View allAll Photos Tagged rustproof
An Art Deco automotive tour de force which sadly didn’t convert to stellar sales. It was also hampered by a lack of factory rustproofing…not a good thing in the UK market.
We had beautiful summer weather this week, while a cyclone to the north whipped up some rough surf. All the local rustproof wave warriors were out on their boards catching the waves, and I was there with my zoom lens to capture the action. After many hours I came away with hundreds of exciting shots, this is one of them.
For today's theme, three signs that are all unique in some way. You will only see signs like this in the tropical north of Australia. Even so, rustproof backpackers from certain European countries that I will not name, have been known to test the limits and not survive to tell the tale.
I’m a Liver bird, verdigris and aloof.
They made me their emblem,
They made me rustproof
And I’ll not leave this city, cos I’m tied to the roof.
[Roger McGough]
Detroit Bridge, A5063, Trafford Road swing bridge, Trafford Park, Manchester - 1953. Originally used as a railway bridge crossing the ship canal.
Caught in the local Sainsburys car park by a neighbour who knows I like old Vauxhalls.
The elderly owner loves the jacked up look!
We had beautiful summer weather this week, while a cyclone to the north whipped up some rough surf. All the local rustproof wave warriors were out on their boards catching the waves, and I was there with my zoom lens to capture the action. After many hours I came away with hundreds of exciting shots, this is one of them.
Zeibart rustproofing sticker in the rear window. Must have done some good for it to last this long.....
Bell & Colvill tag on the registration plate.
During the school holidays, the rustproof and indestructible local school boys impressed the girls by jumping, diving and leaping from the train bridge, while a geriatric with a camera took photos.
Despite the Colt, Lancer and Proton equivalents reputation for reliability, all are sadly very rare, particularly the original Mitsubishi variants. This is due to the fact that they had poor rustproofing and were worth very little, but pleasingly their values are increasing with rising enthusiasm for the Colt and their equivalents. This example has stayed rust free, probably thanks to the fact that it has lived a sheltered life in North London with a long term owner. Yes, I did leave a note on it, as it would be a shame for it to be scrapped, as I have a feeling that the owner is not aware of their cars rarity.
Mileage in between MOTs - 304 Miles
Mileage at last MOT - 46,893 Miles
Last Ownership Change - 16th December 1989
E833 PNX
✓ Taxed
Tax due: 01 June 2019
✓ MOT
Expires: 27 March 2019
I started this project last year because, after looking closely at the lock plate on the door to the porch closet, I thought I detected signs of a design under several layers of paint. With the aid of paint remover and elbow grease I found I was correct. Furthermore, the face of the mortise lock also bore a embossed design.
One thing led to another and eventually I had removed the rust and paint from the hardware, polished it, coated it with clear, rustproof spray paint; disassembled, cleaned, reassembled the mortise lock and spray painted the case black; purchased an old skeleton key that fits and operates the lock; and stripped all the paint off the outside of the door.
Removing the paint revealed that insects had bored tunnels in the upper right corner and right side of the door that resemble the circuit boards of yore.
Many months later, I've returned to the project. After more effort than I'd expected, I've filled the borers' grooves with plastic wood and spackle, filled other gouges, holes and imperfections, sanded the bare wood lightly and applied a coat of primer.
At last I was able to remove the pins from the door hinges, lift the door off and inspect the hinge hardware. I knew it, too, was decorated, but I hadn't been able to see the details.
The door is now in the garage awaiting its final coats of paint. In the meantime, I have removed the hinges from the door frame and removed the rust and paint with my Dremel tool.
Behold the before and after photos of the same piece! I applied paint remover to loosen the small areas of paint that resisted the Dremel. Today I'll clean it off, buff the plates and spray them with a clear rustproof finish for posterity.
Next I'll do the same to the hinge halves that are on the door.
I wish the house had more hardware of this type, but the rest of the door hardware is plain. I think it all dates to teens or twenties of the 20th century.
My theory about why this door is different is that it's on a storage closet on the porch of this small old house. Because it was a utility space removed from the rest of the structure, the builder could have gotten away with using what were then viewed as old-fashioned components that might have been cheaper. This idea is reinforced by the fact the door itself is an older four-panel, two-up and two-down design.
Stay tuned.
1979 Ford Escort 1.6 Ghia 4-door.
Supplied by Hensmans of Brentwood (Ford).
Price new (with Strato Silver paint, passenger door mirror, rustproofing and mudflaps) was £3622.31.
Service on Powell, get your oil changed on the right, vehicle work on the left. Just saying.
The mural is signed by KEB35 designs aka JKACZ@uvic.ca
Found nothing about the mural.
Vancouver Auto Center offers:
Air Conditioning, Wheel Alignments, Auto Body, Auto Glass, Detailing, Mist Service, Batteries and Electrical including starter motors and alternators, Brakes, Repair and Servicing of Cooling Systems, Fuel System Service including Terra Clean, Diagnostic and Driveability including computer scan of engine codes, Tune Ups including spark plug replacement, Engines including Timing Belt Replacement, Exhaust Repairs including Mufflers and Catalytic convertors, Lube Oil and Filter Changes, Tires and Rims including computerized wheel balancing, Shock and Struts, Front End and Steering Components, Transmission, Differential Fluid Service, Rustproofing, Safety Standard Certificates, Emission System Repairs and Service, Fluid Flushes including Brake Flush, Power Steering Fluid, Transmission Oil and Engine Coolant and Engine Oil both regular and synthetic.
Manufacturer: Reliant Motor Company, Tamworth, Staffordshire - UK
Type: Robin 850 MKI Saloon
Engine: 848cc OHV straight-4 BMC A-series
Power: 39 bhp / 5.500 rpm
Speed: 128 km/h
Production time: 1975 – 1981
Production outlet: unknown
Curb weight: 395 kg
Special:
- Designed by Ogle Design Limited for Reliant the Robin was the first car to not have a rain strip running above the doors, in addition it also featured a real opening window - features that were soon to appear on many cars to follow by other manufacturers.
