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...

[lesapandre]

A lot of terrible drivers out there. Who knows how they pass their test - but maybe it's just not rigourous enough.

[D.E]

1950s a Harper Invacar - invalid Carriage

[Datsuncog]

A quartet of Model 70s in the queue for the Belfast to Liverpool ferry in May 1981, en route to a Disabled Drivers Association meet at Silverstone.

(No, really.)

Pity about the DAF 66 cutting into the line!

[lesapandre]

2 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

A quartet of Model 70s in the queue for the Belfast to Liverpool ferry in May 1981, en route to a Disabled Drivers Association meet at Silverstone.

(No, really.)

Pity about the DAF 66 cutting into the line!

Could the DAF be an early adapted car - note there is another behind?

[timolloyd]

All with the same sticker across the top of the windscreen?

[LightBulbFun]

9 hours ago, D.E said:

1950s a Harper Invacar - invalid Carriage

very cool thats a harper mk4 you can tell from the strengthening ribs on the side, the Harper Mk1 was completely smooth sided

4 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

A quartet of Model 70s in the queue for the Belfast to Liverpool ferry in May 1981, en route to a Disabled Drivers Association meet at Silverstone.

(No, really.)

Pity about the DAF 66 cutting into the line!

Deja Vu  

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/44/#findComment-1801401

 

[LightBulbFun]

 REV made a friend Yesterday  

yeah thats right I have been a bad influence again, and @st185cs snagged the Tippen Delta that was on eBay recently  there is actually a rather specific reason why @st185cs picked up this particular Tippen Delta when it showed up for sale and I wonder if anyone knows why that is  all will be revealed eventually on that front in time, but for now, some more details on the collection caper as @st185cs very kindly offered to take me along for the ride! and in the end I was even able to be somewhat useful as a steers man and control operator of the Tippen Delta while they pushed it through the yard obstacles to the trailer waiting outside  

some very Autoshite yard obstacles ill say I especially liked the Lincoln I was not expecting that, so that was a nice treat as I do have a soft spot for land barges like this  (also I feel like I should tag @eddyramrod for the same reasons!)

despite it lashing down, (we picked a fine* day for this collection caper thats for sure ) the Tippen was soon loaded up and we where on our way  

 but I have to say, the Tippen impressively watertight! inside much more so then REV thats for sure! I really did not have high expectations for that canvas roof but it did not leak at all despite the heavy rain

it was also quite interesting to sit inside one and steer it, its pretty cosy in there, but not tight either, and the steering was surprisingly light, although of course its currently on ancient 4.40-12 cross-ply tyres pumped to who knows what pressures! 

it does not run currently because about 10 years ago a fuel hose split, and it just never got fixed, so hopefully without jinxing it! it wont take too much to get it going again  

I am pleased to report the chap selling it, is very much still alive! he just decide to it was just time to let it go make room for more motorcycles/scooters, here I am talking to the seller, after I requisitioned a batricar and rescued  few vintage T12 fluorescent tubes from a shed of his  

all in all, a very fun day! and many thanks to @st185cs for both taking me along, and giving ORW413G a continued good home  I am very much looking forward to seeing it running and driving before not too long!  

[wesacosa]

On 22/11/2024 at 22:41, LightBulbFun said:

thats an idea! gives me a location/something to aim for  (I was otherwise going to say, that ill have to find some lightbulbs and or old computers to buy and collect from that area to make the trip worth while  )

 

I am also more then happy to pop over to lend a hand to anything you think you might need a 2nd pair of hands/eyes for?

im not good for much when it comes to physical effort/heavy lifting stuff, so I cant help lift an engine onto the kitchen countertop, but if you need me to help with something like "can you look at that thing, while I do this, and tell me what it does?" or if there is some awkward nut and bolt that needs 1 person to hold the nut in place while the other person unwinds it,  I am more then happy to help out there  

or if you just need me to go in to be front or rear gunner in convoy while you take the Panda to your MOT man happy to do that  

thanks mate, kind offer. If nothing else I can offer a cup of tea and a fleet of semi broken modern classics* for you to look at. A bit like a really crap museum 🤣

[eddyramrod]

15 hours ago, lesapandre said:

A lot of terrible drivers out there. Who knows how they pass their test - but maybe it's just not rigourous enough.

Or there's no enforcement of anything but speed limits after they pass, and laughable "penalties" for really serious stuff like drink-driving.

