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Ellis
Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1386
Location: Betws y Coed, North Wales
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 Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:14 am Post subject: Fantasy time - which car would you buy new in January 1965? |
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Fantasy time.
The date is the 10th December 1964 and you are - fifty years ago - in a position to order and buy a new British or European car for delivery in January or early in 1965 with the new "C" registration.
Which one would you choose knowing what you all know now in 2014 and bearing in mind the vast choice that was available then?
Indulge your fantasies if you wish but after seriously thinking about a Mercedes 250 SL which I today consider one of the finest and most handsome cars of it's type, my choice would have been one of these :
[ ]
Yes, a Cortina Lotus - Mark One as it is known today.
Which would have been your choice?[/img]
EDIT.
You may choose two cars :
1. Something luxurious or exotic
AND
2. A car from the mainstream.
_________________
Starting Handle Expert
1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet
Last edited by Ellis on Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22780
Location: UK
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bob2
Joined: 06 Dec 2007
Posts: 1728
Location: Malta
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 8:48 am Post subject: |
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| I think I'd have gone for a Morris mini cooper s 970 in fiesta yellow and old english white roof!! Making that one of the rarest cooper Ss ever built!! |
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009
Posts: 1600
Location: Le Mans
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:28 am Post subject: |
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| Digging out the cars available then we have quite some choice! From an Amphicar to Moskvitch and - what on earth was it? - a Viking. But I remember being so easily and effortlessly overtaken by a Jensen CV 8 in the day, and have always thought them a class act A mere snip at £3,491 too. I think I was on about £500 p.a. |
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Old Wrench
Joined: 23 Dec 2013
Posts: 226
Location: Essex and France
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 10:00 am Post subject: |
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No contest.
Aston DB4 Superleggera.
| Quote: | | Which one would you choose knowing what you all know now in 2014 |
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Lotus Cortina? Well, the early MK I was a bit of a dog. The original rear suspension, a complicated but of Chapman excess, caused the banjo housing to flex horribly and dump out the diff oil!
Loads of early engine troubles too.
Second choice would of course be a Jaguar E Type Drophead; Carmen Red with chrome wires.
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Well, apart from that, did you enjoy the play, Mrs Lincoln? |
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Roger-hatchy
Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Posts: 2135
Location: Tiptree, Essex
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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Mercedes W112 300 se Cabriot or a coupe,
still looks modern today |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 7079
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, but if we are living in fantasy land 1965 it would have to be a Rolls Royce Continental Coupe with 2 door coachwork by Mulliner. (Sometimes called the Chinese Eye) Trouble is I can't decide whether I should go for the alloy Drop Head coupe or the even rarer and equally fine fixed head. If I can afford one I could probably afford them both.
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 7079
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Old Wrench"]No contest.
Aston DB4 Superleggera.
Hey Old Wrenchy. You are breaking the rules! It has to be a new 'C' reg. so I'm afraid it's going to have to be a DB5. Don't worry, it's a better car in my opinion.
James B. |
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Old Wrench
Joined: 23 Dec 2013
Posts: 226
Location: Essex and France
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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I have a soft spot for the DB4.
Did quite a bit of engine work on one when I first started the tuning and racing biz.
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Well, apart from that, did you enjoy the play, Mrs Lincoln? |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 7079
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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Wonderful cars all of them. The only experience I have had was when a DB5 came into my Dad's garage for an engine rebuild. Dad was first and foremost an engineer and he never forgot the craftsmanship of the David Brown engine. The memory I have is just how beautiful the car looked in the fading light of a warm summers evening. When you got in, the interior was bathed in a welcoming blue light. The performance in those days was simply breath taking and everything done with such consummate ease.
I WANT ONE!  |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009
Posts: 2150
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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I doubt I would have been able to afford one new in 1965, but a VDP 4 litre R would suit me very nicely. With the optional automatic transmission and webasto sunroof of course.
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Richard Hughes |
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Ellis
Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1386
Location: Betws y Coed, North Wales
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Rick wrote: | Do we have an unlimited budget, or is there a cap?
RJ |
Can I suggest therefore everybody has two choices :
1. Luxury or exotica
and
2. A more mainstream choice.
So, in addition to the Cortina Lotus I would also choose a Mini Cooper 970S although I have never actually seen that particular model.
2.
_________________
Starting Handle Expert
1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet |
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Fatbloke
Joined: 26 Jun 2014
Posts: 86
Location: Royal Wootton Bassett
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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Just to cheer you all up, 1965 is before I was born!!
I would choose a TR4A for extavegance and a bog standard Mini as my budget buy.
As for we're in the realms of fantasy, Thunderbirds stated in 1965 so could I have Lady Penelope's FAB 1?
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Mike,
A Fatbloke in a Herald. |
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Old Wrench
Joined: 23 Dec 2013
Posts: 226
Location: Essex and France
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Ellis wrote: |
So, in addition to the Cortina Lotus I would also choose a Mini Cooper 970S although I have never actually seen that particular model.
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The Cooper s came in three basic flavours: the 970; the 1071 and finally, the 1275.
The 970 was produced and homologated to bring it inside the 1,000 c.c. international competition class. The 1275 was bored to 1293, to be inside the 1300 class.
I ran a 970 at 998c.c. in the early 1970s special saloon class of circuit racing and it was then the fastest non-crossflow 970 s racing.
The 970s s engine was based on the Abingdon Comps 1,000 XSP engine, developed for Formula Three: it was all steel crank and rods, forged pistons, dry sump and would rev to 10,000 RPM. As would a properly prepared 970 s.
Around that time I also had the distinct privilege of driving Timo Makinnen's Monte car, a 1293. On a road test!
Quick............
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Well, apart from that, did you enjoy the play, Mrs Lincoln? |
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4850
Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
I'd have gone for a VP 1100 for every day use, I'd have preferred a SH luxury car a Bristol 404 but as we have to choose a new one it would have had to be a 408.
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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