***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 10 *****
Following on from Stargazer's original thread, Vol 2, Vol 3, Vol 4, Vol 5, Vol 6, Vol 7, & Vol 8:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=23902 (Vol 1)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=23901 (Vol 2)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=25308 (Vol 3)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=31443 (Vol 4)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=32419 (Vol 5)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=34483 (Vol 6)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=39531 (Vol 7)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=42086 (Vol 8)
Another thread for commenting on rare, unusual, old or just plain daft cars etc.
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A loverly bright yellow Holden......not the replicant Vauxhall one, a genuine Holden.
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today Mon 14th August, on the M25 I actually witnessed 3, YES THREE CARS, ACTUALLY SIGNALLING, and I do believe that one of them might also have used their mirror before doing so. The others signalled slightly after starting moving, but at least they had good intentions
now that is what I call unusual.
Do people realise it costs jack to signal, but might cost someone their live not to do so
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Was one of them a Silver 5 series ?
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Just seen a Fiat Sedici - looks like the ugly stick was taking out some sort of revenge. Awful.
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At A1 services north of Peterborough a couple of Saturdays ago, three beautiful red Ferrari F360s and a Lambo Gallardo pulled in to the car park. Driven by some young lads apparently on their way to a wedding. They were accompanied by friends in a 911 and a Chrysler 300 but nothing unusual about those .........
_______
IanS
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There was an old Wilys Jeep in the middle of Cheddar on Saturday, still in WWII livery. Guess there might have been a classic car show on as saw a load of classic cars in the Shepton Mallet area on Sunday (can't identify them though).
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Took my old truck to the Overlord Military Show in Horndean and over heard a classic conversation.
Man 1 :-Taken your old jeep anywhere interesting recently ?
Man 2:- Yes, took her on the London to Brighton Run, we were parked up at Madera Drive and there was a couple of chaps going right over it.
Man 1:- Oh yeah
Man 2:- Yes, and i went over to see if they wanted to know anything and this guy says What make of car is this and i said Willys and they both go OOOOOH didn't know there was a car called that.
Only in Brighton.
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I saw an old Austin vintage vehicle broken down on the side of the road near Thame, or maybe that isn't a unusual sighting this weekend!!
--
Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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Earlier today whilst out walking I heard the unmistakable sound of a healthy straight six being given plenty of beans.
I turned my head to see what car?
...a very tidy Triumph Vitesse!
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Saw a very lovely maroon TR6 yesterday.
Saw the annual Mini run today from Westward Ho!............Now that is fun.........A bigger bunch of enthusiasts you'll struggle to find imho.
VBR..........................MD
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Oh! and I forgot........A left hook Lamborghini Espada, (is that bit right?) in North Devon midday. Filling up with unleaded and then took from the cabin a bottle of red looking doofer and poured some in the tank. Presumed 4 star additive, but NEVER measured same. Looked like a guess to me.
vbr............................MD
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All locally (Cheshire), starting with the good stuff and going rapidly downhill;
An Alfa Giulia in a rather nice 70s sort of burnt orange colour.
A pink Merc A class. Real in yer face pink, surely not factory original.
A Matiz with 60s racing stripes (dream on) a la Fiesta ST.
And finally, I don't know how I've not seen one before, an M reg Micra "Envy". No, really, sorry but I do not envy you. Not in a Micra, not even when it was new. The badge was even green.
Oh ok I can't resist. Stuck behind a Suzuki Jimny as it waits to turn right. The driver evidently wants a gap big enough for the Quenn Mary to slip through. A fag gets chucked out of the driver's window as we wait and when she does turn, she's a young blonde in a baseball cap. A sign in the rear window says "Babe on board".
JH
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Which part of Cheshire you in? I've seen a pink A-class, and I'm in Nantwich. There can't be two.....
Guilia sounds nice.
Matiz sounds..... no I can't even begin.
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Stevied
near Northwich. I do hope there aren't two. They might breed.
JH
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I went to a wedding last week and the happy couple left in a 1928 Bugatti. I only saw it from the rear , so I did't take much notice. I only found out what make it was later, when I chatted to the owner.
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On the way back dwon from Newcastle Upon Tyne yesterday i spotted not one but two Rover Streetwises!
I can't believe there was more than one gullable fool out there that bought these!
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Near Vendome in central France on Saturday, a very scruffy and run-down looking Porsche 911 - first rough one I've ever seen.
Then Sunday, at a car boot sale near Limoges, a mint Ferrari Testarossa! Must have been the only car there without a boot to speak of!
