Gerald on Motering

[franfran]

Dear, duck, love and so on............

You sort of get that here, with the exception of duck, which I've never heard anyone use, except in old English films (can't think of which ones, but the "Carry on" series is the most likely I suppose). Love and dear are the most common, and darling is used a bit too, mostly by women over 45 (the woman that runs the local coffee shop calls me that all the time). Some people object to this as being condescending, but I don't mind it at all (unless it's coming from some sleazy old man).

And did anyone say anything about the car the Imp was supposed to challenge? If they did I missed it. It would have to be the Mini wouldn't it?

[Guest]

Yes Fran, the Imp was supposed to challenge the Mini. I don't think it really worked out for Hillman I'm afraid: the Imp arrived too late in my opinion to dent the sales of the Mini and had its share of teething problems and didn't have the best of reputations for reliability. My parents had the slightly posher Singer Chamois version for a while, this would have been after my brothers and I had pretty well all left home and so a large car wasn't needed. Dad was lucky - I think the car was OK during his ownership on the reliability front.

Gerald - can I add a footnote to the petrol pump story on the Moggie? There might be readers with other classic cars who could be thinking: "I've never heard the petrol pump ticking when I turn on the ignition". The thing is there were two different types of pump on the older cars, the "tick-tick" electrical ones as on the Morris and the mechanical type to be found on the old Fords and Vauxhalls for example. Fran had mentioned in an earlier post a Wolseley that her family had owned which evidently had a ticking pump. In Gerald's example lack of use of the car for some time could have led to the pump "sticking". But what a nice cheap "repair"! LOL!

Brian

[AnneCook]

Hi all

I've got another petrol story which is definitely into Tracy's description of my wild young days category but it may have to be tomorrow if I decide to stop over in Sheffield. Can't log on there

have a great day folks

[AnneCook]

I'm back after all.

Here's a q for Ruth and maybe Tracy.

What is a HRW

and once They have got it right ....


Why allegedly were they fitted on Skodas

G

[TracyL]

Hi Ruth,
I think I've found the answers to your two questions. The Mini and Donington Park. It took a little reserach but learned even more doing the reserach on these.
Keep the fun flowing.
Tracy

[AnneCook]

Hi guys

Is this thread dying??? the literally thousands of hits has become a trickle !

Is it me being boring??

Donington Park is about 10 miles from me btw

Another moped story.

A friend of mine asked me to accompany im to the south coast in his mine
We drove down on a friday night and spent Saturday in the town ( it wasnt quite warm enough for the beach). My friend had led a bit of a sheltered life and wasn't used to being in the company of people swearing( cursing) or women being anything other than ladylike. As we were minding our own business a woman probably in her forties was pedalling her moped along the road trying to persuade the engine to catch. She proceeded to pull up a few yards in front of us and put the machine on its stand. Then she proceeded to pedal frantically, pausing only to catch her breath and use language that would make even troopers blush. Don't get me wrong I dont think swearing is funny but there was something amusing about my friend being given a lesson in real lfe.

As I 've said before its always a bit dangerous mentioning petrol but when someone is obviously irate its extra dangerous. Mopeds are relatively simple engines. You get to recognise three types of sounds, Nothing happening means absolutely (very rare) or no spark. feeble and never catching ,means not enough petrol, catching but not holding usually means overchoked.
This one was telling me it was empty or as good as. My line this time was 'do you know what - I reckon some so and so has syphoned your juice' . That made her check and find out what she should have discovered ages ago - she was out of petrol lol. Whether she had been robbed or , as we all can be a little careless, I will never know.
It was another chap repair Brian because you didnt need much to fill a moped tank ( a gallon if that) and you could drive for miles on it lol

[franfran]

........... and now for something completely different:

[TracyL]

Hi Fran,
I used a magnifying glass and still could not make out the name on the hood (bonnet). It's a neat car wish it were mine. I'm sure Gerald and Brian will probably know this car. Ruth, do you know?
Tracy

[mattlovescars]

i could be wrong but the numberplate says aust 320 so im assuming its a austin 320 although ive never heard of it before.

Matt

[mattlovescars]

i could be wrong but the numberplate says aust 320 so im assuming its a austin 320 although ive never heard of it before.

Matt

[franfran]

It's not an Austin.................

[TracyL]

Fran, would it be an American made car brand? Tracy

[franfran]

No, but there is an American connection.

[Guest]

Fran

This really is a tough one! The "American connection" is confusing me even more!

What I would say though is that the whole look of the car is shouting "1950s", or possibly very early sixties, to me. I'm thinking of the quarter lights in the door windows, the central dividing strip to the windscreen, what appears to be a bench front seat, and the overall shape of the car. Apart from that I'm very puzzled!

Brian

[franfran]

It's actually shouting late 1940s...............