The A-Z of Cars

Isn't memory a tricky thing.  Or at least mine is suspect...

One of the cars on my want list was a 1961 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II, mostly because it plays a key role in The Avengers episode entitled "Mission: Highly Improbable."  A British scientist invents a shrinking ray and a Rolls gets shrunk down to 1:18 and carried around quite a bit.

Except I just watched it again.

It wasn't a '61 Silver Cloud II (with single headlamps), it was a 1965 Silver Cloud III (like John Lennon had).


And it wasn't shrunk down to 1:18, it was shrunk down to 1:43 (or maybe this is 1:64?) (This isn't even a Rolls actually -- it looks like a blue Ford badly painted white)


Except... It wasn't the Rolls that was carried around.  It was an Alvis Saracen FV603 Armoured Personnel Carrier.

Look at this picture of Diana Rigg (Mrs. Peel) today, and you may never be able to watch The Avengers again.

Thanks for throwing cold water on my man parts.

John Lennon's Rolls was a Phantom V. I cannot determine what the difference is between a Silver Cloud and a Phantom.

According to RR the Silver Cloud is a luxury car, while the Phantom is an ultra-luxury car.

But what's the actual difference?

I rewound the tape (backed up the DVD?) to where the model Rolls was first shown and it's definitely a Silver Cloud III. But I think it's 1:64.

_Howard wrote:

Look at this picture of Diana Rigg today

Diana Rigg then:

Diana Rigg then;


and now

OWWWW!

NoCoPilot wrote:

But what's the actual difference?

I have no idea. Ask me the difference between a Series I and Series II Jag E-Type, or between an Austin Mini and a Mini Cooper S, or between a Triumph TR-3, TR-4, and TR-6, or between an MG Midget and an Austin Healey Sprite and I could help you.

NoCoPilot wrote:

OWWWW!

You started it.

_Howard wrote:

You started it.

Uh, no. No, I didn't. Check the records.

My Jeep should show up today or tomorrow.

There are at least two WWII Army Jeeps 1:18 open top foldable windshield out there. They appear (from the pictures and product details) to be identical. One, the one I bought, has stencils on it identifying it as a military police Jeep ("GP Vehicle").


The other (made in China, mine probably is too) has stickers on it that say "militarist". Not "military", "militarist". What the fuck is up with that?  One of the reviews on Amazon says WTF is up with that?  How hard would it be to attach accurate military nomenclature?

Military Police would be "MP". "GP" just means general purpose; that's where the word "jeep" comes from.

Yes I know. Sorry if I was unclear.

_Howard wrote:

What's that black strap on the back of the E-Type bonnet? Packing you forgot to remove?

The only photo I've found showing an XKE with a bonnet strap is this one -- and it's in a different place from the model.

Hold down straps have always been available. I do not know for sure whether they were ever available as an option on the early production cars. Notice the pictured car is for competition. The sheet metal at the bottom attachment of the strap is not present in production cars. Competition cars quite often had bonnet straps in case of a shunt.

I had an idea tonight of what I could do for H, a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Instantly recognizable, and it'll stand out on the racks.

When I was a kid I built a Revell model motorcycle (model forgotten) which must have been 1:12 scale because it was about 10"'long. It was a fine looking kit and I wish I still had it.

You  need an older model Harley - the new ones just don't look right.
I couldn't locate a nice knucklehead model, but found a Panhead and a Servi-Car (like the one my dad had when I was a toddler).

Hey, I found a very nice knucklehead model for you.

This one is a 1936. Same year as the one I bought in 1968. I only paid a little over twice what they want for this model.

That is a VERY NICE model.  Looks bigger than 1:18.  Way detailed.

[Edit: 1:10 scale.  $299.99.  I have set a limit of about 20-40 bucks per model, so this is out of my budget.  But it is worth every penny of $300!]

The one I ended up buying was a 1:18 scale 1958 Duo Glide flathead, blue & white, $26.

Panhead. Good choice.

Panhead?  Whatever.  The listing says "Flh" which I assumed was "flathead."  I don't know the difference obviously.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VUZI08/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"Did you know me and Alan Ladd were exactly the same height?"

FLH is the bike configuration. The meaning of the letters has changed over time and is now pretty much undefined. Panhead is the type of engine. It's actually a slang term, as is flathead, knucklehead, shovelhead and blockhead.

BTW: The bottom picture you posted is not the same as the model you bought - the bike pictured has an early shovelhead engine and an electric starter. It is an Electra-Glide.

Here is a 1958 Duo-Glide:



Here's another one:

You know, the thing about Harleys as far as I can tell from all the pictures I looked at online, is that no two are painted the same.