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MARION VAN DIJK/FAIRFAX NZ via Stuff
47

Just phone me on 24. That’s right, 24

by Whaleoil on February 8, 2013

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And here is a bitter sweet shot of the Cathedral during better times 

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  • Cadwallader

    The days when a “SERVICE Station” did things for you i.e. SERVICE and only sold stuff for the car.

    • Cadwallader

      PS That is a Hillman on the forecourt. I guess the year was (circa) 1960????

      • http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/ Petal

        What year did we switch from numeric plates to XX1234?

        • Dumrse

          Good point, I might just revise my estimate to very early 50′s given my dads early Hillman had brown alpha numerical plates (before black).

        • Cadwallader

          1964

      • Dumrse

        I think the car is closer to 1956.

      • jonno1

        I think a Humber 80, but similar to a Hillman of course. The one pictured is either a 1950 Phase IV, 1951-52 Phase V, or 1953 Phase VI. Need to see the grill to be sure. Not a 49er though.

        • Cadwallader

          Weren’t they both manufactured by Rootes?

          • jonno1

            You’re right – I’d forgotten that. Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam & a few other marques were Rootes Group cars. My first car was a 1946 Hillman 10 – actually quite luxuious for its era. Had a 6V system though so had to start it by crank in Wellington winter… Eventually wrote it off, as you do as a teenager. Next car was a 1948 Ford Prefect, otherwise known as an upright piano. Have graduated to a Beamer now fortunately.

          • Cadwallader

            Yes. The Ford Prefect was joined by a Ford Popular (aka a “Stand-up and Die!) I had a 100E Anglia which was under-powered and weighed heaps. I have ascended to a VW R36 (220kw) which is superbly powered.

          • jonno1

            Ah yes, the Passat is a superb car and excellent value for money, although I’m not personally keen on SUVs. My Beamer is a mere 170kW but still does the business. Also had a 100E at one time (1954 Prefect). Flathead side valve – could do a valvegrind or bearing job in an afternoon (sometimes both).

          • Sponge

            I just replaced my Passat with a Falcon XR6 Turbo. The cost of fixing the constant breakdowns was simply beyond belief. I looked at an Alfa then common sense took over.

          • jonno1

            True, you can’t justify buying a European car on economic grounds. But for driving pleasure it’s hard to go past a BMW. Not so much Merc or Audi though.

      • Graham

        The name badge looks like Humber to me.

    • http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/ Petal

      Also the days when you could drop a spanner when you were putting the spark plugs back in, and the spanner would hit the driveway without bouncing off anything on the way down!

      • Dumrse

        And you could see the plugs and know how to change them.

  • Rockfield

    That Service Station photo is earlier than the 60′s ….. I remember in the early sixties when the silver on black XX9999 plates were introduced. Prior to that, I think we had yellow on black, can’t remember the format though.
    The photo looks at least 40′s to early 50′s …. can someone date the car ??
    R.

    • John White

      Looks like a Mark III, which was introduced in 1948, 3 Minx Mark I to VIII (1945-1957)

    • Stuarts.burgers

      Plates changed 64 or 65 from yellow and black to the xx9999 silver ( reflective ) on black.
      I think they used to change plates reasonably often before xx9999 as I can remember the brown and white ones like on this car then the change to yellow and black maybe 60

      What gets me is they were selling Europa Oil , either Todd or later BP, along side Shell Petrol. Wish I could see the branding on the pump in use.

      • Lofty

        Along side Europa petrol, figure that today…..check the middle pump..

        • le sphincter

          In the early days , all petrol stations had competing pumps on the forecourt. But of course the oil companies didnt like that one bit

      • Cadwallader

        Alongwith Europa there was Atlantic which was subsequently absorbed by Mobil,,then known as “Mobil-Gas” with a Pegasus on their signs.

      • Graham

        Plates were changed annually from 1925 (except during WWII) until the Permanent plates were introduced in 64.
        I remeber Big Tree pumps too.

      • Travis Poulson

        Middle pump Europa

        • Stuarts.burgers

          Thanks mate I guess need new glasses as well as the 22″ screen, but I am sue you can guess my generation from my observations here

          • Travis Poulson

            No you’re not too bad, I had to enlarge the image quite a bit to read it.

        • Dave

          Yes, I noticed the Lube Bar is Europa, and Shell pump. Worked for Europa for a few years, that equipment was no longer used in major petrol stations from late 50′s, so my guess is pre mid fifties. The dress gives it away as well, the waistcoat gave way to overalls emblazoned with company logos in the early 60′s.

  • unsol

    Isn’t it so odd how the modern world has made so many things so much easier yet so much more complicated at the same time.

    I’m originally from Canterbury & we stopped in to check out some old CHCH haunts during our Christmas holiday. We saw glimmers of the Cathedral & the Square through the fences. It was honestly heartbreaking. I was surprised how as an ex pat it affected me so deeply. It was the heart of the city so the emotional recovery is I suspect years away for many residents.

  • Doug

    I think its a 1949 Hillman Minx?

    • Lofty

      Yes Doug they were all minx’s 49 could be a bit early more likely to be 50 onward I think.

    • Cadwallader

      I thought the Hillman Minx was a ’60s thing with the motor in the rear-end as per the VWs?

      • Dr Wang

        Cad – wasn’t that the “Imp”?

        • jonno1

          Yes, the Hillman Imp came in around 1967. It had a rear-mounted engine with aluminium block. Absolute rubbish, but went like stink. I remember getting one up to 80mph on the West Taupo Rd when it was unsealed. Must have been mad.

  • Lofty

    Oh my I feel old, I remember that service station well, when our phone number was 27 in Mangere pre state housing and all market gardens and dairy farms.

    • Rockfield

      When Manurewa was a quiet little rural village …. NOT THE KILLING STREETS THAT IT IS NOW ….
      r.

      • Rockfield

        Excuse the shouting … posted without looking.
        R.

      • Lofty

        Yes Rock I used to bring the cows in at 4.30am for milking right where the Mangere town centre sits now.
        A herd of 60, bale shed, cream separator, milk cans, and warm shit for cold feet in the winter. :-)

        • Lofty

          While we are reminiscing (well I am anyway) the farm on Massey rd that I used to work on as a 8 – 12 yo before and after school was owned by the Ogilvey brothers, Brian & Ash, who interestingly enough had quite a shareholding In the early Villa Maria wines when they were located on the corner of Kirkbride and Ascot.

  • Lofty

    Chester Brown was the mechanic just north of Albion road on the Gt South.

  • Lofty

    Hillman no later than 1952

  • Lion_ess

    Also from Christchurch – favorite view of the city was driving down Memorial Avenue, heading towards the airport. Christchurch was a boring, parochial, white, red-neck town, with a bloody Cathedral in the middle of it. Good riddance to the Cathedral, I hope they build some thing interesting in its place.

    • Gazzaw

      You and me both Lion_ess. Got transferred down there in 1966 and lasted three long years, anyone born north of Kaiapoi was definitely suspect. Not a bad place to visit these days though.

  • GregM

    This may be the same Greenhalgh Bros that also ran a bus company for many years.
    As a kid I remember dad’s little fordson truck with yellow and black plates.

  • Time For Accountability
  • Time For Accountability
  • Jimmie

    I remember our old party line number was 154D. Then I think around 1984 we got our first dial up phone – we thought it was the height of technology.

  • Time For Accountability

    If the number plate is white numerals the plate would be 1951 to 1956.

    See
    http://www.motorauction.co.nz/forum/showthread.php?tid=2030

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