The 'coke bottle' Cortina Mk3 was introduced in October 1970 replacing the more boxy Mk2 and bringing with it a swoopy new design language inspired by the products of its US parents.
Engines ranged from the 1300 'Kent' cross-flow up to the 2 litre 'Pinto' overhead cam unit and five trim levels were available from base up to the twin headlight GXL. This gave the car a plethora of body, trim and price point options that helped the Cortina (in Mk3 and Mk4 guise) become the best-selling car of the 70s.
The car on this mouse mat is possibly the Mk3 in its purest form, a 2 door 2000GT with the iconic four headlamp grille, Rostyle wheels and high back seats (in black vinyl, of course). The wording and type style is taken from an original press ad advertising the forthcoming 1970 Motor Show at Earls Court.
-
The Morris Marina, introduced in April 1971, was mechanically very simple, powered initially by the venerable 1.3 A Series and 1.8 B series engines, with a 4 speed gearbox, rear wheel drive and a live rear axle. This simplicity was at odds with other front-wheel-drive Leyland products of the time, but it meant that the Marina could compete in the conservative fleet market dominated by the likes of the Ford’s Escort & Cortina, Vauxhall’s Viva and Hillman’s Avenger and Hunter. They were turbulent times at Leyland and money was tight so there were some compromises to be made, not least in the simple suspension set up that was based on the ancient Morris Minor and endowed the very early cars with woeful understeer, particularly in more powerful twin carb 1800 format. This was later improved, though the Marina could never be described as a sharp handler. Ironically funds also didn’t stretch to stretching the doors on the 2 door coupé version. The original aim was for it to compete with the sporty Ford Capri but those saloon front doors just didn’t really cut it. The Marina has since become much maligned and the butt of many lazy jokes, but the truth is that it wasn’t a bad car, just a bit too staid in both styling and execution, and it’s easy to forget that it was the third best selling car in the UK in the seventies. The mouse mat is based on a contemporary press ad and while it could be argued that the original wording might be pushing it a bit, the sporty 1800TC Coupé featured has definitely earned a certain retro cool now.Read the story of the Morris Marina here on the excellent aronline website. -
The 18-22 Series was the name given to the wedge-shaped Austin, Morris and Wolseley models launched in March 1975. Just 6 months later the badge-engineering was dropped and with minor tweaks all models became the more familiar 'Princess'. Top of the range was the Wolseley version shown here (priced at £2,838) which boasted a full length vinyl roof, velour seats with front centre armrests, push button MW/LW radio and a 2.2 litre six cylinder engine as standard, plus the famous illuminated grille badge. Just over 3,000 Wolseleys were built in those 6 months, making them incredibly rare today, and certainly the most desirable of all of the 'Princess' variants. It was also the last car to be badged as a Wolseley, a marque that had always been synonymous with luxury. The mouse mat itself is based on one of the original press ads and showcases that distinctive grille and oh-so-seventies shape and colour. The wording is as the original ad, in the authentic Goudy Old Style typeface with the super-tight kerning between each letter.Read the story of the 18-22 / Princess here on the excellent aronline website.
-
Built at Solihull, the Rover SD1 was introduced in June 1976 initially in V8 3500 guise, with the straight six versions following in November 1977. Priced at £4750.20 (including front seat belts!), it represented good value for money compared to its executive car rivals. The car was lauded for its handsome modern styling (with more than a hint of Ferrari Daytona), versatile hatchback and strong performance. The early interiors typify the seventies with their deeply sculpted (often beige) velour seats and distinctive steering wheel and dash pod. In 1982 a major mid-life facelift coincided with production being moved to Cowley, when a 2000cc model and 2400 turbo diesel was also added to the range. 1984 saw the introduction of the 190bhp fuel injected Vitesse and range-topping Vanden Plas EFi. Sadly, as was often the case with British Leyland products, the cars were dogged by bad build quality and workforce disputes that, despite numerous improvements over its life, tarnished the SD1’s reputation. This is pity because from a design point of view it had very few rivals.The design of this mouse mat features a very early 3500, the SD1 in its purest form and pays tribute to the original launch advertising in terms of wording and typeface. Read the story of the Rover SD1 here on the excellent aronline website.
