How about a 'period' classics pictures thread

[P5BNij]

manorcom said:

Yes they are screen grabs from the thread "Life & automotive times of Keith B. A legend in his lunchtime!"

I'll give you a shout when I find the DVD!

There must be hundreds of thousands of photos just like yours lying around in people's cupboards and drawers...

[Number 5]

[Dapster]

What a fantastic thread! Such amazing pictures. In the days before cheap finance and PCP deals, your father parking up a new 4.2 XJ on the drive must have been big news.

All credit to him, he's done well for himself. I love the anecdote of him hiring the Merc in Malta. Also, in the pic below, is that a Silver Shadow II just to left of shot?

manorcom said:

And my parents were touring La Belle France in their new(ish) Daimler Double Six Van Den Plas.

Edited by manorcom on Tuesday 13th October 18:54

[vixen1700]

Such fantastic contributions!

[dinkel]

© Dick Alblas - Dutch GP pilot.

[manorcom]

vixen1700 said:

Such fantastic contributions!

Dapster....Yes it is a Shadow II. Not actually taken in France but at dads business partner Peter's country house in the UK. It was the start of their dream driving trip to Peter's apartment overlooking the Bois de Boulogne with frivolities in gay Paris. They had met up the previous day to decide which car to go in. With the Rolls billed as the best car in the world and the Daimler "amongst the best" the finest Jaguar ever. Apparently the two men drove the two cars back to back, then all drank into the night. Next day the four took a vote and the Daimler won. It wafted them on this holiday, never missing a beat. Peter was so impressed with the Daimler he ordered a new one the day of their return.
Happy days.........

[iSore]

jogger1976 said:

Some pics I received from a mate who is in the Ford AVO Club

These were from 1972 - Le Mans green, Sunset red and Electric Monza blue. In 1973 my Dad bought a very nearly new Mexico registered on August 1st 1973 (NEL392M). It was a special order car: Electric blue (called Monza blue for Rallye Sport cars but identical!) had been discontinued and replaced by the rather anaemic Olympic blue as used on the RS2000. The guy who ordered it apparently knew someone at F English the Ford dealer in Bournemouth and wangled a favour, getting one more Mexico out of AVO in Monza blue. It had the white stripes, Contour seats (cloth front, vinyl rear), four Cibies, map light and so on.

One of his favourite cars. Before that he had a run of three Minis. he drove an Escort 1300 GT and thought it was ste, but a drive of this Mexico (just 3 months old) and that was it. A Ford man for the next 10 years.

[manorcom]

We are nearing the end guys so bear with me in this my penultimate installment, I'll call a halt at year 2000. BTW thanks for you interest and suffering my ramblings through my automotive history. Especially from a newbie like me.

So it is now around late 80's beginning 90's and the dreaded mid life crisis hits. I am better off and business is good. I MUST have a classic car, to re live my youth and maybe for an investment. Me & the long term girlfriend spend many many weekends on long trips up and down the breadth of the UK searching for that car that you just can't resist. I can't make up my mind. An Elan, E-type, Alfa the list is endless isn't it? I did make a purchase, but more of that later. Meanwhile I buy an Automatic MGB GT as a daily driver to make the journeys relaxing. Oh and a cheap MGB Roadster for the days when you just want to go topless:



In the meantime at work we buy a D reg Bedford (Suzuki) Rascal. Which I survive a head on crash with and is replaced with a brand new one:


Along the way I am told of an old Ford Capri going cheap. The owner says the engine is rattling and needs replacement. For low hundreds this Capri is towed home and investigated. It just didn't sound like bearing rattle to me. Two new engine mounts at a tenner the pair and the car was MOT'd a couple of days later. Used as a daily deiver, when not using the van, It proves a bright classic interlude:


With the Capri in use, I decide to completely retore the Auto BGT. Here it is on the back of the tranny on the way to the sand blasters.


At home, you still need a modern car for those business meetings so I decide to get a Merc. Shock horror. My dad initially didn't approve. He had flown in WWII in Bomber Command and believed in buying British if possible. So here is J464 LRP a 2.0 Litre 190E with all the bits. The first owner had been UK Mercedes Benz and it was used as a press car.


After a few months swanning around in the Merc, it comes time to MOT the Fiesta. The, by now wife, asks if I am going to hire a car for her for the day to go shopping. I say no bl**dy way. Use the Merc! She says, "But I can't drive an Auto and besides it is too big." I storm out thinking "Does she think I am made of money?" On returning home I sheepishly ask how she got on. She appologises and asks if she can use the Merc for a few days. Over the next 15 years I only every drove it a few times. She adored it. So the Fiesta was too small and an Audi 2.0E is the replacement:

Oh and dad went through a Nissan Sunny for a while and ended up with his last car a locally owned very low mileage Ser 3 XJ6, or was it the other way around?:


And I swapped the Audi for a nice Saab 9-5:

That BGT Auto never got finished. It was placed with a friendly garage to finish the body. Just as it was days from collection it was destroyed in the collapse of the garage. Needless to say it was not insured. Ah well c'st la vie.

