RWUK's Roadside Rammle: Cadillac STS in the wild

[RoadworkUK]

Good work!

 

Untaxed since '07. Wonder if it's still out there?

[CreepingJesus]

In use as a boat crane at Pinn Mill; it's enormous and wonderful and I don't know what it is. Scammel?

 

 

 

Hydrocon Hebridean. Took me a while to track it down, but there's the answer. Surprised Eddy hasn't found one: apparently there's plenty on Cyprus (and Malta), where the H+S laws are a little more generous...

[RoadworkUK]

I haven't the first idea how you worked that out, but well done! I think it's awesome. I love the relationship between the doors and wheelarches. And that windscreen.

[eddyramrod]

Actually I'm also quite surprised I haven't found one, but in my defence: I'm not in an industrial area, Paphos is more of a holiday town. If I lived in Limassol or Nicosia then there might be more chance. Limassol is a shite hotbed, I know that already, and Nicosia has a bit of a reputation too, although I haven't visited yet.

[CreepingJesus]

There's an engineering works nearby, has an 70's Hydrocon in their yard - they're true plant-shiteists btw - and I'd kinda forgotten about it, until it your pic and that crane clicked together just there.

The cab was all their own work, hence the odd design; but it should have a 'Clansman' complete with kilt and claymore in each of the raised circles on the cab front. And a red tartan interior!

Given that Chris' one here, and the couple of other pics I found were/are in boatyards, that may be where to go hunting, Eddy!

[pompei]

really enjoyed all those pics, thanks for posting!

[RoadworkUK]

This week myself and Nicola have been in Southwold. The Great Wenham Steam fair was happening just a few miles away, and promised all manner of fabulous old tat, plus glorious dinosaurs going Puff-Puff-Puff, etc. with Wesley from Last Of The Summer Wine / Fred Dibnah types with coal on their faces. Terrific stuff.

 

So we didn't go.

 

Instead we spent our morning on this:

 

 

Doing this:

 

(Don't know how to embed).

 

'Twas a late birthday present from my more aesthetically pleasing half, three hours doughnutting, jumping, watching seals and looking at wind farms. And it was awesome.

 

I still have shite to offer you, though, such as this smashing Escrote seen on the A12;

 

 

I have absolutely no idea what trim level we have here; it's basic and old enough to be a Bonus '90, but has green bumper inserts which look like factory issue, and no specific decals. Still, a surprising survivor.

 

 

This was an absolutely lovely AC; not shite in any way whatsoever, but lovely.

 

 

As was this Alvis. On the Promenade in Southwold. Seemed fitting.

 

But then again this Vento was also in Southwold, the cheap end of town. Looks average enough from over here, but;

 

 

All four wheelarches were like this. Evidence of wob over wob over wob. Ruff. Just how we like 'em.

 

Our campsite was mildly odd; among the guest was this thoroughly winning dual-Fronterror family.

 

 

Check the fuck out of that spare wheel-cover.

It was also home to the caravan that time forgot;

 

 

As well as the single most pikeworthy caravan I ever have seen.

 

 

A pleasant weekend was had by both.

[eddyramrod]

we spent our morning on this:

 

 

Hands to boarding stations, XO, let's get a RHIB in the water....

Sorry, been watching Sea Patrol on telly.... Australian naval soap FTW!

 

 

the single most pikeworthy caravan I ever have seen.

 

 

Nah, that's nothing, I've been inside one of their real stainless-and-crystal jobbies, and inside was exactly as OTT as outside. They kept it as their "front room," ie the best room, that nobody ever goes into. The family lived in a regular 20-footer and a couple of tourers.

[Albert Ross]

AC Greyhound. In my top ten cars.... Nice colour too!

[barrett]

AC Greyhound. In my top ten cars.... Nice colour too!

 

Yep! I'd take one of these over an Ace or even a Cobra in an instant. a true gentleman's carriage and quite brilliantly handsome.

[RoadworkUK]

 

Nah, that's nothing, I've been inside one of their real stainless-and-crystal jobbies, and inside was exactly as OTT as outside.

 

I mean the pikiest I've seen apart from actual pikey caravans!

[RoadworkUK]

Right, what have we here then?

 

Went on a nice walk along the Deben at from Woodbridge. Wasn't long before we passed this:

 

 

...which has been out to pasture for a good while. Not far from:

 

 

A good few BXs being cultivated in a garden, with other assorted shite ready for the pickin'.

 

 

Nearby 900 Turbo Vert, I've well got the horn for one of these one day, 'specially since that fit bird drove one in High Fidelity.

 

 

The crane I posted went down well with all you industrial hardware enthusiasts, so here's another one. No idea what it is, but I like the colour.

 

 

This is a fire appliance. Other than that I know nothing about it. If any of you are interested in old ex-navy bits like old MTBs and stuff, there's a healthy selection of them all the way up the Deben, many of them sporting ultra-unsympathetic houseboat conversions.

 

 

Right. Cars. This one's a Vauxhall Carlton Diplomat, seen outside a dubious car Hi-Fi shop on the A12 around Redbridge....

