How about a 'period' classics pictures thread

[Yertis]

You know you're getting old when you're posting 'period' pictures of cars that were already classics.

[Sardonicus]

Me and my older brothers MK2 GT circa 1984 I can tell you I would of been wearing Lois jeans and Stan Smith trainers

[Rob Dicky]

1973 would like one of these now.



But this was what I was running in 1973

[Spottedlaurel]

FakeConcern said:

What an interesting thread with some great pictures.
Here are a couple of mine

Neat touch in getting the same parking spot each time! You liked the rear wiper and bumper bar accessories it would seem?

[Spottedlaurel]

Bought a load of old B&W photos off eBay last week, mostly for the Japanese car content including shots of a Laurel like mine:

1979 Datsun Laurel 2.4 auto (C230) HNM86V c.1980 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

But I couldn't resist buying more from the seller as they offer a great glimpse into what was on the roads back then:

My scanner's going to be busy..... by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

They all seem to be shots taken by a dealership or two, and I'm hoping that PHers might be able to help me track down who it would have been. I reckon they're all from about 1980 and I think we're looking at Lancashire. Some shots are taken at a Mazda garage in Penwortham. As I scan more in I'll add a selection here.

I don't know how many there, but the pile is about 2" thick and they include Fiat, Citroen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Datsun, Mazda and other Japanese makes.

[DickyC]

Rob Dicky said:

1973 would like one of these now.

"There are mechanical devices designed to give women pleasure. Principle amongst these is the Mercedes SL."

[attributed to a lot of different people]

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Spottedlaurel said:

Bought a load of old B&W photos off eBay last week, mostly for the Japanese car content including shots of a Laurel like mine:

1979 Datsun Laurel 2.4 auto (C230) HNM86V c.1980 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

But I couldn't resist buying more from the seller as they offer a great glimpse into what was on the roads back then:

My scanner's going to be busy..... by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

They all seem to be shots taken by a dealership or two, and I'm hoping that PHers might be able to help me track down who it would have been. I reckon they're all from about 1980 and I think we're looking at Lancashire. Some shots are taken at a Mazda garage in Penwortham. As I scan more in I'll add a selection here.

I don't know how many there, but the pile is about 2" thick and they include Fiat, Citroen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Datsun, Mazda and other Japanese makes.

Cool! I was a car cleaner at a Datsun main dealer in 1979-80. Am I remembering correctly that the Laurel had a red/green vacuum gauge on the steering column. (and as a professional driver you must NEVER let it get into the green ) (Or was it the 300C? )

[Sardonicus]

1986 Norman Park Bromley, was summer drove round all day and ended up at the coast I remember it well

[Spottedlaurel]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Cool! I was a car cleaner at a Datsun main dealer in 1979-80. Am I remembering correctly that the Laurel had a red/green vacuum gauge on the steering column. (and as a professional driver you must NEVER let it get into the green ) (Or was it the 300C? )

Excellent, you must have driven all the models I'm now interested in! I think the pre-facelift Laurel (a.k.a. 200L) did have a gauge like that, my slightly later one doesn't though. Similarly, the Skyline 240K had a 'boost' gauge which some people thought was for a turbo, but was really just a vacuum economy dial.

Which dealer did you work at?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Spottedlaurel said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Cool! I was a car cleaner at a Datsun main dealer in 1979-80. Am I remembering correctly that the Laurel had a red/green vacuum gauge on the steering column. (and as a professional driver you must NEVER let it get into the green ) (Or was it the 300C? )

Excellent, you must have driven all the models I'm now interested in! I think the pre-facelift Laurel (a.k.a. 200L) did have a gauge like that, my slightly later one doesn't though. Similarly, the Skyline 240K had a 'boost' gauge which some people thought was for a turbo, but was really just a vacuum economy dial.

Which dealer did you work at?

