RMweb Gold Hroth Posted December 31, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 31, 2022 14 minutes ago, Il Grifone said: (He's a rescue dog, found abandoned in a field. He was supposed to stay with us, just for a while...) Cute Dougie Dog was also a rescue dog, he had a thing about barking at anything... It may have been a reaction to the name the original owners had bestowed upon him. Apparently he was called "Duke"... 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 50 minutes ago, Hroth said: The little chromed handrails either side of the door? Weren't they built at Ashford after the railway works were closed down? I like those, probably because they're slightly ridiculous. The bubble and micro were intended as cheap cars for people who needed a car but only had motorbike money. Modern micros aren't even cheap! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted December 31, 2022 Share Posted December 31, 2022 1 hour ago, Hroth said: I think the G-Wiz is possibly even more of a heap of cr@p than a Smart.... @MrWolf As far as safety is concerned, in a Bubblecar, your legs were defined as the crumple zone. Not that folk had any concept of the term back then... Reliant Robin? Invacar? Sinclair C5? If you count them as cars. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Hroth Posted December 31, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 31, 2022 1 minute ago, MrWolf said: The bubble and micro were intended as cheap cars for people who needed a car but only had motorbike money. Its a slightly better design than a Reliant Regal 3/25. That would have done better if it had two wheels at the front for steering, general cornering and stability, and the single at the back for power. What posessed them to just have a single wheel at the front??? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted December 31, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 31, 2022 26 minutes ago, Hroth said: Its a slightly better design than a Reliant Regal 3/25. That would have done better if it had two wheels at the front for steering, general cornering and stability, and the single at the back for power. What posessed them to just have a single wheel at the front??? The original Reliants were vans derived from a motorcycle/sidecar specification and even had motorcycle exposed front forks. As they were designed as a commercial vehicle it was common sense to have two wheels under the load space. A van based on the Morgan three wheeler was tried but it was hampered by a box in the middle of the load space for the rear wheel. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 (edited) 11 hours ago, Hroth said: Cute Dougie Dog was also a rescue dog, he had a thing about barking at anything... It may have been a reaction to the name the original owners had bestowed upon him. Apparently he was called "Duke"... Our collie was 'Duke' too*. He lived up to his title! He was a great wanderer and loved the beach (but not the water beyond getting his paws wet). Once we left him with friends several kilometres inland from Imperia (Province of Liguria, Italy). He got away and was found next morning in front of our shop in Diano Marina. I'll try and post a map., * Officially he was 'Shantora Black Prince' - We were going to just call him 'Prince' but settled for 'Duke'. It was a long time ago! He was a first anniversary present for my wife. We were married in August 1973. Our other three dogs have all been rescue dogs, along with many cats. Duke lived happily with three cats. we found them all together in his abasket one morning. They became six when one presented us with kittens - all three black like mum. We should be very lucky - we have three now.... Edited January 1, 2023 by Il Grifone 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold papagolfjuliet Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2023 (edited) 15 hours ago, Hroth said: Its a slightly better design than a Reliant Regal 3/25. That would have done better if it had two wheels at the front for steering, general cornering and stability, and the single at the back for power. What posessed them to just have a single wheel at the front??? You only need a motorbike licence to drive a three wheeler, which opened up something of an untapped market. Another deathtrap was the original Mini. The engine was mounted in such a way that in a head on collision the brake pedal would chop your foot off. The externally secured door would then give way, the driver's seat would topple out, and the fuel line would rupture, leaving you with one foot, lying on the tarmac, on fire. Edited January 1, 2023 by papagolfjuliet 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 4 minutes ago, papagolfjuliet said: Leaving with one foot, lying on the tarmac, on fire. Life just does that to you occasionally. The one major car accident I have been in was in a Mini. Chump in a 525i decided to overtake at around 60 as I was turning right. Pretty much ripped the car in two, so that the engine was pointing the "right" way. Myself and the driver's door ended up on the grass verge and the car about fifty yards away, in the hedge, on fire. Luckily I had been driving around in a '58 Vauxhall all morning, so when I got in the '76 Mini, I forgot to put on my seatbelt, otherwise I'd have been cooked. 1 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2023 11 minutes ago, papagolfjuliet said: You only need a motorbike licence to drive a three wheeler, which opened up something of an untapped market. Another deathtrap was the original Mini. The engine was mounted in such a way that in a head on collision the brake pedal would chop your foot off. The externally secured door would then give way, the driver's seat would topple out, and the fuel line would rupture, leaving you with one foot, lying on the tarmac, on fire. Struggling to see the problem with any of that? No worse than a pinto? ;) 3 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 1 hour ago, Bucoops said: Struggling to see the problem with any of that? No worse than a pinto? ;) Now there's a fine example of dark humour! 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
