Festival of the unexceptional

[LenT]

54 minutes ago, Kevin Williams said:

 The Reliant Robin, at 16, was a great car...! I wished I had taken a photo of it. It would be my screensaver on my iMac...!

As a callow youth, I did once momentarily entertain the possibility of a Reliant Bond Bug.  Fortunately, sense prevailed! 

However a lot more serious was the possibility of a Hillman Imp, as mentioned by Ed, the OP.  It was an interesting alternative to the Mini at the time.  But the one I almost bought, but didn’t - and still regret - was a Bristol 404.

On the whole, however, I’d rather be driving a modern family car, say, than its equivalent from that period.  I understand the attraction, but for me nostalgia just ain’t what it used to be.

[Kevin Williams]

2 minutes ago, LenT said:

As a callow youth, I did once momentarily entertain the possibility of a Reliant Bond Bug.  Fortunately, sense prevailed! 

However a lot more serious was the possibility of a Hillman Imp, as mentioned by Ed, the OP.  It was an interesting alternative to the Mini at the time.  But the one I almost bought, but didn’t - and still regret - was a Bristol 404.

On the whole, however, I’d rather be driving a modern family car, say, than its equivalent from that period.  I understand the attraction, but for me nostalgia just ain’t what it used to be.

When I passed my car test, first time, a few weeks after my 17th birthday, after having had no driving lessons. My first 4 wheeled car was a Hillman Imp. The head gasket went, I think, three times... but it was easy to fix myself...!

[NemesisUK]

1 minute ago, Kevin Williams said:

When I passed my car test, first time, a few weeks after my 17th birthday, after having had no driving lessons. My first 4 wheeled car was a Hillman Imp. The head gasket went, I think, three times... but it was easy to fix myself...!

Not a Hillman Imp for me but a Singer Chamois! Fantastic car IMHO and a great car to tinker with. In fact I totally rebuilt it into a Monte Carlo road stage replica. Taught me no end about suspension engine and cooling design. Also taught me about grazed knuckles, pinched fingers and always use the correct tool for the job! 

[LenT]

11 minutes ago, Kevin Williams said:

.The head gasket went, I think, three times... but it was easy to fix myself...!

As I recall, the problem was that as Britain’s first rear mounted, all aluminium engine, it tended to overheat.  But to choose a Coventry Climax fire pump engine in the first place was pretty innovative.

Apart from that, Kevin, did you like it?

[NemesisUK]

On 8/2/2021 at 6:47 PM, LenT said:

As I recall, the problem was that as Britain’s first rear mounted, all aluminium engine, it tended to overheat

A front mounted Hillman Hunter radiator was the cure in my build, with the coolant lines running through the car. My co-pilot always had a very toasty rear end!

[Kevin Williams]

9 minutes ago, LenT said:

As I recall, the problem was that as Britain’s first rear mounted, all aluminium engine, it tended to overheat.  But to choose a Coventry Climax fire pump engine in the first place was pretty innovative.

Apart from that, Kevin, did you like it?

I did actually... I hand painted it yellow and blue. My eldest brother also had one that he changed from 875 to 998. He used his for several night rallies. It was my eldest brother that helped me fix mine, because he was always fixing his...!

[Spottedlaurel]

1 hour ago, NemesisUK said:

Not a Hillman Imp for me but a Singer Chamois! Fantastic car IMHO and a great car to tinker with. In fact I totally rebuilt it into a Monte Carlo road stage replica. Taught me no end about suspension engine and cooling design. Also taught me about grazed knuckles, pinched fingers and always use the correct tool for the job! 

My neighbour has just finished restoring this Imp Californian:

He's more of a 1980s/90s VW/Audi person, but this belonged to his in-laws and he's done a really nice job on it.

Back to FOTU, a friend on Flickr got this shot of me arriving:

Thanks to Louis Brisdion for allowing me to post it here.

In previous years I've taken my Datsuns, a 1980 Laurel and 1973 1200 (ultra-basic 2-door model) and a 1988 Nissan Sunny. The LS was rather grand by comparison, but I think it still fitted within the spirit of the event as something that would be overlooked at a 'proper' show. I got into converstion with a chap who owns a Mk4, he was equally enthusiastic about his.

I'll pick out a few of my favourites here, with a focus on Japanese stuff but including one or two others that caught my eye........

