Car (or bike) Chat!

Oh yes, much as she loves the old type Minis, the reality is we really couldn't put up with the lack of space, and it would have to be a "hobby car", in addition to our everyday motor. But with 2 vans and the Civic on the drive and 3 motorcycles in the garage it's not feasible, financially or otherwise.

I once sat in a Mini a few years ago when Anita wasn't looking, and found the dashboard to be a bit funky looking for my tastes. I expect they will have changed quite a bit since then. I think Mini do one that looks a bit SUV-ish, so will have a higher driving position. That one really winds her up :steam: She can't be doing with Fiat either, and would never be seen driving something with a Skoda badge.

I call her a car snob, but then she doesn't like BMW/Mercedes/Audi either. Kind of narrows our options as there's not much left she does like, apart from Nissan GTRs Lexus and some Jags. Oh and Aston Martin.

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Originally Posted by Pigmy Pony

Oh yes, much as she loves the old type Minis, the reality is we really couldn't put up with the lack of space, and it would have to be a "hobby car", in addition to our everyday motor. But with 2 vans and the Civic on the drive and 3 motorcycles in the garage it's not feasible, financially or otherwise.

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I still have relics from my Mini days years ago, there's a 1 1/2" Hitachi 'SU' carb (off a Datsun 260Z) in the garage with a pile of different springs and fixed needles, which used to work a treat on small bore Minis and other miscellaneous bits knocking about.

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Originally Posted by Marco

Completely agree! But vintage Minis simply aren't practical as an everyday car on today's roads... Del would love an original Fiat 500, and that's even smaller than a Mini, but that falls into the exact same impractical category.

I'd rather have a Mini Clubman though, than most of today's soulless/generic-shaped, boring as hell SUVs!;)

Marco [likes to drive something distinctive on the road].

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Ha! A friend of mine recently imported, refurbished and is using a Honda N360 daily - that makes even an original Fiat 500 look huge!!

Can you even find N360 parts these days?

My son bought a fiat 126 once..odd as he couldn't drive and was not technical. lol. we did get it working and sold it for profit tho...Bloody lawnmower engine that was in it... Total junk

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Originally Posted by struth

My son bought a fiat 126 once..odd as he couldn't drive and was not technical. lol. we did get it working and sold it for profit tho...Bloody lawnmower engine that was in it... Total junk

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654cc if I recall. Developed from the 500, later built in Soviet states. Was it Zastava who made those?

I remember being left behind (slightly) by one being driven enthusiastically. I was in a 2CV at the time.

no idea, but soviet makes sense. was a rust bucket in making.. A guy came and eagerly bought it tho.. wanted to run it in Edinburgh... was surprised if he got home in it:eyebrows:

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Originally Posted by struth

My son bought a fiat 126 once..odd as he couldn't drive and was not technical. lol. we did get it working and sold it for profit tho...Bloody lawnmower engine that was in it... Total junk

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We had a very cheap Fiat 850 for a while. Bought IIRC for £35. Got us around northern France on holiday, but the engine blew up (not quite literally) when we returned. I tried to resuscitate it, but the surgery wasn’t successful for long, so the car was then scrapped. Did the job though - a good holiday.

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Originally Posted by dave2010

We had a very cheap Fiat 850 for a while. Bought IIRC for £35. Got us around northern France on holiday, but the engine blew up (not quite literally) when we returned. I tried to resuscitate it, but the surgery wasn’t successful for long, so the car was then scrapped. Did the job though - a good holiday.

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Think if you get a decent one they will do a job. Cars have come a long way tho.