Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

The Car Factoids

@thecarfactoids.bsky.social

1K followers 340 following 3.1K posts

Important/unimportant facts about older cars plus plenty of old ads thrown in… He/Him.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · Feb 28

Just a short note to say I’m concluding activity on ‘that other place’ from tonight.

I just wanted to thank everyone who made me feel welcome on there & enjoyed my occasionally interesting, usually useless facts about the cars.

Rest assured that you’re stuck with me on here…

14 7 110

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 12h

Friday Commitment: It seems only apt that a Metro should figure for this week’s accolade & here’s Autocar putting a Rover version through its paces in impressive style during a 1990 road test…
(📸: Autocar)

1 1 16

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 13h

What a brilliant factoid to end the day…

Will Dron @wdron.bsky.social · 13h

Another BL colour factoid: Jonathan Palmer's race helmet is painted in Tahiti Blue because that was the colour of a Morris Marina estate that my dad was driving when he helped get JP started in racing. Full story here, from 30 mins in: youtu.be/rG834ZVGa24?...

A celebration of the life of Tony Dron

YouTube video by Tony Dron channel

youtu.be

1 8

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 13h

Know Your BL Colours:
No:29 Snapdragon

Go onto Wikipedia & you’ll see snapdragon can mean many things (aside from a plant) but sadly not an early ‘80’s colour for some Austin Morris cars.
(📸: IG a/c classicsbychance)

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 13h

Love that factoid - thanks so much 👍👍👍

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 14h

Know Your BL Colours:
No:28 Antelope

Here’s a prime entry for Obscurity Corner with an early BL-era Austin Morris colour that unsurprisingly didn’t last very long (helpfully it was included as part of a 1971 ad campaign)…

2 20

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 17h

Factoid: It wouldn’t be October without a nod to the Metro & here’s your reminder it had its debut 45yrs ago yesterday (yes, 45!) on Oct 8th.

Autocar & Motor really went to town for the car’s launch though Motor got the 1st road test in print the following week (Autocar’s test was in December)…

4 2 19

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 18h

Know Your BL Colours:
No:27 Java

Originally a Triumph colour (replaced by Brooklands Green in 1977), this was offered on revised Minis in late 1977 when it received a cosmetic upgrade.

A bright colour which matched the car’s personality, it was only available on Minis (making it unique)…

1 15

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 19h

Know Your BL Colours:
No:26 Applejack

One of those ‘Marmite’ colours to some, this early ‘80s Austin Morris hue was suited to small cars such as the Metro such as this stunning example of a Metro Standard sporting a ‘I ❤️my Metro’ sticker for an added period touch…
(📸: IG a/c jagalfa)

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

Factoid: Jan 1980 & BL offered a run of 400 black TR7s with a navy or tan interior & a new plaid seat pattern.

Oh, you got a choice of either gold or silver side stripes (& thankfully at least one with the former still survives)…
(📸: Motor)

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

No, never made there, this was a Ryton assembled car.

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

Factoid: Those yellow-tinted ‘we’ve been to France’ headlamps everyone knows but how about the ‘Retrovisor’, a ‘periscope’ rear-view mirror used by caravanners in the ‘70s?

1 20

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

Know Your BL Colours:
No:25 Bracken

Here’s a colour I’m not too familiar with (have you heard of it?) & I’m wondering what’s the best way to describe it - a light orange or a warm beige?
(📸: IG a/c classicsbychance)

2 2 27

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

Know Your BL Colours:
No:24 Pimento

A great colour doesn’t just like nice, it makes an ordinary car look better & an attractive car beautiful.

Pimento definitely fulfilled that requirement…
(📸: IG a/c flemingmotorsales)

1 17

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

Know Your BL Colours:
No:23 Leyland White

Yes, BL or rather Leyland Cars really did offer a colour named after themselves.

Interestingly, it didn’t last very long as an option...

1 1 19

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

Know Your BL Colours:
No:22 Damask Red

Formerly a BMC colour, it returned in the early ‘70’s for Austin Morris (& MG) cars & was a subdued shade in an era of vivid hues.

Here’s Autocar’s long-term Maxi 1750 sporting it which was delivered with ‘an apple in the left hand heater duct’…
(📸: Autocar)

2 15

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

Know Your BL Colours:
No:21 Pageant Blue

This late ‘70s Tahiti Blue replacement was lighter & more contemporary plus it looked great on a Princess 2…
(📸: IG a/c classicsbychance)

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 1d

Know Your BL Colours:
No:20 Triton Green

Arguably the most extrovert of the SD1 colours, Triton Green arrived with the new top-of-the-range V8-S in July 1979.
The model didn’t last long - replaced by the Vanden Plas in Oct 1980 & neither did the colour.
Btw, Solihull-made TR7/8s got this as well…

4 1 31

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 2d

Absolutely…

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 2d

Know Your BL Colours:
No:19 Paprika

Austin Morris had Blaze & Rover had this vibrant shade in the early ‘70s.

Unpopular with buyers (offered for only two yrs), an upholstery & trim option with the same name was offered on Austin Morris cars in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s.
(📸: IG a/c classicsbychance)

Locally assembled Austin Morris cars in NZ also used this colour…
(That might also include Triumph so clarification would be great)

1 1 23

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 2d

Thank you so much for the kind words…

jerry from tom and jerry is standing on a stage and says thank you

ALT: jerry from tom and jerry is standing on a stage and says thank you

media.tenor.com

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 2d

Factoid: The Talbot Horizon had numerous UK market limited editions over its life including the memorably named Summertime Special, but it had to start somewhere & it did in May 1980 with this one, the Special (note the usage of the Marketing Department’s ‘friend’ - adhesive tape)…
(📸: Motor)

3 21

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 2d

Factoid: The unmistakable gold alloys of the short-lived Rover V8-S.

Of course, Platinum-coloured V8-S cars had them in silver, but you had to ‘go gold’ or ‘go green’ (watch this space) for these hued alloys...
(📸: IG a/c classicsbychance)

3 2 28

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 2d

Know Your BL Colours:
No:18 Champagne

Well, it sounds better that you drive a champagne-coloured car as opposed to a beige one…
(📸: IG a/c plankhond)

5 2 16

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 2d

Know Your BL Colours:
No: 17 Bronze Yellow

One of BL’s 1st ‘showroom friendly’ Austin Morris (& MG) colours introduced in 1969, this found favour with sporty models like the Austin/Morris 1300 GT (one of three initial colour options available - Flame Red & Glacier White were the others)…

2 23

The Car Factoids @thecarfactoids.bsky.social · 2d

Know Your BL Colours:
No: 16 Tahiti Blue

BL’s blue for Austin Morris cars (& Triumphs) in the mid-‘70’s, this replaced Teal Blue & was chosen by my Dad for his 1st Princess (note the generous panel gap & the brat (me) obscuring the wedge)…

1 21