What came before the reliant Robin?
Discussion
amazing looking old thing on ebay, the Reliant Regal just look at that interior!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1959-RELIANT-REGAL-MARK-...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1959-RELIANT-REGAL-MARK-...
hedges88 said:
...what must the noise and vibration have been like???
It was legendary. Conversation was impossible above 50; actually, they were so frightening at 50 that I think I was dumb with fear as well as deafened! (Bro-in-Law had several of the things in the 1960s)Shame really, because they weighed as much as a sheet of toilet-paper and had a pokey little all-alloy motor which made them bloody quick off the mark - quicker than most saloon cars of the time!
Edited by littleredrooster on Saturday 5th October 12:09
True story:-
I was a passenger in my friend's MG midget around 1971 and we were being followed by a family in a Reliant Robin......We indicated to turn left into his drive and The Robin hit us from behind (He was following too close) at no more than 20mph.
We hardly felt a thing, the only damage to the MG was a scuffed bumper and a broken rear lens....
But:- The Reliant almost split in half...a crack developed in the fibreglass at the front and went right up the middle of the bonnet up to the windscreen. The old geezer (wearing a flat cap) just sat behind his steering wheel dumbfounded....
Never seen anything like it before or since....
I was a passenger in my friend's MG midget around 1971 and we were being followed by a family in a Reliant Robin......We indicated to turn left into his drive and The Robin hit us from behind (He was following too close) at no more than 20mph.
We hardly felt a thing, the only damage to the MG was a scuffed bumper and a broken rear lens....
But:- The Reliant almost split in half...a crack developed in the fibreglass at the front and went right up the middle of the bonnet up to the windscreen. The old geezer (wearing a flat cap) just sat behind his steering wheel dumbfounded....
Never seen anything like it before or since....
I seem to recall having to get out and push my mates 3 wheeler when he wanted to reverse as reverse was not allowed without a full bike permit?
I could be talking rubbish as my mind was a haze of mentalness being a passenger in on of those things.
I dont think his was a reliant though,it was much older?
I could be talking rubbish as my mind was a haze of mentalness being a passenger in on of those things.
I dont think his was a reliant though,it was much older?
These were fabulous, but of their time, a bit like remembering the swinging 60's and all that.
If you can't remember the fun of these, you'll never "get it" (and why should you in a way, the attraction of these less than perfect classic vehicles, which very few cars were actually good in those days, is all in the memories).
When that was made, very few families actually had a car of any sort.
If I had the room, I'd buy that in a heartbeat, enjoy restoring it and playing in it, although that one is slightly before I was born, the Regal of the 70's is my era.
If you can't remember the fun of these, you'll never "get it" (and why should you in a way, the attraction of these less than perfect classic vehicles, which very few cars were actually good in those days, is all in the memories).
When that was made, very few families actually had a car of any sort.
If I had the room, I'd buy that in a heartbeat, enjoy restoring it and playing in it, although that one is slightly before I was born, the Regal of the 70's is my era.
Here's my Regal Supervan III - for something to mess around in, practice spannering and generally have a bit of a laugh nothing beats it. I can also confirm that driving it around the streets of London attracts attention like no other car I own...
It didn't turn a wheel this year, but must get round to using it more.
It didn't turn a wheel this year, but must get round to using it more.
Nigel Worc's said:
These were fabulous, but of their time, a bit like remembering the swinging 60's and all that.
If you can't remember the fun of these, you'll never "get it" (and why should you in a way, the attraction of these less than perfect classic vehicles, which very few cars were actually good in those days, is all in the memories).
When that was made, very few families actually had a car of any sort.
If I had the room, I'd buy that in a heartbeat, enjoy restoring it and playing in it, although that one is slightly before I was born, the Regal of the 70's is my era.
They were horrible. The brakes and handling were comedy, to say the least. Noisy, badly built and expensive - a Mini was significantly cheaper. Their only market was people who had passed a motorcycle test when they were easy to pass and couldn't pass a car test.If you can't remember the fun of these, you'll never "get it" (and why should you in a way, the attraction of these less than perfect classic vehicles, which very few cars were actually good in those days, is all in the memories).
When that was made, very few families actually had a car of any sort.
If I had the room, I'd buy that in a heartbeat, enjoy restoring it and playing in it, although that one is slightly before I was born, the Regal of the 70's is my era.
They were also impossible to drive in snow or places where there were ruts, the front wheel could never decide if it wanted the left or right rut.
There was also the Bond Three Wheeler,IIRC had a very long 'bonnet' and was a two seater. No reverse gear, but as the engine was mounted on the front wheel just kept on turning until the thing went backwards ( like a dodgem). My mate bought one of the 'new improved' three wheelers, a Isetta bubble car, which alos was without a reverse gear. Drove it into the garage, parked up against the wall and couldnt get out. Sat in it overnight until rescued, and saw a Messerschmitt? that was painted in luftwaffe colours had two stubby 'wings' and a dummy machine gun on the bonnet. The guy always drove it wearing a flying helmet. Raised a few raised eyebrows back in the early 60's
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