New, unregistered Irish-bought car from 1976 - where do I start?

alfa beta

galwaytt wrote: »

here they are in a too-short driveway in Caherdavin in Limerick in about 1972.

Great photo - it's not too many houses that would have had two Mercs parked outside like that back then!!

Bif

alfa beta wrote: »

Great photo - it's not too many houses that would have had two Mercs parked outside like that back then!!

Was he a gov. minister?

galwaytt

Bif wrote: »

Was he a gov. minister?

Lolz no, a builder. Collecting Veehickles obviously started early... :pac: The 220s was subsequently sold to an uncle of mine, and the SEb kept.

I came across old negatives which I'm playing around with digitising atmo, and came across pics of his first car, and his second - see attached - and yes, like this was in a different time & place, them's are chickens......

Note the bonnet badge on the black car - same one was on the steering wheel- prior to the use of "VW" as badge, it's the old Wolfsburg badge.

I think the tyre widths are bordering comical - but probably made the car very comfortable.

CoBo55

galwaytt wrote: »

Lolz no, a builder. Collecting Veehickles obviously started early... :pac: The 220s was subsequently sold to an uncle of mine, and the SEb kept.

I came across old negatives which I'm playing around with digitising atmo, and came across pics of his first car, and his second - see attached - and yes, like this was in a different time & place, them's are chickens......

Note the bonnet badge on the black car - same one was on the steering wheel- prior to the use of "VW" as badge, it's the old Wolfsburg badge.

I think the tyre widths are bordering comical - but probably made the car very comfortable.

Well, the black car always knew where it was going....

kadman

Here is what your type 3 should sound like, my maiden voyage today after a long resto,

now just small bits a and maybe a respray, or maybe not.

kev1.3s

Sounds great, the only thing I'd change would be the plates.

kadman

And in case the eagle eyed boardsie is looking for the tax and insurance disc...

they are on the passenger seat.....no screen wallet:)

kadman

kev1.3s wrote: »

Sounds great, the only thing I'd change would be the plates.

Step away from the vehicle now mister...:D

BonnieSituation

kadman wrote: »

Step away from the vehicle now mister...:D

Tbf, he has a point.

Set of these would just make her pop:



https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=113848851&postcount=6122

kadman

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Tbf, he has a point.

Set of these would just make her pop:



https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=113848851&postcount=6122

mmm..............maybe.
And the front ??

kev1.3s

kadman wrote: »

mmm..............maybe.
And the front ??

Has to be black letters on white background, same font.
Dont want to come across as pedantic but one of my pet hates is those black plates, especially on an original irish car.

kadman

kev1.3s wrote: »

Has to be black letters on white background, same font.
Dont want to come across as pedantic but one of my pet hates is those black plates, especially on an original irish car.

Different views are always welcome, thats what boards is all about:)

But the only original Irish part of this car, is the number plate and floor pan.

The body was originally on an english floor pan. But as the chassis number is stamped on the floor pan itself, law dictates that the logbook details stay with the pan.

So when I scrapped the original very crusty powdery non repairable pan, and replaced it with the better solid floorpan, the numbers changed.

Hence the original irish number on a UK body. Not what I wanted to do, but law says I must.

Do I keep the plates now:D:D

kev1.3s

kadman wrote: »

Different views are always welcome, thats what boards is all about:)

But the only original Irish part of this car, is the number plate and floor pan.

The body was originally on an english floor pan. But as the chassis number is stamped on the floor pan itself, law dictates that the logbook details stay with the pan.

So when I scrapped the original very crusty powdery non repairable pan, and replaced it with the better solid floorpan, the numbers changed.

Hence the original irish number on a UK body. Not what I wanted to do, but law says I must.

Do I keep the plates now:D:D

Its entirely your call, whatever you think suits it best but i certainly think original style plates look way better.

kadman

You're probably right...any suggestions where to get them , as not all motor factors do the vintage plates.

kev1.3s

https://www.eireplates.com/category/classic-vintage-number-plates

Hotblack Desiato

kev1.3s wrote: »

Has to be black letters on white background, same font.
Dont want to come across as pedantic but one of my pet hates is those black plates, especially on an original irish car.

Those plates would have been the originals until some point in the 70s

Type 17

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Those plates would have been the originals until some point in the 70s

Not quite those ones - the black/silver ones that were standard (until Irl joined the EEC in 1974) were the RPI 393 font in the pic below, rather than the 78 D 1165 one.

Isambard

my take on number plates

if I recall they were from Eireplates.

these from the morris minor club years ago would be better still

forgottenhills

Isambard wrote: »

my take on number plates

That's very casual parking there in the middle of the road.

