When I were a lad

[redlig]

In the early 60's one of our m/c group broke his back against a lamp standard and was eventually issued with a Three wheeled ,I seem to remember the name Invacar made by Greeves M/Cs finished in Greeves blue and driven by the Villiers 9e . He soon realised the fitting were the same as a 32a (250cc) so with a scrambles tune up kit he had a quick piece of kit .Relatively. The engine swap took only an hour or so which meant that come the routine service it got swapped back to standard . The service dealer could never work out how the 9e lasted so well.

 

[James1979]

In the early 60's one of our m/c group broke his back against a lamp standard and was eventually issued with a Three wheeled ,I seem to remember the name Invacar made by Greeves M/Cs finished in Greeves blue and driven by the Villiers 9e . He soon realised the fitting were the same as a 32a (250cc) so with a scrambles tune up kit he had a quick piece of kit .Relatively. The engine swap took only an hour or so which meant that come the routine service it got swapped back to standard . The service dealer could never work out how the 9e lasted so well.

Weren’t they something to do with the people that developed the AC Cobra? Or am I completely down the wrong path?!

I seem to remember there’s an odd connection somehow. The nasty-turquoise three wheelers you saw when we were kids

 

[redlig]

Weren’t they something to do with the people that developed the AC Cobra? Or am I completely down the wrong path?!

I seem to remember there’s an odd connection somehow. The nasty-turquoise three wheelers you saw when we were kids

They were very well known in the Scrambles world right up to World Championship level .Also a big name in Trials riding until Bultaco took over. They also produced a range of lightweight road m/c's but were only a limited success and subsequently crushed by the likes of Honda cb72 etc. They were based in Thundersly. Not sure of the AC connection.

 

[Cobbler]

Weren’t they something to do with the people that developed the AC Cobra? Or am I completely down the wrong path?!

I seem to remember there’s an odd connection somehow. The nasty-turquoise three wheelers you saw when we were kids

AC apparently made both the fastest car & the slowest car in the world at the time. The invalid 3 wheeler & the Cobra. The non-invalid version was the AC Petite from what I recall.

 

[redlig]

There must have been a tie up as wikki shows the same photo's and name Invacar for both AC and Greeves. Bert Greeves designed it for Derry Preston Cob who was a director of Greeves and severely disabled .

 

[Keith 66]

Several guys i know did apprenticeships at Greeves who built the Invacars & the company was sold off & became Elmsleigh engineering (still going)
The Invacar was fitted with a villiers engine but later ones had Steyr Puch 650cc flat twins, this was basically half a VW engine & was used as a generator set & light aero engine for target drones, In invacar mode it had a long branch inlet manifold with a small solex carb sat on top plus a large silencer which strangled its performance. One at least was fitted at the works with a pair of Dell orto carbs & tuned exhaust & it is said that it went very well indeed until one of the lads turned it over coming down Church hill.

As for first cars mine was a 1971 Austin badged Moggy Van that we gave £100 for. A great vehicle that served us well for years. I believe its been rebuilt & is still on the road.

 

[Robotstar5]

They were very well known in the Scrambles world right up to World Championship level .Also a big name in Trials riding until Bultaco took over. They also produced a range of lightweight road m/c's but were only a limited success and subsequently crushed by the likes of Honda cb72 etc. They were based in Thundersly. Not sure of the AC connection.

Greeves are still popular on the show circuit.

 

[Chippie]

When I was a lad, you could get a big bottle of juice and a mars bar for 5p and get 2p back on the bottle. Now you can't get a penny chew for 5p!

When I was a lad, there pounds, shillings and pence….

Penny Arrow bar anyone?

 

[8ob]

AC apparently made both the fastest car & the slowest car in the world at the time. The invalid 3 wheeler & the Cobra. The non-invalid version was the AC Petite from what I recall.

View attachment 386225

AC did make invalid carriages, local breakers used to scrap hundreds of them for a service depot in Church Crookham. They were a good source of 50mm chrome AC badges, when I built my Cobra I used them on the wheel centres, middle of the steering wheel and on the front. They also had an”AC” lube plaque and vin plate which I modified.
Little things please little minds and all that

Bob

 

[Greeves246]

As the owner of two Greeves 250 Silverstone and a 350 Oulton I could bore you silly about Greeves I am afraid.

 

[redlig]

When I was a lad, there pounds, shillings and pence….

Penny Arrow bar anyone?

No thanks to the penny bar but how much for 2 woodbines?

 

[Chippie]

No thanks to the penny bar but how much for 2 woodbines?

I got Embassy or Capstan Full Strength….

 

[Mick Annick]

AC did make invalid carriages, local breakers used to scrap hundreds of them for a service depot in Church Crookham. They were a good source of 50mm chrome AC badges, when I built my Cobra I used them on the wheel centres, middle of the steering wheel and on the front. They also had an”AC” lube plaque and vin plate which I modified.
Little things please little minds and all that

Bob

That rings a bell, when this thread came up I thought there was a link to Church Crookham (Gally Hill Road?) but couldn’t remember why, thanks Bob!

 

[Greeves246]

No thanks to the penny bar but how much for 2 woodbines?

When I was at grammar school the local shop would sell you a Woodbine and two matches in a paper bag for 3d.

 

[redlig]

When I was at grammar school the local shop would sell you a Woodbine and two matches in a paper bag for 3d.

I wonder what todays version of that is?

 

[Greeves246]

I wonder what todays version of that is?

Now it’s a comprehensive probably a contraceptive.

 

[Robotstar5]

Now it’s a comprehensive probably a contraceptive.

There's a school that's known locally as "the brothel on the hill"

 

[Cobbler]

There's a school that's known locally as "the brothel on the hill"

There was a special school near us that wayward & naughty girls were sent to, a sort of female approved school. A good time was had by all There was a tale about some electricians went there with an apprentice, the girls had all his clothes off & threw him out. He wasn’t seen for a couple of days at work & I don’t know how he got home. They really were some shockers!

 

[Robotstar5]

There was a special school near us that wayward & naughty girls were sent to, a sort of female approved school. A good time was had by all There was a tale about some electricians went there with an apprentice, the girls had all his clothes off & threw him out. He wasn’t seen for a couple of days at work & I don’t know how he got home. They really were some shockers!

Sounds like the sewing room at Rover, apprentices would come out blushing

 

[DAPPH]

No thanks to the penny bar but how much for 2 woodbines?

4 pack of Domino cigs for 6 d in a Leytonstone high street London tobacconist in 1955 IIRC. My cousin Rob was 10 and much bigger than me so he purchased them , " For his mum " ..... my Aunt Jean .
Yow ! .......... Just realised I was five when I started smoking .. by the end of the summer's school hols in the Sept I was smoking two or three cigs a day. I'm surprised I've lasted this long .