- The Reliant Robin is third (8th-worst) from the bottom of the “10 Worst Cars of All Time list”, considering the car only had three wheels. But it wasn't that it had three wheels, it was where those three wheels were positioned: two in the back, one up front. This made the car incredibly unstable, especially around turns that exceeded 25 miles per hour or angles of 45°. Despite its ridiculousness and impracticality, the car uniqueness caused it to gain somewhat of a cult following. In fact, many people enjoy this car, as long as you don't take it seriously.
- The Worst Car of All Time is the 1989 AMC/Renault Eagle Premier.
- Originally to drive a 3-wheeled Reliant on a motorcycle licence was only because when you passed a full motorcycle licence you were given a B1 class on your licence as well which gave you the right to drive a vehicle with 3 or 4 wheels up to 550 kg but B1 was stopped to be entitled in 2001.
- This three-wheeler motorcar has a four-speed manual gearbox (the gearbox hump in front), floor mounted shifter, a SU HS2 1¼ carburettor, shaft drive, a 12-Volts electric system, a dry single plate clutch, a 27 liter fuel tank, and rear wheel drive.
- The steel ladder chassis with rustproof fibreglass body has worm & peg steering, semi-elliptic leaf spring suspension with live axle type at the rear and drum brakes all around.
- They also came available as Estate Car, as Van, as Cabriolet and the Ant TW9 Mini Truck.
- Additional dash clocks, uprated radio, blow up doll roof rack suitcase (for Estate Car) were optional.
Manufacturer: Gorkovski Avtomobilny Zavod (GAZ), Nizjni Novgorod (Gorki) - Russia
Type: Volga M21K
Engine: 2445cc straight-4
Power: 80 bhp / 4.000 rpm
Speed: 135 km/h
Production time: 1958 - 1962
Production outlet: 140,000
Curb weight: 1500 kg
Special:
- The GAZ M21 Volga was the first car to carry the "Volga" name.
- Alexander M. Nevzorov was the creator of the "Volga", but the later models were redesigned by L.I. Tsikolenko and N.I. Kireev.
- The self-supporting bodies (a separate chassis was common in "the West") were built with high ground clearance, rugged suspension (independent coil springs at the front and semi-elliptic springs at the back), a strong and forgiving engine, a proper heating and ventilation system and rustproofing on a scale unheard of in the 1950s.
- The K Series (higher powered with a K22 carburettor) were especially made for export, but a great many were sold in the Nordic countries
- This type has a grille with 16 vertical slits, a large boot, four drum brakes, rear wheel drive and a three speed manual gearbox (with steering column-mounted shifter) on the export model (initially three-speed automatic for the home market).
- This second generation M21s is the last with a jumping deer on the bonnet.
- The Volga was one of the most desired vehicles behind the Iron Curtain. Volga cars were seen as the ultimate status symbol throughout the communist world.
Added to the gallery www.flickr.com/photos/altotemi/galleries/72157642068742274
A rare sight in the UK, partly down to the fact that they had poor rustproofing, although this example appears to be rather solid, with the only rust in sight being a bit on the drivers side front wing and lower door. Pleasingly, it appears to be getting some form of restoration, so hopefully it will return to the road again soon, if it hasn't already, but due to it having no numberplate in sight, I can't check! The owner appears to be an enthusiast, as it shared driveway space with a Mazda MX-5 (just peeping in on the left hand side) and a BMW E36.
We had beautiful summer weather this week, while a cyclone to the north whipped up some rough surf. All the local rustproof wave warriors were out on their boards catching the waves, and I was there with my zoom lens to capture the action. After many hours I came away with hundreds of exciting shots, this is one of them.
Música (abrir en nueva pestaña) / Music (Open link in new tab): Отава Ё - Яблочко.
(Please see English text below)
El automóvil GAZ M21 Volga fue producido en la antigua Unión Soviética por GAZ ("Gorki Automobiljni Zavod", "fábrica de automóviles Gorky", en español) de 1956 a 1970. El primer modelo que llevó el nombre de Volga, fue desarrollado a principios de los años cincuenta. Los Volga se fabricaron con una gran distancia al suelo, lo que lo dotó de una característica aspariencia "alta", contrario al aspecto de perfil bajo, largo y plano que por aquel entonces predominaba en los diseños de los coches occidentales de esa gama; portaba una suspensión robusta, un motor potente y resistente, y atesoraba unas propiedades anti-corrosión inusitadas para la época.
El Volga estaba estilísticamente en línea con los principales fabricantes de Estados Unidos de la época en que se introdujo, e incorporó ciertos detalles considerados de lujo por aquel entonces, como el asiento delantero reclinable, el encendedor de cigarrillos, la calefacción, el lavaparabrisas y una radio de 3 bandas.
En 1959, al cesar GAZ la producción de la gama de coches de 6 cilindros, el Volga M-21 se convirtió oficialmente en el coche más grande y lujoso vendido en grandes cantidades a los propietarios individuales en la URSS, aunque su precio era muy alto y lo hizo inalcanzable para la mayoría de compradores. En total, fueron producidas 639.478 unidades de este modelo.
La fotografía, en realidad, es de un modelo en miniatura en metal, a escala 1/43 de unos 10 cm. de largo de la marca Ixo.
