***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 15 *****
***** This thread follows on from VOLUME 13 *****
Another thread for commenting on rare, unusual, old or just plain daft cars etc. 629669
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PU.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 20/11/2007 at 18:59
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Saw a Renault Alpine GTA the other day in South Wales (nr Cardiff). It was red and stood out for being so different amongst all the metallic silver Mercs, BMWs and Audis! Still a good shape after all these years.
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I was killing time in London a few weeks ago by wondering around the residential streets behind Oxford Street when I came across one of those vaguely bonkers Alfa Romeos from the late 80s/early 90s. GTV or somesuch? Anyway, it was red (pink in places) and looked like it hadn't been driven for a while.
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I came across one of those vaguely bonkers Alfa Romeosfrom the late 80s/early 90s. GTV or somesuch?
Funny you should mention that, if its the same one I saw in Abergavenny bank holiday monday! The one with the 3 square headlights each side?
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"The one with the 3 square headlights each side?"
That really is bonkers. Should n't they be at the front?
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That's the one, Pot. Unlikely it was the same car though. This one looked like it had been there for some time. Still taxed though.
Excellent point, Round the Bend. Made me laugh, that did!
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saw a Ford GT40 about a week ago in Putney. (the original one not the remake) I presume that there are numerous kit car copies ( i know that Dax do one) but it sounded like the real one and of course was in Gulf colours.
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A shiny, new, 07 reg, Citroen 2CV.
OK, it was in a dream last night. It was not, however, the 2CV of old, but a new model, a retro version if you like - a bit bigger and chunkier than the original - rather as the BMW MINI is to the original. It was a metallic grey colour.
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If you believe what Citroen said at the launch, it must have been a C3...
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Saw a wierd looking Renault on Saturday morning. It was Polish (LHD) and looked like a Mk2 Clio but in Saloon variant.
It had a badge, but I can't remember what it was called. T... something. And no it was not a Twingo as I've seen loads of them.
Any ideas?
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Sounds like a Thalia, theres one usually parked up round here on LT (Latvia or Lithuania?) plates.
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Sounds like a Thalia
>>
and looks like this?
tinyurl.com/2fjb4r
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Just saw a pearlescent pink Honda Jazz parked across the road. It looks absolutely charming.
Still, given the bigoted, blinkered and graceless attitudes of our compatriots it might be rather trying to drive about in it unless you were a very pretty woman. And perhaps even then.
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Just back from hols in North Yorkshire where it just got sunnier and sunnier and...
a slightly shabby Imp steadily making it's way up the M62 gradient to Saddleworth Moor.
a Viva HB convertible outside Pickering. I wonder if he did it himself with a hacksaw or whether Crayford did it.
a yellow Lambo convertible going up Sutton Bank as I went down. Sounded fantastic as it approached, sounded absolutely amazing as I got the full benefit of the exhaust from the rear! Sorry, no idea what sort, it's not as if I see enough to spot the difference! Note to 'leccy car makers - start work on an engine / exhaust note synthesiser. I don't want to drive anything that whirrs.
TR4a in very nice nick. Got talking to it's owner who'd driven up from Worcester. Carb throttle return spring had broken and left him stuck at 4,000 rpm on a roundabout, but that's ok, he had a spare!
Vanguard Standard 6 looking absolutely immaculate, just outside Pickering.
A garage in Thornton le Dale selling all sorts of old stuff, if you happen to be passing that way.
JH
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Today, near Huntigdon, a Bond Bug :-)
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A very nice TR7 Convertible in silver. Could have been a TR8 but Mrs PU was doing Advanced Shopping with Commentary.
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A very nice TR7 Convertible in silver. Could have been a TR8 but Mrs PU was doing Advanced Shopping with Commentary.
Can we quote ya PU??
MD
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A pale greenish Citroen DS passed my nose at a roundabout on the Kingsway last week. It was on a weekday and it had one occupant who looked as if he were about his daily business; by the time I managed to get clear of the roundabout it had escaped somewhere. Lovely cars, pity about the engines.
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A DB7 in Limoges today, being driven very 'Frenchly' (as the legendary Alan Clarke would have said), ie stuck up a narrow one-way street and causing chaos trying to reverse.
Reporting this shows how desperate to report something interesting I am becoming. I hope the situation will be remedied next weekend with a visit to the rally and 'Circuit des Remparts' at Angouleme.
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I saw a few unusual sightings at the Beaulieu autojumble today ;)
Didn't know there were any Vauxhall Viva estates in existance.
