) is also always perpetually for sale, (esp now he is trying to raise money to fund a camper conversion) so that may be an option for you, but he wants strong money for it

[Weird Car]

30 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

No love for the AC Acedes?  (Routemaster not included sadly!)

I just don’t have the nostalgic attraction to the acedes as I do with the model 70 or even the MK12 ‘though I never saw one in service’ I’d have a model 67 acedes though as it still looks somewhat like a model 70.

in terms of TPE409S how much do the walkers Want? Also how much does Fraser want for VES?

[LightBulbFun]

11 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

I just don’t have the nostalgic attraction to the acedes as I do with the model 70 or even the MK12 ‘though I never saw one in service’ I’d have a model 67 acedes though as it still looks somewhat like a model 70.

Yeah I had figured such, but still was gonna plug it  

11 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

in terms of TPE409S how much do the walkers Want? Also how much does Fraser want for VES?

Im not sure how much The Walkers want for TPE, you will have to contact them on that, I was just busy fawning over the details of it  

I think Fraser wants £4500-5500 for VES depending on what state he sells it to you (as its been a slow restoration project, so its always in a state of flux, sadly he has already sanded the mould lines off the back...)

 

amusingly during this the Walkers have put their Trailer up for sale and used TPE to demonstrate it  

https://www.facebook.com/groups/950689934973969/posts/5627771477265768/

 

as for a Mk12 as mentioned in the PM, perhaps you could rescue NPU156J? it has been DVLA revived and registered once more, so you would not have to worry about that  

 

also as a side note Page 286 FTW... (its a shame I dont have my Compaq Portable II yet LOL)

[brandersnatch]

2 hours ago, brandersnatch said:

Does any of this really matter? Your fictional E-Type would surely still be issued with a registration number and be allowed on the road? 

So would the E-Type be issued with a reg?

[barefoot]

17 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

...amusingly during this the Walkers have put their Trailer up for sale and used TPE to demonstrate it  

That is amusing.

I don't click on this thread very often, are you whizzing about in your little blue car yet or still just writing lots of words?

 

[Mrs6C]

9 minutes ago, barefoot said:

That is amusing.

I don't click on this thread very often, are you whizzing about in your little blue car yet or still just writing lots of words?

 

I think we'll all be made very much aware of it, when that day comes!

I'm looking forward to it almost as much as LBF. It will be great to see REV out on the King's Highway again, with the various technical problems all fixed.

With luck I will get my own one sorted out next year. Too busy building barns currently! 

[AdgeCutler]

I managed to get a bit of holiday from work during this week and set about laying the door components out on the bench. Twelve hours later I had taken many measurements (twice, three times) but still just had a pile of stuff. The end plate had however been dressed to suit the front panel and a flange Tigged on to it. Holes had been drilled and recesses let in where needed. Time was getting near to believing in the measurements and committing to a few tack welds.

[AdgeCutler]

Out of the tub, fresh and clean and fed now, so I'll finish the post I started. 

This afternoon I managed to find a little more free time and manged to plug weld the front plate of the door to the skin, originally this was spot welded but I don't have access to one and so plugging was the nearest I could get. I then tacked the trailing tube to the skin ready to offer up the door and see if it fits, I'm pleased (and relieved) to report that the hours of taking and re-taking measurements and generally being anal about the job have paid off. Not only does it fit but it also slides. Time now to commit and pull the trailing edge of the skin around the trailing tube of the frame, this will require a fair bit of heat and ample use of persuasion tools, then braze it together. The front bracket for the door top can then be brazed on with care to keep alignment.

 

[Christine]

Phwoor!   Mec Brown !

[AdgeCutler]

27 minutes ago, Christine said:

Phwoor!   Mec Brown !

Not mine, Brian is staying with friends!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

49 minutes ago, AdgeCutler said:

Out of the tub, fresh and clean and fed now, so I'll finish the post I started. 

This afternoon I managed to find a little more free time and manged to plug weld the front plate of the door to the skin, originally this was spot welded but I don't have access to one and so plugging was the nearest I could get. I then tacked the trailing tube to the skin ready to offer up the door and see if it fits, I'm pleased (and relieved) to report that the hours of taking and re-taking measurements and generally being anal about the job have paid off. Not only does it fit but it also slides. Time now to commit and pull the trailing edge of the skin around the trailing tube of the frame, this will require a fair bit of heat and ample use of persuasion tools, then braze it together. The front bracket for the door top can then be brazed on with care to keep alignment.

 

The attention to detail and engineering on this project is fantastic. The fact it's all being lavished on something which is a proper underdog just makes it even better. 

Can you sort my MR2 next please?!

[chadders]

20 hours ago, brandersnatch said:

So would the E-Type be issued with a reg?

Bump, not literally I hope.

[LightBulbFun]

On 08/11/2022 at 09:22, Joey spud said:

You need something like this.

A pre-loved 40-200Nm Norbar (30-145ft lb).

These are far more accurate down the bottom on their range than a bigger 300Nm plus wrench.

