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New MGB "body in white shells" after delivery from Swindon were stood "outside in the rain " at the Pressed Steel Cowley Factory (circa year 1971) until they could be put into the Paintshop & Trimmed before shipping out to Abingdon.

And people wonder why there is no indigenous British car manufacturer left!!!!!!!!

The one & a half lines about encapsulate why we went from the second largest car manufacturer in the world to being non existent.

This is always a depressing, but enlightening watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZCeuTzc850

mk1 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:09 am Commer TS3 Multifueler.

Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KmZvhxg4R4

Cutaway
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2014/1 ... elve-dyno/

That is absolutely MENTAL!

An amazing bit of engineering, designed in the days before computers came up with the best solution to most problems?
You could hear their distinctive sound before seeing the Commer lorry. Apparently if they "runaway" they sound like a Formula 1 just before they go....BANG!

Firing up the Commer Knocker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrAoj5Cuu68

a very good watch indeed
Interesting how Russia disappeared completely after the end of the Soviet Union and GB finally went out of the top 10 when Longbridge closed 2005.
Germanys post war car industry, & Japans for that matter, were rebuilt largely thanks to us.

mk1 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:25 am New MGB "body in white shells" after delivery from Swindon were stood "outside in the rain " at the Pressed Steel Cowley Factory (circa year 1971) until they could be put into the Paintshop & Trimmed before shipping out to Abingdon.

And people wonder why there is no indigenous British car manufacturer left!!!!!!!!

The one & a half lines about encapsulate why we went from the second largest car manufacturer in the world to being non existent.

This is always a depressing, but enlightening watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZCeuTzc850

Peter Laidler wrote: ↑Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:37 am Just as absolutely MENTAL was the BMC/BL policy of transporting complete bodyshells plus steel components, still in white metal, on unsheeted lorries, 30 miles from Swindon to Cowley and beyond on winter salted and gritted roads. I saw an MGC on Bangers and Cash last night. No wonder the body was so poor!!!!

They also went by rail in white - Not sure what vehicles are (May be A40's) but they are on a westbound train at Badminton C.1958/9.

Yes I remember in the seventies I live about 2 miles from pressed steel in Swindon,the bodies would stand outside unsheeted for weeks when they were on strike, they would be red with rust before they even left Swindon. I also remember the commer ts3,when I worked for the rootes dealership in Swindon we had a big commercial workshop, we always had a couple of ts3s in they would spend about 3 days doing a decode they would be in the cab with a big hammer and chisel and a couple of crowbars and a vacuum cleaner, I've also seen a couple rev uncontrollably, the only way they could stop them was to get all the seats out and put a piece of board over the air intake and stand on it, it quite frightening really, and they were on tarmac where the exhaust was across the front of the cab,by the time you had removed the seats they would melt about 2 foot into the tarmac, I seem to remember they always had ts3 engine cut into sections for training the apprentices in the British rail workshops training school,but it really was a nice engine

Not Mini related but jolly nice period pics all the same - the Frank Costin designed Maserati 450S at the Maser factory....

Mini overtaking at the level crossing, High Street in Cherry Hinton, Cambs.

WMU 211G wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:41 am Frank Costin designed Maserati 450S at the Maser factory....

Frank Costin designed but not built as designed!
If it had been, would it have been uncatchable on the Mulsanne?

The Tornados October 1962

The Tornados ~ Telstar (1962)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryrEPzsx1gQ

Stop me and buy one ,

The Policeman left his Mini alone

Okey, here they are

UHR850 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2021 2:56 pm The Policeman left his Mini alone

Another photo of that Police Mini van here:-
http://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?p=251222#p251222

Cop cars and one helping Paul escape

MiniVan RPP xxxW is Buckinghamshire - or Thames Valley as it was when W was the year identifier

Is that Police mini van on Denovo wheels ? they look bigger than 10 inch !

Rubber Sprung wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:57 pm Is that Police mini van on Denovo wheels ? they look bigger than 10 inch !

Police Mini Van and Britten Norman Islander at Longhope airstrip. September 1975.
(Note: 12" Run Flat Dunlop Denovo wheels as fitted to the 1275GT)
Orkney Image Library:-
https://photos.orkneycommunities.co.uk/ ... r28407.asp

MG ,Lancashire Police

Flame in the Streets (1961 Film)
Stars: John Mills, Sylvia Syms. (Talking Pictures TV channel)
https://www.reelstreets.com/films/flame-in-the-streets/