Did you ever own a car that you wish you still had?

neilmac said:
So are you going to keep the standard mechanics.... or go the 'Savage' route with a 3.0 V6?

Great project, I'm sure that one day it will again be a head turner :thumbs:
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ooooo no, its one of just 20 Crayford Lotus Cortinas ever built, well, Crayford only admit to building 20 of them anyway! so being so rare it'll go back original. Well, when I say original, its probably that it'll go back into the white and green paint rather than the Silver it had from new - I think the stripe really suited it with the roof gone, and in any case, I can't stand silver cars. Theres no way the engine will be standard spec either - it will be a tuned version of the original Lotus/Ford Twincam though :woot:

will keep on playing with this in the meantime though


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originally a Silver 1300 Deluxe, but now has mainly Lotus Cortina running gear and brakes, a 2 litre Sierra engine running on motorbike carbs, GT/Lotus interior etc.......
 
crocodile said:
That's just reminded me:

One sunny Saturday afternoon I bled the clutch cylinder on my Mk II. This was accessed by removing a rubber bung/grommet (around 4"x3") from the tunnel. After I'd finished I just couldn't get the damn thing back in & ended up tossing it behind the seats as I had a hot date to prepare for.

Needless to say, after picking up said date it started pouring. I forgot all about the missing grommet until we arrived at our destination 30 miles later. The entire floor was flooded on my side. The combination of the "legs virtually straight" driving position & my lime-green 28" flares was not a pretty sight.... :$ :lol:
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ooooooops:lol::lol::lol::lol:
 

Just hree of my favourites but there are more

Long door TR2 ( circa 1954) many moons ago, sold it for £50 IIRC
that was before "this type" of car became a classic and was just "another banger"
Hillman Hunter GLS ( circa 1974) a real wolf in sheeps clothing
It just looked like the (old mans car) Humber with its twin headlights ;)
I used to "take" 3L capris at lights every time :thumbs:
It came off the production line with
twin 40's H120 cam polished head powermax pistons and more
Not forgeting my 2.8i capri injection special, which some r'sole nicked
they got caught because they had fitted the alloys, reccaro (Sp?)
half leather seats to a cortina and dumped the rest. :bang:
Immaculate late low milage example :(
 
I inherited my mums 1972 hillman hunter mint condition like sitting in the front room after always having m/bikes or hb vivas.had it for years,so easy to maintain. i passed it on eventually and it was still a good motor and a gen 38000 on clock that was in 1982. miss it for the nostalgia and happy times with kids when we used to camp and everything fitted in the boot, not like now if its not in caravan its on the roof and the grandkids dont know three wheels on my wagon
 
Cobra said:

Long door TR2 ( circa 1954) many moons ago, sold it for £50 IIRC
that was before "this type" of car became a classic and was just "another banger"
Hillman Hunter GLS ( circa 1974) a real wolf in sheeps clothing
It just looked like the (old mans car) Humber with its twin headlights ;)
I used to "take" 3L capris at lights every time :thumbs:
It came off the production line with
twin 40's H120 cam polished head powermax pistons and more
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The engine in that Hillman was developed by Holbay I think, a mate of mine had one too and it was indeed a wolf in sheep's clothing!

There's one for sale http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C56188 if you fancy recapturing your youth :D

The TR2 was a great car too, my dad had one. In true tradition it was developed by using saloon mechanics (Standard Vanguard I think?) and became one of Britain's true sportscars. :thumbs:
 
Cobra said:

Hillman Hunter GLS ( circa 1974) a real wolf in sheeps clothing
It just looked like the (old mans car) Humber with its twin headlights ;)
I used to "take" 3L capris at lights every time :thumbs:
It came off the production line with
twin 40's H120 cam polished head powermax pistons and more
Click to expand...

a guy I used to work with had a GLS Hunter with that Holbay engine fitted, was a bit tuned up and (apparently) it held the lap record for Thruxton for its class at one point. To this day he says he's never owned any car as quick or as noisey, don't think he had it very very long though as he didn't much like its MPG :lol:
 
neilmac said:
The TR2 was a great car too, my dad had one. In true tradition it was developed by using saloon mechanics (Standard Vanguard I think?) and became one of Britain's true sportscars. :thumbs:
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yup, the TR range was Triumphs answer to the MGB (or was actually it the other way around.......) We've also got a 4a which I find slow and cramped in comparison to the Cortina, but what a great car when you get it out on the open road, its road holding is fantastic :D
 
There are 3 I miss.

