That is what they always said - typical British bashing. I had 2 - the 2.6 straight 6 and the 3.5 V8 which is one of the finest engines ever made.
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That is what they always said - typical British bashing. I had 2 - the 2.6 straight 6 and the 3.5 V8 which is one of the finest engines ever made.
Parm
Respect The Sound System
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Parm
Respect The Sound System
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Was it in the Group B rally days when mentalness was the norm?
Two of the worst cars I ever came across back in the 80s and 90s were the Wartburg and the Dacia Duster.
The Wartburg was a 2 stroke - you actually tipped oil into the tank when you filled up - my mate's Dad often used to get it wrong and lay down a brilliant smoke screen.
The Dacia was in a mate's auto electrical place for some work. The build quality was shocking. I honestly thought it was about 30 years old - the dashboard looked like plastic had only just been invented. Turns out it was brand new
The importers were having to switch the wheels as they were such bad quality and have major rewiring done before they could be sold!
The Wartburg was a 2 stroke - you actually tipped oil into the tank when you filled up - my mate's Dad often used to get it wrong and lay down a brilliant smoke screen.
The Dacia was in a mate's auto electrical place for some work. The build quality was shocking. I honestly thought it was about 30 years old - the dashboard looked like plastic had only just been invented. Turns out it was brand new
The importers were having to switch the wheels as they were such bad quality and have major rewiring done before they could be sold!
slim_boy_fat
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Not mine,a lowly 2.3 auto. Only problem with it was a missing tooth on the starter ring. If the starter dog happened to 'find' the gap, it took much key turning until eventually it would catch. Red face time....!
It was immensely strong too, a yoof in a Vauxhall viva pulled out of a farm road right in front of me "Sorry, didn't see you"
. Only injury was my younger son who had a cut on his chin where he'd slid down in his car seat and the buckle caught him. You could have drawn a straight line from the n/s A pillar to the o/s headlight unit, but there was no indication inside that it had been in an accident. Written off, of course 
Sadly it was this colour....
stuvy
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Porsche Macan is my current favourite, Alfa stevio is a damn good looking car
I also think the jag f type is gorgeous
And not new new but the 2003 merc CLS in amg 55 trim has to be my top 3 car in the world a stunning silhouette with one of the most addictive engines Iv ever owned, that supercharged engine is just something else. I cooked the coolant pump on mine from giving it death
stuvy
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@slim_boy_fat we have this conversation either at work or with my mates a lot of time
Wedg1e
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Wasn't it the Moggy that had the brake master cylinder inside a chassis rail...?
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Wedg1e
They call me Mr. Bodge-angles
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The Skoda 'bouncing Czech' cars were nothing like as bad as people (still) make them out to be. I had two, a 105S and a 136 Rapid and of all the bargain bangers I had, they were the two that started first time in any weather, rusted the least, were the easiest to repair and the cheapest to buy parts for. If all you need is transport, how is any of that utter rubbish?
Granted, the front end could be a bit light in the wet and the sun made the rear seat cloth disintegrate, but people forget they were a car designed and built under a Communist regime, intended to be repaired by the owner. You could strip the waterpump and replace the ceramic shaft seals; tell me a modern car you can do that with? If necessary you could have done it at the side of the road, access was that good. You could also take the engine out single-handed in an hour without jacking the car up or disconnecting the exhaust. Modern equivalent...? Typical British 1300s of the time would have been the Vauxhall Chevette, the Cortina or Cavalier, the Marina, maybe the Hillman Hunter, the Allegro, Maestro, Montego... stop me anytime one of those cars wasn't at least as big a heap of poo as the Estelle in several ways, if not more. In the Rapid 136 you got driving lamps, 4-pot calipers on vented discs(!), all-alloy engine and a dashboard reminiscent of old Porsche 911s.
Tatra, the predecessor to Skoda, included in its range the 87, which was a rear-engined V8 that looks like a VW Beetle on steroids. The guy who designed it, Hans Ledwinka, was a mate of Ferdinand Porsche and when he had to come up with a new car design Porsche allegedly let him 'borrow' the Beetle plans. The rear-engined concept was carried forward by Skoda for the same reasons VW used it for so long: it was simple. A bit more of that wouldn't come amiss these days, IMHO.
