Odd, bad or just plain exotic...
PLEASE NOTE:-
To try and maintain some kind of logical order of discussion, if you start a new subject then reply to this post and try and remember to change the default subject header.
509061
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 1 Aug 16 at 10:13
|
We went to a car boot sale today in a little village a few kilometres from home and parked in a quiet spot on the outskirts for self-defence purposes, as is our wont.
When we got to the square in the village centre there was chaos, with marshals wearing high-viz jackets directing the traffic and crowds of people with cameras by the church. At first we thought it was a wedding but then we saw the priest, a huge north African type, as priests in rural France often are these days, in full regalia standing by the line of passing cars, sprinking each one with 'holy' water and giving it a blessing!
I suggested going back for ours and joining the queue, but I was ridiculed. Well, I know it's a Honda but you can't be too careful...
|
|
I wouldn't have gone anywhere near, in case I was struck down.
|
>>standing by the line of passing cars, sprinking each one with 'holy' water and
>> giving it a blessing!
Just take it to the carwash, you tight-fisted git!
|
|
As it 'appens, some years ago we visited Lourdes on the way to see friends (my advice is don't go near it...) and when we were at a party a few days later I cracked the joke about my car not going very well on the way there but being much better after I gave it a jetwash at Lourdes. All the Brits at the party fell about with laughing and all the French were horrified. They are not like us you know...
|
I never knew they existed until I spotted one in local supermarket car park this am. Painted in an awful khaki green colour, and the most pig ugly motor I have seen for a while. I had just taken an upright fridge freezer to the tip for a friend, and held back door of Focus down with baling twine, and it made me smile thinking of doing the same in t'Bentley
Yesterday, as it was too wet for gardening, I had a run up to Tennants auction house at Leyburn to try and turn some of my life's clutter into brass. Best do it now and spend any money before it's too late! Saw a drive out of many old cars, so must have been a vintage rally on in the area.
There are lovely driving toads twixt Settle & Leyburn, via Ribblehead, and it made me realise how much I miss the 330.
|
>>There are lovely driving toads
And with the windows down you can feel the Wind in your Willows!
|
|
Pulled up alongside a Bentayga at a roundabout in Basingstoke a few weeks ago. It was a very unflattering bronze colour and I thought it was a Kia until I saw the H.R.Owen stickers down the side and took a closer look. Nothing special to look at but would look pretty parked next to an X6.
Last edited by: Kevin on Fri 26 Aug 16 at 19:25
|
|
Me like Bentayga. Very much.
|
|
(the car, not the stupid name)
|
>> Me like Bentayga
You do? Looks a POS to me.
I like Prince Charles's black saloon with black windows and flashing blue lights behind the grille. Altogether more grown-up and competent.
|
Of course we can't all command a dozen police outriders on white Triumphs. Tant pis, what?
:o}
|
|
Driving into Fleet town centre the other day, I saw a Matra Simca Bagheera in good nick. Still a very nice looking car IMHO, don't think I've seen one in twenty years. Howmanyleft reckons there's only 4 taxed in the country at the moment.
|
...reminds me I saw an Alpine A610 two weekends ago somewhere around Rotherhithe.
It looked in spanking nick, HML reckons 17 still taxed in the UK.
|
|
A Danish friend living in Windsor has a Matra Bagheera, slightly modified to take the 1.9 engine out of a Pug 205GTi. Silver and probably on diplomatic staff plates so might not show on HML as being taxed.
Last edited by: Kevin on Fri 26 Aug 16 at 19:04
|
|
A strange company, Matra- at least they were 30 or so years ago. They could do beautiful (the Bagheera), and functional (the Espace)....and then they gave us the Rancho, which was an old Simca van tarted up to look as if it had 4wd (it didn't).
|
|
I've been in the UK for a short while. Last week a friend took me for an unforgettable blast around the Cotswolds in his 'facsimile' (not glassfibre fake!) C-type Jaguar. For time reasons I had to forego his offer of a drive in his Bentley Continental S2 Flying Spur. The other day a friend in Somerset showed me his absolutely mint, completely original, 25,000 mile, 1959 Austin A40. Walking along the street in Burnham-on-Sea I came across a hump-backed Phase 1 Standard Vanguard. Thank heavens for enthusiasts, eh?
|
JAP 1
Seen on a Bentley outside local curry house the other night
Probably worth more than t'curry ouse
Last edited by: legacylad on Wed 7 Sep 16 at 20:49
|
|
Would make more sense on my vintage car (engine was made by J.A. Prestwich, commonly referred to as JAP).
|
|
... lashed down on a 7-ton recovery lorry (right in the centre of the body).
|
Talbot Horizon, on A483 through Oswestry.