He de agradecer a mi amigo, maese Antonio, que me prestase "il meraviglioso" Tamron Adaptall SP 90mm f/2.5 Macro 52B con el que, acoplado a mi Sony ILCE 5100 hice la fotografía. También he de agradecer la inestimable ayuda de mi hija menor, Irene, que iluminó el coche con la linterna ;-)
-English:
The GAZ M21 Volga is an automobile which was produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ ("Gorki Automobiljni Zavod", in English : "Gorky automobile factory") from 1956 to 1970. The first car to carry the Volga name, it was developed in the early 1950s. Volgas were built with high ground clearance (which gives it a specific "high" look, contrary to "low-long-sleek" look of Western cars of similar design), rugged suspension, strong and forgiving engine, and rustproofing on a scale unheard of in the 1950s.
The Volga was stylistically in line with the major United States manufacturers of the period in which it was introduced and incorporated such then-luxury features as the reclining front seat, cigarette lighter, heater, windshield washer, and 3-wave radio.
When in 1959 the 6-cylinder line of GAZ cars was discontinued, Volga M-21 became the biggest and most luxurious car officially sold to individual owners in the USSR in large quantities, though its price was very high and made it unavailable for most car buyers. 639,478 cars were produced in total.
In actual fact, the car in the picture is an Ixo 1/43 scale metal miniature model about 10 cm. long.
I have to thank my friend Antonio for lending me "il meraviglioso" Tamron Adaptall SP 90mm f/2.5 Macro 52B that I used mounted on my Sony ILCE 5100 to take this picture. I must also thank my youngest daughter, Irene, for her valuable help in lighting a flashlight on the car ;-)
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Despite the Colt, Lancer and Proton equivalents reputation for reliability, all are sadly very rare, particularly the original Mitsubishi variants. This is due to the fact that they had poor rustproofing and were worth very little, but pleasingly their values are increasing with rising enthusiasm for the Colt and their equivalents. This example has stayed rust free, probably thanks to the fact that it has lived a sheltered life in North London with a long term owner. Yes, I did leave a note on it, as it would be a shame for it to be scrapped, as I have a feeling that the owner is not aware of their cars rarity.
Mileage in between MOTs - 304 Miles
Mileage at last MOT - 46,893 Miles
Last Ownership Change - 16th December 1989
E833 PNX
✓ Taxed
Tax due: 01 June 2019
✓ MOT
Expires: 27 March 2019
Gilt Finish. Brass. RUSTPROOF.
Appealing little acorn tag from a safety pin found in an estate sale box lot of sewing goodies.
Despite being off the road for 30 years, and having 'weathered' bodywork this rather abandoned looking Marina looked rather solid - BL seemed to have done better rustproofing on the Marina than lots of people make out. A passer-by told me that the owner of this Marina and the Mazda next to it has a sentimental attachment to them, as they were a late/ex girlfriends cars. I hope that they will return to the road one day, although I somewhat doubt it...
UEX 935L
✗ Untaxed
Tax due: 26 April 1988
MOT
No details held by DVLA
Ah, the Morris Marina, the woeful shame that sent the British car industry 20 years back, the poorly designed waste that failed to achieve any of the most basic goals set by car builders, a machine that has become a by-word for failure and a symbol for terrible workmanship and everything that was wrong with British industry in the 1970's, and nowadays known better for being cannon-fodder for an onslaught of spontaneous piano drops...
But much like the Austin Allegro, is it really as bad as all that?
The Morris Marina was launched in 1971 by British Leyland to replace the 23 year old Morris Minor. Designed by Roy Haynes, the Marina, despite being considered repugnant by many, doesn't actually look that bad, in some cases it's better than the Allegro. It was very much a design staple of its time, with the Hillman Avenger, the Vauxhall Viva and the Ford Escort sharing very similar bodyshapes.
But the problems came with its other developments. The car may have had a new body, but underneath it was just another Morris Minor, sharing a majority of parts including the suspension, with some models being powered by the BMC A-Series engine from the Mini.
Nevertheless, the car was launched in 1971 after only 18 months of development, and was made available across the Commonwealth under a variety of badges, including the Leyland Marina in Australia, the Austin Marina in North America, and the Morris 1700 in New Zealand. It was also available in a selection of trim tabs, including a 4-door saloon, a 2-door coupé, a camper variant and as a pickup truck.
Much like the Allegro, the Marina did sell well initially, being the 2nd highest selling car in the UK behind the Ford Cortina in 1973, but was not without major public issues to begin with.
During initial reviews the poorly put together press cars suffered from terrible suspension trouble which resulted in the cars finding it near impossible to take corners. Although this problem was later rectified, 39,000 cars still went out with this original poor suspension without recall to fix these issues.
But after the initial design faults came to light, the production quality faults were the next issue. Much like the Allegro, during strike periods, strike cars left the factories with major components missing, or pieces of trim not in place or not functioning properly, or suffered heavily from malfunctions, be they mechanically or electronically. At the same time the sheer lack of rustproofing on these cars meant that showing them a damp cloth would result in the bare metal brown of death appearing in more places than one.
Even so, the car did continue to sell, and achieve the goal of being basic, simple motoring for the masses despite all its faults, and remained in production for 9 years until it was replaced by a facelifted version known as the Ital in 1980. Although the Ital also sold well for its 4 year production life, the legacy of its forebears was still enough to tarnish its reputation, mixed with a less than stellar body design.
Today both Marina's and Ital's are near impossible to come by. Of the 809,000 Marina's built, only 670 remain on the roads, whilst of the 175,000 Ital's sold, only 174 continue to exist.
This is not helped by the running gag on the BBC car show Top Gear, where whenever a Marina appears on the show it is destroyed by a randomly falling piano dropped by the helicopter piano haulage company 'Careless Airways'.
But either way, despite all its criticism, I personally don't think the Marina is as bad a car as the world gives it credit for. Sure it's basic, not well equipped, slow, unreliable and prone to rusting, but as a small family car that ambles about the countryside, it's not as bad as some obscure Eastern Block models, and even today holds a place in the hearts of many as either a happy-go-lucky little runabout, or a cautionary tale of how not to build a car.