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Ages ago now, but a caravan overtaking a BMW on a single carriageway, going steeply up-hill.
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Speaking of caravans I once saw a Countach parked beside a caravan on a site. I didn't go round the back to see if it had a tow bar, it would have been a bit obvious.
JH
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A Renault Safrane in very good nick (arrgh!)
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A V reg Ford Escort MK2 today making statley progress.........these were state of the art once, scary.
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I had one. They were never state of the art though, except possibly the art of making a profit, which I'll not knock. Look at all of the companies that didn't. Ooh,no, you can't, they're not there any more.
JH
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And they went "round Britain Sideways" Remember the blood red one driven by Tony Pond.
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Ah, they were cars. A bit different to my 1.3L which topped out at about 80 odd and felt like it was on tippy toe when you did. There's a concrete section of the A19, still not been resurfaced after all of these years and still in good nick, where it felt like the wheels were square at anything above 50. If only I'd had my Xantia back then, no-one would have believed it.
JH
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Saw an Austin Maxi in Cheltenham the other day
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Oh and beautiful red Ferrari, I followed for a few miles today, turned down the stereo and opened the windows to soak up the engine noise in the underpasses......hang the expense.
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Black 1950s Vauxhall Velox or Wyvern in Kingston.
Sad that it had an illegal number plate on the back. It was a silly little one like some bikes have.
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Saw a B-reg (1984?) Austin Maestro today, in a lovely(!!) shade of poo-brown.
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theres a nice burple on at the end of the trailer for the return of "the soprano's............either that or me telly tubes going duff
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Burple om? The colour of flatulence?
And surely there aren't any Austin Maestros in the Sopranos, or even in the trailer?
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Burple om? The colour of flatulence? And surely there aren't any Austin Maestros in the Sopranos, or even in the trailer?
just remembered its a burple allagro...........have you not seen it then? it must just be a yorkshire televisual thing then.
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Unusual three in a row yesterday going the opposite way to me in a West Sussex back lane, I was so surprised to see them one after the other I didn't spot the exact models.They may have been coming back from Goodwood.
1 - A pre war MG sports car
2 - A nice 60's Aston Martin
3 - A 50s / possibly early 60's box shape Ford Prefect
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Unusual three in a row yesterday going the opposite way to me in a West Sussex back lane,
>>They may have been coming back from Goodwood.
Oh yes.
There were so hundreds and hundreds of pre 1965 cars of all ages and types there.
They had a quick route into a dedicated car park.
An amazing site to see a vast field turned into an enormous car park with cars registered in not just the UK.
Wonderful examples scattered around the outside of the circuit.
They had a display of at least 40 different micro / bubble cars. Such small flimsy devices.
There was a 1957 /590 American Ford Skyliner convertable. Unlike modern folding roofs, this had just a very small part of the front of the roof that hinged. The rest of this huge roof just pivoted into the vast area behind the back seats. There was just a bin about the size of a 50 gallon cold water tank to put your bags in.
Therte is a club for everyting out there.
See pics on
www.skyliner.org/
En route Steaming E type & Aston by the roadside
En route home. Miura, a Ferrari, Sprite, Armstrong Siddlly etc all by the roadside.
Finally on the A3 Guidford bypass causing a 30 minute queue was an old horse box with its nearside rear wheel missing. Possibly a half shaft with it.
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Yesterday, near Bristol I saw an Afa Romeo Zagato (SZ?) coupe from the early 90's. What an ugly car! The panel fit was worse than any kit car, which is what it looked like. Had it been black, rather than red, it would have looked like some sort of prototype in disguise!
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Ugly? No- not to me- thuggish yes.
Only ever seen one and I went weak at the knees.
I'm a sucker for the looks of most Alfa Romeos.
--
I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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.....and me tooo Glaikit, however this particular Alfa is a right horrid looking thing.....
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I agree it's horrid looking, but in a genuinely menacing way.
The last V8 Holden saloon (not this Monaro coupe thing) in black looked positively suave by comparison.
And actually to tell the truth although I'd love an Alfa it wouldn't be that one but I'd have one of those Holdens any time.
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On the Brighton seafront this evening.
A big black Hummer with illegal (black) number plates front and rear reg 1 KO
IMO sitting at the wheel was, to quote a well known UK paper , "Christopher Livingstone Eubank, Lord of the Manor of Brighton, to give him his full recognition, is bankrupt."
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Saw him in Brighton a couple of years ago in the middle of the Saturday shopping traffic driving his monster truck and acknowledging the waves he was getting with blasts of the horn.
