Nice one Colin, was it launched on 1st April I wonder? I note it also had LH brake drums, twist grip etc. In fact a 'mirror' image.
-
-
Well spotted, John - left hand twistgrip hence "left hand drive". Like an Indian Chief. Note though that the tank badge is the right way round.
Nice simple one this year after the more complicated ones of the past...Colin Sparrow -
Hmmm, yes it's a good one, who will own up to this? I spotted the tank badge, so it's not just a mirror job. I wish some of my books that have, for example, a BMW twin in mirror, would have employed someone who had the slightest knowledge of the subject matter to proof read the pics before publication.Comment
-
April hoaxes
Ngative reverssal very clever but better than the greeves 780cc griffon malaeky one year (bit sad)
Originally posted by john wakefield View PostComment
-
It would have been nice if the Graham Hill one was a spoof,but it wasnt and to his eternal shame he finished Greeves by helping the car manufacturers.A large blemish on his career I think.Originally posted by John Wakefield View PostComment
-
Invacar safety
In retrospect I think the writing was already on the wall for the Invacar, & its like. Having seen one in a serious accident in the 1970's when one pulled out of a garage into the path of a car killing the invalid driver instantly. The Invacar exploded into a 1000 pieces. The car driver was uninjured.Comment
-
Invacar Safety.
Contrary to your experience John, I'll relate another Invacar Crash Story.
It was a warm Sunday afternoon in the early summer of 1972. My 1960 Greeves Scottish had been sold & replaced by a 1964 CB 72 Honda then a 1967 Bantam Cub (BSA-Triumphs last fling !) I was riding it on the A.446, a dual carriageway approaching what is now J.9 of the M.42. I was travelling at about 45mph and approaching an Invacar ahead of me which was doing about 30mph. I heard a noise, (A Police Siren, very unusual and not often heard then, we'd still got Wolesley's with "Gongs" {Bells} In our area !) behind me, I looked around to see what it was. I didn't realise the driver of the Invacar had stopped to see what this noise was !
A yellow Ford Cortina with a black vinyl roof shot past me at high speed, hitting my right elbow. Scarcely had I had chance to sort this out than I looked around, and there, some 10 - 20 feet in front, was the Invacar. STOPPED in the middle of the road.
Of course the inevitable happened. My bike hit the Invacar's rear and I went rolling up the road. My Everoak Racemaster delaminated (One of these on e-bay went for £300 last week !) and I stood up to see this *!*%^@# idiot moaning at me about "His Money". Then a Police car pulled up. The Cortina was stolen from Lichfield, they'd been chasing it.
Anyway, the impact had pushed the Cubs engine out of the frame, the rear of the Invacar had shed a load of fibreglass exposing a big solid lump of engine (11E with Fan, etc., ???) and two very solid wheels ! Well it was hospital for me and the local Garage for the Bike. The Police took all details and sorted the Invacar driver, (Still shouting that we wanted "his money"), out.
I'd often seen these around in the 60's, but this was my first, (and last I hope) contact with one !
I gave up having 'bike accidents some years ago. I became allergic to pain !
Comment
-
The cessation of the regular contracts with the DHSS played a large part in the company's demise.
At the time both Invacar and AC took an awful lot of flak in the press about their suitability and safety. Both companies were told by the DHSS in no uncertain terms not to respond to the accusations. As DHSS paid the bills the companies did as they were told.
What Invacar and AC could have said was that the design of the model 70 was entirely a government design. All that Invacar and AC could change was the method of manufacture to ease production and this was not always permitted.
It's my belief that the government actually wanted the general public to force a stop to the invalid carriages. I think that that they used to cost HMG about £2.5k per vehicle. When they stopped supplying the Invacars the users were under the impression that they would be replaced by modified Minis or Escorts under the same favourable terms. What the invalids actually got was something like a weekly £5 mobility allowance to replace the carriages.
When the invalid realised that they had been conned by HMG they asked Invacar to continue to supply invalid carriages, but of course they couldn't be made on a piecemeal basis and the production line had been closed.
Apologies for the rant but the reasons aren't generally known.
DruidComment
-
I had a workmate with a disabled wife at the time of this.He thought that his wife would get a new Mini for free and that he would be able to drive it for free.Having a racer like Graham Hill to test and condemn it was ridiculous.I think a lot of disabled people lost out there.Originally posted by druid View PostComment
-
-
Originally posted by druid View Post
How History repeats itself. This present Gov't is making radical, but secret (to the General Public) changes to the Mobility Allowances to the Disabled. Even the "Blue Badge Scheme" is under fire locally from greedy Local Authorities who feel that they are losing out on Parking Fees & Fines. Unfortunately, whilst we have not had a World War to produce many limbless or otherwise less able bodied persons, there is still a great demand for mobility. I've worked closely with many in this area, and now, after a lifetime of working and paying Contributions, my Father needs assistance to get around. If you only knew what I've been through to get what little help he's got, you'd be appaled.
Its a good job that the UK hasn't got a Firm manufacturing specialist vehicles such as the Invacar, they'd never survive, the Gov't and it's Health & Safety minions would be fighting them every step of the way !
So, don't be sorry for the rant John, I agree with you. Who knows, maybe if the Invacar had gone on to a generic format, the original Greeves Factory may have still been in existance.
Comment
Comment