Practically Classics Forum

Ironic, yes, but many great engineers and pioneers in the inventing and designing fields are lousy when it comes to making decisions based purely on commercial grounds.
Sir Alec Issigonis was reputedly given the choice between a Pound for every mini built or a lump sum of substantially less than the Pound per car would have given him over his lifetime. The silly boy only opted for the lump sum.

Perhaps it's no coincidence that the younger Alec, studying engineering at Battersea Polytechnic, failed his maths module three times and is often quoted as saying that

pure mathematics is the enemy of every creative genius.

Aye, he really ought to have done a bit more of the old number crunching.

Brilliant John, I'd probably be as daft to be honest He must have kicked himself several times for that one over the years.

johnbaz wrote:

I've got one of these along with a couple of other Seiko dive watches. It's one of my favorite watches to wear. I've had it for about 8 years and it still looks and works like new.

It used to be a hobby but the car thing is now all consuming.

JPB wrote:My other interests include buying, restoring and selling (on eBay, in restored condition and ready to provide many more years of service) these things:

You've prompted me to have a look round the house and I've got eight Roberts radios, dating from the seventies to the present day. Most of them are still in use but I've also got an R900 (needs new on/off switch and dial cord) and an R707, was that one I saw behind the green valve radio? (probably usual AF117 problem) and you've inspired me to dig them out and repair them. Something to do when the weather gets too cold for the garage and the garden. Not sure whether i want to sell them though, they don't seem to fetch that much on eBay at the moment.

Pete, yes, that's a 707 behind the R66. That one had all of its AF114/115 and 116s removed and replaced with AF125s, same idea and they still have screen leads, but they tend not to fail.

Fitting those was easy, but removing those wretched modules to get at the little buggers wasn't! I've another 707 which is a very late one with the striped grille only found on the last few dozen sets built. These last of the line models came with AF124/125 in the IF module as Roberts had obviously learnt their lesson with the 11* ones in those pesky larger cans.

I've not long since finished an R900, the switch is a common weakness on these, in fact I've done about a dozen of them and that's the only fault I've ever had to address, they're unburstable otherwise, if a little too modern for my taste in many ways.

Coming up are pictures of that rare, late 707 and my own R900, an early one with a proper, rubber suspended speaker cone, long throw voice coil and odd looks compared to the more conventional, later version that matched other Roberts sets.
Many more photos of my collection can be seen in a book for which I provided pictures; "Vintage Radios" by Tony Thompson, ISBN 978-1-86126-949-2.
Buy a copy if you can find one, lots of tempting things inside that will have even the most iron-willed of enthusiasts watching eBay like the proverbial hawk.
R707 & (in the background, where it belongs) the later R900:

R707 seen here in its natural habitat, looking after its fledgling:

Bicycle restoration. I recommend it especially if you are classic-car-less as I am right now. The great thing is you can do it and just go for a spin no MOT/insurance etc., and really old bikes can be amazingly cheap.

My current favourite is a 1957 Raleigh 4 speed. 'The all steel bicycle'. Total cost £40. The Raleigh ethos at the time was to build them to last 100 years with regular servicing. I have another 9 including a tandem, a 1950's Royal Enfield and Peugeot 1970's 10 speed racer.

When funds allow I fancy preserving an 80's Japanese car or maybe Volvo 340 while there are some left simply because they are different, reliable there are still low milege ones often family owned from new.

I found an old Humber bicycle in a riverside hedge while on holiday. It had been there for years but I brought it home, spent a bit of time and money on it and it looked amazing and was snapped up by an enthusiast. I also restore Dinky and Corgi cars and love tatting with furniture

Hi all

I also collect (and try to restore!!) airguns too, I favour older vintage guns but have a few modern ones too..

Some of 'the babies'!!

Here are most of my BSA rifles, there's an Airsporter Stutzen not in the pic as it's in bits! and a 1906 BSA Air rifle as I'd forgotten that I had it!!





I have around 90 rifles and pistols so the pics are a small part of the collection but British guns are my favourite (even though they're not the best!!)..



John