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Worst car of the 1960's

My first car was a brand new Hillman Imp for £634, bought from a garage on the corner of Wellhead Lane and Aldridge Rd in Perry Barr in 1964.
Drove it proudly away, but on reaching Kingstanding Rd it broke down.
Phoned the garage and they came out and fitted a new carburretor. After that it ran for 4/5 years, even the automatic choke worked. Antifreeze was a problem because of the aluminium engine. It also had an accelerator pedal without a cable, some sort of pneumatic connection.
Maybe I was reasonably lucky with it, only once called the AA and they got it going with a squirt of WD40
With some office guys I once drove virtually non-stop overnight from B'ham to Coverac Cornwall one Bank Hol in 1965, nearly going off the big curve where the M5 ended at Strensham joining the M50. I remember finding my way across a foggy winding road on Bodmin Moor.
My Imp could always out-corner Mini's in my wilder driving days.
I saw an Imp recently and thought how frail it looked, and how did I once do 84mph in one.
 
Icarus said:
The person who compiled that list obviously never owned the first version of the Hillman Imp with it's useless automatic choke! :-;)
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I will go along with that, It also had a air operated throttle and with the doughnuts on the drive the earth return was the strap under the gearbox. On mine sometime in its past this had been damaged and one day I found that I could switch the Ign on and off by moving the gear lever !!, The engine could overheat owing to the rad being behind the rear wheel but I fitted a water temperature gauge and on long runs turn on the water supply to the heater matrix which was in the front of the car.

The engine designed by Coventry Climax was great by the transaxle poor and you needed a bag of sand in the boot otherwise you could go STRAIGHT ON.
 
That F model Vauxhall Victor, I made a lot of money out of them in the late 50s early 60s, we used to go round the Vauxhall dealers and buy them for about £40 a time from round the back yard, take them home spend a couple of days with the welder and filler and a quick coat of brush on Tekaloid paint then sell them for £150 each, they were good cars, looked good and we never had a complaint.

When Vauxhall introduced them they wanted a big launch and they had a large stock of them brought into Birmingham and parked them, packed tight, in the bombed site car park on Broad Street, unfortunately the local kids had a bit of fun climbing on them and running from roof to roof causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. E.
 
Is this you Eric

[ame="https://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6564618232591273624"]Vauxhall Victor 2200bhp runs a 7.6@191mph 1/4mile[/ame]
 
Eric,
I can't remember the name of the garage - it seemed to be an extended converted house painted white.
I remember the first service, being a suspicious type, I put some little strands of Evostick on bolts which I knew they had to undo etc. Guess what, the stands were unbroken, and the foreman had an uncomfortable time as he attempted to explain how the bolts were undone without breaking the strands. They had to do another service while I waited and watched.

oldmohawk
 
Definitely not me alf:) never believed in all that souped up stuff.

oldMohawk , it was Buntings I guess, opposite the Alexander stadium on the corner of Wellhead Lane. E.
 
Eric, It was opposite the stadium so it had to be Buntings. I bought a Vauxhall Viva later and thought it was really comfortable after the Imp, but a rusty hole came through the bodywork after 18 months, so down to Halfords for gauze, filler, wet & dry, etc. I did buy a Ford Focus in 1999 and a rust hole appeared in the silencer after 13 months. The dealer said it was 'fair wear and tear' !
 
The Ford Zodiac was a good car. The only slightl problem with design was ..... the bonnet seemed to be about 6 yards long which made it a bit tricky to park sometimes.
 
Old Mohawk,

I too remember that garage...if memory serves, it was on the opposite corner to what used to be the Land Rover axle factory, which these days is student flats. I left my Moggie Minor there so they could so some work on the brakes, and when I went to collect it the garage had been busted into and the battery, radio and front seats of my Moggie had been nicked (yeah, I know, I never understood why, either...). The gaffer at first refused to cough up until I re-visted with my ex-boxer dad in tow, and very soon all was resolved. Maybe it was Bunting's, but I honestly can't remember.

