Hiding in Suburbia

[seth]

With the Hillman not starting yesterday I walked to my mums, a route a I walk regularly. Passing the end of a local street, I looked up and about 100 yards up the road was an unfamiliar old car (ie. one I'd not seen before). Odd, its had no rear number plate. Walked up to it and around, No front plate either. Or Tax disc, and one rear tyre was flat and there was a wheel nut missing on the other side. There was a youngish chap working on the brickwork/lintel of the garage of the nearest house so I called across. He didn't really understand/speak English but I established from him that once he'd finished his job the car was going back into that garage.

 

 

 

 

The radial tyres suggest relatively recent use, and presumably it runs or they'd have had trouble pushing it up the drive (unless it was towed?) on to the street. I might have to pop a note in the door of the bungalow and see what the score is...

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Bloody hell, a Lowlife Minor. They're great aren't they?

[ashmicro]

That style of Minor is ace. There's a black one round here that always seems to evade my camera/phone. Looks a minter, and the owner's daily appears to be a black A35.

 

 

[Cavcraft]

Lowlights pretty rare now and that loks half decent. IIrc the really early ones had a join in the front bumper because the cars were widened slightly. I love these cars, I know there has some 'anti' on here about them but can't see any wrong in them personally.

[Split_Pin]

I've never seen one of these on the road. Its my favourite style of Minor.

I wonder why they are so much rarer than the 1000 models?

[seth]

I've never seen one of these on the road. Its my favourite style of Minor.

I wonder why they are so much rarer than the 1000 models?

 

Because they have pre-war sidevalve engines and didn't make them for long. I can imagine by the mid 60's they were very much worthless old bangers when you could have picked up a slightly newer A series powered one.

[autofive]

hope no one has raped the reg plate

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I've never seen one of these on the road. Its my favourite style of Minor.

I wonder why they are so much rarer than the 1000 models?

 

Because they have pre-war sidevalve engines and didn't make them for long. I can imagine by the mid 60's they were very much worthless old bangers when you could have picked up a slightly newer A series powered one.

 

Indeed. I have a 1969 copy of AA Drive mag, and there's a feature on car recycling. There's a photo of Mrs Barnett washing her 1955 Series 2, and another set of pics of it in a Willsden scrapyard being divested of wheels and then dropped into a hammer fragmentation plant.

It had failed the MOT on chassis rot, and the old dear weighed it in and bought a new Minor 1000.

[trigger]

Those MM Minors are a good looking car, They just look so right, There's a chap on RR that retro fitted the front end of a MM to his later model that looks ORSUM.

[dollywobbler]

Cor, what a find! They are lovely. Not had chance to drive a sidevalve one but the Series II has comedic low gearing - like driving my Land Rover in low box!

[Polystratus]

Worth investigating, it may not have the original side valve engine in though, could have a later engine. Always thought these were the best looking Minors, the soft top version is very sought after.

 

Shame they had to revise the design, due to some American regulation concerning the height of the headlamps?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

Shame they had to revise the design, due to some American regulation concerning the height of the headlamps?

 

Yes. Issigonis was furious apparently as he styled the Minor himself and hated the raised headlamps.

 

Lord Nuffield desribed the original Minor as 'a poached egg'.

[chaseracer]

I have a 1969 copy of AA Drive mag, and there's a feature on car recycling. There's a photo of Mrs Barnett washing her 1955 Series 2, and another set of pics of it in a Willsden scrapyard being divested of wheels and then dropped into a hammer fragmentation plant.

It had failed the MOT on chassis rot, and the old dear weighed it in and bought a new Minor 1000.

I remember that! Wasn't it set on fire to burn out the interior before fragging, and Mrs.B shed a poetic tear?

 

Are you able to scan & post?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I have a 1969 copy of AA Drive mag, and there's a feature on car recycling. There's a photo of Mrs Barnett washing her 1955 Series 2, and another set of pics of it in a Willsden scrapyard being divested of wheels and then dropped into a hammer fragmentation plant.

It had failed the MOT on chassis rot, and the old dear weighed it in and bought a new Minor 1000.

I remember that! Wasn't it set on fire to burn out the interior before fragging, and Mrs.B shed a poetic tear?

 

Are you able to scan & post?

 

Will do it on the morrow. No, it wasn't set on fire.......there was another DRIVE article in 1974 about abandoned cars and how pikeys used to torch them and come back the next day. They photographed an early 2CV being burnt out, and also found a 1965 C reg Jaguar S Type dumped in a London back street. Before long, that was piked of front wheels, bits of trim etc before being towed away by the Caancil. It was only 9 years old.

 

How many 2002/2003 S Types would you see abandoned now?

[Angrydicky]

That does look a lovely example. There is a tidy black Lowlight that I've seen around Southend on a few occasions

 

I bet someone's had the number off that one though

[Negative Creep]

hope no one has raped the reg plate

 

 

 

And the tax disc............

[Minimad5]

Great find.

That reminds me of the black one i spotted local, wonder if it is still about

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Great find.

That reminds me of the black one i spotted local, wonder if it is still about

 

Facelift Series 2 - nice. Split screen, high cut out rear wings and the Minor 1000 grille and dash - ideal.