Scimitar 5a for 9k?
Discussion
Nincompoop said:
Versatile sporting estate? Snow?
Dear old Dusty; I loved her so. One of the toppermost cars I've ever owned, back in the days when you could still get one with 12 months Mot in reasonable nick for £600.
Mine was bloody wonderful when the electrics worked, which wasn't always, and it was superb in the snow, on ts tall 185 full profile tyres and excellent balance and a foot of throttle travel. It cost me more than I could sensibly afford to run, but I ran it anyway, and economised on food. Insurance was not easy as a freelance journalist in his 20s keeping it on-street in north London (though this was the mid 80s and at least the rent was affordable then). My girlfriend thought it was hilarious and eccentric and unreliable, and said it was just like me. She bought me a copy of Money by Martin Amis and stuck a label inside the windscreen christening it the Powerful Fiasco, after the narrator's car in that book.Dear old Dusty; I loved her so. One of the toppermost cars I've ever owned, back in the days when you could still get one with 12 months Mot in reasonable nick for £600.
Of all the cars I've had it may not have been the objective best by any means but it was the one with which I bonded hardest. Eventually I had to sell it because I couldn't afford the proper upkeep any more and I had a client go bust owing me a lot of money. I was utterly heartbroken that day.
It was a green manual/OD 5a, with a lovely tan interior, one of the last with the more sensible gear ratios, first registered in 1975. I miss it to this day, and it's been 30 years since I said goodbye.
Lowtimer said:
Nincompoop said:
Versatile sporting estate? Snow?
Dear old Dusty; I loved her so. One of the toppermost cars I've ever owned, back in the days when you could still get one with 12 months Mot in reasonable nick for £600.
Mine was bloody wonderful when the electrics worked, which wasn't always, and it was superb in the snow, on ts tall 185 full profile tyres and excellent balance and a foot of throttle travel. It cost me more than I could sensibly afford to run, but I ran it anyway, and economised on food. Insurance was not easy as a freelance journalist in his 20s keeping it on-street in north London (though this was the mid 80s and at least the rent was affordable then). My girlfriend thought it was hilarious and eccentric and unreliable, and said it was just like me. She bought me a copy of Money by Martin Amis and stuck a label inside the windscreen christening it the Powerful Fiasco, after the narrator's car in that book.Dear old Dusty; I loved her so. One of the toppermost cars I've ever owned, back in the days when you could still get one with 12 months Mot in reasonable nick for £600.
Of all the cars I've had it may not have been the objective best by any means but it was the one with which I bonded hardest. Eventually I had to sell it because I couldn't afford the proper upkeep any more and I had a client go bust owing me a lot of money. I was utterly heartbroken that day.
It was a green manual/OD 5a, with a lovely tan interior, one of the last with the more sensible gear ratios, first registered in 1975. I miss it to this day, and it's been 30 years since I said goodbye.
tmeter" - just one of the reasons we are no longer together! I, too, was a jobbing journo during my ownership of the Resin Rocket (my own favoured term of endearment), and it was an entirely unnecessary windscreen replacement for a magazine feature that took mine off the road: upon removing the screen and trim I discovered that the A posts were attached to the car by Isopon and silicone only, previous accident damage having been covered carefully by a previous owner.
£9k does seem a bit high. If it had perfect paintwork then I could see that £9K might be a good purchase considering the costs of a respray. I am wondering if some of the bid price was down to the registration number? Nothing springs to mind to make it a particularly desirable registration though. Don't think the wire wheels suit the car either.
I would be moving the wires on, tbh. Mine had steelies and some silver GRP wheel trims that I rather liked. The optional part-alloy wheels has a reputation for being hard to balance and not particularly circular, ISTR. What I really wanted, and would have on my fantasy SE5a today, is a nice set of Minilites.
citizensm1th said:
I bet you lot don't know that princess anne had/has one of those
Yep, we did: http://www.sporting-reliants.com/Famous%20Owners.h...She was in a Scimitar when nicked for speeding by Derbyshire Constabulary in 1976
Lowtimer said:
...My girlfriend thought it was hilarious and eccentric and unreliable, and said it was just like me. She bought me a copy of Money by Martin Amis and stuck a label inside the windscreen christening it the Powerful Fiasco, after the narrator's car in that book....
