Stuff we've seen on the road

[Cavalier342]

That's precisely my point too.

[ilovedmymantas]

That would be a mood-lifting drive home for me too.

Sadly I haven't seen anything outstanding on my dashcam for ages.
I did see an n reg astra in diamond black while I was in static traffic last week.
He saw me too and i felt that 'mutual appreciation'

[Robsey]

It is sometimes a surprise what you can find in a shopping centre.

From time to time, the missus and I will take a scenic drive over the hill tops to Meadowhall Shopping centre in Sheffield.
It is 33 miles each way for us, but much nicer than 95% of the shopping locations in and around Manchester.

Anyway in one of the galleries / junctions within the shopping centre we found this.

A 1955 Austin A125 ambulance.
It is registered as being cream, not dark blue. And never MOT'd.







There is something about the look and the smell of really old vehicles that tugs at the nostalgia centres of the brain.

I felt a bit odd photographing a vehicle in a public area, Felt like one of those geeky aircraft spotters with his anorak on).
Although I don't mind looking daft if it means that I can share with my friends on here.

There is an old sage green "Hart to Hart" Mercedes cabriolet in the Trafford Centre, but that is just bland / boring in comparison to this beautifully restored ambulance.

To be honest, it was too well restored in places. The stretcher frame was made from new metal and looked out of place by being too fresh and immaculate.

[bobthevoice]

What a wonderful vehicle you have pictured Robsey thanks for sharing that with us.deep pockets required for that level of restoration methinks.

Bob.

[Robsey]

My pleasure,
I like to share my love of any car that is more than 23 years old.
Designers lost their indeviduality and the concept of beauty in the late 90s.

According to the board next to it, it is a 1950 Austin Sheerline, but DVLA / Direct.gov see it as a 1955 Austin A125.
I am no expert, because I did not arrive on the planet until the very late 60s.

To be honest restos on big old commercial vehicles can be quite cheep when compared to modern vehicles made from elaborate materials and fancy designs.
The vehicles are made from simpler construction methods, so less time consuming to replicate or repair damaged or corroded panels.

[Cavalier342]

Good snaps, it's one of those vehicles that you just don't see on the roads. The headlights do look comically large, but it does look spotless. The rear cabin looks perfect for a weekend's camping with a crate of beers.

[Robsey]

The rear cabin looks perfect for a weekend's camping with a crate of beers.

Indeed - a comfy full width seat on the right for whilst you are still sober.

And a comfy bed on the left for when you are slaughtered

And if you get comatose, then you are in an ambulance with a bell and blue light, so priority access on the roads to get you to hospital quicker, ready for a good stomach pumping.

[Cavalier342]

Usually I pump my own stomach when I drink and smoke too much lol

[ilovedmymantas]

I saw these from my mum's window!


A taxed 2.6l Rover 100 from 1959. No mot, ( or headlights for that matter) !

I had a blether with the mechanic who was removing the windscreen seal at the time- half rubber, half dirt.
It had major welding done by him underneath. He was telling me the bodywork is aluminium, apart from the front wings, which are mild steel. Doesn't make sense to me

The next one threw me a bit.
A 4.2l Daimler with a massive sunroof- registered in 1989. When I saw that on the official mot & tax checker site I thought "that looks 20 years out of date for a 1989".



Turns out I was right. It was made in 1969 but not registered until 1989!
The mystery deepens.
Where was It for 20 years

[Robsey]

I think it is a fault with the direct.gov / dvla website databases.

There are lots of cars currently on SORN that are several years old, yet the checker will advise that the vehicle has not had it's first MOT yet.

The old set up worked great and gave a lot of useful information.

The newer / current set up is more basic and full of errors as you have identified above.

Lots of vehicles that have been on SORN more than a coupleof years, are now no longer recognised or listed.

[ilovedmymantas]

So much for technological advances
I did find it odd that the front badge is jaguar and the rear is daimler.

I think I partially found the answer here
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=440316

[ilovedmymantas]

I'm a bit pee'd off now

I bought a nextbase dashcam and compared to my first cheap hd cam It's p*sh.

On Thursday I sat in traffic behind something I had never seen in the flesh, an opel manta A!
The old 'engine/exhaust smells' made the memories come flooding back

Sadly I've no pics thanks to the new cam. Properties shows it full but there's no video folder

[Robsey]

I agree with the dash cam milarkey.

