RUMCars Forum
General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: richard on April 18, 2013, 08:18:46 PM
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following a couple of recent threads i thought maybe i would try and put the Gordon on the map properly . i rarely read anything at all positive in more recent articles but in the day was it all that bad ? i have never read of a Lands End - John O'Groats run by Allard Clipper , Tourette, Coronet, Powerdrive , Jarc , Astra, Bruetsch etc. etc. this was always regarded as a reasonable test for ANY vehicle back in the day . any thoughts on why the Gordon is always so poorly regarded nowadays ?
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by the way mr.williams was an employee at the factory and the" independent" observer was his friend and best man ;)
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following a couple of recent threads i thought maybe i would try and put the Gordon on the map properly . i rarely read anything at all positive in more recent articles but in the day was it all that bad ? i have never read of a Lands End - John O'Groats run by Allard Clipper , Tourette, Coronet, Powerdrive , Jarc , Astra, Bruetsch etc. etc. this was always regarded as a reasonable test for ANY vehicle back in the day . any thoughts on why the Gordon is always so poorly regarded nowadays ?
The Gordon Lands end run is a tribute to the reliability and hardiness of the Villiers engine. I proves that it can drag just about anything from one end of the country to the other. The only thing that will really answer all the questions is to get the car finished and see how it drives.
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:D you cheeky bugger :D now what's that harry hill tv burp phrase let me see ........ fight !
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Richard we would all like to see that you may even get Gary Barlow wanting to drive it instead of that PINK posers ROLLS
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He is right. I misunderstand that. A hole in my knowledge of popular culture coming in there.
But yes the Gordon does seem to have had a hard time of it as they would not have sold 950 bonk of them if they were really bad. A look at the sales figures might show something. Initial success ended by better competition. Poor support from the manufacturers distracted by other products. The engine seemed to be a bit of a throwback and I would guess many buyers were biker mounted looking for the comfort etc. If so the engine is a sensitive topic. Bond chose the more popular form of Villiers in line with success with tuned motorcycles in trails and such. These sort of successes meant more then than perhaps now. You could have a bit of pep on your Bond if you wanted. Look how many gained a kick starter just for ease of use. Does the Gordon lend itself to this sort of activity which in itself creates a community that helps sell the car? By these small margins is success achieved and the results can be a stampede to buy by people who have no real idea what they are buying other than the image which appeals.
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Perhaps we should initiate a Lands end to John o'groats run next year pulling in all the Microcar Clubs on the way. Points being awarded or lost for time taken, fuel consumption, the number of stops for repairs, and the physical condition on completion.
Chris Thomas
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I have been thinking something like that would be a good idea myself . Wait till I have tried it out. I don't think you could do those mileages nowadays . 250 miles a day through lancashire - little chance and shows how far we have come in 60 years . We now have motorways, dual carriageways and by passes but it would be an awful challenge. - oh by the way condition on completion - knackered I would think - the drivers I mean
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I've always fancied arranging a London the Brighton microcar run, not very fair on folk who are not from the south though.
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Well I will help with the lands end to John o Groats not so sure about London Brighton another one of those London has it all!
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Ah London to Brighton. From a place I could not wait to get out of, to place I do not want to go to. Nice bit in the middle though.
LE JOG for Microcars. A mooted but as yet unexplored project. Add in an index of performance and it starts to get interesting. The one thing is to decide if it is a 'race' or a more structured event over a week. It could even be made into a team class with no one person having to do the entire trip but club members passing a batton to the next vehicle.
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Well I will help with the lands end to John o Groats not so sure about London Brighton another one of those London has it all!
When was the last microcar event in London then? I dont remember one ever? ::)
When I go to a microcar rally I usually have to travel either North or the West country.
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Ah London to Brighton. From a place I could not wait to get out of, to place I do not want to go to. Nice bit in the middle though.
LE JOG for Microcars. A mooted but as yet unexplored project. Add in an index of performance and it starts to get interesting. The one thing is to decide if it is a 'race' or a more structured event over a week. It could even be made into a team class with no one person having to do the entire trip but club members passing a batton to the next vehicle.
Oh a race I think! In the style of Wacky races with sabotage being allowed! :D
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Maybe not micros but everything else ends up in London!
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The Slag brothers, Rock and Gravel in the Peel Trident bouldermobil.
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Maybe not micros but everything else ends up in London!