 

This Daihatsu Applause was very popular with show visitors, an unusual and very rare thing with its saloon car looks but actually being a hatchback. It's owned by another Flickr friend, Alan bought it from the family who'd had it long-term and he has since managed to get another Applause in the same K...BSC series.

Many of these Datsun 280Cs got banger raced. The owner had only recently bought this one, he also had some American classics.

This JDM-spec Tercel came to the UK via Sri Lanka and it's been in the same family for many years, if not from new. There was also a UK-spec Tercel in the concours arena.

We had an Avenger when I was young and it's the first family car I can remember, ours was just a GL though.

An interesting comparison between these two.

There were four of these Bluebirds dotted around the show. I've had a couple as daily drivers, tough and reliable things if not as sophisticated as the contemporary Accord or Carina II.

I like these early models.

Some interesting styling back then.

This Sapporo certainly a rarity, never very common even when new.

More in a moment......

[Spacewagon52]

I did not realise they did a 4 door Sapporo in the UK? I thought they were all 2 door and the Sigma/Galant was the 4 door version? lovely looking cars.

[Spottedlaurel]

A few more.....

A friend owns this lovely JDM Mitsubishi. It has a 1400cc engine and has covered just 15k miles from new. He has it for sale at £4750, seems like good value compared to an old VW.

I rather like these, and the previous 404.

Very pleasing to see this Camry V6. I had a 2.2 Sport of this generation and it was a fine thing, a drive in a V6 showed it be a brisk and understated car.

I'm very fond of Manta A and B models and this badge-engineered Cavalier equivalent. I had a rough A back in 1991-92 and a smart example is definitely something I would like to own someday (or a nice chrome bumper B).

Smart Alfa saloon. There were several examples of 33 in attendance, and a 'Sud.

This generation of Honda Jazz was only sold for a year or so in the UK.

Really pleased to see this South African-built pickup version of my Datsun 1200.

Always found these Granada coupes to be very handsome. This one is a European LHD model with a 2.3-litre Cologne V6, it's just undergone an amazing restoration which took the owner somethig like 1350 hours.

Nissan Cherry Europe, the wonderfully unlikely combination of Japanese hatchback with Alfasud running gear.

Cortina Ghia and Mazda 2000 demonstrating the fantastic gold and bronze colours available back in the early '80s.

Nissan Stanza a rarity, but the Datsun 1000 in front is a fascinating car. It's the actual car that was imported amongst a very early batch before official UK sales began and was seen in many period road tests and ad's. It's an incredible survivor and is owned by a friend who is the perfect custodian for it.

This Sunny SLX was somewhat posher the LX hatchback I had (and sold just last month).

Daewoo Espero! Always liked the twin indicator set-up.

Very nice Mazda 626.

I find it fantastic that so many of the cars in attendance have survived against the odds and are being looked-after by either their long-term keepers or enthusiastic and often surprisingly young new owners.

[Spottedlaurel]

17 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I did not realise they did a 4 door Sapporo in the UK? I thought they were all 2 door and the Sigma/Galant was the 4 door version? lovely looking cars.

You're right on the late '70s/early '80s model, then they brought out this 4-door Sapporo based on the subsequent FWD Galant.

[Kevin Williams]

13 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

Not a Hillman Imp for me but a Singer Chamois! Fantastic car IMHO and a great car to tinker with. In fact I totally rebuilt it into a Monte Carlo road stage replica. Taught me no end about suspension engine and cooling design. Also taught me about grazed knuckles, pinched fingers and always use the correct tool for the job! 

Yes, a great car to own… and fix regularly…! I would probably have one in my garage, to park next to a Reliant Robin!. But it doesn’t come with an auto box…! Due to very bad maintenance on my helicopter, which I didn’t do… I can now only drive automatics…! The days of me owning and driving a classic car are no more… unless it’s an auto…

I remember the Imp’s engine had 8 head bolts, 2 sets of 4 head bolts. The first time I changed the head gasket, I didn’t realise that all 8 aren’t the same length, until the engine didn’t start…!

[NemesisUK]

Ouch! 

Sorry to hear that, very nasty crash, thankfully you made it through  

[Kevin Williams]

34 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Ouch! 

