Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray White]

I may be naive but I have confidence that the FBHVC will steer a way through any proposals to limit the use of our cars. One hope I have is that the London to Brighton Veteran car run will continue and remain a beacon for our hobby.

The huge financial benefit the old car movement is to the economy - not to mention jobs - must surely play it's part in the argument for allowing exemptions from emissions.

Probably the biggest risk to continued old car ownership in the future comes from a general lack of enthusiasm from the younger generation. If interest dies out the game is up.

[peter scott]

Well the youngsters certainly won't be very excited by static exhibits so everyone should promote the development of a hydrogen network because there won't be enough demand for petrol stations to survive.

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

[alastairq]

I think the biggest threat to [the popularity of??] electric cars will come when the government realises that the taxes from petrol and VED will diminish rapidly, sooner or later.

Then a new system of vehicle taxation will come into force..and owners of electric cars will find themselves paying tax....?

I hope, based on size, too?

Plus, of course, the vast increases in the costs of domestic electricity if used for charging cars? [Cannot see the powercos wanting to miss out on that revenue stream?] All decided by those Smart meters the industry is over-promoting?

It won't be long before an ancient, petrol-powered motorcar will be by far the cheapest and least harmful method of casual transport......

[I imply, there's more than one type of harmful 'pollution''....]
_________________
Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.

[peter scott]

I hadn't given much thought to fuel duty but I suppose this will force us all to install smart metering.

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

[Miken]

I wonder how many young people will choose to learn to drive and take their test in an ICE powered car towards the end of the decade?
I imagine they will think, " why, what for?".
Presumably it you learn in a BEV or FCHV, you won't be licensed to drive a manual gearbox petrol vehicle?
Will they struggle to find a driving school with traditional cars?

[Ray White]

There is no guarantee that sales of new electric cars will continue to grow exponentially. The motor car buyer is fickle and too often taken for granted.

Shortly after the outset of motoring at the beginning of the 20th century, there was a fairly equal division of electric, steam and petrol cars with an assumption that steam would win out. Subsequent events showed how supporters of steam and electric cars could not have been more wrong.

As it happens, despite intensive marketing campaigns, 90 % of new car sales are still for internal combustion engined models - and that doesn't include petrol/electric hybrids.

I expect the reality of electric car ownership will fail to live up to the hype and when the novelty of plugging in wears off the demand will return for more traditional cars; albeit with ever cleaner engines.

Personally, I think the advantages of hybrids far outweigh plug - ins but then having owned two of them (Lexus RX and NX) I would say that, wouldn't I?

[Bitumen Boy]

[Keith D]

Back in the early/mid fifties, gas turbines were going to see everything else off. Yet it didn't happen. We all listened to, and believed, the absolutely useless media in the form of newspapers and their wild uneducated prophecies (Designed solely to sell papers).

Also during the early fifties, the media informed us that we would all be flying around in tiny aeroplanes or helicopters and cars would soon be extinct.

Then in the sixties the NSUWankel engine appeared and this was definitely the future, So what went wrong, 'cos it didn't happen. Then in the seventies we had the fabulous very high efficiency Sarich orbital engine that would change the motoring world for ever. Again, where is it?

In the sixties, LPG came along. This fuel has very low emissions, the "in" thing at the moment, so why is this not being actively promoted by the media? Yet LPG use is slowly dying out.

A year or so ago we were 'informed' by the media that self-driving cars were almost upon us. Again, what has happened to them, apart from killing a few testers?


Rather than be too worried about what 'may' or 'may not' happen in the future, why don't we enjoy the freedom we have at the moment to use our old vehicles.

After all, we may all die of a heart attack tonight, and then we won't be in a position to worry about what happens.

Keith
_________________
1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution

[Miken]

A while ago I listened to a programme on the radio about self driving cars. Apparently the biggest insurmountable problem is in cities when thousands of pedestrians are trying to get to work and school. The SDC has to be programmed to stop if a pedestrian steps out in front of it. With rush hour traffic moving slowly anyway and pedestrians walking all over the place in the knowledge that the car won't hit them, road traffic will grind to a halt.
I also imagine a busy road with cars and drivers. A self driving car with no passengers ( maybe a taxi on the way to a pick up) waits patiently on a side road waiting for someone to let it out into the stream of traffic. I wouldn't bother stopping to let it out and I don't think many people would. And then a line of traffic forms behind it and slows everything down.

[Ray White]

Do we want machines to work for us ...?

or do we want to work for machines?

Do we have a choice?

[alastairq]

Blimey..Holy Thread Drift, Batman!!!

This started because I wanted to pass on some information from a highly qualified [and well known] engineer regarding solder, brass floats, and what exactly it was that ate the stuff?

Certainly not ethanol [which seems to be getting the blame for every shortcoming in everyone's fuel system recently?]

Gosh, ethanol has possibly superceded a certain pair of ex-royals as the latest media tub thump?

Expect to see a huge increase in the number of witch-doctor anti ethanol remedies appear?

Expect those with an eye to profit, launching ethanol fixes for the discerning old car owner?

Sometimes I despair at the apparent gullibility of many owners of older motors??

Don't people actually bother to seriously find out what is what these days?

Or how to deal with new issues?

I always look on old car usership as a window to learn new skills, and brush up on old ones?
Thus far, i'm unafraid of welding!!!!
_________________
Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.

[peter scott]

You have to enjoy life and those of us who were right but ignored can enjoy being able to say "I told you so."

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

[Peter_L]

[Penman]

_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[peter scott]

It's worth listening to a group of people who all wish to promote the provision of battery car charging points. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xfhr

The provision of accessible points for car owners without driveways is only one of the logistical problems to be solved. Plugging into lampposts conjures up a vision lots of very long leads or a drastically reduced car ownership.

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