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...

[warren t claim]

Just now, Jim Bergerac said:

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

Surprisingly not. 

[lesapandre]

Every project is achieved a step at a time and this one is moving forward gradually but steadily - sounds like some more steps to take but - if it's anything like my cars no rush.

I've got cars in sheds and barns that have waited years for the right moment to use erm - and just totting up the years of disuse x the number of cars I think it comes to over a 100 years...

In due course a trip round the M25 sounds feasible with a 'pace car' - some time early one summer morning. An Invacar seems no more risky than a whole host of other cars - good viability etc. 

There is a whole new thread about the most dangerous car you've ever driven - me would be my 1954 XK Jaguar which was on only drum brakes from the factory and scrubbing off speed repeatedly from say 130+mph if not done with care could lose the brakes completely as the drums heated up and expanded. Fun times.

Lots to see round the M25 if doing a leisurely tour...

[High Jetter]

2 hours 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.

Good post. What can the AS massive do to assist repatriation, if REV is ready?

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

a conglomerate of eccentric motoring enthusiasts

That could be the new AS strapline.

[High Jetter]

15 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

That could be the new AS strapline.

No, they're the old codgers 🤣

[Mr Pastry]

6 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Good post. What can the AS massive do to assist repatriation, if REV is ready?

Seconded.

It seems to me that Dez will only find out whether an invacar really suits his requirements by trying it, and it would be nice if he was able to do so before he gets too old to appreciate it.  On top of that he needs to get some regular driving practice, sooner rather then later.

So that we know what we are dealing with - can we, first, establish a ball park figure for recovering the machine, commercially, back to base?  Just thinking aloud at this stage.

 

[BorniteIdentity]

26 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

Seconded.

It seems to me that Dez will only find out whether an invacar really suits his requirements by trying it, and it would be nice if he was able to do so before he gets too old to appreciate it.  On top of that he needs to get some regular driving practice, sooner rather then later.

So that we know what we are dealing with - can we, first, establish a ball park figure for recovering the machine, commercially, back to base?  Just thinking aloud at this stage.

 

The best price I got two weeks ago worked out at a shade over £1 a mile. You need to allow for the return journey too. My 460 miles was coming in just shy of £500. 

I’m unsure where the thing is but if it’s Aberdeenshire then Christmas is cancelled. To London you’ll need to drum up about £1500. 

If it’ll fit in a Luton van then hiring one from a national company might be the cheapest solution. 

[auntiemaryscanary]

It will fit in a Sprinter type thing 

[Christine]

A Renault Master is a similar size , does anyone have a Renault Master on here ?  

[chadders]

55 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

The best price I got two weeks ago worked out at a shade over £1 a mile. You need to allow for the return journey too. My 460 miles was coming in just shy of £500. 

I’m unsure where the thing is but if it’s Aberdeenshire then Christmas is cancelled. To London you’ll need to drum up about £1500. 

If it’ll fit in a Luton van then hiring one from a national company might be the cheapest solution. 

My quote for a new car delivery,  for the missus, was £400 for a distance of about 200 miles one way.

[Snake Charmer]

@Saabnut How far from Airdrie are you?

[captain_70s]

1 hour ago, Snake Charmer said:

@Saabnut How far from Airdrie are you?

130 miles, or so.

I think for transport you'd be looking for an empty return of some description.

If a single trip isn't viable due to cost I could store it here behind my garage near Falkirk, I've a spot too small for a real car but I reckon the mobility mobile would fit...

[Saabnut]

Thank you all for the offers of help, this restores my thoughts on this place. 

If the current dose of Covid will sod off hopefully this weekend I can sort things out as I am planning  on attending Newark autojumble with a friend on the 15th. I am happy to take the Invacar south with me on a trailer. I am also happy to continue down to somewhere close to the north of London (in my mind the FOD was favourite though I have yet to ask @Six-cylinder if it is OK) so it should then be easy/cheap(er) to get it transported to Dez.

