Hello Woodsy,
In August 2003 my daughter was home from University for summer break when I found a listing in Hemmings which is a monthly magazine, a sort of Exchange & Mart for used American cars, trucks etc. After all where else would one look for a 1940's Seagrave Fire Truck?
That August there was an ad for an Austin FX3 for sale in Connecticut. My daughter agreed to go up with me to drive it. We found the garage on a quiet suburban street and the cab was on the forecourt of the building. The mechanics were taking a coffee break inside and handed me the key not expecting me to know how to start the cab.
I think they were disappointed when we drove off. The diesel doesn't start by turning the key in the ignition as a petrol engine. The key turns on the electrical system, then you have to pull a lever under the dash board to engage the starter motor after first having 15 seconds of the heater plugs being on. Once the engine is running you could turn off the ignition, there will be no electrical system but the engine will stay running.
Anyway we drove off down the road which was all pot holes and cracks when we reached a wide enough space I did a u-turn to go back. That's when I discovered the cab had no brakes! The FX3 had mechanical brakes, not hydraulic and they needed regular adjustment on the wheel hub.
Luckily the handbrake worked on the rear wheels and it was controllable as we were going so slow anyway. My daughter wasn't particularly impressed and asked if I would have let her drive this cab with 13 people aboard. Hoist by my own petard. No!
The reason for mentioning this anecdote is that nine years later that same FX3 was in the Color-ite garage as they maintained it for it's owner.
It had been purchased by people working at a company in the town where I had driven it and was given as a gift to their sales director who was British.
There had been a storm where the cab was used and it had been sent to have it's bumpers re chromed so it was with the Beardmore of Mr Wells for a while.
The attached photos include the Beardmore.
The Inert cab is as I found it at first and the others show the damage and awful leather work.
Regards,
Terranova47
NYC
USA
Do you still own a taxi Terran? Fabulous memories and a great story.
ReplyDeleteLots of models but no real ones. But you never know! Mr Wells Beardmore if in better condition and a more realistic price....................?
ReplyDeleteLovely insight and story of iconic vehicles :)
ReplyDeleteI have a 1963 Beardmore Rebuilt for sale
ReplyDeletestephentjohnson@netzero.net
7-16-20