Scooter

A poster from the past with an item that will make you gasp: http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/03/ebay-find-harley-davidson-powered-toyota-prius-video/

Sam, excellent picture set. Thanks. The Pettah one is particularly content rich. Such a range of vehicles finding their way onto the Island around that time. Over on the BHP forum folk have been contributing some lovely old car stuff from family photo albums. Looking forward to the tram stuff.

Cat, looks like you're really enjoying working on the Disco. Good photos, always useful to others with problems. Have you come across the free Disco Workshop Manual pdf? It's up on: http://www.landroverresource.com/docs/D1_Workshop_Manual.pdf ...Brit vehicles ....and particularly their electrics.....really have a mind totally of their own, don't they!

Meanwhile, couple of weeks ago in Paris at the Motor Show:

Great taxi post, Sylvi. Lots of information here. I recollect seeing somewhere on the web a family page about the Hinniappuhamy family - were they into the food business and three-wheelers or I am completely wrong? Have you guys seen the Charles Waite Morris Minor SL film series? There are 3 or 4 clips from the early 90s on YouTube.....in this one, in the last few minutes, there are shots of yellow top MMs on the road: Had a look around and there seems to be a real dearth of photos of those early yellow tops available, yet those taxis used to be everywhere. Perhaps some AL family albums might be able to supply a few nice pics? And - as an aside - blimey, first I've got that nooby moderator talking about my arse and now this Watchie guy, with the cute curlers in his hair, is begging for my photo. I'm going to be keeping my back against the wall around here, I tell you.

Colombo, 1981, yellow-top Morris MInor taxis....and they tended to come with the non-optional extras of rusty holes in the floor thru which the road could be see, and frequent flat-batteries so the can needed a push start!!!!! Great little motor there, Sam, the A-series, in MHO the best engine for the keen amateur mechanic ever. And by the way, in the bad economic time on the Island in 1971, there were reports of Morris Minors changing hands for 4,000 pounds sterling....an absolute fortune. Hope this is not off topic or some looney will start shouting at me....DILLIGAF?

Supra, what is the topic? have you had a mo to read the whole thread or have u simply dipped in at this point? Who knows...Anyway, here's a little tip for ya from the Chinese Master: "What is over and done with, one does not discuss. What has already taken its course, one does not criticize; what already belongs to the past, one does not censure." Could be a great help to ya in learning how not to bug people. You will remember we have already had to alert you to what seem to be a tendency to prejudge and bully Members here. And, while we're here, what is all this emboldening of other's posts you seem to be fixated with? Real bad form, dontcha know? Anyway, gotta to bugger off back to me campfire for a cuppa and a wad with the blokes, ooooroooo.

Fair go, cobber, us blokes in Oz copped that oil Landcrab bandoogle first, those drongos in Pommy-land couldn't draw-up a car to handle proper like all the trials and tribulations of our sunburnt land and it was down to us chums to point the BMC trouble-hunters to the dip-stick fix....or so we all tell ourselves as we huddle around our camp fire recounting the stories of the old days over a beer or two! Anyway, back to SL.....any genuine locally-induced car problems we can recollect?

Maybe the idea of the polarised socket is to ensure that anything plugged in with a metal outer casing - like an older fridge - can't' get + power to the case and thus be in danger of shorting out to other parts of the car. Just a guess, Cat.

Hi Cat, the old socket is what they call a "polarised" socket. Sometimes they were installed unfused, so careful with what is plugged in. Worth checking if the circuit is fused or not. You have a FANTASTIC electrical supplier over there inPerth called Engeland (the fridge people) who supply all this 12v vehicle power gear...they have some amazing power panels for Landrovers that make me drool and their prices are really good. You can look them up on: http://www.engeland.com.au/welcome.toy Looks like a fun Disc0.

Sam, it's just because I've got so bl**dy old! I'm busy losing my teeth and my hair and forgetting everything else except the cars I love(d). :-) A lot of my interest came because of Dad, who was a real mechanics/car nut. He spent most of his working life driving and fixing cranes, and bulldozers, and trucks and it sorta rubbed off on me. Busses are one of your vehicle interest, Sam?

Sean, must get hold of David Corke's book. Looks fascinating. Thanks for the lead.

It's might be that there were auto transmission type cars in Ceylon pre Sir John's 56 Caddy. For example here is a picture from the Motorbase site of a Lanchester Leda (Lanchester 14) in Kandy that has an EY rergo from the early 50s (is that dating correct?): fs_leda_lanchester_in_ceylon_1969__adj.jpg These Lanchester's (made by Daimler with a 1968cc engine) ) had an automatic transmission made up of a Daimler fluid flywheel transmission linked to a Wilson 4-speed preselect box. Basiically did away with the clutch but you did select by hand the gear that was wanted next. Reckoned to be one of the smoothest systems ever devised. The fluid flywheel did not act as a torque convertor but the system operated in a way that allowed the car to start in top gear (if desired) and it would amble along at a walking pace in any gear. The write up at: http://daimlerandlanchester.wordpress.com/how-to-drive-a-pre-selector/ provides a superb introduction into driving these early autos. Anybody got other examples of early autos on the Island?

Very interesting post, Sam, and great links. What's the source of the 63 text document? (The service vehicle referred to is likely to have been a lorry with a wooden box mounted on a sort of big metal/wood frame that lifted a couple of guys up into the air to service the overhead power lines and to unjam stuck trolley pantographs.) I well remember trolley buses from a London childhood. Some called the trolley buses "Whispering Death", cos you never heard them coming, they were so quiet on the road. Hundreds of ex-London Transport busses seem to have been exported to countries as diverse as Ceylon, Kenya, HK, and Yougoslavia in the 50s and 60s. The AEC busses that came out to Colombo at the end of the 50s must have been really tired after their mammoth service in the Austerity Years. The Brits don't miss a trick! Here at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveumpire/4309170060/ is a picture of one of those units being slung onto a ship in the UK prior to wending it's way to Ceylon. Apparently, and I really don't know anything about this, some of the bus chassis ended up being converted to lorries after their Colombo public transport days came to an end. Significant that you have introduced commercial vehicles to the thread as they have had a vital role to play in Ceylon/Lanka's vehicle history.

And if you enjoy trains and cars and travel and food and Sri Lanka, I thoroughly recommend a visit to Royston Ellis' web page - he is always a good read. http://www.roystonellis.com/index.php