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...

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Talbot said:

Take the very sound advice of many people on this forum.  Buy a K11 micra or similar and get some road experience in something dull but reliable, vaguely crashworthy and can be repaired by any garage in existance.

I mean one that does not involve giving up on everything, as I have mentioned before my resources and abilities are limited, I dont even know for certain if I could get 2 cars parked here, its one of the things that concerns me about the whole WAV 2nd car idea, if my experience of getting REV's parking permit is anything to go by then I *think* I can wrangle a 2nd one, but its not 100% certain, not to mention the addition cost of insuring and maintaining a 2nd car, and I am most certainly not going to suddenly give up on REV 

1 hour ago, Talbot said:

I am astonished at your rebuttal of Ian's comments on his video.  This is from someone who has driven many miles in a model 70 and knows just how awful it is.  But you know better?  Really?

I am not rebuking it entirely, nor am I claiming to know better from first hand experience, but from all the research I have done, the accounts of disabled people who used them in period and the such like, I think the picture that is painted of them in not very fair, again im just trying to balance the views somewhat, I have certainly read all the critical views made about them in the 1970's by the media and various publications etc, so all the more I wish to show all the things that they where good about, all the users that where happy with their machines, and how at the time they where considered by the people who actually used/relied upon them to have done their Job pretty well, and where not considered unfit for purpose 

1 hour ago, D.E said:

Sorry, but saying that car model A is clearly more reliable than Model B by comparing single examples is a bit bollocks. I was once attacked by an angry chicken but never by a dog. Would I say that, thus, chickens are bigger threats than dogs? Of course not.

which is why I only give that as a quick example, and in previous comments have made sure to talk about the reliability as a collective whole, of all the Invacars on this forum and of Invacars in the past from accounts of previous users and the people who where involved with them back in the day

40 minutes ago, Talbot said:

True, but starting here is like learning to swim by being thrown in the sea, fully clothed, with a breeze-block strapped to one leg.

All while claiming "well, other people can do it, why can't I?"

I look at all the issues and potential issues that have been presented to me and while I am not trying to say those are not issues, I certainly agree with you that the road ahead may be hard and difficult  I also dont see them as insurmountable either, its for these reasons that as much as I have wanted various chod thats come up for sale "ooh that would be nice to have a fling with" I have never seriously purchased anything, because I do realise the colossal effort that it is maintaining a car, and I wish to be able to give all the effort I can give to REV

I dont see REV as being chucked in the sea wtih a breeze block, but more as having to move a heavy CRT up/down a set of stairs, daunting and possibly very painful, but with careful slow going, and planning, not insurmountable, and if you really get stuck theres likely to be a professional who you can pay to help out  

things seem so black and white these days, either Yes or No, where as I am very much of the opinion it can be different shades of white/grey/black if that makes any sense  

 

[calebaaront]

[Remspoor]

Now more images.

F

from this website. https://ryesown.co.uk/parking-in-rye/

I do not remember this TV programme.

https://braybrookproductions.com/foxtrot-one-one/

The above images are not embedded on this forum.

Somewhere in this site https://pindelski.org/Photography/

But only a search engine can find it.

[calebaaront]

1 minute ago, Remspoor said:

Now more images.

Crazy what driving at walking speed can do

[RayMK]

There's nothing wrong  with offering advice gained from one's knowledge and real life experiences.  Lbf is not ignoring it, he is just quite rightly taking it as advice and has a different point of view.  True, it's a minority view but I'd defend his right to stick with it, probably something which is more likely, given the almost bullying  'tone'  of some of the advice.  I am sure that no one wants Dez to get hurt by the path he currently favours and I sincerely hope that there is not a gang of 'told you so' merchants waiting to extract vengeance following every hiccup which will occur as Dez's experience is expanded.  

I have owned and used a class 2  Invacare for over 20 years and driven thousands of miles in flimsy old cars with three and four wheels.  A model 70 is (to me) an interesting vehicle.  I also like some older Vauxhalls and would never advise someone not to ride a motorcycle or pushbike despite the risks.  A Micra though... it would bore me to death.   

