davidwilkins

davidwilkins, 3 months ago to Jeep

We tend to think of vehicles such as yesterday’s Audi A6 Allroad that blur the boundaries between off-road vehicles and road cars as a recent development. But softroaders and crossovers, as we call them today, have a much longer history. This is the 1948 Jeepster, produced by Willys-Overland in order to sustain production levels after the Second World War. The Jeepster was RWD rather than 4WD. Snapped: Rétromobile Paris, 2014.

#davidsdailycar #Jeep #WillysOverland #Retromobile #WeirdCarMastodon

davidwilkins, 3 months ago to random

Today, we’re sticking with the first-generation B1 Volkswagen Passat in the form of the ‘Variant’ estate/station wagon model. I snapped this 1974 example at Techno Classica Essen last year. This particular B1 is lovely but slow - 1.3 litres, 55 horsepower, 0-100 Km/h in 18 seconds. Top speed 145 Km. I’d still have one though. Going fast is so over-rated. Nine generations later, the current Passat is estate-only.

#davidsdailycar #VW #VolkswagenPassat #WeirdCarMastodon #TechnoClassica

White B1 Volkswagen Passat Variant estate car/station wagon, side view
White B1 Volkswagen Passat Variant estate car/station wagon, rear quarter view

davidwilkins, 8 months ago to random

This car is the predecessor to the 1967 Hillman Hunter (Arrow) based Sunbeam Rapier featured yesterday. It’s a derivative of the previous generation of Minx (Audax). The original 1955 version of this Rapier, the Series I, was styled by Raymond Loewy Associates but the design had received a number of detail tweaks by the time this Series III version appeared in 1959. Pic: #GreatBritishCarJourney #SunbeamRapier #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

Pastel blue ‘Audax’ Sunbeam Rapier Series III, front quarter view

davidwilkins, 4 months ago to random

Today, the original 1966 Lotus Europa, which gave its name to the noughties Elise-based Europa S/SE featured yesterday. As @adrianco mentioned when I did the Renault 16 a week or two back, the original Europa borrowed the R16’s engine and gearbox. Later cars had a Ford-based Lotus twin-cam engine but kept the Renault gearbox. Small, low and light, the Europa showed what Lotus was all about. Pic taken at the #BritishMotorMuseum Gaydon, 2024.

#Lotus #Renault #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

Red 1971 Lotus Europa S2, side/rear view
Red 1971 Lotus Europa S2, rear quarter view

davidwilkins, 2 months ago to random

Two more sets of machines from my local hospital building site for @MarSolRivas. Here, a truck with a Fassi crane and two scissor-lift platforms are used to raise and fix a long steel beam forming part of a future multi-storey car park. 1/2

Lorry based cranes and two lifting platforms with structural steelwork

davidwilkins, 5 months ago to random

A bit of a bonus #davidsdailycar post in the form of a construction machinery update for @MarSolRivas from the rebuilding programme at my local hospital. As the project proceeds, there appears to be more, and heavier, machinery on the site. Anyway I’m hoping Marysol can explain what some of these are!

Orange excavator in action alongside several men in high-vis and hard hats
Large orange excavator
Small yellow tipper machine

davidwilkins, 7 months ago to random

Before I post today’s #davidsdailycar, I’ve got some more construction machinery for @MarSolRivas. Activity is really stepping up at the local hospital rebuilding project, with more big machinery being moved on to the site. Here by way of an appetiser, a big lorry carrying what look like four trailer-style generator/lighting units (?) which I saw on my morning walk.

davidwilkins, 7 months ago to random

Yesterday, after I posted on the subject of the Mercedes C36 AMG, @ZeKik was commenting on the general wonderfulness of the W202 C-Class on which it was based. This is a C280 Elegance seen at the 2017 NEC #ClassicMotorShow, showing off its superb 2.8-litre M104 straight six. Fully built C280s (Sport rather than Elegance models) were sent to AMG at Affalterbach to be transformed into C36s. I’ll do a PS post on my own C280 later. #AMG #Mercedes #W202 #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

W202 Mercedes C280 Elegance in Muschelgrau (?), under bonnet shot of M104 straight six engine

davidwilkins, 5 months ago to random

Calling @MarSolRivas. I’m having difficulty identifying precisely what this one is. Any ideas?

