Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 21]

[tobinen]

It's definitely a smoker barge IMO

[tog]

I had a 2.3L Granada (a bright red X-reg estate) as a student in the mid-90s and it was definitely a barge.

[Derventio]

Just for general interest, here are some more photos of vehicles of the Barge persuasion, that were at the show. The first photo pretty much illustrates the broad range of vehicles that were at the show. The Armstrong was very nice indeed but a little too old for my tastes.


Some Americana styled barge action. The Riviera is really quite an elegant thing in them metal, especially for an American car.


Embrace the browness. How many of you know exactly what that interior smells like on a hot summers day.



If ever a car could be described as matronly:


I think this meets thread criteria:


Finally, an example of how a company can get the interior of a car very right but completely ruin a car with a complete Hippocrockapig of an exterior!

[dscam]

tobinen said:

It's definitely a smoker barge IMO

Agreed!

Great pictures Derventio, thanks for sharing.

Whilst I thought that era Scorpio was horrid at the time I’m a bit more accepting of it now. Same with E60/65 series BMWs. Time is indeed a healer.

Also, if a Granada in mint green with a slush box isn’t a smoker barge then I should just shut the door quietly as I leave thread! It’s not about the toys, it’s a state of mind and general disdain of modern ‘appliances’.

Edited by dscam on Monday 27th June 11:28

[Bannock]

I absolutely hucking LOVE the green and brown Granadas, and the purple Scorpio pictured here. Good Lord. I'd forgotten how much I loved the big Fords. Way back in the mists of time, in the days when dragons were still common, my Dad had a black Zodiac Executive, with the 3.0 V6 and the auto box. That's my favourite parental car memory, I remember it being so big to me that I could lie down on the parcel shelf and go to sleep. In fact I did once when we all (family of 4) had to sleep in the car, in a car park in Saxmundham, on a family summer holiday, because we couldn't find a B&B with a vacancy.

Thaks so much for posting them. Memories, like the corners of my mind...

[dbdb]

trevalvole said:

Derventio said:

Over the weekend, as I was meandering around Derbyshire on my Triumph, I happened on a nice little car show at Carsington Reservoir. There was some rather lovely metal on show but one car got me thinking.
The car in question was this literally, mint old Granada in absolute poverty spec 2.3L trim on some rather delicious steel wheels.



This is a largish, comfortable automatic saloon with more than four cylinders. Is it still classed as a barge despite the complete absence of the basic luxuries such as electric windows etc?

I'm inclined to think that if it feels like a barge to drive, then it is a barge. I see it has an auto box, which helps its case and is something that you'd notice most of the time when driving it, whereas electric windows are probably in the 1% of the time category.

The Granada is one of the definitive barges of its time. Low-spec cars like this were rareish, most of them were the 2.8GL and 2.8 Ghia models which had a very full specification for the time.

The late 'seventies and early 'eighties were a fabulous times for the bargist, with the Granada, Rover SD1, Peugeot 604, Citroen CX, Renault 20/30, Lancia Gamma, the Vauxhall Viceroy/Opel Commodore, Vauxhall Royale/Opel Senator, Volvo 244/264, Saab 900, Audi 100/200, Alfa 6, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E class and Talbot Tagora all offering something different and distinctive. Most of them were really quite good too.

The size up offered a far simpler choice between the Mercedes S Class, Jaguar XJ and BMW 7 Series.

[Derventio]

There was a whole host of other motors I found interesting and photographed but I am not sure all folk would appreciate it If I posted them on here. They may be considered "Off Topic" and would subsequently be deleted.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Post them. Thread needs a bit of interest.

[RicksAlfas]

Derventio said:

There was a whole host of other motors I found interesting and photographed but I am not sure all folk would appreciate it If I posted them on here. They may be considered "Off Topic" and would subsequently be deleted.

Post them up!

(As long as they don't have busty Derbyshire ladies on the bonnet. Those you can PM me).

[phil_cardiff]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Post them. Thread needs a bit of interest.

To paraphrase: Thread's dead baby. Thread's dead.

[BrettMRC]

If it wasn't for the colour, and those wheels...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265725151993?hash=item3...

[Derventio]

As requested. Both sadly and annoyingly, some of the photographs I took have come out blurred and unusable. I think there was something on the lense.

[JeremyH5]

I like that. Wheels can be changed. Is that a genuine factory colour? JDM only, perhaps?

[Bannock]

Renault 4, please. Wowsers. Will go nicely on the drive for the missus alongside the green Granada.

[phil_cardiff]

BrettMRC said:

If it wasn't for the colour, and those wheels...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265725151993?hash=item3...

Thought process: I can't afford an R34 Skyline but I can afford a Honda Legend, blue vinyl wrap and Fox Racing wheels.

[trevalvole]

BrettMRC said:

If it wasn't for the colour, and those wheels...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265725151993?hash=item3...

The second photo really allows you to assess the condition of the rear bumper. May be he was aiming for the golden hour, but got a bit delayed?

Edited by trevalvole on Monday 27th June 13:12

[dscam]

phil_cardiff said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Post them. Thread needs a bit of interest.

To paraphrase: Thread's dead baby. Thread's dead.

My effort to quote Pulp Fiction previously went unnoticed Phil, but in case we are the only arbiter’s of pop culture then it’s a big thumbs up from me!

[dscam]

JeremyH5 said:

I like that. Wheels can be changed. Is that a genuine factory colour? JDM only, perhaps?

Needs different wheels for sure but I quite like it….

Ad says it’s been resprayed so guessing not a stock colour - it doesn’t really work with the golf club interior trim.

A 6/10 overall but seems awfully ambitious for £9k.

[tobinen]

A decent-specced S211 500. I am not sure about the front bumper but it looks very tidy. Currently at £4,200 with 6 days remaining

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125388146757?_trkparms=...

[Prinny]

That looks very nice indeed. I do not need a 4th car, I do not need a 4th car…. [I don’t need a single car right now, I went for a 60mile drive in the M6 over the weekend because it hadn’t moved in a month, the 7 is little better].