How about a 'period' classics pictures thread
Discussion
manorcom said:
I've often wondered if anyone ever won these cars which were often advertised in competitions around the late 60's early 70's.
One of the Mars Maxis survives. :-https://www.flickr.com/photos/leicester-vehicle-ph...
manorcom said:
Damned cheek of EMI, that's a Mk1, last year's model...!Hugo a Gogo said:
mhurley said:
qualitythe big BOAC advert, the Transits driving with the sliding door open, the big flatbed coal truck, what looked like a Scammel Scarab at one point, in BR colours, the little DER van, in fact all the little Anglia and Hillman vans, and yes, I think it was an Alpine opposite the royal courts/outside the Temple at the end with a Renault 8 in front. those law types with their odd cars
Quite a few of the FX4 taxis are F reg' so August '67 onwards 
I know it's old film stock but the colours are just how I remember London on childhood visits, grey and brown everywhere yet the buses and taxis always seemed to be clean and shiny.
ETA ; just had a quick skim through it again, at 13.33 right after the bowler hatted city gent walks past the camera we see a Mk2 Mini 850 / 1000 in Sandy Beige which would make it September / October '67 at the earliest. Noticed a lot of 'new' looking F reg cars throughout actually.
I know it's old film stock but the colours are just how I remember London on childhood visits, grey and brown everywhere yet the buses and taxis always seemed to be clean and shiny.
ETA ; just had a quick skim through it again, at 13.33 right after the bowler hatted city gent walks past the camera we see a Mk2 Mini 850 / 1000 in Sandy Beige which would make it September / October '67 at the earliest. Noticed a lot of 'new' looking F reg cars throughout actually.
Edited by P5BNij on Sunday 13th January 18:51
Exactly 50 years ago this week Ford launched the Ford Capri in Brussels. Somewhat of a departure from Ford’s normal standard faire it was aimed squarely at younger drivers being billed as “The car you always promised yourself”. A sporty, rakish full four-seater coupé it was seen as Europe’s answer to the Mustang. Initially sold with 1300cc, 1600cc and 2000cc engines [the 3000cc came later the same year]; there were GT options along with “X” “L” and “R” option packs it could be customised to your taste. Ford boasted that they could build 1¼ million Capris in the 26 basic models without any one being precisely the same! A GT gained extra power, instrumentation and better tyres. The “L” pack included extra exterior bright trim and dummy air scoops. The “X” pack gave you luxurious internal upholstery; horns and reversing lights. The “R” pack included Rostyles; leather-trimmed steering wheel; spot lamps etc. You need never visit an accessory shop again. It soon became a best seller.
Like any red blooded petrol head I was well impressed. I remember going to see The Italian Job at the pictures and seeing the 5 minute advert, I definitely wanted one. Later that year I saw the film Bullitt, my desire went up a notch, so my aim was a metallic dark green car. After smashing up my new Escort I had been reduced to driving the oldest worst cars the company could find. I soon resolved to use my savings to buy my own car and take an allowance to run it. I had a trio of soft tops, Vitesse, Sprite and then fell for MGB’s.
A year or so later I discovered that employees could buy company cars that were going for exchange if you offered a few pounds more than Bristol Street Motors offered. A new company had been purchased and one of the new directors had been forced to toe the company line and take a new Granada so his very expensively tuned Broadspeed Ford Cortina 1600E was going for a song. Too good to miss that 1600E was a superb car bar for the usual Ford cold starting problems.
Then one day the transport manager rang me and told me of a….wait for it….Ford Capri 2000GTXLR in dark metallic green, a year old, was due in for P/Ex and I could buy it at a much reduced price. I didn’t need telling twice, my Cortina was sold for a thumping profit. With my blond hair and blue eyes I was going to be Keith McBelcher, driving ace.
I recall sitting on the front step at home gazing at my highly polished baby Mustang WOE 322J not quite believing I had achieved my dream. I didn’t mind the high mileage but I soon discovered why it was so cheap. It was a dreaded “Friday afternoon car”. Contrary to popular belief Ford were not immune to quality problems. Aside from the tail hopping loose lurchy rear end, hard ride, high noise levels with poor wet grip; the V4 was harsh and gave nowhere near the performance of my Broadspeed 1600E. The large doors rattled and clanged shut. The headlamps were poor and the spotlights useless. The fake wood interior looked awful, trim bits loosened and fell off. Then it started to run rough sometimes. I was less Keith McBelcher and more Reginald Molehusband. Then the final straw, the engine died 100 miles from home. It turned out to be a holed piston. No doubt caused by the fitting of hotter plugs. Gladly a piston was sourced and fitted, engine in situ, in a few hours. It was advertised the next day and sold within a week.
The downside - I was back to driving an old Bedford HA van purchased for £25 and hand painted. The up-side I had made enough profit on the two Fords to order a brand new MGB GT. A few months later I was driving a proper sports car.
"The up-side I had made enough profit on the two Fords to order a brand new MGB GT.........A few months later I was driving a proper sports car."
What happened to the MGB then, did the order fall through ? :-p
What happened to the MGB then, did the order fall through ? :-p
Edited by mk1coopers on Thursday 24th January 06:33
Edited by mk1coopers on Thursday 24th January 06:34
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