British Car Meeting (Switzerland) ~60 photos

[cstorey]

Oh, apologies. Yes,it is not quite so elegant as the Eventer,although I have a recollection that the pre-facelift Eventer was more angular, as was the original XJS, and so not as nice as the facelift one shown

PS I cannot get over the number of Spitfires - now something of a forgotten car in the UK, and which is a lovely motor provided you treat the handling with some respect - I particularly like the black one

[Dev One]

Wot - No Imps or Stilettos?

Used to have great fun in my Stiletto - mainly keeping the b***dy engine from overheating, changing the water pump bearings & changing those rubber flex drive shaft doughnut thingys....
Keith

[nigelb]

Great pictures Toby! Made my mouth water. I spotted a Triumph Herald among them - I had one of those here in the Colonies. I can say it was easy to work on which was a big plus because that was needed with a fair amount of frequency. Lucas Electronics!

Nigel²

[TobyV]

PS I cannot get over the number of Spitfires - now something of a forgotten car in the UK, and which is a lovely motor provided you treat the handling with some respect - I particularly like the black one

Yes I remember being at the Triumph Sports Six Club meeting at Stafford in 2008 and they were lamenting the decline in the number of such cars in attendance. I wonder if the Swiss climate and the fact people often store cars in underground garages here means they last a bit longer in general My favourite is either the red Mk3 with the wire wheels or the red Mk IV. Always wanted one but never quite got the position to buy one yet.

@Keith, I don't recall seeing any Rootes group cars now you come to mention it...

@ Nigel, I know someone out here with a convertible Herald. Will have to ask him about that. On the plus side, the bonnet and front wings lift up so easy as can be to work on

[Vancouver]

Whatever happened to the fun sports car, there surely is a market out there for affordable Sports soft tops. Not everyone is in the BMW X whatever market. I had incredible and cheap fun in a Triumph Vitesse, a Fiat X1/9 (rusted away nothing in the end), a Triumph Spitfire (wrecked it) and a Sunbeam Tiger in my day, even had a share of a VW Beach Buggy. Nothing like these cars around anymore. Youngsters I am sure would clamour for similar modern cars if only they were available.
"Oh father you know nothing, look at the fun I have in my Yaris"

[cstorey]

There is the Mazda MX5, but it is rather stodgy compared with the fun cars of yesteryear . Of course, elf n safety has added to the weight and complexity, and the extra weight becomes disproportionate in cars which were as light as the Spridget/Spitfire/X1-9

[TobyV]

Whatever happened to the fun sports car, there surely is a market out there for affordable Sports soft tops. Not everyone is in the BMW X whatever market.

Totally agree, I guess the modern world is a less carefree world and even the most basic car must now adhere to many more safety and environmental regulations, so something like a modern Spitfire wouldn't be possible . For what it's worth, my own car is among the photos and is one of the more modern vehicles that might fit your description of a "sports soft top". ...and I hate poncey 4x4s like the BMX x#/Audi Q# etc which I variously refer to as Tonka toys or Panzers. If you live on a farm, get a Landrover, if not, stop driving a tank filling my rear view mirrors!

[Kevin Farnell]

Thanks for those photos, Toby.

Many of those bring back fond memories.
Any Jag with curves is a winner in my book - as opposed to the purple monstrosity of the XJ-S estate (amazing how low it is compared with the Range Rover behind it).
Reminiscing further, I think the little sliver car is a Ford Anglia - remember my Grandad having one of those.
I also remember the Aston Martin Lagonda - my friends Dad did some contract work on the design of that - 'though I only got to see it at the Birmingham Motor show.
A Mini! - had 3 of those and now have it's modern cousin.
The 'Landcrab' that you mention. My Dad had one of those (Morris 1800, I think). It was awesome and the legroom in the back was legendary.

Thanks again

Kevin