Brake failure

Astronaughtwannabe

I'm old enough to remember truncheons and how you didn't need to punch a hole through the windscreen, you just dragged the miscreant through and he'd make the the hole.

forgotmyname

Brought up with old BL cars probably good training for driving in later life

They barely had any brakes when new so after 5 years of neglect pray and opening a window to increase drag was probably more efficient than the brakes.

Helped when fixing peoples cars that had a tendancy to cut out mid bend, drop the clutch, switch the ignition off and pray the steering lock doesnt engage and then restart it and off you go again.

Astronaughtwannabe

forgotmyname wrote: »

Brought up with old BL cars probably good training for driving in later life

They barely had any brakes when new so after 5 years of neglect pray and opening a window to increase drag was probably more efficient than the brakes.

Helped when fixing peoples cars that had a tendancy to cut out mid bend, drop the clutch, switch the ignition off and pray the steering lock doesnt engage and then restart it and off you go again.

The best thing was to leave the ignition on, drop the clutch and once you've straightened out to lift the clutch back up.

The good ole days eh ;-)

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

forgotmyname wrote: »

Brought up with old BL cars probably good training for driving in later life
.

My penance was served on Morris Marina 1.3 Deluxe (no syncro on first gear - learned to drive in that along with lots of lovely Vauxhall Vivas of the driving school), Austin Allegro 1.1 and 1.5, Mini Metro 1.0L, Mini Metro 1.0L Auto (!!!) brief go in Austin 1700, final straw was the Montego 1.6L (blue smoke and slimey engine). Did have a lovely Citroen GS 1222cc, the only car of that era that could stop in a straight line. Also there was the Hillman Avenger 1.6L which couldn't do the 200 miles from London to Manchester without running out of fuel (10 or 11 gallon tank at 70 mph), Vauxhall Chevette (ok), a couple of Mk 2 Polos (the hearse hatchback) - nice enough.

Astronaughtwannabe

BL cars as I remember required double declutching the older they got. Started by no synchro on 1st then 3rd and finally 4th. Non designed reverse synchro was the quietist of the lot.

forgotmyname

My 1.6 Montego had a brilliant engine, Not a drop of oil anywhere, the bodywork on the other hand was not so good. The tailgate got lighter every
time you closed it as a bit more rust fell off.