BernardTPM Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 2 hours ago, Rugd1022 said: Fifty seven Minis according to my mate on the Mini forum! Didn't notice any Clubmans though, which were unleashed on the unsuspecting public in October '69. That reinforces the likelyhood of the first part of the film being no later than Summer/early Autumn 1969 (or earlier than Spring 1967 given the number of Mk.II Cortinas). Fair old number of Hillman/Singer Imps and Triumph Herald/Vitesses too. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted January 17, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2020 Presumably that clip is for use as background projection for various in car scenes? Makes for a very valuable social history reference, if we knew the dates 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted January 17, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2020 (edited) On 15/01/2020 at 21:00, Rugd1022 said: Interesting, thanks - I just assumed it was an FX3. Watching films like a 'Robbery' and its ilk is often a joy just for the locations and seeing the old cars in period, let alone the for the film itself. This five minute clip of stock footage filmed around Kensington and Earls Court is rather nice, at first I thought it was shot in '65 or '66 but near the end at least two of the vehicles (including an FX4 Taxi) have the then new reflective numberplates, which means it can't have been shot any earlier than late '67 / early '68... The more you look the more gems you find. At 00:05 there is a Berkley 3 wheeler (on the left, bright red). An Austin A35 at 00:18 and a Minx based Commer Cob van at 00:50. Edited January 17, 2020 by PhilJ W 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom q vaxy Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 has this been mentioned: https://www.imcdb.org/ I don't have the courage to search the thread! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 17 hours ago, boxbrownie said: Presumably that clip is for use as background projection for various in car scenes? Makes for a very valuable social history reference, if we knew the dates Yes, a 'second film unit' probably made up of no more than two or three bods, would have been sent out in a car or taxi to film the general traffic, bits of which would be used in various films and TV series. There's another clip like this one on youtube somewhere, part of which I recognised being used in 'The Baron', 'The Saint' and 'Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)'. 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted January 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2020 2 hours ago, tom q vaxy said: has this been mentioned: https://www.imcdb.org/ I took the plunge and found this error very quickly. It's not an RLH (very foggy but think it's a Bristol?) https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_1067441-AEC-RLH.html 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 (edited) If you have an hour and a half spare, an extremely light hearted film worth a watch is "Diamonds on Wheels". Plenty of classic car action, it was filmed in 1973 and centres around a gang who steal some diamonds, one of the gang then does a runner with diamonds, and is killed in an accident in his MG TC. Some local kids buy parts from it to repair their own TC Including the seat with the diamonds in it and are unknowingly pursued by the crooks while on a car rally. Lots of now classics including the aforementioned TC, Commer PB van, E type jags, Mini and a vintage Rolls Royce. Edited January 18, 2020 by 37114 Spelling 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Good fun film. It’s (freely) adapted from this book https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/pierre-castex/the-nightmare-rally/ steve 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted January 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2020 Anyone know of a company that rechromes headlight reflectors preferably in Norfolk? When I stored my maestro nine years ago you could pick up NOS headlights reasonably easy and cheap but these seem to have dried up and as the lights are looking slightly dull I thought as part of the rebuild I'd get them done 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 18, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2020 Not Norfolk (but you never know if my have to come to gresty bridge at some point) you have Niphos in crewe http://niphos.co.uk 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted January 19, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2020 14 hours ago, big jim said: Not Norfolk (but you never know if my have to come to gresty bridge at some point) you have Niphos in crewe http://niphos.co.uk Cheers Jim I do get to crewe quite a bit and have friends there 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted January 19, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 19, 2020 22 hours ago, russ p said: Anyone know of a company that rechromes headlight reflectors preferably in Norfolk? When I stored my maestro nine years ago you could pick up NOS headlights reasonably easy and cheap but these seem to have dried up and as the lights are looking slightly dull I thought as part of the rebuild I'd get them done Depends if the reflectors are actually dull or really need rechroming to corrosion but I had several Cibie Iode classic driving lamps stored in my loft, upon opening the boxes the lens and reflectors were very dull, I put about a cup full of rice (uncooked ) into each lamp via the bulb hole and shook the lamp around for several minutes, the rice cleaned the inside of the lamps like brand new. Might be worth a try first if they are just dull or dirty. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted January 19, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2020 33 minutes ago, boxbrownie said: Depends if the reflectors are actually dull or really need rechroming to corrosion but I had several Cibie Iode classic driving lamps stored in my loft, upon opening the boxes the lens and reflectors were very dull, I put about a cup full of rice (uncooked ) into each lamp via the bulb hole and shook the lamp around for several minutes, the rice cleaned the inside of the lamps like brand new. Might be worth a try first if they are just dull or dirty. I'm saying rechroming but as the lights are plastic there maybe someone who can repaint them chrome. It's a known problem with maestro headlights the reflectors deteriorate and lights get poorer and car looks dull. The van has different units and are far better but wouldn't suit the MG 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 On 18/01/2020 at 16:54, 37114 said: If you have an hour and a half spare, an extremely light hearted film worth a watch is "Diamonds on Wheels". Plenty of classic car action, it was filmed in 1973 and centres around a gang who steal some diamonds, one of the gang then does a runner with diamonds, and is killed in an accident in his MG TC. Some local kids buy parts from it to repair their own TC Including the seat with the diamonds in it and are unknowingly pursued by the crooks while on a car rally. Lots of now classics including the aforementioned TC, Commer PB van, E type jags, Mini and a vintage Rolls Royce. Now you come to mention it, I have a vague recollection of having seen that film many years ago. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted January 19, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 19, 2020 18 minutes ago, russ p said: I'm saying rechroming but as the lights are plastic there maybe someone who can repaint them chrome. It's a known problem with maestro headlights the reflectors deteriorate and lights get poorer and car looks dull. The van has different units and are far better but wouldn't suit the MG Still might be worth a try with the rice, as they are plastic the dullness could be a result of “off gassing” from the plastic assembly. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 (edited) I've been watching episodes of 'Yes Minister' over the weekend in tribute to Derek Fowlds. Several episodes feature scenes with the Minister travelling by Leyland Princess/Ambassador to various meetings etc, and there are a lot of once-common cars visible in the background. As the era of the series was the era I grew up in, the vehicles seem very familiar despite in some cases my not having seen one for a decade or two. Edited January 20, 2020 by RJS1977 Corrected name 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northmoor Posted January 19, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 19, 2020 13 minutes ago, RJS1977 said: I've been watching episodes of 'Yes Minister' over the weekend in tribute to Bernard Woolley. Several episodes feature scenes with the Minister travelling by Leyland Princess/Ambassador to various meetings etc, and there are a lot of once-common cars visible in the background. As the era of the series was the era I grew up in, the vehicles seem very familiar despite in some cases my not having seen one for a decade or two. Sometimes I like to do the same watching repeats of Inspector Morse, but not just to admire his Mk2 Jag. This was the era I learned to drive in (test passed 1990) so it's a mix of new 1990s models with some 1970s cars still around. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 Princess if I remember rightly, the Ambassador was a very different looking car... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkscratching Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 I had the Ambassador version, as i recall it was same basic shell with mainly trim and spec differences, though the front / grille end of the car looked different, rather nicer imho I seem to think ! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 I think the Ambassador had a rear quarter light the Princess didn't, and a hatch back instead of a saloon boot. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 The basic differences between the Prinny and Ambassador were the extra window in the rear side behind the rear door, the hatchback and the remodelled front end, smaller squarish headlights and more aerodynamic. Inside the instruments were changed to the standard set-up used by most other BL cars of the early 80s. The Ambassador only lasted a couple of years before it was replaced by the Maestro/Montego range, same time as the equally short lasting Ital which had a similar makeover from the Marina. The 2.2 six cylinder engine was dropped when the Ambassador came in as well. Looks wise I always felt that the four headlight version of the Princess was the best looking of the range, where as the squaring off of the Marina worked well I never felt it worked on the Ambassador. I've had 4 Prinnys and one Ambassador over the years. Lovely long distance cruisers if you could live with the petrol consumption at high speed, they really could have done with a fifth gear! Lots and lots of room inside and very smooth, far better than the Ford and Vauxhall offerings of that era. My ideal would have been the O series 2.0l engine with a five speed box and the 4 headlight version of the Princess with a hatchback! You could get a hatchback conversion back in the day if you wanted one! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Here's Noggin (the Nog!) at Coventry on a Princess Club outing in 2011, at the end you'll see an Ambassador! Noggin was (is?) a 2.2HLS Auto. By comparrison here's a 1.7L (I think!) 4 headlight version of the Princess a couple of years ago at another show: 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted January 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 20, 2020 Didn't the Ambassador have the 2 litre O series engine and 5 speed box as an option? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 It certainly had the 2.0l O series but never a 5 speed box as far as I am aware. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted January 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2020 13 minutes ago, PhilJ W said: Didn't the Ambassador have the 2 litre O series engine and 5 speed box as an option? The Ambassador and princess 2 both had O series engines in 1.7 and 2.0 but there was never a 5 speed on any of them The 2200 E series which was deleted on the ambassador didn't have one either which seemed odd to me as the E series in allegros and maxis had them as standard so if there was room for it on the 4cyl ones you would think the 6 pot 2200 would have room. Apparently the reason the princess didn't have a hatchback was to protect sales of the maxi. The ambassador was supposed to have been replaced with a third member of the maestro montego family which had a similar rear but was never built 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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