Rare cars you've seen recently

[Rob B]

Again, thanks to the drive it day celebrations i was able to spot a glut of rare Standards, the Big 9 being my favourite, as well as a lovely early Sunbeam Rapier and a Sunbeam-Talbot saloon of some description - i dont know enough about them to say which model it was.

One of our group members turned up in his recently acquired Volvo 244 saloon. A car you prob wouldnt think of as being that rare but i cant remember the last time I saw a saloon version, they are nearly always estates.

[ken]

Very nice Ken, did you feel like a stock car driver or saloon car racer?

When does a certain metallic green TVR engined beast arrive on antipodean shores?

Colin

Hi Colin

Not till the 15th may But I have a auzzie built pi from andy thompson which im driving about for now(but he wants it back ) just got a 3.8 commodore need a good clean but will be on the road soon Ill post pictures when my computor turn up using works at the mo cant stay on here long


Ken

[kevinw]

the second was a Panhard. Not sure of the exact model, but it was the one that looks vaguely like a Renaul Dauphine. I don't recall seeing one of those on the road since I was a nipper.

Panhard Dyna or PL17? - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panhard_Dyna_Z

Don't know that I've ever seen one outside old French films...!

I think it was a PL17, but just a quick glance. They used to be reasonably common around here, but then it is fairly close to France, of course!
Kevin

[Charles H]

I have rallied against a Panhard Dyna campaigned by some mad Dutch. They had even removed the paint to lighten it since it was an aluminium body!

[CAR]

I have rallied against a Panhard Dyna campaigned by some mad Dutch. They had even removed the paint to lighten it since it was an aluminium body!

That is commitment!

[andyborris]

I have rallied against a Panhard Dyna campaigned by some mad Dutch. They had even removed the paint to lighten it since it was an aluminium body!

That is commitment!

No, just the Dutch way, a nation of loveable lunatics!

Andy

[kevinw]

Similarly, American Airlines never paint their aircraft, other than logos and registrations. I've read that the weight saving is significant and allows them a few more of whatever the aircraft equivalent of MPG is.

Back on topic, I saw an early Austin or Morris 1100 earlier in the week. For years, these were the best selling car in the UK and now almost extinct.

Kevin

[CAR]

Back on topic, I saw an early Austin or Morris 1100 earlier in the week. For years, these were the best selling car in the UK and now almost extinct.
Kevin

I'm sure I read once that everyone of the 1100 cars that were sold were at a financial loss to BMC.
They used to rust quite well as I remember.

Colin.

[Allen Walker]

Saw a very good condition Nissan Bluebird (early UK-built type) the other day. Metallic blue, upmarket model. Very scarce now I think.

[Jonathan Lewis]

American Airlines never paint their aircraft, other than logos and registrations. I've read that the weight saving is significant and allows them a few more of whatever the aircraft equivalent of MPG is.

I don't know what the weight saving may be, but the reduction in drag over a polished metal surface certainly was reckoned to be significant, with according gains in speed and fuel economy. Hence the reason why many late WW2 military aircraft (and some from the 1950s and 1960s as well) swapped camouflage for a bright metal finish.

I'm sure I read once that everyone of the 1100 cars that were sold were at a financial loss to BMC.

There's quite a well-known story that Ford once did a cost analysis on either the Mini or the 1100 and, having come to the conclusion that they couldn't possibly be made for less than the retail price, informed BMC of the fact. BMC is reputed to have said something along the lines of "thank you but mind your own business". I would hope that the story is apocryphal but, given that Ford is still in business long after BMC vanished, regret that it might well be true...