They can afford the guy to drive 'em around at US$300 for a lost hubcap…(as if they ever come off…)
As I wrote in chapter 27 of the Saga of the the Toenail Ridge…
“(Which incidentally is why to this day the Americans call the rear load space of
their cars a trunk. The rest of the English-speaking world refer to this section as the boot,
which is derived from the English driver’s skill at planting the well aimed and well shod pedal
extremity to this portion of the vehicle when it refused to run. Not being inflicted with British
engineering practices, this was a skill that Americans did not have to learn.)”
What does it say about us, that so many of us who build model railroads out in the garden also have owned, or still own, and, which is worse, still drive British automobiles?
:lol: 
Standard joke, possibly true… “Q: Why do the Brits drink warm beer? A: Because Lucas makes their refrigerators.”
Steve Featherkile said:
What does it say about us, that so many of us who build model railroads out in the garden also have owned, or still own, and, which is worse, still drive British automobiles? :lol:
Some of us find British cars too simplistic and far too reliable so we chose Italian auto’s!
(http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj222/Noble_Dreg/1976fiat72spyder.jpg)
Quote: Standard joke, possibly true… “Q: Why do the Brits drink warm beer? A: Because Lucas makes their refrigerators.” Ahhhhh… but the room temp. beer is quite cool… They also have Lucas heat. Still driving and replacing Brit parts on the TR8
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sheepdog/tr8sheep.JPG)
sheepdog P.S. At least the TR8’s came with Buick V8s… but the twin Zeniths had to go!
Mark V said:Steve Featherkile said:
What does it say about us, that so many of us who build model railroads out in the garden also have owned, or still own, and, which is worse, still drive British automobiles?:lol:
Some of us find British cars too simplistic and far too reliable so we chose Italian auto’s!]
Had two of those, a 78 and a 79. Fun car. Could never figure out the three levers that were allegedly for heat/vent. They never seemed to do anything. Very easy to work on, though. Neat engine.
Ross Mansell said:
Most Rolls and Bentley owners would not know a screwdriver from a spanner.These cars usully have to be maintained by qualified registered Rolls or Bentley mechanics employed by the franchise that sells them (and not many of those around either like other cars available). IF a Roller or Bent broke down ANYWHERE in the UK it would be collected by Rolls and placed on a low loader and covered and moved to the factory at Crewe for repair I lived a couple of miles from the factory and “beered” with the workers… Rollers and Bentleys in the UK became to be known as scrap metal merchants cars (so many bought them second hand). I had a TRIUMPH 1500 saloon that ran for 14 years,no probs— followed by a ROVER 216S (actually a Honda in disguise…for 12 years )…no probs. Now have had 3 Toyota Yaris’s and they are the dogs whatsits for reliability…sad to say
Ross I agree modern Bentley owner probably couldn’t even find the hood release. I was referring to the real Bentley’s built in the 1920’s and 30’s and the rabid men who bought them, raced them and drove like mad men around the countryside hoping something would go wrong so they could demonstrate to their passengers what mechanical proclivity they possessed in being able to fix them with nothing more than a spanner and shoestring…oh, and that big tool box in the boot. 
The only problem with the new Mini I have heard about is that on some years the clutch/transmission tend to be hit/miss, some are great, some are not, its a real crap shoot. Otherwise they are great little cars, have a friend with one, no problems so far. I am glad BMW have FINALLY gotten it thru their thick Bavarian heads that the positively hideous Mini Sport Coupe looks like a Calvary trooper after it had been scalped by injun’s, and followed the lines of the Rover Evoke, (Which they should have done in the first place) resulting in this, the Paceman:
(http://image.automobilemag.com/f/40152808+w760+h474+cr1+ar0/Mini-Cooper-Paceman-side-in-motion.jpg)
Now thats a nice sporty improvement on the standard mini
I feel left out. All I ever owned was Jeeps. First a Cherekee then the Liberty and now a Wrangler. Wouldnt buy another vehicle other then a wrangler. You guys can keep the sport cars or whatever they are called Lol
Mark V said:
Steve Featherkile said:
What does it say about us, that so many of us who build model railroads out in the garden also have owned, or still own, and, which is worse, still drive British automobiles? :lol:Some of us find British cars too simplistic and far too reliable so we chose Italian auto’s!