I have seen him also signing autographs at a petrol station in Hooley at the end of the M23 - obviously spends a fair bit of time in petrol stations considering the monsters he drives.
I am not sure whether the fellow is really like the madly vain persona you see on TV or it is just a great act that he puts on - but I sure as hell am not going to say anything nasty to him to his face......
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Saw a McLaren Mercedes SLR at Tegernsee near the German border with Austria. Wasn't that taken with it to be honest, imho it looks better in the pictures.
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I agree Bagpuss. It has the authentic MB convertible hairdresser's car look, but a strangely diseased and gaunt hairdresser. An ugly beast, but effective looking.
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Saw a McLaren Mercedes SLR at Tegernsee near the German border with Austria. Wasn't that taken with it to be honest, imho it looks better in the pictures.
I am lucky enough to have driven one, and can promise you that I'd give it garage space even if it looked like an Austin Aggro!
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On consecutive days, 2 Pug 1007s, the first 2 I´ve seen. What a weird thing - no wonder they aren´t selling well
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Coming round a bend on the BMW, this morning near Bakewell, around 100 beagles.
They were on the correct side of the road as well.
--
I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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100 beagles
Vauxhalls of the Bedford badged ones ?
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Yugo Sana in white on a H plate. Can't ever recall seeing one of these before. They were discussed in this very room back in 2001, it wasn't good news.
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Had a friend who owned one once - he bought it because he 'wanted to be different'. In fact, IIRC, he may well have bought it from Jenson Button's father.
I shouldn't snigger really because, at this very moment, there's a Wartburg Knight Tourist (estate) on Ebay, in Hungary and with a 1p bid on it - and I've been thinking about it all day...
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Ooh and a Vauxhall Monaro nice car......(parked outside the next door office)
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Saw my first VW Fox today. Looked like a scaled-down Golf Plus. Much more graceful looking than the cheeky puppy Peugeot 107 / Citroen C1 / Toyota Aygo.
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Me again!!!
Today I saw an early Bond Equipe - really a Triumph Herald chassis with a fibreglass fastback coupe body that incorporated the normal Triumph doors. What made this sighting more unusual was that it was an early equipe with two headlights and one grille, rather than a split one. The car was green.
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Ugly thing though SS. Something wrong withe the proportions, back end.
Herald one might have wanted was the Brabham Herald.
Terrific oversteerers even without the Coventry Climax screamer the Brabham had.
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A Golf GTI mkI with a mature couple driving it!!!! Possibly a long term relationship?
--
Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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A veteran Renault that looked exactly like the Matchbox Model of Yesteryear, making it 95 years old IIRC. It was even the same peculiar metallicky green colour as the model, which I must have bought about 30 years ago. It was on a trailer, but I think it still counts...
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Driving up the A1 near Wetherby last week, a Hillman Hunter.
A few miles North, a Mk1 Capri. Not the 60s one, the 70s one. (So how is that a Mk1 then?).
Outside Alnwick, a Mk1 Escort, complete with roll cage.
In Alnmouth, an Alfa 164. It didn?t strike me until I saw it, where have they all gone? They were, well, not common, but certainly not unusual just 10 years ago.
In Alnwick a petite Ferrari Dino and later that day and registered in the same year, a Mk2 Escort RS2000 complete with Kent Cams sticker. The lift at the front must have been horrendous.
On the drive home, a Testarossa going North up the A1 and leaving a glorious sound behind it. I?m not sure it?s a good car for a long journey but I?d be willing to try.
And finally, a small Korean thing (sorry but I?ve completely forgotten what it was) with 60s racing stripes up the middle! This is the second one I?ve seen in recent weeks. Is there a road marking machine about being driven without due care and attention?
JH
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Saw a very tidy Jenson (car, not Button!) in the Tetbury (Gloucestershire) area a couple of times this week. It was the Interceptor FF shape with the panoramic rear window.
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Seen this morning just outside Petersfield, a 'road' racer, can't remember the name, but I've seen it on Top Gear. Completely open construction, ( sort of tubular Warren girder sides) pointed nose, and I think it was a single seater. Can any Backroomer identify it from this scant info?
P.
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Yup,- Aerial Atom it is! Thanks.
P
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I sighted a very nice looking red Gilbern yesterday morning on the A272 - distinctive red dragon badge on the grille. The cars were made near Swansea (by Gilbert and Bernard..)during the time I was an art student there. Apart from the last sighting I haven't seen one for years, though.
P.
