SEPTEMBER 1971 BRISTOL STREET MOTORS, BIRMINGHAM

Deep temptation here for the used car buyer of 1971. Would you have found love beneath the neon lights?

The family’s loved but tired 1963 Hillman Super Minx, Flossie, was hardly in keeping with Dad’s position now as the top salesman for Dainty Pickles (No- One Here has a Company Car Except the Chairman) Ltd. Still the mileage allowance was generous and he’d had an exceptional month thanks to the new sweet chutney range.

Time to bid farewell to Flossie and make a trip to the scene shown here, Bristol Street Motors, to pick up a late-model used car.

No pot plants, marble floor and cup of weak Typhoo that would-be new car buyers got here.

Instead we see a brightly neon-lit overgrown car port with reassuring signage offering any inspection, the fact that your satisfaction was Bristol Street’s satisfaction (eh?) and the 12-month Blue Ribbon guarantee – sounds like they must have had a haberdashery department...

A further sign hanging from the ceiling suggests that if you can’t find what you want, ask a salesman.

‘Hello sir, can I help you?’ rang a sudden voice in our hero’s right ear.

‘Now you seem a sporty chap, so let’s not go further than the Ford Capri in front of us. Only two years old and 33,000 miles. It’s a 1600GT, note the sports mirrors and doesn’t it look great? Ours is £999 but you’d pay £1197 including PT for a new 1971 example, and that’s before the on road costs.

‘Just settle into those bucket seats sir – there’s plenty of room in the back, comprehensive instrumentation and just dig that bronze paintwork. She’ll hit 60mph in 12.9 seconds and reach 100mph.’

Mrs Hero chipped in as her husband drooled: ‘But isn’t the boot too small for your samples? And with the kids we really need a four-door.’

‘ Well, sir, how about a MkII Ford Cortina? The two in front of us are Supers and with the new MkIII being launched soon we could do a further discount,’ said the salesman.

‘It sounds like you won’t be interested in the other Capri despite its sexy foglamps, but what about the Morris 1100? We don’t specialise in British Leyland cars here but the owner of this one didn’t get on with it and changed it for an Escort. ’

Just behind it is a BL Mini another Cortina MkII for £869 and presumably an early 1968 Ford Escort for £569. It’s a capable and enticing line up for any up-andcoming family man. (But why do all the prices end in a 9?)

‘Sod my samples darling, I want the Capri!’ says our hero, thinking of taking his secretary, Gladys, in the car for a lunchtime Wimpy.

‘Please, where do I sign? (And I want a divorce, too!)’

LAST OF THE MORRIS 1100S Almost new here, this Morris 1100 was £135 cheaper than a new Austin equivalent. That’s nearly £1800 today and there wouldn’t have been extra charges to pay. FOGLIGHT HAZE! Should our buyer have spent an extra £190 and got himself this year newer Capri with sexy foglights? We bet it was yellow!

SUPER SUPER! This is surely a MkII Cortina Super with more luxurious seats, ‘deep loop pile’ carpeting and a cigarette lighter. BRISTOL STREET MOTORS The firm started out as a Ford franchise in Birmingham in the early 1900s, and is still very much with us in 2020 as part of the nationwide Verlu Motors plc group. CORTINA GOING CHEAP With the arrival of the Cortina MkIII in 1970, MkIIs were sticking around, so you might have got a good discount here. CAPRI FOR ME! The Ford Capri MkI was without doubt a thing of beauty. Look at those sports mirrors and retractable radio aerial on this 1600GT!