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...

[plasticvandan]

Formula wheels just like that were fitted to the early Bond Bugs,I had one in a Robin

[LightBulbFun]

16 minutes ago, Mrs6C said:

I haven't looked too closely at Dolly's wheel, so can't say if there is or isn't a maker's name or mark on it anywhere, but it looks like a generic aftermarket 'sports' steering wheel to me. Mountney, Les Leston, Momo and many other manufacturers made such items for retail purchase and they were popular accessories to fit to everyday cars.

yeah, but thats what I was trying to figure out, a lot of people said oh its a generic wheel, but to me I did not think so, it looked factory fitted to me, so I have been on a quest to figure it out for a few years now  

On 23/01/2022 at 00:26, LightBulbFun said:

(Steering wheel Model 70's normally had 15 inch wheels, but 13.5 and 12 inch steering wheels are also referenced in the technical drawings, so I believe the 13.5 inch one is is whats fitted to Dolly)

That AC Logo for example on the wheel, sure you might be able to get something like that today from eBay, but in 70's and 80's you could not just walk into Halfords and pick up a perfectly sized AC badge for your Formula steering wheel, and low and behold as per above looks like we finally have confirmation that it was factory fitted and who it was made by  

it makes me wonder if Invacar Model 70's fitted with the same wheel had some sort of Invacar badge instead? 

 

I have this shot of an Invacar Model 70 fitted with a 12 inch steering wheel

but its much too fuzzy to make out any real detail and it also dates to about 1973, so if Formula only got the contract in 1976, then the above wheel will be something different

[Mr Pastry]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

its much too fuzzy to make out any real detail and it also dates to about 1973, so if Formula only got the contract in 1976, then the above wheel will be something different

That looks like one of the cheaper accessory shop steering wheels.  Possibly Momo?  Or Astrali? Centre badge typically two crossed chequered flags or suchlike, because sports car!  I had one until fairly recently.  I think I threw it away. 

[chadders]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

yeah, but thats what I was trying to figure out, a lot of people said oh its a generic wheel, but to me I did not think so, it looked factory fitted to me, so I have been on a quest to figure it out for a few years now  

That AC Logo for example on the wheel, sure you might be able to get something like that today from eBay, but in 70's and 80's you could not just walk into Halfords and pick up a perfectly sized AC badge for your Formula steering wheel, and low and behold as per above looks like we finally have confirmation that it was factory fitted and who it was made by  

it makes me wonder if Invacar Model 70's fitted with the same wheel had some sort of Invacar badge instead? 

 

I have this shot of an Invacar Model 70 fitted with a 12 inch steering wheel

but its much too fuzzy to make out any real detail and it also dates to about 1973, so if Formula only got the contract in 1976, then the above wheel will be something different

Given the variety and volume of the aftermarket accessories market then I think that you might be wrong. I bought loads of stuff for my cars then, the local motorist accessory shops were like Aladdins Cave. If you look back at issues of Triple C for example around then you might get an idea.

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

@egg find that K reg estate, and use it to pick up this  

https://machinerysales.cheffins.co.uk/lot-details/index/catalog/1594/lot/682251/QUOVIS-Vetel-wheel-chair-CAR-23-miles-only

5 minutes ago, egg said:

oh wow, what vehicle classification is that even?

if according to the website, it really is a vehicle that was built for the disabled and not merely adapted for the disabled, and if it weighs less then 510Kg then legally speaking it would be an Invalid Vehicle like a Model 70

if its an adapted vehicle, then It would be a quadracycle  of some kind I imagine depending (again depending on on unladen weight)

[egg]

18 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

if its an adapted vehicle, then It would be a quadracycle  of some kind I imagine depending (again depending on on unladen weight)

Ta. That auction one doesn't appear to have been road registered, so a bit intriguing.

[plasticvandan]

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 16/05/2024 at 16:57, Mr Pastry said:

That looks like one of the cheaper accessory shop steering wheels.  Possibly Momo?  Or Astrali? Centre badge typically two crossed chequered flags or suchlike, because sports car!  I had one until fairly recently.  I think I threw it away. 

momo cheap? are you having a larf?

[Mr Pastry]

20 minutes ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

momo cheap? are you having a larf?

If you are so knowledgeable about this sort of tat, it would be useful if you would tell us what the other cheapo makes were.

I think one was Astrali but I have had one or two other things on my mind since 1970.

[chadders]

Mountney was one, I still have one without the boss in my garage.

[wesacosa]

can't see the reg but someone on Facebook just bought one 

 

[LightBulbFun]

53 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

can't see the reg but someone on Facebook just bought one 

 

Yerp, been helping the chap out with the odds sods and paperwork on that one  its one already known to survive but one not seen since about 2012 I think, so its great to see it pop back up so to speak and finally get its day  

he is currently missing a rear brake drum which is a bit of a bugger because those are bespoke to the Model 70 AFAIK....

 

[beko1987]

Just have it only brake on the front wheel, it'll be fine* 👍

[Mr Pastry]

25 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

he is currently missing a rear brake drum which is a bit of a bugger because those are bespoke to the Model 70 AFAIK....

Could a BMC drum be machined to fit?

