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]

  On 28/08/2021 at 19:54, Skizzer said:

Sorry, just saw this as I’m hardly ever on here any more. I drove basically past the Cylinders’ den the other day but stupidly didn’t have the foresight to put your tubes in the car when I left home.

I’ll probably be driving to London at some point in September so we could maybe arrange something. They’re still safe and well!

 

Edit: If/when this happens it should hopefully be straightforward for me to pick up @Coprolalia’s  stuff on the way as well, depending on timings etc.

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happy to hear they are still safe and well, and thank you for continuing to hold them for all this time!  

that would be awesome if your able to drop em off when your visiting London along with @Coprolalia's bundle although keep in mind some of his stuff for me is 8ft long!

[egg]

  On 27/08/2021 at 15:02, LightBulbFun said:

just shame it fell to a reseller and not a genuine enthusiast first!

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I take your point, but I would say Microcar World are enthusiasts. They have brought some rare oddities here from France etc. Not friends with them etc.

 

[Coprolalia]

That would be a great help if possible @Skizzer, I'm about 10 minutes off the M4 in central Cardiff. I'm generally working from home these days so pretty flexible. 

Would be nice to meet another Wales-based shiter.

 

[red5]

  On 27/08/2021 at 15:02, LightBulbFun said:

 

 

 

 

just did some chasing up on this one

turns out it was been flogged on behalf of someone who found it 7 years ago in a scrap yard so I wonder if its one of the Model 70's iv been told about but do not have any pictures of...

not yet got a good picture of its chassis plate but hopefully I will soon then I can ID it and see which it is exactly  

 

its sadly been sold to the Walker family who run the Microcard World, so expect it to show up for sale again soon at an inflated price since that is what they do!

still might be worth for those here who want a Model 70 to keep an eye on, all hope might not yet be lost  

hopefully I can at least get its details and ID which it is etc and I hope stays in the UK at least!

just shame it fell to a reseller and not a genuine enthusiast first!

 

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Harsh and judgemental there - they obviously have a passion for them, and why not make a living out of something you enjoy -  also is probably responsible for some of them coming back into circulation as opposed to rotting away/being scrapped or butchered for random kit shite that never gets finished.

So-called 'genuine enthusiasts' have the same opportunities to buy etc...

[Crackers]

A friend has a 4-inch scale Burrell steam traction engine which was registered for the road last year so its reg is HF70***. Someone suggested to him that he should get a period reg to put onto it, as it looks a bit out of place (although quite funny) on a model of a 1920s(?) vehicle. 

He reckons there's some reason why he wouldn't be able to put a personal plate onto it, but I personally can't think of anything stopping him? It's not on a Q-plate or anything, AFAIK it's just registered the same as any other vehicle.

Before I tell him he's talking rubbish and should just go get a nice plate, do you know of any reason hidden deep within the small print that means he can't?

[LightBulbFun]

  On 28/08/2021 at 21:35, egg said:

I take your point, but I would say Microcar World are enthusiasts. They have brought some rare oddities here from France etc. Not friends with them etc.

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I will say they did have a rare early Bond Mini car which they refused to sell to someone in the US wanting specify to keep in the UK because of its rarity and I did very much appreciate that  

but its no secret that they do buy and sell these as their business im happy they are honest about it, but it still makes me grumpy that it happens in the first place LOL

(and some of the rare oddities they brought from france was by selling/trading Microcars from england to France which is how KWC896J ended up in France for a while)

  On 29/08/2021 at 11:40, red5 said:

Harsh and judgemental there - they obviously have a passion for them, and why not make a living out of something you enjoy -  also is probably responsible for some of them coming back into circulation as opposed to rotting away/being scrapped or butchered for random kit shite that never gets finished.

So-called 'genuine enthusiasts' have the same opportunities to buy etc...

