Re: Gramophones and cars.
Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 3:56 pm
Neat car show. Armstrong Siddeley just sounds sooo British. BTW: What is the black roadster in the lower left part of the picture?
When I was a kid, I bought a lot of Dinky toys and that was where I learned about many otherwise unknown (at least to us Yanks) British makes. We all knew about MGs, Jaguars, Triumphs and Austin Healeys but not all of the other makes. I have had the good fortune over the years of owning a 1962 Sprite, a 1976 Midget and a 1973 (or 74, not sure anymore) MGB w/chrome bumpers; it was made the year they changed over to the big rubber front-end. All were daily drivers and I especially wanted to restore the MGB, but never got the chance. I'd still like to have another one, but with factory wires and overdrive. BTW: could you please post a complete picture of your car? Otherwise I will have to find my Dinky collectors book.
Estott, I think the ignorant questions can be expected because technology has taken us so far from even phonographs, let alone antique phonographs or (gasp!) cylinders, that they are completely out of most people's realm of experience. At the most, they are perceived as quaint relics seen occasionally behind glass in museums or in a movie background, etc. I recently demonstrated my VTLA to someone my age (67) and even he was blown away by it. So, if him, how much more for a young person? I can remember demonstrating an Edison cylinder player at a church social in the early '70s and even then, most people had never seen one. I guess we just have to be patient with them so they at least have an awareness, if not outright interest.
Jim
When I was a kid, I bought a lot of Dinky toys and that was where I learned about many otherwise unknown (at least to us Yanks) British makes. We all knew about MGs, Jaguars, Triumphs and Austin Healeys but not all of the other makes. I have had the good fortune over the years of owning a 1962 Sprite, a 1976 Midget and a 1973 (or 74, not sure anymore) MGB w/chrome bumpers; it was made the year they changed over to the big rubber front-end. All were daily drivers and I especially wanted to restore the MGB, but never got the chance. I'd still like to have another one, but with factory wires and overdrive. BTW: could you please post a complete picture of your car? Otherwise I will have to find my Dinky collectors book.
Estott, I think the ignorant questions can be expected because technology has taken us so far from even phonographs, let alone antique phonographs or (gasp!) cylinders, that they are completely out of most people's realm of experience. At the most, they are perceived as quaint relics seen occasionally behind glass in museums or in a movie background, etc. I recently demonstrated my VTLA to someone my age (67) and even he was blown away by it. So, if him, how much more for a young person? I can remember demonstrating an Edison cylinder player at a church social in the early '70s and even then, most people had never seen one. I guess we just have to be patient with them so they at least have an awareness, if not outright interest.
Jim