The Useful car

[Tengu]

I very seldom read fiction, but I do like a good story.

Took books to the local book exchange and (ulp!) brought one home.

Alan Scholefields `King of the Golden Valley`

In it, the antagonist(?) competing in an early motor race, is rescued and adopted by an impoverished community. He could have been murdered and/or robbed, but they want both him and his car intact.

The reason?

The mountain folk dont see a car, as such, they see a marvellous, practical engine, which by a clever means, has been designed to transport itself about.

So, he (Not having anything better to do, the real reason is complex and I will leave that to you to read the book for, its a grand story) settles in and connects up his car to various devices, threshing machines, a circular saw, even pumping water to operate a gold panning flume.

(This aspect of the story, sadly, is not elaborated).

So, if you had a running car, (and presumably fuel for it) what could you use it for that doesnt involve transport?

 

[Woody girl]

My old and knackered reliant became a wood store and greenhouse, as well as a dryer for herbs and apple slices.
Still had many uses untill I was forced to get rid of it by the h/a.
I miss it!

 

[Glow_worm]

So, he (Not having anything better to do, the real reason is complex and I will leave that to you to read the book for, its a grand story) settles in and connects up his car to various devices, threshing machines, a circular saw, even pumping water to operate a gold panning flume.

Sounds like a description of a pre-millenium Land Rover. A power take off was always an option, so the opportunities were almost endless. A pto or flat belt pulley on the back could power saw benches, feed mills, pumps, cement mixers, sheep shearing kit etc etc... or a a big compressor or generator could be fitted on board which could run a whole house. Aftermarket 3-point linkages were available for all manner of farm machinery. Then you could tow your stock to market, and go on a camping holiday to the Alps with the year's profits if you were lucky.

A local farmer did his haymaking using a swathe turner and a pick up baler behind an old Series 3 when I was growing up.

A friend who manages a 200 acre wood full time once use an ex-electricity board Defender with a big pto generator inside to run electric log splitters. He overnighted in the back with a tiny woodburner to keep warm.

I can only claim to have used a 110 with a Ransomes trailed cultivator to regularly stir up 8 acres of organic arable during a fallow.

 

[Paul_B]

I like the use of a car in RED the film about a retired CIA hitman. In it the way down into the habitat of the retired hitman's mate and former colleague (a paranoid chap indeed) was through the boot of a large, old American car. I think I would like an underground house with a doorway like that. Perhaps I could use a modern mini countryman as the doorway, I mean they are huge these days I reckon even my 196cm frame could use that doorway car.