I never had a Hillman Imp, but I did have a couple of Vivas (the square-cut Mk 3 type) and they really were rot-boxes. They also had only a 7" clutch, so I got pretty good at re-lining that particular mechanism. Someone I knew had a Mk 1 Brabham Viva, which went like the proverbial, until one fine day the back axle decided to take an upwards course through the body.

Having said all of that, my current car is a 2006 VW Passat Estate. In April, the oil-pump seized, resulting in a replacement engine, turbo and gear-box, and thank Gawd it was still under warranty. Since then it's been OK, but goes to show that it's not just old cars that were dogs.

Big gee
 
motorman-mike said:
My 1959 Victor and me in the Summer of 1963 at Brean. (I was in the passenger seat , it wasn't left hand drive). I bought it for £299 off Cadey's petrol station in Warstock, now a block of flats by MacDonalds where the Bagnall Arms used to be.Cadey's was a Cleveland Petrol Station. The first owner of my Victor was the Cleveland Petrol Co. as a reps car so already had 53000 on the clock but the back seat had never been sat on. With a front bench seat the upholstery was powder blue and the steering wheel had a chromed horn lower half ring. Design - real Rock 'n' Roll 'n' Rust!
Click to expand...

Hi Mike - I know this is a long time on from the original thread but I've just been looking for any mention of the "Bagnall" and came across your post. It bought back a good few memories forme - we used to live 5 houses down Warstock Road from Cadey's Garage on the same side - I had totally forgotten about the Garage with the little stone hut that smelt of petrol (Cleveland Discol) and oil. Didn't the Cadeys live in the lovely old (Georgian?) house that used to be next to the workshops and the little drive that used to run between Warstock Lane and Warstock Road? So you must remember Flint's stores, Fine Fare, the big Habedasher's (can't remember what it was called, the Barber on the corner and "Bottom Flint's" and finally The Record Shop. H.Jones cycle shop, Patricks, Good Cheer Cellars and the Laundromat just over the road etc.

Also, I understand you worked at YWG - did you know Mary Lowe - she was a conductress at YWG and was my best mate's mom - a lovely lady.

Cheers.
 
Hi. Speedy.
The Cadeys did live in the house you mention, he had a Riley 1.5 at one time and his daughter used to work for him selling the petrol, I asked her if she fancied a ride to Earlswood on the pilloion of me BSA B31 one day but she refused, I lived in Highters Heath lane.
 
john70 said:
Hi. Speedy.
The Cadeys did live in the house you mention, he had a Riley 1.5 at one time and his daughter used to work for him selling the petrol, I asked her if she fancied a ride to Earlswood on the pilloion of me BSA B31 one day but she refused, I lived in Highters Heath lane.
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Hi John - there seems to be quite a few B14'ers on this forum....so it isn't just me, then! Obviously know the area well - I went to the nursery next to the commuinity centre and then to the infants and junior schools up HHL. Didn't do me any harm (...I think)! Do you remember Winter's of Warstock a bit further up?

Were you going to take her to "The Red Lion"? It's still there, is still a pub and is still recognisable from the old days. Oh well, her loss, turning down the chance of a spin on the mighty B31!!!
 
No Deauphine for me but I did have a later Reneault R8 and it turned out to be the car I liked best. Lots of charachter and some neat ideas and yes a rear engine so the side wind effect was marked but you got used to it. The engine was only about 850 or so cc but it was very willing and did a lot with that. Front and rear wheels seemed to hang out at all angles but remarkably the road holding and handling was fantastic. I suppose being shod on the old Michelin X radials with inner tubes helped a lot here. No problems that I can remember and we have serious winter weather. The rear engine and soft looking tires made for super winter capabilities even though the tire tread was smooth grooved to start with. Fuel consumption was on a par with current small cars I think. I must say though that the current crop of cars are remarkably fine in spite of being more complex.
 
Speedy23 said:
Hi John - there seems to be quite a few B14'ers on this forum....so it isn't just me, then! Obviously know the area well - I went to the nursery next to the commuinity centre and then to the infants and junior schools up HHL. Didn't do me any harm (...I think)! Do you remember Winter's of Warstock a bit further up?

