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

It's late on a Friday night, but I figure it's time for a quick update on this thread now that we're hopefully exiting lockdown and (fingers crossed) returning to some semblance of normality.

Thanks to a contact made here on Boards, the little Daihatsu Hijet has now found a new home - one where I know she will be a lot better looked after than she was here!! She left the old man's homestead a few days ago, seeing daylight for the first time since 1990 and looking a little lost on her big (almost too big) transporter - those ramps were nearly too far apart but we managed!!!

The new owner has already been in touch to say that with a new battery and a drop of petrol the little 850cc engine roared(!!!) into life, and with just 20,000 miles on the clock I hope there's plenty life left in that mighty motor.


Also pictured below are the two new MZ bikes (both 1980 and both unregistered) - they also found a new home, are now running perfectly and they've even made it to the cover of a magazine since their departure just before lockdown.

It's absolutely wonderful to see these vehicles being appreciated by their new owners who (unlike myself) have the expertise and the time to spend bringing them back to life. And it's also great to be able to use their sale as a way to continue raising money for the charities my Dad supported.

Substantial donations (I won't say actual amounts as I respect the privacy of the new owners) have been raised for The Irish Kidney Association and Cope Foundation through the sale of both the van and the bikes. And for that, both I and my mother are extremely grateful.

More pics to follow as we slowly make our way through the vehicles. With the van out of the way, I have relatively good access to the 1967 Mercedes 190, so I'll get a shot of that up here soon :-)

Deleted User wrote: »

@ Alfa Beta- did you mention earlier on in this thread that you had a whole load of non-motors stuff for sale also? Is there a separate thread for that or an auction/adverts thread that are for sale? Or did I just imagine that?

Yes - there was a lot of old stock left in Dad's shop after he passed away. We opened up the shop for a few days in March and had a big charity sale (just before the Covid lock down) and sold the vast mahority of the stock. Clocks, old electrics, furniture, picture frames, tools, silverware, china, gifts etc. We raised 23k for charity with that sale and we've supplemented that amount since. There is a small amount of stuff left over but we need to go through it to check condition (especially clocks) and see if it's sellable before we do anything more. Right now I've no real plans to put it online on donedeal, adverts etc, (very time consuming) but if I do I'll drop you a pm and probably pop a quick a post up here. (To be honest I'm more likely to car-boot it over time when things open up fully again.) - thanks for your interest btw :-)

One of my favourites, the lovely 1982 Honda CX650 Custom (originally from West Virginia) has now also found an enthusiastic new owner. Very little to do to this to get it up and running, free up the clutch, clean the carburetor, new tyres, new front indicators, brake fluid and I'd say she'll be back on the road. Thankfully staying local, so I'm looking forward to seeing her out and about again. (Also some more cash for charity at a time when fundraising is more than a little tricky )



On another note, I started uncovering the 1967 Merc earlier and clearing away some of the junk around it, so I will definitely have a couple of pics of that car up here tomorrow :-)

Slightly later than anticipated, but below now are a couple of shots of the uncovered Mercedes Benz 190. I think it's about 1967 and the TPI reg suggests that sort of year too. I remember it being driven occasionally when I was a nipper, late 70's most likely. I remember the way the doors used to close with this solid thunk, unlike any other car I knew at the time, and how the red leather interior made you feel you werre sitting into some sort of limo!! And I particularly remember the little square clock on the dash - there was something very stylish about that clock and that entire car.

I've no idea why it was bought or why its usage came to a halt. I don't think there was anything wrong with it when it was parked up and currently the interior is in great condition. (I'll get a couple of shots of the inside soon if I can get better access.)

It had a gas conversion done to it in the mid seventies. It was probably a bit of a gas guzzler and perhaps the expense of running it was what led it to being parked up. I know that in the years after this was on the road, the old man turned to small fiats (127s and then ritmos) so perhaps fuel prices and consumption started becoming more of an issue when it came to buying cars.

I would love to get this car ship shape. It ticks all the 'classic' boxes in my view. A lot of work to be done to it, but it's definitely one I'd be interested in spending a few bob on.

Also pictured below is the VW variant (Squareback) mentioned a few times much earlier in this thread. Before my time, and parked up ever since my parents' honeymoon (a honeymoon that ended up with them literally pushing this car home!!) in 1970.

Thanks as always to everyone for all the likes and comments and general interest in this thread. It's great being able to share these old vehicles with you and I love reading all your replies and commments.

Next job is to move the VW backwards. This will then allow full access to the VW, the Merc and the Peugeot and mean we can maybe start planning what to do with them.

The other cars still covered are a Morris 8 and an MG midget. I'll get to those some other day. :-)

Odelay wrote: »

The VW variant must have been the passion vaggen on the honeymoon. Was it suspension failure that killed it?

shudder .... i don't even want to think about that sort of thing!!!

galwaytt wrote: »

I posted that on Page 4.....who knew this would turn into the best thread on boards.ie by a mile ??

Anyway, I did what said id do and started visiting, albeit sporadically due to Covid19 - but at 78+ yrs age, there was that to worry about too. Thankfully he's the happiest cocooner I've ever met, surrounded by his collection.

Mind you, it didn't stop his tally of cars increasing....he's added 3 Minis, a W211 and an 03 S Class ......

I delved into the bowels of the place and note the Trevi and W111 are still there, but my one-owner 1200 Beetle is dead....too much stuff piled on it methinks, and roof collapsed.....sigh...

.....it'll be a few years yet, my thread-in-the-making, methinks

I have a feeling your old man would have got on rather handsomely with mine!!!