On Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 12:53:57 PM UTC, Salad Dodger wrote:
> On Tue, 2 Nov 2021 07:20:59 +0000, Pete Fisher
> <pe...@ps-fisher.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> >Amazing what can be done to resurrect a machine of sufficient historic
> >significance these days though.
> There was a tiny loco in Wales that was rebuilt from a name plate, and
> a brake lever.

A significant number of flying Spitfires feature only one original component:
the data plate.

--
WUN

On Monday, November 1, 2021 at 5:25:06 PM UTC, Champ wrote:
> On Mon, 1 Nov 2021 05:24:24 -0700 (PDT), Ben Blaney
> <benb...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> The car is a 1924 Alvis 12/40 built in the latter part of 1923
>
> >Interesting. A friend has a 1932 Alvis Firefly
> >but there's something terminal wrong with the engine block, and there
> >simply aren't any replacements available
> I would have assumed that for things of that sort of age, you just
> have to find someone who csn make a replacement from new?
> --

https://www.chevrolet.com/performance-parts/crate-engines

YKIMS.....

Salad Dodger wrote:

> On Mon, 1 Nov 2021 07:48:14 -0700 (PDT), Ben Blaney
> <benblaney@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> > Handsome. I'd quite like a pre-war car, but I find them quite
> > intimidating - partly based on the care and feeding, but also
> > because some of the controls are...unusual.
>
> A friend of my FiL had an Alvis - ISTR the pedals are all in the wrong
> place.

Clutch on the left, brakes on the right and acceleratorin the middle.
Gated gears on the right with the handbrake close enough to skin your
knuckles everytime you change gear.

You also have to double de-clutch up and down through the gears and the
cable brakes are 'interesting'.
--
"There's nothing more dangreous than a resourceful idiot"

On Tue, 2 Nov 2021 06:31:34 -0700 (PDT), WUN <nigel.eaton@gmail.com>
wrote:

>On Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 12:53:57 PM UTC, Salad Dodger wrote:
>> On Tue, 2 Nov 2021 07:20:59 +0000, Pete Fisher
>> <pe...@ps-fisher.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> >Amazing what can be done to resurrect a machine of sufficient historic
>> >significance these days though.
>> There was a tiny loco in Wales that was rebuilt from a name plate, and
>> a brake lever.
>
>A significant number of flying Spitfires feature only one original component:
>the data plate.

Most Nimrods weren't much better. :-)
--
Salad Dodger
1690 FLHTK;GL1800D
Previously ...
CB1300SA8;GL1800A6;GL1500SEV;CBR1100XXX;
CBR1000FL;CBX1000Z;GPz750R;Z750E1;Z650C2;
KH500A8;KH250B3;TS250c;TS185c.

On Monday, November 1, 2021 at 12:25:06 PM UTC-5, Champ wrote:
> On Mon, 1 Nov 2021 05:24:24 -0700 (PDT), Ben Blaney
> <benb...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> The car is a 1924 Alvis 12/40 built in the latter part of 1923
>
> >Interesting. A friend has a 1932 Alvis Firefly
> >but there's something terminal wrong with the engine block, and there
> >simply aren't any replacements available
> I would have assumed that for things of that sort of age, you just
> have to find someone who csn make a replacement from new?

I misremember the details, but I think that as any replacement would result in a non-matching number car, it's just wise to take the easy route. There are a load of similar engines that should go in without too much trouble, apparently.

Salad Dodger <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 1 Nov 2021 07:48:14 -0700 (PDT), Ben Blaney
> <benblaney@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Handsome. I'd quite like a pre-war car, but I find them quite
>>intimidating - partly based on the care and feeding, but also
>>because some of the controls are...unusual.
>
> A friend of my FiL had an Alvis - ISTR the pedals are all in the wrong
> place.

