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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 15, 2021 15:37:57 GMT
An EV is a no brainer as a company car. For the current tax year it will cost you the tax on 1% of the list price as a benefit in kind. Next year it is 2% and probably 3% the year after. As a 40% taxpayer, a Tesla 3 with a list price of £60,000 would cost you £240 for the full year 2021/22 and £480 for 2022/23. You would pay more for a bike! My A4 2.0 TDI was costing me around £350 per month!
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 15, 2021 7:47:59 GMT
I don't really fit the model:
Age 23 - Rover P6 3500 and Land Rover Series IIa 3.5 V8 Age 32 - Vauxhall Astra company car and Mercedes 190 Age 40 - swapped my Jaguar 4.0 Sovereign for an MG ZT-T sensible family estate car, but kept my Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Age 51 - Mercedes E320 estate and Standard Big 9
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 13, 2021 21:46:15 GMT
I don't mind that at all.
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Defender
Jul 13, 2021 21:37:04 GMT
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 13, 2021 21:37:04 GMT
That does somehow look more like an old style 110. I like it a lot.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 12, 2021 12:17:09 GMT
Amazing. Is it cold and loud in it? There seems to be little by way of heater or insulation. Do you have to wash it in a particular way with the unusual bodywork? I have only driven it in warm weather so far, so don't know if it will be cold. On a long journey a lot of heat comes through from the bulkhead, so I expect this will provide some winter warmth. There is plenty of engine noise but, due to the body construction, no squeaks and rattles from the bodywork which is unusual for a car of this age.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 12, 2021 12:13:29 GMT
Is it a 5 cylinder? I'm trying to suss out what is going on with the exhaust manifold. It is a four cylinder. The inlet and exhaust manifolds are cast as one unit. You can see two routes in and three routes out - cylinders 2 and 3 share an outlet port.
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Random
Jul 11, 2021 22:00:53 GMT
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 11, 2021 22:00:53 GMT
Bugger.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 10, 2021 23:04:39 GMT
Mention the Alvis 12/50 to any established vintage sports car enthusiast and he will give you a knowing nod of approval. Cecil Clutton and John Stanford, in their famous book 'The Vintage Motor Car' said of the Alvis 12/50 “We cannot but consider it one of the classic designs of the time, and it remains of all Vintage sports cars the one which needs the least apology”. Members of the VSCC often refer to the 12/50 as one of the best vintage sports cars available and it is generally considered as the default choice for anyone who wants a car which is good to drive, rather than just being old and quaint. Until a few weeks ago I had never driven a 12/50; as soon as did I could see what all the fuss is about. The Alvis 12/50 was in production from 1923 to 1932 (with a short break in 1930) and remained largely unchanged throughout its production. Designed to be relatively light and nimble, it is also simple, robust and very easy to maintain. The original SA model was launched with a 1496 cc OHV engine, which was unusually willing to rev by vintage standards, going all the way to 4,800 RPM, which was racing car territory back then. The engine for the 1924 SB model was enlarged to 1,598 cc and then, in 1925 the TE model was launched, with the engine now enlarged to 1,645 cc. Other than a rare 1,495cc model especially built to enter 1.5 litre race classes, the 1,645 engine powered the car to the end of production. In fact, the Firefly, Firebird and 12/70 models which ran through the mid to late '30s all ran what was effectively an enlarged version of the 12/50 engine and it appeared again, in the late '40s, to power the TA14. The 12/50 (12 horsepower on the old RAC rating and approximately 50 BHP) was said to be good for at least 65 MPH with lightweight bodywork. Again, this is impressive for the size of car in its time. All 12/50s use the same four speed crash gearbox, with a right hand gate change. The gearing is quite high, with a final drive ratio of 4.77:1, giving the following theoretical speeds in each gear at 4,000 RPM: 76.8, 50.1, 33.3 and 19.8 m.p.h. Being quite highly geared, it is very rare that it will ever pull 4,000 RPM in top, unless aided by gravity, but it does mean the 55 MPH cruising is remarkably civilised for a vintage four cylinder car. The mechanical, rod operated brakes operate on all four wheels, as was becoming more usual in the mid-twenties. Various body styles were available, including a four seater tourer and the two-seat-plus-dickie 'duck's back' sports model. A luxury 'Sportsman's Saloon' as also offered with attractive, if rather heavy bodywork. Another body style, which was popular and the height of fashion in the mid to late twenties, was the lightweight fabric saloon. Based on Weymann's patented design system for fuselages for aircraft and superlight coachwork for motor vehicles, the system used a patent-jointed wood frame covered in fabric. It