Our Cars

[Stuart Cyphus]

 I think most of the problem Steven, is that ever since all the hoo-haa & bandwagon jumping by the London "Peel" fabricators, & other things, just about everyone is pointly ignoring anything & everything to do with Peels, real or fake, genuine or repro, no matter if its intresting or not. You've only got to look at the way "certain people" used to throw a wobbly every time Peels were mentioned on here. What engine have you gone for for yours? mine is Honda....  

[steven mandell]

Hi Stuart,
Good to hear from someone who has shared my fate.
i think that certain people have gone overboard in criticizing what is potentially one of the greatest avenues for increasing not just Peel awareness, but Microcar awareness and enthusiasm in general for the coming generations.
Regardles of the Dragon's Den business group's false claims to being tied to the original Peel Engineering firm, and therefore deserving of the derogatory monikers of their critics- the penultimate point is that they have actually put not only outwardly accurate copies of these cars out there, but probably increased Peel and Microcar consciousness more than any other event in recent history. [The 8" wheels look bad, but liability laws have changed & owners can downsize.]
If they were to actually create some sort of Peel park or faux factory- so much the better.  For all those certain people out there that seek to kill off anything other than the original pack of maybe 50 or so Peels that survive to this day- What have you, or anyone else that you know of for that matter, done to bring this much new life and enthusiasm and interest in Peels for the coming generations that would top this?
We all know the answer to that one!
I have read that Henry Ford was vehemently anti semitic.  So at some levels he was truly not a good guy.   But does that mean that we should no longer honor the influence of the Model T on the automotive history of the world?
Perhaps someday in the future, if certain people presently sitting on their thumbs get their way.  They will wake up and realize that they have only succeeded in  contributing to the earlier extinction of the very things they say they are intending to preserve- the wondrous influence of Microcars for future generations. 

[steven mandell]

Stew- sorry to run out of space before answering your question.
The bigger issue required addressing.
I am being environmentally incorrect by strongly leaning toward a Vespa 200cc.  I love the  fact that it is still a 2 stroke, fits without further body mods and has a 4 speed manual transmission.
Not to mention that it will go like stink, preserve the low c.g. and even start reliably with available electronic ignition.
All this while maintaining the appearance of a period correc- if not politically correct powerplant.  I don't think that the total number of miles I drive it will outweigh the positive effect on the earth's atmosphere that I have contributed by my almost exclusively driving my super ultra low emission vehicle (SULEV Honda Insight) for the last 10 years.   But I will use relatively smokeless oils and feel a little guilty for my pleasure anyway.

[Big Al]

I feel no animosity toward new Peels. Indeed it has raised the profile of the idea of Peels but I am less sure if it has of real Peels since already there is a great deal of confusion out there. Does it really matter? Not greatly to me but likewise, as an owner of a real AC Cobra said to me 'Everyone assumes my car is a fake'. Bummer for the poser as it is worth a lot of money, fortunately he is happy that the few occasions he does take it out the General Public leave it alone. Every cloud etc etc.

Meanwhile I am off to breed fake Jewish people in an old Ford factory in Wales using pig hearts for the 'conservation of humans' version.

[steven mandell]

I don't think that we will ever have quite the over population problem of the Cobra repros with Peels.  They are just too inherently less driveable and they don't appeal to the great sea of wanna be Macho men out there.
Besides- when the viewing public finds out that they are actually staring at the real thing, the moment becomes even more appreciated by the aforementioned dilution factor.
Thank goodness the Messerschmitt makers weren't entirely successfull in extinguishing a breed of humans- so your pig hearted conservation measures will not be needed.

[richard]

where are you looking ?

[ukblitz]

Hiya Keith from Yorkshire ;- my cars

 

[ukblitz]

My old cars, now moved on, my Bond bug long gone [ex wife]  and my three wheeler isetta 'Joey' how recently went to my brother Paul [Queensland, Australia

[Jonathan Poll]

Nice!

[Stef]

Hello

After joining the forum last year, I finally have sourced a lovely Trojan!

Collecting in a week or so, not sure if my cheeks can cope with all the insane grinning!

[marcus]

Very nice!

[richard]

have fun , i bet you do   

[steven mandell]

Indeed, you appear chipper as a chipmunk! 
They store nuts in their cheek pouches, which can afford some relaxation of the facial muscles associated with maintaining a grin if  properly arranged.  You could use a couple of cotton balls, and get by with faked bilateral upper molar extractions if you wish.
Kidding aside, I am happy for you.  Yours looks just like mine.  But I haven't needed the cotton balls, because I probably need to take my engine out to check its cam timing and clean up its Dynastart, as,  if my starting circuit is in a good mood, the engine runs clean, but spits a bit of gas spray back out its carb whilst so doing.

[marcus]

You appear to have a large insect getting amorous with your car's instrument panel!

[Big Al]

Looks pretty hoopie. There are folk doing serious miles in these. What is under the sheet?