-
The Chrysler 300C was introduced in the UK in 2005. Initially available as a 3.5 V6 petrol and the mighty 5.7 V8 Hemi, it was soon also available with Mercedes’ 3.0 V6 diesel which really set the cat among the pigeons. Here was an executive car for people who wanted something different. It was big and brash in a way that only American cars can be, but it was also handsome, great value for money and (dare we say it) almost practical too. Add the fact that a touring (estate) version became available soon after and it was clear that the 300C was a real alternative to the usual more sober and predominantly German suspects. The awesome 6.1 litre SRT was added to the UK range later and boasted 425 bhp and a 0-60 time of just 4.9 seconds, pretty impressive for such a large, heavy car. The 300C range received a mild facelift in 2008 and continued on until 2010. For full disclosure, I should confess that I may be a little biased as I have owned a 300C Touring for the last seven years, having admired them when they were launched, and there is still nothing I would want to replace it with. The mouse mat features a striking image of an early US example which really caught my eye when the car was first announced, coupled with Chrysler’s then-current ‘Inspiration Comes Standard’ strapline in the correct ‘Futura Light’ typeface.
-
The Triumph Dolomite range was introduced in 1972 as a luxurious, well-equipped sporting saloon aimed at the emerging compact executive market. The Sprint version that followed in 1973 was conceived in order to remedy the gap in performance between the Dolomite 1850 and competitors such as the BMW 2002. The Sprint’s cylinder head was revolutionary for a mass produced car, featuring a multi-valve arrangement with all 16 of them operated by a single overhead camshaft. This clever design gave the car a 0-60 time of just 8.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 119 mph, very impressive for the early Seventies. The car also had alloy wheels as standard; a first for a British production car. All of this came at a launch cost of just £1,740, which compared very favourably with its other sporting rivals. The mouse mat itself is based on one of the original press ads and shows a Dolomite Sprint in the launch colour of Mimosa Yellow with black vinyl roof. The period correct typeface is used.Read more about the Triumph Dolomite and Sprint range here on the excellent aronline website.
-
The Honda HR-V was introduced in 1999, an early example of a compact SUV, initially available as front wheel drive but subsequently available with four wheel drive. Power was provided by Honda’s super-reliable and revvy D16 engine in standard or VTEC format, both with a single overhead cam and sent to the wheels by either a 5 speed manual or CVT automatic gearbox. Honda’s ingenious Real Time 4WD system used a dual hydraulic pump rear differential which only activated when the front wheels lost grip. Never a huge seller in the UK but the HR-Vs had funky looks that have aged well and are certainly more distinctive than the second generation models which appeared in 2013 after a seven year HR-V hiatus. The HR-V boasted funky advertising too, focusing on a fun, lifestyle image based around the ‘Joy Machine’ strapline, as can be seen here. The mouse mat is based around an original press photo of the HR-V plus the distinctive logos.
-
The stylish first generation Honda Prelude was launched in Japan in late 1978 and subsequently introduced in the UK and Europe during 1979.Loosely based on the 4 door Accord, the Prelude was a sleek 2 door coupe that was a very well equipped car for its time, featuring electric sunroof, electric aerial, integrated radio, remote boot release, tinted glass and a distinctive dashboard with rev counter needle sweeping inside and on the same arc as the speedometer. It was available with standard 5 speed transmission or the 'Hondamatic' auto. Also standard was typical Honda reliability, although a high price in the UK and a propensity to rust means that very few examples remain. In fact the first generation was the 'Prelude' to a stylish and distinctive coupe that evolved through five generations and 23 years, becoming ever more sophisticated with later models featuring Honda's legendary V-TEC engine and 4 wheel steering. The mouse mat is based around original press advertising and features a retro distressed look to the graphics. The high contrast style of the image means that it is only available in black, but the good news is that sizes go all the way up to 5XL!
-
Sale!