 

 

...not far from where this neglected XJ6 sits looking sorry for itself, wondering what it did so wrong. The clamp indicates that somebody wants to keep it, though, which is nice.

 

 

Saab 900, two-door. Quite nice but displaying rubbish lane discipline. If it's anybody on here; sorry, but you have rubbish lane discipline.

 

 

Allegro in British Racing Sludge. My co-pilot was too late on the shutter to catch it properly and may face disciplinary proceedings.

 

 

Here's a Triumph. It was on the A130 from Southend. I think it's quite pleasant.

 

 

Here's a Starlet. It isn't particularly pleasant, but I don't recall seeing one around for a while.

 

 

This Carina isn't my cup of tea, either, but it's nice to see it knocking about.

 

 

This IS pleasant. Wondrously shabby DS not far from London Victoria.

 

 

Not it's best angle, like looking at the underneath of a Lobster.

 

 

THREE photos of this one! The better for recording its fabulous shambolicness.

 

 

Parked next to this Moggy, which must be fun to nip around Westminster in, making flatulent exhaust noises all the while.

 

 

And this Alfa 33 sat not far away, resplendent in Pogweasel Pink.

 

 

Speaking of which, the OMG JAYWICK meet began with me parking next to this, which I was disappointed to find didn't belong to any of us lot.

 

 

This is a fairly regular sight, round my way.

 

 

No doubt owned by a "loveable eccentric".

 

 

Shite Rider lives in Kelvedon, Essex. Poor mans Toyota Supra, but I still likey.

 

 

Visited a customer in a leafy part of Watford, with this parked opposite. If it wasn't for my sheer professionalism in the field I would very likely have rubbed one out.

 

 

Mean, moody, magnificent 480 seen on the A12 heading SARF.

 

 

And I'll leave you with what may well be the worst photo everyones ever put on Autoshite, an RS1600i I stealthily photo'd outside McDonalds in Weeley, because there were some youths nearby who may have chastised me for not being street enough.

 

Toodlepip.

[trigger]

Great stuff as always Earl!, That Allegro is a VDP 1500 and lives up the road from me, I often see it about, The Trans Am in Kelvedon is another one i keep meaning to snap, The houses it parks outside used to be a garage called M&M Motors until it got flattened, They used to always have a nice selection of old crod about the back with flat tyres, Normally old Rover's IIRC and opposite there was a little private taxi comany in the 80's and 90's where a old lady called Winnie use to drive her electric blue Renault 11 everywhere as a taxi.

 

I've never been to Woodbridge properly, I driven through it but never stopped which is bad seeing that the town is less than a 20 minute drive from mine, I really must take the wife and the dog for a walk down there one day.

[eddyramrod]

 

The crane I posted went down well with all you industrial hardware enthusiasts, so here's another one. No idea what it is, but I like the colour.

 

 

This is a fire appliance. Other than that I know nothing about it.

 

The fire appliance is an AEC (pretty sure Dinky made a similar model in the 60s) and the crane is wearing a Foden grille, though I concede that might not mean much.

 

The Triumph would be a lot more pleasant if it wore the correct number plates. Silver on black not only looks wrong on a Mk2, it's illegal given the age of the car. He should be pulled over and given three points. [/concours Nazi]

[Craig the Princess]

The Triumph would be a lot more pleasant if it wore the correct number plates. Silver on black not only looks wrong on a Mk2, it's illegal given the age of the car. He should be pulled over and given three points. [/concours Nazi]

 

The illegal number plate thing annoys the shit out of me too, much to the annoyance of my wife after my 8th rant of the subject in a weekend.

[RoadworkUK]

The Triumph would be a lot more pleasant if it wore the correct number plates. Silver on black not only looks wrong on a Mk2, it's illegal given the age of the car. He should be pulled over and given three points. [/concours Nazi]

 

The illegal number plate thing annoys the shit out of me too, much to the annoyance of my wife after my 8th rant of the subject in a weekend.

 

That's a good point. In fact, usually stuff like that, where somebody's done something illegal to their car "'cos it looks good, innit" annoys the bejezus out of me. Things like having blue sidelight bulbs (why?!) or those crap eBay xenon "conversions" that scatter blue light all all over the place 'cos the lense geometry is all wrong, or illegally spaced plates with crappy typefaces, or square, off-centre, JDM YO look numberplates on Japanese stuff that's never been outside Swindon.

 

But the incorrect use of black and white plates has slipped me by.

 

It shall annoy me from hence forth.

[George-Roper]

Cars like that Triumph with the wrong plates are referered to as "Trigger Spec"

[barrett]

JDM YO look numberplates on Japanese stuff that's never been outside Swindon.

 

Is that illegal? Lots of cars came from the factory with space only for a square 'plate (granted, it was usually at the back...) and the off-centre bit certainly isn't. All the other stuff you mention is certainly worthy of derision, annoyance and possibly physical acts of violence towards the perpetrator but I can't say I've ever been bothered by square 'plates before. Then again, I am down with the kids and totally part of the JDM scene, dawg, so I may be biased in that respect.

