"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

[Jolipapa]

A post WW2 Heinkel Kabine, with the single wheel at the rear:

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This one was made in Dundalk, Ireland in 1960.

Considering Heinkel's 'PR problems' in Britain, these models were apparently sold as 'Trojans' in the UK. (A veiled Teutonic joke, perhaps?)

I daresay if you told the Heinkel engineers who designed and produced the first jet engine fighter plane in 1941, that they'd be making these twenty years later, they would have laughed at you!

The same here with Messerschmidt cars. For some odd reason the sales never took-off...

Yes, definitely.

There's a Bentley in the same collection as that 1936 Benz, you might be interested to see then, JB.

Also one of only three existing 1903 Peugeot, Type 56s (the other two are in the Peugeot Museum, and the National Automobile Museum in France).

Ettore Bugatti used to call the Le Mans Bentleys "the fastest truck in the world"!

I have seen the Peugeot' sister in Mulhouse when the building was occupied by the TU in 1977. I have never seen such an array of fine cars since, even in Beaulieu.

 

[Jolipapa]

Thanks for the info and pics my friend I used to love the look of them, and remember the Parisian streets being full of them on my first visit, in the 1970's. By coincidence, a small garage in Sheffield imported both the machines, and the parts, but they were classed as a motorbike here, and so weren't popular because they attracted the same tax, insurance, and helmet laws as (then) a 250cc bike. When I lived in the north of France in 1991, I didn't see any Solex, but nobody could tell me why they disappeared.

The main problem was under the rain, the roller would slip and not move. It was fairly heavy when you needded to use the pedals.
It disappeared because the engineers had found how to make an indestroyable thing destructible. They changed the three-parts exhaust for a unit. So it was impossible to make decokes (it is a 2 stroke engine).

Will Power : it is virtually impossible to overturn a 2cv. We tried hard on a friend's car (much older than the one you show) but never succeeded. If you look at the map, there's a wide (by our standards -6 lanes I guess) circular ring, going downhill. This was our daily route to Paris. Two aboard, pedal to the metal we reached 100kmh. The car would take an impressive angle but never moved an inch! (no speed trap then).
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[Jack Black]

The same here with Messerschmidt cars. For some odd reason they never sales took-off...

Ettore Bugatti used to call the Le Mans Bentleys "the fastest truck in the world"!

I have seen the Peugeot' sister in Mulhouse when the building was occupied by the TU in 1977. I have never seen such an array of fine cars since, even in Beaulieu.

An old friend of mine had a Messerschmidt scooter in the 60's

I used to regularly pass one of those beautiful old Peugeots abandoned in the street in Beirut in the 70's. It was such a shame to just see it sitting there covered in dust

The main problem was under the rain, the roller would slip and not move. It was fairly heavy when you needded to use the pedals.
It disappeared because the engineers had found how to make an indestroyable thing destructible. They changed the three-parts exhaust for a unit. So it was impossible to make decokes (it is a 2 stroke engine).

Right, thanks for the explanation my friend, I have often wondered about it. How sad to see them disappear

 

[Jolipapa]

... How sad to see them disappear

I can recall the buzz of the engine and the way to start it, push on the pedals like a mad man then pushing the lever forward to drop the engine and bounce forward! Could be hectic when the engine was lazy!
There's still a lot around, but they - like the Mobylettes - a collector items now. If you're fool enough to use one daily it will soon be captured.
The same disapearance happened to the Noddy bike in GB!

 

[WhittlinAway]

Barrett, thanks for the photos and recap of your trip. I enjoyed reading it. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I hope you're adjusted back to your home time zone soon.

 

[zolthar]

I can recall the buzz of the engine and the way to start it, push on the pedals like a mad man then pushing the lever forward to drop the engine and bounce forward! Could be hectic when the engine was lazy!
There's still a lot around, but they - like the Mobylettes - a collector items now. If you're fool enough to use one daily it will soon be captured.
The same disapearance happened to the Noddy bike in GB!

You can still rent them around here, including the mandatory garb :

 

[Jack Black]

I can recall the buzz of the engine and the way to start it, push on the pedals like a mad man then pushing the lever forward to drop the engine and bounce forward! Could be hectic when the engine was lazy!
There's still a lot around, but they - like the Mobylettes - a collector items now. If you're fool enough to use one daily it will soon be captured.
The same disapearance happened to the Noddy bike in GB!

