More great images, this time ranging from F for Ferguson to L for Lincoln

Join us on another trip down memory lane as we gather together a collection of super press pictures from the past. This issue we slow things down as we amble from F for Ferguson to L for Lincoln.

FERGUSON

A tractor in Classics Monthly? Well yes, but then again it is a Ferguson that was built by the Standard Motor Company. The HRT registration numbers were issued by East Suffolk County Council from March 1948, making this an early example as production only started at Banner Lane in Coventry in late 1946. That would mean this example is powered by Standard's petrol engine, as the TVO option did not arrive until 1949, and diesel not until 1951. We are not sure when this snap was taken, but suspect in the later 1950s as the Little Grey Fergie is looking a little work-worn.

FIAT

This gent is obviously trying very hard to impress his young lady – suited and booted for a picnic in the countryside, plying her with flowers (probably pilfered from that same countryside!) and all topped off with a magnificent Fiat 125. And it really was quite a beast at launch in 1967, bigger than the 124 and fitted with a 1608cc DOHC engine delivering 90bhp to the rear wheels. There was even a five- speed option from 1968 in the 100bhp 125 Special. The 124 became the Lada, but the 125 enjoyed a later life overseas too as it was built by FSO in Poland as the 125p until 1991, but sadly with smaller and more archaic pushrod engines. It was also built under licence by Zastava in Yugoslavia and in Egypt as the Nasr, proving if nothing else that Fiat knew how to wring the most from their models.

FORD

We are back on familiar marketing territory with this Mk5 Ford Escort of 1992, the manufacturer hoping that some of the glamour of aviation will rub off on what was, to be brutally honest, something of an Escort low point, selling well but panned by the media for its styling and lacklustre dynamics. Mind you, this was the first of the facelift versions that sought to address many of those issues, and saw the new 1.6 Zetec engine being fitted in place of the old CVH unit.

HONDA

This little beastie is the Honda RA272 Formula One racer of 1965. Those projecting rear pipes were venting from a 48-valve V12 engine of just 1495cc spinning at up to 14,000rpm, but it took a while for the car to find reliability to match the performance. It all came good at the last round of the 1965 season in Mexico though, when Richie Ginther drove to victory and secured the first GP win for a Japanese team and a Japanese engine.

HILLMAN

This is the body assembly line for the Hillman Avenger, and what would anybody contemplating the restoration of such a car give for one in this condition? Unfortunately, rustproofing was very much 'of its era,' and surviving examples in the UK number fewer than 100 according to www.howmanyleft.co.uk. The Avenger had a colourful life though, wearing a Chrysler badge from 1976 and a Talbot one from 1979 as the Rootes Group got shunted about in a corporate game of pass-the- parcel. It was also badged as the Plymouth Cricket in North America from 1971-73, while one of the most desirable of them all was the Hillman Avenger Tiger, developed by the Chrysler Competitions Centre.

HUMBER

Staying with the Rootes Group, but this time admiring a Humber, a marque the Rootes brothers bought in 1931. Underneath this glorious ambulance is a 1949 Super Snipe, and so it would have been powered by a sidevalve six- cylinder engine of 4086cc. Producing just 56bhp, you can't imagine it being too sprightly, especially with that coachbuilt body and the medical gear.

INNOCENTI

The Yugo 45 and 55 had been developed by Zastava in Yugoslavia from the old Fiat 127. When Fiat bought Innocenti in 1990, they wanted something they could slap the badge on quickly and cheaply while they concentrated on sorting out problems at Lancia and Maserati. The Yugo was certainly cheap (if not quick!), so in a rare example of Fiat buying a design back from one of its overseas partners, it was marketed in Italy from 1990-1992 as the Innocenti Koral. In truth, it was too dated to find much favour and only some 19,000 were shifted, but we reckon the Cabrio at least was very neatly and crisply styled.

JENSEN

I've lusted after a Jensen Interceptor ever since I repainted a Dinky Toys one as a kid, but that was the version built from 1966-1973 with the goldfish bowl rear window and massive Chrysler V8 under the bonnet. I didn't even realise that the Interceptor name had already been used on this drophead coupé from 1949-57. Said to seat up to six in its ample body, power for that one came courtesy of an Austin A135 3993cc straight- six. Available as a saloon and convertible too, we believe this part- open roof is what was called a Sedanca, or Coupe de Ville.

JAGUAR

Jaguar .proved it had not lost the Midas touch for creating cars with dramatic yet sophisticated styling when it launched the XK8 in 1996. Available in two- door closed coupé or convertible form, under that lengthy bonnet was a new 4-litre V8 engine. Top speed was electronically limited to 155mph, which should be more than enough for most shopping trips. Having said that, this is one of those cars that looks as though it is doing 100mph even when standing still.

LANCIA

We can't help wondering if the work experience guy was given this Lancia Beta Spider Series 1 image one quiet afternoon and told to have some fun with Photoshop, because it is a little bizarre to see the car floating there. We do quite like it though, and guess the intention could have been to remind prospective customers that the 2+2 convertible Spider came with unlimited headroom once you removed the Targa top and lowered the folding rear section. To be fair though, the quip of 'unlimited headroom' was later used by Triumph when they introduced the convertible TR7.

LINCOLN

What do you do if a Lincoln Continental is not big enough for you? Add three feet to the wheelbase, of course! That's what George Lehmann and Robert Peterson did in 1963, and Ford liked it so much that Lehmann- Peterson and Company became their official limo makers from 1963-1970 and FoMoCo stood behind a full factory warranty. As you might expect, the options list was extensive! In 1968, for example, buyers could choose two extra inches of headroom for $950, or an 11- piece drinks kit for just $200.