Cars from the 60's / 70's.

[Gunk]

Watch on 18 minutes 40 seconds @Slick to see the whole of the seats turn into a double bed!!

Perfect for the striking BL worker to take a nap

 

[AlanW]

I remember going with my dad when he collected his new Damascus Red Maxi and the salesman showing dad around the car and highlighting the fact that you could fold all the seats down to make a "double bed". To which my dad replied, "but why?"

 

[Drago]

To which my dad replied, "but why?"

Handy while awaiting the AA, which you would do a lot of if you owned an E series powered car.

 

[AlanW]

Later on in life when I was in a position to buy my own cars, I purchased a brand new Mini 1275 GT in Russet Brown with the gold lettering on the bottom of the doors saying "1275 GT". Shortly after taking delivery of the car, it very soon became apparent that the cylinder head was porous as it was leaking coolant on my dads drive.
The car was duly booked into the local British Leyland dealer for them to repair.
A few days later and the car was finished and I went down to collect it. The repair consisted of a large self-tapping screw being screwed into the porous cavity and then covered with P38 filler and the painted green. I know this as after a few days, no surprises but the filler came away and revealed the head of the self-tapper.

 

[Drago]

Later on in life when I was in a position to buy my own cars, I purchased a brand new Mini 1275 GT in Russet Brown with the gold lettering on the bottom of the doors saying "1275 GT". Shortly after taking delivery of the car, it very soon became apparent that the cylinder head was porous as it was leaking coolant on my dads drive.
The car was duly booked into the local British Leyland dealer for them to repair.
A few days later and the car was finished and I went down to collect it. The repair consisted of a large self-tapping screw being screwed into the porous cavity and then covered with P38 filler and the painted green. I know this as after a few days, no surprises but the filler came away and revealed the head of the self-tapper.

The British car industry really deserved the downfall that came it's way, what with the contempt they showed for their customers with the product and service.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

A family friend had one of those. I seem to remember it as a good car. Was the gear stick mounted so it protruded from the dash?

That was the Renault 4 (see photo), the 16 had a column shift.

 

[Sharky]

The British car industry really deserved the downfall that came it's way, what with the contempt they showed for their customers with the product and service.

Wasn't there a case where they installed disc brakes on one side and drum brakes on the other?

 

[Gunk]

That was the Renault 4 (see photo), the 16 had a column shift.

View attachment 717308

My first car. 1974 R5 had the umbrella shift. I did post a photo of the R16 set up earlier in this thread

 

[AlanW]

Wasn't there a case where they installed disc brakes on one side and drum brakes on the other?

Nothing would really surprise me back then to be honest, but l don't think it would be possible would it?

 

[BoldonLad]

I passed my driving test January 1965, three months after my 17th birthday.

I learnt to drive in a Triumph Herald.

First car was a Ford Anglia 100E. Paid £35 for it. I think it was a 1954 model, It had been a hire car, in Jersey, and, was then re-registered when brought to UK.

At the time, I was earning £3/9s/2d (£3.46) per week.

I have photographs somewhere, but, cannot find them at present.

This was followed, in 1967, by a 1962 Ford Anglia 105E. Originally a 997cc, myself and a pal fitted a 1500cc engine from a Cortina (obtained from local scrap yard). The work. was done in the street, using a scaffolding pole and some rope to lift out and in the engine.

There then followed a period of increasing affluence when I moved job (into IT), quickly followed by a decrease in available income as mortgage and children came along.

From memory I had:

Ford Cortina Mk1
Ford Cortina Mk2
Ford Escort Mk1
Ford Cortina Mk3
Ford Capri Mk1
Ford Fiesta Mk1 at this point we became a two car family
Hillman Imp (2 off)
A Rootes Group piece of rubbish as first Company Car, cannot recall model
Ford Escort (Company car)
.... at around this time wife Mk1 was replaced by wife mk2, but, two car household continued
Hillman Hunter
Vauxhall Cavalier
Rover 216 (Company Car)
Ford Sierra
Ford Escort Ghia (Company Car)
... that is the end of the 1980's

Edit: I think the Rootes Group rubbish was called a Talbot Horizon?

 

[Ian H]

It wasn't mine, but I remember driving one of these from London to Preston sometime late 60s. No front brake, no rear suspension, 200cc Villiers engine.

 

[richardfm]

Owned four of these two Singer Chamois Sports and two Hillman Imps. Totally reliable, easy to maintain, cheap to buy and insure a great small family car too.

View attachment 717300

Didn't they have a reputation for the aluminium cylinder heads warping?

 

[BoldonLad]

Didn't they have a reputation for the aluminium cylinder heads warping?

Never had that problem, but, had two failed water pumps

 

[DRM]

My first car was a Simca 1000, it was my Grandads but I got it when he packed in driving, it had a rear 1000cc engine & had a habit of vapourising the fuel in the carburetter feed pipe when the engine got hot on a long run on a warm day, the only solution was to lift the bonnet and let it cool down, it was identical to this
https://images.app.goo.gl/f9tLXGa8Uz2FMBSW9
That was followed by a 1.3 Morris Marina Coupe, Identical to this, was terminal tin worm in the front chassis leg that killed it.
https://images.app.goo.gl/cEWzvW2EdBeCZr8H8
Then an Opel Ascona 2.0S identical to this, was a belter of a car
https://images.app.goo.gl/7d2pu4YpsAW4E7p16

 

[dicko]

Didn't they have a reputation for the aluminium cylinder heads warping?

I have never had this happen and don’t know of any Imp owners never ever experience this. However, as a mechanical engineer it is a simple operation to perform on a very basic vertical milling machine.