Older cars you have seen

[Bald Rick]

Something special today - Austin A30 from 1954 in a mews in Brighton.

Was Gromit driving?

 

[KT550]

A Feb 1994 (L prefix) Jaguar XJS V12 on the road in Dorking today.

 

[Cowley]

Our friends and neighbours Triumph TR6 collection.



There’s an interesting story behind these two.

The white one used to be black and has been the car that they’ve taken to various rallies and shows over the years, both here and abroad.

About three years ago though someone crashed into them when they were out and about one weekend and severely damaged the car causing it to be written off.

They managed to buy a replacement (the blue one) off the insurance payout, but also buy the ruined black one back. Which was then stripped down to the bare shell, straightened on a jig, strengthened, resprayed white and put back together again.

The white one has Webber carburettors, which took an age to sort out but seem to work well now that it’s been set up on a rolling road. The blue one has fuel injection, which is causing some problems currently.

Still. Nice to have a choice of classic car to take out with the roof down on a sunny day!

 

[mlambeuk]

YELLOW M (1970s) reg volvo 240 on the forecourt of a local dealership.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Fabulous TR6s there, @Cowley A TR6 and a TR4 potter about locally to me, in fairer weather.

Last summer, I snared photos of GT6 Mk2 and Spitfire Mk2 - are on post 3 of this thread - but a shot of a Stag eluded me.
Until today... An August 1977 registered example, parked at our local rugby club.

 

[Cowley]

Fabulous TR6s there, @Cowley A TR6 and a TR4 potter about locally to me, in fairer weather.
Last summer, I snared photos of GT6 Mk2 and Spitfire Mk2 - are on post 3 of this thread - but a shot of a Stag eluded me. Until today.

Oh yes that is rather nice.

 

[telstarbox]

A Volvo estate today, didn't clock the reg but definitely a pre 2000 one.

 

[birchesgreen]

Silver V reg Fiat X1/9, looked amazing

 

[Sun Chariot]

Silver V reg Fiat X1/9, looked amazing

Great catch. One of the last true Fiat X1/9, X-reg (1st August 1981 to 31st July 1982), as Bertone produced it from 1982 to 1989; Gran Finale examples had UK registrations in 1989 and 1990. I snared on locally last year (link)

Older cars you have seen

Interested to hear of any older cars you've seen on manoeuvres (I would narrow it down to pre 2000 but this rule can be ignored). Pictures also welcome. Today I saw two on the M11: Nissan Micra P reg - forgot how much smaller it was than the later versions Rover 820i F reg - which looked very...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[SteveyBee131]

Didn't get a picture as was on the school run, but saw a pair of Morris Minors yesterday morning. One was a convertible (2 colours, maroon and cream), and the other a solid roof (in a very smart navy) even had a local Grimsby registration (can't remember now but both were early 1960s). Made me and little one's morning!

 

[DelW]

Didn't get a picture as was on the school run, but saw a pair of Morris Minors yesterday morning. One was a convertible (2 colours, maroon and cream), and the other a solid roof (in a very smart navy) even had a local Grimsby registration (can't remember now but both were early 1960s). Made me and little one's morning!

Earlier today my bus home was passed by a blue 4-door saloon with an E-suffix plate (1967). There do seem to be quite a few Minors in everyday use, which this one definitely looked to be (rather than looking like a museum exhibit). I saw another 4-door, in green, only a week or so ago.

 

[Cowley]

I passed a bog standard non metallic faded blue F reg (1989 ish?) Vauxhall Astra near our house earlier and did a double take.

I nearly did a U turn and gave chase to get a photo, but decided that I’d look a bit weird. Regretting it now though.

Saw a young lad in a beautifully restored Scirocco in our local petrol station the other day. I had a bit of a chat to him about the car and he convinced me that I should get one (I think he might have been right).

 

[Ashley Hill]

I passed a bog standard non metallic faded blue F reg (1989 ish?) Vauxhall Astra near our house earlier and did a double take.

I nearly did a U turn and gave chase to get a photo, but decided that I’d look a bit weird. Regretting it now though.

Saw a young lad in a beautifully restored Scirocco in our local petrol station the other day. I had a bit of a chat to him about the car and he convinced me that I should get one (I think he might have been right).

