Practically Classics Forum

GHT wrote:....
That is so annoying. Yesterday, I saw an immaculately restored MG TD. It was on the back of a trailer. When the driver saw me, in my MG, he started finger jabbing at me and digging his wife in the ribs. As if she couldn't see me, they were on a roundabout and I was on one of the approach roads. She could see me more clearly than he could, but he still went on pushing her shoulder, digging her ribs and finger jabbing at me. I would love to have got him on camera. MG drivers like that, tar us all with their brush.

Auf Englisch, bitte?

JPB wrote:Auf Englisch, bitte?

nicht verstanden Sie? Would you like me to type it again, more slowly?

One of those Rovers, just like the one owned by forum regular Vulgalour, but in that lush bottle green metallic that was available. I'm noticing these more & more..

This Mark2 Golf was in Ringwood High Street yesterday. The only reason that I realised it was an older model was the fact that it was on an 'F' plate. My wife had a brand new Scirocco Scala in 1987, the same year as this Golf. Younger enthusiasts often say that these modern classics are real head turners, but they don't even register a blip on my: "Vintage" radar. That's not meant as a condemnation. When a car is defined as a classic, it's hard to think of it as such when you have bought a brand new one. Hence, for me at least, the less said about my wife's cars......
She has had, in order: 1966 Cortina Estate, I bought it for her in 1970, two years later the McPherson struts came through the bodywork, under the bonnet. After a welding repair it was traded in for a brand new 1972 Mini. Four years on, the Mini had been in and out of the workshop once too often, it was replaced by a disastrous purchase, a brand new Allegro. Within a year that rotbox went back and was replaced by an Austin Maxi. Three years of that car and I vowed never to go near BL again. The Maxi was replaced by a Talbot Rancho, which we kept for five years, before replacing it with the Scala. Later, after some idiot rammed into her at a red light, putting her off work for more than a year, I bought her a series two BMW 525. That lasted forever but what a gas guzzler. At the time unleaded was just over 50p @ litre. When it reached 75p, she got rid of the Beamer and bought her current Mk4 Golf. Of all the cars above, the one that will turn heads in years to come is the Scala, although the Rancho is now very rare, but it's one of those like it or loathe it choices.

There was one of those pre-war Jaguars on the M3 recently, called the SS100. It was going at a fair rate of knots. I remembered something about Noel Edmonds recreating that car and calling it: "La Riviera." Whether it was new or not I can't be sure, but I wouldn't spank it as fast as the driver was doing.

Are you sure it wasn't one of these? http://www.suffolksportscars.com/

suffolkpete wrote:Are you sure it wasn't one of these? http://www.suffolksportscars.com/

Now those are (IMHO) an automotive equivalent to a tribute band that can actually play! Lovely things.

It's hard to say, I was travelling towards London, said SS100 was coming towards me heading towards Southampton. It was about three miles short of the road works at Fleet services. Apart from the speed, the one thing that I noticed was the modern number plate, and the car was the same colour as the one in the link. Either, or, they are certainly head turning cars. Did you know that Silver Swallow, as Jaguar was originally called, changed their name to Jaguar because of Hitler's SS?

JPB wrote:

suffolkpete wrote:Are you sure it wasn't one of these? http://www.suffolksportscars.com/

Now those are (IMHO) an automotive equivalent to a tribute band that can actually play! Lovely things.

The factory is only three miles from my home and I've had the pleasure of a couple of tours round it. They occasionally have a genuine one in and I find myself having to look very closely to tell the difference. The reproduction parts used are so good that they are used in the restoration of genuine cars.

GHT wrote:Did you know that Silver Swallow, as Jaguar was originally called, changed their name to Jaguar because of Hitler's SS?

They were called the Swallow Sidecar company, not Silver Swallow. The founders, Walmsley and Lyons started out making sidecars, and very beautiful ones they were, too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallow_Sidecar_Company

I have a friend who has one of those SS Jaguar replicas, and he's not known for hanging about, it could well have been him!