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when I said Genuine enthusiast I was not implying they are not enthusiasts, but I meant I wish it had sold to a genuine Invacar enthusiast, someone who knew what they had and genuinely wanted, not just as something for a 5 minute fling if you follow

perhaps a poor choice of words but it just makes me grumpy seeing Invacars being bought and sold for money/profit 

(especially as @AdgeCutler was in communication with the seller so its not like he was just sitting idle while it sailed on by)

[LightBulbFun]

  On 29/08/2021 at 14:19, Crackers said:

A friend has a 4-inch scale Burrell steam traction engine which was registered for the road last year so its reg is HF70***. Someone suggested to him that he should get a period reg to put onto it, as it looks a bit out of place (although quite funny) on a model of a 1920s(?) vehicle. 

He reckons there's some reason why he wouldn't be able to put a personal plate onto it, but I personally can't think of anything stopping him? It's not on a Q-plate or anything, AFAIK it's just registered the same as any other vehicle.

Before I tell him he's talking rubbish and should just go get a nice plate, do you know of any reason hidden deep within the small print that means he can't?

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id leave it on the Modern 70 plate for the novelty of it  

 

but he is correct that in theory you cant put a personal plate on it or take the existing plate off it because its not of a type that needs an MOT

https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/keep-or-assign

which why you never see plate robbed milk floats and the such like

 

but I have on the other hand seen sadly plenty of vintage invalid carriages that where robbed of their plate, when they where of a type of vehicle that does not need an MOT

an invalid carriage weighing less then 306Kg is exempt from MOT, so for example  the Invacar Mk12 LVX250J now JBY503J and Dingwall Deluxe RE9449 now  USL568, should have never have been allowed to have been robbed of their plate yet they still have been so. sadly

 

and obviously any vehicle that is over 40 years old is of a type that does not need an MOT yet I know you very much can still rob a Morris minor or what have you of its plate still!

 

so it might be worth just trying and seeing what happens! the worse they can say is no they cant assign the private plate to it

 

although in the case of the plate robbed invalid carriages I have to wonder if although they are MOT exempt etc, most MOT testers dont know any better and will happily MOT one as a Tricycle, where as with a Milk float or a Steam Traction engine its pretty obvious that its MOT exempt etc

[AdgeCutler]

Recent weeks have been a bit of a blur for me, a lot of time was spent organising a private vintage show for my friends as many of them (and myself) had been missing the vintage rallies that we are accustomed to attending or exhibiting at. Great fun was had by all and it was the common consensus that we should do the same again next year, however it did cost Brian time! What with this weekend being a bank holiday I decided it was time to make amends and pull my Inva finger out. Nothing very interesting happened but a good whack of time has been spent on getting  some paint back onto various components.

 

[LightBulbFun]

  On 30/08/2021 at 20:06, AdgeCutler said:

Recent weeks have been a bit of a blur for me, a lot of time was spent organising a private vintage show for my friends as many of them (and myself) had been missing the vintage rallies that we are accustomed to attending or exhibiting at. Great fun was had by all and it was the common consensus that we should do the same again next year, however it did cost Brian time! What with this weekend being a bank holiday I decided it was time to make amends and pull my Inva finger out. Nothing very interesting happened but a good whack of time has been spent on getting  some paint back onto various components.

 

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Awesome to hear of more updates on Brian he really is starting to take shape  (also Nice 1980's Thorn SONPAK I spy there, funnily enough those are also fittingly made of Fibreglass )

 

and glad to hear you where able to have a nice private gathering of your own  always does the mind some good being able to have a good time with like minded people as I can attest to with the FoD gatherings  

EDIT:

also figured id finally update the title to include the fact your awesome Mk12 restoration is in this this thread

as I imagine there are probably a fair few people on here who have long lost interest with my Ramblings about chassis number and registration blocks and the such like so no longer check out this thread, but however would enjoy reading/seeing your hands on restoration so I want to make sure no one misses out on it

[martc]

We've discussed the old Soviet invalid carriages, with plenty of exterior pictures, but for your entertainment I've found a pic of the interior - looks pretty utilitarian, they made these upto 1997, the SMZ S3D -

From here (in Spanish) - https://www.ohiogas.info/s3d/

[AdgeCutler]

  On 30/08/2021 at 20:58, LightBulbFun said:

Awesome to hear of more updates on Brian he really is starting to take shape  (also Nice 1980's Thorn SONPAK I spy there, funnily enough those are also fittingly made of Fibreglass )