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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>Didn't know there were any Vauxhall Viva estates in existance.<
Pal of mine used to live in one - honestly.
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On my way home this evening, an H-reg Austin Maxi 1500! Been driven at a steady but not unduly slow pace up the A46. I know that one mustn't jump to assumptions, but the mature gentleman and lady in it, had the look as if they were the original owners, and that it was their everyday car. It appeared to be in very good condition.
The Maxi - a forward-looking car and idea at the time - acres of space in it, 5-doors, flexible luggage/seating. This would have been around 1969.
And re the post above re Viva estates - I always thought the HC Viva estate was a brilliant shape and design. OK, that sweeping rear door would have reduced luggage capacity, but always looked futuristic to me!
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I saw a Vauxhall Victor the other day in lime green in immaculate condition. It was the early one and I couldn't help admiring the style of the dashboard and instruments and the bench front seat. My mate said you could get into a lot of bother with bench front seats but I didn't understand what he meant. Just shows you that if you get a decent car you could with determination make it last donkeys years and have a conversation piece into the bargain.
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"you could get into a lot of bother with bench front seats"
Only if you were a girl... :-)
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I love bench seats. I remember as a 6 year old sitting in the middle in the front of my father's Ford Consul changing gear for him on the column change. No seat belts, no child seats. How did we survive those days?
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had to stop and rub my eyes on sunday, seen an ice cream van with the mercedes badge on the front , i thought that they were all still the old fibre glass ones from the 1960/70s (dont know the make) have MB found a niche market?
Unusual Sighting if I ever heard of one ! Certainly nothing to do with a Daewoo ! - PU
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Yes they do still make them:
www.whitbymorrison.com/trucks_about.html
I was surprised how much they cost. Second-hand one here for £25k: snipurl.com/1qkmg . You'd have to be sure you're going to sell a lot of ice cream wouldn't you?
I once got talking to a self-employed ice cream man in a pub and it sounded like he was rolling in it (money, not ice cream). Had three vans and was going to branch out into hot dogs and burgers...
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I saw a Maestro Ice Cream van in N Wales last year....yellow it was and immaculate...
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Had three vans and was going to branch out into hot dogs and burgers...
If half of what they used to say about the ice cream business in Glasgow was true, you'd be a bit worried about what (or who) might be in the burgers...
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I once got talking to a self-employed ice cream man in a pub and it sounded like he was rolling in it (money not ice cream). Had three vans and was going to branch out into hot dogs and burgers...
Cash my Son......Cash!!
MD
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TR7 on the M5 last night - moving under its own power!
{header changed, as this post is not related to the ice cream van discussion - DD}
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MB 560SEL - 1987 on "E" plate - looked immaculate - turns out the current owner bought it a few months back from the original owner - 2 owners, 20 years and only 45,000 mls - impala colour (Beige to you and me)
It looked immaculate and it all seemed 100% original - £8,000 he paid? Seems a wee bit steep or maybe not?
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Two Rolls-Royce silver ghost open four seat tourer's in the village car park today at one pm. sticker on both said they were taking part in the silver ghost owners club tour of Devon and Cornwall so other forum members may be lucky to see them
ndbw
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well nbdw i went down devon and cornwall for a full week on your recommendation and never saw them ;-( ,can i claim expanses?
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Saw them on Exmoor last week. We went up to Lynmouth to see the Tour of Britain cycle race and met several old rollers on the way home to Cornwall.
Steve.
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Can i claim expanses?
Only if you've eaten tooooo much!
MD
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At a local country show first sighting of the Audi R8 and A5.
Wishing I'd a big lottery win. You'd have to keep the R8 engine clean though!
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I glimpsed an A5 on the road the other day. Looked good but they've played around (again!) with LEDs in the headlights - looked like runnning lights. Didn't look bad. I did see an Audi not so long ago, one of the X road estates I think, the tail lights were doing a fair impression of a Christmas tree. Rather bling.
JH
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>At a local country show first sighting of the Audi R8 and A5.
Another first sighting of an R8 today on the A33 heading out of Basingstoke towards Reading. Those front LED lights scream "LOOK AT ME!" worse than a tarted-up Saxo.
Are they switched separately like fog-lights or do they come on with side/headlights?
Kevin...
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They're running lights - soon to be a legal requirement in the EU
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They're running lights - soon to be a legal requirement in the EU
For new stuff only I hope?
MD
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I think since that post that the idea has been binned. Read it here so it must be true.
647129
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 25/10/2007 at 18:47
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I saw a single 2CV last week... Nothing special about that you may think. But this was France on a long trip.