Children’s ride, yellow Bob the Builder digger, coin slot

davidwilkins, 4 months ago to BBC

Today we return to the glamorous world of film and television with this, the three-wheeled yellow Reliant Regal Supervan used by Del-Boy and Rodney in the BBC comedy series ‘Only Fools and Horses’. This example at the #BritishMotorMuseum at Gaydon had a doubly distinguished on-screen career, having been used in filming for both ‘Only Fools’ and Mr Bean (in blue - still partially visible in one of the photos).

#BBC #ReliantRegal #OnlyFoolsAndHorses #MrBean #WerdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

Yellow Reliant Regal van used in ‘Only Fools and Horses’, side view
Yellow Reliant Regal van used in ‘Only Fools and Horses’, rear view

davidwilkins, 3 months ago to random

After yesterday’s powerful RS 6, today we’re looking at another slightly exotic off-shoot of the Audi A6 Avant estate in the form of the Quattro Allroad version, seen here at the UK press launch of the last-generation model in Devon and Cornwall in 2012. Whereas the RS 6 uses its Quattro all-wheel drive system for the original purpose of improving on-road handling, the Allroad is a crossover/softroader, designed to cope with (occasional) contact with mud.

#davidsdailycar #Audi #WeirdCarMastodon

Black C7 Audi A6 Quattro Allroad Avant, rear quarter view
Black C7 Audi A6 Quattro Allroad Avant, rear badge detail
Black C7 Audi A6 Quattro Allroad Avant, 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine

davidwilkins, 3 months ago to random

Today we’re looking at the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the electric version of the i. The i-MiEV had a similar rear-motor/rear-drive layout to the Smart ForTwo I posted yesterday but with a longer, surprisingly roomy four-door body. It went on sale in 2010, beating even the Nissan Leaf to the market. It was also sold as the Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero. I snapped this Peugeot-badged version in Munich in 2012. These are great fun.

#davidsdailycar #Mitsubishi #Peugeot #Citroen #WeirdCarMastodon

davidwilkins, 7 months ago to random

Some more construction machinery for @MarSolRivas. These are from the hospital rebuilding project near where I live - this bit is going to be a multi-storey car park. Apologies for the lack of alt txt. I would certainly label these if I knew what they were…

image/jpeg
image/jpeg
image/jpeg

davidwilkins, 6 months ago to random

Today, for #FensterFreitag, we’re looking at the half-louvred rear side windows on the C107 Mercedes SLC from the early 1970s. The C107 was an extended-wheelbase fixed-roof coupé version of the R107 ‘Bobby Ewing’ SL convertible. The louvres, encased between two panes of glass, appear to have been intended to avoid a bland ‘two-door sedan’ look while avoiding overly-wide rear pillars. A lot of Mercedes enthusiasts don’t like these, but I’m a fan. #Mercedes #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

davidwilkins, 2 months ago to random

Today, I thought it would be nice to do an extra #davidsdailycar post commemorating Saint David’s Day. This is Pontypridd’s finest, the Gilbern Invader. Gilbern only made cars from 1959 to 1973 and this one, at the Great British Car Journey in Derbyshire is from the last year of production. The Invader had a 3-litre Ford V6 so it was quite fast. If you want to buy a new Welsh car now, you’ll have to shell out over £160,000 on an Aston Martin DBX. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

#GilbernInvader #AstonMartin #WeirdCarMastodon

Green Gilbern Invader, side view
Green Gilbern Invader, rear quarter view
Green Gilbern Invader, red Welsh dragon badge detail

davidwilkins, 9 months ago to Volkswagen

Today, a third and last example showing something of the diverse choice of cars based on Volkswagen’s MEB EV architecture. This is the Skoda Enyaq Coupé, a sportier take in the more capacious standard Enyaq, and the equivalent in Skoda’s range to yesterday’s Volkswagen ID.5. Photographed/driven at the judging day for the 2023 Professional Driver car of the year awards held at Epsom Downs racecourse. #VW #Volkswagen #SkodaEnyaq #EV #ProfessionalDriver #EpsomDowns #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

Silver Skoda Enyaq Coupé, rear quarter view

davidwilkins, 2 months ago to random

Yesterday, I explained how Austin’s 1969 Zanda concept was designed to take a mid-mounted version of the Maxi’s engine and gearbox. In 1995, the mid-engined MGF followed the same principle: mechanically it was based on a 180 degree flip of the Metro’s front subframe, engine and gearbox. Another link to the Maxi/Metro - the MGF had Hydragas suspension, although this was replaced by steel springs when the F became the TF. Pic taken at the British Motor Museum