 

and glad to hear you where able to have a nice private gathering of your own  always does the mind some good being able to have a good time with like minded people as I can attest to with the FoD gatherings  

EDIT:

also figured id finally update the title to include the fact your awesome Mk12 restoration is in this this thread

as I imagine there are probably a fair few people on here who have long lost interest with my Ramblings about chassis number and registration blocks and the such like so no longer check out this thread, but however would enjoy reading/seeing your hands on restoration so I want to make sure no one misses out on it

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Yes, the Sonpak hasn't been put away properly yet after having been used as night time lighting for our BBQ and  refreshments area. It was powered by my Lister 12/2 genset along with a chip pan and tea urn until 3am on the Sunday morning.  I did intend on taking some video of the exhibits at our gathering but it was all so non stop that I failed to, although I have since been sent a few photos that folk took, it'll be nice to look back upon those days.

Thanks for feeling Brian worthy of mention in your thread title.

Here are a couple of photos of the freshly coloured parts: 

[dollywobbler]

Spotted on the M25! Wonder which one this is?

[LightBulbFun]

  On 31/08/2021 at 17:09, dollywobbler said:

Spotted on the M25! Wonder which one this is?

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Oh cool  it will be this one  https://www.facebook.com/groups/950689934973969/posts/4300340226675573/

its the same one that showed up on facebook market place and sold within about 3 nano seconds its not one I immediately recognise/knowingly have on my lists but im still waiting for chassis plate shots, then ill be able to ID it hopefully and see whats what 

it will be quite interesting to see just when it came out of Ministry service, as I note its got original CEP rear lights, most Model 70's by the 1990's had replacement Britax 9021 or Rubbolite M88 rear lights 

(although some did keep their original rear lights to the end I know a couple of TWC/TPA's field buddies did)

[barrett]

found another nice pic in the files. This was the National Motor Museum's collection of invalid carriages in the 1970s. Are there any still there?

[martc]

  On 03/09/2021 at 08:46, barrett said:

found another nice pic in the files. This was the National Motor Museum's collection of invalid carriages in the 1970s. Are there any still there?
 

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They've got this , which isn't in the photo -

https://nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/vehicle-collection/ac-model-70/

Can't find anything else in their stock list.

[LightBulbFun]

  On 03/09/2021 at 08:46, barrett said:

found another nice pic in the files. This was the National Motor Museum's collection of invalid carriages in the 1970s. Are there any still there?

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ooh thats a lovely photo!

interesting that its said to be the National motor museum's collection of invalid carriages

 

as from what I understand a good number of those are with the National science museum today and have been since the 1980s, at least the Tippen Delta and Barrett Midget

im pretty sure the Tippen Delta on the left is 833BRW which was the very first Electric Tippen Delta prototype (originally built using Stanley Argson gear but later rebuilt to Electric Tippen Delta Model 69E Mk2 specifications) 

and the Barrett Midget on the right beside the elswick envoy is MHU163F im pretty sure
 

a few of science museums machines came from Michael Lawrence who had a large collection of invalid vehicles back in the 1980's and I think DJE665 and LPB98 also came from him but are now with the motability charity and the DDA I think

its also interesting to see PWC801 there, as that was last spotted displayed  at the 1981 Epitath to the invalid trike display held at Beaulieu in 1981 by Machael lawrence 

it was thought lost/scrapped until about 10 years ago or so it showed up on ebay and was bought be Ian Hellings, what happened to it in the in-between I sadly dont know!

and I dont know if it is one that he owned or if it was just one that showed up for the show!

 

the only invalid vehicle I know the National motor museum to have is as @martc says is LPL837P an AC Model 70 Mark B (with Tiller control and 3 foot pedals)

[Mr Pastry]

Here you go.  Science Museum reserve collection at Wrougton, which looks more fun than the main museum.

 

.

