The Way We Were

December 1976, London

The record-breaking heatwave of 1976 must have seemed like a very distant memory for motorists and pedestrians alike with barely a week to go until Christmas – and yet, it was fewer than six months ago.

The mercury hit 34.5 degrees in West London’s Heathrow, but it can only be a couple of degrees above zero in this part of North London, a stone’s throw from Hampstead Heath. That said, you’d have a tough time convincing the snow-beaten motorcyclist that it’s not technically freezing.

The cars passing him are led by a two-door Morris Marina Coupé. The grille would suggest that it’s the sporting TC, with twin carbs feeding an MGB-tune B-series engine, though it’s not wearing the popular and often specified optional alloy wheels, so we reckon that it’s more likely a Super Deluxe.

It appears to be wearing a K-suffix plate, which means that this Marina hails from the first year of production and so is possibly one of the estimated 30,000 cars sold prior to suspension revisions being made to combat what Autocar magazine suggested were ‘almost heroic’ levels of understeer. Rushed development and cost-saving saw the Marina inherit the front suspension set-up from the outgoing Morris Minor, instead of the planned MacPherson struts. When the car’s failings were brought to BL’s attention, a different lower trunnion was fitted in an attempt to save the car’s reputation.

The previous year saw the Marina treated to a facelift, which introduced anti-roll bars front and rear to further improve its handling characteristics. The two-door GT and four-door HL replaced the TC that same year.

Behind the Marina is an example of the more upmarket Triumph Dolomite in what we believe is 1500 guise – it’s hard to say without a visible registration number to date it. The lack of a vinyl roof and C-pillars means that it’s definitely not a 16-valve Sprint.

We can be a little bit more specific about the car behind it, however. The ADO16 came in a mind-boggling array of badge-engineered variants, catering for no fewer than six different marques, but this car’s single-bar grille suggests that it’s either an Austin or Morris 1100 Deluxe MkIII, while the 1972 L-suffix registration means that it can only be a product of Longbridge rather than Cowley; Morris-badged ADO16s were discontinued in 1971, effectively replaced by the Marina.

Incidentally, 1971 was also the same year that the two millionth ADO16 was built – originally introduced in 1962, it was Britain’s best-selling car for four consecutive years between 1963 and 1966.

Next up is another Triumph Dolomite; this one appears to have a sunroof, which was an option for the 1500TC.

Completing our quintet is a first-generation Ford Granada. Introduced in 1972, it replaced the Zephyr and Zodiac MkIV and was the first big Blue Oval saloon to be the product of Ford of Europe, rather than Ford of Britain. Indeed, Granada production at Dagenham drew to a close the year that this photo was taken, with all cars now being made in Cologne.

The wintry weather obscures much of the rest of the 1970s fayre heading up the hill towards the suburban area of Highgate beyond the five cars shown. Meanwhile, behind our brave two-wheeled enthusiast is what we’re reliably informed by CCW’s resident bus fancier, Nick Larkin, is a London Transport Daimler, of which 2646 entered service in the capital between 1970 and 1978.

To the left of the double-decker though, covered in snow and seen just behind the two gentlemen awaiting to board, is what appears to be a Citroën DS, though it’s impossible to say for sure.

Today, the scene would be largely familiar to a resident 1970s timetraveller – the building behind the bus is still the home of Channing School for Girls.

‘This Marina hails from the first year of production and so is possibly one of the estimated 30,000 cars sold prior to suspension revisions being made’ WayWarD HaNDlING, EVEN WITHOUT THE sNOW