Classic Cars seen (in Horncastle) Lincs
Cars have come full circle from motorised wagons to boxy vintage, to 60's style & back to little boxes again. Much modern 'styling' is evocative of the American Stealth, angular and almost anti-aerodynamic; I wonder if it has to do with the drugs, or lack of, imbibed by designers - the weed of the Sixties engendering sexy curvaceous Like the olde buildings in Horncastle, the vehicles that make their way through Lincolnshire show what has been possible, and what modern design and life is missing; the memories from youth pleasant reminders and a welcome reality check in this faster paced era. So with 4 albums of them, it's perhaps time to choose my favourites... | |
 1965 Citroen "Bumper car" Quite a few of these around in my childhood. Comfortable, aerodynamic & different. Saab "Swede spot" What changes to society, if James Bond movies had kept to specifics instead of fantasy. Ford Granada "Zodiac Mindwarp" I had my initiation to the roads in an estate version of one of these as a taxi driver. A comfortable powerful ride despite the suspension. Dodge "R.A.Memory" Capable of pulling an articulated trailer if a 5th wheel is fitted, the workhorse of the mid-west, vietnam era. Sunbeam Alpine "Jesus Wants Me" The Roots Group Hillmans, Singers & Sunbeams from a friendly injectionless era of slow acceleration and sedate, sane, handling. Mini "Lolly" Occasionally a small ice cream van would turn up the street in the 60's, but this about as dinky as they can go. '49 Chrysler "Winsome" One of the original moonshine era Chryslers. Styling & comfort. '65 Wolseley "Woldsmobile" Wonderful little motors that did errands and made it to the coast occasionally. Robin Reliant "Mean streets" I hung around bikers who owned these because of the test vagaries at the time, never once was one 'rolled' over on a bend. '82 Mercedes "Mercurial" Another icon, the stalwart of Europe thru the '80's, the saloon the workhorse of the economy. 7.7L Cadillac Trike "Detroiter" This was lurking in the car-park, in amongst the motorbikes, at the National Chopper Club annual camp. A somewhat customised Cadillac. Hillman Humber "Comfortably Humb" The Hillman line bringing out many marques that were later slated. The Imp and Minx giving way to the Humber. | Bubble Car "Tangerine Dream" These, like the Sinclair trikes, would have been ok for the roads, if they hadn't ripped up the freight lines and put it onto the roads in 40tn artics... '78 Triumph "Oxident" Something Mad Max might have drove if he had his kids with him. Headlight redundancy, spacious and aerodynamic. VW Camper "Micro Management" These V-dub busses standing the test of time; noisy, but the rear engine far enough away to be tolerable. Jaguar e-type "E by gum" This E-type, found at Skegness, shopping. Features a tow bar & home-made exhaust. Porsche Sports "Ve Hav Bays" Nippy little buggers, for when the VW Beetle panda wasn't quick enough. Custom Trike "Sunday Chopping" The professional custom build culture occasionally seen & heard, but pretty expensive for a commuter machine. '69 Daimler "Soveriegneer" Always a rare sight, the smaller engined Jags became popular for a while in the 70's. '58 Jaguar "Le Mans" Another Jaguar, they seem to last, best of all the classic cars. This one winning the 24hr trials year after year. '14 Ford model T "Topless old girl" The iconic model-T, helping to bring motoring and immigration westwards to the USA. '04 Cadillac "1600i" If a model T got you to Nebraska, & Cheyenne, then this was the vehicle that got to St. Louis 10 years previously. '35 Austin10 "Austere" Born of the '29 Crash, austerity was suddenly groovy. The Austin10 another name out of folklore. '23 Ford "Nickelback" The soft-top carriage had become a proper car. This 1920's New York beastie probably has some memories if it could |