BTW Dez, how much is that Lincoln?

[Mr Pastry]

@LightBulbFunLooking at the discolouration on the Tippen body, has that had a major repair at some time, or been built up from two different bodies?  Also do you have any pics of the chassis, just interested in how it was done.  Good to see you getting out and about.

[st185cs]

MHJ and ORW were last seen together in 2008 - as of this morning, they both reside in the same household in the easternmost part of Kent 😍

Partial scene reenactment to follow in 2025 

https://flic.kr/p/63G49y

image credit: @trigger

 

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Mr Pastry said:

@LightBulbFunLooking at the discolouration on the Tippen body, has that had a major repair at some time, or been built up from two different bodies?  Also do you have any pics of the chassis, just interested in how it was done.  Good to see you getting out and about.

its mainly just the offside right wing (which incorporates the dummy door) thats a different colour, so I wonder if it was just that that might of been replaced at some point? but I know the other sections at least have had a repaint at some point in life, so maybe its all original  and for some reason the offside rear just never got painted? I have also seen various Fibreglass bodied invalid vehicles change colours in all sorts of funny ways!

 

I sadly was not able to get any decent pictures of it in detail as the weather was quite bad

 

but I have these 2 pictures of the sole known surviving Tippen Delta 2 that was at some point in life converted to a works truck

so not a Tippen Delta 8, but should give you some idea how a Tippen went together  ill see what I can do to get some pictures from underneath ORW413G, because I am also quite curious myself  

[wuvvum]

Looks a bit more substantial than that Invacar Mk12, or is a lot of that framework a later addition?

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, wuvvum said:

Looks a bit more substantial than that Invacar Mk12, or is a lot of that framework a later addition?

that remind me I have these pictures of a completely stripped  of a later Tippen Delta (a Delta 5 I think to be more exact) so this should give better view for @Mr Pastry  

[Mr Pastry]

Very interesting!  I am thinking those are 16" wheels but can't ID them.   And one or two non -Tippen bits creeping into the last photo!

[LightBulbFun]

12 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

Very interesting!  I am thinking those are 16" wheels but can't ID them.  Looks like some form of de Dion axle joining the rear hubs.  And one or two non -Tippen bits creeping into the last photo!

indeed they are 16 inch wheels  The Tippen Delta was very much the 3rd horse in a 2 horse race between AC and Invacar, and they managed to get away with being a bit more old-fashioned, so for example although the ministry demanded in their 1957 standard specifications all machines must have 12 inch wheels, Tippen got away with having 16 inch Wheels until 1966-1967!

and for example the Tippen Delta retained front fork style suspension, while AC and Invacar moved to C-tube front suspension and then in 1969 Parallelogram front suspension, (from which the Delta 8 gained just a front tow bar!)

 

(funnily enough on BKV682E, I have somewhat been offered the option to acquired it quite easily/cheaply, which is really quite tantalising because its an electric machine, it would be perfect for nipping to the shops and back without having worry about REV not getting a chance to warm up, but I have got nowhere to put it, let alone charge it!)

[lesapandre]

5 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

Or there's no enforcement of anything but speed limits after they pass, and laughable "penalties" for really serious stuff like drink-driving.

BTW Dez, how much is that Lincoln?

Its a Lincoln 'Town Car' - I think. Has a Ford 5.0 V8 4.9 liters (302 cu in) made 1986–1989.  Whilst GM were busy downsizing Ford kept these 'full size' cars in production. Would make a nice buy. 'Historic' in a couple of years too.

[Missy Charm]

@Mr Pastry and @LightBulbFun: could the discolouration to the other car be sun damage?  Plastic has a tendency to yellow over time as it is partially reactive to light.  It's possible that the material beneath the paint has yellowed to the extent it's showing through.  

[eddyramrod]

25 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Its a Lincoln 'Town Car' - I think. Has a Ford 5.0 V8 4.9 liters (302 cu in) made 1986–1989.  Whilst GM were busy downsizing Ford kept these 'full size' cars in production. Would make a nice buy. 'Historic' in a couple of years too.

I agree.  AFAIK these are built on a modified Fox platform, so basically it's a V8 Mustang with four doors and bigger seats!  It's very much downsized against the Town Car of a decade earlier, which was huge, even bigger than Huggy.  If I could lay hands on one at the right price (eg as a swop for a certain Jaguar...) then I'd be all over it.

