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Hi.
Can I please introduce myself :
My name is Tony and I’ve been a Mechanic since 1961 ……..Now concentrating on Classic Car Repairs as a
Main Business :
if its got plugs & Points Then I’m your Man
if you could spread the word Id be very grateful ;
Thanks
Tony Ellis Classic Car Repairs Dublin 0857663858
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What a pleasure it is to write about a car company that has turned adversity into success, as the title suggests it’s definitely not British, Skoda the car manufacturer that was the butt of comedians jokes for a number of years, the car company that the British motoring press had difficulty finding anything positive to write about.
A short history of the early beginnings of this company, like many others they started manufacturing bicycles, messr’s Laurin and Klement, and then turned to motorcycles and finally got round to producing cars, though not part of this particular article they also built trucks and buses and aero engines and agricultural machinery.
They had been so successful that in 1907 they floated a joint stock company and there was no stopping, in 1925 they amalgamated with Pilsen Skoda.
Like many companies on mainland Europe during world war two they became pawns to whoever was in charge, Skoda unfortunately became a producer for the German war machine, so much that the works were renamed “Herman Goering Works”, but at least Skoda was still working, late in the war, actually 1945, the factory was virtually destroyed by advancing forces.
Depending on your view of the world the country was occupied by another dictator, the Russians did not permit any sharing of information with the western allies, which sort of left Skoda on it’s own. One must consider the vehicles they turned out were rugged, which matched the kind of roads they would endure outside of urban area’s.
The Skoda plant was up and running again before the end of the year 1945, it was said that the design and technical content of the cars lagged far behind their western counterparts, far be it for me to add fuel to that argument, except in saying was the western made car that good?
In 1959 the Octavia saloon rolled out of the Mlada Boleslav factory, ah there is a good reason for the name, it was the eighth car produced by the nationalized company. It was a natural development of the earlier 440 which had been launched in 1954
I always thought the Octavia had something special about its looks, mark you it was a cheap car to buy in the UK, 745.00 pounds, there was a stigma to driving something that originated from behind the iron curtain though there was a lot of politics involved.
Nearly 300,000 rolled off the production lines at Mlada Boleslav, the first ones were 1089cc engines producing 40 BHP which was increased to 50BHP and later an increased size engine of 1221cc was fitted, the gearbox was a four speed,, top speed of about 78mph and a 0-60 time of 29 secs.
Suspension was telescopic shocks at the front and a live axle with transverse leaf spring at the back, it was a monocoque body.
Apparently the Octavia was reliable, run on low grade petrol and relatively frugal. It was also extremely well made, ok it had rubber mats and not carpets, so what so did the early Volvo’s.
There was a convertible version the Felicite, I have seen a picture at one of the events covered by the club of a red one, I have no idea if it is a club member.
Having scoured the various sites there are very few Skoda Octavia’s for sale, in fact I could not find one, which makes this some desirable motor, it might not have the kudos of a Jag or an MG, but then they are ten a penny compared to the Skoda, there was one Skoda for sale, a special built for rallying yours if you have 48000.00 sterling.
Ted Lay tedlay@gmail.com
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Now that people are worried about penalty points fo not having an NCT – there are long waits for tests. The fact that most cars are first registered in the early part of the year has also increased waiting times.
If people are stopped by gardaí for not having a valid NCT – they need to provide proff of having booked an NCT test – but he NCT can’t provide that until they give you a definite date.
You end up on a “priority list” – but they won’t issue a letter saying you’ve made an attempt to get an NCT. You’re ringing, ringing, ringing to see if you can get an appointment – it’s like a lottery, basically. You may get an appointment at a test centre which is miles away from where you live – but you don’t have to accept that.
Applus+ – the company who operate the NCT have said that gardaí can ring Applus (NCT) to confirm that motorists in this position are on a priority waiting list for a test.
You can’t book a test more than 6 weeks in advance. Which seems stupid.
There is a clause in the customer charter of NCT – that offers a free test if you have to wait more than 4 weeks for an appointment. I am sure there will be many people claiming the free test over the coming months. (€50 )
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Classic and vintage car breaker with huge amount spares for a wide range of vehicles dating from 1920s to 1980s. Some new old stock also available.
DELIVERY NATIONWIDE!!
Here are just some of the vehicles we are currently breaking;
Rover P5 & P5 B
Rover P4
Humber
Wolseley
Porsche-
Daimler-
Jaguar-
Land Rover-
Austin –
Mercedes –
Ford –
Austin –
Morris –
MG-
Triumph-
Vauxhall/Opel-
Hillman/Chrysler-
Volkswagon-
Panels, Interiors, Engines, Gearboxes, Brakes, Suspension, Switches, Glass and much more even down to the supply of original screws or bolts.
If you don’t see your car on the list don’t worry, it doesn’t mean we don’t have what you’re after so Call, Text or Email to find out. We also have a yard in the UK and can source most parts within 28 days!!!!!!!
Mail Order Available Through Paypal or Bank Transfer.
New Stock Arriving Weekly!!!!!!!
Classic Cars Any Condition!WANTED For Cash !!!!!!
086 4044270 LIMERICK
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No we are not stuck in an Austin groove, whilst researching the 16 I came across a little piece which said Austin now belongs to an Asian Company, someone has sold our heritage to the highest bidder, despite all the trauma’s the company went through, which in the main stemmed from lack of funding, poor management decisions and dire staff relations, Austin cars had a quality and charisma unmatched by the mass produced boxes seen on our roads today.