Good to see that some parts had been of use to somebody. There was a local 280C owner who I saw here once, I believe he had bits off it.
The degree of rust was somewhat ironic given that it had been rustproofed when new.
I think the red Dolomite that was in the north-east corner of the yard is visible in the background. Moskvich or Wartburg on the right?
in 1983, Fiat handed production and manufacturing of the 2000 Spider over to Pininfarina, who upgraded various trim pieces and improved rustproofing. Under the Pininfarina branding, and with the help of a Malcolm Bricklin import and marketing operation, it continued being sold in North America after Fiat's departure. Production stopped in 1985. A similar process was also put in place for Bertone's X1/9. I previously saw this car back in 2015.
We had beautiful summer weather this week, while a cyclone to the north whipped up some rough surf. All the local rustproof wave warriors were out on their boards catching the waves, and I was there with my zoom lens to capture the action. After many hours I came away with hundreds of exciting shots, these I've culled to 6 because I know nobody ever looks beyond 5 shots.
Europe, Netherlands, Rotterdam, KunstHal, Red Wealth. Soviet Design 1950-1980 expo, Volga GAZ M21, Film poster (uncut)
Red Wealth is developed by The KunstHal and the Moscow Design Museum and it offers a fascinating overview of Soviet Design by showing 350 well presented artifacts and telling the story of the inner workings of the centralized Soviet design machinery.
It's the story of a brand of largely modernist design that branched out from the common root of international avant garde/ modernism and found its more or less independent political way. Due to the common roots, international contacts and international consumerism there are strong parallels with non-soviet modernist design. But also differences because the design being politically inspired and the problems with the planning and logistic of the Soviet industrial system. Oh, there were no early traces of post-modernist design to be discerned. But that might have a a choice of the curators ;-)
More About the expo:
The exhibition " 'Red Wealth. Soviet Design 1950-1980' illustrates the history of Soviet design in a fascinating overview. Consumer culture was a stranger to communism until the 1950s. This started changing in 1959 when an exhibition in Moscow presented the 'American Way of Living'*.
As an abundance of goods arrived from the capitalist market, the memorable Kitchen Debate was taking place between Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and President Richard Nixon, and the arms race was augmented on the spot with competition in terms of wealth. Over 360 objects highlight the best examples of Soviet design, from charming retro products and graphic designs to prototypes that represent a systematic, functional and social approach to design.
The modernisation of industrial production processes played a central role in post-war Russia. A former gunpowder plant became market leader in making the world famous Nevalyashka roly-poly dolls, chemical laboratories made democratic perfume - available to all women - and vacuum cleaner design reflected the technological tours de force of space travel. Initially, western design was copied in objects such as French radios and Italian scooters, but from 1964 onwards, an unmistakeable Russian design vocabulary emerged including words like robust, sustainable and constructivist-inspired. A richly diverse range of products related to the automobile industry, youth, sport, space travel, domestic design, fashion and music provides insight into the everyday lives of people in an era when material wealth was still in its infancy." Source: KunstHal
Shown here is the Volga GAZ-m21
"The GAZ M21 Volga, the first car to carry the Volga name, was developed in the early 1950s. Volgas were built with high ground clearance (what gives it a specific "high" look, contrary to "low-long-sleek" look of Western cars of similar design), rugged suspension, strong and forgiving engine, and rustproofing on a scale unheard of in the 1950s. The Volga was stylistically in line with the major United States manufacturers of the period, and incorporated such then-luxury features as the reclining front seat, cigarette lighter, heater, windshield washer and 3-wave radio (Wiki) and a film poster: 'Mind the car', designed by Anatoly Evseev and Pavel Zolorarevkiy.
#42 of the KunstHal album
Thank you for chosen one of my photos"Dark Mood" for monthly showcase in group "This is a Perfect Shot", in june 2011
1969 Morris Mini Mk.II Cooper S 1275.
Tax expired on 15th April 2024.
Anglia Car Auctions, King's Lynn -
"Chassis number: KA2S61289178A. 1,275cc. Built on the 14th April 1969 and despatched from the factory on 5th May to King and Harper Ltd in Cambridge. Finished in its original colour scheme of Island blue with Snowberry white roof and a full length sunroof was fitted as a dealer option to the first owner. The original owner retained the car until 1983 when it was passed to the second owner. This gentleman was meticulous in his care for the car. There are bills for regular rustproofing amongst the paperwork. A new engine with a stage 1 head was fitted in the early 90s. It was then passed to the owner's son in 2006, who kept it until now. It was a heart wrenching decision for him to part with it, but he did not find the time to use it and it spent its life safely in the garage. The vendor advises that the engine pulls well and maintains correct temperature and oil pressure. It benefits from rear seat belts having been fitted. This is a rare opportunity to purchase a very low ownership example.
"The history file contains MoT's dating back to 1983, British motor heritage certificate and invoices for its upkeep over the years. The mileage is recorded at 11,101."
Estimate: £24,000 - £28,000. Unsold.
Duple's Dominant bodywork which appeared at the tail end of 1972 was something of a step change from the Commander and Viceroy range it replaced. There are those who claim it was inspired in no small way by Plaxton's ground breaking Panorama Elite, but whatever your viewpoint, it was a seriously good looking coach for the era. Engineered from the off to take account of the then government's 'New bus grant' if required, it was set to be a winner, but a winner beset by corrosion problems it would turn out. That said, the Dominant II which replaced it, and about which much was made of Zeibart rustproofing, seemed to rot more quickly than the Mk 1 in practice!
Above then is Stonier's (of Goldenhill, Stoke on Trent) 'Grant coach' Leyland Leopard LBF 248P, bought at a cost of £26,000 in 1976 and to which the government paid half. The arrangement was based on a promise to use it for at least half its mileage in the first five years on 'Stage Carriage' service ... or 'Local bus' as we know it today.
