Dutch spots - UK spots actually this time...

[michiel]

Thank you - here's some juicy automotive couture, as seen from a shuddering 2CV6:

 

 

 

[michiel]

 

Bonus 100NX with gaffer tape...

 

 

 

[michiel]

Elephant & mouse

 

[michiel]

Had to look this one up:

 

 

 

(it's a 1986 Ford Mustang)

 

 

 

This rough DS 21 ran out of test in september 2010...

[fiatdaft]

is your 'stang not a mercury capri instead?

[michiel]

The RDW (Dutch DVLA) says it's a Mustang - couldn't find a badge on the car so I chose to believe them - they might be wrong though (as usual...)

[michiel]

It's been a while since I took a pic of anything... first up not a car but a nice shopfront that was probably hidden behind upvc for decades:

 

Gebr. de Winter, Javastraat Amsterdam by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

Then a scruffy C GT:

 

MGC GT 1968 (AL-33-83) by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

MGC GT 1968 (AL-33-83) by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

and lastly a shitey Audi 60L on LPG:

 

Audi 60L 1972 (85-35-ZU) by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

Audi 60L 1972 (85-35-ZU) by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

Will probably be continued somewhere in 2013...

[ashmicro]

I've never heard of an Audi 60, and certainly never seen one, until now.

[trigger]

That Audi is one fine looking automobile!

[Split_Pin]

'kin 'ell, thats a monster haul of shite there - thanks for sharing! Love the Ami's

 

That is indeed a Mercury Capri. Good lesson in how to take a sharp and stylish (imo) Fox Body Mustang and make it look anonymous and shit.

[michiel]

My pleasure! I had the feeling I had pretty much spotted everything in my neighbourhood... finally a new spot.

[michiel]

Crispy Shuttle by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

GR8 wheelarches on this 4WD Shuttle...

 

Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider & bonus Fiat by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider & bonus Benz by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

SX indeed.

[michiel]

One of those sporadic updates... as seen in the Harrogate thread:

 

Citroën GS Birotor by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

Citroën GS Birotor by Michiel V, on Flickr

[vulgalour]

Can someone educate me as to what exactly sets the Birotor apart from a regular GS? Is it just styling, or some performance to go with it?

[michiel]

A Wankel engine - so it was even more unreliable and thirsty I guess... wiki:

 

A two rotor GS was launched in 1973. Dubbed the Citroën GS Birotor (also called Citroën GZ), it featured a 107 PS (79 kW) Wankel birotor produced by the joint NSU-Citroën Comotor project. This style of motor is noted for its smooth power delivery which complemented the luxurious ride quality of the hydropneumatic suspension. The Birotor was extensively reengineered, besides for the Comotor 624 engine. Discs all around (ventilated in front), different wheels with a five-bolt pattern rather than three, and a three-speed semi-automatic transmission were combined with a more luxurious interior and flared fenders to set the Birotor apart from its lesser siblings. Sadly, the Birotor was placed in the uncomfortable position of costing more than the larger, faster, more economical and less complex Citroën DS which quickly sealed its fate.

 

The Birotor version achieved poor sales and was quickly pulled from the market after 847 units sold. It was not economical for its size and was launched during the 1973 oil crisis.

 

The sales and quality were so disappointing that Citroën attempted to buy back and scrap each Birotor, as it did not want to support the model with spare parts. A few of these remarkable vehicles have nonetheless survived in the hands of collectors, many without titles for some time as Citroën did not want to recognize the cars.

 

[vulgalour]

Sounds like Autoshite Platinum, that does. Remarkable.

[michiel]

Yep - you've got to admire the owner, actually driving it all around Europe.

[dollywobbler]

Indeed. A great spot. It's one thing seeing three of them at an actual Citroen show, but to see one in the 'wild' must be a major event!