#1 was (yet another) FrogEye Sprite. Had to flog it when the clutch was on its way out and I was moving into town - no garage...

#2 was a Firenza. Not a droop snoot, just the souped up HF coupé. Rad dropped and the bottom hose lost out to the pulley. Diodn't have the cash to sort it.

#3 was my last Landy. Just a bog-stock 90 TDi but I loved it! Had a blowout which sent it up a hedge and it rolled - did every panel and it was beyond economic repair.
 
neilmac said:
The engine in that Hillman was developed by Holbay I think, a mate of mine had one too and it was indeed a wolf in sheep's clothing!

There's one for sale http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C56188 if you fancy recapturing your youth :D

The TR2 was a great car too, my dad had one. In true tradition it was developed by using saloon mechanics (Standard Vanguard I think?) and became one of Britain's true sportscars. :thumbs:
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GoLotus said:
a guy I used to work with had a GLS Hunter with that Holbay engine fitted, was a bit tuned up and (apparently) it held the lap record for Thruxton for its class at one point. To this day he says he's never owned any car as quick or as noisey, don't think he had it very very long though as he didn't much like its MPG :lol:
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'Twas indeed a Holbay engine I did a few more light mods to it as well
( Head skim and polish and a bottom end balance)
The surprising thing was it returned 40MPG. from those twin 40's
you know how you get "the odd good one off the production line?"
This was definitely one of those :thumbs:

TR2 those were the days.......... heaters were optional extras :D
I seem to remember the engine was based on the massey Furguson engine but I could be wrong
 
crocodile said:
Oi!

I had a Sceptre when I was 22. :razz:
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I am talking about the square one, they made a few with twin headlights
and badged it "Humber" I am sure it was, like the Hunter but with uprated trim
and twin headlights. 99% of the time driven by the flat cap brigade
Not the "classic finned" model :thumbs:
 
neilmac said:
The engine in that Hillman was developed by Holbay I think, a mate of mine had one too and it was indeed a wolf in sheep's clothing!
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I think you're right, Neil, our neighbours had one back when they were new. I think there was also a Sunbeam Rapier with the same engine - the HS120

std_rapier-hs120.jpg
 
somewhere around here I have a road/comparison test where they put a MkII Lotus Cortina up against a Rapier - despite its bigger engine, the Rapier was found to be slower and more thirsty than the LC
 
Sorry to drift OT for a minute but FITP's stand picture has reminded me of something. Not a car I owned but the car I'd have most LIKED to have owned - ever! I was smitten with it & fell in love at first sight. Only ever saw it at the Motor Show of '73 or '74 as the oil crisis killed it. Imagine a four door Elan +2 on steroids....

I give you the Monica 560.
 
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dicko said:
I inherited my mums 1972 hillman hunter mint condition like sitting in the front room after always having m/bikes or hb vivas.had it for years,so easy to maintain. i passed it on eventually and it was still a good motor and a gen 38000 on clock that was in 1982. miss it for the nostalgia and happy times with kids when we used to camp and everything fitted in the boot, not like now if its not in caravan its on the roof and the grandkids dont know three wheels on my wagon
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Would you buy one now to own for the nostalgia value?

Nod said:
There are 3 I miss.

#1 was (yet another) FrogEye Sprite. Had to flog it when the clutch was on its way out and I was moving into town - no garage...

#2 was a Firenza. Not a droop snoot, just the souped up HF coupé. Rad dropped and the bottom hose lost out to the pulley. Diodn't have the cash to sort it.

