Have You Seen Any Interesting Cars On The Road Lately?

[BTB 500]

Apparently, it's down to the engine, gearbox, and back axle. For example, many replicas use Rover V8s and a Jaguar back end. This one had the pukka Ford 427 and rear suspension as per the original. Which is why Superformance cars are built under licence from Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc. And, yes, it's a fibreglass body.

At any rate, you should buy one at £100k and save yourself £900k over an original!

I had a long chat with the owner - an old boy c60 or so, and I've no reason to doubt him.

An acquaintance of mine is a (largely retired now) stunt man, and is on his 4th AC Cobra.

First was a MK2 factory demonstrator, owned from 1970 until 1981



Second was a race spec. car with a works Holman-Moody 7 litre V8. He was apparently made an offer he couldn't refuse for this, so didn't have it very long!



The one I remember is this MK4 lightweight which he had from 1984 to 2009. He used to remove the passenger seat to take his two Bearded Collies to agility shows in it



His current one is a new MK6 with a Chevvy LS3 (480 bhp, IIRC) that he got in 2021. These are built to order by the current incarnation of AC Cars ... the body/chassis is made in South Africa then shipped to AC in the UK (Norfolk then, Donington Park now) for final assembly and fitting out:

Discover the New AC Cars Models

AC Cars new models blend classic design with modern engineering. Experience enhanced performance and cutting-edge technology.

accars.eu

There is an MB link as he's had a succession of AMG estates as daily drivers - currently a C63S.

He's had all sorts of other exotica over the years ... far too many to remember / list!

 

[Spider10]

My 1st car was an opel

Manta: a properly rare car.

Manta GTE Beinetta LHD

 

[BTB 500]

Manta: a properly rare car.

Mathewsons ('Bangers & Cash' on TV) have a barn find 1 owner 46k mile GT/E in their April auction



I had the Vauxhall version (Cavalier 2-door coupe) with the standard 1.9 engine ... only the GT/E got fuel injection. Trivia fact - these cars had a built-in roll hoop behind the front seats. It was flat section rather than tubular and also upholstered, so it wasn't immediately obvious.

 

[Ted]

I had a gold gt/e fastback.
Looked fantastic but was pretty crap, truth be told.

 

[del320]

Kelso was where it was at today:

A friseur convention...

A Mini...

Drivers profile rather different from those of the SLKs - half of them 55s, one diesel, and a good third were women drivers. 14 cars in all.

Counted over seventy motorbikes in the square.

 

[oldguy57]

A bunch of mint C63s at a meeting near Preston yesterday, including a Black series (or a very good clone thereof) and a full fat Brabus B63 saloon in Hyacinth Red cw with Brabus motor. I was probably 40 years older than the next oldest owner there. (You get the picture.)

 

[Gollom]

A bunch of mint C63s at a meeting near Preston yesterday, including a Black series (or a very good clone thereof) and a full fat Brabus B63 saloon in Hyacinth Red cw with Brabus motor. I was probably 40 years older than the next oldest owner there. (You get the picture.)

Where was this please? Didn't see anything advertised - I could have been the other token Old Man!

 

[ALFAitalia]

Not seen one of these in years....an 89 Vauxhall Carlton!.....pity its a pauper "L" spec.....no electric anything, cloth trim, plastic wheel trims.....and the rare 2.3 L diesel with a mighty 99 horsepower and a zero to sixty in just under 15 seconds!. This "lovely" example was in the original colour but much improved by having an extra coat of paint applied by a mixture of rattle cans and a brush! If he was going for the, currently fashionable, matt finish look (which I hate)....then its been a great success as he did not bother with the top clear coat!!! Sounded OK though....and amazingly its taxed and MOTed!

 

[Gollom]

Not seen one of these in years....an 89 Vauxhall Carlton!.....pity its a pauper "L" spec.....no electric anything, cloth trim, plastic wheel trims.....and the rare 2.3 L diesel with a mighty 99 horsepower and a zero to sixty in just under 15 seconds!. This "lovely" example was in the original colour but much improved by having an extra coat of paint applied by a mixture of rattle cans and a brush! If he was going for the, currently fashionable, matt finish look (which I hate)....then its been a great success as he did not bother with the top clear coat!!! Sounded OK though....and amazingly its taxed and MOTed!
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I had a few of these when I was sales repping - didn't want the same as the rest of the team (BMW 318i) Lusted after a Carlton GSi3000 24v, but never reached those dizzying heights!

