Yes.. the two-tone paint really sets the car off, and it is very elegant. The top is seldom up on this car, but it looks sharp top-up as well. I can attest that it does leak in wet weather ;-)
Yes indeed.. I have been a "guest driver" to car shows for a few different people over the years. One friend has more modern sports cars (the Lotus pics) that I often take to a specific yearly British car show, and the other one has the older British convertibles (mostly). He enjoys collecting things not a lot of other people have and showing them at local car shows usually once or twice a month in the driving season.
This is a 1951 Singer. It is interesting that it is both similar and different than the 1949 Singer. They are both right hand drive. The seats and seating position of this one is a little different and there is more room for both the shifter and your left leg when in 4th gear. This car has less wood in the frame, the interior is a little better appointed, and the driving experience is a bit less raw and less sporty than the 1949. This car is more comfortable for cruising around, but to me the other one is a bit more fun.
I've never been in or driven an MG TD (I have briefly driven an MGB-B and a Magnette sedan) I believe the Singers are a little more upscale/nicely appointed and less sparse. They are probably pretty similar overall.
This is a Lotus Evora. Compared to the Elise, it has a larger Toyota based V6 engine, it is much more luxuriously appointed, better sound deadening, a narrower door sill making it much easier to get in and out. It is a much better "everyday" car. Power is stronger and handling is not quite as razor sharp but very close. While I loved everything about this car, and it is probably better in almost every measurable way, my heart still goes to the Europa and the Elise for a much more raw and mechanical experience.
While I do like the modern Brit cars it's the old ones that get my blood flowing. Maybe because I remember them when they were around and more common. They made an impression on me I'd guess.
Me too.. Quite enjoying my 22 year old new MINI, 50 year old motorcycle and 61 year old sportscar as my toys..
Beautiful car and if’n I were a young man I’d probably lust after it but like others have stated there’s just something about the sports cars and hot sedans from 50’s and 60’s that were so different from the norm up until then that captured my automotive imagination.
This is a 1948 Hillman Minx MK 2. It was originally sold to a couple in Switzerland. Later it was imported to California and eventually to the current owner. It has a 4-speed on the column shifter and the speedometer is marked in Kilometers per Hour so it feels a little faster than it really is. Interesting feature, similar to MINI convertibles the top can be fully up or down or in a middle "sunroof" mode.. All manual operation of course, and extra fabric covered wooden pieces need to be attached to complete the top up process.
Wow I love the owner's taste in cars. All very interesting. He must have a large storage place for them. Keeping that many cars running at once must take an on site mechanic.
Interesting cars that a lot of us rarely ever get see let alone get hear all the nuances them from a person who has driven them.
He has the largest 2 car garage local code allows with a 2 car lift.. So 6 small cars can fit putting two on top, and the outer two on rollers and pushing them out to the walls. An additional two can be packed in for winter storage with one sideways in the back and one sideways in the front, but everything is very tight.. He also rents out spaces in a few neighbors garages, and he stored a car in my garage for a while before I acquired the red Sunbeam Alpine from him 3 years ago. Part of the job of being a guest driver is to help unpack and pack the cars for each drive as well as a little bit of dusting/cleaning/warmups to get things going. Most of the cars are generally pretty reliable after initial sorting out phases, and he usually buys them in good condition instead of doing the restoration work himself. There are some small upgrades to make them easier to live with like electric fuel pumps for most. They are gently used going to car shows or local drives on a regular basis so it helps with the typical issues of leaving old cars sitting a long time.
This is a 1958 MG Magnette. It is a very classy and sporty 4 door sedan. The interior is wood and leather trimmed and the overall size is not too big. The engine has a sporty rasp to it and handling is reasonably firm. Visibility is ok, a bit hampered by small mirrors (most of the mirrors on these cars are not easily adjustable and practically useless). The car was fun to drive, but I enjoy taking the open top cars out to Sunday morning shows more than the sedans.
Yes similar, although I like the lines of the Jaguar a bit better. Note how the door handles are built into the same line as the window trim for a super clean look. There is also a Trafficator in the pillar between the front and rear side windows. Dont remember if it was functional on this car or not. I seldom use the turn signals on these cars because many of them are delicate (although some of them have been updated to LED or better functioning lights than original) I tend to mostly use hand signals for turning and lane changes instead.