The picture was taken circa 1980 at Clough Hall Comprehensive School, Kidsgrove as the coach was working a swimming baths contract.
An amazing 179,000 miles from new, which given the rustproofing of British cars at the time is quite exceptional! Very good condition as well.
Africar Pick Up Truck (1978) Engine 1300cc S4 Citreon
Production 3
Registration Number XOG 836 T
AFRICAR ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/albums/72157717231864852
The Africar was a project instigated by British engineering graduate and wildlife photographer Terry Howarth, with a view to developing and marketing a cheap, efficient, easily repairable vehicle that could cope with the rutted roads and rough terrain of the African Continent. Another design target was that the vehicle would be constructed over a long period without major component changes and the lifespan of each vehicle should be at least 30 years.
To get the project of the ground it was decided to that the chosen short term engines for the prototypes would be transverse front wheel drive Citroen units, though long term the idea was that the company design and build it own engine. The bodies of epoxy coated wood, to be sourced from managed sources, long term bodies could be made of a variety of materialssuch as sheet metal, stainless steel or fibre glass but resin impregnated plywood would also be usable. Two wheel drive was chosen to avoid the vehicle becoming complicated for novice drivers or mechanics to maintain, front wheel drive was preferable as the vehicle would be more able to pull itself out of trouble, it was to be built around an extruded frame made using a CNC tube bender. The suspension, engine and transmission would then be attached to that tube frame. Howarth’s material of choice was stainless steel so that the vehicle would be truly “rust free”. That stainless steel would be sand-blasted so it did not need painting or powder coating. And the vehicle would need a high ground clearance so the lower components were fitted the lower the centre of gravity would assist stability. Funds were always on a shoe string and progress was slow, so the project was developed beyond the glare of publicity. Until in Chganel 4 got wind of it, Howarth was approached by the TV company with a view to making a boys own type documentary, at first he was relucant but figuring that the publicity should generate investment, speeding up progress, he agreed. Chanel 4s idea was to focus on taking a convoy of Africars from inside the Artic Circle to the Equator in Africa.
Three Africars were built for the journey, a six wheel and four wheel station wagon and pick up. Africar Car For Africa
The Incredible Story Of The Africar – The Wooden-Bodied Car For Africa
Reading time: about 12 minutes.
BritishCarsClassic 4x4
The story of the Africar is worthy of a Hollywood film, it involves millions of dollars, a Cambridge-educated engineering genius, a film crew, a global adventure, a wildly unusual automobile, and ultimately, a controversial prison sentence.
Tony Howarth, and A Dream of a Car for Africa
The Africar was the vision of Englishman Tony Howarth. Howarth’s vision was for an inexpensive yet adaptable vehicle, able to negotiate the tracks that form most of Africa’s road networks, able to be fixed and maintained by people with only moderate skills and training, easy to drive, and that would last at least thirty years or more. In short, the Africar was to be exactly what the established automotive industry would not be likely to create.
There are a few easily understandable strategies that the automotive industry use to keep their factories profitable and key among these is the idea of planned obsolescence. A modern motor car is made with an intentionally short life expectancy. In order to ensure that a vehicle will not last for thirty years or more vehicles are made from materials that will rot or rust: Australians used to joke that the Australian Holden was “the only car in the world that came rust free, they gave you the rust for nothing”.
Despite the fact that rustproofing of Holdens and various other brands is nowadays vastly better than it was yet the cars are fitted with electronics that ensure they are not owner fixable and therefore by definition totally unsuited to third world countries, especially the wild places of the African continent where if something fails you can’t just call up a mobile mechanic to come and fix it.
Another strategy to ensure planned obsolescence is providing a plethora of models and constantly “updating” those models, thus ensuring that finding spare parts for a car will become increasingly difficult and then impossible because it has become “obsolete”. None of us need lots of different models to choose from, and neither the people in Africa, nor anywhere else in the world want to invest money in a vehicle only to have it become obsolete or unusable before we’ve managed to pay out the loan we took out to buy it.
Cars don’t have to be made so they have a short life expectancy and one of the good examples of this are the Toyota Crown Comfort taxis used in Hong Kong and Japan. I lived in Hong Kong for over twenty years and when I first went there they were mostly using Toyota Crown Comfort cars for taxis, many of them old looking when I got there. Two decades later the most common Hong Kong taxi was still the Toyota Crown Comfort, some of them new, many of them the old cars with their tell-tale tropical roof looking like they still had another twenty years of service left in them. So the world’s auto makers can make cars that will last if they choose to.
Tony Howarth understood what was needed for a vehicle that would be uncomplicated, easy to build, easy to fix, and perfectly suited to the rough tracks that are the roads of much of the third world.
This was in part because he had taken an engineering degree at Cambridge University, having before that been engaged in such activities as building his own fuel injection system for his motorcycle back when he’d been a sweet young lad of ten. But the more important thing that equipped him to truly understand what was needed in a car for Africa was his passion for filmmaking and photography: something that had taken him driving through and sometimes living in 130 countries, traveling on all sorts of roads and tracks, and in all weather conditions.
The Africar Concept
Tony Howarth had great respect for Henry Ford and his Model T. It had been designed and built for an America which back at that time had a road system much like that found in Africa in modern times. The roads were dirt tracks which got washed out and rutted when it rained, and the Model T was created to negotiate them. Not only that but the Model T was made to be easy to drive for someone who’d never driven a car before, it was owner fixable, and they were built to last for decades, as evidenced by the sheer number that still survive and have been restored into running order.
africar
In a sense Tony Howarth had something like the Model T in mind when he put together the concept that was to become the Africar. It was to be two wheel drive to avoid the expense and complication of four wheel drive (although four wheel drive versions were also planned), it was to be built around an extruded frame made using a CNC tube bender. The suspension, engine and transmission would then be attached to that tube frame. Howarth’s material of choice was stainless steel so that the vehicle would be truly “rust free”. That stainless steel would be sand-blasted so it did not need painting or powder coating.
