Old Mr Ingrams Pride And Joy.

[boobydoo]

Sunday was quite an exciting day for me as another car was added to the ever growing fleet of chod at Booby Towers.

 

I'm afraid it's another Talbot story so I WILL understand if you 'tut' and move on!

 

The car in question was listed on ebay twice but didn't get any bids, so I thought a quick call to the seller with a cheeky.....

 

 

.... bid would be worth my while!

 

It seems that the car was owned by 71 year old Mr Ingram from Wigston near Leicester. He had bought the car new in 1981, having part-exchanged an Austin Allegro, but had now pretty much given up driving, having covered just 45,000 miles in 30 years. The car was taxed and MOT'd til the end of the year and described as immaculate.

 

So I trotted 60 odd miles up the M1 to view the car, looking forward to having a chat with old Mr Ingram about 30 years of Talbot ownership!

Unfortunately, Old Mr Ingram who was a lovely chap, was deaf and very difficult to understand so he had a friend to 'sign' for him.

 

Initial impressions were good. Seat covers on from new. Maybe a birthday present from his old dear?

 

 

It was obvious that Old Mr Ingram was a very fastidious owner.

Tape on the door sills to prevent scuffs!

 

 

Immaculate engine bay!

 

 

I was assured that the wheels had never been painted in 30 years...just the odd touch in!! I was gobsmacked!

 

 

Ooo-errr! I'M TRIPPIN'!!!........ Oh no it's ok. Just some of Old Mr Ingrams 1960s lounge carpet protecting the mats!!

 

 

..and a bit of bedroom carpet on the rear window sill!! And just look at the rear seat cover! Nice touch is the original dealer sticker.

 

 

It soon became obvious that the car was too good to pass up so the deal was done!

 

Here I am with Old Mr I, who I'm sure must have been sad to see his beloved car go.

 

 

The journey home saw the car running beautifully, but after about 10 miles the oil light came on so a stop at Watford Gap Services was in order.

 

 

A little top up was required! The filler was in a right awkward place!

 

 

When I got home, i just had time to 'de-Ingram' the car. What horrors would I find underneath the old carpets and seat covers?

 

Oooh! Nice!!!

 

 

Cor! Minty rear seats!

 

 

Front seats were hardly worn aswell!

 

Unbelievably, there isn't a single 'Old Giffer' scrape on the bumpers...and no, I haven't polished them!

 

 

I have to say there isn't a spec of rust anywhere on the car!

 

 

I took these photos at home not having even washed the car. Old Mr I really did keep it immaculate!

 

 

I must say i think I got a little gem here. When I think what I spent restoring the red Alpine...this was a fraction of the cost!

All the spare keys and original keyrings are present plus original handbook.

 

I shall enjoy pootling about in this!

[eddyramrod]

That, sir, is the dictionary definition of Gorgeous! Well found, I can't believe how envious I'm feeling about a family-spec FWD French car!

[RoadworkUK]

An astonishing survivor, as giffer as giffer can be.

 

Hats off to Mr Ingram. Well done sir.

[TagoraSX]

Very nice

[dollywobbler]

Beautiful! Though I hope you haven't thrown the seat covers and carpet away. I think they added a nice touch!

[Morgan84]

You would have loved the 85 GLS I persuaded my dad to get rid of,only had 7156 miles from new.It suffered a slight bump on the nose,but if I ever dig up photo's of it,I will post them.

[trigger]

How do you manage to finding these gems Tony?! that is remarkable! No wonder you happy with it!

[Morgan84]

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=talbot ... 80&bih=717

 

Thats the twin of the one my dad had.I know its gone ( I wasn't sad as I didn't like the colours ),but is a Solara GLS Auto with 7k on the clock really that desirable ? With the light front end damaged done ( which would have been undetectable to most ),it would have been almost as clean as the day it was new.All electric windows worked,and the velor seats looked as if never sat on.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

What!!!!! That is KILLAH!

 

How do these old boys do it, I just don't understand. If you gave me a brand spanking new Audi A3 and I took maximum humanly possible care with it all week, when i gave it back it would be in far worse condition than that.

 

Booby man, you are the ultimate Talbot pleasure-seeker. When you get an urge for some hot torsion bar/chattery tappet action, you just kick right back and drop da bomb. Time and again you have moved the game right on without even trying, while the supposed movers and shakers of the shite industry are mucking about a bunch of half-pissed women in a nightclub toilet.

