Talbot Rancho - talk to me!

[entropy]

Pardon my ignorance but as a kid in the 80s I had a Matchbox toy of this and thought they were cool cars at the time.

What where they like in real life?

[Don1]

Terrible, IIRC there is one left in the UK.

[LotusOmega375D]

The original soft-roader. I always liked the separate spot lamps: very SAS. Other than that I think it was more off road style than substance (2WD?)

The name also reminds me of one of my favourite crisps of the era.

[LuS1fer]

I believe 2WD, Simca 1302/1502 clattery underpinnings. Looked crap even back then IMHO.

[McSwerve II]

entropy said:

Pardon my ignorance but as a kid in the 80s I had a Matchbox toy of this and thought they were cool cars at the time.

I had one too!

Likewise, I thought they were good at the time.
Probably still the the loft at my parents.

[Fittster]

There's one in going very rusty in a front garden near me.

The early '80s Range Rover evoque?

[mightymouse]

Think I have said before I used to own one bought used .
Having said that, for what it was it was pretty good IMO.
First of the 7 seaters brigade at the time.
Ok, so it had Simca underpinnings and the 1500 engine didn't sparkle but as a kiddy lugger around it was brilliant
BFJ 300Y where are you now ??

[900T-R]

LuS1fer said:

I believe 2WD, Simca 1302/1502 clattery underpinnings. Looked crap even back then IMHO.

In fact, it was a pimped Simca 1100 Fourgonette (van) with a slightly bigger engine from the 1307/08 range.

But then again the 1307/08 (ECOTY 1976, mind!) was little more than a stretched 1100 (AD 1967) underneath...

[Scuffers]

Pobably the first 7seater deathtrap...

[toppstuff]

Considering this car came out in 1977 - it is surprising now how it seems to have been copied in spirit and ethos by so many car makers some 30 years later !

[cptsideways]

The Mk1 LR Discovery design was almost an exact copy (if it was'nt for the Transit headlights & Maestro van Tail lights) It was the Skoda Yeti of its day, I still think people would buy it today going by the looks alone


My neighbours had one & I remember going to school in it a few times. It was like the tardise

[cptsideways]

Mk1 Discovery


Freelander

[hidetheelephants]

If the above hasn't disuaded you, learn how to weld before buying; Simcas rusted to olympic standard even before they had the funny box thing grafted on. Despite Matra having a sideline in missiles and other exploding military hardware they were abominable at rustproofing; I imagine if Renault hadn't made most of the Espace Mk1 out of plastic they would have rusted horrifically as well.

[furrywoolyhatuk]

Add me to the owner of the matchbox version in the 80's. Had that and rally livery saab (of some description) kept entertained for hours. Completely forgot about that till I saw the picture

[barky]

Scuffers said:

Pobably the first 7seater deathtrap...

was a 4 seater with rear facing back seats if I remember right