Wedg1e
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I make do with that thing on the left <<< - 3948cc Rover Vitesse-based V8 in a spine chassis with GRP shell and running gear from an assortment of cars. It was £23000 new when you could buy a Sierra Cosworth for £17K. So you REALLY had to want one, but apparently only 93 people did because that's all TVR built (of that variant - they knocked out 2500 Wedges over 13 years). I wouldn't claim it's a 'good' car - it probably wasn't a good car even by 1987 standards 
For about ten minutes at one point in the mid-80s and at a particular point in the speed range it could accelerate faster than the then-current 911 Turbo, but I doubt Porsche were worried. At the next corner, even the 911 would take it better than this can.
Despite (or maybe because of) its rarity, you can pick them up for buttons. I paid £6000 in 2000, if I got £4000 for it now I'd think I was doing well. That Sierra Cosworth would have been a better investment
It's not for sale though: it's as bonkers as I am
For about ten minutes at one point in the mid-80s and at a particular point in the speed range it could accelerate faster than the then-current 911 Turbo, but I doubt Porsche were worried. At the next corner, even the 911 would take it better than this can.Despite (or maybe because of) its rarity, you can pick them up for buttons. I paid £6000 in 2000, if I got £4000 for it now I'd think I was doing well. That Sierra Cosworth would have been a better investment
It's not for sale though: it's as bonkers as I am
Olderisbetter
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I would take an old car any day but it would have to be rebuilt fully to make it safe and reliable, My mate has a mk2 golf gtd fully rebuilt and updated but looks like it just left the factory.
northwest
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In answer to the question, no. Been back a few times and always disappointed. Quite often, the only person who is envious is the person standing on the pavement watching the car go by, the driver of said vehicle is usually under no illusion.
However, I have said this before, the car I would love to own would be a Lancia Stratos. I blagged my way on to the Pirelli Tyre trucks on the 1974 and 1975 RAC rallys. Nothing quite like the sound of those cars going through Kielder forest at four in the morning (or whatever time it was, early that's for sure). A guy I know has the ex Tony Pond 6R4, great to look at and poke about in but driving the thing is "interesting", a full day's work that's for sure.
However, I have said this before, the car I would love to own would be a Lancia Stratos. I blagged my way on to the Pirelli Tyre trucks on the 1974 and 1975 RAC rallys. Nothing quite like the sound of those cars going through Kielder forest at four in the morning (or whatever time it was, early that's for sure). A guy I know has the ex Tony Pond 6R4, great to look at and poke about in but driving the thing is "interesting", a full day's work that's for sure.
addjunkie
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When you rode that bike again, did it not take you back to being that young again? I feel like 19 again every time I ride this current LC, even looking at it parked in the garage/tinkering with it,.....I don't think that I'll ever sell it, out of all the makes/models of bikes I've owned, this is the only one I've owned 3 times now, that says a lot I guess.
Its kawasaki triples do that for me....an age thing I guess. We all have thes urges and itches to scratch, some do it, some dont. No different to trading the Mrs in for newer models half their age, or twice their age, what ever floats your boat, but it isnt always a good thing.
addjunkie
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We still get the classic boys through Kielder Forest, same sounds, they were up here a few weeks ago.
northwest
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Really? That is quite interesting as I thought it had all stopped. Bit like shooting I suppose, don't stick your head up and nothing untoward will happen and we can quietly get on. Or rather, not so quietly!
addjunkie
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I only find out about it, as we get a letter from the organisers, each time, regarding where they will be, regarding disturnance and where there may be spectators paking etc. I think this is because my houses used to own farm land bordering the forest, next door own those fields now. I can actually see the dust plooms out the window for one of the routes. But last time I only took any notice as I couldnt get a seat in the pub on the Sunday lunch time for spectators, and the noise in the distance.
Any motoring events, or other events that may disturb wild life are organised at times to minimise effect.
http://www.pirelliinternationalrally.co.uk/preparations-kicking-off-for-the-2020-event/
Lol, yes I suppose you are right, it depends on when you become 'of age' I guess and which vehicles were iconic at the time.
Would have loved to have had a go on an RG500 back then, no chance of owning one now even if I liked how it went, the position of the seat/bars would kill me. No point in owning something you can't actually use much.
Munkul
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That's exactly my point. Modern cars are much better than older cars
And BTW I will always hate ford escorts*, the mk3 onwards were uninspired rotten pieces of junk owned by blue oval diehards. "ah it's a ford innit maaayyyte, way faster than x, y and z makes" - Get a grip, there were plenty cars on the market that were FAR better built, better looking and better handling.
* Mk1's and mk2's excepted, they were just cool