LOL! I used to know a great old guy who was born in the 19th century. He owned a Brough Superior for most his life, but once told me how, when he got his first bike - a Royal Enfield - it had no gears, and you just had to run with it, and jump on!

You can still rent them around here, including the mandatory garb :

 

[Jolipapa]

LOL! I used to know a great old guy who was born in the 19th century. He owned a Brough Superior for most his life, but once told me how, when he got his first bike - a Royal Enfield - it had no gears, and you just had to run with it, and jump on!

Yep, bum(p) start like a racer

 

[Jack Black]

Yep, bum(p) start like a racer

He said it wasn't a problem as there was no traffic on the roads back then (it would have been before WW1)! No test, you just went a bought a license from the Post Office! Having said that, it was much the same when I got my Kawasaki KH250 in the mid 70's!

 

[btb01]

Thank you for posting pictures of your trip Barrett . I have enjoyed them very much .

Harry

Fantastic Barrett, I'm really glad you had such a good time I've been thinking about that pie all week! By coincidence I was once in The Raven in Sheffield when Phil Oakey (from the video) came in, having just had his hair cut in that daft style in had in early days of The Human League!

Barrett, those are awesome pics, thanks for sharing them!

+1

Barrett, thanks for the photos and recap of your trip. I enjoyed reading it. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I hope you're adjusted back to your home time zone soon.

Thanks for the kind words, everyone!

Thanks for the link my friend, and glad you got back home alright. I have actually been across Sheffield in a Reliant Robin! There are some steel works in that video! Cars have actually got bigger here in the past couple of decades!

Jack, I hope you were able to stay on three wheels in your own Reliant Robin journey! (I'm certain they altered the Robin in the Top Gear bit to make it tip over so easily, but I imagine it wouldn't take too much effort to put an unaltered Robin on its side.)

I did see one or two older Minis driving about in England, and I feel fairly certain that I'd have a difficult time fitting into one.

 

[Jack Black]

Jack, I hope you were able to stay on three wheels in your own Reliant Robin journey! (I'm certain they altered the Robin in the Top Gear bit to make it tip over so easily, but I imagine it wouldn't take too much effort to put an unaltered Robin on its side.)

I did see one or two older Minis driving about in England, and I feel fairly certain that I'd have a difficult time fitting into one.

Yes indeed! I met up with an old school pal of mine when I was about 20, and he had one, as did his dad! I'm not sure I'd have wanted to be in one of them regularly! A chap who lived near me when I lived in Sheffield used to have a whole collection of different three-wheelers, and they'd all be lined-up outside his garage in various states of repair!

People here look back upon the Mini quite fondly, but I used to work on them when I first left school and was an apprentice mechanic, and I hated the darn things. The engines were just as cramped as the interior!

 

[WhittlinAway]

I did see one or two older Minis driving about in England, and I feel fairly certain that I'd have a difficult time fitting into one.

People here look back upon the Mini quite fondly, but I used to work on them when I first left school and was an apprentice mechanic, and I hated the darn things. The engines were just as cramped as the interior!

I've often wondered how well I'd fit into one of the older Minis. I'm over 6 feet tall, so I think it would be a tough squeeze. On the other hand, my first two cars were MGBs (a 1980 and a 1978) and I fit in them without issue. In fact, I had to bring the seat a bit forward. They were a pleasure to work on: simple mechanics and plenty of space under the bonnet.

 

[Jack Black]

I've often wondered how well I'd fit into one of the older Minis. I'm over 6 feet tall, so I think it would be a tough squeeze. On the other hand, my first two cars were MGBs (a 1980 and a 1978) and I fit in them without issue. In fact, I had to bring the seat a bit forward. They were a pleasure to work on: simple mechanics and plenty of space under the bonnet.

I'm 6ft 2" Greg, and I don't remember height being a problem, but they were very low to get into, it felt like you were sat on the floor! I was a lot slimmer in those days, but I always found them cramped. My sister had an MG, but I never worked on it, she didn't have it long as her boyfriend borrowed it and crashed. He was fine, but the car was a write-off

 

[WhittlinAway]

I'm 6ft 2" Greg, and I don't remember height being a problem, but they were very low to get into, it felt like you were sat on the floor! I was a lot slimmer in those days, but I always found them cramped. My sister had an MG, but I never worked on it, she didn't have it long as her boyfriend borrowed it and crashed. He was fine, but the car was a write-off

Thanks for the fit report Jack. I'm just a bit over 6' 2", myself, so I expect my experience would be similar.

