old car snaps

[Richard Dye]

"Daddy, why does your old car say 2.4 on the back?"
"Well son, it's.. err.. it means 2.4 volts."
"Daddy, why does it have two pipes poking out the back?"
"Ah, yes, that's where the air comes out that came in through the radiator in the front!"
"Daddy.."
"Don't you have homework to do?"

Love it!

 

[mw0njm.]

I fancy a new car

 

[Richard Dye]

I fancy a new car

Imagine having one of those day!

 

[Johnfromstaffs]

I suggest that you keep clear of the Clyno, the factory closed in August 1929, so spares may be a little scarce. The Ariel, Bean and Swift may pose similar problems. Given the choice I think the Vauxhall Princeton is the one to go for. If it’s too dear, an Austin Heavy Twelve is almost indestructible, but far from sporting.

 

[Lloyd]

My dad's first car was a Clyno, 2 seater saloon with a 'dicky' seat at the rear. He bought it second hand, at about two years old, and part of the deal was for the garage mechanic to take him out for half an hour and teach him to drive!

 

[bravo121]

Another couple of years on, to 1937/38 and Dad's no. 3, a Ford V8 of probably 1936 vintage, COH619.

This came, in 1937, and very shortly after, nearly went! It's here in Cutler's Garage in Streetly, awaiting attention - the result of a coming-together at the Chester Road/Queslett Road crossroads with a Vauxhall being driven by someone under the influence. My brother and sister were in the car with him at the time but escaped without injury, despite the lack of seatbelts, airbags, soft surfaces and all the other modern paraphenalia. The windscreen suggests that my brother would have had a bit of a headache, though....
View attachment 157788

This was the Vauxhall, almost certainly a write-off:
View attachment 157789

Our V8 was hammered back into pristine condition as shown in the background of this image from summer 1938 - the car is on its holidays (as is the reluctant horseman) and is parked in the same place as the Morris Major three years previously.

View attachment 157790

(Pity it only warranted a full picture when it had been in the wars).

Chris

Hi Chris, I am looking for photo's to do with family history- Cutlers/Cuttlers Garage being one of them. (we believe) they owned a horse & the wine shop next door. Bit of a long shot, but you wouldn't have any other photo's that may show any of these would u. I am new on here, so assuming it's ok to ask this question... Many thanks in advance ;-)

 

[MWS]

There are many mentions of the Cutlers and the garage in this thread...

Children of William Foden

Please can anyone help me finding the children of this couple: William Foden b Aston1830 d 1885 who married Eliza Horton in 1850; have found only one child Ellen Horton Foden b 1851. (In 1881 they were in the Royal Oak, Perry Common, Handsworth). I am trying to trace other children & specially...

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[rocketron]

My first car was a Standard Flying 8 registered in 1938 I bough it in 58 great little car considering it was 20 years old

 

[Eric Gibson]

I remember working on those Ron they had an aluminium cylinder head which corroded badly to the studs, the very devil to get off.

 

[rocketron]

I remember working on those Ron they had an aluminium cylinder head which corroded badly to the studs, the very devil to get off.

I was working at Rootes in Charlotte street at the time had the same problem with the old Humber Snipe would hang the car up via the spark plug holes for days working oil down around the studs before the head would loosen

 

[Lloyd]

I was working at Rootes in Charlotte street at the time had the same problem with the old Humber Snipe would hang the car up via the spark plug holes for days working oil down around the studs before the head would loosen

Another trick was to put the plugs back in, carb etc. on and start it up, leaving the head nuts off. Some still wouldn't shift!

 

[Eric Gibson]

There was later a special tool, a hollow tube with teeth on the end designed to pass down the length of the stud to grind out the crud but we too did the other tricks you mention.

 

[Richard Dye]

My first car was a Standard Flying 8 registered in 1938 I bough it in 58 great little car considering it was 20 years old

What was the difference between the Flying Standard 8 and the Standard 8?

 

[ChrisM]

Hi Chris, I am looking for photo's to do with family history- Cutlers/Cuttlers Garage being one of them. (we believe) they owned a horse & the wine shop next door. Bit of a long shot, but you wouldn't have any other photo's that may show any of these would u. I am new on here, so assuming it's ok to ask this question... Many thanks in advance ;-)

Welcome to the Forum, bravo121. It's perfectly OK!

A horse
I'm certain that the family were very much involved with horses (in the plural) in the immediate post-war years. (I'm not sure about the earlier period). There may well be photographs which survive from those days. I think the best thing is for me to contact a family member whom I know and who may be able to help with this. I'll let you know as and when I get a response.

