My 1969 Vauxhall Cresta

This is my 1969  Vauxhall Cresta. It is a big car and was the English answer to the American Chevrolet. It targeted the professionals in England who wanted a big car but could not afford a Mercedes or a Jaguar. I bought this one from a returned resident from England. I can lie down comfortbly in the back seat. It carries a 3.3 litre engine and automatic transmission and power steering. I have installed Air Conditioning for added comfort. She runs like a dream and because of the size I hardly feel the bumps on the road but she is difficult to park in small spaces especially in COOSTATT  south carpark!
As youcan see in the Ad, when this car was introduced in Trinidad in 1969, the cost was $4999 plus 20 % purchase tax! I wonder what it's worth now? Any offers?

The 1954 Ford Consul and Ford Zephyr.

 

The first car I knew was the Ford Zephyr. These English cars were very popular in the 50's. My father bought one second hand in 1957. The number was HB 9453 and he paid the grand sum of $700! He used it as a taxi. It carried a six cylinder, 2000 cc engine  The front seat was a bench that seated 3 including the driver while the back seat carried 3 passengers. A that time it was king of the road with a maximun speed  of 87 mph. It was sold in 1959 for $600 and my father bought a "newer" Ford Consul, HC 5669 for $900 doolars. This carried a smaller engine, four cylinders and 1703 cc. I can remember going all around Trinidad in these cars and also pushing them sometimes to start. There are still a few of them in Trinidad. Our Consul is burried somewher in our back yard. The top picture shows the Ford Zephyr, the second an AD for both cars and the bottom a picture of the Ford Consul. Incidently, one of these cars would fetch between $45,000 to $50'000 today!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and my Grand Son.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is the name of a racing car which is featured in a book, musical stage production and film of the same name which was shown in 1968. The author of the book is Ian Flemming of James Bond fame. When my grand son and I visited the London Motor Museum last year he sat in the car. Note this is a real car that races and the stage version built at the cost of 500,000 pounds then held the Guiness Record as the most expensive stage prop!

Early Ford cars in Trinidad.

Ford motor cars were first imported into Trinidad in 1910 by the firm J N Harriman. By 1920 the franchise changed hands and Charles Mc Enearney and Co. became the exclusive dealer. Today the Ansa Mc Al conglomerate continues to bring Ford vehicles including the Ford Ranger and  Ford Focus. Interestingly this showroom remains at Coffee Street San Fernando.The photo below shows the showroom in 1935!

 

 

Photo courtesy Angelo Bissessarsingh of Thinidad Guardian.

In this picture you can see in the foreground a Ford 2 door Coupe, on the left a Ford Victoria Tudor and on the right a a Ford Phaeton. Incidentally these cars were imported from Canada and not England as was traditional.


My 1960 Ford Consul.

 

These pictures are of my 1960 Ford Consul.Although she is fifty four years she runs very well and you may have seen her in Costaatt south campus car park and also at Ken Gordon School of Journalism. Southerners may have seen her in the streets of San Fernando and Penal. This model was manufactured from 1956 until 1962 when it was replaced by the Ford Cortina Mk 1.

 She is 14' 4" long and 5' 9"wide and seats six and has a 1.7 litre engine with a maximum speed of 80 mph.I can easily access parts as there many Ford Consul clubs in UK where my son lives and where I visit regularly.This car is my most beloved of all my cars. I think I will come to my next class with her.

 

Ford Prefect - Especially for Literature Enthusiasts.

This picture is of Seepersad Naipaul, father of Vidya Naipaul and his car the Ford Prefect. He was a writer in his own right with a few books and also a reporter with a Trinidad Daily. You can get some of his writings at the Carnegie library in San Fernando. I recommend the Adventures of Gurudeva and other Stories. You can see the similarities between him an V S.  In V S Naipaul's House for Mr Biswas, which is based on the life of Seepersad Naipaul, you can read about some of the travails he encountered with the Prefect.

 

 

My Toyota Limosine.

In 1983 Amar Auto Supplies were assembling Toyota Royal Saloons in Trinidad. For special customers they were customising some into Limos. My understanding is that fewer than five were made. I have never seen another one in Trinidad. I aquired this one in 2005, second hand from a religious Muslim man in Port of Spain and have used it for a few weddings. For Muslims, you would no doubt know the significance of the registration number786  I still have it.  It is a six door sedan known as the Airport Limosine.You can see the three right doors if you look at the left side of the picture as she sits under my house ready for service and even today she is in very good condition. Anyone getting married soon? I think I want to sell this car. Any offers?

Vintage transport in the 1950's

 

This is early fifties. While strictly speaking this is not a vintage car, this is indeed vintage transport. As a little boy I can remember my grandfather taking me to his garden in a Horse Cart. Fast foward a few years later and see if you can identify the cars in the next picture.

 

 

The one in the fore ground is a Vauxhall Velox 1954. The next under looks like a 1953 Morris Oxford. The next one is a Ford Consul MK 1, manufactured between 1951 to 1956. Next with a person standing at the door is a Ford Prefect manufactured between 1949 and 1953. I have been fortunate to ride all three models and drive a Ford Consul  Mark 1. Can anyone remember Nandlal and Sons store on High Street? I remember buying shirts there in 1970!

While I have these photos, I am unable to acknowledge the source as received them via an email many years ago.

 

On High Street San Fernando in the fifties.

 

This is early fifties. While strictly speaking this is not a vintage car, this is indeed vintage transport. As a little boy I can remember my grandfather taking me to his garden in a Horse Cart. Fast foward a few years later and see if you can identify the cars in the next picture.

 

 

The one in the fore ground is a Vauxhall Velox 1954. The next under looks like a 1953 Morris Oxford. The next one is a Ford Consul MK 1, manufactured between 1951 to 1956. Next with a person standing at the door is a Ford Prefect manufactured between 1949 and 1953. I have been fortunate to ride all three models and drive a Ford Consul  Mark 1. Can anyone remember Nandlal and Sons store on High Street? I remember buying shirts there in 1970!

While I have these photos, I am unable to acknowledge the source as received them via an email many years ago.