My first MG caught fire in a parking lot, but I'd enjoyed driving it so much that I got another afterwards. I eventually moved on to more modern cars, but they gave me a taste for, and appreciation of, British automobiles. In my fantasy world, someday when I have the time to take on a long project I'd like to track down an Austin Healey 3000 and restore it. I've never been in one, but I've always liked the way they look.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Interesting options for transportation! I was watching a show on the eastern block cars the other day. Interesting how many 2 stroke cars there were!

 

[Jolipapa]

Souvenirs, souvenirs... My ma gave us her Fiat 500, written-off one day by the military attaché of the Indonesian ambassy who probably found my wife was not going fast enough...
It was replaced by the Mini 1000, slayed by a Swiss lady on a boulevard while stopping at the red light. "I'm sorry, I did not see you" she smiled. I was less smiling, the radio had been ejected into the boot...
In fact all had started with the 4cv, not mine, but I for a while I was the only one to possess the licence... Until a second had it too and forgot to turn while passing a level crossing and made a roll over. She looked much worse then.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks for the fit report Jack. I'm just a bit over 6' 2", myself, so I expect my experience would be similar.

My first MG caught fire in a parking lot, but I'd enjoyed driving it so much that I got another afterwards. I eventually moved on to more modern cars, but they gave me a taste for, and appreciation of, British automobiles. In my fantasy world, someday when I have the time to take on a long project I'd like to track down an Austin Healey 3000 and restore it. I've never been in one, but I've always liked the way they look.

I don't think I've been in a Mini since I was 17 Greg. Don't think I'd like to try and get into one now, a bit low down for my old knees! That would be a fantastic project my friend

Souvenirs, souvenirs... My ma gave us her Fiat 500, written-off one day by the military attaché of the Indonesian ambassy who probably found my wife was not going fast enough...
It was replaced by the Mini 1000, slayed by a Swiss lady on a boulevard while stopping at the red light. "I'm sorry, I did not see you" she smiled. I was less smiling, the radio had been ejected into the boot...
In fact all had started with the 4cv, not mine, but I for a while I was the only one to possess the licence... Until a second had it too and forgot to turn while passing a level crossing and made a roll over. She looked much worse then.

Cool old pics JP

 

[Jolipapa]

All this started by a picture of a 2cv, then we talked RR...

 

[Henry Beige]

I grew up around English cars. My pop had a taste for the, and brought home a series of little Austin and Morris sedans, capping the string with a magnificent Jaguar MK VII saloon. Pea green paint, leather seats, walniut burl on the dash, and twin gas tanks, necessary to slake the thirst of the Big DOHC six. Sadly, that car passed out of our lives before I was old enough for a driver license.

By the time I could drive, a thoroughly thrashed MGA 1500 roadster was what I could afford. Instead of hot-ridding big V8s, I concerned myself with keeping the dampers on the SU carbs topped up with oil, and swapping out heat ranges on my spark plugs, no doubt overthinking the whole business and degrading the performance of my car.

My brother put together a very nice Bugeye Sprite, and went through a series of 850 Minis which we flogged mercilessly on the local autocross courses.

 

[Will Power]

Great to see a pic of a 'real' 4CV JP, the original with the rear engine mind, not the R4 which tried to be a modern sexy 2CV. Man round the corner from me had a Dauphine Gordini in scarlet, he told me it was really easy to overturn a Dauphine especially in the wet! Pretty cars though. I borrowed an R16 from a mate when I was a student, felt like luxury, even liked the column gear change

My dream cars: Bentley Continental 1958, Citroen DS 19/21, Citroen 2CV,Citroen Ami (YES!!) Jaguar Mark IX, Volga 1965, Stingray (divided rear window only!) Buick Roadmaster 1948, Packard Clipper 1950. Assorted eh? England, France, USSR, USA. (might fancy a Lancia from Italy in there too) All cool mind and I could use any one of them to carry my knife collection around in style