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  1. Johnfromstaffs

    Book : Chamberlain And Cadbury

    Not by a cadre of those whose only intent seems to be bordering upon revenge. I do not make excuses, I merely ask for the application of reason. Because it was not applied in the historical time does not mean it should not apply now.
  2. Johnfromstaffs

    Book : Chamberlain And Cadbury

    The difficulties that I am finding when looking back at the histories of many important people of the past is precisely that it was the past. “They did things differently there.” Casting aspersions upon the actions of past leaders of men won’t bring them back for a good thrashing, and choosing...
  3. Johnfromstaffs

    Seventy-five Years Ago Today....(and eventually Eighty!)

    Thank you for this interesting piece about a fairly chunky section of your life, especially when you’re 9! If my maths is right, there are about twelve years between us, and I have to say that I would offer to you my further thanks for having lived those twelve years instead of me. At nine in...
  4. Johnfromstaffs

    Seventy-five Years Ago Today....(and eventually Eighty!)

    Understood, but I am allergic to the dander that certain types of dog shake loose, and have found over the years that miniature schnauzers cause me no trouble. Apparently poodles shouldn’t either, but they aren’t really for me.
  5. Johnfromstaffs

    Seventy-five Years Ago Today....(and eventually Eighty!)

    Just thinking about dog inflation. Your Rex, at five bob, seems a bit of a bargain compared with the current going rate for slightly more pedigree animals, some of which are now into four figures of £. If the same rate of inflation had been applied to petrol you’d now be looking at ten grand to...
  6. Johnfromstaffs

    Seventy-five Years Ago Today....(and eventually Eighty!)

    I’ve been thinking about that trip, there was a WW2 connection in that HMS Warspite had beached herself in a storm when being towed to the breaker’s, and wound up somewhere near St. Michael’s Mount. A sad end to a remarkable career, 1915 to 1950.
  7. Johnfromstaffs

    Seventy-five Years Ago Today....(and eventually Eighty!)

    Thanks for this. Brings back memories of a trip from Staffs to Marazion about 1953, six up in my Dad’s Citroën Traction Avant. Fortunately my brother and I were only 5 so there was just about room, but it was a hot day coming back and the old Citroën (BEA 192 West Brom Jan 1940) boiled most of...
  8. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    That Prefect did well!
  9. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    'Strewth!
  10. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    50 mile return trip to the office at least, much further if visiting for meetings, my main account was about 260 miles return, would do that in the day leaving home about 5.30am, getting back about 7.00pm. My last company car was offered to me to buy at just over 4 years old, 103,000 on the clock.
  11. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    My average miles up to ‘08 when I retired were about 25,000 and in the mid 70s about 30,000, but it was then a new car every two years. My 2 1/2 year old Mercédès has just turned over 8,000!
  12. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    Between my father, father in law and me, we had two Wolseley 18/85S, an Austin 1800 Mk1, a Morris 1800 Mk 3, and two Austin Maxis. No trouble ever experienced with gearboxes, and with the exception of my f-i-l’s Wolseley, they all towed caravans. My pa’s cars were always looked after with very...
  13. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    Eric, while your point concerning the negative effects of the horsepower tax is relevant to the failure of the British car industry to promote exports to the USA, my view is that it is only part of the story. That system was replaced on 1/1/1948 by a flat annual tax rate of £12/10shillings...
  14. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    Earlier on, in the Austin Atlantic discussion, Bob said what about the Metropolitan? I suppose it would appeal to the hairdresser’s brigade, but not to me. It seems that the design was presented to various of the British manufacturers and Austin got the job of building it. The later iteration...
  15. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    DFE - Lincoln Borough Council 1948/9. 785 number suggests 1949, and the car is a Ford, probably an Anglia so a 933cc sidevalve engine and not very quick. £90 seems a bit on the dear side, my 1953 Popular cost £55, and was in better nick than that old dog. The two-tone was non standard making me...
  16. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    The first Fulvia. I felt like a millionaire after the 1960 Beetle, but this car nearly finished me off, well, the car and one of Lord Lichfield’s oak trees.
  17. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    Both my Lancias were 1960s Fulvias, they weren’t any worse for rust than any other car of the period, it was the Beta which fell apart so badly, about 72 or so, after the Fiat takeover. They (Fulvias) were very individual cars, with twin cam V4 engine and two twin choke carbs and the 1100 cc...
  18. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    Sorry Bob, I know that one should never criticise the other bloke’s car, and must admit that the Atlantic was unmissable when you saw one coming the other way. The problem was that it just didn’t appeal to the market at which “LPL” aimed it. The average British bloke really wanted (but couldn’t...
  19. Johnfromstaffs

    Is This Your Motor?

    I can’t really see the one in the back corner of the showroom, but we have a ragtop Austin A90 Atlantic in the front, and a Triumph saloon facing the camera. The Triumph was registered in the County Borough of Sheffield, in January 1951. At that date it will be a Renown Mk1, using the same...
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