It’s a holiday weekend (in many places, not everywhere of course) and as one of the alternatives to gardening we gladly offer here, here’s a photograph of Luton Airport from, I suggest, 1980.
Why do I suggest this is from 1980? There’s a Ford Cortina Mk5, 1979-82 – in fact there’s a row with a Cortina Mk2, Mk3, Mk4 and Mk5 in it – a 1979 on Talbot Solara and an early 1980 on Vauxhall Astra Mk1 (or maybe a 1979 Opel Kadett D). But I can’t see a Ford Escort Mk3 or an Austin Metro, the UK’s two highest profile launches of late 1980.
This postcard is from the 1960s but it includes one view of the same location in an earlier time. Your challenge is to find the car you’d like to know was waiting for you when you arrive on the charter flight from the Costa Brava, and to see if you can spot the one I’d be most interested in looking at closely, if not owning.
Luton Airport is formally known as London Luton Airport, and passenger numbers have gone from perhaps 5 million in the early 1980s to over 18,000,00 pre-COVID with plans to get to 32 million. But this view is still recognisable, even if it is no longer a car park. The closest hangar is the head offices and hangar of easyJet, hence the striking orange colour. Sit on the right hand side of the aircraft to get a view of the old Vauxhall Motors factory (now the Stellantis van factory) as you leave on the south westerly runway.
You may heard that the airport’s new multi-story carpark was in the news last year – 1400 cars lost but only cars, not people.
TOP PHOTO:
There is a Capri parked next to the blue VW van. Butting behind the Capri is a XJ-S Jaguar. However, two cars to the right of the Jaguar is a rare green Simca/Talbot Alpine/Solara. I always liked these for their boxy design. However, they were not very popular.
These were really popular here in the Netherlands, and I think in the UK as well.
The Solara was the booted version if I remember correctly.
In the summer of 1976 my mother, brother and I spent a week in London with my aunt who came over from Germany. The next week we went to Scotland (without my aunt) and toured the highlands for a week. The rental car was a Chrysler Alpine. I believe it had just been introduced, and it was certainly new to me. I enjoyed driving it for the week.
My first two cars were an Austin 1800 and a Vauxhall Viva Estate (HB 1600) but I don’t see either in the photo. There must be at least one of them, but I can’t spot any.
“However, two cars to the right of the Jaguar is a rare green Simca/Talbot Alpine/Solara.”
On the Continent, these were badged Simca 1307 / 1308 / 1309 – depending on engine displacement.
What’s the maroon fastback with black roof, beyond the BW van on the far left of the photo? It’s next to what looks like a FWD Nissan.
It is the pride of british motorindustry, the infamous Austin Allegro. Love the silver Peugeot 504 wagon btw.
That’s an 18-22/Princess ‘wedge’, replacement for the Landcrab. Very roomy inside, radical for 1975 styling outside.
Three on from the Peugeot there’s one of the rare Ford Zephyr or Zodiac Mk.IV estates by Abbotts.
Luton airport – apologies, but I can’t help thinking of this:
Aha, never heard of the princess until now, interesting automobil.
“Aha, never heard of the princess until now, interesting automobil.”
You wanna know some more about it ? Take this – it may serve you well:
Pictured on the postcard at the left lower is a Handley Page Herald. The four engine turboprops at Luton are Bristol Britannias. The “Whispering Giant” was produced by the same company that made Bristol automobiles.
The depressing reminder that the UK lost its distinctive car industry. Even at this point, most of the cars are still British. Roll on today and it would be a handful. Yet the French, who produced their share of unreliable and dodgy rust buckets over the same period still remain major players.
I’d like to have waiting the green Rover 105 “Coupe” first row, sixth from the left.
I have to wonder if that body style wasn’t planned as a 4-door hardtop but Rover couldn’t pull that off.
I’m pretty sure that is the normal P5 Saloon as the front quaterlight division is vertical whereas it is angled to match the front corner pillar on the Coupe. There are other subtle differences (all chromed window frames, rounded top corners to the windscreen, more raked rear pillar with thicker chromed section at the base) but the resolution of the postcard’s printing make them hard to see.
The relatively rare Chrysler/Talbot Sunbeam, was one of the better-styled two-box designs of the late 70s.
Quick impression: Britain was much more loyal to its own makers than US was. A 1980 pic of an American lot would be about 20% Japanese. I can only see one definite Datsun, plus one Civic that might be rebadged as Rover. Two VW vans, two Volvo wagons, no Beetles or obvious Golfs.
I can also see a BMW 02, a Skoda, a couple of Peugeot, a Renault 12 Break, I’m not sure if there’s a Wartburg next to one of the Volvo. I think it’s a Toyota Celica tail light on the very left and make it 4 Datsuns.
