AXI 1697 RHD

[Darren C]

I was searching through boxes of old photos in my attic today looking for a picture for Ben Mathews when I found these…..

I thought they were worth sharing.

From memory I took them at the NEC in Birmingham, either 1984 or 85. Hopefully someone (Chris P) can confirm.

Regards
D

[Domi]

Great pictures, thank you for sharing

[Chris P]

It certainly looks like the NEC and its definitely when in the Patric Collection ownership. Must have been very early on because they later changed the reg to SOA 82Y. All news to me..great picture Darren. Its new owner Nigel, managed to recovered its original AXI 1697 number.

[88mph]

Awesome, look at that hydraulic stacked parking!

[TheOriginalMrP]

Crazy to think that back when that photo was taken, it was only a couple of years old.
Yet, although it might be the grainyness of the picture, it's condition isn't very clean for a car on display...
Maybe they wanted a 'used' image, but it's pretty bogging !

Still, it's an interesting find. Thanks for sharing Darren.

:-)

[Chris P]

THe photo was obviously taken before its Patrick days……so perhaps it was when it was for sale? It was originally bought by two factory managers, Roger and Gerry. I am in regular contact with Roger, so will ask him.

I took these pictures many years ago when the 'Patrick Collection' was officially closed…but they let me in for a little look around! Years later they sold the car and it ended up with Nigel in his amazing garage……which says a lot about London property / Land prices!

[88mph]

Brilliant, I've just bought a car that was selected for display because of its 'production failings!'
Also it says 130bhp, where as I was told the UK/Euro D's were 150bhp. Although that front suspension setting looks awfully high. :?

[Chris P]

I think the suspension is effected by the show stand it is on.

Any performance figures quoted were pretty much guestimates. But this car had had its exhaust modified at the factory, to an early version of the "free-flow' system now commonly fitted in the UK. When being tested in NI it managed 120 MPH! With one of the engineers sons in the cargo net!!!

( forget my earlier comment about the NEC :oops: …obviously it was when the Patrick Collection were exhibiting there…but you'd have thought they could have given it a clean up before displaying it)

[Matt Clark]

Just to add to the pile:

[Nigel]

Hello Darren,

Thank you (and Chris) for posting those interesting pics. The car is still well and very much loved here in it's nuclear proof bunker on my front drive.

It's always taxed and MOT and ready, but doesn't get out too much, although it always causes a stir when it appears :-)

I thought I'd post some recent pics taken by my good friend Dan Summers (design AT DanSummersDesign.co.uk)...

Darren and Chris, if you'd be so kind as to let me have the original jpg files I'd be most grateful (LamboNigel AT Yahoo.co.uk)

Best regards,

Nigel

[Nigel]

Sorry, more pics didn't realise a post was limited to three :-)

Martin Gutkowski - thanks for bringing this thread to my attention, and good luck to you Polly, and young master Caden Gutkowski :-)

N

[Nigel]

And finally a mystery photo :-)

[Domi]

Car looks beautiful awesome pictures!
Do you have any pictures of the interior please?

[Domi]

By the way, I just checked my library and found your car in a French magazine from 1985.
Maybe it's a translation of the UK magazine, don't know yet.
I'll try to scan the pages if you're interested.
At this time the rear light were different.

[Nigel]

Domi,

I'm sure I can sort some interior pics, anything specific you wanted ?

Would appreciate scan (or good photo) of that article.

The rear lights were ugly but unique. They are in my shed with a few other bits I've kept in case it ever needs to go back to factory condition. The light were off a bus, the only UK parts they could get that we're not tailored to a specific car but pre approved for a uk registration !

Nigel