Lord Flashheart Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 10 hours ago, steve1 said: Local paper nostalgia page. steve That's great stuff,of the choices I'd definitely be going with the Dolly Sprint. Rob 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northmoor Posted July 25 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25 1 hour ago, Lord Flashheart said: That's great stuff,of the choices I'd definitely be going with the Dolly Sprint. Rob My first car was the next model down, the 1850HL. It had been an old lady's (a neighbour) car so generally well looked-after, although it could have done with hosing underneath more often. Driving round Welsh lanes with more power than grip taught this young driver a lot about how a car felt close to the limit. Perhaps that's why unlike a few friends with more modern cars, I never parked my car in a hedge. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyPenguin Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 10 hours ago, Northmoor said: My first car was the next model down, the 1850HL. It had been an old lady's (a neighbour) car so generally well looked-after, although it could have done with hosing underneath more often. Driving round Welsh lanes with more power than grip taught this young driver a lot about how a car felt close to the limit. Perhaps that's why unlike a few friends with more modern cars, I never parked my car in a hedge. I would agree, older cars taught you a lot, you could "feel" when you were at or near the limit. Certainly modern cars have more grip but with less roadfeel they give very little warning before they "let go". 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted July 26 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 26 11 hours ago, Northmoor said: My first car was the next model down, the 1850HL. It had been an old lady's (a neighbour) car so generally well looked-after, although it could have done with hosing underneath more often. Driving round Welsh lanes with more power than grip taught this young driver a lot about how a car felt close to the limit. Perhaps that's why unlike a few friends with more modern cars, I never parked my car in a hedge. When the Sprint first appeared, everyone applauded the innovative engine and its output. But they also said the Dolomite had too gentle a chassis for such a point-and-squirt motor. That you found similarly in the less pokey 1850HL rather under-writes that conclusion. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dunsignalling Posted July 26 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 26 Not sure if it was a factory car, but I remember seeing a GT6 fitted with a Dolly Sprint engine in hillclimbs way back when. Moving the c. of b. rearward was said to have made it handle very well indeed. 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kickstart Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 4 hours ago, GrumpyPenguin said: I would agree, older cars taught you a lot, you could "feel" when you were at or near the limit. Certainly modern cars have more grip but with less roadfeel they give very little warning before they "let go". 20 years ago some friends built a car using Subaru Impreza running gear. Hardest part was finding a wrecked car to use. They were other easily repaired fender benders, or had let go when really try and there wasn't enough left All the best Katy 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 26 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 26 10 hours ago, GrumpyPenguin said: I would agree, older cars taught you a lot, you could "feel" when you were at or near the limit. Certainly modern cars have more grip but with less road feel they give very little warning before they "let go". Tyres also made a lot of difference, the old crossply tyres gave you a warning that they are about to let go but radials, although they gripped the road better would give way without any warning. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 (edited) Some more nostalgia... The launch of BMC's new baby the Mini at Cobham test track on 26th August 1959, a brand new Austin Seven Mini 850 is put through its paces by one of the eighty or so journalists in attendance that day... One of the brochure shots for the new Mk2 Austin and Morris Mini Coopers and Cooper Ss which were launched in September 1967... From 'Motor' magazine in 1969, an ad for a couple of customised Minis... A Speedwell Morris Mini Cooper in monotone dark blue, quite unusual at the time... Edited July 26 by Rugd1022 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 On 25/07/2024 at 09:05, steve1 said: Local paper nostalgia page. steve It’s just as well the Datsun dealer wasn’t called William… steve 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted July 26 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 26 Saw this in Gt Yarmouth the other day, don’t know what it is 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 26 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, steve1 said: It’s just as well the Datsun dealer wasn’t called William… steve Bill Ankers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 10 hours ago, big jim said: Saw this in Gt Yarmouth the other day, don’t know what it is 1965 Mercury Comet. steve 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted July 27 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 27 On 26/07/2024 at 09:04, Oldddudders said: When the Sprint first appeared, everyone applauded the innovative engine and its output. But they also said the Dolomite had too gentle a chassis for such a point-and-squirt motor. That you found similarly in the less pokey 1850HL rather under-writes that conclusion. A shame they never made a two door sprint, wouldn't have needed much work either as there was a two door toledo which was a very similar shell but a smaller boot. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 You can never have too many period stickers you know...! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 19 hours ago, big jim said: Saw this in Gt Yarmouth the other day, don’t know what it is You can always find out here: 'Get vehicle information from DVLA - GOV UK' 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doilum Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 8 hours ago, russ p said: A shame they never made a two door sprint, wouldn't have needed much work either as there was a two door toledo which was a very similar shell but a smaller boot. Regarding the "gentle" chassis: back in the day I recall a spirited chase across the Yorkshire Wolds. I could keep up with the Dolly in my RS2000 but wasn't going to get the better of it on the sweeping curves twixt Malton and Driffield. I might have been a customer for a two door Sprint. Even to this day I have a prejudice against "more doors". 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeysarefun Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 (edited) I went to the local All Ford Day at Sydney Dragway today. Not surprisingly, it was all Fords. UK familiar ones first. Some interesting Escorts. Cortinas and Capris. Because nothing improves the handling like a 5.8L V8 up front. Its all good fun until a corner appears! That car from Harry Potter. Some indigenous classics. Edited July 28 by monkeysarefun 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 Some more bits and bobs... 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeysarefun Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 (edited) A Ford panel van, this one is actually owned by the bloke who lives across the road from me. Its for sale, all yours for the downunder equivalent of £73,000. Panel vans were all the rage here in the 70's. Surfers loved them, the parents of teenage girls less so since the back was usually decked out with a mattress and shagpile carpet. Words sure to strike fear into every teenage girls parent back then was "Shane is taking me to the drive-in tonight, I'm going in his van!" Ford Australia tried to tap into the market that existed for those who wanted a panel van but couldn't afford the Falcon, by releasing the Escort version. Which with its cramped space in the back and 1.6 or 2 litre 4 cylinder motor was a little bit sad in comparison in those far off Australian Mad Max days. To confirm the sadness, see the Falcon van in the background here, compared to its Escort equivalent. More Escorts! I dont know what a Mexico is, was it a particular specced up version? Comment below! ITs numberplate says MrCosie. "Cossie" is Australian for swimwear, so I have no idea what he's trying to say. Comment below! Not sure what this is - an Escort that has been lengthened to be some kind of really long station wagon. Plus a matching trailer. I liked this. Its either an Anglia or a Prefect - I know that due to it being in the "Sydney Anglia/Prefect Club" display. The copper detailing is all Australian 1 and 2 cent copper coins painstakingly glued on. Finally a ute, because its not a car show here without a ute. ...or a Mad Max interceptor replica. Edited July 28 by monkeysarefun 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Moxy Posted July 28 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 28 (edited) Ford Escort Mexico was a European 1600cc version of the Mark 1 (& some Mark 2) Escorts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Escort_(Europe) Not a model that made it to the Australian market apparently. Edited July 28 by Moxy spelling mistake 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 Uncommon 4 door Corsair GT on wide steels. steve 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted July 28 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 28 The Mexico was launched after, as noted, Ford won the 1970 London-Mexico World Cup rally. Initial publicity declared "We brought it back from Mexico!", showing the new model to have the flared arches and front bumperettes etc of the competition version. A little later, the Mexico was touted as a doctor's car, Ford alleging that they discovered a significant number of medics were ordering them. So cue a pic of one by a street sign saying Harley Street. Many Mexicos were used in competition, but the stories in the rallying community suggested the Mex could get breathless on long climbs, in a way that the Twin-Cam and RS1600 versions did not, obviously. The Mex was seen as the sensible choice to look Ford-sporty, while everyone really wanted the RS1600, but 1970 DOHC tech really wasn't yet suitable for a daily driver. The later RS2000 was a happy medium between the two. 4 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doilum Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 Cossie is UK slang for Cosworth. A serious power lump for a " more door". 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 I may be wrong, I wasnt a fan of Escorts or Mexico's [the plastic dastops made me car sick, for some reason].. But, wasn't the Mexico powered by the basic 1600 crossflow engine? Also didn't it come as standard with the strengthened bodyshell similar to the rally cars? I do know it was considered to be an ideal ''clubman's'' car....[for club level motorsport?] The later RS 2000 probably rather stole the scene, motor sporting club-wise.....? Still with a cheap to maintain/repair/tune standard Ford production motor [Pinto, or 2 litre OHC?} [I used to do 12 car's with a Hillman Super Minx estate......rather like doing a GP race in a tank...Navigation was the key, not how fast one could go...or how long it took one to stop..even worse, prone to overshooting controls...] 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 28 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 28 (edited) FYI The Anglia's were two door and Prefects were 4 door. 3 hours ago, monkeysarefun said: I liked this. Its either an Anglia or a Prefect - I know that due to it being in the "Sydney Anglia/Prefect Club" display. The copper detailing is all Australian 1 and 2 cent copper coins painstakingly glued on. Edited July 28 by PhilJ W 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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