Avengers in Time

Monday, 16 March 2026

1977, Car Spotting: Oudenrijn, Utrecht, Netherlands

Left to right

First row, front to back
Unidentified truck, DAF AS DO-series, unidentified car, Bedford CF, Renault R4, DAF 44, Mercedes-Benz Truck, Volvo 200-series, unidentified estate, DAF F218, Mercedes-Benz W123, unidentified van probably Ford Transit MkI, Mercedes-Benz T2.

Second row, front to back
Renault R4, Volkswagen Passat (B1, Type 32), Volvo 66, Opel Kadett B, DAF FA2600, Renault R4, Peugeot 504, Simca 1100, unidentified truck, unidentified car, Peugeot 504, unidentified truck.

Third row, front to back
Renault R16, Simca 1100 VF2, DAF F218, Opel Kadett C, Mercedes-Benz W123, Simca 1307, Volkswagen Passat Variant (B1, Type 33), Renault R16, Mercedes-Benz Truck, unidentified car, Volkswagen Transporter T2b (Type 2), Ford Taunus TC2, Renault R16, Peugeot 504, the rest is unidentifiable except the DAF F128.

Fourth row, front to back
Unidentified car, Volkswagen Passat (B1, Type 32), Volkswagen Polo Mk1, Ford Taunus Turnier TC1 (facelift), DAF 66 Marathon, Ford Taunus XL or GXL TC1, Mercedes-Benz W123, Opel Kadett B, unidentified car, Fiat 128, unidentified car, Ford Taunus TC2, unidentified car, Hanomag-Henschel F25, unidentified car, Morris Marina Van, the rest is unidentifiable.

Saturday, 14 March 2026

1976, Cars: Volvo 343, the DAF that became a Volvo

On 19 February 1976, the Volvo 343 was introduced. The new model was equipped with a 1.4-litre Renault engine producing 52 kW and featured the DAF Variomatic transmission. From 1979 onwards, the 343 was also available with a manual gearbox sourced from the Volvo 200 Series. In 1980, the five-door version was introduced as the Volvo 345.

Volvo 343

Volvo 345

The origins of the Volvo 343 date back to 1970, when it was developed as DAF Project P900. It was intended as a replacement for the DAF 66 and was planned to be launched as the DAF 77 in 1975. The design was created by John de Vries. Following Volvo’s complete takeover of DAF in 1975, the new model was released under the Volvo brand rather than as a DAF.

DAF Project P900

The Volvo 300 Series received facelifts in 1981 and 1985. In 1988, the 300 Series was succeeded by the Volvo 400 Series.

Volvo 440

1978 UK Brochure

1976 West German Commercial

Thursday, 12 March 2026

1975, Belgian Comics: Archie Cash, Le Déserteur de Toro-Toro

In 1975, the third album, "Le Déserteur de Toro-Toro" ("The Toro-Toro Deserter"), was released in the comic series Archie Cash. The series was created by cartoonist William Tai, known as Malik, with scripts by Jean-Marie Brouyère, Terence (Thierry Martens) and Mythic (Jean-Claude Smit-le-Bénédicte). It was serialised in the weekly magazine Spirou from 23 September 1971 to 1 December 1987, and later published as 15 albums by Dupuis between 1973 and 1988.

Archie Cash is an adventurer who lives in tropical regions, where he fights against tyrannical regimes. Cash is a former lieutenant who deserted from the army of the Republic of Toro-Toro after the country descended into dictatorship.

"Le Déserteur de Toro-Toro" cover

No 3 "Le Déserteur de Toro-Toro"
- full colour
- publisher: Dupuis
- Dutch title: "De deserteur van Toro-Toro"
- never published in English
- drawings by Malik (William Tai)
- story by Jean-Marie Brouyère

The main characters in this story are Archie Cash, Governor Juarez, Colonel Achen, Helena Juarez, Lorosa, El Tuerto, Animoso,

Archie Cash

Helena Juarez, Governor Juarez and Colonel Achen

Synopsis
During the carnival celebrations in the Republic of Toro-Toro, the people rise up against Governor Juarez. His army commander, Colonel Achen - who is in reality the power behind the weak Juarez - is determined to crush the rebellion at all costs. However, Lieutenant Archie Cash refuses to carry out Achen’s orders...

Colonel Achen

Helena Juarez and Archie Cash

Trivia

Archie Cash is explicitly modelled on the American actor Charles Bronson.
The story is divided into two parts: "Le Déserteur de Toro-Toro" ("The Toro-Toro Deserter") and "Face à Animoso" ("Against Animoso").
The album also includes the short story "Autour d’un cigarillo" ("Around a Cigarillo").

El Tuerto, Lorosa and Archie Cash

Animoso

Cars

Land-Rover Series II
1963 Lincoln Continental Convertible

Land-Rover Series II

1963 Lincoln Continental Convertible

Tuesday, 10 March 2026

1974, Nobel Prizes (Oslo, Norway)

The Nobel Prize in Physics: Martin Ryle (UK) and Antony Hewish (UK)

For their pioneering research in radio astrophysics: Ryle for his observations and inventions, in particular of the aperture synthesis technique, and Hewish for his decisive role in the discovery of pulsars.

Martin Ryle

Antony Hewish

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Paul John Flory (USA)

For his fundamental achievements, both theoretical and experimental, in the physical chemistry of the macromolecules.

Paul John Flory

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Albert Claude (Belgium), Christian de Duve (UK / Belgium) and George Emil Palade (Romania / USA)

For their discoveries concerning the structural and functional organization of the cell.

Albert Claude

Christian de Duve

George Emil Palade

The Nobel Prize in Literature

Eyvind Johnson (Sweden) for a narrative art, far-seeing in lands and ages, in the service of freedom.
Harry Martinson (Sweden) for writings that catch the dewdrop and reflect the cosmos.

Eyvind Johnson

Harry Martinson

The Nobel Peace Prize

Seán MacBride (France / Ireland) for his efforts to secure and develop human rights throughout the world.
Eisaku Satō (Japan) for his contribution to stabilize conditions in the Pacific rim area and for signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Seán MacBride

Eisaku Satō

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel: Gunnar Myrdal (Sweden) and Friedrich von Hayek (Austria)

For their pioneering work in the theory of money and economic fluctuations and for their penetrating analysis of the interdependence of economic, social and institutional phenomena.