[boobydoo]

Beautiful! Though I hope you haven't thrown the seat covers and carpet away. I think they added a nice touch!

 

Errr....they're in a skip!

[George-Roper]

Surprised that the dealer is still there but Rover and Hyundai now

http://www.bishopandbishop.co.uk/

[Cavcraft]

Jesus wept, that's absolutely ace. So nice to see totally original cars like this, especially in this condition. Bloody brilliant work sir.

[boobydoo]

You would have loved the 85 GLS I persuaded my dad to get rid of,only had 7156 miles from new.It suffered a slight bump on the nose,but if I ever dig up photo's of it,I will post them.

 

Indeed I would, Morgan!

[Alexg]

WHAT!? ITS OUT OF THE BLOODY BOX!!!!

 

Outstanding, and a pleasure to behold. Dare I ask what you shelled out?

[dollywobbler]

Beautiful! Though I hope you haven't thrown the seat covers and carpet away. I think they added a nice touch!

 

Errr....they're in a skip!

 

Bother! That's it ruined now then. I'll halve what I was going to offer you.

[Lord Sterling]

Wow, simpy wow! That is absolutely outstanding. My jaw is on the floor

 

I absolutely love stuff like this. I used to see cars with horrid bedroom/hall carpet and think it looked crap, but now I understand why.

 

I'm kind of becoming like that myself. I'm not much good at keeping cars absolutely pristine as per Mr Ingram, but I do find myself doing old giffer stuff like covering the original drivers floor mat in the Micra with a generic one and covering the drivers seat (after I'd cleaned it) with a seat cover.

 

My old Rover 827Si came along with bedroom/bathroom carpet/mats.

 

You really must keep that car in the condition it has become accustomed to.

[Vin]

WOW. As has been said. How on earth do these old boys keep them box fresh for so long

[Lord Sterling]

He must have had another 'daily' car for sure and kept this honey on the garage only taking it out on dry days etc...?

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

 

Seriously those uncovered carpets and seats are amazing. What a stunning car.

[boobydoo]

He must have had another 'daily' car for sure and kept this honey on the garage only taking it out on dry days etc...?

 

It was genuinely his only car.

His house was immaculate too....and his garden! It was like stepping back to the 1960s. He had one of those old calendars with the little kittens in a basket and funny plazzie flowers in the kitchen!

 

A true Gentleman, he was!

[25v6turbo]

What a stunner,that is simply stunning a real gem,look after it i,am sure you will....

I found a Y reg Horizon dumped in a driveway in my town today,will try to find out more shortly,not sure what model it is though.

[andrew e]

That is soooooo clean Mr Ingram must have been a retired contract killer. Probably only got away it all these years due to crimewatch never being able to source solaras for reconstructions.

 

As an aside, I'm sure those beige seat covers are dead spit for the set me and my dad thought would be ideal Christmas gift for mother E in 1984. Nobody laughed at our beige fiesta popular in 1985.

[mnde]

I'm SERIOUSLY impressed, that is jaw-droppingly amazing... again!

 

Hmm... I'm driving up to Hitchin either Friday evening or Saturday morning to drop off my GSA at Chevronics... P'raps a detour might be in order?

 

Mark.

[fiatdaft]

That is so lovely,i'd be scared to use it though!

[wuvvum]

That has to be the cleanest Solara I have ever seen. U R TEH KING OV SHITE.

[RobT]

Old boys like Mr Ingrams are national treasures - how else would us lot get hold of cars as good as these You've done well there!

[Lord Sterling]

It was genuinely his only car.

His house was immaculate too....and his garden! It was like stepping back to the 1960s. He had one of those old calendars with the little kittens in a basket and funny plazzie flowers in the kitchen!

 

A true Gentleman, he was!

 

This.

 

Honestly, this is how I really want to be, sadly I'm not. I hate my garden, my calenders (If I ever have any) would consist of cars/women and my cars are generally dirty/not working and live out on the street

 

Where did it all go wrong?

[warren t claim]

I'm massively impressed with your abilities to sniff out megashite.

 

If we had a Top Gear style "Shite Wall" your collection would be beyond sub zero!

[RoadworkUK]

 

Where did it all go wrong?

 

The modern era happened. I blame Channel 4.

 

[/practicing for gifferage]

[flat4alfa]

My word!

 

Is that going along to Harpenden tomorrow, then??