Stuart & Ian in New York Times!

[Jawmedead]

Having a search on the web for microcar interest I came upon this article in the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/automobiles/collectibles/06INVACAR.html 

[Bob Purton]

Great write up and good advert for the invalid car register! A couple of things I didn't understand though, Stuart said "They were never regarded as proper road cars", they are cars and they drove on the road, what did he mean? Secondly I have never heard them referred to as "Mobile road blocks" I have heard them call a few other names which due to political correctness I cannot repeat in public but never that. Similarly, never heard of ministry blue, toilet blue, yes. Maybe I'm too young to remember! Congrats to the professor and Stuart.

[cuscus47]

Thanks for the commentary and acknowledgements.  There were quite a few errors (reporter's license?) in the article especially with salutations, prices and detective work  , however any news is better than no news  .  The article does put forward some interest in the weird and obscure to American eyes.  Let's hope that there is a follow-up series.    Maybe a TV show for Stuart?  Don't forget that Ken was mentioned as well.  Ian.

[Stuart Cyphus]

A couple of things I didn't understand though, Stuart said "They were never regarded as proper road cars", they are cars and they drove on the road, what did he mean? Secondly I have never heard them referred to as "Mobile road blocks". Similarly, never heard of ministry blue,

 As is typical with every journalist I've ever had any dealings with, theres always some errors of interpritation. "Ministry Blue" is his mistake for "Ice Blue", which all types after about 1965 were painted. The "Mobile Road Block" expression was used many times in relation to the 1960-1972 electricly propelled AC Acredes (yes, there really was such a beast) Deeply unpopular, as it was wide & far too slow on the road, this machine led directly to the development of the electric version of the Tippen Delta from 1965.  With referance to "never being regarded as proper road cars" the reporter has only printed half my satement, which was; "They were never regarded as proper road cars by the Ministry of Health"  Although these things known as invalid carriages had to conform to most parts of the Road Traffic Act, & thus had much the same equiptment in later years as "proper" cars, the MoH, from beginning to end, only ever saw the invalid three-wheeler as an "appliance" in the exact same way as a walking stick, wooden leg or wheelchair.

 One item within the article which I feel most strongly might be particulary open to misinterpritation, is the referance to my "keeping the location of the AC all Weather a secret & helping Ian to buy it". This makes it sound like I owned the AC All Weather & that I kept it a secret from the world at large in order to sell it to Ian myself! True, I knew of its whereabouts & that it was for sale, but everyone who asked me where it was, both in the UK & overseas, got the same cryptic clues to follow to find it in order to give everyone a fair & even chance on it Although Ian is a good fraind of mine, I did not want folk to think I was favouring him above all other & thus activively assisting in the All Weather being exported. In fact it took Ian over a year to fathom out where it was & strike a deal with its owner, & the ICR played no part at all in the deal thus struck.     

[Jawmedead]

 Maybe a TV show for Stuart?

The Oprah Cyphus Show !!!!!  Heaven help us.

[Bob Purton]

Thanks Stuart, that clears up the misunderstandings. About you not assisting in the acquisition and export of the said wagon, it didn't look that way when you turned up with proff at Jeans with it on the back of the truck! Looked like you were assisting very much to me! Who cares anyway, no one in the UK wanted it did they?

[Bob Purton]

Hi Rob. Well that was my point really, If a UK conveyance enthusiast had it there was a good chance it would have continued to rot! As you know it is I that doesn't care for invalid carriages, he who does care now owns it and more power to his elbow as far as I'm concerned. When you say Rob, "does it matter what part of the world?" Was that a statement or a question? Its always a good one to debate.

[Jawmedead]

Hi Bob,
Sorry, I must have taken off my rambling just as you listed your second piece. I'm trying to remember what I said, (the old brain is going don't you know). Something along the lines of .... one or two people in UK care and would have liked it .... "but does it matter what part of the world?" should have ended in "what part of the World it is restored". As long as it is restored for safe keeping in the future.
Have a good Christmas. I've got my sausage & beans with a bit of holly in it already. 
Rob.

[Stuart Cyphus]

 I just knew that satement in the NYT article about the All Weather would lead on to a topic such as this!     

[Bob Purton]

I wondered what happend to the posting Rob!


Stuart, I know! There is nothing like the export issue to get a thread bubbling!

[blob]

I just knew that statement in the NYT article about the All Weather would lead on to a topic such as this!

Oh you love it really Stuart, look what you've accomplished... you've got all of us talking about IC's, including Bob Purton! Now that is a first!

[Jawmedead]

 "keeping the location of the AC all Weather a secret"    

Hello Stuart.
Keeping it a secret? How strange. I thought I had read about the All Weather many years ago, but where? Then it came to me, your page in Rumcar News No:82 Autumn 2004 when it was for sale on ebay. So the whole World could have known about it.  Rob.