Let's lighten up a bit for lightbulb fun.  That's my advice.  If you don't follow this I'll sulk, refuse to follow your threads, get cross, withdraw any offers I've made then flounce with flags waving 🤣👨‍🦼.

[LightBulbFun]

13 minutes ago, RayMK said:

I sincerely hope that there is not a gang of 'told you so' merchants waiting to extract vengeance following every hiccup which will occur as Dez's experience is expanded.  

unfortunately this has already proven to be the case when I briefly had REV at home during late 2021, and she unbeknownst to me came back with a few issues

https://autoshite.com/topic/32723-lightbulbfuns-invacar-general-ramble-thread-index-on-page-1-survivors-lists-on-pages-24134-adgecutlers-invacar-mk12-restoration-from-page-186-onwards-still-harping-on/page/229/

so although I would expect better from the forum, I am fully expecting them to commence once more, when I get REV back and when I have to deal with any issues crop up

 

I have noticed that there are certain band of people who only show up in this thread when something goes wrong or the going gets difficult for me, that dont otherwise contribute anything to this thread (and then often are the same people who complain its 400 pages long!)

[CGSB]

1 hour ago, Remspoor said:

I cannot keep up with this thread. So I have skipped a few pages. I am looking at the  image of the east end repair shop.

https://www.deutschefotothek.de/documents/obj/71874530

The bus in the background is route 58.

https://bus-routes-in-london.fandom.com/wiki/London_Buses_route_58

The timetable from 82 which I doubt changed between 78 and 82.

https://londonbusesbyadam.zenfolio.com/route-58-nov-1982.pdf

Looking up the phone code of 476 it comes to an area defined as ALBert Dock 476 Plaistow & Canning Town [Dock in the East End] on several pages.

next we have a map of the bus route from 1964. Again i doubt much would have changed over the intervening years.

I am thinking that this repair shop was along the Barking Road.

I think I've found it. If not it is bloody close and probably further along the same stretch of road.

I think its around 270 Barking Road, facing North East, and the truck on the left hand side is exiting Croydon Road. Or maybe slightly further back where the "Part Worn Tyre Shop" still sits today.

The StreetView angle is from the wrong side of the road but close enough. I think if the StreetView was on the correct side of the road it would look even more "right".

Going away from us, from the truck on the left, things which appear to match up -

- Truck looks like its approaching on a slight angle, not square on

- Angle "commercial service" signing facing us, brick fronted building

- Next building is white with 6 windows

- Next building is brick front with 6 "arch" windows, the first 2 are slightly different (last 4 being renovated in streetview pic)

- Next building white front with 5 windows

- A road, followed by an angled building (pub) with horizontal white strip in brickwork and large sign between top and middle floor

- Next bit doesn't match due to building works

- Building slightly further along with the sets of arched windows 2, 2, 2, 4 and the white brickwork along the top

 

[Snake Charmer]

42 minutes ago, Remspoor said:

 

F

Looking at the tyre marks on the road, l think that was pushed into the post by a lorry.

[Yoss]

Just now, Snake Charmer said:

Looking at the tyre marks on the road, l think that was pushed into the post by a lorry.

Yes, the only way it drove there itself was if the driver had managed to get it completely sideways. 

[Snake Charmer]

2 minutes ago, Yoss said:

Yes, the only way it drove there itself was if the driver had managed to get it completely sideways. 

I had not considered that! 🤣 Nicely spotted. 👍

[CGSB]

32 minutes ago, CGSB said:

I think I've found it. If not it is bloody close and probably further along the same stretch of road.

I think its around 270 Barking Road, facing North East, and the truck on the left hand side is exiting Croydon Road. Or maybe slightly further back where the "Part Worn Tyre Shop" still sits today.

The StreetView angle is from the wrong side of the road but close enough. I think if the StreetView was on the correct side of the road it would look even more "right".

Going away from us, from the truck on the left, things which appear to match up -

- Truck looks like its approaching on a slight angle, not square on

- Angle "commercial service" signing facing us, brick fronted building

- Next building is white with 6 windows

- Next building is brick front with 6 "arch" windows, the first 2 are slightly different (last 4 being renovated in streetview pic)

- Next building white front with 5 windows

- A road, followed by an angled building (pub) with horizontal white strip in brickwork and large sign between top and middle floor

- Next bit doesn't match due to building works

- Building slightly further along with the sets of arched windows 2, 2, 2, 4 and the white brickwork along the top

 

In fact, looking further, its either there or a little bit further down the road by where the Pizza Hut is. Layout is almost identical but the building in the background matches

 

Leaning more to this being right actually.

