Life at Cambridge motor co, Division st 1970's

[bullerboY]

Jazzman,I last saw Bob at the car and bike meet at the Old Hall many years ago and he wasnt looking well then and yes i knew that he had died so has jim kay.I knew that he had a collection of cars,he was at the Westfield cafe every morning in the 70s.

 

---------- Post added 08-03-2014 at 11:19 ----------

 

garry ime 72 now and in those days i worked on West st at Globe and Simpsons Branch of Brakesafe.I used to go in the cavendish as well as the pennyFarthing,when it was Baileys i got chucked out for giving the manager a knuckle sandwich but the lads let me back in later saying they had wanted to do that for ages.All the exoticars used to go in Midas for exhausts and we all knew each other Malcolm Hooley was the manager there at that time.

 

---------- Post added 08-03-2014 at 11:22 ----------

 

Garry for 26yrs I had a garage business in walkley and did get around a bit,been in the motor business from 15.

[David Bee]

Hi Garry I remember Malcolm,he helped us out on many occasions as did Terry Stone and Ken Mappin.Terry was a brilliant mechanic, intuitive,and instinctive.Terry enjoyed danger,motor racing and other risky pass times.tragically he fell from a ladder ,not at any great height ,and was killed.Sad loss.I often remember the people of that era,it's still fresh in my memory as are the driving experiences I was lucky enough to enjoy. :-)

Edited March 24, 2014 by David Bee

[bullerboY]

Hi Garry I remember Malcolm,he helped us out on many occasions as did Terry Stone and Ken Mappin.Terry was a brilliant mechanic, intuitive,and instinctive.Terry enjoyed danger,motor racking and other risky pass times.tragically he fell from a ladder ,not at any great height ,and was killed.Sad loss.I often remember the people of that era,it's still fresh in my memory as are the driving experiences I was lucky enough to enjoy. :-)

David I knew Terry Stone well he worked with David Wragg at Wood Lane Garage David raced formula ford and was very good.Malcolm played Bass Guitar for many groups,didnt Ken get killed in a boat fire?

[David Bee]

Bullerboy hi,Ken had a string of boats but had always wanted a Moody and that caught fire at sea but Ken had a lucky escape although died of cancer some years later.He came in to my office at Abbeydale rd one Monday Morning black and blue ,I thought he had been in a fight.He had been out to sea for a Sunday afternoon jaunt and an unexpected storm blew up. Although he had two five hundred gallon tanks he had very little fuel on board intending to refuel on his return ,so the boat was riding high.He and his wife had to stay out because the harbour entrance was impassable. The buffeting he got resulted in his bruising.I asked him what he was going to do .He had lost all confidence in the boat and he was going to sell it. It was only about eighteen months old and was a beauty with flying bridge teak layed deck and a small speed boat on Davits at the stern.

 

---------- Post added 08-03-2014 at 23:28 ----------

 

[/color]Apologies for spelling ,but as a dislexic I don'nt read much which is probably the best way to learn:)

Edited April 7, 2014 by David Bee

[bullerboY]

Hi, David,I knew there was some connection with boats and fire but like you the memory bank fails occasionally.I always wondered how he made so much money from that place on Cemetery Rd,two friends of mine have it now selling top end used motors.Do you remember Walter Dungworth who had Europa cars selling Mercs and Les Clayton sometime car salesman and' financial advisor '?60s and 70s were good times in the trade.

[David Bee]

A little ditty for amusement.On my way to work now near to division st,little traffic on the road but the pavements were busy with people .In front of, I saw my brother and he must have seen me in his rear view mirror. I was driving a white Lamborghini espada all low and fabulous.I opened my window to greet brother who had left his car blocking the road,and was walking to ward me shouting to my amazement, various loud remarks designed to attract the passer by's attention.In no time a small crowd had gathered sensing the undoing of some fat cat in a posh car,he even got crowd support.After a further basting he grinned at me turned and walked off. Apparently this was payment for pulling against him from behind some days earlier and slowly pushing him forward at a T junction! (Both cars had hefty bumpers so no damage)

[CoolHandSax]

Sometime in the late 70's there was a Chevrolet Blazer in the window - a huge beast of a pick-up truck. I always remember it 'cos it was the 'win-all' card in the 'Top Trumps' card game that all the kids were playing.

[David Bee]

Coolhandsax Hi, I didn't know about the top trumps deal. in a rash moment ordered a consignment of these with full options,huge alloy wheels and tyres befitting a tractor. The demo was fitted with a 5.7 litre engine with hot set up, geared to about 100mph, which it would do in a little under a 1/4 of a mile, not bad for a vehicle of that size. We had a mixed on, off road demo run.Prospective customers would sit on the right hand side grinning as this thing roared up to the ton. The off road part of the run had what on approach, almost appeared to be a vertical gradient.People would go stiff as a board shoulder braced against the head rest,body ram rod straight,feet fixeded on the bulk head,"O God were not going up there are we ".

