Rover 12s and AA men.
Chugalug,
Ah, the Rover 12 ! All Connolly leather and walnut, dash and door cappings. Lovely little fitted tooldrawer slid into bottom of centre panel. Some had a "free-wheel", which took all the terror out of gearchanging. Silvery Viking's head on radiator cap. Them were the days !
Poor man's Rolls Royce - don't make 'em like that any more - more's the pity.
Think that, at the end, the AA men were threatened with "obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty" for the noble service they performed.
Even in your Grandad's day, petrol wasn't all that cheap. At 1/5d a gallon (prewar), it would represent an hour's labour for a semi-skilled man. The average hourly rate for a working man today is £13.29 (source, D.T.) A gallon today costs about £6.
And (prewar) Grandad had to pay £10 per annum Road Tax (£500 today)
Must get next Instalment Gripping Story in tonight, before Moderator's patience snaps !
Danny.