breakdown truck

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GHT
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: breakdown truck

#3241 Post by GHT » Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:45 am

The series two Morris Oxford was the second car that I had. It had column change gears, an under dash hand brake and a front bench seat. Brilliant for getting up to the national sport that all teenagers think they invented. In fact my Morris Oxford witnessed my deflowering. It cost fifteen quid, (the car, not the deflowering,) six months later I sold it for fifteen quid, and the buyer was well pleased, even though it had a big end knock. Big end shells? No problem, he just dropped the sump and changed them in an hour or two. That car was just so forgiving.
55 oxford.jpg
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JPB
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Re: breakdown truck

#3242 Post by JPB » Thu Sep 24, 2020 10:05 am

There's a reason why these earlier Morris cars lived on until very recently in the shape - largely unchanged - of the Hindustan Ambassador, a BMC product bearing an Ambassador badge that owners tend to be proud of! Later Ambassadors of the Morris Oxford pre-Farina shape, although originally equipped with the much loved 1489cc B series, soon came with a modern (ish) GM Diesel engine in its place, an engine more often found in Isuzu light commercials among other things. The brakes didn't, as far as I can gather, receive an upgrade at the time of the change to this vastly more effective engine, blessed with almost twice as much power as the 1489cc BMC petrol B series and an amount of torque that may well have caused at least a few of India's road fatalities over the years since the use of the Diesel machinery began to be fitted. :|

I believe that, in some ways, the Farina styled cars were a backward step from the earlier Oxfords as those old ones had rack & pinion steering and offered almost as much room in a much smaller external size, progress as we understand it these days? Yes, Vauxhall/Opel Corsa is now larger than a 1970s Mk1 Cavalier and not far away from the size of the later Cavaliers and the early Vectra that looked much the same. But there at least we have an excuse to blame the French ;) since the PSA takeover of GM's European brands means that the Corsa is in fact a Citroen.

...If only Peugeot had taken on the job of building the BMC Farinas, we'd all have been driving around in Peugeot 404s instead. Same shape, much, much less crude yet supposedly every bit as dependable. Where are French car manufacturers when they're needed? :lol:

There's usually at least one Oxford VI or A60 in my list of stuff that I'm watching purposefully, I'd enjoy a Wolseley 16/60 too, but the twin carb Riley and MG versions? No ta, they're not quite ordinary enough for my taste, such as it is, but the Riley appears for sale these days far more commonly - in relative terms of course - with the automatic option than the single carb cars did, so I wouldn't find any member of the range entirely unsuitable..
:thumbs:
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

Dick
Posts: 1280
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:31 pm

Re: breakdown truck

#3243 Post by Dick » Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:43 pm

Its a link to an auction site with some panhards for sale
https://www.interencheres.com/vehicules ... on-272869/
No 20 looks fun

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JPB
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Re: breakdown truck

#3244 Post by JPB » Fri Sep 25, 2020 8:05 pm

Mmm, that's very short but with four wheels it should BX-ellent to tow. :P
:scared:
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

GHT
Posts: 1523
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: breakdown truck

#3245 Post by GHT » Sun Sep 27, 2020 3:36 pm

Why the Jaguar XJ is the world’s best saloon car.
https://www.classicandsportscar.com/fea ... saloon-car
So says the heading on Classic Sports Cars. What a load of nonsense. They leaked oil everywhere, they were unreliable and they were forever breaking down. I remember a quip from an American journalist who said: "If you buy a Jaguar XJ sedan, make sure that you buy two. One will always be in the workshop.

He had a point. 70's Jags were sold on the reputation of William Lyons' sixties models, and some of those had a three year waiting list in America. But 70's Jags were the product of good old British Leyland, that is, until Henry Ford got his hands on the company.

What I can't argue with was Jaguar's styling. At the supermarket today, I saw an immaculate 1974 example in metallic silver, which enhanced the gleaming chrome to a magnificent effect. It was very eye catching, but I still wouldn't buy a 70's Jag.
74 jag.jpg
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Dick
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Re: breakdown truck

#3246 Post by Dick » Tue Sep 29, 2020 10:48 am


harvey
Posts: 286
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 4:47 pm

Re: breakdown truck

#3247 Post by harvey » Tue Sep 29, 2020 4:05 pm

That's been for sale for a while now.
Currently over 35 years worth of fixing 35 boxes.
Hoping to reach 65 years worth of fixing 65 boxes.

Dick
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Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:31 pm

Re: breakdown truck

#3248 Post by Dick » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:27 pm

Its nice though :drool:
Meanwhile who can resist Venetian blinds for your car :drool:
https://www.gradulux.org/contact/form.php?id_auteur=1

GHT
Posts: 1523
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: breakdown truck

#3249 Post by GHT » Fri Oct 02, 2020 7:04 am

Dick wrote:
Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:27 pm
Its nice though :drool:
Meanwhile who can resist Venetian blinds for your car :drool:
https://www.gradulux.org/contact/form.php?id_auteur=1
They are not new by any means. My MG was fitted with a rear window blind, circa 1952. The operating string ran along the top of the doors so tht the driver could raise or lower and open & close the blind whilst driving. Mine disappeared long before I bought the car, in fact the only reason that I knew of the window blinds was because I did some research on the car.

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JPB
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Re: breakdown truck

#3250 Post by JPB » Sun Oct 04, 2020 2:39 pm

Rich, I claim my prize as the following vehicle is sure to win the thread. :lol: ;) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-N-serie ... SwfZVfNR7r

Phwooaargh! :drool: :drool: :drool:
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

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