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GHOSTHUNTER wrote:The FX 3 was the first standardised TAXI in the UK and was made black just because it was a natural colour for many vehicles from the 1940's, so more 'Black Cabs' were around than any other colour so is more of a lucky coincidence than anything else.

Great set of models by the way.

Ghosthunter.

Thanks.

However, aside from no rule specifying they must be black, there never was a "standardised TAXI in the UK" either. To the contrary, it was always a market several companies competed for, but from the 1930s until its demise Austin just happened to have the biggest market share.

The Taxis in London were never standardised either, they merely have to meet the specifications set out by that city's Council. Therefore, there was a variety of suppliers other than Austin, such as Unic, Renault, Citroen, Morris, Beardmore, Metrocab and more.

Great job on the three taxis.
I guess you don´t use a rattlecan to paint your models?

Stephan

Imaculate detailing once again...

Thanks guys.

I do use rattlecan clearcoat on top of my paint jobs, which is airbrushed acrylics.

What? Even for black?---True devotion to the processed air indeed..

I had to get rid of mine as my leg was getting tired easy and my missus was fed up with her friends complaining about the truck wheel in the middle of the lounge...

misterpop wrote:What? Even for black?---True devotion to the processed air indeed..

I had to get rid of mine as my leg was getting tired easy and my missus was fed up with her friends complaining about the truck wheel in the middle of the lounge...

tyreman.jpg

LOL!

Old VWs used to power the windscreen washers via air in the spare tire. There was a little add on valve on the air line to keep the air pressure from dropping below safe use. So you had to over inflate the spare to use the washers (not really safe). And then because that little valve was hooked up to the air line for the washers and connected to the spare's valve stem - the usual result was washers that didn't work and a flat spare tire.

I've got one of those connectors some where..Took it off this VW Wizard while I was building it .

Tinman wrote:Old VWs used to power the windscreen washers via air in the spare tire. There was a little add on valve on the air line to keep the air pressure from dropping below safe use. So you had to over inflate the spare to use the washers (not really safe). And then because that little valve was hooked up to the air line for the washers and connected to the spare's valve stem - the usual result was washers that didn't work and a flat spare tire.

So what happened if you got a puncture and it was raining?

Idris wrote:So what happened if you got a puncture and it was raining?

The wipers were electric (at least on my '67, and that's if I recall correctly). Only the windshield washer mechanism was powered by the spare tire.

Squid wrote:The wipers were electric (at least on my '67, and that's if I recall correctly). Only the windshield washer mechanism was powered by the spare tire.

That is correct.

On the other hand, I did have a vehicle which had wipers that were powered by vacuum. It was a totally miserable and unacceptable set up in a wet climate where thunderstorms can dump so much water that even the high setting on a modern car is barley adequate.  It was a 1955 Willys Jeep Wagon. The thing had an engine left over from the dark ages, a 4 cylinder flat head motor. It had just enough power to drive the thing down the road a nearly 50 mph flat out in top gear.  It would go zero to nearly fifty in about three minutes. If you had to accelerate or were starting from a stop and running up through the gears, you had no wipers.

On the plus side, with the right off road tires and in the uber low gear, 4 wheel drive setting, you could plow over small trees and make your own road in the woods.  I never got stuck in that old jeep and even rescued a few modern 4 wheel trucks that were stuck.