What cars could be 'Singered'?
Discussion
LeoZwalf said:
Agoogy said:
Citreon DS
Oh $deity yes. LOVE those things so bad. But what would you do with it? Apart from the engine it is pretty much perfect, isn't it? Perhaps an all aluminium V6 tuned for low down grunt, coupled to some kind of modernish semi-auto gearbox (absolutely must remain controllable via the dainty shifter mounted on top of the steering column)... but what else could be done? All carbon fibre bodywork perhaps?
Some great suggestions. Also some good info on the cars and companies that do similar stuff.
Does anyone else go to the lengths that Singer do? I really don't know. I don't expect many, if any, to produce CF panels, but do they rust proof them?
I think the 2002 is my personal favourite suggestion. Such a bank of parts to shoehorn in from over the years
Does anyone else go to the lengths that Singer do? I really don't know. I don't expect many, if any, to produce CF panels, but do they rust proof them?
I think the 2002 is my personal favourite suggestion. Such a bank of parts to shoehorn in from over the years
PAUL500 said:
Needs to be an iconic car, fairly mass produced but now getting rare on the roads in the UK, and ideally still plentiful in dry climates for the supply of donor cars.
Original Range Rover?I really like the old RR & would love to see one with the latest interior / mechanical bits etc.
I think you'd have to do it to a car which is valuable enough to the point of it being viable to do, without it being detrimental to it's value to modify so the RR fits the bill whereas a Ford Cortina sadly wouldn't. A Countach or a Miura (or similar) are probably out on the basis they are worth more in original condition than they would be modified - as good as they would undoubtedly be.
J4CKO said:
vtecyo said:
aww999 said:
Mk1 Toyota MR2.
Lol.Original Skyline.
Toyota 2000GT.
Miura
List is very, very long.
To do a a Singer the base car needs to be capable, have scope for improvement, worth decent but not vast sums.
944 might be worth it
JonRB said:
LeoZwalf said:
Agoogy said:
Citreon DS
Oh $deity yes. LOVE those things so bad. But what would you do with it? Apart from the engine it is pretty much perfect, isn't it? Perhaps an all aluminium V6 tuned for low down grunt, coupled to some kind of modernish semi-auto gearbox (absolutely must remain controllable via the dainty shifter mounted on top of the steering column)... but what else could be done? All carbon fibre bodywork perhaps?
What engine and gearbox combination do you think would work in a modernised DS? I'm sticking with my lightweight V6 idea because a 4 cyl, although inkeeping with the original, is not smooth enough. Something in the back of my mind reminds me that a 4 cyl wasn't in the original design? We need a 150-180 bhp / minimum 200 lb-ft V6 petrol engine mated to a very very smooth automatic gearbox. Although a DSG style changer is more efficient (etc, blah), the waft and smooth slobbering change of a torque converter auto is what, IMO, the DS needs.
But again - what else would you change? Perhaps modern HID headlights? LED lights on the rear would look naff. Suspension is to be left untouched. Wheels? Braking? Somehow modernise the interior, but how?
threespires said:
Some silly ones people came up with in the pub earlier :-
Instead of an MR2 with 355 body kit, build a 355 with MR2 body kit....
A Boxster with Subaru WRX engine to ensure reliability.....
240z with GTR power & running gear....
Daimler SP250 with Majestic Major power & running gear....
928 with Ferrari California power & running gear....
Austin Allegro Estate with Honda VTEC & s/charger power & 4wd running gear....
Triumph TR6 with BMW 6cyl power & running gear....
Alvis 3 litre with BMW V10 power & running gear....
etc...
A Ferrari MR2 replica would be brilliant; imagine turning up to a Ferrari meet in one Instead of an MR2 with 355 body kit, build a 355 with MR2 body kit....
A Boxster with Subaru WRX engine to ensure reliability.....
240z with GTR power & running gear....
Daimler SP250 with Majestic Major power & running gear....
928 with Ferrari California power & running gear....
Austin Allegro Estate with Honda VTEC & s/charger power & 4wd running gear....
Triumph TR6 with BMW 6cyl power & running gear....