The body panels for the Africar could be made from a variety of materials and it is most likely that sheet aluminium, stainless steel or some sort of plastic would have been chosen, but resin impregnated plywood would also be usable.
The Channel 4 Documentary
Tony Howarth had long been passionate about filmmaking, with photography secondary to that. He had attempted to break into film, to no avail, but he got the opportunity to go to Africa with a group of students and when he returned Life magazine featured six pages of his photographs. However, once he’d gotten started on the Africar project he was not initially willing when Channel 4 expressed an interest in his Africar with a view to including it in a series to be called “The Car Designers”. For the Channel 4 film they were interested in the lightweight angle of doing something about a guy who was “messing about building a funny car”.
Despite understanding that the Channel 4 film would provide a great vehicle for publicizing the Africar and thereby potentially attracting significant investment Tony remained reluctant to do the film.
Although he had the concept for the Africar pretty well established in his mind at that point it still had a long way to go. The tipping point was an article written by a journalist friend about the Africar and published in the “African Business”. Prior to that the Africar had been kept quite secret, but with the idea out in the open Tony decided he would agree to do the film and see what interest it might garner.
The Channel 4 film needed an interesting plot and what could be better than a “Boys Own Adventure” driving a convoy of Africars from the Arctic Circle down to the Equator in Africa. It was something like a “Top Gear” adventure but with different personalities.
Channel 4 would not provide a crew support vehicle so Tony Howarth finished up building no less than three Africars for the journey. These comprised a six wheel and a four wheel station wagon, and a pick-up. Also along for the journey was a Series III Land Rover which would spend much of the journey being pulled out of difficult situations by one of the Africars.
Africar
The Africar vehicles made for the Channel 4 film expedition were not made using the methods Tony Howarth intended for production vehicles. Instead they were made using Tony’s expertise in boat building, both chassis and body being made of resin impregnated marine plywood. This led to people thinking that the Africar was to be a wooden car, which it was not. The cars faired well, indeed better than the film companies support Land Rover, and the publicity generated was overwhelmingly positive.
At this point Tony Howarth took the project to the next level, he founded a company, Africar International based in Lancaster. A public event was staged with the wooden engine less prototype on display with doors glued shut, freshly painted orange and roped off. The investment generated was not to progress things to production. Instead Howarth chose to use the investment money to developent of the engine, figuring that as worthy as the Citroen engine had proved Africar could not rely on it remaining in production ad infinitum. Investors grew restless and began demanding their vehicles, Howarth tried to raise £ 8 million but his accountants would not santion a public limited company. It was suggested customers paid the full balance to speed up deliveries but the Police intervened and by July 1988 assests and documents were ceased and the factory premises returned to the owners. Terry Howarth was trying to raise funds in the US at the time, he finally returned to face charges of fraud in 1994, and although he signed a confession he insists that he was pressured to do so. He was sentenced to fifteen months prison, leaving Africar dead in the water.
Thankyou for a massive 56,589,897 views
Shot 13.06.2016 at the Lakeland Motor Museum, Backbarrow, Cumbria REF 122-067
Despite the mould, this was a solid looking example, with no rust visible. Perhaps Ford gave the Granada Scorpio better rustproofing than other Ford's in the range at the time. Considering that this hasn't been on the road for around five years the tyres look well inflated. Maybe the owner pumps up the tyres so they can drive the car up and down the driveway to keeping the engine in good order? These are popular with banger racers. Luckily this one has kept away from the oval. Let's hope it doesn't end up there in the future! The mileage on this was entered incorrectly at the last MOT, showing 8,224 Miles. I presume the tester missed out on a zero, with 80K being a more plausible mileage.
Mileage in between MOTs - 1,584 Miles
Mileage at last MOT - 80,224 Miles
Last Ownership Change - 27th April 2010
L56 TLV
✓ SORN
✗ No MOT
Expired: 12 October 2012
We had beautiful summer weather this week, while a cyclone to the north whipped up some rough surf. All the local rustproof wave warriors were out on their boards catching the waves, and I was there with my zoom lens to capture the action. After many hours I came away with hundreds of exciting shots, this is one of them.
A fantastic original example of a 1976-1979 Mk4 Cortina, which is now the rarest Cortina generation, due to a shorter production run, popularity with banger racers, and poor rustproofing.
You couldn't get anymore 70s than beige with a brown vinyl roof!
The vehicle details for GLU 566T are:
Date of Liability 01 03 2014
Date of First Registration 13 07 1979
Year of Manufacture 1979
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1593cc
CO₂ Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type PETROL
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Licence Not Due
Vehicle Colour BEIGE
A very rare 1957 Ford Consul Estate car is parked at a rather acute ange at a river bank, it was in use as fisherman's transport. The car is not on the DVLA information system and it is no surprise given the amount of filler and grey rustproof paint that is showing. Photo 1972
Copyright Geoff Dowling; all rights reserved
It is I, A Fire hydrants, always on standby, at high pressure. The moment duty calls, yours truly - ready at an instant.
Yet I am rusty and rundown - why no love for this humble utility? Perhaps a bit of rustproof paint?
--- Silent Wailing of a Fire Hydrant ---
2025, Jamaica Estates, New York.
Another car which has disappeared (although I've seen a surprising amount this year) is these 400 series Volvos, apparently the rustproofing on the earlier cars could be a bit hit and miss, and the electrical issues could be rather common. Notable for being the first front wheel drive Volvo however, so a bit of an iconic car for the brand. I bet a well sorted example would be a good buy these days.
After some restoration.