Holland Motors Cambridge. Yes, I drove the whole range. (Including spinning a 280zx finishing in a perfect parallel park!) I liked the weird little Cherry coupe that (I seem to remember) had reverse where first was in every other car. Made the traffic light grand prix interesting. I was also allowed out to recoveries in the tow truck...happy days

[Spottedlaurel]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Holland Motors Cambridge. Yes, I drove the whole range. (Including spinning a 280zx finishing in a perfect parallel park!) I liked the weird little Cherry coupe that (I seem to remember) had reverse where first was in every other car. Made the traffic light grand prix interesting. I was also allowed out to recoveries in the tow truck...happy days

Photos of one of those Cherry coupes are amongst those to be scanned-in. Your memory about the gearbox with its dogleg 1st is correct, some of the Sunny, 160J and 180B coupes had the same arrangement, with buzzer on reverse....

[MarshPhantom]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Spottedlaurel said:

Bought a load of old B&W photos off eBay last week, mostly for the Japanese car content including shots of a Laurel like mine:

1979 Datsun Laurel 2.4 auto (C230) HNM86V c.1980 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

But I couldn't resist buying more from the seller as they offer a great glimpse into what was on the roads back then:

My scanner's going to be busy..... by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

They all seem to be shots taken by a dealership or two, and I'm hoping that PHers might be able to help me track down who it would have been. I reckon they're all from about 1980 and I think we're looking at Lancashire. Some shots are taken at a Mazda garage in Penwortham. As I scan more in I'll add a selection here.

I don't know how many there, but the pile is about 2" thick and they include Fiat, Citroen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Datsun, Mazda and other Japanese makes.

Cool! I was a car cleaner at a Datsun main dealer in 1979-80. Am I remembering correctly that the Laurel had a red/green vacuum gauge on the steering column. (and as a professional driver you must NEVER let it get into the green ) (Or was it the 300C? )

My Dad had a couple of the Datsuns in the middle of the pic at the bottom, 120As IIRC. A silver 4dr and met gold/green coupe with a brown vinyl roof.

[FakeConcern]

Spottedlaurel said:

Neat touch in getting the same parking spot each time! You liked the rear wiper and bumper bar accessories it would seem?

Thank you, I thought so.

I did!

2nd car

[mehere]

my Jag-wawr parked in Princes Street, Edinburgh in 1960 -- the car was 3 years old then - at the time, it seems, the first owner of the Jag also owned the Cafe & tea rooms.... [and vice - versa - haha]



[on trivia - I was surprised that, in Scotland it seems, BUS STOP markings were the same back then]

[truck71]

mehere said:

my Jag-wawr parked in Princes Street, Edinburgh in 1960 -- the car was 3 years old then - at the time, it seems, the first owner of the Jag also owned the Cafe & tea rooms.... [and vice - versa - haha]



[on trivia - I was surprised that, in Scotland it seems, BUS STOP markings were the same back then]

What a great picture, Princes Street looks so much better and uncluttered than today.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.952314,-3.195295...

Edited by truck71 on Thursday 19th February 15:35

[Rower]

ATTAK Z said:

I think the back bumper was different on the 1.5 too - less bulky

Edited by ATTAK Z on Monday 16th February 20:59

The easiest was to see if it it was a 1.5 or 2.5 is to look at the colour of the Riley badge , dark blue 1.5 light blue 2.5.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Spottedlaurel said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Holland Motors Cambridge. Yes, I drove the whole range. (Including spinning a 280zx finishing in a perfect parallel park!) I liked the weird little Cherry coupe that (I seem to remember) had reverse where first was in every other car. Made the traffic light grand prix interesting. I was also allowed out to recoveries in the tow truck...happy days

Photos of one of those Cherry coupes are amongst those to be scanned-in. Your memory about the gearbox with its dogleg 1st is correct, some of the Sunny, 160J and 180B coupes had the same arrangement, with buzzer on reverse....

I lifted part of a 120Y to modernise my Viva...can you spot it? (You'd need really keen eyes!)

[Sardonicus]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I lifted part of a 120Y to modernise my Viva...can you spot it? (You'd need really keen eyes!)

Door mirror

[ivanhoew]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I lifted part of a 120Y to modernise my Viva...can you spot it? (You'd need really keen eyes!)

good number plate for a estate agent .

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Sardonicus said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I lifted part of a 120Y to modernise my Viva...can you spot it? (You'd need really keen eyes!)

Door mirror

Spot on! Hard to imagine driving without one these days