Were you going to take her to "The Red Lion"? It's still there, is still a pub and is still recognisable from the old days. Oh well, her loss, turning down the chance of a spin on the mighty B31!!!
Click to expand...
Remember Winters bike shop well, we lived opposite Gorleston Rd., moved there when I was 15, before that we lived in Highters Rd.halfway down the hill, I went to Grendon Rd infants and juniors, then Yardley Wood for 2 years and then Wheelers Lane, do you remember Cadeys daughter?, a nice girl.
 
I must say I had a couple of simca's 1600 'S' and found them really great car's they had an hatchback before any one else I think, they sold out to chrysler in I think 75, but may be wrong.
paul
 
Speedy23 said:
Hi Mike - I know this is a long time on from the original thread but I've just been looking for any mention of the "Bagnall" and came across your post. It bought back a good few memories forme - we used to live 5 houses down Warstock Road from Cadey's Garage on the same side - I had totally forgotten about the Garage with the little stone hut that smelt of petrol (Cleveland Discol) and oil. Didn't the Cadeys live in the lovely old (Georgian?) house that used to be next to the workshops and the little drive that used to run between Warstock Lane and Warstock Road? So you must remember Flint's stores, Fine Fare, the big Habedasher's (can't remember what it was called, the Barber on the corner and "Bottom Flint's" and finally The Record Shop. H.Jones cycle shop, Patricks, Good Cheer Cellars and the Laundromat just over the road etc.

Also, I understand you worked at YWG - did you know Mary Lowe - she was a conductress at YWG and was my best mate's mom - a lovely lady.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Hello Speedy,
I don't come from Birmingham but lodged in Bromwall Road for 3 years so got to know the area . Cadey's Georgian house lasted until it was knocked down for the flats there now. It's a shame as it must have been a nice looking house when it had more garden instead of the garage and forecourt.
I knew Mary Lowe at YW and used to chat to her quite often when she was out shopping by the garage after she finished. Don't know if she is still about though as I am retired and don't go down by the garage so much now. I agree she was a lovely person.
 
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The firm I worked for hired me a Simca to use while my company car was being repaired, I thought they were great, all 3 of them - 3 in a fortnight cos they kept breaking down that is - quick and nice to drive though. I do remember they were hired from George Heath Motors at Hay Mills, and the manager I dealt with was a stroppy, mouthy individual, and must have been really sick of the sight of me by the time I had finished winding him up.

Some of the weird foriegn cars from that era were fun though, for a short - very short - time I had a Wartburg estate, 1 litre 3 cylinder 2 stroke, with a free wheel like a pushbike has, so it rolled when you took your foot off. Went like a rocket and never let me down. Anybody remember the Moskevitch, with corrugated iron sides ?
 
The worst car I ever had in the 60's was a Triumph Herald. I threw the keys at this horrible thing many times.
 
By far the worst car we ever had was a Austin 1100, the fuel pump was under the boot exposed to all the elements, whenever it rained the damn thing used to cut out. Bernard
 
I had a Morris 1100, in light blue I loved that car, it was 5 yrs old when I got it and I kept it for 5 yrs never failed an mot and I sold it for nearly what I paid for it to a nurse at addenbrookes hosp and I used to see regulary about the town for years after.
 
paul stacey said:
I must say I had a couple of simca's 1600 'S' and found them really great car's they had an hatchback before any one else I think, they sold out to chrysler in I think 75, but may be wrong.
paul
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Renault 16 was first ( to open the boot and window in the same panel)
 
I also drove a reno 16 the most comfortable car I ever owned, had front seats like armchairs and with coloum change, a pull on hand break, mass's of room I concure it did have a hatch back where as simca had a tailgate.
paul
 
Speedy23 said:
Hi Mike - I know this is a long time on from the original thread but I've just been looking for any mention of the "Bagnall" and came across your post. It bought back a good few memories forme - we used to live 5 houses down Warstock Road from Cadey's Garage on the same side - I had totally forgotten about the Garage with the little stone hut that smelt of petrol (Cleveland Discol) and oil. Didn't the Cadeys live in the lovely old (Georgian?) house that used to be next to the workshops and the little drive that used to run between Warstock Lane and Warstock Road? So you must remember Flint's stores, Fine Fare, the big Habedasher's (can't remember what it was called, the Barber on the corner and "Bottom Flint's" and finally The Record Shop. H.Jones cycle shop, Patricks, Good Cheer Cellars and the Laundromat just over the road etc.