Wine shop
I am not aware of this at all. Next door to the garage – there was a pub (and still is, although the garage is no more), named the Hardwick Arms but I am unaware of any connection apart from the fact that they were neighbours. I am not sure whether there might have been some separate business selling alcohol, probably dating from later and more likely on the other side of the premises, but I rather doubt it.

Have a good delve in the thread which MWS recommended. (I also have some information on the Cutler/Foden families on a separate website page: http://www.staffshomeguard.co.uk/D20ReminiscencesFodenCutler.htm)

I would advise you to continue this discussion in that other thread here, so that we can keep this one on-topic. Perhaps you could post a bit more detail there about your interest in this family which will help things to develop further.

Chris

 

[Johnfromstaffs]

What was the difference between the Flying Standard 8 and the Standard 8?

Flying Eight, 1939/40. Three speed box, louvres in bonnet.
Eight, 1945-48. Four speed box, no bonnet louvres, otherwise very similar.

”Flying” was a marketing thing introduced prewar for those cars built by Standard Motor Co. between 1936 and 1940. It was dropped postwar, as were many of the cars bit by bit until the Vanguard Phase 1 became the only offering in 1948. Triumph had been acquired in 1945, giving them some other designs to play with.

 

[Richard Dye]

Flying Eight, 1939/40. Three speed box, louvres in bonnet.
Eight, 1945-48. Four speed box, no bonnet louvres, otherwise very similar.

”Flying” was a marketing thing introduced prewar for those cars built by Standard Motor Co. between 1936 and 1940. It was dropped postwar, as were many of the cars bit by bit until the Vanguard Phase 1 became the only offering in 1948. Triumph had been acquired in 1945, giving them some other designs to play with.

Thank you for the background info!

 

[Johnfromstaffs]

Thank you for the background info!

No problem. The history of the British car industry overarching the war is interesting. People had more cash than ever before after earnings from industry, (except those who were called up) and a market existed. The trouble was the cars didn’t, and like the Standard Eight, prewar designs were revived. It took the best part of ten years to sort things out, and then incompetent management and greedy unions between themselves killed it. I don’t attach blame to one side or the other, they were both as bad.

 

[Richard Dye]

No problem. The history of the British car industry overarching the war is interesting. People had more cash than ever before after earnings from industry, (except those who were called up) and a market existed. The trouble was the cars didn’t, and like the Standard Eight, prewar designs were revived. It took the best part of ten years to sort things out, and then incompetent management and greedy unions between themselves killed it. I don’t attach blame to one side or the other, they were both as bad.

You are so right. I only had two cars when I lived there and a couple of motorcycles. However working in that industry in the US I have followed with much chagrin the demises of the British car industry as you clearly state. It seems also that government intervention did not help very much. Recently post some surgery I was not very mobile and studied (if that's the right word) all those great innovative brands that have disappeared and some that have been handed off to foreign competitors and are thriving with good management. So very sad!

 

[Covroad]

To celebrate the award of UK City of Culture to Coventry, local boy Mark Evans tells the history of the classic cars made in Coventry, including the Daimler, the Triumph, the Riley and the Jaguar. (Iplayer BBC4)

BBC Four - Classic British Cars: Made in Coventry

Mark Evans tells the story of Coventry’s classic cars, from the Daimler to the Jaguar.

www.bbc.co.uk

Some pictures I took yesterday in a local pub , these are old advertising brochures for Jaguar,Riley, Lea Francis, and Alvin cars (look at the price’s) £385 for a Super Snipe - 10 to 30 mph in 10 seconds

Source: self taken picture @ 17:00hrs 25/3/2023

 

[izzy eckerslike]

Well this photo is not of a car but the making of one which might be of interest to some of you

Boring three cylinder blocks simultaneously at the Morris motor factory at Cowley, Oxfordshire, England 1930's

 

[Richard Dye]

Well this photo is not of a car but the making of one which might be of interest to some of you

Boring three cylinder blocks simultaneously at the Morris motor factory at Cowley, Oxfordshire, England 1930's
View attachment 178879

Archdale built really good presses, I used to operate a radial arm drill press made by them as part of my apprenticeship, a little later than the photo.

 

[adap2it]

Archdale built really good presses, I used to operate a radial arm drill press made by them as part of my apprenticeship, a little later than the photo.

I had an Archdale radial drill in my shop...
Dave A

 

[izzy eckerslike]

Here is another photo, same factory and era, all cylinder block holes drilled at once and fed by a roller conveyor