And indeed the odd one or two have popped up for sale recently, as predicted.
Here we, Root and I, had good fun over half a day loading 6 IC onto a standard rigid curtainsider. All the work I had done to free off the brakes paid dividend, as in all cases the cars round the back rolled happily once got out of their winter washed divits. The only car I had not got moving was attended to and gave up the fight pretty quickly. The brake shoes off it rolled along as well as the rest. The load just fitted perfectly on the truck. One car remains to be collected. It is filling up with random found bits as I clear the garage out for tasks.
The buyer, Simon, was very much into, what I think, is the great selling point of these cars as collectables. That is there great story to tell within the social history of our country. They represent a window into the welfare state, and how we look at, and treat, those amongst us who have disability. That this is very pertinent is bought out by the irrational hatred of the genre on this site, complete with offending remarks about those who choose to support IC. We still have not learned better ways, yet looking back things were very much more grim in the past. The freedom of movement offered by these appliances did much to bring the disabled together in an age where they could be isolated by a few hundred yards, or miles. That ability of freedom to roam gave the disabled the ability to meet, discuss, and create pressure to improve their lot. There are a few film clips of IC meetings, where competition was undertaken and the two stroke smoke made seeing the action sometime quite difficult. Indeed it could be early Burford, when we used the cars, tip the Roly and all.
So you might think they are nasty little cars, but much more than any microcar, it can be argued they have had the effect of underwriting a real concious movement, and change, in the nations thinking. Something the Microcar failed to do. The IC stand on merit as a transportation device, as a microcar for the disabled, for me. But they have a value far greater than can be bought as a collectors item. History is on their side now they are rare but cherished.
It sounds very much like Simon might well make this more publicly clear. He has some great ideas and good contacts. This area of motoring is not going to be told to go away quietly, despite the hostility it continually receives. (Very like when I first got my bubblecars, which makes it all the more unforgivable). It just might reassert itself in a stronger position and put the microcars out to grass in the future (The bad karma of the old Classic Car and Bike communities not wanting microcars at shows still lingers now that the microcar is socially acceptable. Will IC feel the same in 20 years time? Don't bask your boring microcars on our backs, after telling us to go away for years. What goes round, comes round).
Certainly from the private mailing that has gone on in the last week, it seems the main IC contingent have had about as much ignorance as they are going to take. Making statements to correct this have not worked previously and for me the picture of Little Britain being posted, and clearly accepted by the majority, since no one else has made a complaint, means our view is a minority. Root has taken it quite well actually. I thought he would be offended enough to go into his shell. He has chosen to ignore it. None of those in contact felt it was worth while even dignifying the thing with a comment, as given the option to retract, the hole was just dug deeper. So you win the the war, but loose the battle. As, bar one or two, that group who discussed this off forum has been drifting to rarely looking at the forum. This has just moved the interest further away still. Ultimately that is probably irreparable and to the forum's loss.
It will be interesting to see if Root posts links to the various fun clips of massed IC tearing around apple bobbing etc. If he does its more than you deserve.