I used to have an H reg Astra. I had it for a few years until I hit a deer on the way to work one morning. I had it repaired but it was never the same and got rid of it shortly after. I understand they are quite collectable now.

 

[Sun Chariot]

I used to have an H reg Astra. I had it for a few years until I hit a dear on the way to work one morning. I had it repaired but it was never the same and got rid of it shortly after.

An old dear?
Good of you to get the dear repaired - but, yes, at that age...

 

[Cowley]

I used to have an H reg Astra. I had it for a few years until I hit a deer on the way to work one morning. I had it repaired but it was never the same and got rid of it shortly after. I understand they are quite collectable now.

I think we should take moment to think of Bambi here.

 

[Ashley Hill]

An old dear

I don’t know how old it was but have corrected the spelling.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Mar 2026 ==

I think we should take moment to think of Bambi here.

Or the venison I could have taken home.

 

[Cowley]

I don’t know how old it was but have corrected the spelling.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Mar 2026 ==


Or the venison I could have taken home.

 

[KT550]

A few seen in Southampton yesterday:

MG from Oct 1972
Volvo 700 series, Feb 1990
Fiat Panda Giannini, Aug 1993 but with a fitting earlier registration
Toyota MR2, Nov 2000

 

[Sun Chariot]

Good work @KT550 An MR2 gen-2 is the 'daily driver' at a house ten minutes' dog-walk from me. It's owner also has the silver tired-looking Rover SD1 that I posted earlier this thread.

A presentable Pug - at M4 Leigh Delamere services just now.

 

[telstarbox]

1973 Volvo ES in Hackney, London around sunrise today.

 

[Sun Chariot]

1973 Volvo ES in Hackney, London around sunrise today.

A timelessly beautiful car. I remember a light-blue metallic one local to my parents, back in 1978.

 

[KT550]

Seen in Arundel today:

VW Beetle, Nov 1970
Honda Civic Shuttle, March 1990
Wolseley 1500, April 1963

Star item was a VW Karmann Ghia from November 1969.
No photo from me, but here is one of the exact vehicle from another source.

1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia FWE 209H

Brooklands Museum FBHVC Drive it Day ( Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs ) Weybridge, Surrey, UK. 2018/04/22

www.flickr.com

 

[JD2168]

V reg Ford Fiesta in Doncaster on Friday 27/3/26

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A 1983/84 (A prefix) Volkswagen Jetta seen in Ossett, then later a 1996 (P prefix) Toyota Starlet at Tingley Interchange.

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

Another rarity in Grimsby today, H- reg Volkswagen Corrado, first registered January 1991 according to the DVLA website. It's in regular use as I keep seeing it, but only got around to taking a photo today!

 

[birchesgreen]

L reg Montego estate seen at The Fort earlier, not seen an estate Montego for years. Looked well worn but in working order.

My wife didn't seem to share my enthusiasm for it, strange.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

L reg Montego estate seen at The Fort earlier, not seen an estate Montego for years. Looked well worn but in working order.

My wife didn't seem to share my enthusiasm for it, strange.

Did you check whether it had the rear-facing third row of seats in the back?
I remember seeing those when I was a kid, and thinking it was the coolest thing ever... Not sure they were particularly safe though!

 

[KT550]

Seen today in Worthing:

Triumph Herald, March 1965
Renault Caravelle, July 1968 *** star item; don't recall seeing one before
Toyota Corolla, August 1998

 

[GusB]

Did you check whether it had the rear-facing third row of seats in the back?
I remember seeing those when I was a kid, and thinking it was the coolest thing ever... Not sure they were particularly safe though!

I certainly remember Montego estates having those rear-facing seats. Volvo's 2xx estates had them before that, though.

On the subject of third rows of seats, I wouldn't mind having a Peugeot 505 estate. Maybe it's because I was small at the time, but I remember them being absolutely enormous!

 

[birchesgreen]

Did you check whether it had the rear-facing third row of seats in the back?
I remember seeing those when I was a kid, and thinking it was the coolest thing ever... Not sure they were particularly safe though!

it may have though couldn't really tell from the angle, only the front seats were occupied anyway.