Iain's (Delta Racing Car) Builder's Tea Break 2015

[bauble]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

super! - that's the road between me and Midgetman, fascinating to spot the bits that haven't changed (not many), still see that Herald driver occasionally...

Well give me a wave next time David.

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

There was a bit on Look East last week about how far ahead nature is this winter / spring

I hate to remind you Mike but it's still officially Autumn. Winter hasn't started yet let alone spring!

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by morninggents

I hate to remind you Mike but it's still officially Autumn. Winter hasn't started yet let alone spring!

Well, what was that white stuff that I've had to sweep off my car twice already this "autumn" then? Having said that, one of our local posties wears his shorts all year round; he just puts on boots when it snows!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by morninggents

I hate to remind you Mike but it's still officially Autumn. Winter hasn't started yet let alone spring!

You tell nature that! It's definitely spring for some......

[bauble]

This sounds as if I have strayed on to a gardening forum.

[midgetman]

Marvellous video. I see it was raining in Calne. It's always bloody raining in Calne. ..yes as David says one of my regular commutes, and I kept thinking 'slow down for the roundabout you idiot! ' only to find the blessed thing wasn't there

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by bauble

This sounds as if I have strayed on to a gardening forum.

I think you'll find Baub that "The answer lies in the soil..."

[grantp]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Marvellous video. I see it was raining in Calne. It's always bloody raining in Calne. ..yes as David says one of my regular commutes, and I kept thinking 'slow down for the roundabout you idiot! ' only to find the blessed thing wasn't there

That would be an excellent Hazard Assessment film although I thought one or two decisions looked a bit iffy - might have been the angle of view of the lens.

Surely the Herald was a set up for the story? Bob, what can you tell us?

I wonder how much allowance he made for other people's brake performance back then? Compared to what we expect these days.

[midgetman]

Yes I suspect the Herald was the camera car for the external shots. Where the driver "cut him up" was about 100 yds up from the side-on view of the Jag passing Cherhill monument.

I thought the overtake coming out of Hungerford was decidedly iffy.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Yes I suspect the Herald was the camera car for the external shots. Where the driver "cut him up" was about 100 yds up from the side-on view of the Jag passing Cherhill monument.

I thought the overtake coming out of Hungerford was decidedly iffy.

One wonders if anything coming out of Hungerford is decidedly iffy .....

[Mike Bell]

There were a lot of sensible observations in that film which are totally relevant today. But, like Alan, I found the method of moving a car out of your lane on a motorway surprising, and certainly not one I would use today! But then I don't drive a German middle executive saloon.....

All overtaking was iffy in those days, but at least we were taught and knew how to do it! Not something most young drivers today have ever had to practice, unless it's parked.....

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

You tell nature that! It's definitely spring for some......

Don't speak too soon. Every silver lining has a cloud.

[terence]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I think you'll find Baub that "The answer lies in the soil..."

What have rotten Vauxhalls got to do with the weather?

[bauble]

Originally Posted by grantp

That would be an excellent Hazard Assessment film although I thought one or two decisions looked a bit iffy - might have been the angle of view of the lens.

Surely the Herald was a set up for the story? Bob, what can you tell us?

I wonder how much allowance he made for other people's brake performance back then? Compared to what we expect these days.

About the time the film was taken I worked with a chap who having passed his driving test bought a Triumph Herald, and on one occasion the wife and I acted a lift to a works 'do' with him. Coming up behind a slow moving car in front he casually pulled out, and went past around a completely blind bend on a major road. When I suggested that this was not a wise thing to be doing he just laughed. insisted on driving us home and never accepted a lift again.

The point is that back in the 70's Herald drivers were a menace, clearly.


I heard later that he got a job driving for a film company

[bauble]

Originally Posted by terence

What have rotten Vauxhalls got to do with the weather?

Is there an insult in there somewhere?

If so aimed at whom?

Achtung! Steps may have to b taken

[grantp]

Originally Posted by bauble

About the time the film was taken I worked with a chap who having passed his driving test bought a Triumph Herald, and on one occasion the wife and I acted a lift to a works 'do' with him. Coming up behind a slow moving car in front he casually pulled out, and went past around a completely blind bend on a major road. When I suggested that this was not a wise thing to be doing he just laughed. insisted on driving us home and never accepted a lift again.

The point is that back in the 70's Herald drivers were a menace, clearly.


I heard later that he got a job driving for a film company

Hmm.

Around a decade later I knew a couple of chaps in a very social drinking group (centred on one a 3 pubs in 3 different places depending on the day of the week) who both drove minis, as many people did then.

One of them, I discovered, liked to face the people he was talking to. Fair enough bu I found it more than a little unnerving when it was the person sitting behind him whilst he was driving. Nice chap but one always got the impression he thought he was somewhere other than in a car when driving.

