What I saw today....

[nicanary]

Parked outside my shop last night - Ferrari 458 with registration ***458. Bit naff, but a really beautiful car. The owner usually turns up in a Bentley Continental, so either he's changed allegiance or has a fleet.

[Beetle]

I saw a "HUMMER" today.

[Riley Blue]

Originally Posted by Beetle

I saw a "HUMMER" today.

Is that unusual in America?

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Riley54

Is that unusual in America?

Yes, they usually remember all the words to their favourite songs...

[nicanary]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Yes, they usually remember all the words to their favourite songs...

You hum it son, I'll play it.

Just like England's footballers when the National Anthem is played.

[JHamilton]

I saw an Ascari A10 today. I didnt realize they were road legal here. It had different tail lights than all of the phitos ive seen.

[nicanary]

I keep seeing that Austin A30 every night - he trundles round the town like a motorised peanut.

But I did see a Mk1 Capri , not something you see outside a show these days.I think it was a 1600XL - black vinyl roof and that metallic pale blue colour. Nice, although I was never really "into" them. Always thought they were a bit if a poser's car.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by nicanary

I keep seeing that Austin A30 every night - he trundles round the town like a motorised peanut.

But I did see a Mk1 Capri , not something you see outside a show these days.I think it was a 1600XL - black vinyl roof and that metallic pale blue colour. Nice, although I was never really "into" them. Always thought they were a bit if a poser's car.

There was a fellow with a Capri at The Mitty this year. It wasn't in very good shape but I'm glad he brought it as I've never seen one.

[nicanary]

I think I've just seen an Ariel Atom. Orange panels, black chassis frame clearly visible. It definitely wasn't a KTM, wrong shape panels - are there any other similar cars, perhaps a bit cheaper?

It certainly complied with Road Traffic regs because it had a horn, as directed at a numpty in an old Passat who couldn't understand how the roundabout worked. The weather here today isn't exactly condusive to "Atom-ising", so fair-dos to the driver.

[steve_r]

A few weeks ago I saw three Bond Bugs in a motorway service station. It was either the coincidence of the century, or more likely a club run of some-kind.

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by steve_r

A few weeks ago I saw three Bond Bugs in a motorway service station. It was either the coincidence of the century, or more likely a club run of some-kind.

I blame it on the warm weather - it's bringing a lot of strange Bugs out!!

Or if you want another bad joke, perhaps they were just Bond-ing...

[nicanary]

Last night I saw a Vauxhall VX220 in metallic gunmetal - nice colour and quite rare, I'd have thought. (Or "of thought" if you've been to one of Blair's comp schools).

Also a really smart Toyota MR2 Mk1 in ice-blue metallic - it looked absolutely stock, but I've never seen one in that colour. So good to see one of these that's not been messed-with by the modified-cars lads.

[JHamilton]

I saw a Fisker Karma.

[nicanary]

A Bentley GTC, a peppermint green TVR something-or-other (they all look the same to me), a lovely ivory and black 30s Austin Big 16 being used as a wedding car, and best of all , a Heinkel.

I was approaching the entry to a roundabout, and down the hill in the opposite direction came this red bubble-car at full tilt. It seemed to be doing about 40, and took the curve of the roundabout without slowing, just flew round. I immediately thought of those Isettas which took part in the mille Miglia. Wonderful - the driver must have known his stuff and been very confident. (or his brakes had failed).

[nicanary]

Just getting over seeing an Audi R8 go past, when I saw a line of cars out on a club run - lovely sunny evening.

Austin 16hp, MG TF, Hillman Hunter, MG TD, Mini-Cooper, Jaguar XJ12C and Austin 10hp Cambridge. Nice bunch.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by nicanary

Just getting over seeing an Audi R8 go past, when I saw a line of cars out on a club run - lovely sunny evening.

Austin 16hp, MG TF, Hillman Hunter, MG TD, Mini-Cooper, Jaguar XJ12C and Austin 10hp Cambridge. Nice bunch.

From reading your posts in this thread I'm becoming increasingly jealous! You seem to live in a world that's part Heartbeat/ George Gently, and the rest Top Gear/Le Mans!

[nicanary]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

From reading your posts in this thread I'm becoming increasingly jealous! You seem to live in a world that's part Heartbeat/ George Gently, and the rest Top Gear/Le Mans!

The weird thing is, the town I live in is a sort of "nothing" place, a twilight world of sink estates, used as a dormitory for the white-collar Belfast city workers. You really don't expect to see interesting cars - but it is the gateway to the Ards Peninsula, an area of rural lanes and seaside villages, and thus popular for club runs.

