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Driving in Days Gone By

Morturn

Morturn

Super Moderator
Staff member
I was having a chat the other day about driving in days gone by. When I took my test, I had to do hand signals. I recall that in the Highway Code there were also illustrations of hand signals for people driving a horse and carriage, showing how you would signal your intentions with the whip.

There were also hand signals you were supposed to give to a police officer.

Our family’s first car was an Austin A35 van. One of the selling points was that it had indicators and not trafficators. It had that big switch in the middle of the dashboard that you had to switch on and off, no automatic cancellation back then.

There were rules about parking at night, too. At one stage, cars had to have parking lights — white at the front and red at the back — for some roads.

I had a Ford Cortina that had a built-in parking light in the indicators. The trouble was, if left on, it would drain your battery.

Cars would often boil over, so a gallon of water was always in my car to top it up — as were some tools.

An oil change was needed every 1,500 miles, along with new plugs and points.

My first car was a Mk I Ford Escort. I found out after a week that it was completely clapped out, needing a rebore.

Fortunately, there was the trusty Haynes Manual, one for each make of car. It gave step-by-step instructions on how to overhaul the engine.

I took mine out on the road, much to the annoyance of the neighbours, and stripped it down. I then sent all the parts off to an engineering workshop; I think it was Ashfield Engineering in Erdington, who did a sterling job of reboring and crank regrinding, etc.

The little Escort served me well for many years, but it was hard to keep on top of the corrosion.

What are your memories of the joys of motoring?
 
I certainly remember having to do hand signals on my test. Also remember my Dad driving a works car with an indicator switch in the top middle of the dashboard. If the road was quiet and I was in the front I was allowed to turn the indicator on and off when Dad said.
I also remember him having a parking light to use when our Morris Minor had to be parked on the road.
 
Morturn said:
I was having a chat the other day about driving in days gone by. When I took my test, I had to do hand signals. I recall that in the Highway Code there were also illustrations of hand signals for people driving a horse and carriage, showing how you would signal your intentions with the whip.

There were also hand signals you were supposed to give to a police officer.

Our family’s first car was an Austin A35 van. One of the selling points was that it had indicators and not trafficators. It had that big switch in the middle of the dashboard that you had to switch on and off, no automatic cancellation back then.

There were rules about parking at night, too. At one stage, cars had to have parking lights — white at the front and red at the back — for some roads.

I had a Ford Cortina that had a built-in parking light in the indicators. The trouble was, if left on, it would drain your battery.

Cars would often boil over, so a gallon of water was always in my car to top it up — as were some tools.

An oil change was needed every 1,500 miles, along with new plugs and points.

My first car was a Mk I Ford Escort. I found out after a week that it was completely clapped out, needing a rebore.

Fortunately, there was the trusty Haynes Manual, one for each make of car. It gave step-by-step instructions on how to overhaul the engine.

I took mine out on the road, much to the annoyance of the neighbours, and stripped it down. I then sent all the parts off to an engineering workshop; I think it was Ashfield Engineering in Erdington, who did a sterling job of reboring and crank regrinding, etc.

The little Escort served me well for many years, but it was hard to keep on top of the corrosion.

What are your memories of the joys of motoring?
Click to expand...
Running in, please pass. Learned to drive in the army, eventually a staff car driver. Drove some nice people & some snobby ones { young officers } Managed 120 mph on the Autobahn, great stuff for a young driver !
 
Smudger said:
Running in, please pass. Learned to drive in the army, eventually a staff car driver. Drove some nice people & some snobby ones { young officers } Managed 120 mph on the Autobahn, great stuff for a young driver !
Click to expand...
Oh yes, hand signals and running in. Our first car was an Austin A40, followed by a Singer Chamois. Cars used to have better names, like the Humber Super Snipe.
 
people still give hand sig to the police.:)
we never had a garden all work was done in the road ie engine out
head skimming and engine re bore done by walsh medlicot rd small heath.
my first van had a semafore arm that was supposed to lift up but half the time it did not work.
parking light was a paraffin rd lamp chained to the wheel
the first escort i had was a 100e side valve i bought, and put a ohv anglia west mid gas board van engine in it.
engine oil was 20/50 for most cars £4 a gallon
radiators were repaired at mid rad lister st.
tyres and wheels £5 each from scrap yards.
happy motoring.

you can buy a switch for £161 off ebay
1760454718615.webp
 
using straight grade oil. 1760460008674.jpeg1760459910171.webp
in the late 1950s, the first multi-grade engine oils were introduced. Most of these were SAE 10W-30 multi-grades, they met the low temperature engine cranking viscosity requirements of an SAE 10W grade plus the high temperature oil circulation viscosity requirements of an SAE 30 grade. Two oils for the price of one!
 
My first job in the motor trade was at Warwick Road Filling Station in Tysley where we had to double up as petrol pump attendants. Many drivers would only have a couple of quid in 3 star petrol and a shot Redex , We also had to ask if the customer wanted their windsceen washing!
 
I had to do hand signals on my test. Arm straight out to turn right, wave arm up and down for slowing down, and circular motion for turning left.

I remember an accessory parking lamp. Single bulb in a holder, red one side and white the other. Mounted on a metal hook that fitted over the side window, which was then closed onto it. Wired to some plug in point on the dash.

At least one of my cars used the indicator switch on the steering column to switch the front and rear side lights on one side or the other for parking when the ignition was off. Very advanced. Possibly the Cortina Mk3, or the Vauxhall VX.

I always filled my Lambretta using a shot from the 2 stroke dispenser for a gallon of fuel. 2 stroke first so it mixed properly in the tank as the petrol went in.

How about Redex, and the dispenser that could be fitted to the dash to inject a dollop when the plunger was pushed.

I still have a super timing light to set the ignition timing. Connects to the battery, and has an extension piece to give access to the spark plug lead. Very bright flash. Rotate the distributor gently to line up the timing marks buried at the bottom of the engine. With the engine running, right by the fan belt, trying to avoid the cooling fan giving an unscheduled haircut.

Carb balancer for twin carbs. A sort of suction meter on the air intakes. My Dolomite needed doing once a week. (Or perhaps I just thought it did).

I do remember a circular fairly flat paraffin heater to fit under the engine to the car had a chance of starting on a cold day.

GTX was the dog's knees, (or something).

Good times.

Andrew.
 
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