Cars of old

[pete01]

My Grandad had an orange Allegro, I loved it I would stand in the back between the two seats...what healthy and safety.

 

[fillyboy]

Someone once told me (might have even been on here) that they were amazed they survived childhood because dad would regularly throw cigarette ends out the front window and they re-enter the car via the rear window and land on his lap.

 

[wobs]

It's not a photo of the car I owned, just a representation.
Do you have an idea about where it is?

It looks like Hull, many years ago in an industrial area. Going by the fact that its by a river that isn't that wide and certain industrial units. Could be wrong though.

 

[fillyboy]

@Mottie did some nice things with a lotus cortina.
My first proper car was a MkII cortina 2 door 1300De Luxe, anchor blue.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

We had two growing up. They were incredibly spacious for a big family.

Looking back, BMC were actually very innovative.

Yes, they were very innovative, and some of the things they pioneered (eg. FWD) are now mainstream. Unfortunately for them the likes of Ford and Vauxhall churned out more desirable, conventional cars that were more reliable.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

The HDI lumps from PSA were flipping good and Ford borrowed them for their TDCi range.

That's what I've got in my current van, the 2000cc. Brilliant engine, never any trouble. With regular oil changes it runs like new after all these years..

 

[Mottie]

@Mottie did some nice things with a lotus cortina.

Bought it as a rotting shell with a box of bits.

 

[fillyboy]

Bought it as a rotting shell with a box of bits.View attachment 378081View attachment 378082View attachment 378083View attachment 378086View attachment 378087View attachment 378084View attachment 378085

Sweet.

 

[Mottie]

It made a three page spread in Fast Ford magazine for the bloke that bought it off me. It was his story about the search for the perfect Cortina Lotus. Mine.

 

[fillyboy]

It made a three page spread in Fast Ford magazine for the bloke that bought it off me. It was his story about the search for the perfect Cortina Lotus. Mine.

View attachment 378088
View attachment 378089View attachment 378090

The magazine pics remind me of when I were a young lad, I used to think naked ladies had a fold line across their bellys. Mind you, I've met one or two in later life who did.

 

[noseall]

Citroen were quite a company back in the day for innovations, I think they might have been the first with FWD and several other things. I remember Audi making quite a song and dance about a new model of theirs where the headlights turned slightly as you steered into a corner but the Citroen DS had that 20 years previous.

The Audi matrix headlights are clever.
I remember those old Citroën cars. Self centering steering wheel was also thing. Hydropneumatic suspension too.
Always seemed like odd looking cars but comfy.

 

[fillyboy]

The Audi matrix headlights are clever.
I remember those old Citroën cars. Self centering steering wheel was also thing. Hydropneumatic suspension too.
Always seemed like odd looking cars but comfy.

They were certainly different looking, ugly and pretty at the same time almost.

 

[motorbiking]

View attachment 378081

I'm no expert but I reckon the front and back wheels need to be a bit further apart.

 

[blup]

They were certainly different looking, ugly and pretty at the same time almost.

Always thought the old Pallas ds21 looked cool, although as you say, its kind of ugly too.

 

[Odds]

The Alfasud in its day was way ahead of its time.It was introduced in 1972. They were first sold here in 1973.

It had a very low centre of gravity, due to the flat four. It was very space efficient. It had disc brakes all round, with the front being in-board. Take it from me, they were a pig to work on!
It had a 5 speed box, a rev counter, fantastic performance, road holding and handling, with roll-free cornering. I used to love chucking mine round twisty B roads. It never gave up the grip.

And it had amazing crash performance for its day.
The 'sud had a collapsible steering column, an under-seat fuel tank and crumple zones front and rear which not all cars of that era had.

I'd swear we went on a European tour in 1972 in a green Alfasud: Fab car, especially on those twisty mountain roads.