Cars you didn't know existed...

[shakotan]

RizzoTheRat said:

MarkwG said:

You can drive them here from 16 if you qualify for a Personal Independence Payment. I also know of people who use them in built up areas in preference to two wheeled transport.

Some of the really small ones can be driven in cycle lanes and parked the pavements here, but apparently they're taking about stopping the pavement parking. Presumably the main advantage of them is ease of parking something that small in a busy city.
While looking for a picture I also came across this, the Mini Hummer

[Img]https://www.mangomobility.nl/media/catalog/product/cache/e4d64343b1bc593f1c5348fe05efa4a6/h/u/hummer-goed.jpg[/thumb]

I've seen one of those in London, electric only though.

[Elesmart]

1975 Volvo 66. The predecessor to the Volvo 340. I only found out about these this week:

[Fast Bug]

Mum had a few Dafs, they're as fast backwards as they are going forwards

[CanAm]

Fast Bug said:

Mum had a few Dafs, they're as fast backwards as they are going forwards

Is that as daft as it seems?

[Fast Bug]

CanAm said:

Fast Bug said:

Mum had a few Dafs, they're as fast backwards as they are going forwards

Is that as daft as it seems?

It's due to the gearbox, it's run by belts (which can break and make a hell of a racket when they do!)



When you select reverse it just runs the opposite was giving you the same gearing as you get going forwards.

[shakotan]

Elesmart said:

1975 Volvo 66. The predecessor to the Volvo 340. I only found out about these this week:

Do you know about the earlier Daf versions?

Very pretty cars.

Daf 55 coupe

[CanAm]

Fast Bug said:

CanAm said:

Fast Bug said:

Mum had a few Dafs, they're as fast backwards as they are going forwards

Is that as daf't as it seems?

It's due to the gearbox, it's run by belts (which can break and make a hell of a racket when they do!)



When you select reverse it just runs the opposite was giving you the same gearing as you get going forwards.

Maybe if I'd inserted an apostrophe the flippancy of my reply would have been a bit more obvious.

[T-195]

Elesmart said:

1975 Volvo 66. The predecessor to the Volvo 340. I only found out about these this week:

Luxury.

We had a 33 for some time.

[MikeT66]

Fast Bug said:

Mum had a few Dafs, they're as fast backwards as they are going forwards

Didn't these have some success in rallying? Pretty sure I used to see a few in various old motor sport magazines back in the day.

[LuS1fer]

MikeT66 said:

Didn't these have some success in rallying? Pretty sure I used to see a few in various old motor sport magazines back in the day.

Well they certainly marketed Rallye badged sporty versions.

[5lab]

the interesting thing about that gearbox is its actually 2 gearboxes, one per wheel, which means it effectively has all the advantages of a strong limited slip diff (100% of drive available even if one wheel is slipping) but none of the disadvantages (tendency to push towards understeer when not really pushing on).

The same gearbox drivetrain was in the original 343, but only later the 5 speed (which took up a lot less room) was introduced. When they started using larger engines they could no longer put the spare under the bonnet, so this went in the floor under the boot, where the large autobox had taken up room, thus the auto was only available with the 1.4.

[Fast Bug]

CanAm said:

Maybe if I'd inserted an apostrophe the flippancy of my reply would have been a bit more obvious.

I was just excited I could answer a technical question

MikeT66 said:

Didn't these have some success in rallying? Pretty sure I used to see a few in various old motor sport magazines back in the day.

Not just rallying



https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/99753/da...

[anonymous-user]

Not just a car, but an entire brand / marque I didn't know existed - Statesman:



Statesman DeVille



Statesman Caprice


I know they were built by Holden, but they weren't badged as Holdens at all.

[shakotan]

Fast Bug said:

Not just rallying



https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/99753/da...

Surely the best race series, taking advantage of their ability to travel backwards at speed, was the Dutch 'Reverse' Daf Racing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI7lJnJ1TCM

[BFleming]

Spumfry said:

Not just a car, but an entire brand / marque I didn't know existed - Statesman:

[Wildcat45]

Elesmart said:

1975 Volvo 66. The predecessor to the Volvo 340. I only found out about these this week:

My Dad liked gadgets and was sold on the CVT they had. He traded a fairly new VW for a red DAF 66 when I was small. Apparently it was great for city driving.

Perhaps a car ahead of its time?

[psi310398]

Wildcat45 said:

My Dad liked gadgets and was sold on the CVT they had. He traded a fairly new VW for a red DAF 66 when I was small. Apparently it was great for city driving.

Perhaps a car ahead of its time?

The sad thing is that I’ve not seen a Daf in the metal in the Netherlands for decades. Maybe I’m in the wrong places but I’ve covered a lot of ground there over the years.

[LuS1fer]

psi310398 said:

The sad thing is that I’ve not seen a Daf in the metal in the Netherlands for decades. Maybe I’m in the wrong places but I’ve covered a lot of ground there over the years.

There's a 55 or 66 Rallye Coupe locally here in Wales. Looks fab.

[havoc]

MikeT66 said:

Fast Bug said:

Mum had a few Dafs, they're as fast backwards as they are going forwards

Didn't these have some success in rallying? Pretty sure I used to see a few in various old motor sport magazines back in the day.

Were they going backwards or forwards?

[Wildcat45]

psi310398 said:

The sad thing is that I’ve not seen a Daf in the metal in the Netherlands for decades. Maybe I’m in the wrong places but I’ve covered a lot of ground there over the years.

I got the impression - albeit from the web - that they had a bit of a cult following in NL. That sad, I can't recal seeing any there.