The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T (Vol XVII)

[rejn]

TheRocket said:

Great post Leins and a good read, aged 13 I managed to convince the old man to buy a new Moonstone blue Sierra RS I remember being firmly in the 'Cossie' camp but the M3 has huge appeal these days. What's amazing is looking at the performance figures 0-100mph, both closer to 20 seconds than I would ever have imagined, 30 years later and people are moaning that the latest Focus RS may or may not dip sub 10 seconds to 100, it just goes to show how modern stuff is all about numbers because back in the day the Cosworth felt quick to me, rose tinted specs and all that I guess, but then not sure how long it was in standard spec for

Recent posting has prompted me to have a quick look to see what mags I have left. Sadly not many (excluding Evo's and others I had forgotten I had hidden many years ago ) but I did find these 2 old favourites which I'll be reading again, no doubt the 'Car' one has featured on this thread many times before.

Wow! Both big favourites of mine too. Just seeing the front covers brings back memories. I used to buy PC every month and only bought Car she there was something special in it.

I'm pretty sure I've read recently that Pagani did the carbon on the Countach.

Such blasts from the past: Rowan Atkinson and the AM and later the MG SV... A healthy bit of nostalgia going on now. Shelves coincidentally ordered for all the magazines today. Looks like an 8 week lead time. Seems odd as they're nothing special. I might post up before and after photos!! (Sad)

[rejn]

Oh - and in the m3 versus Sierra arguments I was always in favour of the Rover SD1.

I Had a blast up a road against a Cosworth. I couldn't believe it when it started to pull away!!!

[L100NYY]

A tweaked Vitesse would make a great trackday toy

[Diesel Meister]

rejn said:

Wow! Both big favourites of mine too. Just seeing the front covers brings back memories. I used to buy PC every month and only bought Car she there was something special in it.

I'm pretty sure I've read recently that Pagani did the carbon on the Countach.

Such blasts from the past: Rowan Atkinson and the AM and later the MG SV... A healthy bit of nostalgia going on now. Shelves coincidentally ordered for all the magazines today. Looks like an 8 week lead time. Seems odd as they're nothing special. I might post up before and after photos!! (Sad)

Amen. Looking forward to picture of those shelves as I'll be setting some up for my (admittedly patchy!) collection. I have at least two book cases worth of Evo, Car (back as far as the 80s plus at least one dated 1979!), PC, Fastlane (only a couple of issues I fear!) plus assorted others (marque specifics and one-offs).

And much as I love the Cossie and the E30 M3, another vote for the SD1. Mates dad (a driving instructor no less!) had one as his personal wheel and I always thought it ridiculously, woofly (boom-boom!) cool. Especially compared with the tiny, pale metallic green Datsun (festooned with L plates and dual controls) that was with DD

Didn't Rowan write in Evo about the MG as well? I always found his musings replete with wit, humour and insight that matched the best muttering rotters. A smart man with nice taste and genuine enthusiasm in cars

[s m]

rejn said:

Oh - and in the m3 versus Sierra arguments I was always in favour of the Rover SD1.

I Had a blast up a road against a Cosworth. I couldn't believe it when it started to pull away!!!

Vitesse vs 635CSi vs Cosworth?

Let's run that past the Touring Car pilots





Back in the day when 130mph seemed amazing for £6000! Monza or Vitesse or 528i

[s m]

Diesel Meister said:

Amen. Looking forward to picture of those shelves as I'll be setting some up for my (admittedly patchy!) collection.

I need more shelves

Loads of mags from the early 80s when I started driving. Good days for mags back then, CAR in full flow and the start of FAST LANE and PERFORMANCE CAR ( morphed from HOT CAR ) within months of each other

[Diesel Meister]

It was a golden age and I was impatient to get my ticket to ride! I spent many happy years working my way through the old man's back catalogue / recent acquisitions. By the time I was in my teens, we were dividing up the purchases perfectly between us and there was always a mag or two ready to read once the current one (or not so current one) had been duly thumbed through.

And by the gods, I remember Hot Car as well

[s m]

Diesel Meister said:

It was a golden age and I was impatient to get my ticket to ride! I spent many happy years working my way through the old man's back catalogue / recent acquisitions. By the time I was in my teens, we were dividing up the purchases perfectly between us and there was always a mag or two ready to read once the current one (or not so current one) had been duly thumbed through.

