This one is Pure Vintage

 

 

 

This is my 1953 Morris Oxford. It is bigger than the Morris Minor. This model was manufactured between 1953 until 1957.This car is completely original with the manufacturer engine and parts. She is in mint condition. It can cary six persons in two bench seats. It is manual transmission with  a fingertip gear lever. I use this one regularly to do errands around the village. If you look at the top picture above the number plate, you will see a small cover. This can be opened by turning upwards to reveal a space where a crank handle can be inserted and you can crank start this car if your battery fails. You will also notice that the windscreen is divided into two sections and the wipers work counter clockwise and opposite to each other.

By today's standard she is a slow car and can reach a maximun speed of 72 mph but back in her time she ws very popular and was among the first cars to be used as route taxis in Trinidad. She is just two and a half years younger than me and sometimes I feel, in better health than me. I have willed this one to my grand son for I know she will outlive me!



1953 Morris Minor

 

 

These pictures are of my other Morris Minor. This one is a regular road car and is used nearly every day to take my nephew's children to school. If you live in the Penal area you must have seen this car. Unlike my other cars this one has been modified with a 1400cc Datsun 120 y engine and you can probably see the spoke rims if you look closely. It is air conditioned and with automatic transmission and front disc brakes. This is truly a ladies car and my wife enjoys driving this car! 



Early Hot Rods

During the period 1919 - 1933 it was illegal to manufacture, transport or consume alcohol in the US. This perion was known as The Prohibition. For bootleggers the most important task was to transport the moonshine to various areas for sale and they needed fast cars with large trunk space to outrun the police. The term "Hot Rod" was coined to mean fast cars and cars used in illegal activities. The practice of outrunning the police is said to be the basis of modern car racing.
The earliest car to be used was the Ford Model T in the first picture. This was manufactured between 1908 to 1928. Incidently Mc Enearney motors in celebrating their 100 year anniversary has one on display at their Port of Spain show room.
Even when prohibition ended, illegal alcohol manufacture continued because of taxes inposed. During the forties the 1940 ford V8 coupe, shown in the second picture was the favourite means of transport. With its powerful V 8 engine it could outrun the police easily, and with a trunk space that could carry between 100 and 130 gallons of moonshine it was ideal for Moonshiners.
The next picture shows a Police Roadblock hoping to catch the Moonshiners.

Pictures taken from Nascar Magazine - Driving with the Devil and the birth of Nascar. Feb 4. 2009 Detroit. US.

My Morris Minor 1953.

 

 

This is one of my two Morris Minors. It is a 1953 model. This car was first manufactured in UK in 1948 until 1972. It carries a 1000 cc engine and is a 4 door sedan. This is a no frills car and was made for the working class people and was the best selling English car of its time. There are quite a few in Trinidad and a very active Morris Minor Club. This car is completely original as parts are not so hard to get in England. If you look carefully at the second picture you will see the indicator, which is a small arm in the middle between the doors.This lifts up and lights to indicate direction of turn.

As you can see I am doing a bit of repairs and this one should be on the road soon. I will feature the other one which is well tuned and running in another post.



The 1954 Rover p4 90

These are pictures of a 1954 Rover P4 90 which is currently being repaired. You will probably notice that the back doors open opposite to the front doors.This is known as suicide doors. I sold this one about two months ago for $35000, quite a bargain. You can see the inside with leather seats and wooden dashboard. In the first picture you see the purchaser who wants to return the car to pristine condition so you will soon see it on the road. I was sorry to let this one go but my collection was becoming to big to manage.
She carries a 2.6 litre straight six cylinder engine and can reach a top speed of 90 mph. This car is completely original and parts are easily availablev in the UK. All you need is a credit card!
When my collection was growing, my wife asked why I was collecting so many. I told her that it was either car or Radica, Monica and Devika!

Beauty!

 

This picture is of a 1942 Ford 2 door Coupe sent to me by my niece in Florida that has been restored. She has a 6 cylinder 3.7 litre engine and I am told runs like a dream. I hope to ride/drive in it when I visit for Christmas.
I have made inquiries for bringing a foriegn vintage vehicle to Trinidad but was told that the age of the vehicle does not allow this. One can only do so if one is a returning resident and has owned the vehicle for over two years.







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.

 

Vintage from the Movies. James Bond 1964 Aston Martin

Does any one in this group remember the movie Gold Finger? The year was 1964 and the car of choice was the Aston Martin. Indeed it became James Bond trade mark car. Gold Finger was the third James Bond film ansd saw the introduction of the begining of a relationship with Bond and the Aston Martin brand.
Sean Connery starred as Secret Agent 007 and the movie was based on the novel Gold Finger written by Ian Flemming. The movie also starred Bond's girl Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore.
The car was such a hit that that the model car version by Corgi Toys was the best selling toy for 1964.

James Bond slept througn an earthquake. He was shaken but never stirred!

Austin Cambridge 1960

Now that I have learnt a bit about blogging, let me introduce myself. My name is Motilal Boodoosingh and I am a 63 year old retired Offshore Gas Production worker. I am also an Adult Literacy Tutor and a Remedial English Tutor at the Penal Police Youth Club Home Work Centre.
As an eternal student I am currently in my final semester at Costaatt completing my BA in Literature and Communications, hence my enrollment in Comm 350 and my participation in this blogging exercise.
As you can probably tell by now, I am a vintage car enthusiast. I currently own seven ranging from the year 1953 to 1968. I will like to use this medium to show them and also talk about them a little. I have also chosen to highlight popular classic cars that have been used in movies of yesteryear and give some titbits about them. I hope that with me learing more in this class' I will be able to present videos of the cars in action. I also hope viewers will find my offerings interesting.

Above is a photo of my 1960 Austin Cambridge of which I will talk about later.

How do you call a car that goes left when you steer right? A Dis- lexus!comm350

My 1968 Mercedes Benz 280 S

My 1968 Mercedes Benz 280 S.

The Mercedes Benz 280 S series were manufactured in Germany through 1965 - 1972 as a then luxury car. This one is a 1968 model.  It carries a 2.8 litres straight six cylinder engine with twin carburettors.  It is automatic and can reach a maximum speed of 177 Km/hr.

I have had this car since 2001 and has done minimal maintenance on it except for oil changes and one chance out of front disc pads. The braking system is superb with discs on both front and rear wheels and also on the hand brake.

I have carried several weddings  and recently this car along with four other of my vintage cars were in a wedding scene for the local television series the Ramsinghs which will be aired in October.

Incidentally that is my wife in the picture. She usually drives when there is a wedding.

I am in class and trying this out. I hope I do this right,





My 1953 Morris Oxford.