Sorry to hear that, very nasty crash, thankfully you made it through  

Yes, OUCH... My tail rotor blades broke up... When I qualified, and bought a helicopter, I was living adjacent to St Mellion Golf Club. I thought I should buy a quieter helicopter, and I flew to Rio de Janeiro to inspect an MD 520 Notar. The heli engineer that came with me, found too many things wrong with it and I didn't buy it... If I had have bought it, I would still be flying today... I have a favourite saying when talking to people about my accident... "you cant turn the clock back...!"

[dutchie01]

Love those cars brings back memories of times forgotten. The Cortina was my first car ( and already pretty old when i bought it).  Of course i immediately took it on a trip to the French Riviera with a friend and on-wards to Lorett de Mar in Spain. At 18 this was a dream come true, freedom, our own road movie full of adventures i still remember 4 decades later. The Cortina did not miss a beat but we had to remove our suitcases from the trunk to the rear seats otherwise the car would not steer well.. Front wheels hardly touching the ground!  Seeing all the pics in this thread makes me wander off to the past. most cars i know well and i would like to have a go in them again. Like many said in here they are important to keep on the road as once they were roaming the streets. If i see a pic from the past from a high-street somewhere i immediately look for the cars which makes models etc. Apart from the buildings they defined the city architecture of those days.

By the way PSA did produce some excellent cars that 30 40 years on still drive happily in France. the 205/6, 405, 504 the R4 and even the 2CV still go strong.  Calling these cars not classic enough as they are mass produced and not exotic enough is just snobbish. 

[paulrnx]

18 hours ago, Kevin Williams said:

I will totally disregard what Linas has said about Reliant Robins. Having owned several Porsches, several MB's, several BMW's, several Audi's, several Jags, a couple of Bentleys, a new NSX, a McLaren and several other cars. I have forgotten how many I have had. The Reliant Robin, at 16, was a great car...! I wished I had taken a photo of it. It would be my screensaver on my iMac...!

Always thought they looked like over-sized referee whistles 🤣 Bags of character though and quite unlike anything else, Bond Bug excepted. A fine collection of cars you’ve had there! 👍

[paulrnx]

So wish I still had my very first car. A 1973 Hillman Hunter GLS. Quite a car in its day with a tuned Holbay engine with two twin-choke Weber carbs all fitted as standard. It was faster than an MGB GT. I sold it for £300 in 1983. Wish I’d kept it.

[dutchie01]

1 minute ago, paulrnx said:

So wish I still had my very first car. A 1973 Hillman Hunter GLS. Quite a car in its day with a tuned Holbay engine with two twin-choke Weber carbs all fitted as standard. It was faster than an MGB GT. I sold it for £300 in 1983. Wish I’d kept it.

Well Paul i guess we all share that feeling. O i wish is still had my little Alfa GT junior. bloodred and full of problems but at 19 it sure did increase my popularity with the girls! And it revved to the red line in a way you don't see at today's cars. Shame i couldn't jack it up anymore as rust did its work!

[royoftherovers]

25 minutes ago, paulrnx said:

Always thought they looked like over-sized referee whistles 🤣 Bags of character though and quite unlike anything else, Bond Bug excepted. A fine collection of cars you’ve had there! 👍

Anyone remember the Bond Equipe?

4 wheels, fibreglass body and a posh Sports Car in the making. I lusted and lusted but could never afford it.

[dutchie01]

13 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Anyone remember the Bond Equipe?

4 wheels, fibreglass body and a posh Sports Car in the making. I lusted and lusted but could never afford it.

Had to look this one up John. Seems a child of a Skoda GT Coupe, Triumph Spitfire and a Citroen!

 

[LenT]

1 hour ago, royoftherovers said:

Anyone remember the Bond Equipe?

I had to look it up too, John.  It was apparently their first four wheel car  - and a pretty fine job they made of it.

I see it was basically a rebodied version of the Triumph Herald and Vitesse.  And used the same engines. It wouldn’t look out of place today, either.

Oh well, another one that got away!

[Spacewagon52]

Custodians of heritage ............ I like that!

[Spacewagon52]

Thank you for posting all these wonderful photos! A really cracking departure from mpg!

 

We love photos!

[paulrnx]

So. I’m getting about 40 mpg from my NX.......... 😴😴😴

[Kevin Williams]

3 hours ago, paulrnx said:

Always thought they looked like over-sized referee whistles 🤣 Bags of character though and quite unlike anything else, Bond Bug excepted. A fine collection of cars you’ve had there! 👍

Paul, I forgot my Urus...!

[paulrnx]

Very nice Kevin 👍