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Redex

Yes thats a ColourTune plug. I always used the cardboard core of a toilet roll to shade it from daylight so you could see the colours better. Mine disappeared years ago . It was quite easy to use in those days when engines went off tune so easily.
 
I have just discovered that National (owners BP-Shell dropped the Benzole bit) were responsible for the introduction of SMURFS to Britain as part of a marketing campaign. The little devils were given away at filling station.
Its all coming back to me now, and so will the nightmares.

Here's one of the first advertisements from one of my transport books to promote the new-name new-style National petrol.
 
Anyone remember those badges you could get from petrol stations. They were worn on ones blazer(school uniform) and would often be swapped, cheap pressed metal with the hooped pin type attachment. I supose they must have come free with so many gallons and provided excellent free advertising. remember these......National Benzole, Regent TT, Cleveland Discol. Power, etc a few blasts from the past eh? Oh and what about that stuff made by ICI from coal, quite popular in the early seventies, had an odd aroma as well. Not that I go around sniffing petrol, well not now anyway !!
 
My stepson called in this morning to say he was taking his Korean built 4 X 4 to the garage because it intermittently ran on only two cylinders. He rattled off a number of cures he had tried with out success one of which was Redex. So there are still people about who expect Redex to perform miracles.
An e-bay purchase it has been nothing but trouble in the engine compartment.
 
I had a half share in a Colortune many years ago,they seemed to worl really well. I seen to remember one removved a spark plug, replaced it with the colortune and it acted like a plug but allowed you to see the ingition "flame" and one adjusted the mixture control until the flame was a certain colour.

This was easy on the superior S.U. carbs and I dont really think it went out of tune to any degree but it allowed one to tamper with the engine!!!
 
Cleveland Discol - I'm used to think my engine ran cooler, the car went a bit faster !! It was more interesting buying petrol in those days - all that so- called 'choice' compared to buying today. I'm trying to remember about having my tank filled by a forecourt attendant, but I can't - it would certainly slow down things at Tesco's etc.
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Our local garage attendant still fills the tanks, but it's made a bit pointless by having to get out of the car to use my credit-card....but, if you have cash, and need no change, it's highly civilised!
 
I had a half share in a Colortune many years ago,they seemed to worl really well. I seen to remember one removved a spark plug, replaced it with the colortune and it acted like a plug but allowed you to see the ingition "flame" and one adjusted the mixture control until the flame was a certain colour.

This was easy on the superior S.U. carbs and I dont really think it went out of tune to any degree but it allowed one to tamper with the engine!!!


By the standards of the day S.U carbs were preferable to such as Zenith. I never ventured into specialised Italian and Japanese carbs , far to expensive. In the 60s and 70s I seemed to be playing with out of tune S.U.s ,especially when they came in pairs every weekend. Never give it a thought with fuel injection.
 
Hi All....Forget the Redex I used to put a few shots of Castrol R oil in the petrol.....result a beautiful aroma of racing cars...actually it smelt just like the speedway bikes at Perry Barr
 
Just reminded me that I have not looked under the hood in over a year now. Well...theres nothing to do...six years old Hyundai Accent and only changed the belts and oil when suggested. No plugs ever and has not missed a beat...fuel injection. Anyway I bought a set of spark plugs to show willing. Well anyone can change a spark plug. Hmm. they have been in the trunk for a year now. After I took the top engine cover off I could not figure how to remove the old ones. Not the usual rubber plug caps like before that you just pulled off. (probably dates me) Some kind of assemblage held down by an offset screw. Does not look like plugs at all. As said the plugs are in the trunk with the elongated socket...and little packet of electrical lubricant. I have a theory...buy new and sell before the tires wear out. That way the battery won't need changing either. I suppose you don't do as much milage when you are retired. Ahhh...days of SUs and flex rubber tuning tubes....you can keep em.
 
Does anyone remember a petrol additive, I think they were called "Accoids" or a name similar to that, they were cubes about the size of an OXO cube. I remember being given some samples at the Earls Court Motor Show way back in the early 1950's
Regards Reg
 
i put redex and a drop of castrol r in my ford anglia,it still run like a shed. but smelt like a dragster lol
 
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