was popular on cars from the 1920s until the early 1930s as it reduced the usual squeaks and rattles of coachbuilt bodies by its use of flexible joints between body timbers. The system when used on cars provided quieter travel and improved performance because of the body's light weight; but gave little protection in the event of a serious accident and without care (the materials being prone to rot), a potentially short life. Prestigious manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Sunbeam all offered cars with fabric bodies and Alvis joined the fabric party with their 12/50 Alvista sports saloon. Combining the comfort and practicality of a luxury saloon with the lightweight performance and handling benefits of a tourer, it was the choice for the Bright Young Thing who didn't want to compromise on luxury, while still maximising performance. My 12/50 TG Alvista saloon was first registered on 18th May 1927 by David Cosker, of Muswell Hill, London. In 1930 is was sold to a Mrs Fry, from Terrice in Cornwall, who owned it until May 1958, when it was bought by the Revd. Leaming, in Cheshire. He owned it until August 2008. Significant restoration work was carried out in the 1980s, when the bodywork was restored and recovered in new fabric. In the 1990s the car went to Red Triangle to have the wings removed, repaired and refitted. The engine has also had some work. The interior is mostly original, with just the front bench seat and headlining having been recovered. It was fitted out to a high standard, with plenty of furniture grade leather and polished wood. All the brightwork inside and out the car is nickel plated. No modern American chrome here... In the vintage tradition, the gear stick and handbrake are on the right hand side, making entry and exit through the driver's door very difficult. The accepted procedure is to enter from the near side and slide across the seat. When installed behind the large wheel, the driver will note another vintage anomaly - the throttle pedal is in the centre, where a modern driver would expect to fine the brake. I have found this easier to get used to than you might think, but it still requires some concentration. So, what is it like to drive? Extremely satisfying. Being vintage, you have to take it by the scruff of the neck and really drive it. Casual, sloppy gearchanges will be rewarded with a crunch. The steering will develop Popeye-style biceps on me and the brakes require a firm and deliberate press on the pedal, as well as a degree of anticipation and forward planning... Get that all right and the car rewards you with excellent performance, taut handling, a surprisingly good ride and a very un-vintage mile eating ability. It demands to be driven hard and will happily mix with modern traffic, as well as being the perfect companion for a country B-road. First impressions are certainly that it was a good choice, but any vintage car aficionado would say, "I told you so"
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 9, 2021 21:10:01 GMT
It is possible to get a Silver Shadow in there. That was a top of the list requirement when we bought the house.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 9, 2021 20:37:34 GMT
I shall have to start calling the garage 'The Motor House
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 9, 2021 20:34:22 GMT
+ another 1.
It does look pretty good, flat coat notwithstanding, for a 90-odd year old car!
The body is covered in a leatherette fabric. It was the fashion in the mid to late twenties and is also part of what was an advanced, lightweight body construction method which makes a saloon as light as an open tourer.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 9, 2021 18:58:23 GMT
I still have the Standard. I want to do a couple of jobs on it before it goes.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 9, 2021 18:47:22 GMT
Well, we got back without incident. Compared to the Standard, the Alvis is a real speed machine and it will cruise at 55 MPH all day. Hills are no problem at all. It is easier to get used to a centre throttle than you might think and most of my changes up and down the crash box were completed without a crunch.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 8, 2021 19:52:37 GMT
^ Trailer or are you going to hunch up and drive it back? Hunch up and drive back. I shall find a motorway avoidance route from Redhill towards Reading area, then up through Theale, Pangbourne over the downs towards Wantage, Kingston Bagpipes, Witney, Chippy and home.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 8, 2021 17:51:52 GMT
Funds have changed hands, insurance sorted and I am picking it up tomorrow. 😀
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 8, 2021 17:50:40 GMT
I would choose the same spec as Martin. This is a rare and lovely thing in a world of cars now designed as transport rather than to delight.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 7, 2021 18:55:12 GMT
It is a good old-fashioned button fest. I like it.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 6, 2021 8:06:21 GMT
I am in complete agreement with you on the Berghaus Goretex over-trousers and also my Mountain Equipment Goretex coat. Our mini-break holidays often include mountaintop walks in sideways rain, so the right equipment is essential.
