Spotter's Log: Harpenden Classics On The Common

[STUNO]

Car snobbery . It is a fact of life everywhere, but one overriding fact separates the cars down here from the UK and Europe. No salt used on the roads. That means that cars etc last much longer than in UK . I find that cars on this forum from UK that are frilly shiteheaps are often still regarded as "prestige" here and normally totally intact. Therfore if you are not a car snob the old Toyota will last for years and parts are cheap too. Also , in NZ for most of it's history new cars were relatively rare and difficult to obtain, so most people drove whatever they could get and repair enough to keep it going. That has now changed and we can get whatever we want imported , new or used . So car snobbery is on the rise rapidly.My own siblingsme 1999 Nissan Laurel imported 2006 from Japansister 1 very wealthy ! in NZ 1989 Toyota Corolla liftback in UK until recently Volvo 340 and now a Rover of some sort but probably a 216sister 2 1991 Toyota Corolla 1.3 auto hatch bought new(horrible + slow)All of the NZ cars including the Laurel are totally corrosion free, the Volvo was needing some welding so it was given away.Hope that answers some questions !Jeez he does go on !!!

[KruJoe]

What a great new thread you've got yourself here, Mr EL!

It was a nice surprise to come back from a week in Bangkok to find this

and your pm (you have a reply, Rich)...

 

So many great pics, no one fave for me, but I particularly liked these five:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fantastic stuff!

 

A lot of these finds are similar to the kind of stuff we have here in

Thailand, especially those of a J-flavour. Delicious.

I'll do an update myself soon with the Bangkok spots...

 

Are there more to come? From other parts of the world? You went to more than just Oz, right...

 

Good work, sir!

[Electric Leyland]

Are there more to come? From other parts of the world? You went to more than just Oz, right...

Was meant to be in the States this week for work, however that got cancelled, so it was just Oz in the end. No more jaunts planned for the near future, so was thinking of delving into the archives to re-post some of the best of the ones that got lost in the great purge.

[Electric Leyland]

Nice sunny day yesterday, went for a very long wander around leafy London, Swiss Cottage thru Belsize Park to Camden, via the odd pub to break the journey up (its thirsty work). Again apologies for poor qual cameraphone pics, but worth sticking up nonetheless...

 

To start, nice original Mini..

 

Then a Renner 25

 

Cit BX

 

Getting well rare, Four Door Ion

 

Silly

 

Even sillier

 

Knackered old Civic Shuttle 4WD, pos fave spot of the day

 

 

Old Volvo up Primrose Hill

 

Proper Class, Alfa Romeo GT Veloce

 

 

Another Alfa, Spider

 

And Fiat 124 Spyder

[MrRegieRitmo]

Nice Spiders (Spyders), did you catch them on the fly??

[Electric Leyland]

Future tat, Alfa 164

 

Future tat 2 - Toyota Sera

 

 

Ford Mustang

 

Another one of these!

 

Driveby Mini

 

Driveby Cit CX

 

And finally, a bunch of recent rare randoms.

 

Rolls Phantom.

 

About time, as seen today, my first new Fiat 500 sighting

 

Cit XM near work

 

Alfa GTV in Leicester

 

A back yard in Knebworth

 

Rover SD1's in Stevenage

 

New Maserati, not seen this model before whatever it is

 

Mega cool old Cavalier at Clapham Common

 

And last but not least, thought I'd better put the Talbot Tagora on this thread too. My spot of the year to date, doubt it'll get better than this.

 

 

That's all for now.

[Electric Leyland]

Nice Spiders (Spyders), did you catch them on the fly??

And then put them on the web

[MrRegieRitmo]

Mustang is gorgeous!You'll only top the Tagora this year by getting to own it!

[Electric Leyland]

So, left for work this morning, as usual no time to spare cos train to catch, cycling like a graceless Lance Armstrong, pondering worriedly over this and that, when suddenly I pass a piece of kit which stops me dead in my tracks, an involuntary reaction I had no control over. Sod missing my train and being late for work, this baby needed a correct and proper photo. Of course in a disabled bay, often the case. Hence possibly modified, for the hard of seeing, 'twas outside Moorfields Eye Hospital....

 

An '82/83 Alfa Romeo Giulietta

 

And in top notch condition too!

 

This, and the sunny yet chilly weather, made me embark on my proud and primary, first of the season, proper blue sky spotting detour, on the cycle home after work, prior to the footy. Here's the results.

 

The Chaaaaaampioooooons

 

 

Tasty original VW van

 

And a natty camper version

 

Reliant Rialto

 

Citroen CX

 

And then a Cit CX Safari a couple of streets away!

 

What a find, it's a p reg Toyota Hiace, think it was badged a "Newlander"

 

Wolseley 1500

 

Skip and a truck, What is it?

 

Posh porker, love the original 911

 

Still not been bangered, a Granada

 

Stantard stock Saab

 

Suddenly went skew whiff with some building shite

 

Back temporarily on track with a Sherpa camper. Probably abandoned, parked up on some grass in the centre of a derelict council flats estate, most boarded up ready for demolition...

 

And check out this, ultimate Sid'n'Doris-mobile. Couple looked to be in retirement for sure, and ultra povo spec. One of 2 I saw drive past on this journey, didnt catch the chromed Y reg one. Or the knackered '78 T reg Fiesta, quite gutted they slipped through the net.

 

 

Loved this building and sign

 

Best till last ............ Chavalier:

 

Spotting Season 2008 is well underway. What tipple goes with it ideally? Porter? Single malt? Batchelors Cup-a-soup?

