One For Classic Car Fans.....

[Jenkins]

I sorry but that's completely incomprehensible What's required is some flavour of classic Alfa, shirley?

(I have owned 3 Alfas in the past)

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Yes, despite all of that!

 

[tyred]

They are well known for back axle bearings to fail. It's common and an MOT fail if they are shot.
Mine seem ok but mine is low mileage at 65k miles.
Not much room in the back but still better than a 2 seater cc.
Not too sore on fuel either and it goes well.
My kids view it as an old car and I suppose it's older than they are but my old MK2 escort harrier...now it was an old car lol

Everyone says that about Peugeots but experience of 205s and 306s suggests the problem is exaggerated. It can happen but you can usually find a better second hand axle and it's an easy thing to replace. If the worst comes to the worst, people sell fully reconditioned exchange units with a guarantee for a few hundred nowadays.

My 205 reached 190,000 before the axle needed replaced and the second hand replacement is still going strong.

If they start to seize up and squeak badly, drill a hole in the middle of the axle tube and fill it with heavy gear oil and plug the hole again and it will soften the dried out grease and get you a few more years. I did that on my Mum's 306.

 

[midlife]

The money old fords make currently is just stupid.
They really are nothing special.
A mid range modern car will beat them hands down every department.
If I could have one classic car,it would be the mark 1 toyota celica liftback model
AKA the baby mustang

I always wanted Celica 4x4 Carlos Saintz . Had to put up with an E reg MR2 AW11, had it for 17 years, what a great little car

 

[Peugeotrider]

I always wanted Celica 4x4 Carlos Saintz . Had to put up with an E reg MR2 AW11, had it for 17 years, what a great little car

My pal had one of those.
I recall I was driving it one night. He had a bottle of lucozade and was about to take a sip from the bottle...I gave the celica the beans and he ended up wearing the lucozade lol

 

[Illaveago]

I've just realised that I might have seen an AC Aceca the other day . My wife and I were walking into town to meet some friends when we saw the car at a crossing . It was a low red sports hatchback. I have seen it once before near Castle Combe. I couldn't recognise the car at the time, no badges, it was just seeing a Dinky model on the bay that made me twig it !

 

[figbat]

I've just realised that I might have seen an AC Aceca the other day . My wife and I were walking into town to meet some friends when we saw the car at a crossing . It was a low red sports hatchback. I have seen it once before near Castle Combe. I couldn't recognise the car at the time, no badges, it was just seeing a Dinky model on the bay that made me twig it !

They did one of these on Car SOS a while ago. Lovely cars.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

The money old fords make currently is just stupid.
They really are nothing special.
A mid range modern car will beat them hands down every department.
If I could have one classic car,it would be the mark 1 toyota celica liftback model
AKA the baby mustang

Not even a modified one, that can embarrass a 5.0 Mustang, that I added a couple of days ago?
Yes, I know it's modded for a specific requirement, but there's plenty out there with close to that output, with (Sierra) Cosworth engines, etc....

I'd have the Escort 'all day long'
(even though I do like the present Mustang)


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWELNJXUgdI

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

My pal had one of those.
I recall I was driving it one night. He had a bottle of lucozade and was about to take a sip from the bottle...I gave the celica the beans and he ended up wearing the lucozade lol

There is the story, & I've read it in a couple of model specific books, that back in the 60's, Cobra salesmen (in the States) used to tape a large denomination 'bill' to the screen/sun-visor
Then, if the passenger (person interested in buying the car) could reach out to grab it, under full acceleration, they could keep it!!
Be that in the 'baby' 289, or the 'big beast' 427

Don't forget that this was a 0-60 in around 4 seconds/0-100, in less than 8 seconds (road-legal) that first hit the roads in a 1963

 

[Profpointy]

I sorry but that's completely incomprehensible What's required is some flavour of classic Alfa, shirley?

Most classic alfas have long since been swept up of the drive with a dustpan and brush. Some are rather lovely though, and have porntastic engines - twin cams, pairs of webbers etc at a time when many British cars still had side valves. Here's my favourite but they are big money now I understand

A pal of mine had one of these which was nearly as nice. Inevitably it rusted to buggery, but was very pretty

 

[Profpointy]

Here's some lovely books of engine porn. All three are great and full of cutaway drawings, history and engineering as well as just pretty pictures. None were expensive when I bought them either

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Most classic alfas have long since been swept up of the drive with a dustpan and brush. Some are rather lovely though, and have porntastic engines - twin cams, pairs of webbers etc at a time when many British cars still had side valves. Here's my favourite but they are big money now I understand



View attachment 606237

A pal of mine had one of these which was nearly as nice. Inevitably it rusted to buggery, but was very pretty

View attachment 606238

We were fortunate enough to be touring the Western Isles when a Classic Alfa Owners Club (I assume) was also touring in convoy of half a dozen beauties. My wife's head was turned

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Here's some lovely books of engine porn. All three are great and full of cutaway drawings, history and engineering as well as just pretty pictures. None were expensive when I bought them either View attachment 606239
View attachment 606240

View attachment 606241

View attachment 606242

Nice

What about the BRM V16?
Have you ever heard one of those?

650BHP (from memory) from 1,500cc

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Friday 27th

Spotted, whilst on my way to Tickhill

River VandenPlas

Springwell Lane
Bawtry
Doncaster

A 2600, according to the MoT test data-base

I'd not seen it following me, but I'd stopped to look at the OS map, & heard it

 

[Profpointy]

Nice

What about the BRM V16?
Have you ever heard one of those?

650BHP (from memory) from 1,500cc

Never heard one, though I dare say I might look on youtube shortly.

.... but I've got a book in that one too; by the same Karl Ludvigsen who'd done two of three engine books I mentioned above