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Feb 19, 2007 20:10:56 GMT
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Tell me more....... The good , the bad and the outright filthy and ugly about these.  (Pic from Reallylouds stocks) |
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Snoozin
Posted a lot
Toyophile
Posts: 1,557
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Feb 19, 2007 20:13:26 GMT
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They're Indian assembled iirc?
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Feb 19, 2007 20:38:46 GMT
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why do they look a bit like povo Mercs? I forgot!  |
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 it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts  |
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TATA Loadbetta ??arthurbrown
@GUEST
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Feb 19, 2007 20:42:14 GMT
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bad bad bad bad bad.
No good, as far as I know.
Spares availability = NIL, impossibly slow.
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Odin
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,406
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Feb 19, 2007 20:43:15 GMT
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why do they look a bit like povo Mercs? I forgot! They are povo Mercs aren't they? Old-skool Merc bits and bobs I think. I know a guy with one of the Tatas with a top over the load bed and seats (I'm guessing it's otherwise the same?). It's diesel, the slowest thing evAr and the gearbox has an upside-down shift pattern. Quite odd..... |
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Feb 19, 2007 20:51:25 GMT
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OK, guess then stay away is the better option...... just wondered about decking it, and maybe camo, or NATO green..... a bit like this.  Love this car. |
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Feb 19, 2007 20:53:03 GMT
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Ahhh, good car, remade badly. wierd things, ripe for a Slatering then....  |
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it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts |
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Odin
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,406
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Feb 19, 2007 20:59:26 GMT
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On the plus side, you can get 40mph or so out of them, which is probably ideal for teeth-jarringly low cruising.
Also you might get ok-ish mpg? Maybe?
*clutches at straws*
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Feb 19, 2007 21:02:45 GMT
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Was it Autocar who said "Indian Take-it-away?" Think they were on about the frankly hilarious looking Safari though.
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1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly Other things. Check out my Blog for the latest! www.hubnut.org |
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mirafioriman
Posted a lot
My next project.......
Posts: 1,361
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Feb 19, 2007 21:07:50 GMT
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A friend of mine who is a motor dealer has had a few of these. Currently has two I think, both diesels. I have driven them. They are not fast, but go fast enough. They don't drive great, but then you get what you pay for! Both the ones he has are quite tidy.
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Feb 19, 2007 21:14:44 GMT
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A friend of mine who is a motor dealer has had a few of these. Currently has two I think, both diesels. I have driven them. They are not fast, but go fast enough. They don't drive great, but then you get what you pay for! Both the ones he has are quite tidy. Unfortunately you can take this African out of the bush..... but you cannot get the bush out of this African. Pickups trucks are a part of our heritage and also rites of passage. For silly money, ie £100's not 1000's it could be a viable proposition to beat it with a railway sleeper or something similar. |
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Feb 19, 2007 21:17:21 GMT
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Feb 19, 2007 22:10:11 GMT
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so weve concluded that they're slow. ok then, lets shake things up a bit. this plus the business gubbins from this  perfect retro imo. |
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Feb 19, 2007 22:29:22 GMT
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Major OOOOOfffffage, and much blood sweat and gears.
Good thinking though Tonycocacola .
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Feb 19, 2007 22:30:17 GMT
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PS: Seems190's have fallen out of favour somewhat at the moment.  |
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Feb 19, 2007 22:38:12 GMT
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Okay, gen on TATA. They own PG Tips, Corus (British Steel as was), build lots of cars in India (including the Indica......sorry, CityRover) and are Merc-accredited assemblers which is why the TATA Loadbeta looks like a Merc...it more or less is! According to a local dealers, they ain't flash, not fast but built like brick sh!thouses and are easy to repair...think 70's technology with a few twiddly bits added on for our market.
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Rover Metro - The TARDIS - brake problems.....Stored
Rover 75 - Barge
MGZTT Cdti 160+ - Winter Hack and Audi botherer...
MGF - The Golden Shot...Stored
Project Minion........
Can you see the theme?
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Feb 19, 2007 22:43:04 GMT
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Okay, gen on TATA. They own PG Tips, Corus (British Steel as was), build lots of cars in India (including the Indica......sorry, CityRover) and are Merc-accredited assemblers which is why the TATA Loadbeta looks like a Merc...it more or less is! According to a local dealers, they ain't flash, not fast but built like brick sh!thouses and are easy to repair...think 70's technology with a few twiddly bits added on for our market. Thanks mate, Good to know as well. My concern with many of these 2nd time around models, Daewoo Esperro,Proton Satria etc.... is that maybe similar to Patern parts..... the "fit" may not be so good, and also potentialy zero interchangeability. The idea of somehow "rodding" and beating with a stick, a pickup based on these old Mercs is appealing. |
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spacekadett
Part of things
F*cking take that Hans Brrix!!
Posts: 818
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Feb 19, 2007 22:51:28 GMT
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If I remember rightly, the earlier ones had a Merc diesel, but the later, turbo ones used a 2.0 based on a Peugeot lump. These are a little quicker, but more fragile and tend to blow head gaskets and kill the head  . I found this out cos my dad was offered a V plate twin cab stoopid cheap cos the head was nuked. Everyone we asked trying to get a replacement just laughed  Also had one stuck at work for about 4 months waiting new rear springs to arrive from India. You could say some parts are a tad difficult to get! |
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Mechanic's rule #1... If the car works, anything left on the floor after you finished wasn't needed in the first place |
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As above early ones are merc engined later ones peugeot based but have pretty much no parts interhangeability. Gearboxes are prone for going and second hand ones sell for more than the price you pay for the pick up.
They rust really badly as well and there are a lot scrapped for this when just a few years old.
Parts prices are pretty high and pattern parts are not common other than filters etc.
Might be possible to get a bargain but more likely to get a shed.
If you plan to rip the running gear out and put something else in they might be worth a go though.
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Parts prices are pretty high and pattern parts are not common other than filters etc. Might be possible to get a bargain but more likely to get a shed. If you plan to rip the running gear out and put something else in they might be worth a go though. TBH fitting the running gear out of something else is the only realistic option if anything breaks. Parts are, honestly, so hard to get and so expensive when they finally arrive it's just not worth it. Pity, cos I'd really like an ugly pick up.... |
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My fleet:
Suzuki GSX-R600Y SRAD with bald, melted tyres
A borrowed Mondeo
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