#3 was my last Landy. Just a bog-stock 90 TDi but I loved it! Had a blowout which sent it up a hedge and it rolled - did every panel and it was beyond economic repair.
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Where's yer photos? :D

Cobra said:
'Twas indeed a Holbay engine I did a few more light mods to it as well
( Head skim and polish and a bottom end balance)
The surprising thing was it returned 40MPG. from those twin 40's
you know how you get "the odd good one off the production line?"
This was definitely one of those :thumbs:
Click to expand...

I've just remembered.... a mate of mine back in the late 70s had a tuned version of a 1725 Holbay engine in his Frogeyed Sprite!! (Yet another Frogeye ;)) It was hugely re-engineered to cope and on the outside it had big Wolfrace wheels covered by huge w/arches - Looked and went like it was on steroids :eek:

crocodile said:
Sorry to drift OT for a minute but FITP's stand picture has reminded me of something. Not a car I owned but the car I'd have most LIKED to have owned - ever! I was smitten with it & fell in love at first sight.

I give you the Monica 560.
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Fantastic! I had never seen nor heard of that - what an amazing looking motor car :clap:

Neil
 
Sold this in June this year, The best car I've ever owned by far. Brilliant pleasure to drive and I loved the retro cool thing B)

good.jpg

good3.jpg
 
crocodile said:
The main differences IIRC, were Walnut dash, centre console & door caps & overdrive on 3rd & 4th.
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That sounds about right to me:thumbs:

Flash In The Pan said:
I think you're right, Neil, our neighbours had one back when they were new. I think there was also a Sunbeam Rapier with the same engine - the HS120
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The basic Rapier was just a 1725 hilman lump the H120 was indeed the holbay
engine, IIRC the H120 came before the GLS Hunter but the Hunter was the fastest of the pair

neilmac said:
Would you buy one now to own for the nostalgia value?
Where's yer photos? :D
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If that was to me, probabley not, I guess
photo's I wasn't into toggin' at that time and don't have any :(


neilmac said:
I've just remembered.... a mate of mine back in the late 70s had a tuned version of a 1725 Holbay engine in his Frogeyed Sprite!! (Yet another Frogeye ;)) It was hugely re-engineered to cope and on the outside it had big Wolfrace wheels covered by huge w/arches - Looked and went like it was on steroids :eek:
Neil
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I bet that was pretty rapid! me bruvver had a tuned frogeye 975 odd cc IIRC
and that was pretty damned quick
 
Mr.B said:
Sold this in June this year, The best car I've ever owned by far. Brilliant pleasure to drive and I loved the retro cool thing B)

good.jpg

good3.jpg
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I had a MK II back in the day, but it was nowhere near as much fun to drive as my mate's early 4-speed 1600 MKI
 
Mr.B said:
Sold this in June this year, The best car I've ever owned by far. Brilliant pleasure to drive and I loved the retro cool thing B)
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You've barely had time to miss that one, it was only June that you sold it! :razz:
 
Can't decide which one I miss the most.

MK1 - Fiesta - 1360 x/flow twin 40 webers, supersport suspension, xr2 headlight conversion, MK2 XR2 interior.

MK2 - Escort - 2.2 pinto, twin 48's, tran-x box 4spd, LSD, caged, buckets etc.

MK2 - Escort - 1600 sport - 1760 x/flow, std 4 speed box, 1300 diff, caged etc.

All had there good points and all had bad ones too. Fiesta handled like a dream, used to **** some quicker car drivers off with it. 2.2 Escort, went like stink, need a fuel tanker behind it. 1600 sport was fun off the line, flat at 80mph hard to keep in a straight line.
 
rally-media said:
Can't decide which one I miss the most.

MK1 - Fiesta - 1360 x/flow twin 40 webers, supersport suspension, xr2 headlight conversion, MK2 XR2 interior.

MK2 - Escort - 2.2 pinto, twin 48's, tran-x box 4spd, LSD, caged, buckets etc.