#davidsdailycar #MG #WeirdCarMastodon

Red MGF, side view
Red MGF, rear quarter view

davidwilkins, 9 months ago to random

This is what #FOTU is all about. Normal people look at this and just see an old beige car. But sad car geeks like me will marvel at the soon-discarded radical detailing on this very early #FordSierra - the aero grille, the unpainted bumpers, the disc-style aero wheel trims and the ‘hanging’ door mirrors. I think this car also lacks the rear pillar ‘ears’ that were later added for aerodynamic stability. Bonus: period number plate font. #FestivelOfTheUnexceptional #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

Early beige Ford Sierra, rear quarter view
Early beige Ford Sierra, ‘hanging’ door mirror

davidwilkins, 7 months ago to random

Yesterday, I featured MG Rover’s Streetwise in juxtaposition with the Rover 25 on which it was based. Another variation on the 25 was this slightly sportier MG version, the ZR. Like the Streetwise, the ZR was far less ‘pipe and slippers’ than the standard 25. This sort of rejuvenation measure was essential given that much of the 25’s design and tech, while sound, dated back to the Rover R8 of 1989. Pic: the #GreatBritishCarJourney #MG #Rover #BritishRacingGreen #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

davidwilkins, 4 months ago to random

A few weeks ago, I was explaining how Renault, with the R4, R6 and R16 was one of the pioneers in the introduction of a then-new body type, the hatchback. But long before that, the company had been experimenting with new, more spacious and practical types of vehicle than the three-box sedan/saloon, such as this, the 1959 Projet 900, with its rear-mounted 1.7-litre V8 (yes, really), snapped here at #Retromobile Paris, 2014. Weird back-to-front styling.

#Renault #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

Gold metallic Renault Projet 900 concept, badge detail
Gold metallic Renault Projet 900 concept, rear quarter view
Gold metallic Renault Projet 900 concept, 1.7-litre V8 engine

davidwilkins, 9 months ago to random

Today, we’re blasting away the cobwebs of Unexceptionality again with another super-exotic top Mercedes. This is the W196 R ‘Stromlinie’ (streamline) race car from 1954, a type in which Fangio won the French Grand Prix that year. The smooth enclosed bodywork was optimised for circuits with high-speed straights. The most notable technical feature was probably the straight-eight engine. Snapped at #Retromobile in Paris in 2014. #Mercedes #Fangio #Stromlinie #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar. 1/2

davidwilkins, 1 month ago to random

After yesterday’s ADO 34, here’s a slightly later attempt to come up with a Mini-based MG sports car, the Targa-style ADO 70. This was designed in the UK but the prototype was actually built by Michelotti in Italy. They seem to have used the left-over green paint from the ADO 34. This one didn’t make it into production either. Pics taken: British Motor Museum, Gaydon.

#davidsdailycar #MG #WeirdCarMastodon

Green ADO 70 sports car prototype, side view

davidwilkins, 5 months ago to random

Yesterday I was commenting on the well-known similarity in appearance between the 1960 Peugeot 404 and the BMC ‘Farina’ models such as the 1959 Austin Cambridge. But this look originated with another, larger and more expensive, car, the 1957 Lancia Flaminia Berlina, seen here at #AutoMotoRetro in Turin in 2017. This was in turn based on Pininfarina’s 1955 Florida I design study. #Lancia #Pininfarina #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

davidwilkins, 2 months ago to random

Today, another quite rare Renault, the Vel Satis, which was sold between 2001 and 2009. Following on from the R20/30, R25 and Safrane, it was in some ways the last in the line of big French Renaults, with the later Latitude and Talisman leaning on cooperation with Renault Samsung of South Korea. This car was seen at last year’s Festival of the Unexceptional.

#davidsdailycar #Renault #FOTU #WeirdCarMastodon

Silver Renault Vel Satis, rear quarter view

davidwilkins, 27 days ago to Fiat

Now we’re on the subject, I thought I’d do a few more sporty Fiats. This is the 128 3P Coupé, which I snapped at Automotoretro in Turin in 2016. The ‘3P’ is a reference to the three-door hatchback body. The original 128 coupé was launched in 1971 as a two-door fastback, with the 3P hatch being introduced later on. Based on the Fiat 128 saloon/sedan, but with a shorter wheelbase. Orange.

#davidsdailycar #Fiat #WeirdCarMastodon