Car Spotting

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

/And then told that it was a very expensive extra that was only fitted at the factory if ordered.

Yes it was expensive and any retofit idea is a bad one, given the changes you have to make. Do you remember that the rear passenger had to travel in a perpendicular to the road position? Two thin cushions for the back and feet in a basin! I remember road testing an italian 190 SL (a Merc hard to be appreciated…) with a photographer in this position… He was not too happy.

[Gerard C]

Just out of my curiosity, Mike, was it a roadster with the dedicated hardtop or a Gullwing?
As to the transverse rear seat, to my knowledge only the wonderful Datsun roadster could have one when ordered from factory. This changes th papers a two seater becoming a 3 seats passenger car.

[Mike Harte]

Gérard, it was a roadster with the detachable top, just like my Stag except that came with fairly comfortable seats suitable for children, like my twin boys. And that is why my father was disappointed about the lack of seats because he wanted to be able to drive them about. So, like you said, he just had to buy some cushions for them to sit on and rest their backs against.

As he said, a far, far cheaper option and probably just as or even more comfortable for the short journeys that he used to take.

[Gerard C]

Do you remember that the chassis tubbing could be seen under the dash when sitted at front? And the angle of the engine sitting in its bay! What a car. And the detachable top had a unique design. White body, black top, perfect match. I must recognize, and its a pleasure, that your Dad had a very good taste.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Do you remember that the chassis tubbing could be seen under the dash when sitted at front? And the angle of the engine sitting in its bay! What a car. And the detachable top had a unique design. White body, black top, perfect match. I must recognize, and its a pleasure, that your Dad had a very good taste.

His was all black, and I don't recall about the chassis. The only reason he ordered on is because one of my cousins used to buy a new one every year, and my father thought that he was being very trendy and "down with the kids" by having one. He had the car for about 16 years , had only done about 20,000 miles in that time, and the roof had never once been taken off - an absolute travesty.

When I was a very, very young child, I had apparently said that I wanted his car, whatever that was 70 odd years ago. And in his will, the only thing that he left me was the car that he was using at the time of his death. So, in 2003 I inherited the Merc, and apart from having it given a full service, I actually removed the top and then drove the car down to Spain with the top taken down by a delivery service.

It was said of those cars that they were Madams' cars; it was rumoured that most of them in Germany were bought by ladies of ill repute. In the UK, most were used by female hairdressers, or so I believe.

It was a nice tourer but not exactly a sporty type car, unlike the Stag. It was a pleasure on the way down to Spain and no long before I came back to the UK, someone made me such a ridiculous offer to buy it that I just couldn't refuse. I hope he was happy with it.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

It was said of those cars that they were Madams' cars; it was rumoured that most of them in Germany were bought by ladies of ill repute. In the UK, most were used by female hairdressers, or so I believe.

Hope my answer will not be a complete OT but any mod can delete it, so feel free to. Thanks.

Madam's car was more likely said about the 190 SL with its dodgy carbs and bag of nails sounding engine I think. I once had the opportunity to visit in Germany a poor hut which lately became the official Merc classic cars dept, now called Merceds-Benz Heritage. At that time, a very clever man was sourcing and buying used hardtops from all over Europ for cheapo. Very wise because few years after those sought after elements reached insane levels of money!

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Whilst at Knockhill's TCR-UK meeting today, would have been rude not to take a pic or 3

. .

And then as luck would have it saw it on the way home too

[Adam43]

Did you follow it home?

Nice. I saw some proper trucks at a cones and coffee yesterday. Photos on my phone not this. I’ll post…

[Adam43]

1 Brit and 3 Americans.

[Mike Harte]

I like the semi Semi.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I like the semi Semi.

Dont drink and drive result! If the Chevy is as I think an Apache, we had only two may be three here.

[broadrun96]

Well it appears it's truck day today so



Ok, not nearly as nice condition as the others but still running

[Adam43]

Wow. Stealth truck!

[Peter Mallett]

Truck!

[Gerard C]

Gosh, a Studebaker! Orange painting would suggest its meant for karting. Max?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Truck!

Nice! You can take the truck out of America, but you can’t take the American out of the truck.

[Adam43]

Next year’s cars and cones:

[broadrun96]

Nice Peugeot collection there

[Adam43]

Ha!

And handbrake pads from an old XJ. I knew someone with one and had the pads kicking around the garage for some reason.

Actually one of these sounded more V8, but I never got chance to find out. Maybe I imagined it.

Fun fact. While quickly looking to see if V8 conversions were a thing I read that in the film they used the sound of a Porsche 928!

[Adam43]

Talking of different engines. 400+ hp in that Morgan and Camaro rear end.

The Merc(edes) is a diesel.

The ‘90s Mustang had some track day 888s on the back on not so sticky tires on the front.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Nice Peugeot collection there

Works with Volvo and Renault too. It seems that the best world-wide DMC cars specialists reside in the US. Funnily enough, can be said about what could have been the best french GT of its era if not more, the Citroën SM (last being for Maserati engine). https://eurosmclub.net/sm-world-sylvia-jerry-hathaway It has been displayed during our national annual classic car fair (Paris of France not Texas' one).

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Talking of different engines. 400+ hp in that Morgan and Camaro rear end.

The Merc(edes) is a diesel.

The ‘90s Mustang had some track day 888s on the back on not so sticky tires on the front.

The 90's Mustang is an abomination in any form but that is a truly hideous example Got to be the worst Mustang model surely? (Possibly even including the naming travesty that is the Mach-e)

[Peter Mallett]

Daimler Super V8. Hmm, don't know why that happened.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Daimler Super V8. Hmm, don't know why that happened.

Portrait images when shown as a thumbnail rotate to landscape.

[Gerard C]

I love this car and find the match Cardinal Red/Magnolia interior trim perfect.