[LightBulbFun]

18 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

Could a BMC drum be machined to fit?

well that would be the sort of question I would ask you  for what its worth the data points are, 4x4 inch PCD, for 7 inch Triumph Herald (I think!) brakes on a Fiat 500 hub, I think the front brake drum is shared with a Triumph as also it is triumph all round on the Villiers machines also I think, but obviously those dont fit the rear (it was only actually during this did I twig that the front and rear brake drums on a Model 70 are not interchangeable/have separate PN's etc) 

[Mr Pastry]

Triumph are 3.75" pcd, so I would have thought a 4" pcd from a Minor or Sprite would be a better starting point, as you would only have to enlarge the stud holes and not reposition them completely.   How it fits over the drive flange is the critical bit, but it can't be very far off.  Interesting that front and rear drums are different, I wonder how/why?   EDIT I would guess the front hub is carried over from an earlier model, so the front drum has to suit that.

[LightBulbFun]

11 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

Triumph are 3.75" pcd, so I would have thought a 4" pcd from a Minor or Sprite would be a better starting point, as you would only have to enlarge the stud holes and not reposition them completely.   How it fits over the drive flange is the critical bit, but it can't be very far off.  Interesting that front and rear drums are different, I wonder how/why? 

interesting about the different PCD on a Triumph, I was told/read many years ago that the Villiers machines used triumph drums so I passed that info along to a chap with AC Acedes Mk15 Model 67, looking for drums, and he found that drums from a spitfire fitted perfectly, but only once they where re-drilled for for 4x4inch PCD, so I thought that maybe theres another triumph out there that is 4x4inch PCD that he simply did not find the drums for? but perhaps I am mistaken and that it is even Villiers machines use a form of bespoke drum, I dont know what PCD's various Triumph's used?

now I know that the drums a Villiers machine are the same all around, but that the last Villiers machines, use Model 70 front suspension/brakes etc, so I checked the parts list and indeed even on those machine the drums where all round, but then checking the Model 70  parts list I saw that front and rear drums where *not* the same, so it scuppered my idea of use what works for a Villiers machine on a Model 70, at least not for the rears

 

who knew brake drums could be so intriguing, but I think if there was a Word to sum up the Model 70, it would be intriguing  

[Noel Tidybeard]

7 hours ago, Mr Pastry said:

If you are so knowledgeable about this sort of tat, it would be useful if you would tell us what the other cheapo makes were.

I think one was Astrali but I have had one or two other things on my mind since 1970.

astrali was the brand i couldn't remember- like a council mountney🤣

[plasticvandan]

Front drums likely to be fairly unique due to the need to go on a special hub that keeps the centre of the wheel in line with the kingpin for steering.Reliant had their own drums as well. I wonder if they could be reliant come to think of it? 

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

astrali was the brand i couldn't remember- like a council mountney🤣

I know we sold wheels, with bosses to match fitments, when I worked at (nobody remembers) Longlife Accessories. Have been trying to recall the brand, could well have been Astrali

[Mr Pastry]

The steering wheel I had was like the one in Dez's black and white picture.  Rim covered in vinyl, not leather, with perforated bits, two or possibly three black  spokes with square or rectangular cutouts, and a moulded plastic horn push which came off if you twisted it.  It was all quite cheap and cheerful.  It did not have a cast alloy boss like a Mountney or Motolita.  The centre of the wheel was a flat plate bolted to a disc about 3" diameter.  This was welded to a hexagonal steel shaft which was splined internally to accept the steering column.  There you are - total recall of everything except the name!  Thought it was Astrali but maybe not.  I do remember Longlife Accessories though!

 

[Noel Tidybeard]

yep you bought the complete wheel to suit the car rather than wheel + boss like the more expensive stuff

[High Jetter]

14 hours ago, Mr Pastry said:

I do remember Longlife Accessories though!

Phew! I though I'd dreamt that 3 or 4 years of my life! Any branches in particular, Mr P?

[Mr Pastry]

3 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Phew! I though I'd dreamt that 3 or 4 years of my life! Any branches in particular, Mr P?

Haven't a clue tbh.  If there is a list I might be able to remember where I've been!  Was there one in Hounslow or Brentford?  They would be my most likely haunts.

[EyesWeldedShut]

St Margaret’s Rd down in Isleworth there was a spares place - could it have been that one?

[High Jetter]

5 hours ago, Mr Pastry said:

Haven't a clue tbh.  If there is a list I might be able to remember where I've been!  Was there one in Hounslow or Brentford?  They would be my most likely haunts.

 

4 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

St Margaret’s Rd down in Isleworth there was a spares place - could it have been that one?

I can't find any directory of their locations online - in fact, I can hardly find anything about them. Branches I remember are Eastbourne, Brighton, Worthing, Southsea, Portsmouth, Southampton and Guildford as I worked at or covered in them. Maybe Hastings too, not sure.  I don't think they were as far North as London but have no real idea. They were taken over by Smiths Industries at some point before they folded, but I'd left by the end.

[D.E]

Harper?

[LightBulbFun]

4 minutes ago, D.E said:

Harper?

indeed it is, and not a photo I have seen before now  

[Mrs6C]

50 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

indeed it is, and not a photo I have seen before now  

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8240389,-0.1475551,3a,75y,324.35h,88.92t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sk877HjXP4LHN2P-FJRaDYg!2e0!5s20150401T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

indeed it is, and not a photo I have seen before now  

Bizarre! Brighton, from the bus blinds.