345DL's shite spottings

[345DL]

Hi all

 

I thought I would collect together some of the shite that I have spotted and photographed recently. I hope you enjoy.

 

Went on holiday to Cornwall, and on the way back, we stopped in the Haynes Motor Museum just off the A303. There wasn't much there for the shite enthusiast, although these three did pique my interest:

 

Daf 44 (a grandfather to my Volvo 345)

 

A povvo spec mk4 Cortina. I loved this, as it's the super rare 2-door version, and even has a tacky wind guard on the driver's window. I couldn't see the back to see what it was badged, but my trusty 1978 Ford All-Models brochure confirms that it's the base model 'Saloon'.

 

This is an interesting prototype for a Rover SD1 estate. It looks very handsome.

 

A lovely little Citroen AX spotted in Cambridge. This is very early, and I'm amazed it's still going. The DVLA confirms it was registered 31 October 1988, so nearly 23 years old! According to my 1987 Citroen AX brochure, the 11RE is the third model up in the range (out of 5), and it would have cost the princely sum of £5049.36 (or £5193.88 for a 5-speed). I'm very tempted to put a card under the wiper!

 

A nice E-reg mini which seems out of place in the Waitrose car park in Menai Bridge, until I tell you that it was a co-op until about a year ago, so I think the mini's driver didn't want to change their shopping destination!

 

This D-reg 740 saloon has been standing in my friends' garden since 2003. I have had a quick look underneath, and apart from some minor rust near the rear wheelarches, it seems unscathed. Good old Volvo durability!

 

VW Polo mk2, this was my friends' aunt's car, but now their father uses it to pootle to the next village and back almost daily.

 

I went for a brief holiday to Germany a couple of months ago, and came across these beauties in Berlin:

 

Opel Astra in quite decent condition. I like 2-door estates, they seem so pointless!

 

Opel Astra in terrible condition! You can't quite see in this picture, but the steering wheel is sprayed pink, and the driver's door card is actually black gaffer tape. Lovely.

 

Ford Orion, inexplicably full to the brim with empty plastic bottles! It's on French plates too, so come a fair way to get to Berlin.

 

Nice mk2 Fiesta.

 

We also visited the Volkswagen museum in Wolfsburg. I would thoroughly recommend it, and the more glamorous Autostadt nearby. This was one of the most interesting things in the Autostadt, an Audi 50. Can't be many of these left now!

 

This 1985 Orion was absolutely immaculate, and spotted in Norwich (only on my phone camera, hence poor quality, sorry)

 

This Polo was in my local Tesco car park in Cambridge. I think every panel was a different shade of faded red, but the bad phone photo doesn't quite capture the true awfulness.

 

I think that's about it for now, although I may delve back further into history on my computer and drag up some more.

[barrett]

That early Orion is a superb spot, nice work!

[worldofceri]

 

Has your father owned this from new by any chance?

 

(Sorry.)

[ProgRocker]

 

This 1985 Orion was absolutely immaculate, and spotted in Norwich (only on my phone camera, hence poor quality, sorry)

 

Wow! Haven't seen that one knocking around. I know the car park from where it was taken from as I recognise the 70s built 3/4 storey houses across the river.

[345DL]

No I have never seen it before or since. The registration plate isn't local (London I think), so maybe they were just visiting?

[andrew e]

Hey top kwality spottage, I do like the hidden magentis & Firebird lurking too. Unusal to see an L spec Orion, I wonder if its an oil burner? Pressed steel plates and what might be Dagenham motors insignia, might point to ex-Fomoco too.

[boobydoo]

Excellent spottage. That AX really was clean wasn't it. I see that only one wheeltrim has survived. Does it match the ones it came with when new, according to the brochure?

[andrew e]

Thats the proper trim bobbydoo, strange it has fixed back windows mind.

[345DL]

Yes it is the correct wheeltrim according to the brochure. For 'opening rear quarterlight' you had to get to TRE or TRS models (i.e. the 2 top models).

[andrew e]

This is the optimum AX TRIMZ-COMBO:

 

[boobydoo]

^^ Those same wheeltrims are in the 1982 Talbot Samba brochure on the Options page. They have a 'T' badge in the middle. I knew they'd look good! I reckon I'd have ordered a set. Part No VAC238 for 13" wheels.

[Morgan84]

That lovely yellow Orion is a 1.3,so I'm guessing a CVH engine. Shame it wasn't a Ghia with a lovelly brown velor interior