Gerald on Motering

[Guest]

Tracy

I'm getting more and more impressed!! Yes exactly right! Quite a common feature on some older cars but I don't know whether they have totally vanished from car design. It is a recognised description in the UK at least.
The SS on Chevys - it would probably be "super sports" if on a UK car but I guess I'm wrong!

Gerald

Another great tale from you! Mobile greengrocers. Yes those were the days when many people didn't have cars and effectively the shop came to you. As usual with history we have gone round in a bit of a circle with the option for people who use supermarkets to order _ and get their groceries delivered to the door.

Brian

[TracyL]

"Super Sport" it is Brian. I didn't know this until a person at the dealership told me.

Gerald, You were a wild thing back then, probably still are, it's a wonder you survived all the pranks.

In the states my grandmother said what you call a mobile greengrocer was know as the wagon jobber. Mind you I've never seen one but she has told me about them and described them as being someone with a big box built on the back of a truck that you could climb in and shop and buy right in front of your home.

You two guys are two much! I can't get any work done today for having to check the post.
Tracy

[TracyL]

Sorry, I intended to move this to "Gerald on Motoring"

by AnneCook on Mon Mar 15, 2010 6:35 pm
(Quote)
Hi tracy

Not sure should have replied on this thread but as regards language we havent started on dialect yet. My favourite one is should it be peeeeedantic or PEDantic lol?
(End Quote)

Gerald,
I do like just being able to come to "Gerald on Motoring". So, I've moved this over to your site. I would like for you to get to dialect since you have loads of interesting words. Can we start with something not quite so difficult as PEDantic? I did look it up on Wikipedia and I'm not sure I even understand the definition.
Tracy

[Guest]

Enjoy!

Brian

[Guest]

It looks as if I failed to get an image of the semaphore indicators on

Brian

[Guest]

Hi All

Sorry that I failed the technology test earlier - I had found a picture of the semaphore trafficator arm that Gerald and I were discussing earlier. Best thing (unless someone can add it to the thread) is to go over to wikipedia.org and type in trafficators. Apart from some background history on them there is a nice picture of one in the "on" position.

Brian

[TracyL]

Brian,
Went to Wikipedia and that is one slick dud. Interesting history. I assume these were in mass use?
Tracy

[Sweet Ruth]

Hi All,
Just got logged on. As Tracy says that thing is a "slick dude." Man we Brits thought up some strange things over the years.
Gerald, no story tonight?
Ruth

[Guest]

Hi Tracy and Ruth

Glad you went over to Wikipedia! Yes those semaphore arms were something else! I think that the picture shows a little light bulb in the wide part so they could be seen at night! Tracy, I think they were fitted to most cars at one time. I've certainly ridden in cars with them, not sure if I owned a car with them but certainly can't remember having any repairs done to them. As a car passenger I might have reached out of the window to push one down into its slot when it hadn't quite made it! LOL!

Gerald, I had a Moggie once which I believe was a 1963 model. It had winkers I am sure and am almost positive it had a stalk below the steering wheel with a flashing light on its end hidden inside a translucent green plastic cover. Were the early minis the same, think they might have been. Also recollect an Austin A35 that had a really chunky brown (bakelite?) switch in the middle of the dashboard. Whereas the Morris one appeared to be a little flimsy the Austin one looked fit enough to go on a jumbo jet! LOL!

I've been forgetting these funny little details until now!

Brian

[Guest]

Hi Tracy

How do you find driving the Morris compared with a modern car? Usually older cars are a bit more demanding physically to drive (apart from cranking that handle LOL!). The steering would be a bit heavier and the brakes would need a bit more of a push. Are the roads fairly open where you live or do you have to contend with much traffic? I get the feeling that ND is quite sparsely populated.

Brian

[TracyL]

Hi Brian,
Driving the Morris is not as easy as my Honda but I love to take it out a couple times a week especially on weekends. The country side is open and mostly farm land so driving it is easy. Brakes and Steering are the big differences...no power assistance. I wouldn't want to drive it in a big city. Bismarck is not a big city, in fact, there are no big cities in any of these northwestern states. We call this the heartland.

Wikipedia is a wonderful tool to help keep up with you guys.

Tracy

[AnneCook]

Hi Ruth,


I did give you a story about the 'silver ghost'


Tracy

If you use a dictionary for pedantic you might enjoy my joke - hope you dont hate me lol


G

[Guest]

Hi Tracy

That's fantastic that you are using the Morris so regularly and not treating it as a museum piece, only let out on very special occasions! It's a happy looking car I think, I've had them and enjoyed my ownership. The only thing I would say is that being an older type of car it benefits from more regular servicing than you have to usually worry about on a more modern motor. If it has a weak spot anywhere I would say that it is in the front suspension and your garage must keep that area of the car well greased whatever happens.

I can't tell you how pleased I am when I find young people like yourself enjoying classic cars and wanting to keep them running. It's really encouraging.

Brian

[AnneCook]

Hi Tracy

wild thing lol

well after 34 years of marriage I finally have a new woman in my life - but she is 4 months old lol

G

[TracyL]

Gerald,
Tell us about the 4 month old. You are holding out. I liked the silver ghost story. Ruth may have missed it.

Brian,
Before my dad passed away I told him I wanted the car and he gave it to me rather than my brothers because they never showed any interest. I'm able to garage it at mom's so it's out of the elements. But, there is not heat in the garage so still plenty cold when I go to fire it up.

Gerald and Brian, I must say I get a kick out of hearing all the horror stories from the girls about starting their cars that have a manual choke. Using the choke is just another function like shifting and steering. After reading all the posts I would venture to say "panic" and "lack of confidence" are the main culprets. If I can bring a mini to life in -20 F which is about -30 C you should be able to fire one up anywhere. As I've said before I do have a "hot shot" boaster battery that I put on to help the car battery at those levels.

The weather is quite nice this afternoon so I'm going to take it for a spin.

Tracy