Hairy Bikers and Other Petrol Heads

[Focalplane]

When I left Singapore in 1980 I owned a Ford Cortina Ghia. A good drivable car with the inevitable rust problems that let it down. So it didn’t sell for several months after I left and I think I got about S$2,500 for it., about £1,200.

At that time the Japanese started selling rust proofed cars and the British car market disappeared over night. The government's car replacement policy hastened this but it really was the rust what did it. A good friend from Texas had bought an original Toyota MR2, even though he is 6’ 4”, and kept it for years, no rust at all.

 

[Oz7mm]

Nick, I believe one of our crew is the Chairman of the Moto Guzzi owners club, or something thereabouts.

JB.

Secretary

 

[oldravendale]

When I left Singapore in 1980 I owned a Ford Cortina Ghia. A good drivable car with the inevitable rust problems that let it down. So it didn’t sell for several months after I left and I think I got about S$2,500 for it., about £1,200.

At that time the Japanese started selling rust proofed cars and the British car market disappeared over night. The government's car replacement policy hastened this but it really was the rust what did it. A good friend from Texas had bought an original Toyota MR2, even though he is 6’ 4”, and kept it for years, no rust at all.

I had a succession of Cortinas, Mark 2, 3 and 4. One of the Mark 2s had a bit of rust on the wings when I sold it, but the others were reasonable. In fact my second Mark 2 I kept for years because it was such a good car. Somewhat later I had two Granadas. Decent cars but boring.

I've had a couple of nails - one was a Triumph 1300. I think it was my first proper family car. It looked good, drove well and was very comfortable. However, the front inside wings rotted out and it failed the MOT. It probably should have been scrapped, but I had a friend with welding gear who replaced them. I then sold it on to a friend who was well aware of the rot problem, and he wrote it off trying to get round a 6 foot curve when it was set up for 8 ft, and he was driving to get round a ten ft.

I could list my cars as the good, the bad, (no ugly - well, perhaps the BL Montego) and the boring. The best so far is my Jag XK bought as my retirement present to myself, now 14 years old (the car, not me) and still makes me smile when I get in to the driving seat. Sadly it'll have to go soon as it's getting increasingly difficult to fit myself through the door. I think the car's shrinking.

Brian

 

[Allen M]

Way back in late summer 1968 I got a 62 Mini van private of a friend who had outgrown it with 4 kids. He helped me fit a new rear sub frame and a couple of other small jobs to get it in good condition & new MOT. 6 weeks later, turning left into a side road an 1800 shunts the rear. Claimed of his insurance and they gave my 95% value and keep it. Sold it to a chap who wanted everything except the body for a kit car and made a nice profit in the end.
I then got a a 1964, post improvements, Mini van 35k service history, trade 1 owner and very nice. Had side windows fitted and then rear seats from scrap yard. New rear sub frame & sills at 8 years old, dynamo at 80k (the starter motor had never been touched), de-coke & valves at 99k. and clutch at 120k, Finally sold it at in 1974 with 148k but it would jump out of 2nd gear on the overrun by then.
For quite a bit of that time I was doing 30 miles a day to/from work in the day then my wife added another 12 in the evening. Two or 3 times a year we went from Kidderminster to Barrow in Furnace. Pick up M6 at A5 junction, nail accelerator to floor to the end just past Lancaster. Indicated 70 to 80 most of way, not bad with self, wife, 3 young kids & buggy on roof rack.
I always referred to it as my "Happy Wednesday" van, the one that went together properly. As has been said most British builds, car & bikes where not up to scratch
28 cars, 3 vans, 2o bikes and 1 scooter since 1957 when I reached 16.

Regards
Allen Morgan

 

[Bristol_Rich]

I’ve always had an interest in the not so obvious choice of hot hatch…

Currently driving into the second year of ownership of a Hyundai i30N Performance Fastback. As Hyundai’s first attempt at a performance hatch whilst it’s fit and finish might not be to VW standards, what it delivers far exceeds some it’s longer standing competitors.

2.0 turbo, 275bhp, 260lb/ft full five year Hyundai warranty includes track use and services charges less than £250 p.a


the i30N replaced my Abarth 500 Esseesse - A fun but flawed performance proposition yet it somehow got right into my soul to the point of it still making me think of it some years on.



1.4 Turbo Charged 135bhp with dealer fit performance upgrade of Esseesse ‘pack’ includes remap to 160bhp, Brake and pad upgrade, BMC Performance filter, lowered suspension with upgraded springs and Koni shocks and Esseesse alloys all presented in a large presentation wooden crate…

It’s flaws? The ride was ‘rigid’, the driving position compromised, and most of all the frustrating brand/dealer network. When released to the market Abarth was a stand alone brand to Fiat and hence any Fiat dealer wouldn’t touch it. Already aware of this before buying it left me only able to use a few dealers to retain its warranty. Confidence soon wained when there was mass confusion over its servicing requirements, timings and ultimately servicing costs. 12months after release to market Abarth decided that it’s service schedule was to change to every 6000miles and it’s third year service costing £849.00. Whist the Abarth 500 is approx 80% unique Abarth, it still remains essentially the same FIRE engine as its Fiat relation.

That all said, the car was an absolute riot and much missed….

 

[simond]

Secretary

hi,

I’m the Kent area rep for the Moto Guzzi club GB.

Atb
Simon

 

[Focalplane]

As a result of 11 tons of “reject” stone being delivered to the wrong address (ours) on Thursday, our blockaded garage has just the one car inside, the other being out in the rain. Anyway, this is what greets the eye and I have to say it really is eye candy.



It is the longest car of 4 we own but not the widest. It just fits inside the garage. I keep thinking I’ll trade it in when the right pre war Riley tourer comes along, but one look and I feel the need to apologize. It was supposed to go to France via the ferry to Santander, but that is still sometime in the future, thanks to Covid-19. The plan is to visit Canfranc in the Pyrenees on the way to Perpignan. Rileys are very popular in several European countries (BMW even owns the name) and the open roads suit it more than the crowded British motorways. We plan to keep it British registered. If you give up the original reg it is hard to get it back.

It is original except for one improvement, a 5 speed Getrag 240 gearbox. This gives a good cruising advantage in fifth, acting like an overdrive. And it’s all synchromesh too.

 

[Mike W]

Looks like I've had very few cars compared with most on here, but then I tend to keep them for a long time ... sometimes too long!

Honda CD175 VYU21M 1974-75. The single carb one with large mudguards
Honda CB500K HMK701N 1975-76
Jensen Interceptor MKI VYA2G 1976 – 2003 rare example with annual gearbox
Jensen P66 – JEA578E 1988 – 2013 a one-off prototype sports car
Jensen 4.5litre V12 408XUC. 2002 to date
Austin Mini 1275GT KAE275P 1998 - 2001
Rover 45 V6 L6NWR 2001 to date
Daiwoo Tacuma L5NWR 2009 - 2013
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso (red) L5NWR 2013 – 2014 written off whilst parked
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso (gold) L5NWR 2014 to date a workhorse
Suzuki Ignis L3NWR 2018 to date

All this from memory, but I think its right.

Mike

 

[Eastsidepilot]

If we're into lists of motors we've had, loved or hated, then here's my couple of old bangers I've thrown around in order as they came,
Morris J4 van ( learnt to drive in this)
Morris Minor
Austin Mini ( this was my first wife's car really )
BL Mini Clubman
Hillman Hunter ( Don't ask why )
Triumph Vitesse 2.0
Daimler 240 V8
Wolseley 16/60
Cortina 1.6 estate Mk 3
Cortina 2000E Mk 3
Ford Granada 2.8 Mk 2
Vauxhall Cavalier Mk 2 ( Why ? ) .....'cos it was free !
Ford Consul Mk 2 Highline
Ford Capri 1.6 Mk 2 ( that's better )
Chevy Scotsdale '82 model 350 c.i.
Ford Thunderbird 3.8 SC 1990 35th Anniversary Model ( supercharged drifter's car )
Vauxhall Astra Van Mk 4
Vauxhall Astra Mk 4 estate ( Dad's old car passed to me when he bought a new Corsa )
Mercedes E 240
Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 3.0 diesel. 2014 model

In amongst that there were about 30 motorbikes ( a list for another day ) on and off up as far as the Ford Grandad and if I had to go back and choose one of them that's hard as it would be a toss up between the Chevy or the 'T' Bird.....probably the Chevy as it's more useful with how and where I live, although I'm very happy with the Jeep to be honest.
Col.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Got to love a list.......