The classic Mini was introduced in 1959 and soon became a truly iconic piece of British popular culture that is still recognised the world over. Alec Issigonis’ masterpiece had a price tag of just £497 and from the outset the Mini offered good economy, lots of space for its size and incredible handling. The latter was not truly exploited until the arrival of the famous Mini Cooper in 1961 and Cooper S in 1963. Equipped with a tuned version of the A series engine and front disc brakes, the Coopers enjoyed Monte Carlo Rally success and were immortalised on screen in ‘The Italian Job’ in 1969.The Mini was so well-loved that it found around 6 million buyers and remained in production for over 40 years – in time to see in the new millenium. In fact, it actually outlived the Austin Metro that was supposed to replace it back in 1980! The car featured on this t-shirt is the final version with those striking Cooper bonnet stripes, wide arches and 4 spot lights, in many ways the archetypal Mini Cooper. It is a two colour screen print, with highlights are represented by a subtle translucent white. Personalisation The number plate area can be personalised with a registration, name or message for that extra personal touch. It will appear in black lettering with the t shirt colour as the background.
-
Sale!
This MG ZT Mk2 (or facelift model) t-shirt is offered as a two colour screen print, with the t-shirt colour making up the colour of the car. Highlights are represented by a translucent white which allows the colour of the shirt to show through. This highlight effect is subtle on lighter t-shirts and more prominent on darker ones. Personalisation The number plate area can be personalised with a registration, name or message for that extra personal touch. It will appear in black lettering with the t shirt colour as the background.
-
Chrysler Europe came into being in 1967, encompassing the Rootes Group brands in the UK including Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam and Commer. Apart from the 180/2 Litre, UK cars were not badged as Chryslers until 1976 when the distinctive 'Pentastar' logo found its way onto the existing Avenger, and Hunter, as well as the new Sunbeam, Horizon and Alpine. Chrysler Europe was taken over by PSA Peugeot Citroën in 1978 when all models were rebadged as Talbots in the UK. Despite the brand's short life in the UK, the cars proved quite popular and well regarded (with the Alpine winning European Car of The Year in 1976). Unfortunately, like many other cars from the 70s, they were not known for their rust resistance and whilst they were once a common piece of 'street furniture' very few survive today. Thankfully their memory lives on with this retro t-shirt. The t-shirt features a distressed style logo for that retro look and is available in a number of colours.
-
"Shaw, Williams, prepared to venture down the left. There's a good ball in for Tony Morley. Oh, it must be and it is! It's Peter Withe."Aston Villa's circular badge was introduced for the 1973 season and remains a favourite with fans, with many calling for its return to the current kit. Its most famous appearance was in 1982 when Villa won the European Cup beating Bayern Munich 1-0 at the final in Rotterdam. It was firmly centre-stage and centre-of-kit that evening when, along with the players, it was immortalised forever. It was replaced in 1992 with the introduction of the current pennant shape. The t-shirt features a distressed style badge for that retro look and is available in two colours - claret and blue, naturally.
-
Birmingham City's monogram badge with the intertwined letters was first introduced in 1971 at the same time as the 'penguin' home shirt (as worn by Trevor Francis, Kenny Burns, Howard Kendall, Dave Latchford and their peers) which has since become something of a seventies icon. This shirt was unchanged until the 1975/76 season when the shirt was changed slightly to have a collar and v-neck, but still featuring the monogram badge. For the following season the badge was replaced by the familiar 'globe' design that is still used to the present day - this design was actually the result of a competition to design a new crest in local paper, The Sports Argus, in 1972, although it didn't appear on the shirts until 1976. The monogram badge did make a brief reappearance in the 2016/17 season to commemorate the club's 140th anniversary. This t-shirt features a distressed style monogram badge for that seventies retro look and is only available in royal blue with white collar and sleeve cuffs, naturally. NB: These Fruit of the Loom t-shirts are smaller than the Gildan ones elsewhere on the site. If in doubt, order a size up.
-
As a proud Brummie I have fond memories of the WMPTE buses from travelling to school on the famous No. 11 Outer Circle route in late seventies and early eighties. The Outer Circle was the last route to still operate the front-engined buses with the open platform and conductor and I think my journey from the Fox & Goose to King's Heath was 12p back in 1978! These buses were then replaced by Daimler / Leyland Fleetlines in various guises, which were then replaced in turn by the MCW Metrobuses, built locally in Washwood Heath (all were usually powered by the legendary Gardner 6LX diesel engine). The single deck Leyland National was another very popular bus at the time, with their very distinctive noise, smell (and fumes) from the 'headless' Leyland 500 series engine. The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE) was the public body responsible for public transport in the West Midlands metropolitan county from 1969 until 2016. The WMPTE logo featured here was current from 1969 until 1990 and the cream and blue livery of the buses was once a very familiar sight around Birmingham and the West Midlands.Join me on my nostalgia trip with one of these t shirts which features a distressed style logo for that retro look and is available in two colours that reflect the old bus livery - yellow haze with blue logo, or royal blue with cream logo.
