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...

[silvercar]

Search and all will be revealed 

[beko1987]

41 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

Whereabouts is the tripod?

Scotland is a big country. A couple of years ago I did Wirral to Peterhead and back in a day which is a round trip of 780 miles 

The trip really was a killer. A killer in a two year old Hyundai Ioniq. A killer in a two year old Hyundai Ioniq with autonomous cruise control. A killer in a two year old Hyundai Ioniq with autonomous cruise control and active lane keep assist.

A dozen or more years ago I used to drive an artic from Liverpool to Aberdeen and back in a day and that was double crewed with another driver. We were both totally fucked when we got back.

I've done Spalding-Glasgow then back again (with a concert and travelodge inbetween but back at Spalding at 10. 30am the next day) in dad's first ioniq and agree. 

If anything it was bad because it was a car devoid of any feeling and senses. If I'd done it in the Xsara I'd have been kept much more awake by the road noise and vibrations from everywhere. 

It snowed as we climbed the mountains of the motorway and the snow built up on the front radar sensor and shut it off. Was the first time I'd really driven it and the first we knew was a sudden drop in speed and about 17 warnings on the dash. I nearly put the hazards on and aiming for the hard shoulder when dad read the dash and told me to use the accelerator and it hadn't died. We pulled over not long after and the stupid thing had the tiniest little dusting of snow on. 

[warren t claim]

One of my mates did this run on a pedal and pop Mobylette when he was 16. 

[R Lutz]

4 minutes ago, silvercar said:

Chip shop run

Is this a euphemism? Like vinegar strokes?

[R Lutz]

5 minutes ago, silvercar said:

Search and all will be revealed 

Do me a favour sweetie, just give me the link. My time here is short. 

[R Lutz]

11 minutes ago, silvercar said:

Chip shop run

Something like this???

https://beaujolaisrun.com

Brave if that's the case.

[plasticvandan]

Yes,it did one mile with siezed brakes to a chip shop.not sure that was.worth the £2000 insurance,would take a lot of chips to offset that 

[silvercar]

7 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

Do me a favour sweetie, just give me the link. My time here is short. 

Look below love

[R Lutz]

2 minutes ago, plasticvandan said:

Yes,it did one mile with siezed brakes to a chip shop.not sure that was.worth the £2000 insurance,would take a lot of chips to offset that 

Have they not got Deliveroo or Uber Eats even Just Eat in the south or something?

[BorniteIdentity]

1 hour ago, warren t claim said:

Michael Palin

On a tangent - my neighbour was walking through our tiny little village the other morning, to be greeted by a discreet looking man who said hello warmly. Michael Palin. He got married in our village (his marriage did rather better than mine from the same chapel) and his mother in law lived here until she did at the age of (I think) 104. 

His wife may actually be buried here too, I haven’t done a forensic inspection of the graveyard. 

[R Lutz]

2 minutes ago, silvercar said:

Look below love

Where???

[Christine]

October , the weather changes . It gets windy .. all reports say they're scary in cross wind ..The collection  window is the next 3 weeks , if its being driven . 

[Talbot]

22 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

Many years ago I had a friend who owned a totally fucked 1.0 Chrysler Sunbeam and every time it clocked up another 220 urban miles without breaking down he'd proudly tell us "Look! It would have made it to Tunbridge Wells to see that bird with the big arse!"

Did you have to wait another 220 miles of urban driving to recon you would have made it back?

[BorniteIdentity]

52 minutes ago, silvercar said:

Pfft, girls day. I used to do Aberdeen to Southerndown in 7 hours on a Friday night and back in six hours on a Sunday night all to pleasure south wales quim. Worked a 60 hr week as well. 
 

back in the early ‘80s mind

Good idea for a thread: how far would you travel for a leg-over.  I’m now down to an hour either way as there’s plenty of gusset about and I cba at 30mpg. 

Current victim is 50 minutes which, with her cheeks, is perfectly acceptable. 

[wuvvum]

27 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

We're nearly 400 pages into this thread and it looks to me like it's never been driven and never will be driven. Tell me I'm wrong. 

I've driven it round a field, does that count?

[R Lutz]

5 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I've driven it round a field, does that count?

Was it a very big field? Was it mowed or ploughed?

[D.E]

The chip shop run of December '21: 

 

[warren t claim]

2 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

Was it a very big field? Was it mowed or ploughed?

I don't think the owner has ploughed anyone in his life TBH.

[R Lutz]

Just now, D.E said:

The chip shop run of December '21: 

 

6 years ago? Are you kidding me?

[D.E]

3 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

6 years ago? Are you kidding me?

Three. But yeah, iirc it did a few other short runs after that, and been away for repairs since early 2022.

[warren t claim]

3 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

6 years ago? Are you kidding me?

There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's From The Ministry Of Health.

[Christine]

Are these still a thing ? 

 

[BorniteIdentity]

What happened to Motorail?

[Saabnut]

There are no plans to drive it down, although I am sure it would make it. It has been driven a fair bit of late to make sure it is reliable. @LightBulbFun has hardly driven since passing his test so quite rightly will need time to adapt and get used to it. The plan is to trailer it down somewhere local (within 50 miles of so) and deliver it there. Dez can then either use it locally to get used to it before driving it into town, or, my choice would be to get a carrier to drop it off. Time is short for me at the moment with hospital appointments (and now sodding Covid) so I cannot even ask other parties until I have a time frame. Dez has limited funds, it is very easy to say just pay someone, but I believe a bit of charity  to help out a genuine enthusiast is a better investment than a tenner in a charity tin.

I will not drive a trailer into central London (there was a time I did it regularly with a 7.5 tonner and trailer) but not anymore.