[Mr Pastry]

7 minutes ago, Missy Charm said:

@Mr Pastry and @LightBulbFun: could the discolouration to the other car be sun damage?  Plastic has a tendency to yellow over time as it is partially reactive to light.  It's possible that the material beneath the paint has yellowed to the extent it's showing through.  

That is very possible - may just have been left outside, partly in sunlight and partly in shadow, for a long time.  I think most of these had pigmented gel coat rather than paint originally, then repairs may have been painted and so on,  plenty of scope for fading and mismatching.  I do seem to remember back in the day that some of these looked more greenish than blueish, although of course colour memory isn't very reliable. 

[st185cs]

The difference in colour, I can confirm, is due to later paint (pale blue - presumably over damaged/repaired bodywork) which doesn’t match the  greenish gel coat of the original panels. The green can also be seen in areas where the blue has been damaged or worn through - typically by the sliding door. 

[LightBulbFun]

34 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

That is very possible - may just have been left outside, partly in sunlight and partly in shadow, for a long time.  I think most of these had pigmented gel coat rather than paint originally, then repairs may have been painted and so on,  plenty of scope for fading and mismatching.  I do seem to remember back in the day that some of these looked more greenish than blueish, although of course colour memory isn't very reliable. 

dont worry, your not imagining things depending on who made the machine some where greener then others  I find the difference is actually usually the most noticeable on the rough side of the panel for example the otherside of the parcel shelf/"bathtub" in a Model 70 or the insides of the doors 

 

[plasticvandan]

Tippens tended to be a slightly greener hue ,suspect that is the original finish an the ice blue paint was sprayed at a later stage.Think I've still got an owners handbook somewhere

[wuvvum]

4 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

(funnily enough on BKV682E, I have somewhat been offered the option to acquired it quite easily/cheaply, which is really quite tantalising because its an electric machine, it would be perfect for nipping to the shops and back without having worry about REV not getting a chance to warm up, but I have got nowhere to put it, let alone charge it!)

What's the range and top speed on an electric Delta?  (Asking purely out of idle curiousity of course.)

[LightBulbFun]

9 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

What's the range and top speed on an electric Delta?  (Asking purely out of idle curiousity of course.)

about 12-15 Mph? they have the worlds most optimistic speedo  

range is about 40 miles, its a 1 horse power or there abouts 36V electric motor, powered by 3 12V lead acid batteries 

the first time I saw this picture it really threw me for a loop, I never expected the motor to be mounted *vertical* straight into the differential, but I mean theres no reason it *cant* be,  im just so use to internal combustion vehicles where everything is naturally horizontally laid out

(although I think some buses have engines mounted vertically?) 

[lesapandre]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

about 12-15 Mph? they have the worlds most optimistic speedo  

range is about 40 miles, its a 1 horse power or there abouts 36V electric motor, powered by 3 12V lead acid batteries 

the first time I saw this picture it really threw me for a loop, I never expected the motor to be mounted *vertical* straight into the differential, but I mean theres no reason it *cant* be,  im just so use to internal combustion vehicles where everything is naturally horizontally laid out

(although I think some buses have engines mounted vertically?) 

In comparison this is the motor of a French Legier micro-car I saw recently. 

[Snake Charmer]

Looks like a hefty alternator.

[LightBulbFun]

2 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

Looks like a hefty alternator.

thats exactly what I thought when I first saw the electric motor in a modern Citroen Ami Electric, it looked just like a alternator, and I believe that at least in the Ami's case it is basically the 48V motor-generator out of some PSA mild-hybrid, or its closely related to such a unit 

since seeing that and seeing how compact it was, I thought it would be a great unit, for if you had to repower something like that Electric Tippen above, if for some reason the original motor and related systems where un-servicable, just transplant the guts from a modern Citroen Ami into it  (and with a bit of jiggery pokery you could probably keep all the controls in the cabin original)

[Mr Pastry]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

I never expected the motor to be mounted *vertical* straight into the differential,

I'm surprised to see that it has a proper diff with 2 wheel drive, I would have expected a single wheel chain drive more like the petrol version.  Interesting - looking, and probably unobtanium, flexible couplings on the driveshafts.

[barrett]

On 23/11/2024 at 21:23, D.E said:

1950s a Harper Invacar - invalid Carriage

I bought this one the other day (from a different seller)!