The skill needed to drive the Austin Seven and cars of a similar like would no doubt render a great many of today’s drivers as incompetent, double declutching, no power steering and no sat nav, ah well perhaps I am showing my age, it may well be today’s drivers are better.
To be honest if it wasn’t for enthusiasts like yourself, names like Austin, Riley, Wolseley, Morris and MG would have disappeared long ago, even so many names and models gone by the way, just look at any classic encyclopaedia. When I pick up an old copy of autocar or motor you come across a model which stirs something in the brain, I remember those, haven’t seen one for years.
I decided to find a car apart from a Ford or a VW that made motoring history and then disappeared into oblivion, the little Austin Seven, I think did more for the average person to enjoy the freedom of travel in relative comfort and at a price they could afford.
1922, Austin launched the Seven, advertised it as “the motor for millions”, at 225 pounds it was compatible with buying a motorcycle and sidecar.
Sales were not up to Fords model T but there again Britain and Europe are quite different markets to the US, however in the first five years 100,000 units had been sold, the price was dropped to 145 pounds, encouraging more people to give up the motorcycle combination, one article at the time stated the price drop will kill off sidecars and cyclecars for good, it did of course dent two wheel sales.
Technically the Baby Austin was simple to maintain, the engine was a 747cc 4 cylinder side valve, I hasten to add originally it was a 696cc unit but was enlarged before production, the chassis was basic with two main beams running the length of the car, according to another review the chassis was A shaped with the engine mounted at the narrow front end.
Suspension wasn’t exactly user friendly, it was a very hard ride, at the rear there is quarter elliptic springs cantilevered from the rear of the chassis, at the other end there is a beam axle centrally mounted half elliptic spring, it took shock absorbers a little while, but they did eventually.
Braking, the brakes have been described as unimpressive, the fronts worked on the hand brake and the rears by the footbrake, it may well have been the other way round as there are differing opinions as to which way round it was, but thank goodness by 1930 they were fully coupled.
Steering was direct, no power steering, you had worm and wheel mechanism which is very direct and high geared.
The engine started with a two bearing crankshaft and in 1936 was enlarged to three bearings, however the end of the seven was on the cards, however the engine went on and on, it powered boats, fire pumps and it even went flying, there appeared no end to the versatility of this little engine, Colin Chapman used it for his early Lotus cars, it also went into the early Reliant three wheelers. Many specials appeared with the seven engine.
The gearbox had three speeds and a reverse, in 1932 it was made into 4 speeds with syncro on 3rd and 4th gears.
Such was the popularity of the little car, it was built by Rosengarts in France, the Germans built it at Eisenbach, named it the Dixi, which went on to become the home of BMW, remember the Wartburg and the EMW all came out of Eisenbach.
A separate company was set up in the US, and though it is slightly touchy the reports suggest that Sevens were built in Japan without a licence, hmm no comment.
The seven was available in so many versions Saloons, open tourers, vans, milk floats, there was the racing Ulster versions of the Seven they were extremely successful, but did you know they were the first 750cc motor to achieve 100mph, in Britain.
Austin seven specials are still used in trails and hill climbs which is not bad for an old lady, a very old lady.
There are believed to be 6000 still in existence, out of some 290,000 that were made, naturally every now and again one pops out of the woodwork not having seen the light of day for decades, and when they do they aren’t cheap to buy, a cherished one will set you back even more.
Well that is not the end of our Seven, there is an Austin seven Swallow, it was a rebodied seven by no lesser personage than Wm Lyons, that should start the grey matter working, the Swallow appeared in 1927 an open sports tourer and the following year came the saloon, and eventually Wm produced his own complete model under the SS brand, which come 1945 was the start of the all conquering Jaguar, had it not been for the success of the Swallow Wm Lyons probably would not have moved his factory from Blackpool to Coventry.
From a club aspect the Seven has truly world wide following, clubs in Australia, America, of course Europe and naturally the UK.
I think it is safe to say we will never see the likes of the Austin Seven again, simplicity, fun and cheap.
Before closing, if you are really interested in the Seven you would probably have more success obtaining parts than for some of our modern cars, there are so many firms offering parts, even complete bodies, and if you are going to one of the auto jumbles with the club, no doubt the lads would smuggle most of the bits on the coach to build a truly Irish Seven.
Ted Lay ted@gmail.com
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ANOTHER GREAT SHOW THIS YEAR, THESE PHOTOS SENT IN FROM BRIAN LACEY. THANKS BRIAN
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ITS ONLY APRIL BUT IT MIGHT BE WORTH A REMINDER, WITH FOUR MONTHS TO GO , THINGS ARE BEING PLANNED AND WITH “THE CAPRI CLUB OF IRELAND” AND “THE CAMBRIDGE OXFORD OWNERS CLUB” ALREADY WITH THEIR ATTENDANCE CONFIRMED, ITS STARTING TO LOOK GOOD, SO COME ONE COME ALL TO THE SUNNY SOUTH EAST. FOR MORE INFO CONTACT PAUL ON 085 1490860 OR EMAIL kilkennymotorclub@hotmail.com
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE ON THE 29th OF AUGUST
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THIS COMPANY SENT A EMAIL TO THE WEB SITE, IT MIGHT BE WORTH A LOOK SOMETIME……
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Two Club cars feature on the front of this months” IRISH VINTAGE SCENE” . Congrats to Vincent and Paul on this achievement…
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