So what point are you making? Because all kinds of events happen in Englands capitol, microcar enthusiasts like myself who live in its suburbs should be discouraged from doing anything local? Sorry, I just dont follow.
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The Slag brothers, Rock and Gravel in the Peel Trident bouldermobil.
Bags I be Muttly! Sssssssssss!!
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And I will happily be Blubba Bear on the Rufus Roughcut Buzzwagon, or was it the Arkinsaw Special, I forget.
People from the suburbs of London should be made to stay there and charged to get out. I think I would wave the charge if you were in a Micro or the GWhizz. I would also have a Berlin type corridor for you guys to visit Brighton, twined with Prevert, Ohio, so that there be little interaction with the carrot crunchers as possible. Yeah, OK they have the expensive purple and white ones round the Weald but they are carrots. None of this Cabbage action. Buck teeth are big round there. I had a girlfriend with teeth like Stonehenge once from round there, boy was she old. Sorry rewind. M25, new wall in short. Is that insulting enough to answer the question?
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It will do I think Al. and quite entertaining!:D I think issysuy has some kind of rural chip on his shoulder as a result of all that classic tractor activity! ;D At least when i finally do organize my London to Brighton run I will know who not to invite. Still, the sun is blazing outside this morning, maybe spring has finally sprung and it's time for Thumper to emerge from storage this afternoon.
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yep - but make it quick , rubbish forecast for tomorrow and the week ahead - AGAIN >:(
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Thumper ought to like carrots. The Inter just looks like one!
L to B would be popular with some voters. Tradition aids it, varied reception facilities to suit tastes on getting there etc etc. It rolls of the tongue in a way the Daventry to Kings Lynn doesn't and they are both places I equally do not wish to go to as L and B.
My all time nightmare would be round North London by Garden Cities. Harlow to Milton Keynes, AAAARRRGHH! Stupidly, of course, that is really what most microcars were made for so its a pilot error I am afraid.
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Dear Richard
Looking at the logistics of the run from Lands End to John O Groats, which by the shortest route is about 830 miles, would take about 35 hrs of driving at 24 mph average. On the basis of about 207 miles per day it would take 5 days, with the first and lastdsays being shorter than the three middle days. This could be done with a team of 2 or 3 sharing the driving and the support vehile and trailer.
Alternatively, if it was done as a relay, in which case it would take 1.5/2 days. Each entrant would need a support team of two support drivers and two main drivers plus a trailer and towing vehicle.
The ideal would be 5 days with a motor caravan+ trailer and two drivers.
The night stops would be Crediton, Market Drayton, Galashields, and Invagordan.
This would require the Bristol boys to do the first stint at marshalling, The Midland lads to do the second stint, The North West lads to do the third stint and the Scottish lads to do the rest ( that sounds a bit unfair)
Provided there was no more than 12 vehicles there would be no major organisational problems.
If the National Microcar Rally could be located on the route and the event run over the same week, then it could be an even bigger success.
Can anybody think of a better set of night stops on route?
Chris Thomas
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I am not sure mentioning Invagordon was wise, Chris, but I will leave that to someone else to explore.
Having done long trips in both Trienkel and Schmitt pilots and steeds are well capable of 300 miles a day. 250 miles is therefore fine. Then this equation should be left to the more tardy performers, such as earlier unmodified Bond team or something, should they form up so as to keep together, daily. Then again the experience of the pilot has to be weighed up and Bonders are up their with the best of them. If so then I think your right on distance to enjoy it. Not sure you need the drivers but different folks, different strokes - I just wanted to say that in relation to Microcars.
Malvern is bung on route this year and hosts the National. Pity it is half way through the second day.
Personally I would not really want to take part unless I drove all the way, as it is a challenge or something. Driving a third of the way means fighting for the interesting bits like mountains and to be missing Birmingham.
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An Invagordon.... :)
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Stuart you are a VERY naughty boy ;)
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Stuart you are a VERY naughty boy ;)
Oh, so I'm not the Messiah then? ;)
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Bags I be Muttly! Sssssssssss!!
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No Stuart, you are the messiah, as you have saved us, albeit probably to be proved only momentarily, from a maelstrom of the provincial utterances, indecipherable incantations and reptilian sound effects, of the non professed modern urban pirate. ::)
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I think our Stuart is referring to Monty Python, Life of Brian.
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No argument bob , you didn't pay for one - yes you did ? - no you didn't