I have to stress this is all very provisional as until the Covid clears I cannot check with Duncan nor sort the tow vehicle but I should have a better idea by the weekend.

[Six-cylinder]

18 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

Thank you all for the offers of help, this restores my thoughts on this place. 

If the current dose of Covid will sod off hopefully this weekend I can sort things out as I am planning  on attending Newark autojumble with a friend on the 15th. I am happy to take the Invacar south with me on a trailer. I am also happy to continue down to somewhere close to the north of London (in my mind the FOD was favourite though I have yet to ask @Six-cylinder if it is OK) so it should then be easy/cheap(er) to get it transported to Dez.

I have to stress this is all very provisional as until the Covid clears I cannot check with Duncan nor sort the tow vehicle but I should have a better idea by the weekend.

No problem taking it in for a stopover.

This weekend we are at the Citroen Chevrons Rally, but it is only a few miles away from the FoD so we can easily meet you. 

[beko1987]

55 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

No problem taking it in for a stopover.

Quoted for prosperity... 

I'm out with mum this weekend so potentially about on Saturday early or late to help? Otherwise I'll await the date dez takes up up the tw bypass for the first time 

[Dobloseven]

I love it when a plan comes together!Happy to make a contribution towards any costs incurred,so if someone sets something up,I'm definitely in.Dez has always been generous to others as well. Having a family, indeed, my youngest is about Dezs age,I've always been pleased to be able to help them with their shite dreams.Let's Bring REV home!

[Dobloseven]

1 minute ago, beko1987 said:

Quoted for prosperity... 

I'm out with mum this weekend so potentially about on Saturday early or late to help? Otherwise I'll await the date dez takes up up the tw bypass for the first time 

I hope that's not a euphemism!

[Six-cylinder]

17 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Quoted for prosperity... 

I'm out with mum this weekend so potentially about on Saturday early or late to help? Otherwise I'll await the date dez takes up up the tw bypass for the first time 

I don't think he will beat my best tw lap time!

[beko1987]

39 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

I don't think he will beat my best tw lap time!

I took mum down there on the way back from her hospital appt (the day I saw you) and she didn't notice the speed we got up to... 😂 Fastest I'd been in the preceding 80 or so miles (and would be the way home too) so I let off steam

[dean36014]

Why not make a mini break collecting it. Take out breakdown cover in advance and then slowly drive it home. Overnight stays at various members houses, just do 60 miles a day. Spend the first day locally to where it is being kept to get used to it. If the worse happens and it breaks down you'll get onwards travel with your breakdown policy. Keep to the quiet back roads, avoid the M6 and come down past Shap.

[lesapandre]

17 minutes ago, dean36014 said:

Why not make a mini break collecting it. Take out breakdown cover in advance and then slowly drive it home. Overnight stays at various members houses, just do 60 miles a day. Spend the first day locally to where it is being kept to get used to it. If the worse happens and it breaks down you'll get onwards travel with your breakdown policy. Keep to the quiet back roads, avoid the M6 and come down past Shap.

Great plan - but I find these days there are no 'quiet backroads' - most cross-country cut routes seem to me are worse than the M-ways with traffic volume and bad drivers etc.

[dean36014]

They have lower speed limits though and less volumes of traffic compared to a motorway.

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

my youngest is about Dezs age,I've always been pleased to be able to help them with their shite dreams

I just want to say, I am really pleased to hear this! in that, I really appreciate my mum, for she has always been extremely supportive of my hobbies and interests, often going out of her way to support them over the years, which again is something I very much appreciate, all the more so, when I speak with fellow lightbulb enthusiasts for example, and I all too often hear stories of how they would not really be allowed to collect lightbulbs when growing up because their parents found it "strange" or the such like, IE that the parents where always suppressive of their child's interests/hobbies, rather then supportive

so its really nice to hear of another parent that is supportive of their child's eclectic interests, rather then suppressive of them  

 

also many thanks to all here that has shown support for me and REV and is putting forward ideas/thoughts as to how to get her the last few miles home

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

4 hours ago, Saabnut said:

Thank you all for the offers of help, this restores my thoughts on this place. 