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Apart from enthusiasts' gatherings at weekends you don't actually see many 2CVs on the road in France. You are much more likely to see Renault 4s - a far superior motor for doing the same job that is still very much in evidence everywhere.
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Yesterday in Liverpool I saw an A reg (1983?) Mini City that appeared to be rust free and unmodified, I though they'd all been modified (alloys, cooper look alikes etc.) rotted or gone onto Autograss by now.
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Saw a reflection of myself in the car today, strange? well, its late september and I had the hood down due to the unseasonally good weather also I was enjoying a cigarette....obviously not the UK!
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Saturday
2 new XKs on trade plates - stopped in the layby on Sutton coldfield by-pass. Also a few minutes later current version being driven quickly on its way out towards them from Castle Bromwich (also on trade plates)
Rescue mission ? ? ? ? ?
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immaculate '57 Chevvy with white roof and yellow body; all chrome and fins, on Saturday in sunny Fife, looked and sounded fantastic.
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a belle air? these were doing £5000 when i couldnt afford one now they are doing £30,000 and i still cant :-(
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thats the one absolutely gorgeous :-(
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For about the past month on the north circular road, Henly's corner to redbridge roundabout 6.30to7.00 A.M mon to fri there's been a jap coupe L reg mazda or lexus I think and it's ORANGE.I dont just mean ordinary orange this thing glows almost as if it's got some sort of internal illumination.I've certainly never seen anything like it before.Anyone else seen it?
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I couldn't find the Unusual Sightings thread but I thought this was worth posting.
Today I saw a gunmetal grey Audi R8 supercar on the A36. The multiple LED lights drew my attention to it as it approached. Didn't realise these things were out and about yet.
Makes a change from my usual unusual sightings posts about immaculate old Maxis and Marinas!!!!
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Is the R8 the only Audi with those fancy LED lights? If so I've been followed across the New Forest by one 3 times in the last week.
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Think that the A5 coupe has them as well. Very bright hockey stick pattern.
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They are always making films round here, and a right pile of carp some of them are. On my afternoon waddle the other day I saw that All Saints Road and various turnings off it were full of plod and people in anoraks guzzling bacon sandwiches among the klieg lights and stuff.
Numerous vehicles were also present, including two pre-Routemaster London double-decker buses and a number of fifties and sixties cars including a Rover 90 and a Triumph 2000. What struck me about them was that although they were restored they both looked rather tired, slumped a bit on their suspension.
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1960's Hillman Imp. Running, no smoke or other signs of distress. I suspect either Grandfather's very-low mileage vehicle now inhertied, or someones' restoration project.
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The Imp wasn't a nice car at all IMO, although I passed my driving test in one rather late in my driving career. But it had the best small engine then made, a beautiful little Coventry Climax-designed unit. Enthusiasts used to fantasise about an Imp-powered Mini.
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I saw one yesterday it looked like a Sunbeam version (twin headlamps) and was rally prepped. Very narrow looking these days,
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In a field of long grass on the outskirts of Peterborough sits the remains of a 1980 Fiat Strada. Very very rusty, but I think that was factory fitted.
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Got stopped in the car at levisham station, north yorkshire moors steam railway level crossing, by a platoon of second world war soldiers wanting to know why i was travelling in the area.
There was a 1940"s theme on and very good again it was too on the whole line .(recommended)
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Saw a black Citroen CX 25 GTi turbo 2 (just as well the car was wide to get the name on the back) yesterday travelling under its own power complete with dent in the front offside wing.
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Not all that unusual in this part of town really, but I have seen and heard two 'highly desirable motors' gunning past the house in the last couple of days, a busy London main road with buses.
The first was one of those Audi V8 engined 4wd road racing estates, gunned up the road, made a brisk left over the stupid ramp at the end of a side street, and vanished with a well-bred snarl. The second was an Aston Martin DB7 or 9 Vantage. That came out of a side street and floored it in first and second, judging by the noise which was very loud, until stopped by a bus and some taxis and things. The sad thing though was that it didn't take off like a scalded cat or go very fast. Normally I like to hear a proper engine make its song but this was mere vulgar clamour. Audi wins hands down (or perhaps it was just the drivers).
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In an expensive City of London underground carpark.
Lots and lots of G-Whiz plastic cars with many plugged in the wall - recharging.
One even had a "cherished" number plate.
I was a little taken aback at the hoards of scooters and bikes also in there.
I do not recall seeing bikes parked above ground so perhaps there are some local regulations re security risks.