Alvis 3 litre with BMW V10 power & running gear....
etc...
Ideally go for the mk1 MR2 with its straight-line styling.
What's the ideal donor - a 308?
You need a car which has lived long enough to pick and choose your parts from, because the Singer treatment isn't just a resto mode, it's a resto mode using parts made by the original manufacturer, looking like the original manufacturer might have done it.. There's also a degree of taking something that wasn't actually that good in the first place, such as an early 911 and using later parts from when it was better to make a good car that looks like the early not so good one. It's also hanging off the back of an existing scene.
That narrows it down to very few cars.
May I humbly suggest:
Air cooled Beetle. OK these are so overplayed, and later ones were just as crap as old ones, but they kicked this whole thing off.
Volvo 240. Some people go nuts over these. Can't see why, but they do fit the brief.
British Leyland/Austin Rover is chock full of mediocre cars that showed promise but stayed in production too long:
Mini. An obvious candidate. One day I plan to make the perfect resto mod Mini.
MGB - especially in GT form, there's a car which could be much better if people stopped trying to make it original and just cleaned it up a bit and made it work properly.
Morris Marina. Think about it. In many ways it fits the bill perfectly. Especially if you shove Rover 800 Turbo power in one!
Triumph Spitfire. Imagine one with TR8 or Stag power.
Jaguar XJ6. I've seen a couple of Series 1s with XJ40 parts. That's a good thing to do with a knackered 2.8.
That narrows it down to very few cars.
May I humbly suggest:
Air cooled Beetle. OK these are so overplayed, and later ones were just as crap as old ones, but they kicked this whole thing off.
Volvo 240. Some people go nuts over these. Can't see why, but they do fit the brief.
British Leyland/Austin Rover is chock full of mediocre cars that showed promise but stayed in production too long:
Mini. An obvious candidate. One day I plan to make the perfect resto mod Mini.
MGB - especially in GT form, there's a car which could be much better if people stopped trying to make it original and just cleaned it up a bit and made it work properly.
Morris Marina. Think about it. In many ways it fits the bill perfectly. Especially if you shove Rover 800 Turbo power in one!
Triumph Spitfire. Imagine one with TR8 or Stag power.
Jaguar XJ6. I've seen a couple of Series 1s with XJ40 parts. That's a good thing to do with a knackered 2.8.
LeoZwalf said:
JonRB said:
LeoZwalf said:
Agoogy said:
Citreon DS
Oh $deity yes. LOVE those things so bad. But what would you do with it? Apart from the engine it is pretty much perfect, isn't it? Perhaps an all aluminium V6 tuned for low down grunt, coupled to some kind of modernish semi-auto gearbox (absolutely must remain controllable via the dainty shifter mounted on top of the steering column)... but what else could be done? All carbon fibre bodywork perhaps?What engine and gearbox combination do you think would work in a modernised DS? I'm sticking with my lightweight V6 idea because a 4 cyl, although inkeeping with the original, is not smooth enough. Something in the back of my mind reminds me that a 4 cyl wasn't in the original design? We need a 150-180 bhp / minimum 200 lb-ft V6 petrol engine mated to a very very smooth automatic gearbox. Although a DSG style changer is more efficient (etc, blah), the waft and smooth slobbering change of a torque converter auto is what, IMO, the DS needs.
But again - what else would you change? Perhaps modern HID headlights? LED lights on the rear would look naff. Suspension is to be left untouched. Wheels? Braking? Somehow modernise the interior, but how?
londonbabe said:
MGB - especially in GT form, there's a car which could be much better if people stopped trying to make it original and just cleaned it up a bit and made it work properly.
Like these, you mean?Frontline Developments MGB Abingdon Edition
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...
Frontline Developments MG LE50
http://www.pistonheads.com/roadtests/doc.asp?c=138...
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mg-motor/first...
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/frontline-MGB-2...
Edited by JonRB on Saturday 13th December 10:42
Strawman said:
Agoogy said:
Rover SD1
I've seen a twin turbo engine build of one of these recently almost completed, it had a TVR engine in before and was featured in Retro rides magazine. Sounds crazy fast now but looks standard vitesse.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff