Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I took, and passed my driving test t'other day. :)

Now just got to find a shitty 1970s BL product to break down alot in, and a job to fund it! :lol:

I'm aiming Austin Allegro 1300, although if I put my "vaugely sensible hat" on the Triumph Dolomite 1300/Toledo seems a better option, if I put my "actually sensible hat" on then I'd buy something new and Japanese... but that hat sits in the corner covered in cobwebs!
:hammer:
 
captain_70s said:
I took, and passed my driving test t'other day. :)

Now just got to find a shitty 1970s BL product to break down alot in, and a job to fund it! :lol:

I'm aiming Austin Allegro 1300, although if I put my "vaugely sensible hat" on the Triumph Dolomite 1300/Toledo seems a better option, if I put my "actually sensible hat" on then I'd buy something new and Japanese... but that hat sits in the corner covered in cobwebs!
:hammer:
Click to expand...
i have a few weeks till my test.... the anticipation is killing me, and i can't wait to find a worthy ride.
 
captain_70s said:
I took, and passed my driving test t'other day. :)

Now just got to find a shitty 1970s BL product to break down alot in, and a job to fund it! :lol:

I'm aiming Austin Allegro 1300, although if I put my "vaugely sensible hat" on the Triumph Dolomite 1300/Toledo seems a better option, if I put my "actually sensible hat" on then I'd buy something new and Japanese... but that hat sits in the corner covered in cobwebs!
:hammer:
Click to expand...

Looked at your insurance quotes for those lately?
 
Forgive me oh greasy father, for I have sinned.

I have ordered a car part from the dealership today, for it was cheaper than aftermarket suppliers.
 
captain_70s said:
I'm aiming Austin Allegro 1300, although if I put my "vaugely sensible hat" on the Triumph Dolomite 1300/Toledo seems a better option, if I put my "actually sensible hat" on then I'd buy something new and Japanese... but that hat sits in the corner covered in cobwebs!
:hammer:
Click to expand...

An Allegro? If you are going to buy an unreliable British car at least buy one which is fun to drive or doesn't look like shit (you know it is bad when even the designer said it turned out awful).

Concept:

allegro_02.jpg


End product:

equipe_01.jpg
 
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Indeed, with specialist classic car insurace I could afford a 1.3 litre car of 30 years or so vintage for less than a modern 1 litre.

A '99 Micra will cost between ?1000-?1300p/a at the lowest end of the spectrum wheras a late 70s car of anything less than 1500cc will cost more in the region of $700-?800p/a. A bizzare system but one I don't really mind, bar the prices being so high on little hatchbacks in the first place, it'd cost over ?1500 to insure an old (1990s) VW Polo or something!

I've look at all sorts of cars from the 1960s through to modern and figured if I were to get a car I'd rather at least get something I want and see how it goes (disaster or not) than buy something practical (and better in every way) and always wish I'd taken the idiotic route! :lol:

So far I'm looking at mid to late 70s small saloons with 1.3 engines, the performance is just about adequate and balances off nicely with half decent fuel economy. Slowest and oldest car I was considering was the Morris Minor 1000 but its just not up to my commute, at least the 70s car offer a bit more in terms of refinment... some even have radios and heaters as standard!

Besides, I learnt to drive in a Proton Savvy, it won't be much of a step down! :lol:
 
I never did get why the brits insurance was based on engine litres... never made any sense to me. I'm glad that it's not like that over here though, or else anyone with a big diesel truck would get shafted hard. 7+ litres... MY GOD!!!
 
Hbriz said:
Probably not much worse than a Proton Savvy, I'd wager.
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You'd be suprised! Apparently the Savvy can power up to 60mph in 12 seconds, I always drove it hard and had no-where near that sort of performance, but it was pretty knackered.
All the cars I've looked at, bar the Morris 1000, can struggle to 60mph in under 20secs, or at least they could when shiney and new, and some like the Triumph 1300 engined cars can be tweaked with Spitfire bits.

I'm not too fussed with performance anyway, there are no motorways around here, the fastest streches of road are the odd bits of dual carriageway here and there but they should pose no real problem.

I never did get why the brits insurance was based on engine litres
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Its a silly system, there are also premiums on common 1st cars as they tend to get crashed more by idiots who can't/won't drive properly. Pug 106s, Citroen Saxos and Vauxhall Corsas are the most common offenders, I see them upside down in fields on a regular basis. :lol:

Luckily insurance drops quite quickly as you age. If I was 19 rather than 18 when I get my first car the quote would instantly drop by about ?100-?200. :rolleyes:
 
JipJopJones said:
I never did get why the brits insurance was based on engine litres... never made any sense to me. I'm glad that it's not like that over here though, or else anyone with a big diesel truck would get shafted hard. 7+ litres... MY GOD!!!
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, what happens when someone comes along with a 200 HP+ 1.3L 13b?
 
captain_70s said:
You'd be suprised! Apparently the Savvy can power up to 60mph in 12 seconds, I always drove it hard and had no-where near that sort of performance, but it was pretty knackered.
All the cars I've looked at, bar the Morris 1000, can struggle to 60mph in under 20secs, or at least they could when shiney and new, and some like the Triumph 1300 engined cars can be tweaked with Spitfire bits.
Click to expand...
I've had the pleasure of being driven somewhere in a 1.1 litre Savvy. You had to rev the nuts off it in third to keep up with motorway traffic, and then at the end of the journey the passenger side door wouldn't shut. So, not much different from a '70s BL product :lol:
 
EyeMWing said:
Forgive me oh greasy father, for I have sinned.

I have ordered a car part from the dealership today, for it was cheaper than aftermarket suppliers.
Click to expand...

Judging from my last experience with Mopar, depending on what it is, it probably IS the aftermarket part in a Mopar box.

captain_70s said:
Indeed, with specialist classic car insurace I could afford a 1.3 litre car of 30 years or so vintage for less than a modern 1 litre.
Click to expand...

Since you are a British teenager, I predict that no matter what you buy, one day not long after you buy it, you will discover yourself upside-down in a field surrounded by sheep that are no longer living and bits of what used to be your car. :mrgreen:
 
Spectre said:
Judging from my last experience with Mopar, depending on what it is, it probably IS the aftermarket part in a Mopar box.
Click to expand...
Diff cover.

If they ship me the $72 Mopar Performance cover for $42, I'll be pleased. Not thrilled, because it's fucking chromed, but quite pleased. The only non-Mopar branded covers I could find were aluminum show truck garbage (and $400 rock crawler parts), and the guy in the phone SPECIFICALLY swore to me that it would be made of steel.
 
captain_70s said:
Indeed, with specialist classic car insurace I could afford a 1.3 litre car of 30 years or so vintage for less than a modern 1 litre.

A '99 Micra will cost between ?1000-?1300p/a at the lowest end of the spectrum wheras a late 70s car of anything less than 1500cc will cost more in the region of $700-?800p/a. A bizzare system but one I don't really mind, bar the prices being so high on little hatchbacks in the first place, it'd cost over ?1500 to insure an old (1990s) VW Polo or something!

I've look at all sorts of cars from the 1960s through to modern and figured if I were to get a car I'd rather at least get something I want and see how it goes (disaster or not) than buy something practical (and better in every way) and always wish I'd taken the idiotic route! :lol:

So far I'm looking at mid to late 70s small saloons with 1.3 engines, the performance is just about adequate and balances off nicely with half decent fuel economy. Slowest and oldest car I was considering was the Morris Minor 1000 but its just not up to my commute, at least the 70s car offer a bit more in terms of refinment... some even have radios and heaters as standard!

Besides, I learnt to drive in a Proton Savvy, it won't be much of a step down! :lol:
Click to expand...

What about 1.8L?

MGB_harvest_gold.JPG


Of all the BL cars MGs were the best built. The Abingdon workers actually gave a shit about the cars they produced.
 
argatoga said:
Of all the BL cars MGs were the best built. The Abingdon workers actually gave a shit about the cars they produced.
Click to expand...

Very true, as this quality control (lol) chart shows.
r28_05q11.jpg


The 1.8 is viable, I know people my age who have MGBs and Marinas using the 1800 powerplant so its far from impossible.
The only major downside is price, my main budget is ?1000, that'll pick up a fairly mint Dolomite or such, it might even strech to a rubber bumper Midget but it'll not fetch a nice MGB. Other than that its just the fact I'd prefer to have rear seats, although the MG would be a far nicer car to drive and own.
 
Mini?
 
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