Spot of the day - Part 7

[keefr22]

1 hour ago, TonyW said:

A '70 Morris Minor.  The latest addition to the fleet a short time ago, bought as an antidote to all the modern doohickery bells and whistles that I find so irritating. It will be used as a daily.

 

 

That's really lovely Tony! 

 

1 hour ago, TonyW said:

If I find I need a bit more load space, I'll chop it in against a Traveller.

 

Noooo - buy a roof rack.....!!

 

Keith

[keefr22]

1 hour ago, TonyW said:

A bit of a cheat though

 

If we're playing that game, I just opened the garage door....

 

 

 

I'd forgotten all about that....!! 🤣

 

Keith

[Farmer matt]

Proper spot today on the Dorking Road, a C- prefix Rover SD1 in Silver. 

 

Matt

[keefr22]

On the school run to pick grand-daughter up this afternoon. I parked in the community hall car park across from the school to sit under the shade of one of the lovely old trees there. Ears pricked up at the sound of a nicely tuned engine approaching and into the car park turns an absolutely immaculate Diamond White Mk2 Mexico. Forsaking the shade I wandered over to have chat with the driver - really nice chap who said he'd just finished building it after a 'good few years'. I have to say it was honestly one of the cleanest, best built Escorts I've ever seen. Fully rally prepared with all the right kit running a 2 litre Pinto on 48's - the engine bay was a work of art and far cleaner than most hospitals! Same story in the boot and rolling on spotless 7 inch Revolutions! But he wasn't being precious about it having come 14th overall on the recent Epynt hillclimb! Back in the day I looked at and test drove quite a few brand new Mk1 & 2 Escorts and absolutely none of them were anywhere near as nice as his build! He said he doesn't take the car out as much as he should but his son had been nagging him to pick him up from school in it - when we got back to our car dad was just strapping him in the Mex. - and the little guy's smile was priceless!  

 

Only problem was numpty here had forgotten his phone, so no pics....

 

Keith

[klubman01]

1 hour ago, keefr22 said:

On the school run to pick grand-daughter up this afternoon. I parked in the community hall car park across from the school to sit under the shade of one of the lovely old trees there. Ears pricked up at the sound of a nicely tuned engine approaching and into the car park turns an absolutely immaculate Diamond White Mk2 Mexico. Forsaking the shade I wandered over to have chat with the driver - really nice chap who said he'd just finished building it after a 'good few years'. I have to say it was honestly one of the cleanest, best built Escorts I've ever seen. Fully rally prepared with all the right kit running a 2 litre Pinto on 48's - the engine bay was a work of art and far cleaner than most hospitals! Same story in the boot and rolling on spotless 7 inch Revolutions! But he wasn't being precious about it having come 14th overall on the recent Epynt hillclimb! Back in the day I looked at and test drove quite a few brand new Mk1 & 2 Escorts and absolutely none of them were anywhere near as nice as his build! He said he doesn't take the car out as much as he should but his son had been nagging him to pick him up from school in it - when we got back to our car dad was just strapping him in the Mex. - and the little guy's smile was priceless!  

 

Only problem was numpty here had forgotten his phone, so no pics....

 

Keith

That sounds like a great car.

 

Whilst we are on the subject of cars without all the modern gubbins, here's my Mini HL Estate (Clubby Estate to you, me, and anyone else who is interested) at the local classic car show last Saturday.

 

 

Classified as a Historic Vehicle, and thus exempt road tax, it is an extremely practical wagon.  Loads of space in the back, especially with the rear seats folded down, cheap insurance, great fuel economy, and will happily cruise at 70mph on the motorway (but it takes a while to get up to 70!).  It gets used regularly.  Went to the Mini Festival at Brands Hatch last month, and on Sunday I'm off down to Stanford Hall for a big Mini show.

