mk2cossie
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,979
Club RR Member Number: 77
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Apr 15, 2016 17:37:54 GMT
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I may be slightly biased, but mk1 Granada. Get rid of the original size wheels and replace them with 15 or 16 inches and theres a whole world of decent tyres to maximise the handling
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Rob M
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,915
Club RR Member Number: 41
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Apr 15, 2016 17:49:12 GMT
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Hillman Avenger has pretty good suspension set up for the time as far as I'm aware. I had one back in 85 and it was atrocious in the wet, brown trousers time stuff. Mind you, it probably had rubbish tyres on it which brings me onto the view that you can have the best suspension set up the best springs, roll bars and the like but if you by the wrong tyres or leave the rubbish ones still on the rims you wont, in a million years get the best that the car is capable of giving. I'm going to add a MK1 Cavalier to the discussion. I had one, handled superbly. Where the MK3/4 Tina was a bit 'wallowy' the MK1 Cavalier felt like it was hewn from granite, no rock and roll just firm, comfortable and predictable handling. Very good cars ( even the 1.6 I had was no slouch )very underrated.
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Apr 15, 2016 18:38:23 GMT
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Once described as THE best way to drive from A to B.
BMW 2002.
But I am a bit biased.
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BMW 2002 Tii (in total rehab)
BMW 1602 (Also in rahab !!)
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Apr 15, 2016 18:41:59 GMT
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Once described as THE best way to drive from A to B. BMW 2002. But I am a bit biased. Thought they were all 2 doors?
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'96 Volvo 850T5 x2, '97 Alfa 145 Cloverleaf '96 Alfa 155, '91 XR2i 2.0 Zetec (sold), '88 BMW 520i slug (sold), '81 Escort Mk3 Project, '68 Mk1 Escort Estate, Berlingo Parts Chaser.
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Apr 15, 2016 19:14:50 GMT
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yup, even the later E21 was 2 door only.
E12 was 75 onwards.
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andyborris
Posted a lot
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.
Posts: 2,171
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Apr 15, 2016 19:28:40 GMT
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Lose the last 2 from 2002 and it gains another pair of doors, they do very well in classic car racing....
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Last Edit: Apr 15, 2016 19:28:55 GMT by andyborris
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Apr 15, 2016 19:34:13 GMT
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Toyota Starlet available with 4 doors and still findable in NZ a few years ago? I don't remember Vivas handling particularly badly either
If you've got a decent budget what about a Torana? Given today's technology XA, XB and XC falcons can be made to handle, Valiants too
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Last Edit: Apr 15, 2016 19:36:35 GMT by dodgerover
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Apr 15, 2016 19:56:33 GMT
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I'm going to go with 5 series BMW. didnt realise they made them as far back as that, How about the P6 Rover? never driven one so no idea how they handle wasnt the mk1 transit pretty capable compared to the saloon cars around in it's day? The P6 Rover and it's big brother the P6b are both a bit roly poly to hustle round the B roads. And there's a reason why The Ford Transit was the blaggers wagon of choice in the 60s and 70s. Some Police forces have been quoted as estimating that up to 95% of recorded robberies in those days involved a Transit in some way! Back in the late 70s I had a 69MkI Transit with a Capri V4 and a MkIII Zodiac axle (which took the ratio from 5.143 to 3.545!) That went well, at least when it was empty! I don't think the 5 seies goes back that far either but there was a larger Beamer saloon available (1800?) in the 60s. A bit of a gutless wet blanket IIRC. Come to that, I also loved my MkII and III Zodiacs. Even dropped over (relatively) fat radials, the handling was best described as "American" but that was fine, hanging the fins out suited the car! Steve
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Apr 15, 2016 20:11:35 GMT
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We have an abundance of empty country b roads out here (NZ) and would be great to have a manual car that works well in the bends. Shhhhhhh!, don't tell the world that!, they're empty cos there's hardly anyone here
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gavs1
Part of things
Posts: 571
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Apr 15, 2016 20:32:39 GMT
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Toyota,,,,, 1000, Google fuels my massive want
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Apr 15, 2016 21:33:24 GMT
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I liked the handling of the 70s/80s Lancias I had - not sure what the Italians were offering as 4 door in your timeframe but could be worth looking (good luck finding non-rusty in UK!) Fords didn't get rack & pinion until the end of your window. My current Hunter is fun (exact same dimensions as an Escort - but a fraction of the price and has extra few inches track. Nice! ), the Avenger that followed it got rack & pinion steering. Either - just add modern - powerful - motor for instant grin factor. We need more pics ( from www.flickr.com/photos/11870020@N08/2800431676 )
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,565
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Apr 15, 2016 21:50:46 GMT
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Shame I'm in the picture, my 2000 taken about 12 years ago.
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Apr 15, 2016 21:50:56 GMT
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Thinking outside the box, what about a mk2 Jag?
Getaway car of the 60s, but not sure what its like on the twisty bits.
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1993 Fiat Panda Selecta 2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7DI van 2006 Mercedes Kompressor Evolution-S AMG SportCoupé
"You think you hate it now, wait til you drive it"
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Apr 15, 2016 22:26:07 GMT
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As a long term owner of a Triumph I may be biased but they do have a lot of potential. Lower, lighten, stiffen and tune, loads of options and they can be great fun. I recently drove a Rover P6B and reminded me how good a back road blaster my Triumph is, just limited by my driving skill....
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Apr 15, 2016 23:28:06 GMT
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Jaguar XJ6 S1?
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Click picture for more
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mikeymk
Part of things
'85 Polo Coupe S 1.6 16v
Posts: 931
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Introduced here in 1974 on an M-registration, that's whilst the MK1 Escort was still on sale, your mainstream family car didn't handle much better than one of these - The VW Golf.. And if the stock handling isn't good enough for you, the aftermarket caters for components that'll have your MK1 Golf handling better than most cars.. ever. If you're troubled by the 5th door, the Jetta answers that but for it being five years late - wasn't introduced until '79.
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Last Edit: Apr 16, 2016 9:17:48 GMT by mikeymk
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Apr 16, 2016 12:14:31 GMT
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Once described as THE best way to drive from A to B. BMW 2002. But I am a bit biased. Thought they were all 2 doors? They are/were. But that's just picking at straws.
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BMW 2002 Tii (in total rehab)
BMW 1602 (Also in rahab !!)
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Apr 16, 2016 16:07:47 GMT
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I vote for BMW E3. Great handling, brilliant visibility, four doors, howls like a wolf and goes like stink. Mine is a touch wallowy on its big fat tyres, but a more modern set of wheels and tyres would sort that out.
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tsoob
Part of things
Posts: 107
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Apr 16, 2016 20:25:36 GMT
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Peugeot 504's go good too. Handle well, but handle really well if the roads curse word.
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Apr 16, 2016 21:50:18 GMT
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What do you rate as the best 1960's or 1970s four door saloons for pushing on on the B roads, Italian cars with twin cam motors would probably be my preference except that they have all rusted away, fiats etc. What can be done with a triumph saloon? What about Fords? Any preferences? We have an abundance of empty country b roads out here (NZ) and would be great to have a manual car that works well in the bends. Double post..
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Last Edit: Apr 16, 2016 21:53:21 GMT by datsfun
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