Also, I understand you worked at YWG - did you know Mary Lowe - she was a conductress at YWG and was my best mate's mom - a lovely lady.

Cheers.
Click to expand...
The haberdashers next to Flints was Walshes,
 
The Zepyr and Zodiac names were used on a number of Fords for about 10 years and ranged from the pseudo American styled ones to the square slabbed ones that were finally replaced by the Granada range, each re style resulted in quite a different looking car.

The Renault Dauphine was subject to a huge TV advertising campaign "See how she hugs the road, thats the aerostable suspension" there was no good reason for buying one unless they were cheap but some people semmed to think buying French cars was considerd chique at the time and thats probably why the Simca was also quite popular.

I think the Peel was a low volume glass fibre affair and never a high volume product and some of those listed I had not heard off, Im suprised the Vauxhall and Humber are on the list.

I am of the firm opinion that modern cars are far superior to any of these cars from the past, they are safer last longer far more reliable capable of amazingly high mileages if properly serviced and even servcing isnt what it used to be, no tappet setting oil changes every 6 months, greasing points etc etc , added to this is the longevity of the structure itself. I can well remember having to have plates welded at the top of the Mc Pherson struts** on Fords for their first MOT tests as corrosion was already present. And look how long exhausts last these days and batteries.

Its true "they dont make em like they used to" they make them a darned sight better

** A Mc Pherson strut is a combined suspension leg and shock absorber and NOT a type of Scotish dance.
 
I had a Zephyr 6 Automatic in 1967, used it for my short lived Taxi driving career, thought the bench style front seat was a good idea.
 
I had a posh version of the Hillman Imp the Singer Chamois grey in colour, rear engine always overheating, on a journey through Cheddar Gorge she got so hot I stopped opened the rear boot and the radiator exploded hitting me in the chest causing severe burns to chest and arms, still got the scars to this day. So that was my
worst car of the 60s. Purhased a NSU Prince for my next car air cooled and name sounds like a sexual disease but it always started just rusted away. The car that is.
 
A girl-friend of mine had an NSU Prinz and the gear-linkage kept breaking. We once drove it back from Brighton stuck in 3rd gear, God knows how we managed it. (NSU = NonSpecificUrethritis, made famous by the the Cream number called 'NSU', nothing to do with the car...)

I agree with Bill Parker about cars from decades ago. It seemed like every Saturday, no matter what car I was driving, I'd be under it or leaning into it trying to fix something that had gone wrong during the week. My dad always had company cars from the early 1950's, and they were replaced after only 30 - 40000 miles, which shows just how reliable they were! I had a company Ford Sierra which did nearly 200000 miles before it finally packed up (my father-in-law bought it and drove it for years), and I regularly put 100000+ on company cars. Maybe it's rose-tinted spectacles, but the first 'small' car I remember that was anywhere near as reliable as modern cars was the Ford Cortina (apart from the McPherson struts, but you could buy a reinforcement plate for those).

Big Gee
 
Happy to say I did not have any cream with my car, my father was always working on his cars doing a decoke ? i think
 
woofy said:
I had a posh version of the Hillman Imp the Singer Chamois grey in colour, rear engine always overheating, on a journey through Cheddar Gorge she got so hot I stopped opened the rear boot and the radiator exploded hitting me in the chest causing severe burns to chest and arms, still got the scars to this day. So that was my
worst car of the 60s. Purhased a NSU Prince for my next car air cooled and name sounds like a sexual disease but it always started just rusted away. The car that is.
Click to expand...

The Hillman imp and its verivatives did have a nice OHC engine which was developed by Coventry Climax and was used to power portable fire pumps as it was quite light due to its all aluminium construction. NSU did produce one really unusual car in the shape of thier RO- 80 this was the first production car to feature a Wankel rotaty engine. Unfortunately the rotor oil seal failure cuased heavy oil consumption and compression loss but it was a brave move all the same. Ibelieve NSU were absorbed by Audi. Unless they were already part of it.
 
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