For those interested in old cars.

[Rugd1022]

Lovely! One thing though, the wheels are Mambas, not Cosmics, they're just as nice mind you and the wheel / arch combo she's chosen really suit the car.... 

[Sidecar Racer]

 Aston Martin saved .

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-shropshire-54103467

[Joseph_Pestell]

25 minutes ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 Aston Martin saved .

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-shropshire-54103467

Was featured on BBC Breakfast TV as well.

 

Did they really think that it would go on to series production? The bodywork and interior seemed rather crude, much more of a concept/prototype.

[Oldddudders]

A bit of a cross between a William Towns' Lagonda and a Lotus Esprit?

[Joseph_Pestell]

11 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

A bit of a cross between a William Towns' Lagonda and a Lotus Esprit?

 

Yes, I was struck by the similarity with the Lagonda of that era.

2 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 Aston Martin saved .

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-shropshire-54103467

Was featured on BBC Breakfast TV as well.

 

Did they really think that it would go on to series production? The bodywork and interior seemed rather crude, much more of a concept/prototype.

[doilum]

18 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

A bit of a cross between a William Towns' Lagonda and a Lotus Esprit?

AM owned Lagonda. Deloren anbody?

[Oldddudders]

2 hours ago, doilum said:

AM owned Lagonda. 

Indeed. Towns designed the DBS and the Bulldog. As well as the 1964 Le Mans Rover-BRM (with David Bache, later of Range Rover fame) and the Jensen Healey, among others. Some portfolio!

[Metr0Land]

On 20/09/2020 at 11:52, Metr0Land said:

There's a short documentary on Talking Pictures 6:30pm Mon 21Sep - Around the world in 21 days.

 

It says it's a 1950's film using an Austin A40 but isn't specific about the date so it could be the Somerset/Devon type or the late 50's model.  We shall see.

 

It turned out to be this example.  They said the body was a one-off but the mechanicals were straight off the production line.  Not sure exactly what was one-off about the body as there are/were similar looking ones.  Needless to say they was some airfreighting of the car over water, but saying it was a round the world drive, was a bit of a stretch when it was airfreighted from Calcutta to Los angeles

 

2 pairs of drivers were used.  Quite impressive logistical planning and execution for the time period - 1951.

 

https://www.alamy.com/1st-june-1951-a-british-austin-a40-car-licence-number-loe-990-at-london-heathrow-airport-beginning-its-three-week-round-the-world-tour-image221040274.html

[johnlambert]

36 minutes ago, Metr0Land said:

 

It turned out to be this example.  They said the body was a one-off but the mechanicals were straight off the production line.  Not sure exactly what was one-off about the body as there are/were similar looking ones.  Needless to say they was some airfreighting of the car over water, but saying it was a round the world drive, was a bit of a stretch when it was airfreighted from Calcutta to Los angeles

 

2 pairs of drivers were used.  Quite impressive logistical planning and execution for the time period - 1951.

 

https://www.alamy.com/1st-june-1951-a-british-austin-a40-car-licence-number-loe-990-at-london-heathrow-airport-beginning-its-three-week-round-the-world-tour-image221040274.html

 

As you said, definitely not a one-off (it's the Austin A40 Sports, which had bodywork by Jensen) but it isn't a standard saloon.

 

I'll have to look out the program as it sounds interesting.  I wouldn't mind having an A40 like that to go to local car shows but I can't imagine doing any serious distance in one!

[Fat Controller]

42 minutes ago, johnlambert said:

 

As you said, definitely not a one-off (it's the Austin A40 Sports, which had bodywork by Jensen) but it isn't a standard saloon.

 

I'll have to look out the program as it sounds interesting.  I wouldn't mind having an A40 like that to go to local car shows but I can't imagine doing any serious distance in one!

We did Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Lyon and return in a Somerset of similar vintage. 30 mph on the way down to run in the engine, then the same for most of the way back, due to fog. This would have been in the early 1980s. The Somerset had replaced a Wolseley 1500, and was in turn was replaced by an A40 Farina; all did the Lyon run.

[PhilJ W]

Way back (late 60's) a pal of mine had an A40 Sport. The only thing wrong with it was the convertible top was rotten. As it was summer that didn't matter too much except after every ride out in it I had to wash my hair of all the dead insects. They used to hit the windscreen and were taken over the top of it by the slipstream.

[boxbrownie]

10 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Way back (late 60's) a pal of mine had an A40 Sport. The only thing wrong with it was the convertible top was rotten. As it was summer that didn't matter too much except after every ride out in it I had to wash my hair of all the dead insects. They used to hit the windscreen and were taken over the top of it by the slipstream.

They say driving a sports car puts a smile on your face.......and a mouthful of bugs 

[johnlambert]

Having seen an Austin A40 Sports with the roof up, I'd be surprised if it kept much of the rain out.  Maybe it wasn't fitted correctly (although the car looked like it had receive an expensive restoration) but there were big gaps where the roof met the windscreen and side windows.