So, I hope you will be thinking what did he buy when searching for a classic? The car that you will keep forever, pass down, that will define you?
I had shook hands on a private deal on a Lotus Elan Plus 2 in yellow, with great provenance for sale in Shefield. I travelled there a week later, on the agreed date, with £6K in my briefcase. I knocked on the door to be informed the car had been sold the day before for £50 more than I had agreed a deal for. I was fuming all the way home on the train. I gave up the idea. I sold the B roadster and the Capri, which lesft the BGT in resto. Then one day the local Snap On dealer told me about a nice car for sale. I hadn't thought of this car. The first owner had been a retired Squadron Leader and WWII Spitfire Flying Ace. I bought it, used it for 3 years and then parked it up for 19 years! Three years ago, with retirement fast approaching I searched for an investment again. Travelling all over the UK again I couldn't find that elusive special car. With my family and friends thinking I was mad, I had an attack of common sense and got my old car out of storage and have had it restored. I have almost finished it. It is glorious, that engine sound. addictive. It creates lots of admiring looks.

Now just for a bit of fun, can you guess what I bought? No cheating, googling, if you know me or of me please keep quiet, just for a day or so.



Thanks again for reading my posts.

Edited by manorcom on Thursday 15th October 19:27

[vixen1700]

Going by who the previous owner was, reckon you bought either a Plus 8 Morgan or Jag XK150.

[STO]

Great posts Manorcom, looking at the shadow a swb land rover truck cab.

[MarshPhantom]

Looks like something with a long flat bonnet and a low roof, so could be a Morgan.

[ATTAK Z]

manorcom said:

Along the way I am told of an old Ford Capri going cheap. The owner says the engine is rattling and needs replacement. For low hundreds this Capri is towed home and investigated. It just didn't sound like bearing rattle to me. Two new engine mounts at a tenner the pair and the car was MOT'd a couple of days later. Used as a daily deiver, when not using the van, It proves a bright classic interlude:

Great posts Manorcom ... but surely that's a Consul Classic rather than a Capri ... IIRC the Capri was 2 door

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

ATTAK Z said:

manorcom said:

Along the way I am told of an old Ford Capri going cheap. The owner says the engine is rattling and needs replacement. For low hundreds this Capri is towed home and investigated. It just didn't sound like bearing rattle to me. Two new engine mounts at a tenner the pair and the car was MOT'd a couple of days later. Used as a daily deiver, when not using the van, It proves a bright classic interlude:

Great posts Manorcom ... but surely that's a Consul Classic rather than a Capri ... IIRC the Capri was 2 door

...and the rear windows slope in opposite directions

[manorcom]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

ATTAK Z said:

manorcom said:

Along the way I am told of an old Ford Capri going cheap. The owner says the engine is rattling and needs replacement. For low hundreds this Capri is towed home and investigated. It just didn't sound like bearing rattle to me. Two new engine mounts at a tenner the pair and the car was MOT'd a couple of days later. Used as a daily deiver, when not using the van, It proves a bright classic interlude:

Great posts Manorcom ... but surely that's a Consul Classic rather than a Capri ... IIRC the Capri was 2 door

...and the rear windows slope in opposite directions

Absolutely correct. Head hung in shame. Tears rolling.... Can I be forgiven?

[jagracer]

Here's a Classic. Me behind the wheel, my brother middle, grandad right and mum outside

[v8250]

manorcom said:

The first owner had been a retired Squadron Leader and WWII Spitfire Flying Ace.

Now just for a bit of fun, can you guess what I bought? No cheating, googling, if you know me or of me please keep quiet, just for a day or so.

Thanks again for reading my posts.

Edited by manorcom on Thursday 15th October 19:27

manorcom, an excellent tale of your motoring life to date...but your taste in pullovers is somewhat questionable

re' Sqn.Ldr [ret'd]...Bader was well known for his MG T Type and his Alvis TD21, may be one of these?

[mark387mw]

With a penchant for MG, an MGA?

[Loose_Cannon]

P5BNij said:

Stone me, if ever PH needed a 'like' button it's now, these photos are just wonderful..!

This is the best thread on Pistonheads by far, and one of the best on the net period.

[GoBig]

My Grandparents cafe sometime in the '60's I guess.

His Victor at the front.

[RichB]

GoBig said:

My Grandparents cafe sometime in the '60's I guess.

His Victor at the front.

Do you know what became of the place?