The other also had some random habits that made one wonder about where his priorities lay. He also tended to look away for the road rather more than I felt was sensible given a less than encouraging control of the steering wheel but the strangest thing was changing gear with his right hand.

Later I heard he had moved to Holland. Probably found changing gear more comfortable .... unless, of course, he started to use his left hand.

[delta]

Originally Posted by bauble

About the time the film was taken I worked with a chap who having passed his driving test bought a Triumph Herald, and on one occasion the wife and I acted a lift to a works 'do' with him. Coming up behind a slow moving car in front he casually pulled out, and went past around a completely blind bend on a major road. When I suggested that this was not a wise thing to be doing he just laughed. insisted on driving us home and never accepted a lift again.

The point is that back in the 70's Herald drivers were a menace, clearly.


I heard later that he got a job driving for a film company

O dear have we met up in a previous life Bob . My first car was a Herald and I very nearly went to work at Pinewood studios . Decided to become a Jet fighter pilot instead 😀

[delta]

Well that's what I told the school career teacher . Got a job in a Garage

[bauble]

Originally Posted by delta

O dear have we met up in a previous life Bob . My first car was a Herald and I very nearly went to work at Pinewood studios . Decided to become a Jet fighter pilot instead 😀

That explains a lot then Iain!

[bauble]

[QUOTE=grantp;3597780]Hmm.
He also tended to look away for the road rather more than I felt was sensible given a less than encouraging control of the steering wheel but the strangest thing was changing gear with his right hand. "

In many films you often see the driver looking away from the road for quite long periods chatting to his passenger, and I always thought it looked dangerous. I tried it myself, well attempted it, on a quiet stretch of road, but after about two seconds found I had to look forward again, it was just too scary.
One should never stop learning to be a good, safe and fast driver, even after 57 years experience I still find I can improve techniques.

When approaching a junction/roundabout my motto is;

Prepared to stop, ready to go.

Also;

Quick not fast.

Observation, Anticipation, Acceleration (of decision making).

Stay safe over the Festive Season.

Old Bawb.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by bauble

Is there an insult in there somewhere?

If so aimed at whom?

Achtung! Steps may have to b taken

Good to see you're on the alert Baub whilst I'm busy elsewhere.
Top Man!

[grantp]

[QUOTE=bauble;3597918]

Originally Posted by grantp

In many films you often see the driver looking away from the road for quite long periods chatting to his passenger, and I always thought it looked dangerous. I tried it myself, well attempted it, on a quiet stretch of road, but after about two seconds found I had to look forward again, it was just too scary.

Well you can do that looking around thing in the USA because they only drive at 15mph and all the roads are straight.

Plus in the traditional cars from the 50s through to the 90s the width was so great that if you were not facing the person you were talking to the sound would not carry far enough for them to hear you.

Obviously in the movies the vehicles being stationary in front of a moving backdrop or on tow behind a camera vehicle probably helps a little too, though probably doesn't make much difference to the way many of the "stars" drive off set.

[Mike Bell]

I was reading in a mag about the special AMs built for the new Bond film. One has a remote driver cage on the roof, where the stunt driver controls the car from, the actor sitting in the car 'pretending'.......

So, is it me, or is the fact that an Englishman has gone to the ISS taking over the media? The words patriotism and jingoism came to mind, but neither fits perfectly, so I'll use 'extreme nationalism' instead!

I assumed he was part of a team, but it took a lot of research to find any info on the others involved.... Well done to the whole crew, especially the Russian Commander, who manually docked the Sojuz after the auto park feature failed..

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

I was reading in a mag about the special AMs built for the new Bond film. One has a remote driver cage on the roof, where the stunt driver controls the car from, the actor sitting in the car 'pretending'.......

So, is it me, or is the fact that an Englishman has gone to the ISS taking over the media? The words patriotism and jingoism came to mind, but neither fits perfectly, so I'll use 'extreme nationalism' instead!

I assumed he was part of a team, but it took a lot of research to find any info on the others involved.... Well done to the whole crew, especially the Russian Commander, who manually docked the Sojuz after the auto park feature failed..

Thank God it was not a woman.

[VIVA GT]

Sorry to back track here, but I've just re-watched that wonderful 1963 IAM driving film. Being a child of that time and one who was car mad I really enjoyed seeing droves of those old vehicles that I remember from my childhood. At one point during the film 'our' Jaguar driver draws up behind a Humber Hawk and I thought "of course, the fuel filler cap on those was actually the reflector in the bottom right-hand rear light unit"(the sort of trivial thing I remember sadly!). I then started thinking of other cars of the time with 'hidden' fuel fillers, but could only bring to mind the Ford Corsair & Zephyr/Zodiac models that had them hidden behind the (drop down) rear number plates. Hardly ground breaking & innovative designing I know, but it shows the little quirks in the cars of those times.
(Presumably the fuel filler caps were moved from the back panels of cars for 'elf & safety reasons, for when someone ran into the back of the car?)