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Saw a bright orange Bond Bug in Chingford today. Took me back a bit to days of 18" flares, stacked heels and mutton chop side burns. It didn't look particularly safe as it is very cramped and the steering wheel was just about touching the drivers stomach.....in for a spearing in a head on crash.
Certainly caught peoples attention though. Anybody ever driven one?
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Saw a Datsun 120Y Sunny today that hadn't been eaten away by the rust monster. I was astonished at how thin the wheels were compared to todays cars. Mountain bike tyres seem to be thicker than the ones on this car!
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A 120Y was my first new car, compared with the 850 Mini it replaced it was an amazing car for the money. Took me weeks to figure out how to set the radio presets.
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pull a preset knob out ,tune the radio to the desired station and push the knob back in,
please note after excessive usage you may find the station drifts a little ,if this happens please follow step 1 again
thank you ;-O
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In Kingston in the traffic.
Coffee and cream colour and looked in good condition.
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Or was it a 400 Estate T Reg in Gold !
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Fully 'blinged' H2 Hummer in Tesco Sevenoaks yesterday taking up nearly 2 parking spaces. My little boy thought it was great! Number plate was something like H2 HMV
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saw a Noble M15 GTO - until I was able to read the badge I thought it was a tacky looking kit car - wings and spoilers everywhere - checked up and found they're £75k off the shelf! some kit car!
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ive just been to a garage that does diesel for less than £1 a litre ,but obviously keeping this information secret in case they sell out
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Followed an E-reg (67) Austin A40 (I think - the estate like one) from Darlington towards Castle Bernard last night. Most likely in daily use as there was a large cabinet in the back and it was dark. He was not making bad progress really considering (much better than new RR I followed earlier in the trip with V?? CEO number plate....)
--
RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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PU in a Skoda dealership.
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Ah, I see. Pologirl is really your other name? So when is the Fabia vrS Ltd Edition arriving ? :)
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2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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No its me - I've sold the Beemer, and bought a Skoda Roomster Scout...oh yes !
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Tell us more.........
incidentally my dad is very interested in the Roomster 3 Auto but none to be found for love nor money!!
--
2007 Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI (140) Stylance
2005 Skoda Fabia vrS
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Stylish vehicle PU - one can't quite call it a car - and undoubtedly competent enough.
I was hoping for a heavily tweaked Estelle, but we can't have everything.
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A maroon Hillman Avenger on the M25 today.
I seem to remember these being everywhere during my childhood. Can't remember the last time (before today) that I saw one, yet I recognised it instantly. Not a bad looking car actually, and rattling along happily at 70 odd.
Cheers
DP
--
04 Grand Scenic 1.9 dCi Dynamique
00 Mondeo 1.8TD LX
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The Head of State in what may well be a BMW.
Yes, I have been cut up by the Queen again, this evening around 8, trying to turn left out of Museum Street into Kingsway with assorted descendants on board after attending an art opening nearby.
There were a lot of blues but no sirens coming down Kingsway through the traffic. A plod bike came fast down the wrong side of the road pointing at me to make me stop at the junction, which I did, and then touching the forelock part of his helmet to say thanks. His style told me unmistakably that this was very heavy sugar. 'It's the Queen,' I said.
The nippers started jumping up and down in their loosely attached seatbelts shouting 'It's the Queen! It's the Queen!' interrupting their mother's telephone work conversation with her boss. To my surprise it really was - on her way to dinner from opening St Pancras for Ken Livingstone it now seems - unmistakable under lights, with the Consort there too, flashing past at a good speed. Makes you feel good to live in a classy country that does things well and low-key, sometimes at least.
The car was a massive modern brickshaped Rolls-Royce. A BMW really.
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Well, I hope BMW gave it to her and she didn't actually buy one of those dreadful looking things.
IIRC the Royal Mews still has RRs going back as far as the very early 1950s (Phantom IV?) - why doesn't she use one of those and show she still has taste?
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because the points will have shut and so she would be late for her tea
Edited by Webmaster on 08/11/2007 at 00:42
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There were one or two well-publicised instances of breakdowns with some of the older cars. The only other time I have met the Monarch in traffic she was in one of them, a maroon one. Both it and the BMW brick yesterday had extra-high cabins and clear glass to display the occupants. They aren't even standard Phantoms but special head-of-state jobs. I must say she keeps them very clean too.
Edited by Lud on 07/11/2007 at 18:17
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I expect she'd wash 'em in the street (see other thread) if they let her out on her own...