X plate so 1982, obligatory flat cap and specs worn by driver, scowl by female passenger. Car not mint but looked cared for daily driver; haven't seen one of those things on the road for ages. According to howmanyleft there are only 25 on the road in the UK.
My dad had one of those things as his first ever new car back in 1983; he'd had Fords before but wanted to support the local Peugeot dealer where two family members worked. Mum loved the seats, I hated pretty much everything about it from its rattly gutless engine (I really did think he'd bought a diesel when I first heard it) to the appalling gearchange and wallowy handling which made an Austin Maxi feel like a Lotus by comparison.
It lasted just seven years before succumbing to terminal tinworm. Horrible thing.
|
>>rattly gutless engine
>>Horrible thing
de acuerdo.
|
>> Talbot Horizon,
>> My dad had one of those things as his first ever new car back in
>> 1983; he'd had Fords before but wanted to support the local Peugeot dealer where two
>> family members worked. Mum loved the seats, I hated pretty much everything about it from
>> its rattly gutless engine (I really did think he'd bought a diesel when I first
>> heard it) to the appalling gearchange and wallowy handling which made an Austin Maxi feel
>> like a Lotus by comparison.
>>
We had one of those too. My dad wanted his employee to go for a Renault 14 (remember them?) as his Co. car but the employee chose the Horizon, and then shortly after left dad's company, so the car was farmed out to my mum. Yes, comfortable seats, but low-geared steering and wallowy handling, as you say! I spun it in the ice a few years later, taking an Allegro out in the process. Happy days!
|
|
Spotted whilst winding through the outskirts of Christchurch yesterday; a de Tomaso Pantera (or possibly Mangusta - didn't get time to look properly) in lime green, still a very good looking car in a somewhat Lamborghini Miura way IMHO.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 12 Dec 16 at 14:03
|
Black Bentley Bentayga on the road the other day waiting for me at traffic lights. All black (everything) and just looked like big black van / JEEP. Underwhelming.
Also saw a convertible Evoque in Sainsbury's car park today. Hot Orange in colour with a black roof. Such a wet dull day here that it did not look special.
Better is the number plate in a Ford Fiesta also regularly seen in the same car park: THE 8O5S
Looks great in the flesh. More mature chap and his wife in it and he said he had turned down a 6-figure offer on it. Likes it too much as doesn't need the money...
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 13 Dec 16 at 01:48
|
On the way to a Christmas market in deepest countryside yesterday afternoon a (presumably fake) GT40 in Gulf Mirage colours passed me going the other way. I couldn't really believe I'd seen it but it but it certainly sounded nice.
Just now in the car park at Lidl there was a mint condition very early Ford Fiesta parked among the usual Renault/Peugeot/Citroen grey porridge.
The extremes of Ford in 24 hours...
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 13 Dec 16 at 01:48
|
|
While pottering around this afternoon we passed a MkIV Cortina, or Taunus as it was here. Must be something about Fords at the moment - while sunning ourselves on a cafe terrace there was a noise like minor thunder and a new Mustang passed. Think I preferred the sound of the GT40.
|
|
I had a mk 4 Cortina (T reg) in bright Orange! - what a piece of Carp! was glad to get rid of it, never had another Ford since! ;-)
|
>> I had a mk 4 Cortina (T reg) in bright Orange! - what a piece
>> of Carp! was glad to get rid of it, never had another Ford since! ;-)
>>
I had a mk 5 estate, got it 2 weeks before we married in 1981, someone ran into the back of it they after I got it!