Mk1 Golf (bad)
Reliant Scimitar GTE (SE5a) (really good, cheap Ford parts)
Volvo P1800 (excellent posing car, in green)
VW Beetle (fun fun fun)
Mazda RX7 (licence loser)
Mk4 Golf (yawn)
Triumph TR7 (cheapest good fun convertible ever)
Triumph Stag ( great car but in the end 21 mpg @ £1.50/l killed it. Cheaper to go in a taxi)
Volvo V50 (great family hooch)
Landrover Freelander 2 (didn't think I'd like it as much as I do)

Honda CG125 (bullet proof)
Yamaha XS750 (brittle)
Moto Guzzi V50 (where's my AVO?)
BSA C15 (Torrey Canyon)
Triumph Trident T150V (would never work, ever)
Honda CX500 (as CG125)
Honda VF500 (as RX7)
Moto Guzzi 750 Targa (now where did I leave that AVO?)
BSA A65T (great bike)
Harley Davidson Street Bob (menopause bike)
Moto Guzzi Norge (too big for me)
BSA B44 Victor Special (still in bits)
Triumph Scrambler (what's not to like?)
Moto Guzzi v85TT (someone told me it's painted in McDonald's livery and I can't un-see it now!)

 

[GrahameH]

Just to be different.....

I'll park this one here

 

[simond]

Very Harley Davidson...

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Got to love a list.......


Moto Guzzi v85TT (someone told me it's painted in McDonald's livery and I can't un-see it now!)

Just call it Ronald

Col.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Very Harley Davidson...

 

[Peter Cross]

I think Harley's are like Marmite, you love or hate.

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Amongst all the basket cases that I bought, half worked on and moved on because something better turned up are a few notable bikes, roughly in order but probabley not the old brain cells let you down sometimes !

'72 Suzuki TS 250.
'68 Triumph T120.
'69 Triumph T120.
'76 Suzuki GT 750.
'69 Triumph T120 (re-built basket job).
'78 Honda F2 750.
'76 Yamaha XS 750 ( got rid of pretty quick).
'76 Norton Commando 850 Interstate.
Triton, wide line frame and pre-unit 650 Triumph motor/gearbox
BMW R90s.
BSA A10 Road Rocket.
NorBSA , slim line frame and BSA A10 motor/gearbox.
BSA A65L Lightning export.
Ex Police BMW R 80.
BMW R 100 RT.
Moto Guzzi Le man mk 2.
Royal Enfield 500 ISDT replica.
Triton, wide line frame and Triumph 650 pre-unit motor/gearbox.
'94 Harley Davidson 1250 Low Rider Sport.
'83 Kawasaki KZ 1100 , U.S. import. Full Krauser kit.

Would I have any of 'em back now ? .....definitely the last Triton I built and maybe the HD or maybe......

Col.

 

[Mike W]

[QUOTE="eastsidepilot, post: 227561, member: 107"Daimler 240 V8.[/QUOTE] sounds nice Col. Always fancied one of those but never driven one.

Mike

 

[Nick Dunhill]

I think Harley's are like Marmite, you love or hate.

I agree. I was completely besotted with mine and the HOG stuff that Harley send to keep you on brand, and then 18 months later I just wanted rid of it.

 

[Max M]

Most of my career was field based and I would typically cover some 40 - 50,000 miles a year.

In that time I've had Escort's, Sierras, Focus', Mondeo's, Strada's, Regatta's, Chroma's, Tipo's, Alfa 33 and Lancia Thema.
When working for manufacturers the cars were never kept for more than six months but the Mondeo's and Focus' covered up to 80K before they were retired and never missed a beat.
Our family cars have been an Escort, Cortina, Panda's, Uno's, Punto's, Alfa Guilietta's and Merc A Class.

I can say hand on heart that I have only had two breakdowns (on Uno where FIAT had 'helpfully' put an extra carbon brush in the distributor that decided to make its presence felt and a broken fan belt) and only a minimum amount of other warranty repairs.

The family Escort and Cortina were rust buckets (they were quite old) but none of the others (even the FIAT Group products), which were normally kept for some three years or so suffered.

 

[simond]

I was completely besotted with mine and the HOG stuff that Harley send to keep you on brand

I got my new GS1250 last September. I get the feeling that BMW actually don't give a monkey's. Apart from one email following the first service, I haven't heard anything from them at all. They did respond to a query, but not hyper helpfully.

Not sure I'll keep it, it's brilliant, but it's big & heavy and it hasn't got under my skin. I'll see by the end of the summer, assuming we ever get a summer, of course...