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Post by greybeard on Aug 13, 2015 20:46:42 GMT
Absolutely Mike. It is extremely saddening to see the Longbridge works today......or should I say FORMER Longbridge works, as they don't exist any more. Just an enormous housing estate. I remember visiting the works to see the Mini (original type) being built - by hand! This was back in 1989. It was probably the largest factory complex in the UK at the time.
The problem with the Rover Group (as it became) was that it was sold to 'Investors' who didn't invest - they just plundered - and didn't pump money into developing new vehicles that could take on the competition. It was no wonder it failed - who was going to buy the staid products they were putting out (Rover 75 anyone?) when there was SO much better available?
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shaft
New Member
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Post by shaft on Aug 13, 2015 21:06:27 GMT
Yes exactly. I think it was only featured from one year around '74. By all accounts, not a popular feature. I wonder what it was like driving one?Absolutely, utterly, completely, undeniably bloody AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! My first mother in law had one and I used to drive it every Sunday to take her to see her elderly father (she had the car but couldn't drive (?)). Absolute purgatory!!! She saw my anguish so she sold it and bought................................................................A PRINCESS!!! AUTOMATIC EVEN!!!!!! As you can imagine, she didn't consult me first.................. I divorced the daughter pretty soon after..............it was the only way I could get away from these awful cars!!!!!!! Didn't stop BL/AR persevering though, the original Rover SD1 also had a square wheel (although the corners weren't quite so sharp) while the facelifted version had a rectangular wheel.
I started my sales career at a BL dealer, so I had quite a few All-Aggros pass though my hands; I always thought they were OK to drive (even with the quartic wheel) but the build quality was atrocious, the stories of bits falling off were legion.
The Princess was a different thing altogether, like wafting along in your favourite armchair, especially with 2.2 6 pot engine, auto box and PAS, lovely cars, unlike it's replacement, the Ambassador, which was an absolute POS!
I've been tempted to try and find a decent 2200HLS, but body and trim parts are basically non existant, so it would be a hell of task keeping it going, if you actually used it.
Back to steering wheels and it's always amused me that at exactly the time when everyone was laughing at the Allegro and it's 'funny shaped' wheel, everyone overlooks one of the UK's best selling cars of the period, the Cortina MKIII and it's pronounced oval wheel (like the first version of the Prius, another fairly good seller).
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Post by tinytots on Aug 13, 2015 22:35:45 GMT
whats the make, model and year?  My Granddad and Granny had one of these in the 70's when I was a child, they used to take me to Portrush in it and I would sleep in the back on the way home after a day on the beach, awesome! Really nice to see one again, cheers mate. |
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Post by tinytots on Aug 13, 2015 22:38:48 GMT
Got to add one of these in. Anyone know what this is?  That's sweet!! |
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Post by tinytots on Aug 13, 2015 22:42:29 GMT
who remembers the quarterlight window?, was it a good idea or bad.  I remember these, they were great, but cars were easy to nick with them. |
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Post by tinytots on Aug 13, 2015 22:45:22 GMT
just found this photo on facebook, its in birmingham, pershore road, 1968. anybody remember this shop.  My friends selling one of these, I think it's a van with glass windows, did they make that type? I must go up again and check. |
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Post by tinytots on Aug 13, 2015 22:49:59 GMT
My mate had the MG Turbo metro in the late 80's/90's, and it went really well, quite quick for what it was.
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stevegbr
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Post by stevegbr on Sept 9, 2015 9:51:03 GMT
if only they were this price today.  |
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stevegbr
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Post by stevegbr on Oct 6, 2015 11:02:15 GMT
here is something you dont see everyday a Rover P5B Caravette - Cool or not cool? one for carl or loz i think. sSig_heeheehee_zpsaee81035  |
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Post by grahamb on Oct 6, 2015 11:14:13 GMT
here is something you dont see everyday a Rover P5B Caravette - Cool or not cool? one for carl or loz i think. sSig_heeheehee_zpsaee81035 Ah. The three door version ,very rare.  |
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