After that I had it as a company car for 2 years then bought it when I moved into a job that didn't justify a car, ran it for 3 more years to a total of 110,000 miles but. it was making nasty differential noises when I got rid.
I loved it, was a great family car when our oldest was a baby, I thought it was relatively big at the time, 3 years ago my oldest bought an Astra estate, bigger in every dimension.
|
...I'm in Aachen at the moment, and just walked past one of these..
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisker_Karma
(Yes, I had to look it up)
Can't be too many around; oddly proportioned thing, not overly attractive, but distinctive enough to stand out (and b***** wide)
|
Whatever happened to this subject, I've done a search and can't find it?
I saw today a '50s, German built, Triumph 2-stroke. I believe it was a TWN (Triumph-Werke Nürnberg AG) BDG 250. A split-single with tele front forks, plunger rear end and an enclosed chain. It had a small pedal in front of the gear change - a neutral selector. Strange machine.
|
Time this thread was revived.
Yesterday I took the caravan back to store using the Berlingo so Mrs B went shopping in my Skoda. Unfortunately I forgot to tell her it was low on fuel (light just on 50 miles left per dash). She decides it got to have a tenner's worth for safety but cannot get the filler cap off. Was it tactless of me to tell her it unscrews anti-clockwise like a wine bottle?
Anyway I was obliged to go and swap cars, me taking Fritz the Skoda for a drink at Sainsburys and leaving the 'lingo in Aldi's car park.
Back in town and on the ring road, dash now saying 55miles, came up behind a convoy of 6 P4/P5 Rovers. One was towing a support vehicle suggesting they were members of the Devon Branch of the P4 Drivers' Guild. Presumably headed for the P4 rally at Burghley House this weekend;
www.roverp4dg.org.uk/Events%20content.htm
Meanwhile, down the road at Foster's Booth John's Motors have, for some while now, had a Vanden Plas 1300 on their forecourt. Priced about £6k if my memory is right.
|
Seen it a few times now around South Oxfordshire. An Austin Seven (A30) in black.
Registered in Sept 1955, according to mycarcheck. 803cc petrol engine.
Very tidy and pristine car from what I could see, and was also keeping up with modern traffic around it that was travelling at 60 mph.
Nice to see it out on the road being used and presumably enjoyed, rather than being stuck in some museum or other.
Can't believe how small and narrow it is though when comparing it with all the other vehicles around it. Half the width of some modern cars.
|
|
Out and about in Northampton on Saturday I spotted a Triumph 2.5PI and another Vanden Plas 1300. Possibly some sort of BL get together in vicinity?
|
Were either of the VDP 1300s brown Bromp?
Only reason I ask, and it's for the most tenuous of reasons in truth, is that my father's retirement car was a brown VDP 1300 automatic.
He wasn't overly keen on it having had a lifetime of bigger more powerful cars. However, sadly he didn't have it long before he passed away.
My now late older brother took it on after that, and was coincidentally living in Northampton. He sold it on locally in due course, and I suppose I was just wondering, hoping even, that it was one of the ones you saw.
I can't remember the reg number, not that you would have either I guess. I'm going to try to find a photo of it.
|
Hi Runfer,
Neither was brown. The one for sale in Fosters Booth is a sort of white or off white, the example I passed heading out of town on Saturday was a lighter shade of purple (ie much paler than the Black Tulip that graced by first car - a Mini RPJ 753L) or possibly dark red.
|
I think I'm in love. It's sunny here and this morning I was mooching along the canal towpath with the dog and in due course came to the local canal basin, which is rather too grandly described as a marina. Anyway, don't worry, I'm not suddenly smitten by anything called a marina !
No, the object of my new found, or more accurately, resurrected, desire was a 1964 Mercedes 230 SL. Top down in a sort dark silver metallic and parked up at the canal basin.
Those were the first cars I ever coveted, even as a small boy. Haven't seen one close up in ages and this one appeared to be in perfect condition.
I have to find a way of one of those being in my life before I shuffle off the mortal. That, and Cameron Diaz of course !
;-)
|
>> Here ya go...
