Rallyman72

Nice find - when was it last taxed cos it doesn't come up on DVLA. Steering wheel looks like a period Springalex (as does the boss - they are worth good money if genuine) and the stripe was a popular 'go faster' job using a couple of aerosol cans in the late 70's. The idea was to try and ape some of the look of "Esso Blue", Roger Clarks works car, LVX 942J. Always used to make us rally boys laugh back then when we saw one - to se it now is a real time warp. Take care of her and keep us up to speed on your progress.

No offence taken by me - I'm one of the AVO folk that they (some of the AVO members) call a "Trailer Queen" but a full rally prep Mexico is tiring over any great distance as well as rather thirsty! Having said that the car was used as a daily 100 mile per day commuter for about 6 or 8 weeks early last year without any issues. Full spec (prior to stripping to a rolling shell over Christmas) was Tuned 1600 +20thou 711M, 2 x 40's, 244 cam, 2 1/4 exhaust, TranX SC Rocket box, LSD, Vents, World Cup Bilsteins, Quick Rack, Cage, full harness etc, etc. Definitely not a bufty car I hope you will agree. Not as radical as some but not standard by a long way and to be developed further and hopefully seen on the stages some time later in the year.

That's not fair. It may have been a poor decision but there are plenty of good people in the club Vista - Whilst I am sorry that the decision has, for now, upset folk like yourself and other good people the website and forum is a rather different animal to OSF. Whilst OSF is a forum and bulletin board run to bring like minded folk together the forum on the AVO Club board is one that was originally set up as a means to allow members of a formally set up club who are scattered widely to communicate. Whilst it had the advantage of allowing non members to post it was never meant to be a free for all medium. Yes - there was a public board and a members board but most of the posting, even by members, was on the public board. Out of the top 30 posters some 25 or so were members. Also it needs to borne in mind that the AVO Club has to run as a business, albeit non profit making, and that website costs are borne by the members via their subscriptions. Perhaps some more vocal ones had got fed up with 'subsidising' others that they, I think wrongly, perceived as freeloaders. Whilst I cannot provide any data I do wonder if any of those surfing the AVO site as non members did actually join the club. I would be delighted if someone could prove me wrong though. As for the cost of membership - well when running a £10k+ car what is £25 a year - less than a pint of beer a month (lunch at work costs me more than that each day). If there is a need for a Seniors/UB40 style membership then perhaps we should consider it - the membership just need to tell the committee. There was consultation on the matter which came about as a result of some lobbying by club members to restrict access. I accept that there was no consultation with Forum users and were we to do this again I would like to think that we would do this part differently. Whether the change is shortsighted or not only time will tell. As for the type of folk who are members - I perceive it as being split into broadly 3 categories. There are the serious bufties. I have no argument with them and have great admiration for the time and devotion they have in producing a car that is actually far far better than anything that ever passed through the doors of Aveley, Halewood or anywhere else. I have found that they can be very stand-ofish sometimes and look down their noses at me as I run a modified car. The serious bufty mode is actually not for me. There are many many more members who enjoy their cars for what they are and drive them on a regular basis when conditions are favourable - after all they are valuable now and most people do not want to encourage corrosion. Finally there are a handful who love the cars for what they were intended to be - that is a performance car (remember that in its time any of the AVO models were quick cars - very slow now but times have changed) to be enjoyed and driven hard - I would count myself in that group and it is evident that they are a growing population. Having said that we are, perhaps, slight time warp folk as well as we like to see the cars with period modifications rather than bing tricked up with fancy modern engines and suspension as that changes the 'driving experience'. In this respect I suspect that we have a lot in common. To sum up I do not think that we should fall out seriously about this and harbour grudges - I certainly won't despite being at the end of some flak from a minority on here - that sort crops up everywhere in life (including on our own board). As far as I am concerned OSF folk will still be warmly received at National Day in June. Best wishes for the New Year Richard Elms AVO Club Secretary. NB Some remarks here are personal opinion and not necessarily representative of the AVO Club opinion as a whole.

But you've never been a supporter of the club have you - just trolling our forum - that's why you're pissed off about it.

Nothing is irrevocable but I understand it was the wish of a lot of club members....... Perhaps we will all lose something but time will tell. I'm happy to talk as well - my number/e-mail is in Havoc/on the website

Happy New Year (belatedly) to all.

Strange that Richard I've wondered exactly the same thing on the AVO forum many times. Not that I've knowingly done that to your posts despite being a moderator. Just said that it seemed to be a lot of hot air on the thread. We will see what transpires in time - each to their own and it was a decision by the members, not an arbitrary one by the committee. We haven't had a go at your guys and I have no intention of doing so as my car is nowhere near a bufty machine. It is used seriously for track days, road rally course car and hopefully on the BHRC next year (if I can get someone brave/foolish* enough to sit next to me (*delete as appropriate)). Let's just all live nicely alongside each other rather than sniping shall we?

I see - my reply was censored - hmm - I wonder why??

Any piccies - 107E are cool - was my second car (1st was a 100E which got written off). Mine ended up running Capri Classc Struts and discs and 1200 Cortina engine all on Lotus 5 1/2" steels. It was a nice car in its time.

It is rumoured that is where they came from in the first place.