MK2 - Escort - 1600 sport - 1760 x/flow, std 4 speed box, 1300 diff, caged etc.

All had there good points and all had bad ones too. Fiesta handled like a dream, used to **** some quicker car drivers off with it. 2.2 Escort, went like stink, need a fuel tanker behind it. 1600 sport was fun off the line, flat at 80mph hard to keep in a straight line.
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Where's yer photos? ;)
 
neilmac said:
Where's yer photos? ;)
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Wish I had some, didn't take any of the Fiesta when I was building it, (started as a standard 950 popular), finally finished it one Monday night, half an hour before being due at work. Wrote it off 8am following morning when someone who was late for work ran into the back of it at a pedestrian crossing and I hit the girl on the crossing (absolutely gutted). The 2.2, I have some somewhere framed from when I competed in it will have to sort scanner out. The 1600 sport was a complete rot box, got taken off the road to rebuild, lost my job, no money or inclination to do anything with it, sat in my garage for 4 years. Now having a new lease of life in Scotland, soon to have a full rebuild.

Other half currently has a MK2 RS droopsnoot sat in the garage requiring some work, that I will get round to eventually.
 
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rally-media said:
Wish I had some, didn't take any of the Fiesta when I was building it, (started as a standard 950 popular), finally finished it one Monday night, half an hour before being due at work. Wrote it off 8am following morning when someone who was late for work ran into the back of it at a pedestrian crossing and I hit the girl on the crossing (absolutely gutted). The 2.2, I have some somewhere framed from when I competed in it will have to sort scanner out. The 1600 sport was a complete rot box, got taken off the road to rebuild, lost my job, no money or inclination to do anything with it, sat in my garage for 4 years. Now having a new lease of life in Scotland, soon to have a full rebuild.

Other half currently has a MK2 RS droopsnoot sat in the garage requiring some work, that I will get round to eventually.
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What an absolute nightmare!!

Looks like you have plenty of hobby work to come then :thumbs:
 
neilmac said:
What an absolute nightmare!!

Looks like you have plenty of hobby work to come then :thumbs:
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Tell me about, I was completely gutted, I swear if I could have got out the car I'd have snotted him, but by the time I did get out I was more concerned about the teenager lay in the middle of the road.

Car was scrap, lost the boot floor all up to the back seats, the reason I couldn't open the door was the aperture had shortened by an inch and a half.

As for the RS, need to get more work done first and earn some more money, then I can afford to have some time off to get it done.
 
I had a Renault 5 as my first car, cost me £275 from an auction and I probably spent about £1500 on it in 18 months just to keep it moving. Highlights included the bonnet flying off it on the M60 just before the Barton bridge, narrowly missing a guy on his phone in his BMW, before landing in the central reservation (an interesting phone call to the police followed!) and breaking down on New Years Day on the way back from Whitehaven nr Penrith, and having to drag the AA-contracted recovery guy away from his birthday & New Years party for a 6hr round trip to Manchester (limited to 50mph).

The car was awful, ugly, and a money pit, but I still have fond memories of it - it was my first car after all!! :D
 
inaneredstripe said:
old white rangerover. two door v8 beastie, with a tuned engine and fruity exhaust.
wish i still had it.although it would have had a diesel lump in it by now.
low teens to the gallon. ingle figures when playing in the mud.
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Nooooooooo, you can't kill a V8 with a diesel. Fit LPG!
 
candlestick said:
The car was awful, ugly, and a money pit, but I still have fond memories of it - it was my first car after all!! :D
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I'd love to see a photo of a car you didn't have fond memories of :eek:. I really would have to be some heap!

inaneredstripe said:
old white rangerover. two door v8 beastie, with a tuned engine and fruity exhaust.
wish i still had it.although it would have had a diesel lump in it by now.
low teens to the gallon. ingle figures when playing in the mud.
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Great machine! Shame they would cost so much to run these days :(

Neil
 
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