Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rick]

There must be plenty of old FX4 & later Fairway taxis lying around nowadays, does anyone here own an old taxi, or have memories of driving them in days past?

I seem to remember forum-er Jim Walker owning one - an FX3 I think??

RJ
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[MVPeters]

Eminently usable vehicles!

I think Jim's is a 'hire car' - 4 doors, the extra seat in the front. I haven't heard from him in a while.
'baconsdozen' is another candidate.

A good friend of mine here in the US brought one over when he moved back from the UK. His son learned to drive on it & commuted to high school with it. Probably the most popular car in the school parking lot!

He told me that most taxis, after 10yrs in London & then a few more in the provinces, are pretty much 'used up'. But there are a couple of companies that re-furbish the few good ones they can find.
I think of them as the fore-runner to the mini-van in many respects.
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Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[peter scott]

Peterwpg sent me a nice photo of an FX3 woodie recently.
Am currently away from home and can't figure out how to copy and paste it using my phone. Try Googling for it. Quite a nice convention.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Penman]

Hi

[peter scott]

That wasn't the same car but very similar thanks.
Peter.
Aha! I've actually discovered how to copy and paste on my Android phone.


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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[52classic]

Definately have a soft spot for the FX3, especially the coachbuilt versions.
I would have liked to have bought Bernie Scripps FX3 hearse when it appeared on ebay a year or two ago.

On the subject of other taxis - Strange to relate and I'm kinda proud to say that I can claim to have driven a 'proper' cab in both London and New York!

As to the former, back in 1979 I bought an FX4 straight out of service and drove it home through rush hour London from Hackney (where else) to Cardiff. My project was to create a mobile studio out of it for the new local radio station.

Did the job OK but I have no particularly fond memories of the FX4. It was slow, noisy, cold and uncomfortable to drive. Also a lot less reliable than their reputation suggests.

Skip a few years and I bought a Checker cab from a disposal agent in Cleveland and drove it to and through New York en route to the ferry port at Baltimore.

If ever there was a car built for work it is the Checker! A world apart from the FX4. I still have that car in my restoration queue.

What do we have to say about Beardmores and Metrocabs?