-
The Commer FC van was produced from 1960 to 1976 when it was developed into the very similar Commer SpaceVan which soldiered on right up until 1983 under the Dodge name. It was a very distinctive van with its rounded profile and inset partially-enclosed front wheels, the latter due to its Humber car-derived front suspension. Its forward-control set up meant that the engine was placed between the front seats; great to work on in the rain, but less so if it had to be taken out, which necessitated removal of the front windscreen to enable it to be craned out of the passenger door! These were a familiar sight on UK roads for many years in their Post Office and British Telecom livery and there were a number of camper van conversions such as the Commer Highwayman - a more interesting and distinctly British alternative to the ubiquitous VW camper. Engines capacity started out at 1500 but were later upped to 1600, then 1725cc but even then, with a 70mph top speed and 0-50 time of 25 seconds, it could hardly be considered as spritely.The t-shirt itself is based on a contemporary press ad from December 1963 and focuses on the Commer's large load capacity. The print has a slightly distressed, retro feel to it and the t-shirt is available in sand or white, with the latter available up to 5XL.
-
Football's Coming Home! Euro 96 holds great memories for many of us from the spine-tingling rendition of Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds' 'Three Lions' by England fans, to Gazza's spectacular solo strike and dentist's chair celebration against Scotland. Ultimately England didn't progress beyond the semi-final at Wembley against Germany, where they lost 5-6 on penalties after a certain Gareth Southgate had his saved, leaving everyone heartbroken. No matter, for a few weeks it felt like one big party with England's official song topping the charts and players such as Paul Gascoigne, Stuart Pearce, Alan Shearer and Paul Ince securing their places as footballing legends. The shirts feature a retro distressed-look version of the Euro 96 logo. NB: These Fruit of the Loom t-shirts are smaller than the Gildan ones elsewhere on the site. If in doubt, order a size up.
-
The 1957 Chevrolet is certainly one of the most iconic American cars of all time, with its distinctive styling epitomising the 50s 'fins and chrome' era. In fact the Tri-Chevys (1955-1957) would also probably be considered the most popular classic car in the USA with a whole industry built around restoring and upgrading them. Part of their appeal is the legendary small-block V8 which was introduced with the 1955 model in 265 cubic inch (4,340cc) format; for 1957 this was upped to 283 ci (4,640cc) with the famous 'fuelie' 57 featuring fuel injection that gave the milestone one horsepower per cubic inch. The small-block Chevy engine has been a huge part of American culture ever since but was finally discontinued in 2003 after a remarkable 48 year life-span, with over 100 million being built! The model was available in a plethora of trim levels and body styles, from the humble One-Fifty 2 door sedan right up to the Bel Air convertible and even though they were never a huge seller in the UK, their iconic styling has featured so often in movies, music videos, toys and games that it is familiar to pretty much anyone.This t-shirt is based on a US press ad from 1957 highlights the distinctive tail fin with typical period advertising copy and illustration featuring miniature people to make the car appear even bigger! It is available in sand or white, with the latter available up to 5XL.
-
If you're a classic car owner or just feeling nostalgic about old school motoring, why not let everyone know with this stylish 'Oil & Filters' Wording Graphic T Shirt? Remember the traditional engine service long before fuel injection, electronic ignition, ECUs and OBDs took all of the fun out of it? When a Saturday home tune up consisted of an oil change, new oil & air filters, plugs and points (bought from you local motor factor in an actual shop), then a quick session with the strobe light to set up the timing. This t-shirt is based on a stylish text-based graphic using bold typography in our house style and the Iconic Ironic logo to tell everyone where you bought it. The graphic also has 'plastisol' distress effect to complement the retro feel. If you prefer, you can create your own wording on your t-shirt instead! Selected colours available up to 5XL.
-
Hopefully things are slowly returning to normal and we might be able to actually get out to a cars and coffee this summer to talk about cams, carbs, chokes and classic cars! The design looks forward to car meets and harks back to old school engineering at the same time with a nice example of alliteration to make our old English teachers proud... This t-shirt is based on a stylish text-based graphic using bold typography in our house style and the Iconic Ironic logo to tell everyone where you bought it. The graphic also has 'plastisol' distress effect to complement the retro feel.If you prefer, you can create your own wording on your t-shirt instead!Selected colours up to 5XL.
