Last car with a starting handle | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Wed 17 Oct 2007 12:30

Last car with a starting handle - madf

"And which BRers have ever started a car using a handle?"

I purchased my first car for £30 in 1967. It was a 1929 Riley 9 Monaco with fabric roof, front opening doors, opening front windscreen, magneto ignition and a starting handle.

The prior owner had died and I bought it from his estate. It had not been run for 2 years and the battery was clapped so I HAD to use the starting handle. (I never bought a new battery!).

It usually started first go, provided one retarded the ignition and primed the carburettor (it was gravity feed so a push button), and set the hand throttle to fast. Carefully engage the handle, carefully push until compression came up and turn vigorously. *Thumb carefully tucked to one side in case of misfires as I was taught by an uncle who drove a 4.5litre Meadows engined sportscar - I forget the model).

I sold it for £80 after 6 months and bought an Austin A30. It had a starting handle but the battery was OK so I only used it for setting the tappets.

I sold that and bought a 1946 Rover 16. It too had a starting handle and a 6 cyclinder 2.2 litre (iirc) engine. Occasionally the battery would go flat .Then the starting handle would be used after pushing back the chrome cover on the front bumper (which weighed I would say 30 kg and had 2 balance weights -one at either end.. "harmonic balancing").
It was easy to start on the handle but not as easy as the Riley as there was no hand throttle.

I had a Rover 75 with a starting handle..never used it..

With today's sedentary society and obesity , many people would seriously damage themselves today if they had to use one... but it was a great learning experience.. if you wante dto learn about cars. None of this modern fuel injection or hydraulic brakes... or power steerring.. or comfort or 50mpg...
madf

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Messages	Author	Date
Last car with a starting handle	Robin Reliant	Tue 16 Oct 2007 23:58
Last car with a starting handle	Screwloose	Wed 17 Oct 2007 00:03
Last car with a starting handle	Pugugly {P}	Wed 17 Oct 2007 00:08
Last car with a starting handle	Avant	Wed 17 Oct 2007 00:17
Last car with a starting handle	Pugugly {P}	Wed 17 Oct 2007 00:18
Last car with a starting handle	Screwloose	Wed 17 Oct 2007 00:22
Last car with a starting handle	Dynamic Dave	Wed 17 Oct 2007 01:40
Last car with a starting handle	Pugugly {P}	Thu 18 Oct 2007 00:16
Last car with a starting handle	Dynamic Dave	Thu 18 Oct 2007 01:26
Last car with a starting handle	Pugugly {P}	Thu 18 Oct 2007 06:19
Last car with a starting handle	mrmender	Wed 17 Oct 2007 07:36
Last car with a starting handle	Brit_in_Germany	Wed 17 Oct 2007 08:43
Last car with a starting handle	Garethj	Wed 17 Oct 2007 08:53
Last car with a starting handle	Falkirk Bairn	Wed 17 Oct 2007 08:58
Last car with a starting handle	1066	Wed 17 Oct 2007 08:59
Last car with a starting handle	L'escargot	Wed 17 Oct 2007 09:14
Last car with a starting handle	blue_haddock	Wed 17 Oct 2007 09:38
Last car with a starting handle	helicopter	Wed 17 Oct 2007 10:28
Last car with a starting handle	mike hannon	Tue 23 Oct 2007 17:25
Last car with a starting handle	Round The Bend	Wed 24 Oct 2007 08:51
Last car with a starting handle	mike hannon	Wed 24 Oct 2007 12:37
Last car with a starting handle	normd2	Wed 17 Oct 2007 10:29
Last car with a starting handle	FotheringtonThomas	Wed 17 Oct 2007 10:31
Last car with a starting handle	Group B	Wed 17 Oct 2007 10:45
Last car with a starting handle	J Bonington Jagworth	Wed 17 Oct 2007 11:42
Last car with a starting handle	jc2	Wed 17 Oct 2007 11:49
Last car with a starting handle	Cliff Pope	Wed 17 Oct 2007 11:59
Last car with a starting handle	J Bonington Jagworth	Wed 17 Oct 2007 12:10
Last car with a starting handle	jc2	Wed 17 Oct 2007 12:26
Last car with a starting handle	Clanger	Wed 17 Oct 2007 12:09
Last car with a starting handle	madf	Wed 17 Oct 2007 12:30
Last car with a starting handle	local yokel	Wed 17 Oct 2007 13:42
Last car with a starting handle	Mapmaker	Wed 17 Oct 2007 14:13
Last car with a starting handle	Harmattan	Wed 17 Oct 2007 14:47
Last car with a starting handle	Group B	Wed 17 Oct 2007 14:53
Last car with a starting handle	local yokel	Wed 17 Oct 2007 15:02
Last car with a starting handle	Malcolm_L	Wed 17 Oct 2007 15:11
Last car with a starting handle	Lud	Wed 17 Oct 2007 15:25
Last car with a starting handle	Screwloose	Wed 17 Oct 2007 15:14
Last car with a starting handle	rustbucket	Wed 17 Oct 2007 15:16
Last car with a starting handle	bignick2	Wed 17 Oct 2007 15:28
Last car with a starting handle	milkyjoe	Wed 17 Oct 2007 15:49
Last car with a starting handle	Round The Bend	Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:00
Last car with a starting handle	local yokel	Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:01
Last car with a starting handle	jc2	Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:14
Last car with a starting handle	Cliff Pope	Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:40
Last car with a starting handle	J Bonington Jagworth	Wed 17 Oct 2007 17:53
Last car with a starting handle	bathtub tom	Wed 17 Oct 2007 18:11
Last car with a starting handle	fordprefect	Wed 17 Oct 2007 20:19
Last car with a starting handle	Avant	Thu 18 Oct 2007 00:13
Last car with a starting handle	Cliff Pope	Thu 18 Oct 2007 09:45
Last car with a starting handle	niva441	Tue 23 Oct 2007 12:28
Last car with a starting handle	Archie	Tue 23 Oct 2007 14:44
Last car with a starting handle	jc2	Tue 23 Oct 2007 14:50
Last car with a starting handle	mike hannon	Wed 24 Oct 2007 12:43
Last car with a starting handle	tobykaly	Wed 24 Oct 2007 16:52