I know jack shit about photography. Could it be the first location, with the background "flattened out" which make the mosque(?) looks closer than it actually is?

 

 

 

 

[High Jetter]

50 minutes ago, Remspoor said:

 

It doesn't look like he's enjoying the parade! Chelmsford reg?

[ETCHY]

Tbh there's more chance of Cindy Crawford giving me a blow job than there is of LBF not doing the Invacar thing & taking advice & getting a 4 wheeled " sensible" motor.

So imo all those who've offered advice should just leave it at that & appreciate that it's his life. If it's a disaster so be it you've said your piece but it is his life to do with as he pleases.

Just be careful LBF & best of luck. Oh & BTW write that fucking book on Invacar's,  I'd buy a copy !

[LightBulbFun]

50 minutes ago, Remspoor said:

https://braybrookproductions.com/foxtrot-one-one/

The above images are not embedded on this forum.

 

oooh thanks for that one! I had been wondering about that one for a few years now

https://autoshite.com/topic/32723-lightbulbfuns-invacar-general-ramble-thread-index-on-page-1-survivors-lists-on-pages-24134-adgecutlers-invacar-mk12-restoration-from-page-186-onwards-still-harping-on/page/193/#comment-2272116

looks like I was on the money with it being NPB840D in disguise  

53 minutes ago, Remspoor said:

Somewhere in this site https://pindelski.org/Photography/

But only a search engine can find it.

interesting thing to note about this one and other Invacar Model 70's of the early Retroreflective plate period is how they use Hills number plates rather then the usual Tippers plates Invacar normally used, I wonder why that is? perhaps Tippers could not initially supply all the number plates they required or such?

[LightBulbFun]

im enjoying and I appreciate all the sleuthing going on to track down the location of the gaggle of Model 70's in east London, I was thinking its a prime location to visit in REV   

[red5]

13 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

Looking at the tyre marks on the road, l think that was pushed into the post by a lorry.

Meh, how narrow a track had this lorry got then? Wheelbarrow?

[Mr Pastry]

4 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

im enjoying and I appreciate all the sleuthing going on to track down the location of the gaggle of Model 70's in east London, I was thinking its a prime location to visit in REV   

Knowing the location so closely, an old edition of Kelly's Directory would pin it down and give you the name of the firm. 

[CGSB]

24 minutes ago, CGSB said:

In fact, looking further, its either there or a little bit further down the road by where the Pizza Hut is. Layout is almost identical but the building in the background matches

 

Leaning more to this being right actually.

I know jack shit about photography. Could it be the first location, with the background "flattened out" which make the mosque(?) looks closer than it actually is?

 

 

 

 

I've gone back the other way I'm 99% sure its the first location, where the Tyre Shop still is.

Given the advertising in the Invacar photo on the left is "Commercial ___(obstructed)___ Service" and the advertising in the first location I said shows "Commercial Cars Minicab Service". Not sure how I overlooked that.... 🤨

Must be a trick of the camera making the Mosque look a lot closer than it really is.

[lesapandre]

2 hours ago, Remspoor said:

Now more images.

F

from this website. https://ryesown.co.uk/parking-in-rye/

I do not remember this TV programme.

https://braybrookproductions.com/foxtrot-one-one/

The above images are not embedded on this forum.

Somewhere in this site https://pindelski.org/Photography/

But only a search engine can find it.

Lovely Rye - home to Henry James and E F Benson's 'Mapp and Lucia' as the fictional town 'Tilling':

Somewhere down ya Wormwood Scrubs - London.

[Yoss]

2 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

 

How many of these apply to you?

OBVIOUSLY it goes without saying: nobody on a forum dedicated to running and enjoying shit old cars is saying "don't run a shit old car".  But I'm guessing your first car wasn't 50 years old, you're not disabled, you don't live in a high rise and everything else.

