Cars you didn't know existed...

[Slow]

RicksAlfas said:

Fast Bug said:

Balmoral said:

That's a pretty poor power output, blown or unblown, even for the day.

Was that strangled by all of the smog gear though? That's around the time of the small block Chevy with 150 bhp

Yes. US spec engines were terrible for that.

A Euro spec Fiat Twin Cam 1.8 was about 115bhp - without a turbo.

Mum has a 1981 vette, 5.7L engine - couldnt scare you in a straight line if it tried. The smog rules just destroyed them.

[Jimmy Recard]

TIGA84 said:

Bloke that painted my house a few years back had one.

I never knew they existed either.

I knew someone who got one cheap when they went out of production and made a camper. He still regrets being a cheapskate then and not using a different vehicle in the first place

ETA - I've seen his and could swear it was badged as Vivaro. I'll ask him when I see him

Edited by Jimmy Recard on Tuesday 21st March 13:28

[Balmoral]

RicksAlfas said:

Fast Bug said:

Balmoral said:

That's a pretty poor power output, blown or unblown, even for the day.

Was that strangled by all of the smog gear though? That's around the time of the small block Chevy with 150 bhp

Yes. US spec engines were terrible for that.

A Euro spec Fiat Twin Cam 1.8 was about 115bhp - without a turbo.

I knew that smog regs would be responsible, but even so, that's a huge difference.

[LuS1fer]

Balmoral said:

I knew that smog regs would be responsible, but even so, that's a huge difference.

People forget that because Yank cars had to run on unleaded fuel from the early 70s, with a catalytic converter and EGC, their compression ratios were dropped significantly. Hence why you had 5.0 and 5.7 litre cars with as little as 140hp. Torque was good though but then torque is cheap...

Nowadays, we've never had it so good.

[Fastchas]

Saw one of these today, I thought the owner jacked it up himself. Kind of equivalent to the A4 Allroad I guess?
Saab 93X

[Blanchimont]

Saw one of these the other day, it certainly made me look twice
Fiat Fullback

[rohrl]

That's a rebadged L200 isn't it?

[Fast Bug]

Yup, I posted it waaaaaaaay back after hearing an advert on the radio and not having a clue what it was!

[rodericb]

Here is something you would probably not see on your local roads and might fall into the unknown 'Chinese' car brand pile...



The first car designed and manufactured in Taiwan. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxgen_S5

[Resolutionary]

I'm probably late to the party - but I was watching some Nurburgring videos yesterday and one of these made itself known:



It's a Sin R1, from Bulgaria - has a V8, and looks pretty mental. I quite like it

[bobclayton]

rodericb said:

Here is something you would probably not see on your local roads and might fall into the unknown 'Chinese' car brand pile...



The first car designed and manufactured in Taiwan. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxgen_S5

A Peugeot 308 and some tracing paper?

[rohrl]

Resolutionary said:

I'm probably late to the party - but I was watching some Nurburgring videos yesterday and one of these made itself known:



It's a Sin R1, from Bulgaria - has a V8, and looks pretty mental. I quite like it

The Pet Shop Boys wrote a song about that car way back in 1987.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRHetRTOD1Q

[243]

Saw one of these on a 'young timers' German Instagram post. Never knew they existed.

[GeordieInExile]

bobclayton said:

A Peugeot 308 and some tracing paper?

And Megane front lights!

[talksthetorque]

243 said:

Saw one of these on a 'young timers' German Instagram post. Never knew they existed.

I want to know how they extended the hatch's bodyshell to gain some extra loadspace.

Anyone?

[McAndy]

Another one for a "lost in translation" thread.

[StescoG66]

talksthetorque said:

243 said:

Saw one of these on a 'young timers' German Instagram post. Never knew they existed.

I want to know how they extended the hatch's bodyshell to gain some extra loadspace.

Anyone?

These used to be everywhere in Italy. The phone and electricity companies ran them (SIP and ENEL)

[soxboy]

talksthetorque said:

243 said:

Saw one of these on a 'young timers' German Instagram post. Never knew they existed.

I want to know how they extended the hatch's bodyshell to gain some extra loadspace.

Anyone?

They just replaced the tailgate with a big plastic box, with a pair of doors on the back. I don't recall these being sold in the UK, I wonder if the blue one is one someone has converted?
(I feel a whoosh parrot may be coming my way though.....)

[McAndy]

And quickly.

[Hugh Jarse]

talksthetorque said:

I want to know how they extended the hatch's bodyshell to gain some extra loadspace.
Anyone?

Agree it was hilariously amateurish.
Can fit in a few extra dairylea triangles and thats about it.