[retrogeezer]

Nice work there EL, are these houses or flats (read 'apartments') in the background? They look huge.

 

That white Cavalier is really nice and the black Porsche.

 

And I agree, nice building - like a mini Tate modern:

 

[reallyloud]

The truck look remarkably like a AEC/Leyland Mandator I think, as made by Matchbox. They used to be everywhere.The Alfa is an inspired find.

[Volksy]

is the Guilietta the one that a couple of people have spotted before? Looks familiar..If so great that its in daily use!

[seth]

I knowz where you are!

 

There used to be a tasty DS parked up that street opposite.

 

 

I've also been here!

 

 

Had some brass castings done by a firm in the yard opposite.

 

The new Fiat 500's have suddenly descended on this part of NW London. Seeing them regularly now.

[Spottedlaurel]

The 500's have even hit Norfolk! Takes a while for me to see anything new round these rural parts.Some great ones there, including the buildings - I like to think of all the proper work that used to go on in workshops and little factories/stores like that.

[mk2_craig]

is the Guilietta the one that a couple of people have spotted before? Looks familiar..If so great that its in daily use!

Indeedy! evidence HERE

[michiel]

God, how I love the shape of those Wolseley 1500/Riley 1.5's... must own one one day.

[MrRegieRitmo]

Isn't the lorry called an AEC Ergo?That Giulietta....1 car spotted by 3 separate spotters in the space of a few weeks, can't happen often! It's becoming a celebrity.

[mk2_craig]

 

This design of cab was dubbed Ergomatic, Leyland owned AEC by this time so the cab appeared on both company's products.

 

I prefer these though

 

 

They must be very few and far between now

[Torsten2001]

Obviously I'll take the 245 but the Wolseley 16/60 seriously floats my boat!

[Mash]

I really like this Cavalier

 

 

It's identical in every way to the one my grandad had, even T-reg (BKH 104T). He had it from a year old until he gave up driving. Neede a bit of welding underneath but still in fine fettle. It got a stay of execution for a couple of years but I eventually stumbled upon it languishing at the back of the local scrappie on a random visit. I really miss that car

[wuvvum]

About time, as seen today, my first new Fiat 500 sighting

 

Saw one of these on the Norwich ring road this evening. They're a nice looking little car. Surprisingly nippy too - the girl driving it decided she wanted a race and I had to take the poor old Alfasud nearly to the redline to stay ahead. Although the Sud is 30 years older and has 56cc less in a larger car so I suppose it did pretty well really. Anyway, the 500 is one of those cars that I might buy in six or seven years' time when the values have come down a bit - I can't see them holding their value as well as the Mini, Fiats never do.

[pogweasel]

500 was on the shopping list for 'Er Indoors but was discounted because of the headrests of all things. The Alfa must surely in the running for "MOST SPOTTED SHITE" award.

[mk2_craig]

Our local Fiat dealer (and it's a small outfit these days) has shifted soddin tons of these things, their forecourt is now chock-full of traded-in Coopers

[Richard]

Good. I've always said that the BMW MINI would go out of fashion very suddenly, I hope it's happened now. The most hateful car on the road by a country mile, I look forward to seeing them at the banger racing.

[retrogeezer]

and I had to take the poor old Alfasud nearly to the redline to stay ahead

Is that on the road now....cool!

[fotorabia]

Electric Leyland wrote:

As above

 

 

 

A gen-you-whine Holden HK sedan, aka the first Kingswood, and basis for the original Monaro.

 

...your nearly right..its actually a Brougham [that was based on the HK]..which went onto to become the Statesman...the other Holden based shite earlier in the thread was a Sunbird which flew out of the factory after the Torana which it effectively killed...Holden was never forgiven for that..theres a minty one locally here...with go faster crochet seat covers..

 

[MrRegieRitmo]

 

This design of cab was dubbed Ergomatic, Leyland owned AEC by this time so the cab appeared on both company's products.

 

I prefer these though

 

 

They must be very few and far between now

What does Ergomatic mean then, if anything?

 

Which are very few & far between? Well I know that the Ergo is, I'm not sure if I've ever seen one 'in the wild' outside of a show situation!

[Electric Leyland]

Right then, time for an update. Got quite a bit to wade through here.

 

First batch, and someone must know who's this cutie is. A Datsun 100A E10 Cherry.

 

 

 

 

Looooong pick up. Quite an old Mitsubishi L200, pre A plate maybe?

 

 

Loooong Merc. GR8 for budget airport fares.

 

Audi Cointreau

 

THis Capri's been tangoed. Love it.

 

Ford O'Rion

 

Not seen this one for ages, had to take another longering look. What a looker, Ford Cortina Mk II

 

 

If Autoshite opened a turf accoutants...

 

Shopshite

 

more to come

[Electric Leyland]

Nice early Beemer 1600 I think

 

And an 80s one

 

Loverly original condition Rover P4

 

Sure someone posted this one a while back, maybe Seth? I would just love this as a daily driver. An Elswick Envoy. Pure unadulterated Autoshite at its finest.

 

Nice old commercial. A Humber?

 

In the same street, a sky blue Merc

 

80s Athena poster at its finest. Lamborghini Countach

 

Surviving on a wing and a prairie

 

Coming home to watch Grange Hill, when Another Brick in the Wall was number 1. Nah its just some more lovely buildingshite

[Spottedlaurel]

Impressive stuff, the P5 and Cortina could've been 20-odd years ago. The Humber(?) van is an amazing old beast, can't imagine it's the nippiest thing in modern London traffic though?