£16.80?
I could just about do that !
|
...might have been more unusual if you'd seen Cameron Diaz down the local canal basin.......
;-)
|
A Jaguar club member came in a similar (to the one in the link ) XK120 racing coupe.
A properly used one. A super machine on a sunny day.
tinyurl.com/y2n2swr7
|
>> ...might have been more unusual if you'd seen Cameron Diaz down the local canal basin.......
Not sure which would work out more expensive in the long term... ;-)
|
|
....would all depend on length of "ownership".....
|
A 2019 model Porsche 911 ( GT3 or whatever they are called now ) splashed with dirt from the rough unmade approach road, parked up at a mountain biking centre in North Wales last weekend, with bike racks on its roof. Rim deep in mud, and two obviously recently ridden and authentically grimy bikes leaning up against it, albeit with cursory bits of rag between the bikes and the paintwork.
Odd, but strangely very cool choice of mountain bike transport !
|
|
Vauxhall Cresta PA being raced by Tiff Needell at Goodwood revival this year.
|
First note since before Covid !
A lovely grey Alpina A110 today. What a lovely looking car ! Looked like a hybrid ! (Giant exhaust and a flaop on the wing) I want one
|
Taking up Duncan's pedant cudgel:
An Alpina is a Zeddo type bling car.
An Alpine is a thoroughbred, mid engined exotic machine (albeit, made by those cheese eating, surrender monkeys at Renault).
|
|
A rear view of a flaop is always uplifting…
|
|
...naughty step for you!...
|
>...naughty step for you!...
We didn't have a 'naughty step' at the school I went to. It was a 'naughty mat'. A thick bristly coconut coir mat that left red marks all the way up your legs and butt.
Very embarrassing when you're in Upper-6th.
|
>> ... that left red marks all the way up your legs and butt.
>>
...my school was much more traditional......it was the cane that did that....
|
>> >...naughty step for you!...
>>
>> We didn't have a 'naughty step' at the school I went to. It was a
>> 'naughty mat'. A thick bristly coconut coir mat that left red marks all the way
>> up your legs and butt.
>>
>> Very embarrassing when you're in Upper-6th.
>>
No Nancyboy naughty mats or steps or mats in my day, just six sharp raps of the cane across the backside. The really mean teachers had developed the knack of a fairly moderate stroke of the cane but with a wicked whip in the thing. That made one's eyes water a tad.
|
|
Sausage fingers on a tiny keyboard !
|
>>That made one's eyes water a tad.
Wear ya Levi's under ya skool troosers :)
|
I drove up to Scotland (from Surrey) for a long weekend and I suppose the longer one spends on the road, the more chance of an 'Unusual Sighting'. I was not disappointed.
On the way up, going Southbound on the M40 was a red Chrysler/Talbot Rancho. Possibly the only road-going one left?
On the way back going southbound on the M74 a fantastic bright orange rhd 2-door Fiat Mirafiori Sport with a very fruity exhaust. In it's day a medium-sized car. It looked tiny! Again, possibly the only road-going one left?
Last edited by: Boxsterboy on Wed 27 Apr 22 at 17:07
|
There are a fair few SORN'd; 34 for the Fiat, and 7 for the Rancho.
Perhaps people are hoping that they will become expensive classics?
|
>> Perhaps people are hoping that they will become expensive classics?
Like the guy down the road from me with a Lancia Beta (I think) that's been under plastic for a few years. He puts it up for sale at an optimistic price every year.
|
A nice Triumph Stag pulled up next to me in Tesco's car park this morning.
I got out and informed the owner I was the official under bonnet inspector for North Cornwall.
All original, apart from the Intermotor ignition coil.
He said the car was originally yellow, some bod had it resprayed brown, then laid up for 16 years!
Engine seized. All rebuilt now and looked concours in its present maroon coachwork.
Sounded very nice as the old boy drove out of the car park, with the hood down.
|
Picking up the caravan from store yesterday there was a Citroen BX hatch on the adjacent garage's plot. Noticed it once or twice before so may be a staff member.