I drive round the town constantly 5 nights a week in my employment, and so see more than most folks, I suppose. Very occasionally I spot a 30s sports car which will be re-driving the old Ards TT course, which passes through Newtownards. The locals wouldn't notice what I see, they're all in the bus station knocking back WKD and Buckie.

[Alfaholic]

Spending the weekend at the Silverstone Classic brings about a "oh no, not another <insert classic/exotic car> " mentality, but I'm sure I caught a brief glance of a Lotus Elan Estate which was unusual as I've never seen one before.

Then near home a mint Ford Consol was seen on the outskirts of Ipswich possibly returning from a different classic event. There's also a Ford Anglia 105E in use as a daily driver in the Felixstowe area.

[nicanary]

Yesterday a split-screen Minor, a very nice un-blinged Merc 560SEC, a TVR Tagora, a 60s Toyota Corolla (tiny!) and my very first sighting of a BMW Z8 - now that is one really handsome car. I don't care if the critics moan about it being a poser's pastiche - it's drop-dead gorgeous.

[Alfaholic]

The good weather here this week has encouraged quite a few classics out onto the roads. In Felixstowe this week I've seen a big Healey, Triumph TR5, Ford Falcon and an unidentified large American 30s saloon.

[oneofapair]

Have just been travelling south on the A1 from Lincoln to Kent.Typical rush hour volume of traffic moving briskly past the truck etc. Looked in the mirror to see in the distance what looked like an Austin A35 pushing the traffic along.Did the decent thing and pulled over to let the traffic by and yes sure enough, an immaculate Grey?(taupe?) complete with skinny("bacon"slicer)wheels A35 pushing the traffic along!! Give away was a discreet "GOODWOOD" sticker in the back window. The ultimate wolf in sheeps clothing,driven by a grey haired boy racer,out running a new 5 series BMW on acceleration up to a VERY brisk pace as the traffic flow cleared . great little hot rod.
Many Thanks ,whoever you are, brightened my day no end.

[broadrun96]

Somehow in ONE day, less than 6 hours, I managed to see TWO different Fisker Karmas in and around Atlanta. Of the 1000 some odd cars delivered in the US, that's a pretty remarkable density in one day.

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

Spending the weekend at the Silverstone Classic brings about a "oh no, not another <insert classic/exotic car> " mentality, but I'm sure I caught a brief glance of a Lotus Elan Estate which was unusual as I've never seen one before.

Then near home a mint Ford Consol was seen on the outskirts of Ipswich possibly returning from a different classic event. There's also a Ford Anglia 105E in use as a daily driver in the Felixstowe area.

The Lotus Elan Estate is indeed unusual; London Lotus dealer Hexagon of Highgate, no doubt inspired by the Reliant Scimitar GTE, set-out to build a run of them but in reality it is thought that only two were completed. It quickly became known as the 'Elanbulance'.

...and as a fellow East Anglian & Alfa enthusiast, I was pleased to see a T-reg 146 here in France the other day. It's one Alfa I never owned but wish I had, having very much enjoyed the use of a Ti version for a week back in the day.

Don't suppose the Anglia you see in Felixstowe is primrose yellow, reg 9618 EV? That was my great uncle's car many years ago! (He lived in Ipswich). There's a LHD blue Anglia owned locally here, looking remarkably original; it's a regular at many of the local shows etc & is used on the road.

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

The Lotus Elan Estate is indeed unusual; London Lotus dealer Hexagon of Highgate, no doubt inspired by the Reliant Scimitar GTE, set-out to build a run of them but in reality it is thought that only two were completed. It quickly became known as the 'Elanbulance'.

...and as a fellow East Anglian & Alfa enthusiast, I was pleased to see a T-reg 146 here in France the other day. It's one Alfa I never owned but wish I had, having very much enjoyed the use of a Ti version for a week back in the day.

Don't suppose the Anglia you see in Felixstowe is primrose yellow, reg 9618 EV? That was my great uncle's car many years ago! (He lived in Ipswich). There's a LHD blue Anglia owned locally here, looking remarkably original; it's a regular at many of the local shows etc & is used on the road.

John,

Thanks for the detail on the Elanbulance, I'm glad I wasn't seeing things.

As far as Alfa's go I had the pleasure(?) of owning a 1.8 145 which is the 3 door version of the 146. Lovely car spoilt by having to have the engine replaced - twice!

Regards the Anglia - it is primrose yellow surprisingly, but I don't know what the registration is. When I see it again I'll have a look.

[nicanary]

There must be a good Maserati salesman round here - I've seen in the last 12 hours a 3200GT and two different 4200GTs. And I've just been over the Holywood hills (The inspiration for Bob Seager) and passed a Triumph Stag, with top down of course.

On the way there I saw that pesky A30 again, towing a 'bike trailer which had on it a beautifully restored Manx Norton. So I saw one-quarter of a Vanwall engine.