Chancer Cabs.....goodbye LTI, hello new modern

[warren t claim]

8 minutes ago, chancer said:

That screenshot refers to the LEVC electric taxi. The VRS is an actual TX4 with the Gen4 system of Ford 2.5ltr petrol engine with LPG. Seems to be a good system

An alternative hackney powered by a Ford 2.5 ltr engine sounds a bit too Metrocab for my liking!

[warren t claim]

I'd be interested to know what the range is on the LPG cab.

[warren t claim]

3 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

I'd be interested to know what the range is on the LPG cab.

And are they manual or auto?

[chancer]

49 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

And are they manual or auto?

Auto boxes. 

https://www.vehiclerepoweringsolutions.com/new-cabs-for-sale

[0ldCh0d]

Here is the one I bought straight out of service in January 2020. 
A Tx1 with the old 2.7 Nissan lump.

It had done a nice low mileage of 419,366 miles.

It still had the meter in it. 
me & a mate brought it back from Edinburgh.

These are genuinely superb things & if anyone who is tempted to get one, I highly recommend you do. 
 

Superb old things, I am tempted to get another one.

[chancer]

12 hours ago, 0ldCh0d said:

Here is the one I bought straight out of service in January 2020. 
A Tx1 with the old 2.7 Nissan lump.

It had done a nice low mileage of 419,366 miles.

It still had the meter in it. 
me & a mate brought it back from Edinburgh.

These are genuinely superb things & if anyone who is tempted to get one, I highly recommend you do. 
 

Superb old things, I am tempted to get another one.

They are brilliant in their own special way. Nothing else feels or drives like them. 

Who did you manage to insure it with. Asking for a friend* 🤣

[warren t claim]

12 hours ago, 0ldCh0d said:

Here is the one I bought straight out of service in January 2020. 
A Tx1 with the old 2.7 Nissan lump.

It had done a nice low mileage of 419,366 miles.

It still had the meter in it. 
me & a mate brought it back from Edinburgh.

These are genuinely superb things & if anyone who is tempted to get one, I highly recommend you do. 
 

Superb old things, I am tempted to get another one.

Gold spec. Quite rare.

[0ldCh0d]

16 hours ago, warren t claim said:

Gold spec. Quite rare.

Really? I didn’t know that. I don’t have it now unfortunately (I kind of now regret selling it to be honest) 

Pardon my ignorance here, but do you know what Gold spec is? As in over a standard TX1 model? I didn’t know that it was quite rare until you said.

 

[0ldCh0d]

16 hours ago, chancer said:

They are brilliant in their own special way. Nothing else feels or drives like them. 

Who did you manage to insure it with. Asking for a friend* 🤣

At the time, I had my trader’s policy, which I just added it on to.

However, I think it would be relatively easy to insure it on a normal insurance policy.

[chancer]

Cab had its first FTP this morning. Temp gauges on the cars were showing -8°, cab refused to splutter into life. It was just about ready to go when i had sapped every CCA from the battery. Quick jump start from the Dacia and power was restored. Ran like a dream for the rest of the day. Ok, it took a good hour and a half to get up to temperature, but at least it was back up and running.....tomorrow morn to be colder again....jump leads are sitting waiting

[Mrcento]

9 hours ago, 0ldCh0d said:

However, I think it would be relatively easy to insure it on a normal insurance policy.

It's not. At least not now, in 2024, where even a sticker out of place in the ever tightening world of insurance = a firm NOPE from the run of the mill places.

Vast, vast majority of places will not touch a TX, Has to be specialist decommissioned cab insurance. I don't know for sure when this became a thing, because i'm absolutely sure you could stick one on a normal car policy a few years back, There's a couple of cabbies that live either end of my street that have had them up for sale when they've taken them out of service, and i'm 99.9% certain i've looked at them back then and was getting quotes fairly easy. Seem to remember they were fairly pricey for what they are, but certainly not out of the realms of realism either.

And the really weird thing is, i've looked at E7's before (the older spec Citroen Dispatch/Peugeot boxer ones based on the old Synergies etc) and could get insurance on them really easily and fairly cheaply through mainstream insurers (From memory, they wanted about £500 fully Comp around July 2023). They just treated them like the MPV version. Even though running the plate for the quote would come back as 'Peugeot E7'.

I just looked what it would be for one the other day (after reading the trouble LBF had trying to find anyone who would insure a TX4), and the identical car i tried to get insured on before and could with next to no bother, not a single insurer would touch now with a bargepole. Not even 'nope, but here's a stupid price to ensure you don't do it' price, not a single quote.

[0ldCh0d]

1 hour ago, Mrcento said:

It's not. At least not now, in 2024, where even a sticker out of place in the ever tightening world of insurance = a firm NOPE from the run of the mill places.

