British Leyland Day at Gaydon

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[Zed Chimp]

Thing is with BL or Rover we've probably all had one as back in the day there wasn't anything like the choice we have today.
Have to own up to a Triumph 2500 and a Rover SD1 Vanden Plas several decades ago

 

[Synclare]

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[Zed Chimp]

I too had a 3.5 EFI Rover SD1 Vanden Plas in the late 90's with cloth seats, Australian spec with aircon. Cheap tacky door panels and interior in general as I recall, dash top would bow. Pulled a large caravan well though.

Beige velour with brown piping as I recall

 

[Zed Chimp]

Brooklands Green is quite a bit brighter.
As it happens I went Gaydon again Sunday gone as it was Old Ford Day coupled with Rootes group owners. What a spectacle, I Iove a Sunbeam Rapier H120 Holbay fast back, there were some absolute minters. Cannot remember the last time I saw one.
Being a pillock I forgot my camera/phone. Avenger Tigers that were in such impeccable condition makes you wonder why spend so much restoring one, they were junk when new. Fab Alpines etc.
3 dozen Ford hotrods that again were so professionally built you had to see them to believe it. Pretty much every Ford model made was there including the one and only Sweeney Consul reg NHK. There were no stunt doubles just the one from Ford with belly pans etc fitted.
It had a chequered life after the series, owned by a copper who got much ribbing from his colleagues to a 'Meals on Wheels' lady who bought it for the big boot - can get lots of dinners in there. It got stolen but recovered but all the dinners had been nicked!! Current owner fully restored the car and again it was to an amazing standard. Photos of the guvnor (John Thaw) in the front pass seat and Dennis Waterman in the back. Some serious high calibre cars - got to love an old Ford.

Worth serious money too £££££££

 

[Zed Chimp]

Thing is with BL or Rover we've probably all had one as back in the day there wasn't anything like the choice we have today.
Have to own up to a Triumph 2500 and a Rover SD1 Vanden Plas several decades ago

Oh and 2 Jaguar XJs , not sure if they were classed as BL but still capable of rusting in front of your very eyes. Clearly they were environmentally friendly as they were biodegradable

 

[Duncodin]

Just watching the news on TV. Headline just scrolled across the bottom of the screen saying that

vehicle manufacturing in britain has fallen to pre 1953 levels.

Get your head round that. We brits can't even build foreign cars reliably.

Much of my software development has been related to efficiency in automotive assembly lines. Even today it's an uphill struggle to get the workers to accept efficiency. The unions get involved claiming that any control system is just being implemented to control or monitor workers. When in fact it's monitoring machine efficiency. But you end up with half a system just to get 'anything' working.

We're a joke and I'm Dun Codin

 

[Clive68]

My favourite cars at Gaydon were the Swallows & Swifts.

More photos of my 2023 visit here: https://clives.photos/cars/gaydon