Grassington, Yorkshire probably in the late seventies. So what proportion of the cars would you expect to be British? Let’s tot them up…
Red Triumph 1500TC (registration SWW7M and still on the road!) – British
White Ford Capri – British
Brown Morris Marina – British
Gold Renault 16 – European
Green Hillman Avenger (with the inflatable boat on its roof) – British
White VW Beetle – European
An unidentifiable car (?) obscured by the boat – ?
Yellow VW Polo (?) – European
White Allegro with black vinyl roof – British
White Renault 9 Estate (?) – European
Orange Vauxhall Firenza – British
Red Datsun/Mazda/Toyota (It defeats me!) – Japanese
Two-tone Austin Cambridge – British
Dark Blue Saab 900 – European
White Austin Maxi – British
Bronze Rover 2200 – British
Black Volvo 144 – European
So, 9 British cars and 7 imports.
What does it look like these days?
Hey that tree’s shrunk!
Well, Google Street View doesn’t afford us a great vantage point but we can see 12 cars and at least one, the Land Rover is British.
Not sure what this says if anything. Nothing probably except that the British car industry was in steep decline in the postcard picture.
Writing is a funny business. I like it as a pastime. Sometimes what you write can be surprisingly revealing. I was a Remainer in the Brexit debate but in this blog post I subconsciously differentiated the cars as British and European. I’d argue that this is culturally and linguistically common, but it does show that even we pro-Europe Brits don’t really think of ourselves as European. I do though. Don’t I?
Oh, I nearly forgot… Yesterday’s postcard featured Singapore Airport. Did you guess right?
The red car next to the Firenza is a Toyota Carina.
The obscure car might be another Allegro (front wheel arch and bumper; reflections on rear window, no extended boot).
Yes, Polo! Yes, Renault Estate! But a ’12’. Defeater Toyota Carina… Cambridge is Oxford (bonnet with chrome and Morris badge).
Anyway, I want to go there! Of course the elderly couple will be present with their beautiful SWW 7M, for some local shopping. I’ll send a photo.
Once again I am indebted. I should have known the Carina! I realise that you can’t click on the image on the blog and get a larger image to study. You used to be able to do that. I will have to look into it, otherwise you will ruin your eyes.
Oh yes, I should have known that! Such distinctive rear lights. Thanks, Paul.
The late Keith Waterhouse used to claim that, if we were told that joining the EEC/EU would make us Continental, not European, we’d all be keen on it. I mean, who would want to claim that a car had a “European” designer when they could claim it was a “Continental” design. And a “Rolls-Royce European”? I think not.