Vast, vast majority of places will not touch a TX, Has to be specialist decommissioned cab insurance. I don't know for sure when this became a thing, because i'm absolutely sure you could stick one on a normal car policy a few years back, There's a couple of cabbies that live either end of my street that have had them up for sale when they've taken them out of service, and i'm 99.9% certain i've looked at them back then and was getting quotes fairly easy. Seem to remember they were fairly pricey for what they are, but certainly not out of the realms of realism either.

And the really weird thing is, i've looked at E7's before (the older spec Citroen Dispatch/Peugeot boxer ones based on the old Synergies etc) and could get insurance on them really easily and fairly cheaply through mainstream insurers (From memory, they wanted about £500 fully Comp around July 2023). They just treated them like the MPV version. Even though running the plate for the quote would come back as 'Peugeot E7'.

I just looked what it would be for one the other day (after reading the trouble LBF had trying to find anyone who would insure a TX4), and the identical car i tried to get insured on before and could with next to no bother, not a single insurer would touch now with a bargepole. Not even 'nope, but here's a stupid price to ensure you don't do it' price, not a single quote.

Apologies in that case. I (wrongly as you have pointed out now) just thought it would be relatively straightforward to get normal insurance for the LTi TX vehicles.

 I do remember when I had the old TX1, I never had any problem or issues with my insurance company after I added it to my then insurance policy. 
it may have been the same as what you have just explained back in January 2020, with regards to it being nigh on impossible to get insurance for it on a normal standard insurance policy. However I don’t know as I had a trader’s policy back then.

Thank you for sharing & pointing that out, as I have a little itch for another one of these, but after reading your post, I’m not so sure now. 

[warren t claim]

On 17/01/2024 at 16:08, 0ldCh0d said:

Really? I didn’t know that. I don’t have it now unfortunately (I kind of now regret selling it to be honest) 

Pardon my ignorance here, but do you know what Gold spec is? As in over a standard TX1 model? I didn’t know that it was quite rare until you said.

 

Air Con, cloth seats and fake wood.

[grogee]

22 hours ago, chancer said:

Cab had its first FTP this morning. Temp gauges on the cars were showing -8°, cab refused to splutter into life. It was just about ready to go when i had sapped every CCA from the battery. Quick jump start from the Dacia and power was restored. Ran like a dream for the rest of the day. Ok, it took a good hour and a half to get up to temperature, but at least it was back up and running.....tomorrow morn to be colder again....jump leads are sitting waiting

I'm sure I've seen a few with some cardboard over the grille to help with warmup

[warren t claim]

20 minutes ago, grogee said:

I'm sure I've seen a few with some cardboard over the grille to help with warmup

Heritage feature M8.

[stuboy]

when i got with the missus the neighbour had 2 of the older taxis nad

[warren t claim]

Gotta love the TX4 MG6 unreliability contest!

[HMC]

On 17/01/2024 at 21:57, chancer said:

Cab had its first FTP this morning. Temp gauges on the cars were showing -8°, cab refused to splutter into life. It was just about ready to go when i had sapped every CCA from the battery. Quick jump start from the Dacia and power was restored. Ran like a dream for the rest of the day. Ok, it took a good hour and a half to get up to temperature, but at least it was back up and running.....tomorrow morn to be colder again....jump leads are sitting waiting

IIRC these can be quite prone to earthing issues with the battery . With mine i cleaned up the main lead connections and also added a couple more- which made mine crank more reliably in the cold.

[LightBulbFun]

22 hours ago, Mrcento said:

I just looked what it would be for one the other day (after reading the trouble LBF had trying to find anyone who would insure a TX4), and the identical car i tried to get insured on before and could with next to no bother, not a single insurer would touch now with a bargepole. Not even 'nope, but here's a stupid price to ensure you don't do it' price, not a single quote.

yep thats my experience so far, I have not even been able to get a £LOL quote, everyone just says "no"

 

from speaking to the insurance companies about it, its not so much been my details (although they obviously dont help matters!) but more just for whatever reason, all the underwriters have just stopped offering policies for decommissioned black cabs and in typical sods law fashion, it seems to be a really quite recent thing too

there where a number of insurance brokers who's websites proudly proclaimed "Decommissioned black cab insurance" or something to that effect, so I would call them up but get told

"oh yeah our underwriter pulled out of that market 2 weeks ago and we have yet to update the website"

*grumble grumble*

[chancer]

35 minutes ago, HMC said:

IIRC these can be quite prone to earthing issues with the battery . With mine i cleaned up the main lead connections and also added a couple more- which made mine crank more reliably in the cold.