-
Who could forget the classic scene when David Brent goes through big Keith's appraisal form in the classic comedy mockumentary 'The Office'? Keith's general disinterest and lack of any worthwhile answers during the Q&A session still strike a chord with office workers around the country, epitomising the time-consuming and often futile office appraisal process. Brent tries to hide his frustration but eventually cracks when he has to repeat the same multiple choice options for the 4th question; 'NOT AT ALL, to some extent, very much so or don't know'. You can watch the whole cringe-worthy clip here. This t-shirt is a text-based design based on Keith's consistent reply to those very options and is printed in white and blue on a choice of 7 different colours of t-shirt with selected colours available up to 5XL.
-
Rover Head Gasket T Shirt As a lover of old cars, I'm in quite a few related FaceBook groups and, much as I enjoy these, there's plenty of tired old clichés to be found in the comments section, repeated over and over. One of the most common has to be the old 'head gasket' jokes on anything featured that is even remotely Rover/MG. This is despite the fact that it only affects some 4 cylinder 'K' Series engines (not diesels, V6s etc), and is relatively cheap to fix. Blown head gaskets are also a common issue for quite a few other brands too, but somehow they never seem to be targeted. A more informed write-up on the revolutionary K series engine can be found here. As a Rover/MG owner myself, rather than let it frustrate me, I thought I would channel my energy into something more productive, so I came up with these t-shirts. They come in a choice of 6 colours with some available all the way upto 5XL and are a great way to deflect the jokes before they even start. They may well become part of an occasional 'car cliché' series, along with other favourites such as; any Jaguar - 'it's just a Mondeo', any Italian exotic - 'It's an MR2 kit', Reliant Scimitar - 'Princess Anne had one' etc, etc...
-
MG Head Gasket T Shirt As a lover of old cars, I'm in quite a few related FaceBook groups and, much as I enjoy these, there's plenty of tired old clichés to be found in the comments section, repeated over and over. One of the most common has to be the old 'head gasket' jokes on anything featured that is even remotely Rover/MG. This is despite the fact that it only affects some 4 cylinder 'K' Series engines (not diesels, V6s etc), and is relatively cheap to fix. Blown head gaskets are also a common issue for quite a few other brands too, but somehow they never seem to be targeted. A more informed write-up on the revolutionary K series engine can be found here. As a Rover/MG owner myself, rather than let it frustrate me, I thought I would channel my energy into something more productive, so I came up with these t-shirts. They come in a choice of 6 colours with some available all the way upto 5XL and are a great way to deflect the jokes before they even start. They may well become part of an occasional 'car cliché' series, along with other favourites such as; any Jaguar - 'it's just a Mondeo', any Italian exotic - 'It's an MR2 kit', Reliant Scimitar - 'Princess Anne had one' etc, etc...
-
The British Leyland Princess was introduced in March 1975 as the '18/22 Series' with Austin, Morris and luxury Wolseley versions. The badge-engineering was dropped in September the same year, when all models became simply the 'Princess' The car was launched to critical acclaim and had a very distinctive 'wedge' shape designed by Harris Mann which divided opinion. The package was surprisingly roomy, comfortable and quite technologically sophisticated with front wheel drive and Hydragas suspension. Sadly, in common with many BL products of the time, the Princess gained an unwelcome reputation for unreliability that it struggled to shake off throughout its 6 year life span.Looking back over 40 years later the styling is still certainly the Princess' most distinctive feature and in many ways now epitomises mid Seventies car styling. This is also true of the colours with browns and beiges being a popular choice for both interior and exterior.The t-shirt design has a retro feel too and features a brown HLS model with the obligatory vinyl quarter panels, with a slightly distressed look to add to the vintage feel. We've even added some distinctly 70s colour choices for the t-shirts!
-
Matchbox toys were introduced in 1953. The brand was given its name because the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold. Subsequently, the brand would encompass a broad range of toys including larger scale die-cast models and various other lines of toys, such as plastic model kits and action figures.The t-shirt features a distressed style logo for that retro look and is available in a number of colours.