THIS PHOTO LOOKS BEST WHEN VIEWED 1024x768 + , you can open the following link in a new tab! =)
www.flickr.com/photos/39311243@N05/17536295036/sizes/l/
The 1970 coupe is among the rarest of 1970s Lincolns.
In august 2014, after 6 months of searching, I found this car and bought it - a seldom used California car with only 46,000 miles.
Then I had it shipped eastward 2,600 miles on a transporter truck (back when this was still affordable!), and drove it home.
I started seeking coupes after it became obvious to me that they had much sleeker proportions than my sedan (See comparison:
www.flickr.com/photos/39311243@N05/15163395594)
Despite being largely unadorned, 1970-71 Lincolns are among the most powerful. The early unsmogged and high compression versions of the Ford 385 series 460ci engine have lots of rubber-burning power, even with few modifications.
From then on, as early as 1971, new emission systems started appearing, and by 1975 power drains were everywhere on the drivetrain. This seems to be matched by the styling revisions, which in my opinion made the cars look progressively more civilized over the 1970s.
After getting my own specimen home, I repaired the multiple perforations on the roof (the car had been SITTING a lot), changed the exterior color to white by repainting the entire car myself, lowered the suspension by 2 inches, changed and fixed the ignition, got some deluxe wheel covers & 4 new tires, did some serious rustproofing, and swapped several better parts with the black sedan, namely: the front bumper, front grille, both fenders, headlights + doors + mechanism, external mirror, hood + hinges, header panel, 10-tone electric horn, Edelbrock carburetor, starter cable, oil cap, 4 steel wheels, 4 Eaton short coil springs, and the entire custom-built dual 2.5" exhaust (with some help).
Today, everything works!
6-way electric seat, vacuum-actuated door locks, all four electric windows, electric trunk release, HVAC, all inner and outer lights, vacuum headlight mechanism, wipers&pump, electric antenna, EVEN THE CLOCK WORKS!!
Highlights:
-Very comfortable
-Powerful 7.5L V8, lots of torque
-Inside feels very spacious and luxurious
-No 'old car smell' whatsoever: feels &drives like a 2 year-old car!
-Beautiful lines, amazing head turner
-Perfect tan leather interior:
www.flickr.com/photos/39311243@N05/15934249415
-Perfect glass
-Nearly perfect chrome
-Perfect headliner
-Solid floors all over, rust-free body
-No cracks either on dash or steering wheel
-10-tone custom electric horn
Here's a list of what I've done in the last 9 months:
(C) = coupe, (S) = sedan
(C) Unblocked passenger's window
(C) Cleaned out tree needles inside 'A' pillar, doors & RQ
(C) Installed NOS tail light lenses
(C) Bought a replacement fender skirt
(C) Swapped Original Ford 15x6 wheels for Chrysler 15x7s
(C) Removed all inner panels
(C) Removed roof trim
(C) Removed roof moldings
(C) Removed front window moldings
(C) Removed old and destroyed roof vinyl
(C) Removed rust and glue on the entire roof
(C) Removed both fenders
(C) Repainted fenders
(S) Primed several body parts (2 coats)
(S) Purchased a grinder
(S) Painted fenders (2)
(C) Built sheet metal patches for roof
(C) Waterproofed rear window
(C) Laid body filler over sheet metal where needed
(C) Sanded down sheetmetal for a perfect finish
(C) Removed rear window moldings
(C) Prepared roof for paint
(C) Painted roof (6 coats)
(C) Sanitized metal joint in cowl
(C) Prepared cowl for paint
(C) Painted cowl area
(C) Painted cowl and lower 'A' pillars
(S) Removed both fenders
(S) Reassembled headlights & mechanism
(S) Reinstalled fenders (10 hours!)
(S) Reinstalled header panel
(C) Patched transmissions's oil lines to radiator
(C) Painted headlight covers
(C) Painted entire front area's metal frame
(C) Rustproofed trunk area
(C) Rustproofed under quarter area window
(C) Made new silicone joint in cowl
(C) Greased up(rust proof) cowl
(C) Repaired rear view mirror's bracket
(S) Uninstalled 10-tone horn
(C) Reinstalled rear window molding
(C) Prepareed hood for paint
(S) Primed hood (2 coats)
(C) Reinstalled all fender moldings after paint
(C) Aligned fenders (argh, time consuming)
(C) Realigned front bumper
(C) Reinstalled front window molding
(C) Prepared fenders for paint
(C) Painted fenders (6 coats)
(C) Painted header panel
(C) Reinstalled fenders
(C) Reinstalled headlights + mechanism
(C) Reinstalled header panel
(C) Reinstalled 10-tone horn
(C) Reinstalled hood hinges
(C) Repaired seat electrical connection
(C) Raised front seat
(C) Painted hood
(C) Repaired a major ignition problem
(C) Repaired passenger's window motor
(C) Reinstalled fenders (9 hours!)