PM me your address and I'll clean and calibrate one up and pop it in the post to you.

pleased to report the Torque wrench arrived today  seems to make all the right noises so ill take that as a good sign that it survived! many thanks once more for the donation its seriously appreciated and puts relieves me a bit knowing that should I need to take wheels (or other parts) off REV that I know ill be able to put on em on and torque em up properly!

also as can been seen arrived is a lovely box of NOS Vintage Christmas lightbulbs,

 

almost exactly what I need to restore this Vintage Christmas light set that @egg kindly donated to me a couple years back  

I am really quite pleased with the find of the 18 Osram's they where only about £18, a modern set of 7 replacement No name bulbs is about £22, vintage Christmas lighting aint cheap!

 

although I might still end up getting a modern set of bulbs as I dont want to use up the lovely vintage Osram's of course! (for those from the US this is the British equivalent to a C6 Christmas light string)

and I noticed today that the Osram's are marked 14V so 12 in a string will only be about 168V! not a problem for me and my Variac but the 12 lamp string ideally needs 20V 3W bulbs to be plug and play on 240V mains

 

on the flip side being 14V means I could wire them all in parallel and Cover REV in them LOL 

[Eyersey1234]

hi LBF, this appeared on.my Facebook feed just now, don't know if this is one you know about.

[LightBulbFun]

19 hours ago, Eyersey1234 said:

hi LBF, this appeared on.my Facebook feed just now, don't know if this is one you know about.

 

Indeed I have on the previous page I even did a small writeup on its history  

tis awesome to see it get some love! 

 

speaking of Invacars on social media @Zie let me know about this very cool Instagram post!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck60axvoXjD/

not only is it just nifty to see another period shot, but also because thats WVW311S! exactly 1 car away from the surviving WVW312S

not often you see consecutive cars pictured! its interesting how WVW311S was also papped in Scotland, because WVW312S is also a Scottish car, in-fact I have noticed that often times you will find a concentration of a given block of Model 70's in a given location

and it seems a fair number of the last Model 70's produced where allocated to Scotland (as well as Northern Ireland as we already know)

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 08/11/2022 at 02:04, LightBulbFun said:

I dont have much to add to the technical side of all this, but just want to say I am enjoying it quite a bit I love all the technical details and investigations that sort of stuff is right up my street  

 

also on an unrelated* note, anyone happen to be able to recommend a good torque wrench for me to add to my ever growing tool kit?  

I am quite glad to read discussion about what would be a good torque value as sadly the workshop manual does not state a torque value, and I have no real world experience myself to judge what is good/bad by hand and the last thing I want to do is snap one of REV's wheel studs!, so Its nice to have some figures to go by at long last!

yes just look for one at Lidl or Aldi when they are in

[LightBulbFun]

in Model 70 News! 

TPE409S has been sold and has arrived with its new owner today  

you will never* guess who the new owner is! 

 

really awesome to see TPE409S is with a good home! and can hopefully be returned to the road before not too long  

(although I am told she does need a bit more TLC then was originally thought/described)

 

 

also just realised with the Lada still about the roll reversal version of this shot (of Shiny younger Model 70 and rough Lada! vs rough old Model 70 and newer shiny Lada!)

can be recreated after all  

[Weird Car]

Won’t have long as the Lada is being collected tomorrow lol I’ll try and get the 2 together for a picture.

 

also interesting to note that TPE has only had 2 previous keepers considering it came out of service in march 04 is pretty good, if I remember correctly VJN had about 13 and came out of service in 91 I believe, *though evidence exists that suggests it was still in use until much later under a different reg*

[LightBulbFun]

31 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

Won’t have long as the Lada is being collected tomorrow lol I’ll try and get the 2 together for a picture.

also try and get one of her next to the 404, I hear the upcoming new owner of that is a massive fan of Invacars (  ) 

31 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

also interesting to note that TPE has only had 2 previous keepers considering it came out of service in march 04 is pretty good, if I remember correctly VJN had about 13 and came out of service in 91 I believe, *though evidence exists that suggests it was still in use until much later under a different reg*

Yeah I am wondering what the paperwork trail of TPE is!

as you say in Ministry service she only had 2 keepers, and in-fact very interestingly she kept that and a 20th of April 1982 V5, all the way until the end in 2004!

normally ministry vehicles that where to remain in service past the 31st of March 2003 cut off date had their keepership transferred to the Ministry before hand in December 2002

so I do wonder, if TPE was already a ministry registered,  ALAC (Artificial limb and appliance Centre) Loan Car all the way from 1982 to 2004?  you did not happen to get any old V5s or such?

 

although she was tax due 1st of March 2004, so in theory she could of still came off the road before the 31st of March 2003 and thus never got keeper changed, and they just let the tax run till the end, I know sure she was never formally marked scrapped, so she may of had her tax refreshed on the 1st of March 2003, and then taken off the road the next day!

 

 

[Weird Car]

7 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

also try and get one of her next to the 404, I hear the upcoming new owner of that is a massive fan of Invacars (  ) 

Yeah I am wondering what the paperwork trail of TPE is!

as you say in Ministry service she only had 2 keepers, and in-fact very interestingly she kept that and a 20th of April 1982 V5, all the way until the end in 2004!

normally ministry vehicles that where to remain in service past the 31st of March 2003 cut off date had their keepership transferred to the Ministry before hand in December 2002

so I do wonder, if TPE was already a ministry registered,  ALAC (Artificial limb and appliance Centre) Loan Car all the way from 1982 to 2004?  you did not happen to get any old V5s or such?

