I had a '69 FD Victor back in 1976. Had a 100k on the clock, a lot for back then, but motor was still strong. Solid body but like yours, rust holes in the top of the wings. Bench seats, floor change gears. Still got the special tool for adjusting the valves.Me too! My first car was a Vauxhall Victor FB with 3-Speed Column change and bench seats front & back.
When you went through puddles the water would "fountain" out of the top of the wings through the rust-holes.
It's probably worth noting that in 1974 there was a lot for people to do in Leicester. There was still a thriving textile and footwear industry and a great many people either worked in it or serviced the machinery - there were a great many sewing machine mechanics and loom mechanics for example. The Corah and Sons works was the largest textile producer in Europe for a while and made all the 'St Michael' branded stuff on sale in Marks and Spencers. And that wasn't the only one. With the loss of industry has come a loss of purpose for much of the population. The coffee shops and IT startups can only employ so many, and the corrosive effect of nearly two generations of this has made a difference to the way people live and spend their time. Imagine the scene in, say, 1969. You and your spouse were working in the textile industry and making reasonably good money by working class standards. Enough to have a family, whereupon you had to keep at it because there were kids depending on you. It was steady regular work, and maybe you could even buy a house with it. If not, there were plenty of council houses available to let at very reasonable prices to people with kids. Nice areas too, not full of discarded mattresses and burnt out cars as they later became. In any event there was enough money for a Ford 100E, or maybe even a Mark 1 Cortina, so you could have trips out to Skegness. Perhaps even steak and chips in a Berni Inn once in a while. Within ten years all that had gone. Another ten and the remains of the factories themselves had been crushed to powder in the concrete crusher, along with the dreams and aspirations of a more idyllic and prosperous time.Only ever been to Leicester once and that was in about 1974. Had a girlfriend whose mum lectured in I think Physics at the uni, her dad was a sort of hall tutor type person at Loughborough uni so he had free accomodation. Mebbes that would be a way of doing it? He lectured in a sciency or mathy subject too. Girlfriend was having a year out working at Bath uni, where I worked.
(Seems to be a lot of "uni" in this post!)
Spect they don't have these nice little numbers any more.
And Leicester didn't seem too rough back then.
My tratter has heated windscreen and rear screen, heater like a small volcano and botty warmer seats. And they all work
But with the amount of water inside the motor does it not feel like you are sat in kettle ?My tratter has heated windscreen and rear screen, heater like a small volcano and botty warmer seats. And they all work
My motorhome - auto - has got column 'select' If that is what you call it.I wonder how many peeps would know where to start with a column shift manual
J
Nah. Holes in the floors keep the water level down ----
So like a cheap sauna the.
No an actual manual gearbox but on a lever on the steering column.My motorhome - auto - has got column 'select' If that is what you call it.
Yes, I did understand that bit but mine is an auto with the select on the steering column. Swopping from one vehicle to the other with the 'nobs and nockers' in different places - both auto - does make me have to concentrate until I acclimatise!!