(C) Swapped starter cables
(C) Repaired horn's main cable
(C) Reinstalled hood
(C) Aligned hood
(C) Bought a new horn switch
(C) Swapped steering wheel centers
(S) Painted steering wheel center
(C) Installed dual exhaust
(S) Installed single exhaust
(C) Swapped both carbs
(S) Checked exhaust for leak
(S) Repaired choke tube
(C) Arranged air filter bowl's small filter
(C) Arranged kickdown rod's retaining clip
(S) Painted hood
(S) Reinstalled hood
(C) Swapped driver's external mirrors
(C) Swapped inner rear view mirrors
(C) Bought sandpaper discs for wet sanding
(C) Bought wet sanding pad
(C) Removed trailer package's electrical wires
(C) Removed trailer's electrical connector
(C) Repaired minor problem in tail light's wiring
(C) Removed glove box
(C) Removed electronic spark control's vacuum tubes
(C) Removed passenger door
(C) Taken passenger door to basement
(C) Prepared areas for primer paint
(C) Set passenger's door on table, masked surfaces for paint
(C) Primed passenger's door frames (2 coats)
(C) Bought paint & brushes
(C) Primed passenger's door edges
(C) Painted passenger's door
(C) Painted passenger's door hinges
(C) Painted driver's door hinges
(C) Removed electronic spark control's thermal switch
(C) Reinstalled glove box
(C) Repaired passenger's door frame
(C) Repaired driver's door frame
(C) Painted driver's door frame
(C) Removed door moldings
(C) Painted driver's door
(C) Painted entire trunk area
(S) Removed seat cover
(C) Removed all molding holes on panels
(C) Removed trunk lid
(C) Taken trunk lid downstairs
(C) Painted skirt edges
(C) Prepared rear quarter area for paint
(C) Repaired trunk lid
(C) Painted rear quarters (6 coats)
(C) Painted trunk's opening edge
(C) Painted driver's skirt (5 coats)
(C) Painted passenger's skirt
(C) Painted gas door
(C) Painted trunk lid (6 coats)
(S) Removed 4 short coil springs
(S) ReInstalled original coil springs
(C) Removed all 4 original coil springs
(C) ReInstalled short coil springs
(C) Waterproofed trunk lid
(C) Painted trunk hinges
(C) Repaired fuel trap drainage hose clamp
(C) Repaired transmission cooler robber hose
(C) Reinstalled trunk
(C) Painted passenger's wheel skirt
(C) Painted driver's wheel skirt
(C) Reinstalled trunk lid
(C) Reinstalled gas door
(C) Reinstalled trunk's weatherstripping
(C) Reinstalled chrome moldings
(C) Reinstalled roof moldings
(C) Reinstalled passenger's wheel skirt
(C) Reinstalled driver's wheel skirt
(C) Repaired and strenghten armrests
(C) Repaired broken wheel cover
(C) Painted red ring on wheel covers
(S) Installed stock Ford wheels
(S) Installed stock Lincoln wheel covers
(S) *SOLD THE SEDAN*
___ From here on, all for coupe:
Cleaned up tail light lenses
Reinstalled passenger's foot vent opening
Rustproofed inside both doors
Reinstalled all interior panels
Reinstalled door panels and armrests
Had the car appraised for insurance
Insured the car
Bought a set of new tires
Replaced rear quarter window weatherstripping
Changed the motor oil
Reorganized trunk
Installed a transmission oil auxiliary cooler
Installed rear suspension bushing
Tightened rubber transmission oil hose
Installed Pertronix ignition
Changed 8 spark plugs
Thoroughly cleansed distributor cap
Removed california license plate
Added ATF oil
Reinstalled front grille
Made 12V connection for Pertronix ignition
Designed and built custom anti-theft system
Removed brake controller items
Bled brakes
Repaired trans. aux cooler's oil leak
Checked coolant's PH - all good
Obtained a temporary permit
Went for a first DMV inspection
Installed 4 new tires
Tightened alternator belt
Reinstalled custom seat cover
Repaired a stuck parking brake lever problem
Changed front shock absorbers
Installed 3 new brake hoses
Obtained a second temporary permit
Repassed DMV inspection successfully
Got valid license plates at the DMV
Installed license plate
Moved trans. aux cooler higher up
Repaired small vacuum leak
Wet sanded the entire car
Waxed the entire car
Thoroughly scraped and washed all windows
Reinstalled continental script
Painted some black areas under car
Bought a fire extinguisher
Installed new carpets
Checked differential fluid level
Bought brass fittings for trans. oil conduits
Went back from 15x7 wheels to original Ford 15x6s
Rustproofed the car's underside everywhere
Washed & polished new tires
Bought&installed battery disconnect switch
Waterproofed trunk lock w/silicone joint
Greased up passenger's window railings
Fixed PCV hose issue
Straightened slightly crooked door
Straightened slightly crooked lower fender
Straightened slightly crooked bumper
Fixed broken quarter window motor gear
Reconditioned some factory decals
Installed a pinstripe
Fixed a minor ding on the front bumper
Unbent the frame of a front turn signal
Finished connecting the auxiliary trans. oil cooler
Gave the car a very decent compound shine
Gave the car a decent polishing job
Repaired the rear window's shelf
Added relays to both passenger's side windows
Replaced all 6 control arm bushings
Replaced idler arm + 2 outer tie rod ends
= )
All photos taken with:
Panasonic Lumix ZS3 (aka TZ7)
My other favorite cars (most look GREAT in white) include:
1969 & 1971 Chrysler Imperial coupe;
1972 Cadillac DeVille coupe;
1969 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight (98) coupe;
1967 Buick Wildcat coupe (dark red);
1969 Chrysler 300 coupe;
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keywords:
1970 Lincoln Continental
The Crittall ManufacturingComapny Limited, of Braintree in Esses, are probably best known for the now almost generic terms for steel windows that prevails as in "Crittall Windows". It is fair to recall that many other manufacturers fabricated such glazing units (such as Hope's with whom they were to merge in 1965 to form Crittall Hope.) Crittall's also made a wide range of fabricated metalwork, such as metal staircases, having been founded in 1887 in Braintree. They were early manufacturers of steel window frames but it was to be in the late '20s and 1930s in particular that the production of such really soared thanks to their use in the modern architecture of the period. They can certainly be seen in the company's own housing estate at Silver End in Essex.
The catalogue dates from 1956 and is, for Crittall, oddly dated in appearance as they had a long standing reputation for the design of their publicity. It is however very 1950s in feel. It is promoting their "standard" windows - the production of standard dimension glazing units was important across the whole industry so as to ensure that builders were not tied to one product or specification. Rustproof depended on the quality of the zinc galvanising - and then upon the painting of them! I know of many units that had been overpainted so much they wouldn't close and some steel windows were devils for warping, let alone on single glazed units the issue of cold and condensation.