We had a couple of them between 89 and 2005. Bit of me would like one as a running classic. The hydropneumatic stuff is a bit intimidating but, as applied in a BX, is actually pretty simple.
|
|
I bought a new BX 16TRS auto in the 80s, I couldn't get on with it TBH, so I sold it within 3 months and bought a 3 litre Capri :)
|
|
There's a Triumph Toledo near me that is in daily use. I've not had the chance for a close look but it looks to be in excellent condition.
|
I had driving lessons in a Triumph Toledo and past my test in one.
Also drove my Dads Hillman Hunter Estate , my Uncles 1.8 Marina Auto ( scared the bee Jesus out of him doing 80 on a dual) and failed English O level :-)
Last edited by: legacylad on Sat 18 Jun 22 at 15:02
|
A few seen out and about during a weekend visit to Flintshire for the grandson's first birthday.
Austin 1800 on the M1 on Friday. Early mark 2 on a G plate and looking like it had just been rolled out of a barn.
Austin Cambridge on a pre 63 plate turning into a retail park in Shotton. Looked immaculate.
Austin (or possibly Morris) 1100 on the M56 - for sale sign in back window.
Bond Bug this afternoon left the M1 into Leicester Forest services. J plate and in the shade of orange Bugs always were.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_Bug
|
"Bond Bug"
For reasons too complex to witter on about, we found ourselves unexpectedly in Letchworth on Thursday last, so had a wander about.
We stumbled over a sign saying "museum", which turned out to be a one room affair with an exhibition devoted entirely to Tom Karen, the Bond Bug designer. In my ignorance I was amazed he's still alive.
All sorts of good stuff in there, and of course, Letchworth has some really good buildings too as a bonus, so it was a good unplanned visit.
|
Not all Bond Bugs are the same
tinyurl.com/yk3f6xjn
300BHP Hyabusa powered Bug
|
Brilliant machine, a work of art. It's a wonder it doesn't do a Bluebird and flip up though.
I tuned many a Bond Bug back-in-the-day - but nuffink like that :)
|
|
I seem to remember a number of fatal accidents with Bond Bugs and lorries. Their wedge shape alomst seeming designed to fit under the tailgate of trucks.
|
you certainly wouldn't want to crash in one.
It looks cool for sure, but its a pile of poo in every respect.
|
>> a pile of poo in every respect.
They were a Reliant Robin on a shorter chassis with a different body. A travesty to the name of Lawrie Bond. His Bond 875 scared the pants off Reliant, who bought the Bond company and killed the 875, thus enabling them to use the name on the Bug.
|
>>
>>
>> 300BHP Hyabusa powered Bug
>>
You can import the power, but you can't import the handling.
|
|
Was the Cambridge blue ? Local friend has just sold his roadworthy one the other day. Improbably bought a Maserati instead of it !
|
>> Was the Cambridge blue ? Local friend has just sold his roadworthy one the other
>> day. Improbably bought a Maserati instead of it !
Don't honestly remember the colour although I think, in the fashion of the time it was two colours.
Saw coming towards us in a right turn lane and thought blimey that's a BMC Farina model. Unclear either then or when it actually crossed in front whether it was a Cambridge/Oxford or one of the other similarly styled cars. Only when I got a view of the rear could I see the chrome Cambridge badge.
|
|
Saw a H reg Cavalier, red saloon, on the A1 last week.
|
Spotted for sale on t'other side:
tinyurl.com/3j7y7ryr
|
On the road between Xalo & Benissa an orange late 60s, early 70s 911 Targa.
Tiny by modern 911 standards, and all the better for it.
I’ve a real soft spot for that motor
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 19 Oct 22 at 20:45
|
|
Exactly. A big benefit of the early 911s was that their narrow width meant they were perfect for threading down country lanes. Impossible in the modern bloated ones (and most other modern sports cars).
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 19 Oct 22 at 20:45
|
an orange late 60s, early 70s 911 Targa
>> Tiny by modern 911 standards, and all the better for it.
A few days later I saw it parked up at a large retail site near Teulada. I Obviously pulled up next to it and got chatting to the Dutch owner. It was one of the first, a 1967 in original orange paintwork. Air cooled small capacity engine, flat 6 in think.