 

---------- Post added 10-03-2014 at 19:26 ----------

 

Bullerboy hi, i do not know where where Walter or Lez are now , but I do remember them .Also Frank Keach Walters sales manager.I arranged to buy a car off Frank when I was till on the workshop floor at Abbeydale rd body shop.I fetched a bank draft in my lunch break and could hardly contain my self for the rest of the afternoon.I arrived at Europa and my car was still in the show room.I had been welding on an FX4 taxi ,in for body repairs and although I had been wearing overalls my jeans had the customery burns from hot metal splatter.My face was clean in the middle but still blackened around the edges. I sat down in my new car beaming from ear to ear when a sales man ran up and demanded that I get out as I was filthy, his whole manner was very offensive but he tought me a truely valuable lesson, "never judge a book by its cover,ever".This earnt us a lot of money at division st where most of our customers could not be taken at face value.Pop stars ,truckers ,engineers ,tower crane drivers,pipe line hands,in work cloths,all could and did buy very expensive cars,so if that sales man at Europa happens to see this post ,to you many thanks!

Edited March 10, 2014 by David Bee

[CoolHandSax]

Coolhandsax Hi, I didn't know about the top trumps deal. in a rash moment ordered a consignment of these with full options,huge alloy wheels and tyres befitting a tractor. The demo was fitted with a 5.7 litre engine with hot set up, geared to about 100mph, which it would do in a little under a 1/4 of a mile, not bad for a vehicle of that size. We had a mixed on, off road demo run.Prospective customers would sit on the right hand side grinning as this thing roared up to the ton. The off road part of the run had what on approach, almost appeared to be a vertical gradient.People would go stiff as a board shoulder braced against the head rest,body ram rod straight,feet fixeded on the bulk head,"O God were not going up there are we ".

 

Hi David

Not the fully spec'd model you had but I found this Top Trumps card on E-Bay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Chevrolet-Blazer-Pick-Up-Dies-Off-Road-Vehicle-Top-Trumps-Card-BK-/290943155021

[bullerboY]

Coolhandsax Hi, I didn't know about the top trumps deal. in a rash moment ordered a consignment of these with full options,huge alloy wheels and tyres befitting a tractor. The demo was fitted with a 5.7 litre engine with hot set up, geared to about 100mph, which it would do in a little under a 1/4 of a mile, not bad for a vehicle of that size. We had a mixed on, off road demo run.Prospective customers would sit on the right hand side grinning as this thing roared up to the ton. The off road part of the run had what on approach, almost appeared to be a vertical gradient.People would go stiff as a board shoulder braced against the head rest,body ram rod straight,feet fixeded on the bulk head,"O God were not going up there are we ".

 

---------- Post added 10-03-2014 at 19:26 ----------

 

Bullerboy hi, i do not know where where Walter or Lez are now , but I do remember them .Also Frank Keach Walters sales manager.I arranged to buy a car off Frank when I was till on the workshop floor at Abbeydale rd body shop.I fetched a bank draft in my lunch break and could hardly contain my self for the rest of the afternoon.I arrived at Europa and my car was still in the show room.I had been welding on an FX4 taxi ,in for body repairs and although I had been wearing overalls my jeans had the customery burns from hot metal splatter.My face was clean in the middle but still blackened around the edges. I sat down in my new car beaming from ear to ear when a sales man ran up and demanded that I get out as I was filthy, his whole manner was very offensive but he tought me a truely valuable lesson, "never judge a book by its cover,ever".This earnt us a lot of money at division st where most of our customers could not be taken at face value.Pop stars ,truckers ,engineers ,tower crane drivers,pipe line hands,in work cloths,all could and did buy very expensive cars,so if that sales man at Europa happens to see this post ,to you many thanks!

Walter and Les are dead now but walts wife ,the first one who ran the business with him is still alive i speak to her often on the phone.John Keach ah! well thats another story.I sold Walt a big BMW bike that he begged me for and had to go to Europa every month to take it a run he was so scared of it.Walter and me went back to 1958 when I first start work for him.I used to do that at Sytners go in scruffy to pick my car up and see all the so called rich people,when i paid the bill i used to say to Allan Hall who was on the desk ah Allan do you know what this is they call it cash but i bet you aint seen that for a long time in here.I have a saying,Talk posh and no Dosh.There are no characters left in the trade these days.Did you ever run across John Keefe? perhaps not you would have had a lot less than you have now.