 

although she was tax due 1st of March 2004, so in theory she could of still came off the road before the 31st of March 2003 and thus never got keeper changed, and they just let the tax run till the end, I know sure she was never formally marked scrapped, so she may of had her tax refreshed on the 1st of March 2003, and then taken off the road the next day!

 

 

No old docs unfortunately, just the current v5 

 

also I noticed straight away that the heater/choke control box is a completely different style to that found on VJN I wonder if AC and Invacar had their own version of it and if so why? It seems like such a trivial thing to change 

[LightBulbFun]

33 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

No old docs unfortunately, just the current v5 

 

also I noticed straight away that the heater/choke control box is a completely different style to that found on VJN I wonder if AC and Invacar had their own version of it and if so why? It seems like such a trivial thing to change 

indeed that does seem to be the case,

its something I have been researching and although I am still researching it, it very much looks like from the Mark B machines (Mid 1974) onwards, when the controls moved to the floor,  AC and Invacar sourced their own heater/choke control boxes, and Invacar themselves went through a couple different revisions before settling on the one your familiar with from VJN  

 

there also exists a black painted version of the AC Style heater choke control, still researching when that was used, or if its a post production part/change (as I dont think I have ever seen one fitted to the machine, only ever as a NOS part in various peoples parts stashes)

[Weird Car]

On 11/27/2021 at 12:40 PM, Harriytait said:

Saw on YouTube today.

https://youtu.be/QjyNyfVgqz8

Just wondering if this link is dead for everyone? Is so that’s a shame as it was quite an interesting video 

you didn’t happen to save it onto your computer at the time @LightBulbFun ? 

[stendec]

5 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

Just wondering if this link is dead for everyone?

Coming up as "removed by the uploader" for me 😟 

[Weird Car]

1 minute ago, stendec said:

Coming up as "removed by the uploader" for me 😟 

Sad times, hopefully LBF thought to save it as it contained some model 67 action, and I think I heard that the gentleman being interviewed is also the gentleman in that short bbc clip about Invacars, I can’t remember who told me that though

[LightBulbFun]

33 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

Just wondering if this link is dead for everyone? Is so that’s a shame as it was quite an interesting video 

you didn’t happen to save it onto your computer at the time @LightBulbFun ? 

funny how that one seems to come and go! I first came across it back in 2019 and it was vanishing for me then!

On 18/11/2019 at 21:22, LightBulbFun said:

heres a small collection I was able to dig up  

 

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-probe-alf-morris-announces-the-recalling-of-the-invacar-1976-online

 

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-invalid-carriage-1976-online

 

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-year-of-the-disabled-1981-online

 

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-invalid-carriage-protest-1977-online

 

I know there is at least 1 more somewhere, featuring a YVX-L Model 70 but I cant find it for the life of me right now!

I dont have the video saved sadly, but I do have a screenshot from it of the Model 70 featured, since unusually for an Invacar Model 70 it has Hills pressed plates rather then Tippers pressed plates

(the video was from 1975, so its unlikely the plate would of been replaced due to wearing out)

 

there is indeed a Model 67 featured in it  

 

 

however while writing this I did find the original source from where I first found it back in 2019!

https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-concern-over-safety-of-three-wheeled-disability-cars-1975-online

on the Model 67 featured also, note the early style 12 inch hubcaps compared to the other style of 12 inch hub caps used on Invacar machines and later Model 67's and earlier Model 70's

and also amusingly how they did not bother to mask the AC badge during a repaint LOL I have seen it happen to the Invacar badge a couple times but a first with an AC!

in fact I have just noticed its a reverse control Mk14! I have never seen a reverse control Mk14 before! thats very interesting! (Mk15's a couple yeah, but not a Mk14, and this one not even a Mk14A!)

[Weird Car]

Sorry it’s not the right angle, space for shunting cars about was limited!

[LightBulbFun]

7 minutes ago, Harriytait said:

Sorry it’s not the right angle, space for shunting cars about was limited!

still looks good! 

as the meme people will say! it looks almost like it could be some album art with the funky angles going on  

 

speaking of TPE409S I see you did the keeper change yesterday, and interestingly I noticed its still SORN, normally Tax/SORN gets cancelled on a keeper change! wonder if they have systematically changed something!

unless somehow you managed to get the new V5 already and SORN it with its 11 digit number?

[Weird Car]

7 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

still looks good! 

as the meme people will say! it looks almost like it could be some album art with the funky angles going on  

 

speaking of TPE409S I see you did the keeper change yesterday, and interestingly I noticed its still SORN, normally Tax/SORN gets cancelled on a keeper change! wonder if they have systematically changed something!

unless somehow you managed to get the new V5 already and SORN it with its 11 digit number?

Potentially changed something their end as the proton I bought the other month is still sorn after a keeper change, which is odd as they sent me a reminder to sorn it yesterday