Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

pryantcc · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 88

hello, can anyone tell me where and when the British registrations LA and AB relate to? I have found a great hoard of interesting photos of two cars bearing these registration marks. early 1900s. I'll upload the photos once I have digitised them. no idea what the cars are so will need help with that too!
thanks,
Paul.

Inglewood · Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:47 am Post subject:

LA is London 1910 to 1911

AB is Worcestershire 1904 to 1921

P3steve · Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:22 am Post subject:

Dont forget if anyone is looking for numberplate information Rick has already done a lot of the hard work on this link

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/registrations/reg-letters.htm
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Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22779 Location: UK

pryantcc · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 88

Superb, thanks guys!

I had trouble finding this information in Wiki, etc. I'll try to get the photos up over the next week or so. Away from home just now......

pryantcc · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 88

the cars are LA 4168 and AB 804. Not sure what the makes and models are, but one seems to have Lancia written under the photo in pencil. Were there Lancias about at this time?

Inglewood · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 1:27 am Post subject:

Lancia started in 1906 so it is plausable that your car could be one.

Looking forward to the images.

pryantcc · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 88

OK folks, sorry about the wait!

I found these photos in an album in an old house. Some of the people in them are distant relatives of mine with links to the Power family (Irish Whiskey), and to the Talbot family (car makers). I really dont know much more than that!

There are 2 main cars featured, both were taken on tours of the alps by the look of things.

I'll start with LA 4168 which seems to be a Lancia.

Caption reads: Lancia with cat "Jude", Thornhill.

Next one features Jude again along with Meg the pony!

I think this caption says "Carne". It is the neighbouring townland to the one where I found the pictures (Ballytrent) in Co. Wexford, Ireland.

This one definitely says "Carne" and looks like the same house as the previous one.I think the dogs are "Poor dear old Sham and Bruiser"

Another shot at Carne with the dogs.

This one is taken outside Ballytrent House where I found the photos, and has a date of 1912. The car has a different body in this one, but I think it's the same machine. The wheels and the mudguards look the same. I think that this refit was done after the European tour as it doesn't seem to be present in those shots.

Another one at Ballytrent with the old body style

The car seems to have got a radiator badge along with its new body.

More photos to follow. Does anybody know anything about this car?

Ellis · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:25 pm Post subject:

Wonderful photographs!

Thank you for posting.
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mikeC · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:56 pm Post subject:

Definitely a Lancia - it was not unusual to have a different body in the motorhouse for when you fancied a change - doubtless the chauffeur got paid an extra shilling each time it was changed... Very Happy

pryantcc · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 88

Thanks for the info guys, lots more photos to come, just trying to organise them into some kind of sensible order as they are all jumbled in the album.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh

Super photos. Looking forward to seeing the others.

Thanks for posting.

Peter
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pryantcc · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 88

This bunch of photos is still of the Lancia, but on a European tour, it looks like most of the driving was around the Alps. I'm astonished that people would even contemplate such a thing back in those days where breakdown assistance was non-existant, and vehicle engineering was in its infancy. It must have been quite the adventure! This trip seems to have only involved a gent and his driver.

Not such great car photos this time, more about the scenery!

You can just about see the car slightly below and right of the centre of this shot.

This looks like the local fuzz!

I like the comment on this one: "Not a smash up, only lunch"!

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7211 Location: Edinburgh

Fabulous!

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RotaryBri · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 465 Location: Warwick

Ah, the Mont Cenis Pass. I rode my Norton Dominator over this pass in 1959 and the road surface was still as shown in these pictures. We even had to wait at one point while they cleared a landslide away. I wonder what it is like today?
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