BD's Spot-O-Matic UPDATED 17-06-11

[BrianDamaged]

In the words of the Greatest Band Ever "You've been away, for so long.....you can't ask why......"

 

 

Mojo restored, I've started taking a camera out with me every day again. Expect daily crock-age.

 

A few from this afternoon, in and around Coventry:

It's rare to see a Bedford/Isuzu Brava this age that hasn't dissolved, let alone one still earning its keep for a big company. That's in astonishing condition for 20-21 years old.

 

Nice H-plated Beetle, I dunno if that reddish/terracotta-esque hue is a standard colour but it really suited it.

 

VERY tidy gold 205 GL, just like the one I used to own. I may well have another this year, everything you could ever want in a daily.

 

This pic doesn't really convey just how immaculate this late GLT is. With the exception of the two parking dings on the back bumper it was spotless. All the hallmarks of a one OAP owner motor, it's nice to see one that hasn't fallen into the hands of the TrampDrift brigade.

 

More soon.

[brammy777]

Id forgotten about those Bedford Bravas, they have to be mega rare now, and its always nice to see a 340/360 still about.

[BrianDamaged]

Update: a few from the last couple of days.

Moral: Don't let your kids loose round your Espace after a family trip to B&Q.

 

Tidy Mk1 MR2 spotted in Coventry this morning.

 

GOD I love this. With the exception of that blasted double-glazing, this photo looks almost as if it was taken in the 1970's. That is just about the most perfect-looking 2a Land-Rover I have EVER clapped eyes on. Everything about it screams 'much-loved workhorse'.

 

Great to see a Vitara used for what it was designed for.

 

2-4-1 spot, this Lada Niva lives at a garage near Stourbridge, and the XJ-S drop-top is for sale at the same used car emporium.

 

IMMACULATE Land-Cruiser three cars back. What's with all this 4WD stuff?? LOL

 

And finally.....really tidy BX14RE snapped in Worcester this afternoon.

[vicsmith]

This has caused 3 things to occur to me,1 - Brava pick-ups have really thinned out almost overnight, 3 years ago the paint sprayer next to my old pitch was buying ex-water board ones, tidying them up and selling them for £2000+, now I can`t remember the last time I saw one. Any of those AA ones still in use?2 - Vitaras have really, really thinned out, very nearly actually overnight. 2 - Murco apparently still exist, I didn`t think they did.

[Minimad5]

Great pictures !Thank you for sharing Old Land Rover for me please

[Guest]

There's a Murco in Wakefield somewhere. Never been.

[Pillock]

This has caused 3 things to occur to me,1 - Brava pick-ups have really thinned out almost overnight, 3 years ago the paint sprayer next to my old pitch was buying ex-water board ones, tidying them up and selling them for £2000+, now I can`t remember the last time I saw one. Any of those AA ones still in use?

I saw one in B&Q carpark last week in obvious ex-AA livery, yellow with the dark green lower panels. Looked a bit scabby but usable, the same thought occured to me then that once upon a time there were yards full of them, companies who made a living buying stock from the AA and flogging it to builders.Now I see no end of plasters and plumbers in orange Transits, but they're starting to thin out from the massive numbers a few years ago.

[Cavcraft]

That's the nicest colour they did the BX in and it looks suspiciously like Tim's from the BXClub.

[GJR 11L]

Mmmmm, the 360 for me please. It's the same colour as my 340, always a good enough reason to buy a car IMHO; 'cos it's the same colour as one that you own or owned....

 

I've been asked a couple of times whether the diff in mine was welded, hadn't a clue why anyone would ask that until someone told me about this 'ere drifting lark.

 

[Pillock]

BD, there's a few of those photos where you appear to be standing in the middle of the road to take them! Don't get killed for Autoshite

[BrianDamaged]

BD, there's a few of those photos where you appear to be standing in the middle of the road to take them! Don't get killed for Autoshite

Indeedy....I'll pass your comments on to my driver.

 

Here's a few from yesterday, I spent the day marshalling on a stage rally held on a disused WW2 airfield in Gloucestershire. They're not really shite, but if you like the sight of 60's/70's/80's tat being mercilessly thrashed......

 

Millington Race Engines-powered Mk1 'Scort. Here's a few numbers for you. 2.5 litres. 16 valves. 2 cams. 0 turbos. 350bhp. Yes, really.

 

It's great having no sponsors. That way if you fancy writing 'TWAT' on the side of your RWD-converted Mk3 Escort, then you can.

 

I must be (actually there's no 'must be' about it...) getting old, because out of all that expensive and exotic machinery, this would have been the one I took home with me.

 

1600 Zetec-powered Talbot Bumseam was plenty quick.

 

Beautiful 8-port Mini. There used to be an H-registered Mini Clubman with a 1293 8-port A-series in it running locally when I were a youth. No-one could catch it. Mind you this was 25 years ago.

 

What a £100,000 Mk2 Escort looks like. Too quick to photograph.

[155V6]

2 - Murco apparently still exist, I didn`t think they did.

There's a Murco here in Fleet,it hasn't changed in years & you can just about get 2 people in the shop

[RedSparrow]

There is a Murco in Bexhill (old people town).It is very 1960s style. Also still uses a late 70s computer to control the pumps, big buttons and spews out reels of paper.

[Station]

Murco is everywhere in the Wirral. About four stations.

[BrianDamaged]

A few more from the last couple of days, starting with an absolute corker.

There's so much work gone into that, I'd like to hope that the owner would take it as a compliment that it's included here. I'd happily spend hours crawling all over that Tranny to see how he did it.

Shonky long-range shot of an immaculate lower-spec 309

I'd love a car with a VAG registration number. Not as much as the brand-new Toyota Auris I saw in Birmingham this morning which had a plate beginning with FL10. I want a 12-seater with a tail-lift, registered FL10 BUS, please.