Japanese brands were restricted to 10% of the British market by a ‘voluntary’ quota, Datsun was the most popular Japanese brand.
Is that a maroon red Triumph 2000 sedan in pic 1? I’ve always liked those… a smooth silky 6.
It is. Great car. Interesting to see it already looks an old car, when it was only 10 or 11 years old
I couldn’t miss the blue Jaguar XJS coupe in the first photo.
I fancy that Austin Westminster in the ’60’s photo
Love it too. Actually that is the VandenPlas 3 Litre version.
I think that is the Wolseley version as the front bumper kinks down to accommodate the bottom of the vertical radiator grille (by coincidence I am currently making a model of one). The Vanden Plas has a straight bumper.
Nice to see the Commer WalkTru vans in the 60s pic. Did not know these were used on the airfields.
The orange car with the dark (maybe brown, maybe black) top was in a “Last of The Summer Wine”, episode. While, at least one like it.
I take it there was a “big fire” of some sort in the covered parking structure?
Lots to like in that 1980 photo. I would take the 504 estate as first choice, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the Fiat 131 Mirafiori estate – especially in that nice shade of green.
I’m struggling with the vehicle(s?) about three along from the 504. It kinda looks like a Mercedes 300, but is it an estate car? Or is it just a trick of the camera angle and low resolution? I can’t quite pin down what’s happening there
Ford Zephyr or Zodiac estate conversion by Abbotts, I think. Never that common.
http://www.simoncars.co.uk/ford/z4estate.html
This was my choice for the car to look at it in detail before stepping into the XJ-S. It’s Ford Zephyr estate conversion by Abbotts of Farnham, who had offered something similar on earlier Zephyrs. The was the last conversion on a Ford saloon – the successor Granada was a factory built estate
What I see is a parking lot full of a rainbow of color. Today’s parking lots are black and white. Looking out my office window, towards the parking lot, I see mostly white and black cars with a few grays/silvers thrown in. Sometimes 7-9 white cars/trucks/SUVs/CUVs in a row. Once in awhile a color shows up. Anyone want to guess what color that usually is? There can be a few but this one is seen most often where I am.
_REALLY_ hard to choose only one ! .
British cars killed them selves, they were less reliable than 1970’s American cars during the malaise era .
The sad thing is : 90 % of their problems were caused by complete failure of any initial quality control .
Once sorted they were robust and fun drivers that took serious punishment without complaint .
-Nate
We could discuss for some time….I’d agree with quality control as one issue but a well built reliable Marina would still be a Marina. Likewise, an Allegro, Landcrab. Mini or Hillman Hunter by 1970 or so etc. Suitability of the product to the market’s needs and aspirations is something the British industry didn’t seemingly concern itself with, and it showed in the products’ age and apparent low ambition.
Investment in genuine new product was woeful until it was too late. there was a reason GM backed Opel over Vauxhall, why Chrysler backed Simca products over Rootes and why Lee Iacocca thought buying Rootes was an outright mistake.
Having another look I was surprised by how few Luton made vehicles there were in the pictures. A Victor FB on the 60s postcard, but no Bedford vans at the terminal.
A Viva HC and a shove it in the 1980 photo, but I think they were assembled on Merseyside at Ellesmere Port. A couple of Cavaliers, but they could have been from Genk, ournumbered by the Dagenham dustbins. I can even see more Austin Maxi than Vauxhall Cavalier!
Lots of Minis
“I’m not sure if there’s a Wartburg next to one of the Volvo.”
You are right. Right hand of the dark red (or is it maroon ?) Volvo Wagon, there is a white (or is it light grey ?) Wartburg 353 Wagon. They called it “Wartburg Tourist”.
Wartburgs were shipped to certain west European markets (including Britain) to generate valuta currency, which the GDR needed so badly.
the 1st and 3rd image are of the same location. The 1st has a grey hanger to the left. In the 3rd, the same hanger is painted orange (Easyjet HQ) and grey.
Below is the current Google map image of the hanger completely painted in orange:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.8788882,-0.3755867,3a,75y,277.34h,89.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1DrjZutDMj_nWask4AAcWQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
“You may heard that the airport’s new multi-story carpark was in the news last year – 1400 cars lost but only cars, not people.”
“I take it there was a “big fire” of some sort in the covered parking structure?”
Yes, there was a fire. Click on the bold words ”news last year” where they appear in that sentence in the article, or on the picture immediately underneath it. Or click on the link below.
https://www.bedsfire.gov.uk/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_panel_desktop/public/2023-10/img_8333.jpg?h=404059e4&itok=XnvhGPKH