Another Martin Amis character has a car called a Mark III Violator. I used to think of that back when I had a Jensen and was alleged to be keen on blondes. Hope it comes up shiny. I would heartily recommend getting the wheels off as an early priority, treating them to a good dose of sceptical inquiry, possibly verging on suspicion, until proven innocent. They are assembed from separate light alloy and steel components, which makes them candidates for some interesting corrosion possibilities. My understanding is that they are not readily refurbishable without fairly advanced engineering endeavours, but I never had to find out for myself.
You will however be relieved to learn that while they strongly resemble MGB V8 wheels, they are in fact different.
You will however be relieved to learn that while they strongly resemble MGB V8 wheels, they are in fact different.
The sooner we get rid of the royal family the better IMO. Nothing but thieves and scroungers who parasite off of everyone. And they're not even British (the Saxe Coburg's remember). And don't say they bring in tourism lol. Get rid of the monarchy and those other thieves the banking family Rothschild's and society would be a better place
.
Back to our beloved Scimitars, but its a pity they are somewhat superseded in value by other, more mundane motors going back only to the 80d and 90s. Im seeing plenty of "rubbish" runabout stuff like a Austin Montegos, Rover Metros, Rovers and Nissan Micra's on eBay and other classic sites for around 2-3 grand, more than what the average roadworthy GTE Scimitar would sell for. A rusty, albeit low-ish mileage, 2 owners from new Rover Metro for sale at 2 grand over a Scimitar?. I suspect the lure of these "time warp" motors is the low mileage and low ownership. My brother got rid of his cherished 1992 Nissan Micra about 2 years ago, absolutely loved it to bits, but my gran didn't want it looking an eyesore in her garden, and besides he had no room to put it as he'd got another car. He wanted to keep it to repair, but it had to go to the breakers yard. The thought of flogging it on eBay for something daft like some people try to sell cars of this type for just wasn't worth it as he probably wouldve got about £50 for it, if that.
.Back to our beloved Scimitars, but its a pity they are somewhat superseded in value by other, more mundane motors going back only to the 80d and 90s. Im seeing plenty of "rubbish" runabout stuff like a Austin Montegos, Rover Metros, Rovers and Nissan Micra's on eBay and other classic sites for around 2-3 grand, more than what the average roadworthy GTE Scimitar would sell for. A rusty, albeit low-ish mileage, 2 owners from new Rover Metro for sale at 2 grand over a Scimitar?. I suspect the lure of these "time warp" motors is the low mileage and low ownership. My brother got rid of his cherished 1992 Nissan Micra about 2 years ago, absolutely loved it to bits, but my gran didn't want it looking an eyesore in her garden, and besides he had no room to put it as he'd got another car. He wanted to keep it to repair, but it had to go to the breakers yard. The thought of flogging it on eBay for something daft like some people try to sell cars of this type for just wasn't worth it as he probably wouldve got about £50 for it, if that.
Edited by Jukebag on Monday 11th June 17:24
We got an SE6 as the practical car when our eldest daughter was born. We (or rather, I) fastened a Britax baby seat to the weird folding rear seats with loadstraps. My memories are these. One – it was always overheating – IIRC this was a design flaw in the SE6. Two – contrary to the comment above I found it horrifying in snow, but mine was automatic. Three, it was built like a plastic tank and survived two fairly heavy collisions with nothing more than cosmetic damage. I sold it to a guy in that band Stomp! that banged dustbins, and replaced it with a new-ish Sierra Sapphire. Last time I checked the SE6 was still around, but the Sierra is long gone.
I thought it had a strange sort of character, feeling simultaneously fragile and indestructible. Odd.
The other thing I just remembered is that we discovered that, for a while, a tramp had been sleeping in it overnight.
I thought it had a strange sort of character, feeling simultaneously fragile and indestructible. Odd.
The other thing I just remembered is that we discovered that, for a while, a tramp had been sleeping in it overnight.
Yertis said:
...The other thing I just remembered is that we discovered that, for a while, a tramp had been sleeping in it overnight.
I always think that enhances a car. My ex wife's Mk 1 Nissan Micra (fantastic car, no, really!) was home to a local Stinky Pete on and off for a season or so. Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff