The 1950 Commer Superpoise racing car transporter (carried Jaguar C-Type ++) | Classic British lorry
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- čas přidán 31. 10. 2021
- A classic lorry video - here, an intro to our 1950 Commer Superpoise racing car transporter. This old British lorry began life with Forte's, the ice cream bar and restaurant company (later hotels), and in the early 1960s in new ownership was converted into a race car hauler, primarily to carry the one-off Allard-based Sphinx sports-racer of the mid-1950s, a Lola Mk2 single-seat racing car, and also a Jaguar C-Type on occasions. The Commer continued in this role until the early 1970s, visiting many of the well-known racing circuits and hillclimb venues. Following the cessation of racing action, the truck and the Allard JR - based car it mainly carried were parked up in barns. While it's not exactly the Ecurie Ecosse Commer transporter, it's a neat old survivor.
The Commer began life with a straight-six sidevalve engine, but at some point was converted to a straight-six OHV power unit, identical to those fitted by the factory to Superpoise lorries from 1951-onwards (and also to various large Humber saloons of the era).
News of this Commer Superpoise came along in 2014, the barns on the property it was at were being cleared of old vehicles and amongst them was the Commer. The old transporter's future was far from certain, so a plan was hatched to rescue it. This involved finding a transport company to actually do the move, and also at this end extend our driveway significantly in order that it could be accommodated here. The priority was to ensure that it survived so that it could be restored at some point in future.
To read about the lorry, please see the following page on the main OCC site: www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/comme...
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Are you a fan of classic lorries? do you own one, or remember owning/driving a Commer Superpoise of the early 1950s like this one? If so, please say hello in the comments and tell us more about your commercial vehicle interests.
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Yes, absolutely you should get it running! What a gorgeous old truck.
Hope this gets restored one day, it’s an important vehicle with a documented history. Hope you are able to get the engine running. 🤞👍
Thanks Michael, I've a soft spot for old transporters (see Dodge) so when this one came to light back in '14 it had to be re-homed asap
Mate, what a great video. Awesome truck, it is worth restoring, great history. Which I was in England near you and had a big shed to store her in. You are on Lucky man to have seen and saved her. Thank you.
Thanks, with one big lorry already I'll probably look at re-homing the Commer sometime but I'd like to see if we can get it to fire up.
Love to see you save this old motor
Thanks Sue, whether it's me or someone else at least it should live on
Marvelous!... All the old ordinary items (I loved the 6d Fairy Liquid) add so much flavour 🇬🇧 ...
I hope she is saved... A true jewel. I drove a Commer Super poise the same. OUE 961.Perkins P6.. A fire needle in the air intake to get Er Going.!!! Please save her....
Thanks for watching
I think you have done a good thing to save this lorry. Not many people would have. It's amazing how so many things are still in it, just as they were left. Getting the motor running sounds like a great idea. It would put some life into it. 😊
I'll never hear the end of gravelling over part of the lawn and losing half an apple tree mind!! thanks for watching :)
@@oldclassiccarUK Well, you've still got the other half of the apple tree and a lorry as well 😄
What a great story - well done! Yes please let's see it running!
Well done for your foresight , and vision for the vehicles future potential
Thanks Michael
So important to keep this running. Great history. Love your old truck videos.
Thanks Stefan, appreciate the support to the channel
I'm the same vintage as the Commer. I'm suddenly sad. You are a brave man to tackle the big trucks.
The Dodge was a monster of a thing to take on, the Commer will probably have to go to a new home, thanks for watching
What a very happy looking car - full of character.
It's as old as I am, and by the looks it, in better condition!
Please bring the old girl back to life again, its such a shame to leave her slowly fading away!
Fantastic truck with great provenance. I love Commers and this one definitely deserves to be restored.Great video as usual.
Thanks FLB, it's the history behind these things that I find really interesting
Great vehicle and great content. Thanks for upload. A fair bit of work to restore, but a unique lorry. Would be a tragedy not to do it.