Apropos of nothing, keying off the Alv[*] name, I recently rented a
(Changan) Alsvin...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3H6ziHByBWWbY27A6

Total shite. Its only redeeming quality was that it went easy on
fuel. But in a place where petrol sells for 43p/liter, that's not
much of a benefit.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

On Tue, 2 Nov 2021 20:54:08 -0000 (UTC), Mark Olson
<olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:

>Salad Dodger <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote:
>> On Mon, 1 Nov 2021 07:48:14 -0700 (PDT), Ben Blaney
>> <benblaney@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Handsome. I'd quite like a pre-war car, but I find them quite
>>>intimidating - partly based on the care and feeding, but also
>>>because some of the controls are...unusual.
>>
>> A friend of my FiL had an Alvis - ISTR the pedals are all in the wrong
>> place.
>
>Apropos of nothing, keying off the Alv[*] name, I recently rented a
>(Changan) Alsvin...
>
>https://photos.app.goo.gl/3H6ziHByBWWbY27A6

Hmm.
>
>Total shite. Its only redeeming quality was that it went easy on
>fuel. But in a place where petrol sells for 43p/liter, that's not
>much of a benefit.

I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.jpg

I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
found out it *is* a Honda product.

Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
--
Salad Dodger
1690 FLHTK;GL1800D
Previously ...
CB1300SA8;GL1800A6;GL1500SEV;CBR1100XXX;
CBR1000FL;CBX1000Z;GPz750R;Z750E1;Z650C2;
KH500A8;KH250B3;TS250c;TS185c.

Salad Dodger <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote in
> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.
> jpg
>
> I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
> found out it *is* a Honda product.
>

a kei car
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car

> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/honda/n-box-2011-2017

33% of car sales in Japan are kei cars with Honda having the biggest share

Rexx used to have the Suzuki version, a Wagon R. Practical little thing. I
quite like their utilitarian nature.

On 02/11/2021 22:49, wessie wrote:
> Salad Dodger <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote in
>
>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>>
>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.
>> jpg
>>
>> I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
>> found out it *is* a Honda product.
>>
>
> a kei car
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car
>
>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
>
> https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/honda/n-box-2011-2017
>
> 33% of car sales in Japan are kei cars with Honda having the biggest share
>
> Rexx used to have the Suzuki version, a Wagon R. Practical little thing. I
> quite like their utilitarian nature.

I think I'd prefer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterham_7 which is
also a kei car.

Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote in
news:iudttsF6f24U1@mid.individual.net:

> On 02/11/2021 22:49, wessie wrote:
>> Salad Dodger <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote in
>>
>>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>>>
>>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_0
>>> 1. jpg
>>>
>>> I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully,
>>> then found out it *is* a Honda product.
>>>
>>
>> a kei car
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car
>>
>>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
>>
>> https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/honda/n-box-2011-2017
>>
>> 33% of car sales in Japan are kei cars with Honda having the biggest
>> share
>>
>> Rexx used to have the Suzuki version, a Wagon R. Practical little
>> thing. I quite like their utilitarian nature.
>
> I think I'd prefer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterham_7 which is
> also a kei car.
>

about as far away from utilitarian as you can get...

On 11/2/2021 3:49 PM, wessie wrote:
> Salad Dodger <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote in
>
>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>>
>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.
>> jpg
>>
>> I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
>> found out it *is* a Honda product.
>>
>
> a kei car
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car
>
>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
>
> https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/honda/n-box-2011-2017
>
> 33% of car sales in Japan are kei cars with Honda having the biggest share
>
Can a man-size man even fit into one?

--
The erstwhile Thomas
FJR1300, R1200GS, ST1100 (in memoriam)

On Tue, 02 Nov 2021 22:28:00 +0000, Salad Dodger
<salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote:

>I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>
>https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.jpg
>
>I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
>found out it *is* a Honda product.
>
>Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.

No worse than the Nissan Cube, surely?

https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/900x600/1408120276743.jpg
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On 02/11/2021 13:31, WUN wrote:
> On Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 12:53:57 PM UTC, Salad Dodger wrote:
>> On Tue, 2 Nov 2021 07:20:59 +0000, Pete Fisher
>> <pe...@ps-fisher.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>> Amazing what can be done to resurrect a machine of sufficient historic
>>> significance these days though.
>> There was a tiny loco in Wales that was rebuilt from a name plate, and
>> a brake lever.
>
> A significant number of flying Spitfires feature only one original component:
> the data plate.
>
I have the spare compass from my late father's WWII Swordfish if anyone
wants a challenge?

