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1960 Austin FX4

1960 Austin FX4 in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), TV Series, 1969-1971 IMDB Ep. 1.01

Class: Cars, Sedan — Model origin: UK

1960 Austin FX4

[*][*] Minor action vehicle or used in only a short scene

Comments about this vehicle

AuthorMessage

stronghold EN

2010-05-08 11:31

[Image: rh169.7089.jpg] [Image: rh170.1197.jpg] [Image: rh174.6185.jpg]
Below another seen passing-
[Image: rh11.6500.jpg]

-- Last edit: 2010-05-08 11:32:44

stronghold EN

2010-05-23 08:34

in eps 1.04**
[Image: rh46.5239.jpg] [Image: rh47.9899.jpg]
in eps 1.06*
[Image: rh66.3305.jpg] [Image: rh67.421.jpg]
in eps 1.08*
[Image: rh85.1788.jpg]
in eps 1.11*
[Image: rh119.6599.jpg] [Image: rh1111.6420.jpg] [Image: rh1120.46.jpg]
in eps 1.18**
[Image: rh187.7333.jpg] [Image: rh1830.3025.jpg]

-- Last edit: 2011-05-30 22:48:09

stronghold EN

2011-07-14 16:42

in eps 1.19**
[Image: rh1937.9703.jpg] [Image: rh1938.9458.jpg] [Image: rh1924.3774.jpg]

-- Last edit: 2011-07-14 16:49:37

Sunbar UK

2018-12-29 13:11

1964-1968

Curved up-swept door handles used 1964-73.

dsl SX

2018-12-29 13:31

Plate looks like YYM 297 (3rd thumb, 1st batch) = London March 60 to July 61, "allocated in blocks". Even if it's a different combination, I doubt if any ABC 123 formats were still being issued in 1964 outside the deepest pockets of remote Wales or strange bits of Scotland where news of Queen Victoria's death had not yet arrived. So different taxis in that batch, or???

And what do maroon wheels mean?? I think we had an explanation some time back - a particular version, or a specific fleet??

Sunbar UK

2018-12-29 17:21

If earlier than 1963-64 then I need to do a complete survey of 1958-68 FX4 taxis, about 250 imcdb listings plus less than 80 undated ones, where the door handle shape can be determined.

From memory I think it was a specific fleet for maroon wheels edit (tyre replacement at the tyre fitters where the taxi fleet concerned had a stock of replacement wheels with tyres allways avilable).

-- Last edit: 2018-12-30 21:41:40

Sunbar UK

2019-01-09 19:58

The first verified appearance of curved door handles I can find, is in a film first shown in September 1963 The V.I.P.s (March '63 registered ??FLL?)
Elsewhere on IMCDb the straight door handles commonly appear on FX4 taxis from 1958 until at least early 1962.

However the ??FLL number-plate could look rather odd or distorted? But the film date cannot be questioned I think.
[Image: fll.jpg]


dsl wrote Plate looks like YYM 297 (3rd thumb, 1st batch) = London March 60 to July 61, "allocated in blocks". ....


YYM297 here I believe; and as in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) it was filmed just before 1969. It possibly indicates the door handles were changed on this taxi at some point.

Interim conclusion is that curved door handles were introduced about late 1962 or early 1963?

-- Last edit: 2019-01-09 19:58:44

dsl SX

2019-01-09 21:14

Have found a book reference which describes a lot of early FX4 problems, particularly body panel manufacture (roof, bonnet, maybe boot) which meant many production/tooling changes in 1959-61. Plus series of problems with interior door mechanisms and handles (from the Westminster) being too fragile in heavy use, so again many ongoing changes and "... by 1962 the old outside door handles inherited from the FX3 changed to larger more sturdy ones with greater leverage".

It also seems likely that earlier FX4s would be updated with the new door mechanisms to cure the initial breakages, either as official
modifications, or maybe home-made bodges. So the question for us may not be trying to date the earliest curved door handles, but dating the latest ex-FX3 straight handle sightings.

Sunbar UK

2019-01-09 21:34

The old pivot type handle were always a problem on any saloon car or lorry. Handles that would not return fully or even snapped off were common on BMC vehicles they were commonly made by Wilmot-Breeden https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Wilmot_Breeden and I should say it was to a low price rather than quality.

For 1961-2 date reference - 501 CYV has the early FX3 type straight door handles

Film released in 1968 so six year old straight handles in use... /vehicle.php?id=861401#Comment2441630

However I could still find a later one; but with constant repairs and replacements on high use taxis its highly likely original details get changed. Badges were also fitted or replaced in a confused manner.

All this needs taking into account when trying to decide what features to use or disregard.

-- Last edit: 2019-01-09 21:37:26

dsl SX

2019-01-09 23:35

Sunbar wrote All this needs taking into account when trying to decide what features to use or disregard.

I've looked a few times to try to find some sort of list of FX4 running changes (online, browsed a couple of taxi books at swapmeets etc) but never found a clear or concise account of what and when, but I'm sure something will exist somewhere .... But as you say rolling upgrades of older cabs will make it fairly muddy.

Sandie SX

2019-01-09 23:39

Even now in traffic you see a lot of older TX1s and TXIIs rebuilt to look like TX4s, earlier TX4s with grilles from later ones etc.

The fact that most of them do hundreds of thousands of hard miles around the clock does not help.

johnfromstaffs EN

2019-01-10 09:11

dsl wrote Plate looks like YYM 297 (3rd thumb, 1st batch) = London March 60 to July 61, "allocated in blocks". Even if it's a different combination, I doubt if any ABC 123 formats were still being issued in 1964 outside the deepest pockets of remote Wales or strange bits of Scotland


Not quite.

One or two English counties, possibly West Suffolk the largest, but not Rutland, who went to suffixes on 1.1.64. Many (relatively) Borough Councils including Burton-on-Trent, Grimsby, Halifax, Sunderland, West Hartlepool, Tynemouth, Preston and Wigan.

I was going to list them all until I found out the extent of it.

-- Last edit: 2019-01-10 09:22:03

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