Thanks Karma, it'll get done one way or another
Great old truck would love to see it going.
What a wonderful old Commer. One of the favourite lorries from my childhood.
This will be a lovely project to get stuck in to.
Many thanks for sharing with us and good luck.
Thanks Mike
I personally would love to see her running, ideal project for motor apprentices, if such schemes still exist these days.
I'll rope junior in with the fettling
What a marvellous truck. A rare find by any standards, but with so much of its history too, it's surely now a historically significant artefact. Well done for having the foresight to save it and yes please, do film your attempts to get it running - would love to see that.
It was the history of it that got my attention and prompted me to get it, thanks for watching
A beautiful old motor, this model was nice to drive. We had a tipper 7 tonner.
in this model, very reliable, I would love to see it run again.
Lovely old thing. It'd be great to hear it running! We don't get many chances to hear engines like that one any more.
What a great video. Imagine if you had a C type jaguar, this lorry would be an amazing addition.
What a machine. Beautiful
wow that original pic is amazing! so glad this is saved
I couldn't believe it when that photo turned up, really chuffed to see it
@@oldclassiccarUK love those little bits of history!
Absolutely fantastic! It would be a star of the show if it was restored! I might suggest that you purchase a couple of tins of ACF 50 and soak all of the underbonnet area. This will keep it from degrading any further.
Reading the comments I'd say that it's a given that you get this truck running, my two pennyworth thrown in says do it. Let's hear a song out of the old truck.
Thanks for sharing and keep em coming
I'll certainly give it a try although the weather's getting a little problematic this time of year to be doing too much out there :-/ Thanks for watching
To be honest I am of the opinion that all of us who collect old vehicles are slightly mad🤣👍 It’s a splendid and unique lorry, quite definitely worthy of restoration so you can use it to move other four wheeled treasures. Thanks for putting this up Richard, did you see the little video of my Ford V3000 I put up?
I don't think I saw the Ford vid you mentioned, thanks for checking out this one on the Commer
Just watched the Ford, neat!
Fantastic monday morning treat! If American car shows have taught us nothing, its that getting a classic vehicle running for 14 seconds is good enough to double the value, based on that dubious logic you get my vote to get it running sir 😉
Glad you liked it, yes I'm keen to hear its six-pot engine running and see how well/badly it'll run :-)
Hi Richard... This vid was forwarded to me by my cousin Paul with whom you've been in contact.
The Commer would have been purchased by my Grandfather Arcangelo and would have, as you say, been used to deliver stick to the branches in Bournemouth, Poole and surrounding areas.
We also had outside catering for large events in the area auch as the New Forest Show and the UK Hard Court Tennis Championships.
Several comments have referred to Alex Polizzi. Her Great Grandfather (father of Charles, subsequently Lord Charles) was in business with my Grandfather in Weston-super-Mare before concentrating on London and beyond. They were also, briefly, in business in Bournemouth.
My Father Antonio and his brother Vincent worked together before splitting the business in the 60s.
How wonderful to watch your information packed video and to see the photo of the van in its original livery. Also lovely to see that the original paintwork is still there.
Thank you so much for this amazing piece of history. If I can help at all, please get in touch...
Hi Mike, great to hear from you both, I've added your notes to the Commer's file now. I'm tempted to rub down the old faded paint on the driver's door (which is already in fairly poor order) to see if the old Forte's signwriting is hidden beneath it. If you know of anyone else who might find the video of interest, please forward on the link to it, thanks.
Getting the old girl running would be a cracking video . Please have a go .
Fingers crossed the weather holds to enable a start attempt to take place
Since it seems to be a "one of a kind", it definitely would be worth the effort to get it running again, even if you don't get it all the way back to pristine condition. I can imagine that it would stir up some memories for folk at historic race / swap meets in its old territory.
Agreed, it was certainly fun to re-unite the Dodge truck with one or two of its early haunts
That is lovely!
Would be interesting to see it running. 👍
I hope to get it running, fingers are crossed
Yes Yes Yes if you are able to, definitely restore we have lost to many historical vehicles, oil rag job would be fine , all the best. And thank you.
Thanks for viewing the vid, it's a bit beyond oily-ragging but isn't as bad as the Dodge was!
It would be good to see it running.
very nice I like it ( New York USA)
Thanks Benjamin!
An amazing survivor! The "BMB" body plate is probably Briggs Motor Bodies, of Dagenham, who would have made the bodywork forward of the windscreen. They were later taken over by Ford, which prevented them doing bodies for other makers (and led to the demise of Jowett as they made the Javelin bodies). Would look great back in the original Forte's livery, leave the interior as a transporter if you like.
The fabric roof served several purposes - it kept the centre of gravity low, it didn't attract the heat of the sun like a metal one would, and it allowed the interior to 'breathe' a bit. The body panels are steel because aluminium was very much in demand in the early fifties, as the UK rebuilt itself after the war.
Do keep a watchful eye out for woodworm holes, they could decimate the woodwork in a very short time.
Get the engine to turn over soon, condensation might cause piston ring seizure over time. Then get it running and change the oil & filter, and run it every 3-4 months, it will help restoration a lot when you finally get round to it.
I've heard of Briggs but hadn't associated them with producing Rootes Group bodywork, I'll have to look into that. Thanks for watching
I would love to see it run again. It would be amazing to see it restored back to it's former ice cream livery!
Maybe one side in race car livery, the other in ice creams!
Strangely, my first car was a 1953 Anglia and that had a similar screenwash arrangement which I used to fill with diluted glycol in winter since there was no heater (they were an optional extra back then!). Happy driving in sheepskin and wellies with seaboot socks...
That is an awesome recovery, well done for saving. If it were mine I don't think I could resist the challenge to get it started and running again. Would be great to see it working for a living again, thanks for sharing!
I hope you get the old boy back on the road, would be a loss if not. Like watching your car show videos and didn't know much about you until Thanks for what you do ! PS . and saying hello from Tennessee USA !!
Thanks for following the channel!
You must get that commer up and running a good clean and check over would see you behi d the wheel in no time I couldn't sleep till I'd heard it run do a video on it running soon pleeeeese
I'll see what I can arrange :) thanks for watching
I definitely think you should try and get it running. Even if you decide to sell it on it would be a bonus for the new owner if it was a runner. I appreciate that one person can only have so many vehicles on the road at one time but if you have to let it go so be it. Thanks for the video, very interesting. 👍
You must make a video of it starting but, please, take a short while to clean the old carb up and fire her up with it still in use.
I know it would be easier but it would be so much nicer to see it start with its (admittedly later) original carb in situ.
Great videos 👍👍
The engine is a lower compression version of the unit used later in the Humber Pullman and later Mk4 Super Snipe.
The signs on the rocker cover designate the engine as "Blue Riband" which is original factory. The smaller worn plate specifies the tappet clearances. These engines provide great smooth torque.
Ah right I see, thanks Wes
Drove an S4 '51 Commer as my first driving job in 1957. This one loocks as if it has had an engine transplant, the original was a flat head Super Snipe engine, this is the later OHV one. The one I drove was re engined later.
Thanks for watching, yes as I mentioned the original SV engine has been replaced by an OHV unit from a slightly later vehicle, probably not a bad update
Maybe an email to Alex Polizzi ( The Hotel Inspector ) who’s father was Rocco Forte ( Forte Hotel group ) which I’m sure you know already. But very early part of their family history. Would love to hear it running 👍
Great video it would be nice to see it up and running someday it's good to see you had the foresight to save it from the scrappers
Thanks Michael
My local council up here in County Durham used these as road sweepers, I always wondered what make they were, now I know, cheers mate, be nice to see it running...