I forgot to ask if he’d driven it from the Netherlands, or if it was garaged on the Costa Blanca.
A thing of beauty in my eyes
|
|
A Renault 5 Mk1 Turbo - the ones with the mid-engine V6, sideways in the place of the rear seats. On the back of a transporter going down the M11 last Thursday, probably en route from a museum to an auction house, or vice versa.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 5 Dec 22 at 10:35
|
Cool. The name Jean Ragnotti immediately springs to mind. I used to be a huge rally fan back in the day...Mintex in February, Scotland June, Rothmans Manx international September & RAC November.
Probably followed two events a year.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 5 Dec 22 at 10:36
|
>> Cool. The name Jean Ragnotti immediately springs to mind.
>>
That's the one, although this was plain red rather than the Renault Rally colours of white/yellow/black.
|
>> A Renault 5 Mk1 Turbo - On the back of a transporter going down the M11
>> last Thursday, probably en route from a museum to an auction house, or vice versa.
It wasn't an F reg metallic grey one, was it?
|
|
Popped up the road to collect the in-laws for Christmas Dinner (v.2.1) earlier. Driving through their village saw a rather large chap riding/driving a Segway...probably unlawful he kept to the pavements to be fair to the traffic, but not particularly fair to users on foot though.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 26 Dec 22 at 19:49
|
|
Hyundai i30N with the reg plate N30 YEA, which I thought was quite neat!
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 26 Dec 22 at 19:49
|
Audi A1 resident in Settle...used to be on a Yaris.
FEK 1T. Always makes me smile...must be worth a few quid.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 26 Dec 22 at 19:55
|
...had to go to the other side of the Pennines for a funeral today.
I was overtaken on the way by a (LHD) DMC DeLorean. Not much concession to the speed limit, so I reckon he was off to 1955!
|
>...had to go to the other side of the Pennines for a funeral today.
They still eat people there, you know.
|
|
.... I thought the sandwiches tasted a bit odd....
|
>> .... I thought the sandwiches tasted a bit odd....
In the pies mainly.
|
.. that's Lancashire, this was Cheshire. They're too posh to do pies (or at least, to admit to it).
Some of the local lower classes might import rowies, though.
|
Or square sausage and well fired rolls.
Jeez, I want one now.
;-)
|
|
Mr Morrison tried to ban well fired rolls in Safeway……..
|
|
I take it someone explained the error of his ways to him?
|
The 'well fired' version are, to English eyes/tastes, over baked with a solid crust:
macdonaldbutchers.co.uk/product/well-fired-rolls-pack-of-4/
Stag Bakeries version are ubiquitous around Stornoway.....
One thing I miss in rural Scotland are decent wholemeal soft rolls.
|
>>
>> One thing I miss in rural Scotland are decent wholemeal soft rolls.
>>
...you'll generally find them on the salad counter......
Oh, just a minute!...
|
“Why are you selling burnt rolls”
Cos customers buy them ….
“Well not anymore, take them off sale”
Another one that landed on the desk of Davy Gardiner, Scottish Ops Manager, who has to help Ken understand the Scottish market.
Including removing local suppliers like Lees, Tunnocks etc
Cutting back the space for Irn Bru on the shelf for Dandelion and Burdock
Changing aisle signage to “Pop”
Filling the shops with pork pies at Xmas….
The list was a long one….
|
|
Maybe he thought he was on missionary work north of the wall ;)
|
>> Maybe he thought he was on missionary work north of the wall ;)
>>
Ken Morrison died over 6 years ago...and from memory Morrison’s were bought , and subsequently delisted, by a private equity company in recent years.
I happened to be in Keighley last Saturday, visiting my ex in an outlying village called Micklethwaite, so revisited the Morrisons store in the town. I used to trade from two retail shops in town so just for old times sake....the place didn’t offer a nice shopping experience. Quite the opposite. Saturday afternoons in years gone by it was heaving with customers, but nearby Aldi & Lidl stores have put paid to that. Very quiet, and on a downward spiral.