 

[Darrell]

Not seen one of these in years....an 89 Vauxhall Carlton!.....pity its a pauper "L" spec.....no electric anything, cloth trim, plastic wheel trims.....and the rare 2.3 L diesel with a mighty 99 horsepower and a zero to sixty in just under 15 seconds!. This "lovely" example was in the original colour but much improved by having an extra coat of paint applied by a mixture of rattle cans and a brush! If he was going for the, currently fashionable, matt finish look (which I hate)....then its been a great success as he did not bother with the top clear coat!!! Sounded OK though....and amazingly its taxed and MOTed!
View attachment 139299

My dad has a few of them including a
CDi in grey which was brand new on an F plate followed by a GSI 3000 and a couple of CDX.

 

[ALFAitalia]

I'd quite like this version......!.....but a good one is £85,000 to £90,000 now!!!

 

[oldguy57]

Where was this please? Didn't see anything advertised - I could have been the other token Old Man!

It was on Craven Drive Momentum Business Park in Bamber Bridge, organised by the detailing shop on that site. Popular regular meeting but attended mostly by the pop and bang brigade. If you're interested in car events the WheelsUpNorth organizers should be restarting the Longridge event soon. Masses of space, attracting hundreds of all sorts of cars, food stalls etc £6 per car to get in. Good event.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I had a few of these when I was sales repping - didn't want the same as the rest of the team (BMW 318i) Lusted after a Carlton GSi3000 24v, but never reached those dizzying heights!

The GSi 3000 was a wonderful car, but the Lotus Carlton was perfection for me at the time. Back in the day I used to have my cars serviced by Irmscher UK and they always had several Lotus Carlton’s in various states of brokenness in the workshop and storage yard.

I remember seeing a (then) brand new silver GSI 2000 (Cavalier) most days and thinking that it was a lovely looking thing, purposeful but subtle. I was an odd ball back then (as now), and at the time I would have taken the Cavalier Turbo 4x4 over the contemporary Ford Sierra Saphire Cosworth.

 

[Gollom]

It was on Craven Drive Momentum Business Park in Bamber Bridge, organised by the detailing shop on that site. Popular regular meeting but attended mostly by the pop and bang brigade. If you're interested in car events the WheelsUpNorth organizers should be restarting the Longridge event soon. Masses of space, attracting hundreds of all sorts of cars, food stalls etc £6 per car to get in. Good event.

Cheers. Have "liked" the Facebook page. Maybe see you at one some time

 

[Darrell]

On its way into Saracens car park.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Followed by and then followed a lovely Ferrari 488, it was this actual car:

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Followed by a lovely Aston Martin very similar to this one:

 

[Chrishazle]

Sun on Sunday brought them out - couldn't get photos as I was driving, but saw 3 Astons, a few Porsches and best of the lot a lovely Jaguar XK coupe, don't know if it was 120, 140 or 150 size, but sounded gorgeous as it passed me going the other way, I was in my SLK280 roof down so heard the burble! It was also classic car Sunday at the Deering Arms by Pluckley station (second Sunday each month), drove past and there was a selection of interesting looking all age cars, but having tried that meet a few times in the 968 cab they're a bit snooty so decided not to stop and look - although the Deering does do a good pint, plus has an excellent reputation for food and wine if your wallet is deep enough!

 

[BTB 500]

best of the lot a lovely Jaguar XK coupe, don't know if it was 120, 140 or 150 size, but sounded gorgeous as it passed me going the other way

Fabulous cars. My grandfather bought this XK150S drophead coupe in 1959 (note the registration!), which I used to ride in the back of as a kid in the '60s. I had a leather flying helmet & goggles as it was a touch breezy in there at motorway speeds

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Fabulous cars. My grandfather bought this XK150S drophead coupe in 1959 (note the registration!), which I used to ride in the back of as a kid in the '60s. I had a leather flying helmet & goggles as it was a touch breezy in there at motorway speeds

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View attachment 139332

Glorious ! Is it still in the family? (That looks like a recent photo)