Another one for me is a good whetstone for sharpening knives. I like my kitchen knives to be razor sharp so this is an essential piece of equipment for me. I even have a small, portable sharpener which I take when we go to stay in a self-catering holiday cottage. The knives in those places are usually in a tragic state, but whoever follows us in gets tools a surgeon could use.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 5, 2021 18:29:30 GMT
I like to think of it more in terms of vintage aircraft construction... So while the rest of us watch the in rear view mirror for approaching Audis, you’ll be on the lookout for Messerschmitts… Sounds great anyway, assuming you don’t end up in the Channel it’ll be fascinating to see the pics. Of course, back in the day, it would have been an Alvis sports saloon, driven by a Bright Young Thing, looming in the rear view mirror of the Austin and Morris drivers.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 5, 2021 16:01:02 GMT
Enjoy it. I presume that altering the seat does not "damage" the originality / provenance of the car? Unless you literally preserved the car in an airtight vault from new, some PHP will always find something wrong with it. Indeed. The front seat was restored in the 1990s and the, then, owner was quite short, so it is possible he had it built up a bit. The rest of the interior is original. The car has only had four owners from new, which is quite rare for a 94 year old car.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 5, 2021 13:33:08 GMT
Loathsome.
As long as the Range Rover remains in production I see absolutely no need to look elsewhere for un upmarket SUV.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 5, 2021 13:29:56 GMT
It is the one I didn't fit in. I have found someone who can alter the seat. It is a very well-known and important car in Alvis history, being one of three or four remaining in the world and by far the best and most original example. There are several pages devoted to it in one of the main books on Alvis cars. The body construction is to a design by Weymann, being fabric stretched over a wooden frame. Lightweight, strong and rattle-free compared to the metal bodies. So it's like a mobile vintage tent? Sounds like a special car. I hope the seat alteration works and you enjoy it for many years. I like to think of it more in terms of vintage aircraft construction...
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 5, 2021 13:24:29 GMT
It is the one I didn't fit in. I have found someone who can alter the seat.
It is a very well-known and important car in Alvis history, being one of three or four remaining in the world and by far the best and most original example. There are several pages devoted to it in one of the main books on Alvis cars. The body construction is to a design by Weymann, being fabric stretched over a wooden frame. Lightweight, strong and rattle-free compared to the metal bodies.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 5, 2021 12:52:12 GMT
Deal done. Picking up the Alvis on Saturday!
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Opinion.
Jul 4, 2021 17:51:56 GMT
via mobile
Post by Roadrunner on Jul 4, 2021 17:51:56 GMT
Much as I can fully understand the desire to share the burden of your experience, I think Chris is right here and you could just be opening up a whole world of trouble if you go public with this. Maybe share quietly around a few fellow classic VW owners and move on.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 3, 2021 20:41:34 GMT
Quite possible we shall have an announcement early next week...
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 3, 2021 20:40:12 GMT
Shit the bed, Bob. Was that car cursed by a witch before you picked it up?
The only car here with a spare is the vintage car. One has runflats and another, a can of gunge.
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Defender
Jul 3, 2021 14:02:10 GMT
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 3, 2021 14:02:10 GMT
I like them, but I they are definitely not a farm utility vehicle. I saw two in Petworth last week, both occupied by blonde horsey types, sunglasses on head. I see a lot of them in the more fashionable parts of the Cotswolds, too.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 1, 2021 15:33:15 GMT
I had an unexpected detour yesterday after nearly getting taken out by an artic - I was heading out the M8 (5 lane section) and was in the lane that goes to the M74 with a lorry (that I was overtaking) in the lane that goes to the old A8 which is the lane I was going to get in when I passed him. He obviously realised very late that he wanted the M8 to Edinburgh and just pulled out and crossed two lanes, pushing me on to the M8 as I did some heavy braking to avoid being the filling in a lorry sandwich. I had to go 4 or 5 miles up the M8 to get back off and double back for the A8. I came alongside the lorry to give him the WTF look but he just stared ahead. I think it was 'national leave it until the last second before pulling across day' yesterday. I had a trip down to Kent and saw this sort of behaviour at several junctions. There was one woman who left it so late she eventually had to bail out to avoid a pile up.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 1, 2021 8:25:01 GMT
What's the massive 90 degree pipe on top of the rocker cover? It looks to me like it could be the air intake on the inlet manifold, but Mark will confirm.
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