Trevor

[Sabrejet]

Lots of interesting stuff in the carpark at today's Goodwood Revival meeting but this Graber-bodied Aston Martin DB.2 was pick of the crop:

 

 

[malpaso]

20 minutes ago, Sabrejet said:

Lots of interesting stuff in the carpark at today's Goodwood Revival meeting but this Graber-bodied Aston Martin DB.2 was pick of the crop:

 

 

You do wonder about the designer who thought: 

“Yes that’s a great improvement “ 🤣🤣🤣

[Sabrejet]

39 minutes ago, malpaso said:

You do wonder about the designer who thought: 

“Yes that’s a great improvement “ 🤣🤣🤣

 

I guess it's vanity, but sometimes it works. In fairness it's not ugly - just different.

[Neddy]

37 minutes ago, Sabrejet said:

 

I guess it's vanity, but sometimes it works. In fairness it's not ugly - just different.

Nope, it's just ugly.  

[Kiwidave4]

Trouble is that you are looking at it through 2023 eyes. As a Wrinkly who was around when that was new I can assure you there aint nowt so ugly

as a modern car....almost any modern car. In fact modern designers all seem hell bent on out-doing each other to achieve a new level of ugliness.

 

[Sabrejet]

7 hours ago, Kiwidave4 said:

Trouble is that you are looking at it through 2023 eyes. As a Wrinkly who was around when that was new I can assure you there aint nowt so ugly

as a modern car....almost any modern car. In fact modern designers all seem hell bent on out-doing each other to achieve a new level of ugliness.

 

 

I agree in full with the above comments. Not all, but almost any. My pet hate are those low-slung headlights with the sidelights set above them: makes the car look like a sloth and NOT a good look: see Citroen C3, Citroen C4, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Joke. But BMW has to take the prize: they used to make good-looking cars: nowadays their whole range is blighted by mind-blowing ugliness. Obviously their designs never get past a focus group.

[keefr22]

41 minutes ago, Sabrejet said:

I agree in full with the above comments.

 

+1. Add to the list the front ends (&more often than not the wheels) of any electric car - they are all hideous!

 

K

[Pete in Lincs]

I have a business plan for electric cars. Stick on grilles. Use Double sided tape and . Et Voila! This time next year, Rodney....

[Neddy]

9 hours ago, Kiwidave4 said:

Trouble is that you are looking at it through 2023 eyes. As a Wrinkly who was around when that was new I can assure you there aint nowt so ugly

as a modern car....almost any modern car. In fact modern designers all seem hell bent on out-doing each other to achieve a new level of ugliness.

 

As another equally wrinkly who was around when it was new I still think it's ugly.  I agree 100% however with your sentiments regarding current styling (or the lack of it).

[Sabrejet]

At the other end of the scale, Ferrari 250 chassis # 1717GT. Built originally in 1960 as a 'standard' 250 GT Pininfarina Coupe, it was later crashed. That led to a re-body in 1965, and with a chassis shortened by Vaccari (though it looks longer that a 250GT rather than shorter) and bodywork by Piero Drogo's Carrozzeria Sportscars it reappeared as a very elegant GT. To my eye, it combines elements of '64 GTO, Lusso and even Alfa TZ2. 

 

 

 

It practiced for the Lavant Cup, but it didn't end well...

 

 

 

 

 

Fingers crossed it'll be out for the race later this afternoon and then a quick polish should have it looking good as new. 

[stevehnz]

Coming back from Christchurch earlier in the week via the Lewis Pass, we passed a 1955 Jaguar XK 140 heading the other way. The day was a sparkly warm early spring day, the top was down & the occupants looked as though they were having a great time. I thought with regret the rain we'd driven through 10 minutes back might change that. Yesterday, while waiting my turn to drive through the interminable road cones that blight our lives, a 1972 LJ Holden Torana XU1, the ultimate expression of the FB Vivas. 3.3 litre straight 6 with triple Stromberg carbies. 

Steve.

[keefr22]

5 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

I have a business plan for electric cars.