And by the gods, I remember Hot Car as well

Yes, plus AUTOCAR and MOTOR were separate, MOTOR covering some of the quirkier new stuff back then

Edited by s m on Monday 23 May 23:25

[richtea78]

My dad doesn't care about cars at all

I grew up reading Max Power as a result

[s m]

L100NYY said:

A tweaked Vitesse would make a great trackday toy

Often a nice burbly one at the local gym

[Diesel Meister]

s m said:

Yes, plus AUTOCAR and MOTOR were separate, MOTOR covering some of the quirkier new stuff back then

Edited by s m on Monday 23 May 23:25

Extra beard points for that. I also remember period where they combined and shared name before dropping the "Motor" from the title. Quite a few drastic layout / design changes during that period. I was sceptical of the stapled version of Autocar at first - proper teenage luddite I was! Bulgin (RIP) did a fair stint writing a column and articles for them as well - most entertaining (seem to recall a Sharan VR6 long termer that he enjoyed, plus a masterfully original review of the E36 M3 Evo - really stuck with me). Have always had a soft spot for Croppers and Sutcliffe as well (among others!).

/ wanders off to dig out his remaining magazines and realises there are fewer than he'd like...

Anyway, great posting as usual chaps. Enjoying the Box but may have a slight issue. More after pretending to sleep / work / be useful...

[rejn]

s m said:

L100NYY said:

A tweaked Vitesse would make a great trackday toy

Often a nice burbly one at the local gym

Gosh I really want one. I've been keeping my eye out, but haven't spotted a good one for sale for a while...

My Caterham plan isn't going well with Mrs Rejn...

ETA

Oh...

Edited by rejn on Tuesday 24th May 07:58

[s m]

rejn said:

Gosh I really want one. I've been keeping my eye out, but haven't spotted a good one for sale for a while...

My Caterham plan isn't going well with Mrs Rejn...

ETA

Oh...

Edited by rejn on Tuesday 24th May 07:58

Tying in nicely with the old car mags like Autocar and want for a Vitesse themes.......

Who remembers when Autocar splashed out on a 20 year long termer for Fast Fleet

Rover-tinted spectacles.....

[rejn]

s m said:

great stuff about:
Rover-tinted spectacles.....

That Sutcliffe quote is exactly how I feel. Aged 17 and just passed my test and dad put me on the insurance for our manual 3500SE. I remember so clearly one night time journey from Stamford to Deeping - Bon Jovi on the stereo and feeling like a driving God.

[s m]

rejn said:

That Sutcliffe quote is exactly how I feel. Aged 17 and just passed my test and dad put me on the insurance for our manual 3500SE. I remember so clearly one night time journey from Stamford to Deeping - Bon Jovi on the stereo and feeling like a driving God.

Sadly, the Autocar project didn't last long before the keeper Roverdosed








Still on the mag theme, as I recall, the now editor of the recently launched "Modern Classics" mag took on the Vitesse from them.

[rejn]

s m said:

rejn said:

That Sutcliffe quote is exactly how I feel. Aged 17 and just passed my test and dad put me on the insurance for our manual 3500SE. I remember so clearly one night time journey from Stamford to Deeping - Bon Jovi on the stereo and feeling like a driving God.

Sadly, the Autocar project didn't last long before the keeper Roverdosed








Still on the mag theme, as I recall, the now editor of the recently launched "Modern Classics" mag took on the Vitesse from them.

Seems a bit OTT - man buys old car with known brake problem and it needs £500 of brake parts? Hardly a shocking outcome!

ETA: and he paid just £750 for a twin plenum example - wow!

[ferrisbueller]

s m said:

Yes, plus AUTOCAR and MOTOR were separate, MOTOR covering some of the quirkier new stuff back then

As a Motor buyer, the merge with Autocar caused quite the upheaval. The awkward double title lasted about as long as its maker's thought necessary to sate those making the change and so two different magazines with varying approaches and content became one and the bd child somehow didn't amount to the sum of its parts.

Not that it's like Haymarket to get hold of something and fk it up, is it?

Oh, wait........

[Diesel Meister]

[Leins]

Great posting folks. It was always PC for me back then, but I do have a few Autocars and Motors (and Autocar & Motors!) lurking about somewhere in the attic of the old family home. Think the earliest I have is about '87, with a Quattro vs Integrale battle in the snow. I feel a bit of a shelving project coming down the tracks too actually

I wish I'd kept my Autocars from the early '00s - Goodwin, Sutcliffe, Harris, etc. Very sad what's happened it in recent years

[Diesel Meister]

Leins said:

Great posting folks. It was always PC for me back then, but I do have a few Autocars and Motors (and Autocar & Motors!) lurking about somewhere in the attic of the old family home. Think the earliest I have is about '87, with a Quattro vs Integrale battle in the snow. I feel a bit of a shelving project coming down the tracks too actually

I wish I'd kept my Autocars from the early '00s - Goodwin, Sutcliffe, Harris, etc. Very sad what's happened it in recent years

Col Goodwin was always hilarious. Loved his 427 Elk and the purchase story was brilliant (trip to the states, with coast to coast drive!). Lots of time for Andrew Frankel too (still scribing for Motorsport I believe, not sure about other titles).