(http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj222/Noble_Dreg/1976fiat72spyder.jpg)
[/url]
(http://trendfollowing.com/images/mm_stands_for_masochist_by_faiga-d308hoa.jpg)
Craig Sheline said:
Quote: Standard joke, possibly true… “Q: Why do the Brits drink warm beer? A: Because Lucas makes their refrigerators.” Ahhhhh… but the room temp. beer is quite cool… They also have Lucas heat. Still driving and replacing Brit parts on the TR8(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sheepdog/tr8sheep.JPG)
sheepdog P.S. At least the TR8’s came with Buick V8s… but the twin Zeniths had to go!
(http://trendfollowing.com/images/mm_stands_for_masochist_by_faiga-d308hoa.jpg)
(http://trendfollowing.com/images/mm_stands_for_masochist_by_faiga-d308hoa.jpg)
(http://trendfollowing.com/images/mm_stands_for_masochist_by_faiga-d308hoa.jpg)
OK You win! :lol:
I also think it funny that so many of us who tinker with trains have also owned British cars or other Euro cars.
In her younger days my wife owned a FIAT and it really did stand for Fix It Again Tony.
Don’t feel left out Shawn I owned a 1985 Jeep CJ7 and by 1993 it was giving me almost as many problems as the 77 MGB was and the rust was worse! We now have a 02 Wrangler and it is pretty solid.
My sister inlaw owns a new Mini countryman the 4 door and even though it has a supercharger it is still somewhat of a dog. It also has a rough ride and alot of road noise. I’m not impressed but like so many of the European styled cars it looks cool.
At least most of our trains are less expensive than most cars.
A friend had a Morgan. He said that all the suspension that it had was in the seat.
Here’s a car for a real man.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/choochoo_chaboogie/_forumfiles/48mk1ldrover.jpg)
John I’ve always been told Hummers were real mans cars:
(http://media.ueba.com.br/0612/pink_hummer/pink_hummer_001.jpg)
err…nevermind :lol:
Shawn said:
I feel left out. All I ever owned was Jeeps. First a Cherekee then the Liberty and now a Wrangler. Wouldnt buy another vehicle other then a wrangler. You guys can keep the sport cars or whatever they are called Lol
Well, Shawn, if I have to:
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/jebouck/SRTcherokee.jpg)
With a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine pushing 465-horses 465 lb-ft (630 Nm) of torque for 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint time of 4.8 seconds and a quarter mile time in the mid-13 second range, the regular 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is one of the fastest production SUVs around<<<
I’m with you John, only thing missing is the winch on the front bumper.
Walt
edit: Oops, no front bumper.
As a former Samurai owner of 10 years, when it comes to off-road I’m with Shawn and Mr. Le Forestier, get something hard and durable. That bloody Cherokee would be stripped of all its plastic panels and sunk to its window sills or sitting in a pool of its own fluids after a couple miles in the San Gabrial river park 
I miss my Samurai, it was a really fun and capable billy goat. I’ve been itching for something simple and fun to mess with
(http://imganuncios.mitula.net/1988_suzuki_samurai_jx_softtop_4x4_96635323567524877.jpg)
Aaah, Walter, you noticed that too did’ja? Good. That’s more like it. No faggotmobiles for you and me, then. I chose that picture, by the way, because I wanted to show a vehicle that had earned its keep for a few years. And, just for you, Walter, here’s another car that a real full-size man could sit upright in AND he really could fix it with just the screwdriver and wrench they provided, too.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/choochoo_chaboogie/_forumfiles/06fordtmodels.jpg)
That’s OK Victor. A Samurai always wanted to be a Land Rover when it grew up.
Speaking of growing up, (old joke) :
When I was a kid I told my Dad that when I grew up, I was going to have lots of trains.
He said, “You can’t have both, Kid.”