To return to this thread -
Yesterday I was in the back of French beyond near Limoges when I spotted a Lada estate parked in a hedge. It looked to be early 1990s and very rusty but it certainly wasn't a Riva or a Samara. Looked more like something Japanese from the early 1980s. Presumably it was a model that never got as far as the UK but made it to France where, at least until last year, you could still buy a new Riva 4x4.
By one of life's little coincidences, I was with a Russian friend when I saw it - and he reckoned he'd never seen one either...
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Just sighted a Rochdale Olympic II at Morrisons. Before this lunchtime I has never heard of these, let alone seen one.
Beautiful looking sport car from the 1960s in immaculate condition. Having just looked it up seems they only made 250 in 6 years of production. www.rochdale-owners-club.co.uk/olympic.htm
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Round The Bend heres a strange one,in 1981 i saw a rochdale parked up a drive in durham (near pity me) and knocked on the door to ask what it was as i had never seen one,i now notice the owners club started at the same time,maybe it was me that kick started them into action ?.i also remember that it was a scaffold pole type construction with a crazy bodywork (crazy as in crazing at the obvious strength points or weak points on the composite body depending on your view
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bb, certainly a striking looking car. From the rear, it looked like a gone wrong Etype. I crossed the car park to get a closer look - no sign of owner so could n't find out more about it. Pretty sparten inside by modern tastes.
Understand they were fibre glass and available made up or in kit form. The mark II used a Cortina engine.
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Was at morrisons car park in Wycombe when i saw a mk3 Cortina, looked liked it needed a restoration mind, but it was on it's original plates too.
--
Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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I forgot to mention this yesterday, but I saw a new Mazda 6 on Saturday on UK plates, which I thought was strange especially as the magazines are saying it isn't launched until Spring 08. It definitely was the new one too as it was parked in a car park and I had a good snoop!
Edited by hillman1 on 12/11/2007 at 15:19
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Ford Zephyr Mk 2 [ late 1950's ??]. Must have been someone's restoration project as it was in perfect condition and apparently running well { no smoke, etc giveaways.}
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Went to collect my 5-yr-old granddaughter from a friend's flat near here today, in a very solid and respectable large Edwardian or twenties mansion block. In the hall of the flat, facing the front door, was a large oil painting of a fifties Aston Martin Le Mans team, a DB3S in front of the transporter, with another car on the ramp behind it. All in faded greyish BRG with that winsomely tatty look sports racers, and indeed entire racing teams, used to have but now don't, with ads for McDonald's and similar carp all over them.
Unfortunately the little girl's parents were not in evidence, just a maid or nanny - Filipina I think - who smiled helpfully but didn't know anything about the painting, although she agreed that that's what it was. There was an old poster of Algiers too. Does the flat belong to a younger and much richer version of myself I wonder?
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In Wimbledon a black Harley Davidson with a number plate in an illegal font.
P'S
FXD
I would have thought it extra silly to have a plate like that in such an urban area.
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Not a car, but a motoring setting and definitely unusual! I'm afraid I didn't have much time to compose the shot, and I was on the school run...
Apologies for the lack of taste - it may not be suitable for work {in which case made non clickable. Copy/paste link into your usual browser address bar if you wish to view}
tinyurl.com/2bgn5w
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 16/11/2007 at 12:29
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Presumably, that was a Volkswagen Rabbit...
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I'm reporting this more out of sadness than anything.
Had two friends to lunch yesterday, one driving a year-old diesel Astra (with an Alfa engine he keeps telling me - why didn't he have the bottle to buy a proper Alfa then?) and the other with his very tidy 1977 XJ coupe, one of the all-time most beautiful cars and certainly a rarity in this part of France.
The two of them hadn't met until yesterday, but when they left at the same time Mr Astra jumped in his car and drove off, never even sparing the XJ a glance.
Please excuse the strong language but how flipping sad is that? I'm beginning to despair...
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A truly beautiful car Mike, I saw one a few months ago at the Stamford car show. One of the cars I really loved the look of and used to dream of owning as a teenager.
Mr Astra jumped in his car and drove off never even sparing the XJ a glance.
I dont know why you spend the time of day with this person?!
(only joking). ;o)
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He speaks English (well, Northampton English). That's a big social plus here...:-)
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German registered and white, initially thought it was a rare Alfa (grill shape) as it came up behind us on the M6.
Saw a second one on TG last night, tucked under the side of the coach.
Just can't remember what they call it!
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Its German and its name starts with 'W', I think, but I can't remember the rest of it. Has a BMW engine ISTR.
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