The Thames 400E was a very useful little light commercial van released in 1957, and of the same forward-control design like the Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter or Ford’s later Econoline or Dodge A100 and many more. Built almost unchanged to 1965, the van came in a dizzying variety of body styles, including pickup truck and chassis-cab options. They’re really appealing little vans, as you can tell from the tomato-red one I saw in that parking lot. Ford had an unusual and really genuinely charming promo film made for the van in 1958 that features zero spoken dialog but lots of music from the Cy Laurie Band, a popular jazz group that was very big in 1950s London. The film was called Band Wagon, and hey, look, you can watch it right here:
It’s great, right? I’mm impressed with a lot of things shown here: that flip-down step that opens mechanically when the side door is open, that potent Consul engine between the front seats, how well that kitten is dealing with the noise and chaos, and, significantly, seeing that a tire can be punctured with a violin bow shot like an arrow. Also, what the hell was going on with London’s violent street musicians? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C3%A9phane_Grappelli https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Op9owJiujY https://youtu.be/VAYd2AK53P8 the Honda City became the Honda Jazz sold here as the Honda Fit, which I drove today.. I’d buy a City 😉 That drop-down step is cool. My A100 has a sliding step but it’s only wide as one door. I wonder if the fixed rear step is removable. So many questions. I also like the weaponized musical instruments. (like from the movie “Sleeper”) (Or it’s the load rating in hundredweight) Leaded gas? Residual trauma from multiple great wars? If guys in mid-century London who dressed like Edwardian dandies, or rode fancy Vespas could still be behind notorious violence, I’m pretty sure everyone back then was just one mispoured cup of tea away from starting a riot. This place is an oasis in a sea of not so great sites, which are like watching the network news. Everyone copies the pr food fed to them and spits out their take on an issue related to cars, travel, etc. You guys don’t appear to cut from the same bolt of cloth. We all probably prefer a little bit of “nuts” in the writers here. The fact that there is no click bait BS knee jerk articles filled with fake outrage at the subject up for discussion also lends a ton of credibility here. So I only can say a huge GRACIAS Amigos , and hope there is some cash flowing into everyone”s pockets. May the Gods of the Internet grant you wisdom and everlasting protection from the douche bags of the world. Now go in peace, and write more shit. NOW please. As soon as I can get the other place to let me delete my account, I am gone. God bless you children. Amen.