 

And, yes, it was said that you could tell how much someone enjoyed driving their roadster by counting the bugs in their teeth; particularly true in the days when the fold down windscreen (or no windscreen) was far more common.

[Oldddudders]

A friend refers to "Morgan hair". He bought his 4/4 more than 50 years ago, and still prefers it to his Ferrari Mondial.

[Killybegs]

4 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

They say driving a sports car puts a smile on your face.......and a mouthful of bugs 

 

Yeah, but I seem to recall that it impressed the girls!

[PhilJ W]

13 minutes ago, Killybegs said:

 

Yeah, but I seem to recall that it impressed the girls!

They weren't called crumpet catchers for nothing.

[PatB]

2 hours ago, johnlambert said:

Having seen an Austin A40 Sports with the roof up, I'd be surprised if it kept much of the rain out.  Maybe it wasn't fitted correctly (although the car looked like it had receive an expensive restoration) but there were big gaps where the roof met the windscreen and side windows.

 

And, yes, it was said that you could tell how much someone enjoyed driving their roadster by counting the bugs in their teeth; particularly true in the days when the fold down windscreen (or no windscreen) was far more common.

Doing hoods properly seems to be a lost art. I've seen quite a few, obviously expensive, replacements that have been, frankly, terrible in terms of fit and function. 

[Nick C]

A friend of mine used to have a Triumph Spitfire, and reckoned that when driving in the rain, you'd stay drier with the roof down...

[johnlambert]

3 minutes ago, Nick C said:

A friend of mine used to have a Triumph Spitfire, and reckoned that when driving in the rain, you'd stay drier with the roof down...

 

I have driven a friend's Triumph Spitfire in the rain and I can confirm that as long as you keep moving you stay dry with the hood down.  I've not driven it with the roof up but I can well imagine that the hood simply allows rain water to collect and drip into the car.

[Rugd1022]

Another dash of Lotus nostalgia - cadged from one of the Lotus facebook groups : London in 1967, with an early S1 Europa, contrary to popular myth some of them were RHD from new.... interesting selection of older cars in the background which look quite ancient next to the newfangled fibreglass spaceship.... both photos feature the Lotus sales manager Graham Arnold who coined the phrase 'council house GT40' when describing the car to a journalist at the Earls Court Motor Show....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alastairq]

I have to say..............I much prefer the 'appearance' of the first Europas..Somehow more 'pure?'

The fact that they had cooking Renault engines [note both photos have Renaults in the background? Rather a higher percentage than other brands?] was of little relevance to me..they still went well enough...especially on british roads? There was only so much horsepower that could be used before one came up behind yet another Morris Minor?

[jcredfer]

40 minutes ago, Rugd1022 said:

Another dash of Lotus nostalgia - cadged from one of the Lotus facebook groups : London in 1967, with an early S1 Europa, contrary to popular myth some of them were RHD from new.... interesting selection of older cars in the background which look quite ancient next to the newfangled fibreglass spaceship.... both photos feature the Lotus sales manager Graham Arnold who coined the phrase 'council house GT40' when describing the car to a journalist at the Earls Court Motor Show....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AKA the Fastest Breadvans in the World.....  

 

I watched one at Brands Hatch, {BOAC 5,000 series??} having a ding with a 7 litre yank job [Lola, someone will know better].  Round the bends, which involved most of the course, the Lotus came out streets ahead, every time.  Only to be put back behind again down the finishing straight...   round again, same result.  

 

Julian

 

[Rugd1022]

I like the simplicity of the S1 Europa too, but its short comings made the improved S2 a necessity - the body was bonded to the chassis which made repairs difficult (the insurance companies didn't like this either) and the non opening side windows were a pain, amongst other things. The S2 was a better car, but still had its foibles which weren't addressed until the Twin Cam model came along in late '71.

 

 

[boxbrownie]

5 hours ago, alastairq said:

I have to say..............I much prefer the 'appearance' of the first Europas..Somehow more 'pure?'

The fact that they had cooking Renault engines [note both photos have Renaults in the background? Rather a higher percentage than other brands?] was of little relevance to me..they still went well enough...especially on british roads? There was only so much horsepower that could be used before one came up behind yet another Morris Minor?

They were like driving a van though, visibility wise.......the over the shoulder view was non existent, I tried a few and then decided on the S2 Twin Cam back in the early 70’s......but even then at the last minute I changed my mind and bought a TC Elan Sprint instead.....loved that little car.

[boxbrownie]

In fact just recently I was sorting through a box of manuals and found the Lotus Factory manual on the Europa S2 I bought in anticipation, reading that manual I think put me off more than anything else.......anyone want to buy a manual?