Sad because Keighley at one time was a thriving place....I even lived there 30 years ago, but got out in time.
|
A documented celebration of international cuisine in Basingstoke.
tinyurl.com/3h9f3p44
|
...I see they're sold out..
I do hope all your relatives appreciate their "unique and thoughtful" Christmas present.
|
Took the XJ to my trusted spanner-man this morning to fix the EPB sensor and saw this parked outside. I'd forgotten how tiny these things were. The roof is waist height and the seats squabs are level with the door bottoms. No problems parking it but getting out might be a bit awkward.
tinyurl.com/3fts2m7d
|
|
I’m sure I could still get out of my previous R reg Mk1 Elise quite elegantly.
|
|
strictly for Italian sized monte carlo drivers
|
Not a road vehicle but an aircraft.
A Piaggio P-180 Reg T7-DAT passed over the house about half an hour ago. He was at 900ft according to adsb. Odd looking twin turboprop in a 'Push' configuration with hammerhead front wings. Never seen one before.
|
They're funny looking things aren't they?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_P.180_Avanti
Piaggio have a long history of using 'pusher' props. When I was a kid Charrington Breweries had one that was a regular at Leeds/Bradford the approach to which was over rthe back of our house:
www.flickr.com/photos/33932332@N07/4290020514/
|
And he's been a busy boy today, looking at his flight history.
Marseille - Cannes - Blackbush - Bournemouth, and now heading back over France. Probably billionaires escaping to their winter residences in Bournemouth.
|
|
The T7 registration is San Marino. One of those places like the Isle of Man that's only relatively recently set up & maintained an aircraft register.
|
Always plenty of unusual stuff around Settle....
Followed an N reg Volvo T5 estate, in a not very pleasant faded yellow colour, out of town yesterday. While since I’ve seen one...memories of watching similar in the BTCC years ago.
|
Stayed in Alnwick at the weekend.
Parked next door was a Volvo C70. Not super rare I guess but a while since I've seen one too.
After a quick wiki didn't realise they made them until 2013 (was a 59-plate)
|
My indie mechanic services one of these. Think it’s that colour as well.
Owner has had it since brand new and has decided that it is staying on the road no matter what any service/ problem costs to fix. It will never be an “uneconomic to repair”.
|
>> out of town yesterday. While since I’ve seen one...memories of watching similar in the BTCC
>> years ago.
Rickard Rydell, about '94 I think. They even sent it out in one race with a huge stuffed dog in the back. I know the ole bill absolutely loved their T5's
|
From what I remember they were very 'creative' with the flow of the head on the 5 pot engine to get the power needed to keep an estate competitive.
|
Heading away for a few days in The Dales, we pulled into the local supermarket for a quick dash for some forgotten goodies.
On the way back to the 'van I spotted an odd-looking vehicle that I now know to be an Ora Funky Cat (largely from spotting the large "ORA" badge on the rear. Now renamed the Ora 03.
Whilst I knew they existed, it's new to me. I suppose there must be a few in the UK, but I've certainly never seen one before. Few dealers, the nearest being in Nottingham.
|
Saw one near Chester a week or two ago. First one I’ve seen I think.
Don’t want one.
|
I suggest that you do not Google images ORA 3!
|
I spent a few days in Liverpool, where I saw a Renault Alpine (I'm pretty sure it was) decked out in UK police livery, complete with lights. I didn't get to see a number plate as it drove by, so I couldn't tell if it was UK registered.
I was told later, that filming of The Responder was taking place and wondered if it may have been connected to that?
|
|
Thanks for that, good to know I wasn't hallucinating.
|
Currently on the last knockings of our caravan holiday in France. This week we've been in the valley of the Indre. Today's destination was Tours where, while we had a lunchtime drink, we watched a production line of weddings going into the Hotel de Ville.
One of then arrived and/or planned to depart in a beautiful Panhard 17 in Blue/White.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panhard_PL_17
Gorgeous,
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 27 Jul 24 at 15:29
|
Some French cars are undeniably chique.
I passed an immaculate Citroen 2CV on the M3 a few weeks back. Made me smile.
|
Citroen Safari does it for me....friends father had one and gave us a lift home in it from Ravenscar after finishing the Lyke Wake Walk.