Cheers Allen, thanks for watching
I think if she got a good steam clean inside and out and get the engine running she'd have a new lease of life. That would a restoration.
We've made a start on the engine, if the weather holds we hope to have a go at firing it up. Thanks for watching
Fascinating content as always and expected Richard, I love your eye for historic detail Eventually you have to face up in life that you cannot keep and save everything but I would guess this is an extremely desirable lorry and would probably find the best home to a group of conservationists such as at Brooklands or the Lincoln Historic Vehicle Museum run by enthusiasts.Incidentally, one of my earliest memories is going to a Forte Ice Cream Parlour in Piccadilly Circus and was fascinated by a row of high rise fountains that rose and fell in syncopation to music !.
Thanks for your comments Roger 👍
I’d love to see more on this vehicle
If you can get it running I’d love to see that
I'll see what I can do!
Remarkably good condition. The good thing about that coach built body is that since it was built with simple hand tools it should be straightforward to restore with simple hand tools. Nice to see the Ecurie Ecosse transporter picture. I live about a quarter mile away from the old Ecurie Ecosse base of operations at Merchiston Mews in Edinburgh - I'd hate to have had to get that thing into the lane!
I hope you have the time energy and funds to do the restore as I would love to see the Commer looking as good as the Dodge,looking at the wooden bodywork took me back to the milkfloats I drove back in the sixties hand built by the Co-op who were masters at coach building creating some amazing floats.Mike.
My old commer is the 4x4 version of yours it's on my channel its a AFS q4. From 1956
I love your optimism about this vehicle, I remember them on the road, I think the home and colonial store used them in maroon, me and my mate bought a humber pullman for £30, side valve engine, spent a lot of time at rootes balby rd buying parts, we are talking sixties here
It's nowhere near as bad as the Dodge transporter was, so the Commer should be do-able (whether it's me or someone else more likely)
An inspiring video of a historic old 'bus'. The provenance of its race support role is so interesting and, imo, worth preserving. Have you made any attempt to contact the present owner of Brian Croot's Allard Sphinx? To see them reunited would be splendid! I'll mention this at the next Allard Owners Club Zoom meeting.👍
I know the car's back in the UK being refreshed after decades spent in a French museum
@@oldclassiccarUK l have now mentioned this fascinating vid on B. Croot's Commer to the Allard Owners Club. It aroused interest and good discussion, and s.o. did indeed say that the current owner of the 'Sphinx' has expressed interest in re-uniting both vehicles. The Sphinx has now had its bodywork restoration done and is returning to Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engine, plus (period) modified Rolls-Royce transmission. The racing car is a one-off on a 'one of 7' Allard JR chassis. Hth!
Firstly I think this has to be restored as it’s a piece of motor racing transport history. The bits and pieces in the van were marvellous. I was very envious that you had a Marchal Senior Fantastic driving light which if you wanted to sell it I would be very interested as I have one which I’ve had since 1966 and have been looking for a
second one to make up a matching pair. But the overall condition looks good. I regret that I don’t have the space or skill to offer any help and in any case you probably don’t live anywhere near me in Surrey! But if it were me, and it’s not!, I would love to see it restored in its race transporter livery and made up using all the old parts, memorabilia etc to make it a real show piece. I sensed that you want to restore it providing you can find help so I really hope you can achieve this. I watch your videos often so I’ll keep my open to see what you decide to do with it. Good lock and best wishes, Chris.
this has to run
Would love to see her running and restored again one day. Born in Bournemouth as she was and used to fill up at Tice's garage several times a week. Would be a real shame if she wasn't restored back to her former glory.
Just realised after looking at your website page of the Commer's history that I walked past Tice's old premises at 723 Wimborne Road on my way to school everyday ! Small world sometimes
This would make a great addition to the historic racing scene. I wonder whether the apprentices on the course for vintage/classic engineering at Bicester Heritage might be interested in doing some work on it. Also, the Forte connection is worth pursuing. The Rootes Archive Trust would also like to see it restored I am sure.
Agreed it'd be ideal for an apprentice scheme of some kind
I think you should have a clean up under the bonnet and try to get the engine running first.
Agreed!
Great find. Hope you can get some progress on it. Give it a few spins on the starting handle now and then. BTW the Ecurie Ecosse toy transporter was made by Corgi not Dinky.
Ah Corgi eh? of course, wouldn't mind acquiring an example sometime
It would be a great thing to see if you did restore it .
I think you need to have a go at getting it running and then see if you can sell it to someone who can restore it
It does need to be saved and especially since you have all the papers for it 👍👍👍
Would make a great camper conversion maybe
I don’t think you will find anything here in Australia I would be surprised as a few years back when scrap was high
Sims metal went out in the bust and stripped farms clean of all there old vehicles 😢😢
But I hope someone proves me wrong
hola. muy lindo. tengo uno parecido de 1952 . saludos.
She's the same age as me. I would love to get my hands on her
Hi Rick, definitely has to be restored and put back in operation.
Here’s a thought, seeing the picture of when it was Forte Ice Cream wagon.
Send the picture to Alex Politzi (excuse the spelling) Hotel Inspector, part of the Forte family. Maybe good advertising showing the original and maybe updated sign writing for the Forte company.
Possible updating it but company for you and Junior for the future?
Me again, when I was in the army cadets (13-16 yo) in our drill hall which was shared with the TA, they had the Commer version with canvas tilt. Anyway as you know, they didn’t have an ignition key (as least the military ones didn’t? Just a turn knurled nut!) I wanted to hear the engine so turned on and ‘pulled’ the starter, being 13 yo, didn’t know to check if it was in gear (which it was!) it leapt forward and hit the Vincent 1000 Square 4 owned by Sgt Gutsell (I’ve never forgotten the volume of swear words even after 27 years in the army that I never heard since) luckily no damage was done but I had to change my underwear. Frear, ‘tis a terrible thing!!
Interestingly I found a photo of another Commer they ran, also with a KEL registration:
www.fortefamilyhistory.com/Gallery/In_Business/index.html#img=Fortes%20Poole%20Park.jpg
Lovely photos
Intresting old vehicle. Great you got the history with it. Yep needs a will it run. Don't think I would start replacing panels. Just clean and repair what is there. Maybe strip off top paint to original sign writing and colour. Repair flooring in rear. But I wouldn't rip it apart. It would lose all character. Needs to be legal and brakes done and serviced. Electric working before you rip body apart. Leave as is you can always make a weekend camper out of it. It has already been two diff vehicles. Make a detachable camper interior. But leave wood exposed inside. You could strip of paint on out side on one side only to expose original vehicle. Touch up race van side. Make a race camper car show vehicle you can use for fun. But all mechanics number one job. Fill up holes in wings etc carefully with resin fiberglass. Job done. Retained history. And made a practical vehicle for you. All on the cheap. Good luck. Post more vids. Thanks. Have a good day.
Glad it was of interest, thanks Adrian
Yeah, it's and engine. Make it go..... Rah
The BMB on the body stands f Briggs Motor Bodies.
Thanks Geoff someone else suggested that, I hadn't realised that they produced the Commer panelwork
@@oldclassiccarUK It’s just the cab part. I think they were used on some Fords and possibly others as well.
Got to get it back up and running its got too much going for it and seems there isn't too much to do As a side note im from bournemouth and remember fortes had 2 big restaurants in the town center one of which is now the moon in the square wetherspoons and the other was in Westover road which is also a pub whose name I can't think of right now
Thanks for watching, it's quite a big project but definitely do-able
Save her please, too much history to "throw" away.
It won't get thrown away don't worry :) thanks for checking it out
Oh, do give it a go. It woyld be such a shame for it end up at the breakers yard.
It won't end up being scrapped don't worry, thanks for watching
Needs to be running, then down the line it’s more viable if you pass it on for restoration if you don’t do it