Carry on Cabbying

[lancashireclamper]

Just recently I've developed a worrying desire/hankering for an Austin FX4 London Taxis International Carbodies Fairway Black Cab type thing. They seem to be getting a bit thin on the ground just lately, possibly because of the hard lives they lead and that they haven't been made for 13 years maybe doesn't help! Has anybody owned/had experience of such a thing as a private runabout chicken shed etc, seems a shame that a part of British street furniture of 40 odd years should just dissapear because something superior came along, any advice/anecdotes/ personal abuse welcomed!

[Tayne]

mj

[Milford Cubicle]

I had a test drive of one a while back. I like them but they seem a bit expensive for what they are. The driving position is dismal for taller drivers too.Great for spotting ex-Austin Maestro instrument panels, etc. though.

[FredTransit]

Scrappage on the black cab is something like 10 grand so you can imagine where most of them have gone! One of my forum's members offered me his FX4, I can ask if he still has it if you like

[Tayne]

]

[FredTransit]

Isn't the full list sommat like 40K?

[brammy777]

Start price is around £29K i think...........Id love an FX4, the oldest one ive seen recently was on an F plate, mileage must be a tad high to say the least.

[FredTransit]

I had a D reg, but it got nicked.

[Tayne]

,

[warren t claim]

Trust me you don't want one. I used to drive one for a living!!!! They are much worse to drive than a Land Rover!

[VWPowered]

yeah fred how did it 'fare' out

[brammy777]

Hey, id also like a Metrocab, those things used to be really common.Didnt they have Ford lights front and rear? Escort Cabriolet lights at the back, and Granada at the front?Speaking of FX4s, anyone know anything about that customised one from a few years ago, I remember seeing it around 99 in Slough, it had really big rear wheels and i think it was running on a Rover V8?

[FredTransit]

I was told the 10 grand bit buy Ray who has that Jap taxi import, he's in LtI all the time, maybe he was exaggerating. All the same, scrappage has seen off a lot of good cabs, but we know all about that.

[Mash]

FX3 for me please:

 

 

You'd have to drive it everywhere wearing a flat cap of course.

[VWPowered]

be ruddy cold in winter mind

[barrett]

Surely a Winchester would be the cab of choice for a fully paid-up 'shiter?

 

[AXrescuer]

Speaking of FX4s, anyone know anything about that customised one from a few years ago, I remember seeing it around 99 in Slough, it had really big rear wheels and i think it was running on a Rover V8?

The only customised one I know of belongs to Bez from The Happy Mondays. His was on an edition of Pimp My Ride UK while back.

[STUNO]

Here is a pair you can buy, And the FX3 is a limo version (4 doors).

But they may be a bit far south for you to drive home!

 

[warren t claim]

Hey, id also like a Metrocab, those things used to be really common.Didnt they have Ford lights front and rear? Escort Cabriolet lights at the back, and Granada at the front?

A Metrocab is just a Reliant Scimitar Picasso diesel!!!! Even worse than a Fareway!

[lancashireclamper]

Scrappage on the black cab is something like 10 grand so you can imagine where most of them have gone! One of my forum's members offered me his FX4, I can ask if he still has it if you like

Thanks Fred much appreciated but maybe a bit far from the frozen North for an old chap like me.Hopefully going to look at a 1994 example about 20 miles away in Blackpool, MOT till Sep 10, 334.000 miles price negoitable, heres hoping and thanks for all comments, much appreciated

[lancashireclamper]

Here is a pair you can buy, And the FX3 is a limo version (4 doors).

But they may be a bit far south for you to drive home!

 

Just a bit far maybe

 

A fine looking pair of vehicles

[trigger]

That V8 powered taxi with the big rear wheels was for sale on ebay not long ago for £20k.I have a great road test scan in my set from autocar from 1989 on the Nissan engined model which has one of the best cornering photos i've ever seen, to the point that it looks like It's about to flip.When i get home from work tonight i'll post it on here unless anyone else can find it.

[lancashireclamper]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1995-CARBODIES-TA ... 1e598aaaa9

 

Above (hopefully) is said vehicle thats up for grabs near me,

Apparently Blackpool Borough Council; like most others have introduced an age limit for Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles so there are plenty about, My Father drove a Blackpool Taxi part time for many years starting with a pre farina austin cambridge, moving onto an fx3 and all types of class shite, he even drove for a guy who had a polski fiat for a while

By the time I passed my driving test in the late 80's he'd all but given up cabbing so I never had a chance to get behind the wheel of a "bomber" as they are known up here, guess this could be my final chance before they start changing hands for 38 zillion quid with no MOT!!

[Milford Cubicle]

That V8 powered taxi with the big rear wheels was for sale on ebay not long ago for £20k.

 

I have a great road test scan in my set from autocar from 1989 on the Nissan engined model which has one of the best cornering photos i've ever seen, to the point that it looks like It's about to flip.

When i get home from work tonight i'll post it on here unless anyone else can find it.

 

"composed"

[garethj]

Here's the one from Trigger's scans

 

I saw that drag racer taxi at the Uxbridge car show a few years ago, bouncing up and down on its hydraulic suspension. Looks cool but I'd love a regular taxi, perhaps with a Volvo or BMW motor and gearbox so it'll do more than 45mph?

[peter9000uk]

[Mr_Bo11ox]

'Reliant Scimitar Picasso Diesel', LOL!!!!! So true!

[garethj]

Beaten to it on Trigger's scan!GR8 4 TIPPIN (over)

[brammy777]

Yeh thats the dragster taxi, I remember doing a double take at the time because lets face it, I was 8.

Seeing as how Barrett mentioned the Winchester MKIV, did any actually survive? Apparently less than 200 were made.

 

Oh and heres some more two wheeled taxi action:

[AnthonyG]

FX4s/Fairways are bloody uncomfortable for the driver and not very nice to drive - even the modern TX4s are a fairly grim experience if you're driving one for 7 hours a day.Metrocabs are more of the same but presumably worse, because the company went bankrupt a few years ago. A lot of Brummie cabbies now have Citroen/Pug/Fiat based 'Eurotaxis', which aren't allowed in London (I think for turning circle reasons). They are FWD things, based on the midi sized van - the Fiat one is called the Scudo. They don't look like a traditional cab and won't last anything like as long as a LTI product, but are probably a lot more comfortable to sit in for a working day.