There were a couple of towns in the midlands that used to have very wide main streets, particularly some before they improved with segregated-off parking areas and flower beds etc that narrowed the streets. The locals used to say that you could drive into town and just pull up, rather than have to park.

Edit: I have just realised that that particular road/mountain pass runs between the yellow lines so car is fine!

Sam Russell

forgottenhills wrote: »

That's very casual parking there in the middle of the road.

There were a couple of towns in the midlands that used to have very wide main streets, particularly some before they improved with segregated-off parking areas and flower beds etc that narrowed the streets. The locals used to say that you could drive into town and just pull up, rather than have to park.

Edit: I have just realised that that particular road/mountain pass runs between the yellow lines so car is fine!

There used to be parking in the middle of O'Connell St in Dublin.

Silent Running

Sam Russell wrote: »

There used to be parking in the middle of O'Connell St in Dublin.

I can conform this. I used to park there.

Hotblack Desiato

Type 17 wrote: »

Not quite those ones - the black/silver ones that were standard (until Irl joined the EEC in 1974) were the RPI 393 font in the pic below, rather than the 78 D 1165 one.

Yes the font on modern black plates is usually wrong, it's the same one as standard current plates which is a lot narrower (stroke width and symbol width) to accommodate more symbols.

From my childhood I seem to recall black plates with raised plastic white symbols on them on very old cars! A little like the '79 Cortina but not silver and with a sort of triangular cross section.

I also seem to recall that silver on black plates remained legal for some time after they commonly fell out of use, can anyone recall the year? I have a modern classic bike one would look well on...

zilog_jones

Black plates were still allowed up until 1987, I believe. There were a few plastic variations produced in the '80s, some with what looked like gold or bronze lettering.

kev1.3s

zilog_jones wrote: »

Black plates were still allowed up until 1987, I believe. There were a few plastic variations produced in the '80s, some with what looked like gold or bronze lettering.

Black with gold digits made up of lines.
Sorry to have completely derailed this thread which m is the best thread in here in quite some time

Type 17

Speaking of back on track, why the hell are we posting sample pics from the internet of period, pre-'74 black and silver plates when we have two perfect examples?

alfa beta wrote: »

alfa beta

kadman wrote: »

Here is what your type 3 should sound like, my maiden voyage today after a long resto,

now just small bits a and maybe a respray, or maybe not.

This looks (and sounds great) - I love the fastback shape - not really a fan of the squareback shape i must admit but i love this. (VW looked so much closer to Porsche back then, maybe that's what I like about this)

Well, we managed to move our VW today. It took hours as we only had an inch on each side (between the merc and the 504) and no way of getting to the tyres, or the steering wheel etc, so it was a slow process using some jacks and pulling it a few inches at a time. It's too dark to take photos now, but I'll get some tomorrow. It's in better nick than I thought so I'm quite happy with that. Seemed very solid when pulling it too.

My mum was delighted as she found some Horse Chestnuts in the glove compartment. She remembered picking them off a tree when herself and Dad broke down on their honeymoon and were waiting for the AA man to arrive - somewhere near Warrington I believe.

There's so much more to old cars than engines and chassis and body panels, isn't there? There are memories and secrets and character. Is that why we keep them?

On another note, we also brought this machine out into the daylight for the first time in a few years. Started like a dream on a newly charged battery, and drove perfectly. But then got stuck in third for some reason and now seems impossible to get back into neutral. Maybe someone here is familiar with old Ford 3000's and knows something I don't!

Gaspode

alfa beta wrote: »

My mum was delighted as she found some Horse Chestnuts in the glove compartment. She remembered picking them off a tree when herself and Dad broke down on their honeymoon and were waiting for the AA man to arrive - somewhere near Warrington I believe.

There's so much more to old cars than engines and chassis and body panels, isn't there?

What a lovely thing, this thread is the thread that just keeps giving!

kadman

The squareback must hold a special place in your mums heart.
Maybe thats the one to keep. Get it running and drive it.

stock>

alfa beta wrote: »

On another note, we also brought this machine out into the daylight for the first time in a few years. Started like a dream on a newly charged battery, and drove perfectly. But then got stuck in third for some reason and now seems impossible to get back into neutral. Maybe someone here is familiar with old Ford 3000's and knows something I don't!

Lift the gear levers and align the two selectors rods, you will see the two squares and align them,then replace the gear levers with a bit of sealant. The gear levers wear as do the selectors and one slips out of the other so be gentle when changing gear..............................................................

eddhorse

My mum was delighted as she found some Horse Chestnuts in the glove compartment. She remembered picking them off a tree when herself and Dad broke down on their honeymoon and were waiting for the AA man to arrive - somewhere near Warrington I believe.

Ive changed my mind, keep the squareback !!!