Really tidy 190 in OAP-tastic metallic wee.

In the trucking fraternity, the 7.5 tonne Leyland Roadrunner achieved shite status from new. They were universally derided from the time they were launched.....except by me, I always liked them for their basic toughness even if the cabs were awful and bits fell off regularly. What a treat to see an early one still earning money after 23 years.

Tidy little K10 Micra looked nice in Doom White.

[BrianDamaged]

Just the one today. Amazing what you find lurking in car parks, isn't it?

[trigger]

That Jowlett is very nice, but not as nice as the 6 wheeled Transit van!

[seth]

Oooof! Flat-four-tastic!

[michiel]

*want*

[BrianDamaged]

Couple from this week...

I can't remember when the Yugo 45 was launched in the UK, but that must be a pretty early one. That is weapons-grade shite.

 

From the tow-bar, the soot all over the tailgate and the tell-tale stains under the fuel-filler (with non-existent cap...) I'd guess that this spectacularly-rotten Uno's a 1700 disasel. My cousin had an Uno van with the same engine in, which was notable only for its insane levels of engine noise and a gearbox seemingly made out of chocolate.

[brammy777]

Wow, Yugo! They seem to be appearing everywhere at the moment! That Uno is quite rotten, even the MK2 ones are vanishing quickly.

[AXrescuer]

That Jowlett is very nice, but not as nice as the 6 wheeled Transit van!

Jowlett?

[pogweasel]

That Jowlett is very nice, but not as nice as the 6 wheeled Transit van!

Jowlett?

Ohhh, yeshhh

[BrianDamaged]

Couple from today:

These Mk3 Granny wagons never sold that well....shame, they were smashing cars.

 

Earlyish amber-indicatored 205 in one of the best colours Peugeot ever did them in IMHO.

[BrianDamaged]

This week's selection:

Old biddy waits to turn right in her Renner 5. What a strange spot to rot away when the rest of the car's so obviously well-loved.

 

I'm not saying how fast I had to push the works Sprinter to catch this enthusiastically-driven Alfa.

 

I wish I'd had time to photograph this properly, it's just beautiful.

 

I spotted this, and thought "Ooooh. That's a late MGC and on an Abingdon registration number too. I wonder if it's got any special history?". I walked past it to go into the garage it was parked on the forecourt of, just as the owner jumped in a fired it up, to reveal......it was just a stock MGB with a 'C' bonnet. Ah well.

 

Probably my favourite spot of the week. Yellow-tastic 'Tina wagon hammering along the M42 loaded to the gunwhales.

 

VERY tidy Saab 9000. Am I right in thinking that these shared floorpans with the Fiat Croma/Lancia Thema?

 

Shite photo of a beautiful car. Next month's Octane magazine (on sale next week, but I've already got it coz' I'm a subscriber) is a Jaguar 75th Anniversary Special, and has some fantastic articles in it.

 

There does seem to be a large number of these little Kias knocking about still. Shame about the lack of whitewalls, mind.

 

Shame I couldn't get a decent shot of this '72 Rangey. Mismatched wheels, bent panels, grizzled old farmer behind the wheel dressed in the ubiquitous Tattersall shirt/green overalls. Just how it should be.

[CortinaDave]

The Cortina's an LS - mega rare.. so much so I think that might be the only one left!

[BrianDamaged]

Been too long (again). A few from this week:

The lovely Hyundai Sonata. Shite straight from the showroom, never mind seven years old. I must admit I'd quite like to own one of these Far-Eastern luxo-barges one day. Don't ask why....

 

Ohhhhh dear. Not to be content with letting all the gas out of that lovely Hydrasag suspension, the owner has attempted some matt-blackness and sticker-bombing in an attempt to give this Metro some kudos. And what the holy FUCK is lurking behind that comedy hole cut in the front bumper? Looks like an old bit of machine guard!

 

Tidy Renner van spotted on the M5.

 

Something else I'd like to own one of these days.

 

Renault took the 'stuff a boot on a hatch to give it some OAP appeal' a bit far with these. Almost comically-ugly and therefore now almost extinct.

 

Not really Shite, at all. Until you add that supid porthole and comedy sweary stickers. And the baby's head towball cover made me LOL.

 

Proof that the ol' camera trigger finger's a bit out of practice. Almost missed this Tin Snail whizzing round a Telford roundabout.

 

Tidy 200 cabby. I used to think topless versions of 90's saloons were a bit low-rent, I must admit I quite fancy one these days. Approaching 50 is great.

 

Warhorse Hilux with back window made of perspex and Gaffa tape. Noiiiiice.

 

Another Hilux in altogether better condition. And check out them Scoots!

 

Very, very tidy 3-series Ovlov that hasn't yet been got at by the 'GR84DRIFTIN' brigade.

 

Poor old Civic hadn't got a straight panel left on it. Or an exhaust. Never mind, it's slammed so it must be cool.

 

Not Shite. But I liked it.

 

Very tidy 3-series cabby on the M5 this morning, blighted by flickering brake lights.

 

And lastly.....I had to share this. Followed me for a good few miles, eventually I couldn't resist the temptation and slowed down so he could blast past and give me the glorious symphony of 4-litres of A-M straight-six. GLORIOUS.

Made my bloody day, that did.

[Pete-M]

The Cortina's an LS - mega rare.. so much so I think that might be the only one left!

 

Friggin' gorgeous innit? I'd love to replace the XJR with a Cortina Ghia Estate.

[Guest]

Earlyish amber-indicatored 205 in one of the best colours Peugeot ever did them in IMHO.

 

I reckon that must be the same shade that's on my 305 (before the MOT tide mark).