Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 10]

[brickwall]

sleepera6 said:

Forgive me, not strictly a barge,
1999 Voyager 3.3.
109,000 miles, smooth 'Murican 3.3 V6 and comfy leather armchairs? Can't go much worse for £550... and very practical once you chuck out the back seats!


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Edited by sleepera6 on Friday 21st October 22:59

Wasn't this the model that famously did absolutely terribly in the EuroNCAP crash test?

[Jimmy Recard]

Pothole said:

bob-lad said:

Pothole said:

Try this one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ8/201692585756?...

Like the colours. Needs proper wheels though.

Ad said:

LEEK ON ONE ROCKER COVER

I'm sure if you removed the veg from the engine it may resolve its woes

Broccoli up the exhaust?

That's a turnip for the books

[Jimmy Recard]

TheLordJohn said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I don't think the auto gearboxes in the barges from the sort of vintage favoured here are particularly weak though, are they? I can see people not liking them, but not trusting them - especially if you're as handy with spanners as you seem to be - seems a little strange I'd have thought.

It's just a stigma I have with them.
My E34 is an auto, but only because I needed an estate to move house 2500 miles with and it popped up locally.
Given the choice, I'd have a manual version of it.

I was having a thought about older auto gearboxes the other day. I drive a Discovery 4 day to day with the 8 speed auto. I drove an 03 plate Discovery 2 V8 with the 4 speed auto last weekend and I couldn't believe how much more smooth the changes were. No doubt it's less efficient but it felt nice

[Parisien]

Lowtimer said:

Yes, the C126 door handles are inexplicably rubbish. I can only assume that was like some medieval artists who would introduce a deliberate tiny error into their paintings or sculptures on the grounds that to consider yourself capable of perfection was deemed an insult to God.

Strela's wondrous thread is on the restoration of his R107 -
Before -


After -


It is one of the finest & most discursive pieces of textual timewasting available on today's electronic media.

The whole thing starts here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I made a calm and principled comparison of the C126 with the 1970 Dodge Charger at the top of page 15, though to understand way you really need to pick it up from page 14 here...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Thanks for that, will spend time catching up!


P

[Jimmy Recard]

brickwall said:

Wasn't this the model that famously did absolutely terribly in the EuroNCAP crash test?

I wouldn't know about that but in about 1998 or 1999 I sat in the back of one for a trip from Birmingham to Asti. It was comfortable

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Croutons said:

This W126 looks nice at 2250,

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C767194

I like that. Good price too.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Bonefish Blues said:

0a said:

The only tiny bad thing are the door handles. Practical, from what I remember, but a bit ugly. Other than that the SEC is wonderful.

Although in extremis the car could be lifted using them, I guess

I read recently that they are designed to prevent dirt sticking-to and building-up on the door handles.

Whether you believe that or not, and whether it works or not, is largely irrelevant I suppose, but like all of MB's ideas, you can bet your bottom dollar that it was designed and discussed to death before sign-off so it's a deliberate and conscious design feature. I'm growing to like them.

[namealreadytaken]

Someone got a bargain!

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282220796312

Wish I could have got down there for a look, hate working all the time and had balls big enough to buy a car unseen on ebay !

[Jimmy Recard]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I read recently that they are designed to prevent dirt sticking-to and building-up on the door handles.

Whether you believe that or not, and whether it works or not, is largely irrelevant I suppose, but like all of MB's ideas, you can bet your bottom dollar that it was designed and discussed to death before sign-off so it's a deliberate and conscious design feature. I'm growing to like them.

If nothing else, Mercedes was a ruthlessly practical company in the 1980s

[r129sl]

Parisien said:

r129sl said:

cornershop said:

dscam said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I'll stop picture whoring here I promise, but as my Romanian friends have done such a cracking job cleaning the old girl for 15 quid, I thought the least I could do was flash up a couple more.

I always think the 3/4 shot of an SEC really captures what a great looking car it is. Envious of such a fine purchase as they are certainly becoming thin on the ground and rising in value which will inevitably put one beyond my reach when the planets align otherwise.

Enjoy!

Agreed on the 3/4 point, my fave too. I also have a c124 which I thought initially was better proportioned but having owned both for several months, I'm in the c126 camp for 3/4 over the shoulder glances!

LT posted this stunning ¾ view in Strela's epic. But the truth is, there isn't a bad angle on the SEC:

Have to agree, they got it right in so many ways, link to Strela epic mentioned?

P

I used to like parking my SEC side by side with my estate car beneath the office window. The SEC was significantly bigger than the 124 and it was obvious in plan. Such an extravagant car!

[0a]

Another item in the 0a list of things he has discussed and purchased previously but not used - rainX kit applied. I could never make it as a car detailer. I do not have the temperament for the clay bar.

[r129sl]

You're obviously too sane, Alec. Detailing is mental therapy for me.

[0a]

A windscreen was agony for me, though I can see the benefit. I also did one side of the grill as it is tatty and I fancied seeing what happened. Impressive but don't think I can be bothered to do the other side!

Edited by 0a on Saturday 22 October 17:06

[CharlesdeGaulle]

0a said:

Another item in the 0a list of things he has discussed and purchased previously but not used - rainX kit applied. I could never make it as a car detailer. I do not have the temperament for the clay bar.

I used that GTecniq rain repellant stuff on a couple of cars, but found it utterly tedious to do. Life's too short!

[Krikkit]

I used the Gtechniq wheel armour and I honestly can't tell the difference.

That said, I quite like having a well-polished car once in a while, but I'm far far too lazy to worry about keeping them perfect. They're lucky to get washed once every couple of weeks!

[anonymous-user]

brickwall said:

sleepera6 said:

Forgive me, not strictly a barge,
1999 Voyager 3.3.
109,000 miles, smooth 'Murican 3.3 V6 and comfy leather armchairs? Can't go much worse for £550... and very practical once you chuck out the back seats!


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 21st October 22:59

Wasn't this the model that famously did absolutely terribly in the EuroNCAP crash test?

Yes. It scored zero.

[W00DY]

The SEC does look awesome. I do agree about a few details just keeping it from perfection. I'd love to a Euro focussed overhauling where the end result just looked to most people like a standard restoration, but with all the little bits 'fixed'.





http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1987-LANCIA-THEMA-8-32-/...

Glorious.

[0a]

They were pretty comfortable pre-crash though!

I do rather like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-CONDITION-1982-...





Not quite sure about the ad though.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

0a said:

They were pretty comfortable pre-crash though!

I do rather like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-CONDITION-1982-...




Not quite sure about the ad though.

The ad's a shocker. I like the colour of the interior, but the seat backs look a different shade to the bases.

[Krikkit]

Nuking the budget somewhat, but an armoured W123 for the nervous bargista looks rather smashing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232118585125


ETA: Particularly like this quote from the ad:

Ad said:

there are few panel dents in the rear door and fender difficult to repair as a 10mm plate inside the panel makes it hard for the dent man

Edited by Krikkit on Saturday 22 October 19:04