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gutbucket
 Post subject: Questions...
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:20 pm 
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Hi there,

I'm a writer and new to the site. If possible, I would like to tap your knowledge for a minute or two and ask some questions needed for a short-story I'm currently writing.

1.The taxi in the story is a 1968 Austin FX4. What engine does this have?
2.When a cabbie retires, can he take his licence number plate (the small white one; not the actual number plate) with him, or is it handed back?
3.Does this particular year have a digital meter?
4.Can this taxi's passenger doors be locked by the driver when stationary? And is it operated by a simple switch?
5. Was the knowledge exam taken back in the 70's?

Thanks for your time,

Gutbucket
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Sussex
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:02 pm 
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1) There will be others who can answer that one, especially the oldies.

2) The plate always remains the property of the licensing council, so the vehicle it's attached too is sold on with it, or it's returned to the council.

3) Doubt it had a digital meter, but that will be down to the oldies again.

4) Don't know about then, but now the doors can be locked by the driver, and automatically when the vehicle is in motion. So I suspect that could be adapted for your crime.

5) I would imagine so.

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gutbucket
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:39 pm 
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Thanks, Sussex.

I'll hang about and see of the "oldies" (respectively) can help :D
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gusmac
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:08 pm 
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2. Legislation varies, depending on where your cab was licensed.

4. Probably not. Self locking doors were introduced after a spate of passengers falling from taxis in the 1980's as I remember.
Some of the older guys could tell you for sure.

I doubt they even had central locking in 1968.

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wannabeeahack
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:17 pm 
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ask this guy, change your taxi model....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TAXI-CAB-WINCHEST ... 240%3A1318

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wannabeeahack
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:21 pm 
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Quote:
History

As launched, the FX4 was fitted with a 2.2 L Austin diesel engine and a Borg-Warner automatic transmission. In 1961, the manual transmission from the Austin Gipsy was available as an option. From 1962, the Austin 2.2 L petrol engine was available. The vast majority of FX4s used in London throughout its service history were however fitted with a diesel engine and an automatic transmission.

In 1968, there was a facelift. The original cars were provided with small rear stop and tail lights and roof-mounted turn indicators known as "bunny ears". The rear wings were modified to accept the taillights and turn indicators from the Austin 1100. Front indicators were also provided below the headlights. The "bunny ears" were later removed.

In 1971, the 2.2 L (strictly 2178 cc) diesel engine was replaced by a bored-out unit displacing 2.5 L. This new model was known as the FX4D.

Originally the FX4 was fitted with chrome bumpers and overriders which are said by many to be the same as those fitted to the Ford Consul. By 1979, the tooling for the overriders was worn out and the bumper blades remained chrome while the overriders were replaced by rubber mouldings.



dont forget a FX4 in use in 1968 could be a much older vehicle

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Bart
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:46 pm 
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5) Yes the knowledge predates motorised transport.

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MR T
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:30 am 
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The original FX4 had a 2.2 Austin which was up dated to a 2.5 Austin. with a four-speed gearbox.In London automatic but mainly manual everywhere else

The plate stayed with the vehicle...but if it was lost you could purchase a replacement.


The metres at that time were mechanical..

The rear doors did not lock and there were many occasions reported of people actually falling out once the vehicle was in motion.
and the front doors were atrocious, if you went round a traffic island you had to make sure you didn't lean on the door otherwise you would be out.

The indicators on them were absolutely brilliant. it was a switch which was operated by Air. if you wanted to go left you turned it to the left and it slowly came back by itself..

65 miles an hour top speed and that was with the engine humming
eusasmiles.zip

when you drove one of these you would be dressed as if you were flying a World War One biplane.... except the goggles...

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GBC
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:05 am 
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MR T wrote:

The metres at that time were mechanical..



Before my cabbie career, but you had to wind up the meter by hand before a days work with the mechanical ones.

The London Vintage Taxi Association probably has more info should you need it.
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MR T
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:37 am 
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GBC wrote:
MR T wrote:

The metres at that time were mechanical..



Before my cabbie career, but you had to wind up the meter by hand before a days work with the mechanical ones.

The London Vintage Taxi Association probably has more info should you need it.
No They were the clockwork ones... :wink:

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GBC
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:44 am 
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I'll bow to that Mr T, I'm too young.

Well, sort of young . . . :D
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gutbucket
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:16 am 
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Wow, thanks people. Really appreciated :D

Anyone know when the central locking was introduced?
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jimbo
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:49 am 
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gutbucket wrote:
Wow, thanks people. Really appreciated :D

Anyone know when the central locking was introduced?



It's actually the motion sensitive locks, rather than central locking, that you want to look at, although modern cabs have both. The motion sensor operates the door looks when the vehicle is moving, or the driver has his foot on the brake pedal. Children always seem to want to sit on the rear facing jump seats (the folding seats) there were as I recall, a number of incidents in the sixties/seventies of children sitting on the jump seats grabbing the door handle on the door and accidentely opening the door. With the passenger door on the FX4 opening the "wrong way" the wind would catch the door and throw the door wide open, hurling the child out of the cab, with often tragic consequences. With the motion lock operating automatically, the driver would not need to remember to lock the doors on each journey, and the passengers would not be locked in in case of emergency. also, covers were placed over the passenger door handles to prevent accidental opining when the cab was stationary.

Can't say when they were introduced though, try LTI.

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skippy41
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:15 am 
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Quote:
Can't say when they were introduced though, try LTI.


When they where forced to by the then government or VOSA
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tcabbie
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 5:30 pm 
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Geeson meters near Marylebone supplied a lot of meters and they were not wind up,Bell punch at Uxbridge were wind up meters also Halda meters werent wind up either
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