--
The Deuchars BBB#40 COFF#14
Yamaha XV750SE & Suzuki GS550t
http://www.Deuchars.org.uk

On Tue, 2 Nov 2021 06:31:34 -0700 (PDT), WUN <nigel.eaton@gmail.com>
wrote:

>On Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 12:53:57 PM UTC, Salad Dodger wrote:
>> On Tue, 2 Nov 2021 07:20:59 +0000, Pete Fisher
>> <pe...@ps-fisher.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> >Amazing what can be done to resurrect a machine of sufficient historic
>> >significance these days though.
>> There was a tiny loco in Wales that was rebuilt from a name plate, and
>> a brake lever.
>
>A significant number of flying Spitfires feature only one original component:
>the data plate.

One of Britain's fighter aces, Ginger Lacey, once successfully spun
and crashed an "unspinable" aircraft. He did not endear himself to
anyone when he remarkeds omething along the lines of "... that
elevator is quite undamaged. Just needs new wings and fuselage
wheeling under it and the aircraft will be fine"

--

-Pip

On 03/11/2021 09:52, Champ wrote:
> On Tue, 02 Nov 2021 22:28:00 +0000, Salad Dodger
> <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote:
>
>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>>
>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.jpg
>>
>> I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
>> found out it *is* a Honda product.
>>
>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
>
> No worse than the Nissan Cube, surely?
>
> https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/900x600/1408120276743.jpg

I think the Uglipla takes some beating (why are vehicles that have names
starting "Multi" so fucking hideous?).

https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/JWRBX/s3/fiat-multipla.jpg

Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
> On 03/11/2021 09:52, Champ wrote:
>> On Tue, 02 Nov 2021 22:28:00 +0000, Salad Dodger
>> <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>>>
>>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.jpg
>>>
>>> I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
>>> found out it *is* a Honda product.
>>>
>>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
>>
>> No worse than the Nissan Cube, surely?
>>
>> https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/900x600/1408120276743.jpg
>
> I think the Uglipla takes some beating (why are vehicles that have names
> starting "Multi" so fucking hideous?).
>
> https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/JWRBX/s3/fiat-multipla.jpg

AKA the Platybus.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

On 03/11/2021 20:50, Mike Fleming wrote:
> On 03/11/2021 09:52, Champ wrote:
>> On Tue, 02 Nov 2021 22:28:00 +0000, Salad Dodger
>> <salad.dodger@idnet.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>>>
>>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.jpg
>>>
>>>
>>> I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
>>> found out it *is* a Honda product.
>>>
>>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
>>
>> No worse than the Nissan Cube, surely?
>>
>> https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/900x600/1408120276743.jpg
>
> I think the Uglipla takes some beating (why are vehicles that have names
> starting "Multi" so fucking hideous?).
>
> https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/JWRBX/s3/fiat-multipla.jpg

The original Multipla had a certain charm.
<https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjwWLJj3pb2QkCnKxd5aPYcr-ose?e=hKOYvB>

--
Bruce Horrocks
FJR1300AS

On Wed, 3 Nov 2021 21:59:58 -0000 (UTC), Mark Olson
<olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:

>>>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>>>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.jpg
>>>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
>>> No worse than the Nissan Cube, surely?
>>> https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/900x600/1408120276743.jpg
>> I think the Uglipla takes some beating
>> https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/JWRBX/s3/fiat-multipla.jpg

>AKA the Platybus.