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Had a 120mph ride in a Gilbern Invader estate on the long straight road across Windwhistle in south Somerset about 33 years ago. My friend had put it together himself and it seemed very impressive. 3-litre Ford V6 IIRC and certainly a nicer looking motor than the contemporary Reliant Scimitar.
After about 3 years he got tired of it and relegated it to the bottom of his garden when he took up ocean yachting. Maybe it's still there...
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Today in Bath a Citroen SM - the one with the Maserati engine from the 70's. Not pretty, one has to say.
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But looks as if it could swim down a motorway efficiently, no?
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MK3 Ford (Coke Bottle) Cortina M6 near Liverpool last Sunday. Not that unusual I hear you say, but a canvas roofed one !!!
Also Ambleside last Tuesday a green coloured 1930s roofless car (I think a Morris) obviously in daily use rather than a show special. Bearded gent driving and an Alsatian in the passanger seat. Priceless.
I also saw a Ford Focus saloon in Mett. Gold near Wigan, Adam by any chance ??
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Not a car I know, but in London a couple of evenings ago, an impeccably restored (or perhaps replica) Dursley-Pedersen bicycle, the Rolls-Royce pushbike of its day (very early 20th century).
Quite unmistakable with tubular space-frame cantilever construction, slung saddle and very tall steering column. Hope he keeps it indoors.
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I just saw a red Citroen 2cv pick up truck ....... with bull bars!!!
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A real head turning moment yesterday, a very distinctive sound approaching from behind as I walked down the pavement of Banbury Road in Oxford. Looked over my shoulder to see one of the original Saab99 two strokes in well used condition but still very presentable.
StarGazer
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"MK3 Ford (Coke Bottle) Cortina M6 near Liverpool last Sunday. Not that unusual I hear you say, but a canvas roofed one !!!"
Pugugly - are you sure this was n't just a vinyl roof GXL? (Vinyl roof = that oh so desirable extra from the 70s)
_______
IanS
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Yes I remember them - no it was a convertable.
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One for Murphy the Cat!
A Chrysler 300C stretched limo in a hideous greeny/brown colour and either a fold back fabric roof or a vinyl roof - whatever it was the car wasn't pretty.
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One for Murphy the Cat! A Chrysler 300C stretched limo in a hideous greeny/brown colour and either a fold back fabric roof or a vinyl roof - whatever it was the car wasn't pretty.
Thanks for thinking of me.
He sounds like he needs 50 swings from the lash.
MTC
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Take 2!
At the BTCC at Brands on Sunday, I was amazed by the number of Porsches there - 911's by the bucketload, and even a Carrera GT (wow!) in yellow (euch!). Now, despite this being a day where you'd expect exotica to turn out, I really didn't expect as many Porkers. Any ideas why they were out in droves?
Only saw two Ferraris there - I realise the rest must have been at See Red in Donington.
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A 1969 DB6, near Northwich.
JH
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Saw my first Countach recently. Could have been a replica (was moving) but looked like the real thing. Spotted a 360 Ferrari shortly after so guess may have been a show somewhere.
Also seen 2 Phaetons recently (pretty rare in my neck of the woods). And this morning got overtaken by a Citroen C6. Very low and wide. Not quite as pretty as was expecting, but would still like one.
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Last night, in Harrow Road, a well-used but fairly respectable red Montego saloon.
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>>fairly respectable red Montego saloon.<<
Pardon?
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Rose-tinted spectacles Adam, through the pub window with one of the biggest cemeteries in London on the other side of the road... Even some of the passers-by look respectable, and you just know most of them can't be really.
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Saw a Rover Streetwise (think that's what it was called, the Rover 25 on stilts) in Moscow. Only one I've ever seen.
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Was in a little town in the middle of France last evening when I heard a subdued roar and into the square came what appeared to be a Ferrari 250 GTO (a la Nick Mason). It certainly looked and sounded good but had a youngish lad driving it.
I snorted and said to the French guy beside me (in French, of course...) 'hah - it's a kit car'. But he said (also in French!) 'oh no, monsieur, it is real - it belongs to the owner of a vineyard near here. You would need a lot of euros to buy that'.
I still don't believe it.
It's a bit like seeing the Loch Ness monster...
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built on a toyota?
i nearly got fooled last week till i got to 15 feet of it.
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Could be. I started to walk towards the guy, rehearsing the words for 'would you please get out of the car for a minute and open the bonnet' but he drove off again!
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Followed today from Bath along the A36 by an immaculate early post-war MG saloon (YA type?) Light green with dark green wings. We had one of these at school in our engineering club in the early 70's.