I have a few now, but one I got for the wife simply did not work, reporting card full within seconds of turning the camera on.

In the end I got an ebay special, just like mine.
Here is my little camera.
It has never let me down.





Hopefully I haven't spoken too soon, or cursed my camera.

[ilovedmymantas]

Yesterday was this:

Some rust was coming through on the sides but it looked pretty good over all.
I wonder if it'll get restored, it's at that age.

Today it was a 94 astra on an m plate, modified and immaculate, I couldn't really miss it!


Mot history appears to show it doesn't get out much - less than 1500 miles in 11 years!

[Robsey]

The day before VauxFest 2019.

I was down in the Derwent Valley - famous for the two submerged villages and the Dambuster practice flights / bouncing bomb tests.

Just for Andrei, I came upon this.

Sorry it is a Ford Raptor and not a Dodge Ram.
But still a Yank Mobile.

[James McGrath]

Spotted in Heathfield, East Sussex, while I was waiting to get a puncture repaired.




Not seen one in yonks.

[Robsey]

Ooh a Reliant Rialto.
Judging by the registration, it must be one of the last ones ever registered / made.
We have quite a few up here.

There is one near me that looks butt ugly and badly built, but it is fitted with a Yamaha R1 engine.
I believe it goes like stink.

[ilovedmymantas]

Haven't seen one of those for ages, It appears to be well looked after.

On my trip to wales a couple of weeks ago I saved these from the dashcam.
They're not the best composition-wise and I don't recognize a couple but here goes

'Morris with a disability time clock filter'



'Red bins on a sunny morning'
There's a car in there somewhere, honest



There was this in the services



Finally, this car belongs to the owner of the place I'm getting my sills and arch done



I think I'm in safe hands this time judging by the price

[Robsey]

Must be a Yellow Nova thing...

Troy who did my restoration has a yellow and black Nova, which is restored immaculately including the recently revamped yellow check and black fabric upholstery.

Hopefully, your Nova guy has an equally keen eye for detail as Troy does.

That Maroon car at the services is a Sunbeam Talbot 90 registered on 15th August 1954.

The one tucked to the far right of the bins is too far away to get a proper look.
Nice to see these older models though.

I need to get photos on the street next to mine.
I know that there is a Rover 45, and at the far end, a chap who has a 1995 black diesel Xantier and a V reg maroon Xantier estate.
Again both are immaculate.

And then one street below that is a chap who restores the really old cars.
Probably all before 1900 to 1940s vehicles.

[cavalier1990]

Ooh a Reliant Rialto.
Judging by the registration, it must be one of the last ones ever registered / made.
We have quite a few up here.

There is one near me that looks butt ugly and badly built, but it is fitted with a Yamaha R1 engine.
I believe it goes like stink.

The 3 wheelers were popular with the flat cap whippet brigade weren't they?

[Robsey]

I thought it was ferret owners - lol

[James McGrath]

I've seen a few nice cars on the road recently although I haven't had the chance to photo many of them.

This is a Calibra Turbo that is owned by someone very local to me. He's owned it since new and loves it. Nice chap to talk to as well.




Next up is a immaculate looking 1988 2.2i Renault 25:

[Robsey]

Just seen what I was convinced was an Austin Princess.. but it didn't look right.
Hmmm, thats not an Ambassador....
Got up behind it, and it says that it is a Morris.

Good old 70s colour... funky in a yuk sort of way.

A quick google says that it is a Morris 1800S.
Who knew?
Never seen one before, probably never will again.

If you put in the reg, there is a link to it's restoration. (Lovely website name).

https://autoshite.com/topic/21769-epic- ... storation/

These are library pictures of the exact car, post-restoration. From the restoration thread.





I saw it on the A56 heading towards Urmston ( I was heading towatds Old Trafford) 200 yards north of the M60 junction 7.
But as I was in the van, I could not pull him over to get pictures

[Robsey]

And just as I was leaving a house call, behind Old Trafford Cricket Ground.

I spotted this little number registered in Belgium.

[ilovedmymantas]

Nice find with the Morris and the library photos - Photobucket strikes again

The website name is witty but seems more apt for the second pic
----------------------

I saw this at my local garage today and it looked amazingly good. I can't think of the last time I saw one...




….but now that I've looked at the mot history, I hope someone hasn't just bought an expensive project.