[LightBulbFun]

  On 31/08/2021 at 17:47, LightBulbFun said:

Oh cool  it will be this one  https://www.facebook.com/groups/950689934973969/posts/4300340226675573/

its the same one that showed up on facebook market place and sold within about 3 nano seconds its not one I immediately recognise/knowingly have on my lists but im still waiting for chassis plate shots, then ill be able to ID it hopefully and see whats what 

it will be quite interesting to see just when it came out of Ministry service, as I note its got original CEP rear lights, most Model 70's by the 1990's had replacement Britax 9021 or Rubbolite M88 rear lights 

(although some did keep their original rear lights to the end I know a couple of TWC/TPA's field buddies did)

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in this Model 70 news, id let adam know who had bought it and he managed to swoop in and negotiate a deal before they had even had a chance to properly advertise it for sale themselves!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/950689934973969/posts/4312497238793205/

so it will be joining his ever growing fleet of Model 70's  I think he is up to 6 Complete Model 70's now plus a couple rolling chassis!

I still wish AdgeClutler could of got it, but im pleased to see its gone to one of the best home otherwise  

I now of course have most of its details, and tis indeed a new one for the survivors list  

(I had a feeling it would be a totally new one to me, as all the Model 70's I know of but dont have pictures of, did not match this one in terms Make Revision and year etc)

I do wonder what its story is, checking on the DVLA it was last taxed in 1993, so that explains how it still has its original rear lights, but I wonder what it did in the in-between then and now!

I do know that it was rescued from a scrap yard about 7 years ago but I dont know much beyond that, had it been sitting in the scrap yard since 1993 or?

(it also interestingly has a CHUB fire extinguisher, I always thought those where introduced to Model 70's in the later part of the 1990's but clearly not, hopefully it will have a date code on it, it will be interesting to see just when it was from)

[Weird Car]

Hi everyone, I apologize for my lack of updates on MPU but I've been so busy with work and other projects that she's been getting pushed further down the to do list, though I've now bought everything I need to completely rebuild the breaking system, I've also had another go at fibreglassing "this time on a scrap board NOT the actual panel" and my technique is terrible so if anyone with fibreglass fabrication skills would like to step up and help move along MPU's rebuild I'd happily pay you for your efforts. I hate seeing her sitting there but I can't continue with much until that panel is sorted so any help would be greatly appreciated

Heres a picture of her taken today 

EDIT* I'M LOCATED IN PORTSMOUTH 

[LightBulbFun]

  On 04/09/2021 at 18:15, Harriytait said:

Hi everyone, I apologize for my lack of updates on MPU but I've been so busy with work and other projects that she's been getting pushed further down the to do list, though I've now bought everything I need to completely rebuild the breaking system, I've also had another go at fibreglassing "this time on a scrap board NOT the actual panel" and my technique is terrible so if anyone with fibreglass fabrication skills would like to step up and help move along MPU's rebuild I'd happily pay you for your efforts. I hate seeing her sitting there but I can't continue with much until that panel is sorted so any help would be greatly appreciated

Heres a picture of her taken today  

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Nice to hear from you again!

glad to hear you managed to get all the brake components  

but sorry to hear the struggles on the fibreglass, where abouts are you roughly located? a rough location would be good to post so other people know if they are close enough to offer such help or not  

in the meantime I would see if you can go about sorting out the mechanicals/chassis of the machine, so then when you are able to sort of the body damage, you can just drop the body back on everything else will be ready to go more or less  

the Invacar Mk12 is a Body on a separate chassis design so you can remove the body and put to to one side while you work on the chassis and drive train  

 

all this reminds me, I wonder how @OldBlokeInACaravan  is getting on with his Model 70 and Stanley Argsons  

[Landy Mann]

Presume you know about this pair in Glasgow transport/Riverside museum?

[catsinthewelder]

Likewise I imagine this picture has turned up before but just in case it hasn't.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/3816531335/

[LightBulbFun]

  On 05/09/2021 at 06:47, Landy Mann said:

Presume you know about this pair in Glasgow transport/Riverside museum?

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Yerp  GPG721K is the oldest known Model 70 to survive being the 111th off the production line

and I think its one of the earliest Model 70's to enter preservation, I think the museum got it back in 1980

the Gold Invacar Mk12E is one of the Trysull cars for those curious

  On 05/09/2021 at 14:36, catsinthewelder said:

Likewise I imagine this picture has turned up before but just in case it hasn't.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/3816531335/

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yerp, although its all the railshite thread so I can can understand one not finding it here  

  On 08/11/2019 at 15:09, Vin said:

 

37052 - 03/04/1976, Whitemoor Jnc, March.