 

Cars like that Triumph with the wrong plates are referered to as "Trigger Spec"

 

YES. This is excellent.

[RoadworkUK]

JDM YO look numberplates on Japanese stuff that's never been outside Swindon.

 

Is that illegal? Lots of cars came from the factory with space only for a square 'plate...

 

Ah, but I mean cars which originally came with a rectangular plate but have this removed, the aperture filled and a replacement plate nailed to the rear bumper, often with no illumination. And sometimes they don't even bother filling the old aperture, which looks doubly stupid. I saw this procedure on a Saxo t'other night.

[eddyramrod]

Ahem...

Mini scene YO; and what's worse, I did that! Deliberately too! I would do it again if I needed to replace the plates on something I thought it would suit, for whatever reason. I nearly did on the Granada! Certainly the A40 is in for the same, if it ever gets finished.

[RoadworkUK]

You know I'll let you get away with anything, you'll be too busy drinking Keo brandy sours to care, anyway! No jealousy over here... none whatsoever!

[eddyramrod]

too busy drinking Keo brandy sours to care

 

Good of you to say that, but... I've been alcohol-free for years. Cold bottle of choice = full-fat Pepsi I'm not a recovering alcoholic, there's no medical element in the decision: I simply decided I didn't like the way it made me feel after surprisingly few; didn't like the taste; and would rather be driving anyway, that and drink being fatally exclusive. [/pomposity mode off... temporarily]

[trigger]

I like the sound of "Trigger" spec! but in my defence my car is at least the right year to have black and silver plates!

[eddyramrod]

Black and silver is the plan for the A40 too, being an older design it will work. The Kadett works for the same reason. The Granada actually had them when I bought it!

I thought they looked wrong so I went for white/yellow, much more appropriate even though it's old enough.

Strangely, although my Capri also had black plates, I never wanted to change them.

[RoadworkUK]

 

Okay, it's not exactly tasteful, but I wish mine had looked like this when I was 17. Fanny magnet or what?

 

 

Desrves another look. Rally foglights FTW! I'd lower it. I'd love one of these with a VTEC conversion, yo.

 

Anyway, what else we got? Well, I've got some startlingly poorly focussed stuff for you; the 12 MP camera on my fairly hopeless Sony Ericsson is probably the best phone cam I've ever known, but sometimes I take liberties. If i'm some distance from my target I'll take a shot and then rely on cropping the image down to just the car and not the panorama of scenery it sits amidst. Unfortunately the end result often ends up with too much digital noise and iffy focussing. Case in point:

 

 

This WELL FIT E28. This would otherwise have been quite an awesome photo. If only I'd had the Nikon.

 

 

More low-kwal photojism, here's a "on my list of car's I'd love but will never own" Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo. In Correct Blue.

 

 

And a Toyota Corolla. The Frinton streets used to teem with these things, with Coronation Toyota stickers on them.

 

 

Utterly mingebag Bluebird. An extra-ordinary scrapyard escapee;

 

 

Check out the "Patina" including "that'll do" aerial. It's been loved. More or less.

 

What would you carry in your Mk4 Astra Estate? Three enormous bongo drums?

 

 

 

This will be familiar to anybody who made it to the infamous Jaywick run. It's a heap of awesomeness, crammed full of dirty mattresses. Very likely has an enormous V8 lurking deep inside. Can't imagine it being anything other than scrappie-bound.

 

 

This Jetta doesn't seem to have fallen into scene hands yet.

 

 

Nor has this early 'scort Cab. Lovely on cloverleaf telephone dial alloys. I miss interesting wheels.

 

 

Charade Saloon! Can't remember when I last saw one of these. Mingebagmungous with a missing trim, too.

I'll leave you with this;

 

 

Yep, I love it too, with DIY driving lights, suspiciously DIY looking paint and those lovely spindly wheels.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Great great great!!! I love that jetta, i would be all over that if I saw it on the roadside! I would love to have a proper close look at it before it gets scrapped/ebayd and slammed.

[RoadworkUK]

Aaaand part two.

 

No "hilarious" â„¢ comments as it's way past my bedtime. I'll leave it up to you to decide my order of preference for the following. (Clue: Fiat Panda Colour Special Edtion trumps all else)

 

 

Thank you and goodnight.

[Cavcraft]

@ 'Mingebagmungous'

 

That red Capri looks mega, though the exhaust would have to be binned in favour of something more subtle.

 

 

{pedant mode/Astra estate is a Mk3, not a Mk4/pedant mode}

[RoadworkUK]

 

{pedant mode/Astra estate is a Mk3, not a Mk4/pedant mode}

 

Balls. I knew that really. Can't count.

[Futuramic]

 

You appear to have outdone yourself. Where exactly is that? I might have to take a drive out there.

 

Appears to be a Winnebago style body on a purpose built chassis. Those things had a fearsome spec when new. Better than most English houses in 1980. As for the engine it's probably a de-tuned 455 Chevy connected to a three speed auto. That would be worth DOLLAR. Some of the later ones had Cummins diesels; but I'd guess at that being petrol. Nothing but a big block was strong enough in those days.