Encouragement is one thing.  There is - however - a line where it crosses into incitement to do something dangerous.  I know what side of the line I'd rather be on when the history books are written.

 

 

I mean your right, these things were only 25 years old at the time but a 25 year old car then was completely different to now. It is widely regarded on this forum that late 90s is peak car and everything since is just tinkering at the edges but this stuff was all 1960s technology with almost no rust prevention. 

My first car was a £65 Triumph 1500 TC, the RWD one. I knew nothing about cars, I literally bought it because I liked all the wood inside. Had it two weeks and there was a big bang and a wobble going round a roundabout. One of the axle mounts had snapped due to rust. I carried on driving it until the MOT ran out a couple of weeks later. The next one, a 1300 FWD wasn't much better but I slowly learnt how to fix them and more importantly how to spot a good one in the first place. 

And of course I bought a Routemaster two years before I could even drive a car. 

I think the point I'm slowly getting to is that you are all pointing out the reasons why it's a bad idea and you're right there are many reasons but I'm looking back at my youth and thinking would I have done that? Of course I would.

If you can't tell me you didn't do some irrational, stupid and probably dangerous things in your youth you must have had very dull life. 

[reb]

When I was Dez's age me and a friend went halfs on a very clean £500 1.4 16v mk2 Clio, took the interior out, drilled holes in the airbox, then drove it around the local countryside at mach 3.

We lived.

Somehow.

[Christine]

I drove my 125cc  go kart on the road ,  and had a head on crash  around a blind bend .. with a  Copper on a Police motorcycle ! I wasn't hurt  at all but he fell off and  ripped the knees and elbows out of his uniform... and he wasn't at all pleased 

 

 

[loserone]

29 minutes ago, reb said:

Somehow

Five star Euro NCAP rating m8

[reb]

4 minutes ago, loserone said:

Five star Euro NCAP rating m8

Never crashed it. We are obviously driving gods.

It did go a little bit on fire once though.

[red5]

I'm all for it.  Crack on Dez, it'll be disastrous and brilliant, probably at the same time. 

 

However, there is no way that they were ever safe in any meaningful way, especially 70's onwards. Construction and use regs are not safety/crash regs. 

 

Drive it, but do not try and pretend it's anything other then a air-cooled flat twin tricycle with a weather proof ish shell that is likely to maim you with shrapnel / shards when it gets into a  Orange-bagged RTC. 

💪

[Christine]

They'll deny it , but a lot of spectators at a motor race meet ,only go hoping to see someone crash  and die ..snapping away with their i phone ... 

Funnily enough some of the best motor  racing i've ever  watcĥed is 750 motor club  stuff with Reliant  850 engines..  3 or 4 different  leaders  every lap

[500tops]

Go for it Dez! Live your dream while you can, as long as you can... 👍

 

[BorniteIdentity]

3 hours ago, Yoss said:

If you can't tell me you didn't do some irrational, stupid and probably dangerous things in your youth you must have had very dull life. 

I still am now, dude.  I will never ever grow up, never mind grow old.  But it's one of those 'check your privilege' things isn't it? At 24, I owned a house - a capable body - a garage.  I had simple access to a friendly mechanic and my daily car was a Toyota. I had a MK2 Capri for shits and giggles (30 years old at the time) and would never have relied on it for anything other than fun in country lanes.

Genuinely, my concern is honest.  It's not about stopping fun, just a semblance of realism.

[treehugger]

55 minutes ago, Christine said:

They'll deny it , but a lot of spectators at a motor race meet ,only go hoping to see someone crash  and die ..snapping away with their i phone ... 

Funnily enough some of the best motor  racing i've ever  watcĥed is 750 motor club  stuff with Reliant  850 engines..  3 or 4 different  leaders  every lap

Doubt it. I saw it happen. Took hours to get out of the venue, everybody was very subdued. Grim. 

[reb]

1 minute ago, treehugger said:

Doubt it. I saw it happen. Took hours to get out of the venue, everybody was very subdued. Grim. 

I remember about 20 years ago being at Skegness raceway and one of the drivers was badly injured enough to need the air ambulance. Even as a small child I could tell the atmosphere had changed considerably.