33C Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 16 minutes ago, MrWolf said: Now there's a fine example of dark humour! Faster in reverse? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 3 minutes ago, 33C said: Faster in reverse? Legend has it that the Ford Pinto's fuel tank would rupture and explode if the car was rear ended. There was a big scandal about it and Ford allegedly decided it would be cheaper to pay compensation for any victims of the poor design than do a mass recall. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Hroth Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2023 3 minutes ago, MrWolf said: Legend has it that the Ford Pinto's fuel tank would rupture and explode if the car was rear ended. There was a big scandal about it and Ford allegedly decided it would be cheaper to pay compensation for any victims of the poor design than do a mass recall. The legend says that the accountants decided that the cost of paying the victims off was less than the cost of a recall and fixing the problem. American Corporate Capitalism red in tooth and claw... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 1, 2023 I can already see what is going to happen here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175555726972 The seller will simply tape the box shut, entrust it to someone like Evri and the buyer will be the proud recipient of a crushed box of broken bits that has been rattling around loose for a week... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2023 5 minutes ago, John M Upton said: I can already see what is going to happen here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175555726972 The seller will simply tape the box shut, entrust it to someone like Evri and the buyer will be the proud recipient of a crushed box of broken bits that has been rattling around loose for a week... I like your optimism that it will actually make it.... 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 1, 2023 2 hours ago, Hroth said: The legend says that the accountants decided that Just out of interest, why do accountants always get such bad press? I'm constantly reading disparaging remarks about bean counters dictating to the experts, yet very rarely see anyone point out that left to their own devices, the vast majority of experts manage to go bust within the first few years. Asking for a friend :) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 1, 2023 Just now, Hal Nail said: Just out of interest, why do accountants always get such bad press? They're the people management blame when instituting unpopular change. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2023 21 hours ago, Il Grifone said: but junk is always junk! Acceptance of this premise would destroy eBay! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 23 minutes ago, The Johnster said: Acceptance of this premise would destroy eBay! You can't polish a turd, but you can roll it in weathering powders and stick it on eBay. 2 1 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2023 And many do! 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2023 23 hours ago, Hroth said: The little chromed handrails either side of the door? Weren't they built at Ashford after the railway works were closed down? They were built at Brighton Works for a while. Middle 60's? My sister used to live in Brighton, so trips were fairly commonplace. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Vigor Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 On 31/12/2022 at 20:51, MrWolf said: Bachmann J39 attacked by incontinent seagulls. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115604778212? Guano Castle! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted January 1, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 1, 2023 6 hours ago, MrWolf said: Legend has it that the Ford Pinto's fuel tank would rupture and explode if the car was rear ended. There was a big scandal about it and Ford allegedly decided it would be cheaper to pay compensation for any victims of the poor design than do a mass recall. 6 hours ago, Hroth said: The legend says that the accountants decided that the cost of paying the victims off was less than the cost of a recall and fixing the problem. American Corporate Capitalism red in tooth and claw... In the end it cost Ford a lot of money when their cynicism was revealed. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 You only have to look at it to realise that the seventies were the beginning of the end for the American auto industry and definitely the beginning of the end for car styling in general. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Grifone Posted January 1, 2023 Share Posted January 1, 2023 (edited) 57 minutes ago, PhilJ W said: In the end it cost Ford a lot of money when their cynicism was revealed. As it should have done! IIRC the costs were quoted as 7 million dollars as against 5.... Not the fault of the accountants. They only supplied the figures. The buck stops at the top! The same applies to Boorish Johnson and Breksh Brexit of course! IMHO the Mini was an awful piece of cr*p. I can remember having to crawl out of the back of one! Also a comment in the motoring press to the effect that you could throw it around corners (actually a plus point!), but it gave the nut behind the wheel the impression of being a skilled driver, when the skill really belonged to the car's designer! It seemed to mark the invention of the boy racer! I was going to make the mistake of buying a Mini-Cooper, but was saved by my company refusing insurance of grounds of age (under 25 - a long time ago -1969 IIRC). I bought a Ford Corsair instead. An early one, before the bu**ered it up with the V4 engine*. This took me to Italy to get married 🥰 . it was a bit gutless and needed excessive gearbox stirring on hills. * By all reports. I can't speak from experience. My other lucky escape was a Ford Thunderbird convertible (with power hood). I couldn't raise the cash! Insurance would probably have been a problem too! Edited January 1, 2023 by Il Grifone 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now