Intriguing Juxtaposition

[RoadworkUK]

When cruising the mean streets of North Essex, I chanced upon one of those old garages that you occasionally find, the sort where the proprieter opens up when he fancies it, where undoubtably much tinkering occurs, where work is only carried out on your car if he likes you.

 

As I stopped for a parked bus, a metallic glint caught my eye. I only had a chance to collect one shot of what it was.

 

 

And with a little zoom:

 

 

I first noticed the '90s AC Ace. I'd never seen one on the road before, let alone seen one languishing on a grimy forecourt that looked like it hadn't been open in months. The AC didn't look like it had moved anywhere recently.

 

I also noticed the XR2 and recentish Golf with the same reg. I assume the Fester is dead, which makes its proximity to the Ace even more notable. The house had a pair of heavily decayed XJ40s outside, obscured by the Mondeo.

[CIH]

TBH I thought that was a 'kitted MX5....

[chaseracer]

TBH I thought that was a 'kitted MX5....

Me too!

[kevin 900]

I like the man on the forecourt made out of Exhausts & other shite!

[Vinylseats]

I like the man on the forecourt made out of Exhausts & other shite!

 

That's what I originally thought we were supposed to be looking at.

[CreepingJesus]

I like the man on the forecourt made out of Exhausts & other shite!

 

Second that. It's like some kind of automotive dystopian nightmare: dead cars, watched over by an absurdly friendly watchman made of...car spares!

Good spot, on the AC tho'; I thought they were mythical. It does look a bit like an MX-5 with a Halfords rear light kit.

[dollywobbler]

Is it wrong that I was more interested in the Fiesta?

[Lord Sterling]

The plate being on that Fiesta is just ace. I remember seeing an old Merc W124 driven by an old lady around Cradley Heath with a similarly digited number plate.

[RoadworkUK]

...I thought they were mythical. It does look a bit like an MX-5 with a Halfords rear light kit.

 

It does somewhat, I seem to remember the motoring press being fairly underwhelmed by them throughout the '90s.

[Pete-M]

...I thought they were mythical. It does look a bit like an MX-5 with a Halfords rear light kit.

 

It does somewhat, I seem to remember the motoring press being fairly underwhelmed by them throughout the '90s.

 

LJKS was a big fan. Probably due to the lack of anti roll bars.

[Gompo]

Great spot with the Ace, I did suspect it from the zoomed out pic. I've never knowingly seen one in the metal.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

LJKS was a big fan. Probably due to the lack of anti roll bars.

 

Blimey - I was reading his road test of the ugly looking turd today! CAR, December 1993.

[RoadworkUK]

Blimey - I was reading his road test of the ugly looking turd today! CAR, December 1993.

 

Damnit. I really ought to have started reading CAR earlier than age 12. Missed that by about three months. Inexcusable.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I started buying it around 1984. The one I remember most of all was the one I bought and read in the forecourt of Allens garage in Tadley, November 1987.

 

SETRIGHT DECIDES........his four car shootout between the new 750iL, Jaguar Sovereign V12, Mercedes 560SEL and the Bentley Mulsanne.

At the time they added up to a quarter of a million quids worth. The first three will most likely have been weighed in, and the Bentley is worth 4/5 of fuck all as well - £6000 if it's decent. Probably some old smoker with an Irish plate 'doing a bit of wedding work'.