 

What I hadn't realised until I spent a while gawping under the bonnet is that these have a transverse engine - which might explain why the front track is wider (hence the wheelarch extensions). It's no wonder Citroen went bankrupt when they were making serious efforts to put stuff like this into production. Mechanically, it must share almost nothing with the basic GS at the front end! They were also investigating a triple-rotor engine for the CX apparently and even built a wankel-powered helicopter!

 

Listen to this thing rev. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gouuwF2zpDs

[Guest]

Incredible spot with the Birotor. VA - you also tell a Birotor apart from a normal GS by its ride height (they look like a normal GS with the suspension set all the way up) and they're nearly all a sandy platinum \ gold colour. The wheels and hubcaps were unique to the model as well. 107 brake's quite a jump from the 60 odd the rest of the GS range was running - the largest they went to was 1220 cc. The GSA had a larger engine, a truly batshit dashboard - and a hatchback bootlid. The boot on a GS is weird. The whole square panel inboard of the rear light clusters hinges up on struts. The rear screen stays where it is.

 

Oh aye, and they sound like an RX-7 farting through a dustbin. Truly a remarkable sound. They also have a mad transverse exhaust can back box not unlike an Ariel Atom's.

 

In other news, MGBs and Cs look the tits on steel wheels with caps. I'm sick of this wire wheel \ Moto Lita bollocks with Bs and Cs - bring back the massive black Bakelite wheel that's totally inappropriate for a sportscar and should have gone on the ZB Magnette instead.

[michiel]

Cheers for the extra info guys - seeing it parked where there are usually only new silver and black BMWs and Porsches made it even more surreal...

[michiel]

On the motorway, while I was driving a new Transit, I spotted this 100A with a beardy hipster at the wheel. Stupidly I (and by that I mean my co-driver of course) dropped the camera between the seats but I (he) managed to find it in time and not crash into anything.

 

[ProgRocker]

That is lovely.

[gtd2000]

I'd really like one of those little Datsuns but something in my mind say's I'd be horribly disappointed if I did get one....

[Mash]

I'd really like one of those little Datsuns but something in my mind say's I'd be horribly disappointed if I did get one....

 

Me too, I love the green one that's currently on eBay. I'm reliably informed they're shit to drive but very sweet nonetheless!

[gtd2000]

I'd really like one of those little Datsuns but something in my mind say's I'd be horribly disappointed if I did get one....

 

Me too, I love the green one that's currently on eBay. I'm reliably informed they're shit to drive but very sweet nonetheless!

 

Yeah a mate of mine had one many moons ago that had the structural form of a tea bag but I thought it looked really cool

[michiel]

Here's a few spots from London & Norwich, not very impressive I know, but I did all the driving...

 

Figaro by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

2CV by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

Volkswagen by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

Yank by Michiel V, on Flickr

 

[Junkman]

Is that a for sale sign in that Country Squire?

Deuche looks tidy, too.

[michiel]

Could well be a sign. Spotted on (I think) Pentonville Road.

 

Edit: it was... https://maps.google.nl/maps?q=pentonville+road&ll=51.531845,-0.107891&spn=0.00072,0.002064&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&channel=fflb&hnear=Pentonville+Rd&t=h&layer=c&cbll=51.531841,-0.108035&panoid=k9dkR3J9cxC8-5pjoKNZZw&cbp=12,8.14,,1,1.84&z=20

 

Sign seems to read 'Ron Paul' though.

[Lord Sterling]

Nice spots.

 

 

Was this taken from the 'Hen & Chickens theatre bar' in Highbury?

[michiel]

Almost! Above the Maison d'Être, we rented that apartment for the night.

 

https://maps.google.nl/maps?q=Hen+%26+Chickens+theatre+bar&ll=51.546142,-0.10201&spn=0.004223,0.012392&sll=51.546093,-0.101940&layer=c&cid=12130529507933576004&cbp=13,109.93,,0,-11.86&cbll=51.546027,-0.102233&hq=Hen+%26+Chickens+theatre+bar&t=m&z=17&panoid=_RsSiqjkaKDbhBbfrA8xzg