If the current dose of Covid will sod off hopefully this weekend I can sort things out as I am planning  on attending Newark autojumble with a friend on the 15th. I am happy to take the Invacar south with me on a trailer. I am also happy to continue down to somewhere close to the north of London (in my mind the FOD was favourite though I have yet to ask @Six-cylinder if it is OK) so it should then be easy/cheap(er) to get it transported to Dez.

I have to stress this is all very provisional as until the Covid clears I cannot check with Duncan nor sort the tow vehicle but I should have a better idea by the weekend.

I'm about 15 miles from the Newark Showground (autojumble site). Happy for the Invacar to stay on my drive if required before it's next leg. Of course if it's going further south then even better.

[chadders]

42 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

I just want to say, I am really pleased to hear this! in that, I really appreciate my mum, for she has always been extremely supportive of my hobbies and interests, often going out of her way to support them over the years, which again is something I very much appreciate, all the more so, when I speak with fellow lightbulb enthusiasts for example, and I all too often hear stories of how they would not really be allowed to collect lightbulbs when growing up because their parents found it "strange" or the such like, IE that the parents where always suppressive of their child's interests/hobbies, rather then supportive

so its really nice to hear of another parent that is supportive of their child's eclectic interests, rather then suppressive of them  

 

also many thanks to all here that has shown support for me and REV and is putting forward ideas/thoughts as to how to get her the last few miles home

 

Have you thought that the parents might have had the child's best interest at heart, not wanting him to be labelled a weirdo at school? It's not suppressing it's supporting.

In some ways the key role of a parent is to say no when necessary, rather than constantly indulge the child, so that they can learn and grow up.

Anyway that's my opinion and  I'm sure that some will disagree. 

[big_al_granvia]

got my race mates asking about as there is a lot going on at sillystone and brands

[Yoss]

3 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

I just want to say, I am really pleased to hear this! in that, I really appreciate my mum, for she has always been extremely supportive of my hobbies and interests, often going out of her way to support them over the years, which again is something I very much appreciate, all the more so, when I speak with fellow lightbulb enthusiasts for example, and I all too often hear stories of how they would not really be allowed to collect lightbulbs when growing up because their parents found it "strange" or the such like, IE that the parents where always suppressive of their child's interests/hobbies, rather then supportive

so its really nice to hear of another parent that is supportive of their child's eclectic interests, rather then suppressive of them  

 

also many thanks to all here that has shown support for me and REV and is putting forward ideas/thoughts as to how to get her the last few miles home

 

Your mum certainly seemed tolerant at RM 70. I'm not sure where she went whilst you spent an hour talking on RM 2097 but she seemed very calm when she eventually found you again! Perhaps she was enjoying the buses too. 

I'd say my mum was neither supportive or suppressive, she just let me get on with it. I was going to London or anywhere on a Southern Region area Rover ticket on my own, or with friends, at 14. By the time I was sixteen I would be doing lots of overnight trains and didn't know when I was going to get home myself and she never even asked but different times I guess. 

[GingerNuttz]

Remember my offer still stands for one free mobility blue paint job if you ever need it 👍

 

 

[bub2006]

Right then. I have my own business,man and van with a flatbed trailer. I won't drive to cemtral London,did it once and never again but can assist in collection and delivery to the FOD. If it will fit on a 10x6 flatbed I will gladly provide a quote. I'm not too far from Newark so can collect there if it comes south. If not I can do Scotland but obviously the transport costs will be higher and wil be done over a few days so I can break the journey down. I'd offer my services free but I've not even been in business a year yet and money is tight until I can drum up more work. 

[plasticvandan]

Man with trailer right there,should easily fit on a 10x6 flat bed,easy enough to lift the front up and use two ramps for the rear even.

Be interested to see what you charge should I get another wierd project in the future