Indeed. He used to wear its ugliness as a badge of pride
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 12:15:41 AM UTC, Bruce Horrocks wrote:
> On 03/11/2021 20:50, Mike Fleming wrote:
> > On 03/11/2021 09:52, Champ wrote:
> >> On Tue, 02 Nov 2021 22:28:00 +0000, Salad Dodger
> >> <salad....@idnet.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
> >>>
> >>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.jpg
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> I thought it a bit cheeky to mimic the Honda badge so faithfully, then
> >>> found out it *is* a Honda product.
> >>>
> >>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
> >>
> >> No worse than the Nissan Cube, surely?
> >>
> >> https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/900x600/1408120276743.jpg
> >
> > I think the Uglipla takes some beating (why are vehicles that have names
> > starting "Multi" so fucking hideous?).
> >
> > https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/JWRBX/s3/fiat-multipla.jpg
> The original Multipla had a certain charm.
> <https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjwWLJj3pb2QkCnKxd5aPYcr-ose?e=hKOYvB>
>

That looks like someone welded the arse end of two london cabs together.

Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:
> On Wed, 3 Nov 2021 21:59:58 -0000 (UTC), Mark Olson
> <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote:
>
>>>>> I saw an N-box on the M25 on Monday.
>>>>> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/HONDA_N_BOX_JF1_01.jpg
>>>>> Quite possibly *the* most hideous car I've ever seen.
>
>>>> No worse than the Nissan Cube, surely?
>>>> https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/900x600/1408120276743.jpg
>
>>> I think the Uglipla takes some beating
>>> https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/JWRBX/s3/fiat-multipla.jpg
>
>>AKA the Platybus.
>
> Indeed. He used to wear its ugliness as a badge of pride

The first time I saw one was on a work trip to Ireland. I exclaimed to
my colleague that I had just spied a Platybus. That prompted questions
and a long explanantion of what UKRM is.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

Dave Brown <browniebrownz@googlemail.com> wrote:
> On Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 12:15:41 AM UTC, Bruce Horrocks wrote:

>> The original Multipla had a certain charm.
>> <https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjwWLJj3pb2QkCnKxd5aPYcr-ose?e=hKOYvB>
>
> That looks like someone welded the arse end of two london cabs together.

I think that singular honor belongs to the (deservedly) much maligned
Renault Dauphine. Worst car my dad ever owned, back in the early 60s.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

On Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 4:35:11 AM UTC-5, browni...@googlemail.com wrote:
> On Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 12:15:41 AM UTC, Bruce Horrocks wrote:

> > The original Multipla had a certain charm.
> > <https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjwWLJj3pb2QkCnKxd5aPYcr-ose?e=hKOYvB>
> >
> That looks like someone welded the arse end of two london cabs together.

I don't disagree. What I find remarkable, is that the original multipla grew out of the original cinquecento - which of course is an absolutely adorable little thing. [1]

[0] My one, in white over red, is particularly good looking: https://imgur.com/a/2iVlb3c

Ben Blaney <benblaney@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 4:35:11 AM UTC-5, browni...@googlemail.com wrote:
>> On Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 12:15:41 AM UTC, Bruce Horrocks wrote:
>
>> > The original Multipla had a certain charm.
>> > <https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjwWLJj3pb2QkCnKxd5aPYcr-ose?e=hKOYvB>
>> >
>> That looks like someone welded the arse end of two london cabs together.
>
> I don't disagree. What I find remarkable, is that the original multipla grew out of the original cinquecento - which of course is an absolutely adorable little thing. [1]
>
> [0] My one, in white over red, is particularly good looking: https://imgur.com/a/2iVlb3c

<Like Button>

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

Mark Olson wrote:

> I think that singular honor belongs to the (deservedly) much maligned
> Renault Dauphine.

I thought they were quite pretty things.

Shame the UK weather did for them quite quickly - which, to be fair,
was the same fate most cars succumbed to but Renaults and Fiats (and
Lancias!) seem to suffer from more.

--
Simon

Turby wrote:

> > If you want unusual, the Indian behind it has a left hand throttle,
> > foot clutch and hand gear change. Apparently it's ok once you get
> > used to it!
> >
> Jeezus! Talk about mind fuck. Imagine switching back and forth a
> couple of times a day. In traffic situations.

Not quite the same league but I had a BSA (right hand side gear
change), my Guzzi and a brace of MZs (left hand side gear change) and
very quickly I learnt to be able to swap from one to another and quite
happily operate them.

To begin with it was a bit messy...

--
Simon