Cheers. Had a look earlier, it had occasional issues when trying to start. Turns out the positive terminal was slightly loose. Been perfect ever since tightening the connections. Thats me a week into this now, it was pressed into service immediately, and it has just grown on me ever since. I absolutely love it

[chancer]

3 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

yep thats my experience so far, I have not even been able to get a £LOL quote, everyone just says "no"

 

from speaking to the insurance companies about it, its not so much been my details (although they obviously dont help matters!) but more just for whatever reason, all the underwriters have just stopped offering policies for decommissioned black cabs and in typical sods law fashion, it seems to be a really quite recent thing too

there where a number of insurance brokers who's websites proudly proclaimed "Decommissioned black cab insurance" or something to that effect, so I would call them up but get told

"oh yeah our underwriter pulled out of that market 2 weeks ago and we have yet to update the website"

*grumble grumble*

I think you would probably find it easier to insure a decommissioned black cab anywhere else in the world than London. I would expect the underwriters to get a bit twitchy in case you drove down Mayfair (can you even drive down there?) with the begging light on.....in your case i think location is working against you. Unfortunate really. Should you find yourself in Glasgow let me know, and I will let you have a quick pelt round a disused car park somewhere. Everyone should experience driving a proper cab one day...

[LightBulbFun]

Just now, chancer said:

I think you would probably find it easier to insure a decommissioned black cab anywhere else in the world than London. I would expect the underwriters to get a bit twitchy in case you drove down Mayfair (can you even drive down there?) with the begging light on.....in your case i think location is working against you. Unfortunate really. Should you find yourself in Glasgow let me know, and I will let you have a quick pelt round a disused car park somewhere. Everyone should experience driving a proper cab one day...

thanks I really do appreciate the offer! I very much do plan/want to visit Glasgow for

 

 

 

reasons..... 

 

 

 

so if I have not managed to blag one down south, and you still have yours or another by then, ill keep it in mind  

 

 

[chancer]

1 minute ago, LightBulbFun said:

reasons..... 

If you plan to visit the riverside museum to see a particular piece, i would gratefully ask you dont bring the wee blue fuckers into this thread 😉 

[warren t claim]

9 minutes ago, chancer said:

 Should you find yourself in Glasgow let me know, and I will let you have a quick pelt round a disused car park somewhere. Everyone should experience driving a proper cab one day...

I should have called in when I was in SW18.

[chancer]

1 minute ago, warren t claim said:

I should have called in when I was in SW18.

You got a job down to that London?? Jammy git

[warren t claim]

Just now, chancer said:

You got a job down to that London?? Jammy git

Do you own this TX?

[chancer]

Just now, warren t claim said:

Do you own this TX?

Short answer is no. It owns me 🤣

[LightBulbFun]

10 minutes ago, chancer said:

If you plan to visit the riverside museum to see a particular piece, i would gratefully ask you dont bring the wee blue fuckers into this thread 😉 

Hey you said it not me! 

 

as you can see I was explicitly careful not to say anything, after all we all know just how sensitive grown men are to certain shaped lumps of blue fibreglass...

gotta make sure we dont upset any delicate sensibilities here! 

 

10 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

I should have called in when I was in SW18.

the thought did cross my mind, would of been a good oppertunity to get up close and personal with one  

 

im not sure how a regular cabby would react if you hailed him or her off the street and said "heres £50 can I drive you cab around that car park over there for a bit?" 

 

soon after you did that trip mind, I found myself in the back of a cab with my family going to a family function we all got dragged out the house for, and so to pass the time of the ride, I was telling them of your story and explaining  your TX1.5 that was made up of collection of spare taxi parts driving in lose formation (explaining how it started out as TX2 ford engined example, but in time gained a FX4/TX1 Nissan engine and then a TX4 front end etc)

and the driver turned on the intercom and went "you sure do you know your cabs!"   

[warren t claim]

Just now, chancer said:

Short answer is no. It owns me 🤣

A man's relationship with a TX is rather like going to bed with a midget. If you're renting then that's like fucking a midget which is OK but owning a TX is like making love to a midget, and frankly sick.

[warren t claim]

2 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

Hey you said it not me! 

 

as you can see I was explicitly careful not to say anything, after all we all know just how sensitive grown men are to certain shaped lumps of blue fibreglass...

gotta make sure we dont upset any delicate sensibilities here! 

 

the thought did cross my mind, would of been a good oppertunity to get up close and personal with one  

 

im not sure how a regular cabby would react if you hailed him or her off the street and said "heres £50 can I drive you cab around that car park over there for a bit?" 

 

soon after you did that trip mind, I found myself in the back of a cab with my family and so I was telling them of your story and explaining  your TX1.5 that was made up of collection of spare taxi parts driving in lose formation (explaining how it started out as TX2 ford engined example, but in time gained a FX4/TX1 Nissan engine and then a TX4 front end etc)

and the driver turned on the intercom and went "you sure do you know your cabs!"   

I got given a Merseyside to Heathrow ages ago at the end of a ten hour shift. I knocked £50 off the fare if he'd drive some of the way.