road vehicles in Ireland in 1950s

TippFan77

I'm doing a research project and I wonder if anyone could tell me what kind of cars generally could be seen on Irish roads in the 1950s, especially the mid to late fifties. I posted a message about in the motors section earlier today and I'm advised that this is a more relevant forum.

I'm especially interested in what type of car/cars the Gardai drove back then.

I'd appreciate any info, or a tip as to where I'd get some information on this.

TRNIALL

Triumph TR2 and TR3 Both 2 seater Sports Cars,but me dont think the Garda used them.

hi5

Quite a few american cars bought as luxury cars then also used as hackney cabs.

DaveCol

My Dad started driving in the mid 50's in a 1936 Ford Model Y, followed by a 1939 Anglia and a Prefect. All sound like they would have been fairly common in the day. He often mentioned Morris 8's and various Vauxhalls from around the same time

Blue850

New Car registrations for January 1959
Total 2,680
Top 10

1. Ford 852 (696 Anglia/Prefects, 132 Consuls, 24 Zodiacs)
2. Morris 458 (395 Minors, 2 Cowleys, 61 Oxfords)
3. Austin 411 (314 A35/A40s 6 A45s, 80 A55s)
4. VW 273
5. Hillman 118
6. Standard/TR 100
7. Renault 98
8. Fiat 94
9. Vauxhall 50
10. Simca 40

trevorbrady

what year were those lovely old colour photos of Dublin taken in? They might be a nice source of period info if the year corresponds to the OP's request.

anyone got a link?

Blue850

A friend of mine who's been a mechanic since the 60s in Dublin, says Ford Consuls and Zephyrs were used by the Gardai in Dublin, he says a lot of them had wrecked gearboxes, as they had drum brake all round, to help slow them down the driver often threw them into 2nd for engine braking, btw they only had a 3 speed gearbox





I'd imagine Gardai in small country barracks had these as transport:D

Blue850

I'm sure Carchaelogist is well aware of this photo archive from Kerry

http://www.kennellyarchive.com/

Loads of photos of everyday life in the Kingdom from 1950s on, lots of car photos

carchaeologist

^Indeed i am, it's a great thing to browse. That's Rices garage in Rock st in Tralee.

carchaeologist

This is an '80s ad from them.

G Luxel

there were some Skoda's sold here too.....:)

Toolguy

The guards in Dundalk had two Prefect 4s. Number plates OZH265 (marked) and OZI477 (branch). I wonder if those cars are still on the road. <info courtesy of my Dad>

rugbyman

slight correction Toolboy,
those were Zephyrs, more likely 6 s than fours. i remember the one with the 265 reg.

Rugbyman

I think the gardai always drove Fords, as they were made in ireland

In the fifties, my father had a Standard 10,and a Fiat 1100

As I recall, about 1960 the cars in our street were Fiat,triumph,Morris Oxford,Cortina(1964) minor,Beetle,Corsair(1967)A40,Fiat 600 multipla,and amazingly a ,what i think was a chevrole impala or bel air,w ith massive rear wings.

the strangest thing was a man who had triumph herald, had two front doors to his house. In between the doors was a removable pillar. he would open both doors, swing up the pillar and drive the herald in.

Rugbyman

Toolguy

rugbyman wrote: »

slight correction Toolboy,
those were Zephyrs, more likely 6 s than fours. i remember the one with the 265 reg.

Rugbyman

I think the gardai always drove Fords, as they were made in ireland

In the fifties, my father had a Standard 10,and a Fiat 1100

As I recall, about 1960 the cars in our street were Fiat,triumph,Morris Oxford,Cortina(1964) minor,Beetle,Corsair(1967)A40,Fiat 600 multipla,and amazingly a ,what i think was a chevrole impala or bel air,w ith massive rear wings.

the strangest thing was a man who had triumph herald, had two front doors to his house. In between the doors was a removable pillar. he would open both doors, swing up the pillar and drive the herald in.

Rugbyman

Yes, you're right. I checked my source. Plates were different to what I first mentioned. One Zepher 4, 1965, HZH not OZH, the other was 1965. I asked the man that drove them (my father). Can't believe he remembers the numbers.

rugbyman

Toolguy, yes I reckoned on the H as well,but did not want to split hairs, I was 14 at that time but mad about cars.
the guards later got themselves a Vauxhall Ventora, a vauvhall victor with a 3.3 litre six cylinder engine
Rugbyman

aujopimur

rugbyman wrote: »

Toolguy, yes I reckoned on the H as well,but did not want to split hairs, I was 14 at that time but mad about cars.
the guards later got themselves a Vauxhall Ventora, a vauvhall victor with a 3.3 litre six cylinder engine
Rugbyman

I think most of those FDs were specials i.e. Victors with 3.3 engines

si_guru

aujopimur wrote: »

I think most of those FDs were specials i.e. Victors with 3.3 engines

IIRC the Ventora was a 3.3 litre. Victor was 1.6 or 2.0 and VX4/90 was 2.0 as well (my dad had one). ..but there was a Victor 3.3 estate.

red sean

si_guru wrote: »

IIRC the Ventora was a 3.3 litre. Victor was 1.6 or 2.0 and VX4/90 was 2.0 as well (my dad had one). ..but there was a Victor 3.3 estate.

I thought the Victor only went to 2.3. Same as the VX4/90 but I'm open to correction. Anyway OP, the 50's would have seen a lot of Anglias, Prefects, Consuls,Zodiacs, Hillman Huskys, Standard 8's & 10's,Beetles of course, Morris Minors, Oxfords, Cowleys,Austin A35,A55, Cambridge, A40,Wolseley's, Simca's, Skoda's and a few I'll think of later. These would be the most popular among the working class. The make-up around the country would vary a lot with certain makes more popular in some counties than in others due to the personality and sales approach of the dealer, not to mention the back-up service he provided. Many cars gave a lot of trouble back then with dirty petrol blamed most! They also had a lot of battery charging problems due to fan belt tension, dynamo/generator etc. as there was no such thing as an alternator.

Toolguy

rugbyman wrote: »

Toolguy, yes I reckoned on the H as well,but did not want to split hairs, I was 14 at that time but mad about cars.
the guards later got themselves a Vauxhall Ventora, a vauvhall victor with a 3.3 litre six cylinder engine
Rugbyman

Yes, they went from Zepher 4 to Zepher 6 (MK4), buying all Fords (due to factory in Cork). Later went to Vauxhall, as you say, being serviced on Carrick Road (McKee's garage). I must see can I locate some pictures.