That wasn’t yesterday...
|
|
If we are talking French, it would be a light 15, or an XM Estate.
|
On one of the groups I browse, there was an immaculate Renault Dauphin cabriolet in a rich burgundy with a tan hood. Gorgeous and rare !
Ted
|
>> If we are talking French, it would be a light 15, or an XM Estate.
When my son was in the Air Cadets the CO was an XM enthusiast. He had one running and a couple of others for either restoration or parts.
Cit specialist near Hitchin had a BX Diesel limited edition on offer in what looked to be excellent condition for about what I'd get for the Skoda.
Sore tempted but looks like its gone now.
|
BX Estate - I saw that advert and was very tempted!
I looked at a few Estates after my flirtation with a BX 1.7 Turbo Diesel Car about 10 years ago. Would love one, but they were all rotten, particularly in hard to repair areas.
I should really have looked again pre-Brexit down here in the non coastal S of F where corrosion is minimal.
|
Went to the village pub on Friday and there was a Renault 16, immaculate in metallic gree, in the car park. I really wanted one of those in about 1978.
I'd love a classic now, and I regularly contemplate swapping the MX-5 for one. But the MX-5 is just so good, and frankly so reliable - just been to France in it, and booked for the Picos Europa and Portugal next year. Not sure I'd be so relaxed about that in a 45-50 year-old car.
|
>> .....immaculate in metallic gree.....
"purest gree"?
|
>> >> .....immaculate in metallic gree.....
>>
>> "purest gree"?
>>
A French cheese I understand. A bit like brie but with a green tinge and a metallic tang.
|
|
...eaten mainly by ventriloquists?...
|
>> >> .....immaculate in metallic gree.....
>>
>> "purest gree"?
>>
Pure Green was invented by Lord Percy in Blackadder…
|
>> Went to the village pub on Friday and there was a Renault 16, immaculate in
>> metallic gree, in the car park. I really wanted one of those in about 1978.
>>
>> I'd love a classic now, and I regularly contemplate swapping the MX-5 for one.
>>
I strongly suspect that once the initial excitement of owning a classic car wore off disappointment would quickly set in. Powder puff brakes, heavy steering, poorish performance and fuel economy would bring you back to reality.
I'd love to see the Mk1 Capri Facelift that has happy memories from days of yore but I would turn down any offer to drive it. That would spoil everything.
|
>> I strongly suspect that once the initial excitement of owning a classic car wore off
>> disappointment would quickly set in. Powder puff brakes, heavy steering, poorish performance and fuel economy
>> would bring you back to reality.
One reason for thinking about the BX was that other than a non turbo diesel engine that needed energetic use of the gearbox so that ample torque covered lack of horses it didn't have any of those problems.
|
Never meet your heroes etc. A friend of mine has an E Type roadster and last summer he let me drive it on some country roads on a pleasant evening. Motoring nirvana you’d think?
No, not really, it was fairly ponderous by modern standards to be honest. Steering, brakes, ride and power were nothing special.
In truth I was fairly deflated and disappointed by the experience.
It looks very nice though!
|
|
A classic car converted to electric would give you the best of both worlds.
|
> A classic car converted to electric would give you the best of both worlds.
www.jaguar.ie/about-jaguar/jaguar-classic/authentic-cars/classic-e-type-zero
|
and booked for the Picos Europa and Portugal next year.
Picos are on my short list…French Pyrenees and Andorra this September.
I’ve been looking at Cantabria, both coast and mountains, for 2025, and just had a quick look at the BF website. I normally fly to Alicante in early May and spend 3 weeks on the northern CBlanca…I’ve seen Sunday sailings to Bilbao, a far easier day to drive south, so think I’ll do that next May,some of the cost will be offset by my savings on car hire, and I enjoy the cross country drive from Basque Country to the CBlanca.
Cantabria, and maybe Picos, later in 2025, then as friends have recently done, follow the Spain/Portugal border south to Cadiz.
|
Was I wrong to miss out? - Mike Hannon
