cars

Who remembers car indicators/ trafficator’s?

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Tim Barton… there’s one or two still around  [my grandad had a morris with these until the end of the 80s]

Dave Lelliott… My Grandads Austin England.

Edward Adams… yes sometimes would not go down when the wind was blowing

Ralph Town… Had them on my 1958 VW Beetle LRC 518…where are you now?

Wendy Weaver… Had them on my Austin A30 in 1969

Leigh Wieland-Boys… Had those on my first car – Morris Minor (split screen)

Dave Edwards… Trafficators

Barry Upton… Saw one yesterday with her arm out the window as well to be sure

Lorraine Page… Yes

Pete Prescott… Remember them well.

Jeffrey Beadle… Trafficators I think they called them.

Nuttall Summerfield… Jeffrey, semaphore

Glenn Piper.. Oh yes

Roger Simmonds… I had them on a 1936 Buick straight eight , wish I had it now !

Bookham Ally… Ford Popular and they used to stick in the ‘out’ position.

John Coleman… That’s when people used to indicate!

Jerry L Harmon… u got me curious gang. I have no clue what these are, help me out

Marcus J Lamb-Bentley… We had them on my dads Riley

Peter Bridger… Still have them on my Singer, though with flashing LED bulbs, and I use hand signals when possible as people still don’t see them!

Robert Fisher… Yes snapped a few off in my early driving days.

Roger Simmonds… Mine were clockwork I think went back in again after about 30 seconds !

Martin Richter… anyone remember *parking lights* ?

Edward Adams… Martin, yeah little red and white lenses you put on the drivers side of your car they are built in nowadays

Colin Anstee… My first car was an Austin A30 van, the right indicator used to stick, so lean back and give the unit a smack. Oh yes and it had a starting handle

Nigel Ford… Remember them on parents Morris Cowley SUL 515 in the early 60’s. We were later left a Wolseley 4/44 in 1970 that we got back on the road after having been laid up for many years that had them too, shiny leather seats that you slid around on pre seat belts of course. A circular twist knob in the middle of the steering wheel to activate the trafficators with an upward projection pointer.

Tracy Birrell… I remember them. We called them Blinkers.

Rose Biela… And who remembers cranking the car ?

Edward Adams… Rose, i do

Tim Moose Bruce… My favorite indicator system. It is also orange colour. Voice operated. Just say “Right turn Clyde “.

Richard 1066… Hi, still use them on my Worseley 4 44. 1955

Carol Anne… Gosh takes me back my old moggy minor had these

BMW Isetta 1950’s

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photo and post from Historical Images https://www.facebook.com/theworldchronology

https://allchronology.com/

Historical Images… A couple gets into their BMW Isetta through the front door (1950s)

John Gale… No reverse gear too. Often wonder ,what would happen if they drove up to a brick wall…they wouldn’t get out.

Marcus de Mowbray… John, Urban myth! The Isetta and the Heinkel Trojan (which I used to have one of) BOTH had reverse gears. The Messershmitt (tandem seats) could reverse by turning the starter motor on backwards!

John Gale… Marcus, there you go then..must admit though I thought it was the reason why you could drive a three wheeler on a motorcycle license, because some 3wheelers had no reverse gear. I had a Reliant for 5 years on passing my motorbike test in 1980 .

Richard J Porter… Marcus, Not an urban myth, fact. Some were fitted with reverse, some had it blanked off, some had no reverse. A three wheeled vehicle weighing less than 8 hundredweight with no reverse gear in the UK qualified as a motorcycle bringing with it much lower tax and insurance and allowing a 16 year old to drive them on a learners permit with no accompanying driver. A huge benefit.

Chris Jolly… Marcus, A cunning plan Jeeves!

Richard J Porter… There is an escape hatch in the roof. It was never intended as a sun roof as many believe. it was a means of escape. However, drivers would avoid driving up to a brick wall intentionally.

Wendy Weaver… John, I had an Isetta in 1965, it had a reverse. The steering wheel was on the door . I drove it on my motorcycle licence.

David Wilkinson…The Isetta was designed and built in Italy. It had a 200cc motorcycle engine, four wheels, reverse and as LHD, the steering wheel and instrument panel swung outwards when the door opened. It was licensed to be built in various countries around the world. The British-built version was constructed in Brighton in the former locomotive works, by BMW from imported components, including a BMW 250cc motorcycle engine. British laws allowed motorcycle licence holders full or provisional to drive a three-wheeled vehicle which had no reverse gear. Thus the British version had three wheels and no reverse. It was also RHD so the steering wheel and instrument panel did not need to fold outwards. If you’re ever in Boston Lincolnshire, I recommend a visit to the Bubble Car Museum. Great Day. On some Sundays they have a running day and you can go out in a British BMW Isetta.

Roger Simmonds… Get out the sunshine roof, I had one in the 1960s eve n drove from hastings too Somerset in it with wife and baby , never again though ,Haha!

Wendy Weaver… Roger, We drove from Dorchester for a tour of the North. Going through the Mersey Tunnel was an experience so were the cobbled streets on the other side. Not nice in a 3-wheeler. Liverpool was horrible in the 60s so we left. Drive across the Pennines. Looking back over Salford absolutely covered by smoke. What a life! A blessing being a Southerner in those days.

Stuart Moir… Worth a lot of money if you have one in perfect condition

Roger Simmonds… Wow wendy you were much braver than me, they were fun though wernt they! Worth quite a bit now, I only paid £60,00 for mine in 1965 lol !

Jim Peckham… My brothers father in law had one

Pete Houghton… I love this picture.

Linda Holter… Knew someone once who had one of them – so uncomfortable to get in/out of.

Kevin Thompson… Built for agoraphobic masochistics

Judy Atkinson… My brother had one, unfortunately it needed a replacement universal joint, the fitting of which didn’t go too well. Ended up being used as a hen house. You could get 3 people in at a pinch!

Linda Russell… Janet Russell, like the one you had

Janet Russell… Linda, Yes, I remember it well, with Paul on my lap, Laurie driving and no seat belts in those days