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Going up and down the A1 today:
- a black Ferrari 599 GTB (looked gorgeous!)
- 2 black Bentley Continentals - one convertible
- a red Ferrari 430 Spider
From the sublime to the ridiculous though; on the road to Wakefield, I saw what was on first glance an F355. On closer inspection, it wasn't porky enough at the rear end and the horror dawned on me as I saw the "K" plate - it was either a Fiero or MR2 kit car!
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strangely Chicken Vindaloo i was going up the AI /A64 today 11.00 am and saw coming down to the AI a first time round lotus europa in what looked a grey/dark blue,a most unusual colour i thought
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This morning in Henley, two Morgan 3 wheelers open to the rain looked great but today, in this weather?
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Saw two 1920's Indian motorcycles. Not on the road but in the Wall Of Death at Nottingham Goose Fair. One was being ridden on rollers outside to attract punters, the other was used on the Wall itself.
Was entertaining watching a bloke spinning round horizontally at high speed, five feet from your face, riding side-saddle with both his hands in the air on an ancient V-twin contraption. On the mike I think he mumbled something about "nobody will insure us for this anymore", but I couldn't make out what he was saying. Lots of noise and fumes - great stuff!
;o)
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When the wall of death people say 'nobody will insure us' it's a hint to start throwing money into the middle...
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Yesterday, Oxford City.
An old (early seventies I'd guess) BMW flat twin motorcycle in military "colour" scheme; devoid of badges and I'm not enough of an anorak to know which exact model, but in apparent daily use and looking like a WWII dispatch riding refugee.
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Probably the Russian rip off version called the Ural. (Same as they ripped off the AK47 from a German Assault Rifle same period, same reasons)
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Seen just a few minutes ago- a dark green Morris 1800 - very tidy looking example, no obvious rust.
My father had a white 1800 for some years in the late 60s, I drove it to Spain and back a couple of times. Very comfortable, unbelieveable room inside, and ours was very reliable, (even the cable operated gearchange).
P.
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Yet PM, My old man had a 68 F reg Morris 1800 for a while (RAF Car I think), huge inside, a cracking flying carpet ride, bags of room. We loved it as kids, then again we loved the S reg Princess 1800 he had as well, that was a very civilized car.
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Snowberry White......the colour of the Landcrab, same colour as an immaculate Triumph GT6 I saw yesterday. Also saw a bog eyed Morgan today, driver had the roof down and was smoking - pleb.
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Mint Vauxhall Viva Mark 1 (HA) 1964 vintage sighted in Norwich on Saturday. Very hard to believe that this strange boxy saloon is the ancestor of the current Astra.
_______
IanS
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Austin 1100 in Morrisons car park last night. H reg and mint condition- but had a chrome exhaust extension on (quite small though) with a grill on it and fluffy dice on the rear mirror.
Found a late 80s X19 living quite close to me too- again good condition but can see signs of rust starting.
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Walked past a Ferrari Enzo yesterday, stopped at the side of the road next to Burger King. The doors were open (they open upwards like a Lamborghini Countach) and there was a young lad in the driver's seat (mid twenties I would guess) and, predictably I guess, a pneumatic blonde in the passenger seat. I'm guessing the owner is a pop star, a football player or some other celebrity. Wasn't the Pope though who got presented with the 400th (and last) one built.
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Yesterday early afternoon inspected a wonderful 1904 Oldsmobile parked in Lymington (behind very good pub!) when owner turned up to drive off - he told us he had 7 horsepower!!!
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On the A11 yesterday, an Austin Maxi pulling another Maxi on a trailer.
_______
IanS
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Over the weekend saw a Audi Coupe the very early one on a ABC123L type plate, L reg so 73/74, first one I've seen for ages, they weren't common when new!
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Remember these well. The old chap had one on loan while a service was being carried out on his new Audi 100GL ... about 1972? The 100GL was the same spec as the coupe but with a normal 4dr booted body.
They were great cars to drive. Their nimble fwd handling, great performance, comfort, refinement and economy pointed the way forward to the modern age from the Rover/Triumph 2000, Vauxhall Cresta and similar of that era.
That coupe was a real looker. It was always said to be very similar to the Aston Martin DBS of that time. Haven't seen one about for ten years or so.
Here's the Audi Coupe....
www.club-audipassion.com/revue_presse/2005/Audi-10...g
David
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Lamborghini Diablo in red late Saturday night clumsily parked in a bustop parked facing the traffic.
Looked like it was dumped! (unlikely though!)
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