Much easier to sit back and take the piss than to offer to help, I know, but come on guys, I thought you were better than this. Dez is a young enthusiast trying to overcome some pretty serious hurdles life has thrown at him aiming to realise his ambition. Dez has always been happy to help me with DVLA problems so I offered to help him when I could. Perhaps others could be a bit more charitable. 

End of moan.

[Saabnut]

1 minute ago, BorniteIdentity said:

What happened to Motorail?

Stopped in May 1995 I believe

[BorniteIdentity]

40 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

There are no plans to drive it down, although I am sure it would make it. It has been driven a fair bit of late to make sure it is reliable. @LightBulbFun has hardly driven since passing his test so quite rightly will need time to adapt and get used to it. The plan is to trailer it down somewhere local (within 50 miles of so) and deliver it there. Dez can then either use it locally to get used to it before driving it into town, or, my choice would be to get a carrier to drop it off. Time is short for me at the moment with hospital appointments (and now sodding Covid) so I cannot even ask other parties until I have a time frame. Dez has limited funds, it is very easy to say just pay someone, but I believe a bit of charity  to help out a genuine enthusiast is a better investment than a tenner in a charity tin.

I will not drive a trailer into central London (there was a time I did it regularly with a 7.5 tonner and trailer) but not anymore.

Much easier to sit back and take the piss than to offer to help, I know, but come on guys, I thought you were better than this. Dez is a young enthusiast trying to overcome some pretty serious hurdles life has thrown at him aiming to realise his ambition. Dez has always been happy to help me with DVLA problems so I offered to help him when I could. Perhaps others could be a bit more charitable. 

End of moan.

I don’t think anybody wishes the young man ill. It’s just a matter of perspective. Just as I’d not put my own son in one of these, I’d also not recommend one to someone else. I’d also be pretty fucked off if a conglomerate of eccentric (and vastly more experienced) motoring enthusiasts kept telling my son it was a thoroughly good idea. 

For the avoidance of doubt. It isn’t.

As you rightly say. Dez (a gentle soul) has no motoring experience of note. None of this is wise. 

Yes, we’ve all done stupid stuff. But this feels a stretch too far, even for my mature palette. 

I admire your support, but if the shit hits the fan - I’d certainly not want to be an enabler. 

Once more, I wish LBF nothing but happiness and success. My niece was born with cerebral palsy and struggles every day. I have 20/20 vision when it comes to the challenges faced by those with limited mobility. 

Really, I just want to say it out loud. This is a bad idea. 

[Saabnut]

2 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I don’t think anybody wishes the young man ill. It’s just a matter of perspective. Just as I’d not put my own son in one of these, I’d also not recommend one to someone else. I’d also be pretty fucked off if a conglomerate of eccentric (and vastly more experienced) motoring enthusiasts kept telling my son it was a thoroughly good idea. 

For the avoidance of doubt. It isn’t.

As you rightly say. Dez (a gentle soul) has no motoring experience of note. None of this is wise. 

Yes, we’ve all done stupid stuff. But this feels a stretch too far, even for my mature palette. 

I admire your support, but if the shit hits the fan - I’d certainly not want to be an enabler. 

Once more, I wish LBF nothing but happiness and success. My niece was born with cerebral palsy and struggles every day. I have 20/20 vision when it comes to the challenges faced by those with limited mobility. 

Really, I just want to say it out loud. This is a bad idea. 

Fair enough, you were not one I was referring to as we discussed this the other day  You do have a valid point. BUT (there is always a but). Dez really wants one and has for years. Once it is back to his place, it is unlikely to go over 20mph for a long time, London traffic being what it is. Dez is fairly sensible (IMO) and already said he would not want to drive from a drop off point to home without more experience. At sub 20 speeds, even an Invacar is relatively safe. Certainly safer than my Alluminium Cobra, with no crash zones, at 80+ in France. With experience Dez can decide if he wants to drive further out of town, stay in town or hate it and get rid. All are relatively low risk in time. He will have to make that decision. After all, I am sure we all do somethings that most of the rest on here would consider nuts. 

Finally, it has to be said it is Dez' decision and no one elses. Carpe Diem.

[warren t claim]

4 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

Fair enough, you were not one I was referring to as we discussed this the other day  You do have a valid point. BUT (there is always a but). Dez really wants one and has for years. Once it is back to his place, it is unlikely to go over 20mph for a long time, London traffic being what it is. Dez is fairly sensible (IMO) and already said he would not want to drive from a drop off point to home without more experience. At sub 20 speeds, even an Invacar is relatively safe. Certainly safer than my Alluminium Cobra, with no crash zones, at 80+ in France. With experience Dez can decide if he wants to drive further out of town, stay in town or hate it and get rid. All are relatively low risk in time. He will have to make that decision. After all, I am sure we all do somethings that most of the rest on here would consider nuts. 

Finally, it has to be said it is Dez' decision and no one elses. Carpe Diem.

So he's not driving it back to London?

[DodgeRover]

What he needs to do is buy this:

https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/794889835808124/?ref=browse_tab

Pick it up from Woking , drive up to Saabland, Put that which shall not be named in the back and drive home.

Done well recorded editted and uploaded to a monetised YouTube account with some click bait "stood in a barn 20 years - will it drive 750 miles to collect the last remaining Invicar and make it home" type title and Dez might find himself an internet celebrity 

 It should even be insurable as it's registered as a motorhome.

[Jim Bergerac]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Good idea for a thread: how far would you travel for a leg-over.  I’m now down to an hour either way as there’s plenty of gusset about and I cba at 30mpg. 

Current victim is 50 minutes which, with her cheeks, is perfectly acceptable. 

I'm sure Warren has done this thread before back in the day.