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Not a TR, but what car is this?


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37 minutes ago, OldBob said:

Derek,

 

Yes the original pic is that of a Cob I think, you can just see the higher roofline and it appears to have side windows fitted.

commer cob.jpg

The windows and chrome headlight bezels suggests it could be the Hillman Husky variant or they could have been retro fitted

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Thanks folks - it was Bevs Grandfather's. I found these pics in a bunch of old photos which were taken in about 1962.  Here's another view, I've done a bit of Googling based on your info and yes, there's no chrome strip under the windscreen and the shape of the rear window suggests it could be a Series 1 Husky van?

Cheers, Andrew

16b.thumb.jpg.e2e53903731705091f6fbfdef82ac797.jpg

 

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8 hours ago, Cew said:

The windows and chrome headlight bezels suggests it could be the Hillman Husky variant or they could have been retro fitted

I think you are correct Clive, the grille has a Hillman badge on it, so probably a '57 Husky.

 

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My commer was mechanically sound, the body solid but far from concourse odd dent with a few scratches, bought it like that. It was ideal transport for London  those days, people avoided me, mind you a lot still do. :( Aaaah :D

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34 minutes ago, Andrew Smith said:

Thanks folks - it was Bevs Grandfather's. I found these pics in a bunch of old photos which were taken in about 1962.  Here's another view, I've done a bit of Googling based on your info and yes, there's no chrome strip under the windscreen and the shape of the rear window suggests it could be a Series 1 Husky van?

Cheers, Andrew

16b.thumb.jpg.e2e53903731705091f6fbfdef82ac797.jpg

 

Andrew,

your family vehicle obviously has side windows and a rear seat. Here's a pic of some the extras avalable which clearly shows the seat but not the windows.

cob extras.jpg

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Side windows would not have been offered as an extra on the Commer Cob as then purchase tax would have been payable hence the Husky version having the side windows as standard.  The other issue was the speed limit as a van, whether privately licensed or not, was subject to a 30 mph speed limit, once it had been fitted with side windows and seats it was not restricted.

I learnt to drive on a '56 Cob (this was the earlier shape to the car in Andrew's picture) which had been converted, very easy to drive as I think the vans had lower gearing.

Mike

Edited by mike ellis
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1 hour ago, mike ellis said:

Side windows would not have been offered as an extra on the Commer Cob as then purchase tax would have been payable hence the Husky version having the side windows as standard.  The other issue was the speed limit as a van, whether privately licensed or not, was subject to a 30 mph speed limit, once it had been fitted with side windows and seats it was not restricted.

I learnt to drive on a '56 Cob (this was the earlier shape to the car in Andrew's picture) which had been converted, very easy to drive as I think the vans had lower gearing.

Mike

That brochure was obviously for the Husky then Mike, (chrome headlamp rims visible) meaning you would (or could) buy a Husky with windows but no seat fitted.

 

(It was incorrectly listed as a Cob pamphlet).

 

 

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On 5/25/2020 at 11:06 AM, mike ellis said:

Side windows would not have been offered as an extra on the Commer Cob as then purchase tax would have been payable hence the Husky version having the side windows as standard.  The other issue was the speed limit as a van, whether privately licensed or not, was subject to a 30 mph speed limit, once it had been fitted with side windows and seats it was not restricted.

I learnt to drive on a '56 Cob (this was the earlier shape to the car in Andrew's picture) which had been converted, very easy to drive as I think the vans had lower gearing.

Mike

The rules on purchase tax status on commercial vehicles was quite bizarre. My father bought a new Bedford Utilibrake (Martin Walter conversion) 12 seater in the late 50s and another in the early 60s, and although it was purchase tax exempt as a 12 seater the double front passenger seat was an extra because it would seem the vehicle was derived from a van, most odd.

You also had to notify HM customs if you added windows to a van within ,I think 3 ,maybe 5 years, after initial purchase.

Andrews picture ,I would guess, shows an original car where as the web pictures may well have had the "bling" added at a restoration or similar

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2 hours ago, Cew said:

The rules on purchase tax status on commercial vehicles was quite bizarre.

Also on kit cars. I believe they were exempt from PT as long as the builder did not have professional help, but an assembly instruction manual counted as professional help, so early Lotus kits came with a loose-leaf manual on how to take a car apart and put it back in the shipping crate.

Pete

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16 minutes ago, stillp said:

Also on kit cars. I believe they were exempt from PT as long as the builder did not have professional help, but an assembly instruction manual counted as professional help, so early Lotus kits came with a loose-leaf manual on how to take a car apart and put it back in the shipping crate.

Pete

A little more background on conversions and Purchase tax from that time http://www.e83w.co.uk/carmechanics.htm

Stuart.

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On 5/24/2020 at 10:49 PM, OldBob said:

57 Minx

57 minx.jpg

I learnt to drive and passed my test in the family 1957 Hillman Minx, Reg ULB 856. 1390 cc 4 cylinder with column change with very low ratio first gear and handbrake on right side of drivers seat. My driving instructor (Dad) felt very uneasy about having absolutely no contact with any brake whatsoever during our early lessons. Ours was a series 1, like the one below. I think that's a series 11 above.

Dave McD

image.png

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