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  On 08/11/2019 at 17:07, 666jjp said:

I assume @LightBulbFun is aware of this pic ^

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  On 08/11/2019 at 17:13, LightBulbFun said:

 

I am now! thanks for the heads up

very interesting to See Invacar Model 70's by train, for some reason I thought this practice stopped some time before the Model 70 entered the scene

so its very cool to see  

shame the picture ain't higher rez, but it looks to be Late NHK-P or very early NVW-P cars

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in both cases as always I appreciate the heads up just incase  

[R1152]

  On 05/09/2021 at 14:36, catsinthewelder said:

Likewise I imagine this picture has turned up before but just in case it hasn't.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/3816531335/

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They're probably going through what's now the middle of the slammer there...

[Mr Pastry]

  On 04/09/2021 at 18:15, Harriytait said:

I've also had another go at fibreglassing "this time on a scrap board NOT the actual panel" and my technique is terrible so if anyone with fibreglass fabrication skills would like to step up and help move along MPU's rebuild I'd happily pay you for your efforts. I hate seeing her sitting there but I can't continue with much until that panel is sorted so any help would be greatly appreciated

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Basically you have 3 options with this panel, none of them are quick, cheap, or easy.  I am not an expert but I have restored GRP cars (and I am not in Portsmouth btw!) so this is just my take on it. 

1.  Laminate over a male mould/former and smooth over with filler, as said earlier IIRC.  Cardboard is alright for a mould but has to be well shaped and supported, and you have to transfer the shape from the good panel on the other side, so that in itself is quite time consuming.

 2.  Find a less damaged panel from another car and laminate it in.  Even if it has bits missing, this is a lot better than starting from scratch.  Will still need lots of filling etc. to finish.  Probably the quickest and least difficult method if you can find one.

 3.  Take a mould off an undamaged car, make a new panel from that mould and laminate it in.  Best method, but not for the faint hearted or beginner. 

Sadly I think you will struggle to find anyone to do it.   I believe @Bfg is the expert on here.   He is probably wisely keeping quiet! 

[Bfg]

  On 06/09/2021 at 05:57, Mr Pastry said:

Sadly I think you will struggle to find anyone to do it.   I believe @Bfg is the expert on here.   He is probably wisely keeping quiet! 

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Me.. nah not keeping quiet .. I just didn't know about the struggle until getting 'a notification' that my name had been mentioned.   If Harriytait wants to post some pictures of how the panels to be joined were aligned, before cardboard and fibreglassing, then I'll gladly talk him (..and y'all if you like) the process of repair I'd use.

Bfg   

[Mr Pastry]

  On 06/09/2021 at 09:26, Bfg said:

Me.. nah not keeping quiet .. I just didn't know about the struggle until getting 'a notification' that my name had been mentioned.   If Harriytait wants to post some pictures of how the panels to be joined were aligned, before cardboard and fibreglassing, then I'll gladly talk him (..and y'all if you like) the process of repair I'd use.

Bfg   

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If you can spare the time, I think folks would find it very useful to know how much skill and patience is involved.  And nasty, expensive chemicals. 

Long shot, but with your contacts in the industry, would you have any idea where the moulds might have gone?

[LightBulbFun]

just to fill in the gaps (hah)

this is the panel @Harriytait has

which needs to find its way back into the car it came from

now the fibreglass people should know exactly whats what

  On 06/09/2021 at 10:08, Mr Pastry said:

Long shot, but with your contacts in the industry, would you have any idea where the moulds might have gone?

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Oooh that would be amazing, especially the Model 70 moulds! (as there are more otherwise intact but body-less Model 70's out there then there are bodies sadly)

[Mr Pastry]

  On 06/09/2021 at 10:22, LightBulbFun said:

now the fibreglass people should know exactly whats what

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Worse than I thought...!  TBH I would look for another rear body section. 

[Weird Car]

  On 06/09/2021 at 11:20, Mr Pastry said:

Worse than I thought...!  TBH I would look for another rear body section. 

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I have been searching for a replacement panel but unfortunately they aren't common at all, the original is definitely repairable in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing, unfortunately I'm not that person.