 

I had the same one - but was thinking of using some of that naff stick on carbon fibre stuff - suits the overall naffness of the electric things!!

 

Keith

[Marco F.]

Topseller would be a big bore fake- sport exhaust for Teslas

Marco F 

 

[Toftdale]

21 minutes ago, Marco F. said:

Topseller would be a big bore fake- sport exhaust for Teslas

Marco F 

 

Stranger things have happened 

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/top-gears-top-9/top-gears-top-9-worst-fake-exhaust-pipes-world

[klubman01]

21 minutes ago, Marco F. said:

Topseller would be a big bore fake- sport exhaust for Teslas

Marco F 

 

🤣🤣🤣 That is a great idea!

For all the much lauded "green" credentials of electric cars I hate to think of the carbon footprint of extracting, and transporting, the lithium required for the batteries.  And where do electric car owners think the power to recharge their hideous and heavy monstrosities comes from?  Energy isn't free.  More power stations are going to be needed to satisfy demand.

Trevor

[Sabrejet]

1 hour ago, klubman01 said:

🤣🤣🤣 That is a great idea!

For all the much lauded "green" credentials of electric cars I hate to think of the carbon footprint of extracting, and transporting, the lithium required for the batteries.  And where do electric car owners think the power to recharge their hideous and heavy monstrosities comes from?  Energy isn't free.  More power stations are going to be needed to satisfy demand.

Trevor

 

There's a lot of work being done by UK companies into the manufacture of vehicle batteries which use materials of either low carbon footprint or of local source. Also being addressed is the issue of strategically at-risk sources by use of materials which are abundant locally. But even existing electric vehicles derive their power from sources which allow the generation to be controlled and away from populated areas. This alone has a natural benefit for pollution and for people with breathing difficulties. Additionally, generation of electricity via stored wind power has been under development for some time, as has the efficient generation of hydrogen for fuel cells or ICE. There are many more in a field which changes daily. 

 

Most importantly, we have no choice: alternative power sources are here already and existing ones will be legislated out of mainstream use. Even the Ferrari 250s in today's Goodwood Revival Lavant Cup were running on sustainable fuel. It's not difficult and already underway.

 

So instead of being fearful of the future, I feel encouraged. If we succeed it will be because of folks who took the initiative, not those who looked for excuses to do nothing.

Edited September 9, 2023 by Sabrejet

[Graham Boak]

I agree that the current production electric vehicles have environmental problems on the production side, and probably on the disposal side too.  But this is also true of conventional vehicles, if the true whole life costs are considered.  This is just part of a much wider problem, where manufacturers can make and sell whatever they like without regard to the eventual costs of disposal/recycling/storage.

[keefr22]

26 minutes ago, Sabrejet said:

If we succeed it will be because of folks who took the initiative, not those who looked for excuses to do nothing.

 

If WE succeed it won't make a jot of difference until the big polluters actually take any interest in saving the one atmosphere this planet has....

 

K

 

 

[Farmer matt]

Couple of late spots yesterday, whote F-prefix wedge MR2 and also a lowered Rangie. Looked utterly stupid. In fact worse than utterly stupid.

Early this morning a black/possibly dark blue E-type coupe on a dateless that I promptly forgot before I could look it up, and this afternoon a light blue SAAB 9000CDE saloon on personals.

Also saw that Scimitar saloon on a trailer yesterday, hopefully its off for a bit of love.

 

Matt

[Windy37]

Rally car inspired meet at The Motorist today . Amongst the cars on show was this genuine Ex McRae Imprezza 555 group A car . It was used by Colin in 1995 at the Monte Carlo and Corsica rallies and then by Frederick Dor on the Safari as a privateer . The co drivers side A pillar has the holes , albeit filled , where the snorkel was fitted . Unbelievable attention to detail , a treat to see such a car free to view . 

 

Other group A homologation specials included this well used Cossie

An early ST165 Celica GT Four

Nice Integrale 

And these took my fancy 

 

Gary.