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Longbridge East home of the Champ.


Guest catweazle (Banned Member)

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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)

Whilst attending the Evesham show we took the opportunity to visit Longbridge East home of the champ.The Gypsy.Gold seal engines ,who remembers those.Lancasters ,Hurracanes,Fairy Battles and a lot more.

The trip was organised by Phillip Plumb a very active member of ACOC.

It was last chance before the developers move in and build 10,000 houses.dont quite know where the people are going to work but hey ho we mustnt get in the way of progress.I thought it a bit weird as concrete is all thats left,but once we all started talking about the place and Frank an apprentice at the time of the champ and later a driver in the army

gave us the tour and the stories i got quite goosy as the mind wanders back.i am sure i saw for a brief moment all the workers storming the gate at six o clock most on foot,or bike ,a few on M20s there goes the foreman on his new Panther and double watsonian rumour has it hes of to the lake district this year for a weeks camping.A great experience and a big thank you to Phill and Frank.

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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)

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now is that a big shed or what:cool2: notice the camo roof.some bugger had to paint that:sweat:

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1.500 ft long 400ft wide:shocked:

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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)

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There are two tunnels about 200yds long.women built aero engines in them during the war,they acted as air raid shelters and could cope with about 10.000 workers.

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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)

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this is a huge up and over door.

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funny this is a german airial recy shot.

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collecting a bit for e bay:-D

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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)

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the ones with no reg are for export to Austrailia

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A tony B favourite.

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war time production.

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Frank many thanks for the insight see you in August.

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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)

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What a sad end,dont go to bed yet video coming up if u tube get there finger out.

Next time someone tells you how good japanese cars are remind them the first ones were austin 7 licence built.just like BMW.No wonder we led the world:pfrt:

Edited by catweazle (Banned Member)
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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)
CW, is there any truth in the tale that the last Champs were driven off the production line straight to Ruddington - due to the 'Ministry' not cancelling the contract?

Never heard that one i very much doubt it.:-D

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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)
Sad thread CW ! Thanks for the photos ! :cry:

Repeated all over the country,there wasnt a pan any where in the world that didnt have Shyre lynx or thomas crapper on it at one time.:-D

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Guest catweazle (Banned Member)
I was trying to hear how many cylinders where running on your Champ mate ! Did you REALLY squeeze a new lump in or have I been suckered AGAIN ? :iloveyou:

No squezing needed huge amount of room.i like 8 :whistle::whistle::whistle::-D

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Thanks for the picture CW. :iloveyou: The early flexitor suspension Gipsy. I had the later G4, what a Land Rover should have been. I also had an original workshop manual with the BMC rossete on the front. I kept the Driver's handbook for years, eventually passed to somone who had restored a Gipsy and had everything but the handbook. Something like that, no matter how much it means to you, should be with a vehicle.

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Great pics CW. The 50's photo of the saloon (A50?) with all the Japs there to see production methods, then they copied everything and we lost all our markets.

Was talking to Dave at Conwy this weekend he was with you at Longbridge but denied all knowledge of you:confused: Were you non sus,or have you got another identity we don't know about.:???

PS Dave is the hairy one wearing the combat gear.

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