What came before the reliant Robin?

[Nigel Worc's]

eldar said:

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.

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.

It was the experiences of where you went, what you did, that brings back such fond memories for me.

[SpaceGhost]

I've driven all sorts of cars but hands down, the Reliant Robin was the scariest ever.

[Who me ?]

FIL had one - great little things, till it came to simple jobs like change plugs/ points . These days they are in great demand with bikers wanting them to convert to trikes . I only ever had one stability problem ( apart from going over metal bridges in wind where it would jump about ) and that was parking on a hill( custom was to park at right angles to raod ) .Got on ok, but needed three blokes to hang on to side to prevent tip .

[soad]

McWigglebum4th said:

That just screams out for a roof chop and a V8

But keep the 3 wheels

I like your thinking.

[mighty kitten]

One of the most hysterical cars to drive , the key was to get two mates to sit in the back and move around like a motor cross combo to stop the inside wheel lifting round corners . I worked at a bike shop in the early eighties and lots of bikers ran a pig through winter , we had a couple of mattresses in the workshop to roll them on their side to do clutch changes .

Not as funny as this was , handlebars and brakes that worked by pulling the bars towards you . Puch 650cc motor with cvt drive that would do 65mph if you were brave enough . It got sold on after a massive bking by plod for driving it two up through the pedestrian only town centre , pulling up outside mc Donald's . The bobby luckily saw the funny side as we both affected a comedy limp as we came out of macs

[Vince70]

I prefer the later coupe variant :-)

I know these ones were given away free but I think I would rather be housebound than have this for nothing.

Why did anyone actually buy a regal when a real car could be bought for the same price is beyond me and the only need a motor bike licence to drive one should never be used for an excuse for driving one of these monstrosity's

[Tango13]

My dad was asked to do an engine swap on one for a bloke who had a good engine in a rotten shell and a good shell with a blown engine.

Instead of spending several hours carefully removing the good engine he simply attacked the knackered shell with an old wood saw

[vrooom]

I remember those. I heard someone fitted a bike engine in one of those. must be fun!

[paulwoof]

its fascinating to see that oil filters have not changed shape in 60 odd years. some different sizes etc, but always a cylinder mounted on the side of the engine. look almost identical to the one on my mx5,

[SpaceGhost]

Rat look?

http://www.andybuysbikes.com/archivehtml/4328.html

[eldar]

Nigel Worc's said:

It was the experiences of where you went, what you did, that brings back such fond memories for me.

Rose tinted glasses

[bullitinhead]

silverfoxcc said:

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

The bond bug was rear wheel drive and had reverse, where do you get your information?


Bullit

[hidetheelephants]

bullitinhead said:

silverfoxcc said:

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

The bond bug was rear wheel drive and had reverse, where do you get your information?


Bullit

He's talking about the Bond Minicar from the 1950s, not the insane cheese wedge.

[eldar]

hidetheelephants said:

e's talking about the Bond Minicar from the 1950s, not the insane cheese wedge.

The name is Bond, James Bond.


Cheese



Chalk

[fjord]

duggan said:

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.

Respect for wanting to drive around in it.

[bullitinhead]

silverfoxcc said:

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

The bond bug was rear wheel drive and had reverse, where do you get your information?


Bullit

[bullitinhead]

silverfoxcc said:

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

The bond bug was rear wheel drive and had reverse, where do you get your information?


Bullit

[quiraing]

vrooom said:

I remember those. I heard someone fitted a bike engine in one of those. must be fun!

Vid of a a 70s cheese-wedge Bond Bug 3-wheeler with a Hayabusa engine. Zero to 120mph in 10.4 seconds. Have a look. Just hope there are no corners at the end of the track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbYsSO7frCY

Edited by quiraing on Saturday 5th October 19:46

[paintman]

Vince70 said:

Why did anyone actually buy a regal when a real car could be bought for the same price is beyond me and the only need a motor bike licence to drive one should never be used for an excuse for driving one of these monstrosity's

Because when I was 16 - early 70s - you could drive them & 3-wheelers were a bit of a craze at school (& the owners were somewhat more popular with the girls than the motorbikers for reasons that I can't quite remember in my old age)
There were several regals, a Bond, a couple of trojans & a messerschmit. IIRC a certain Mr Bruce Woolley who was a year ahead of me had the Bond.
I rolled the first one - sliding down the road on the roof wondering whether you're going to stop before the road wears through the roof definitely focuses your attention - & sold the second when I reached 17 & passed my car test.
Would have loved a Bond Bug - once described as a 'demented wedge of leicester cheese' due to its colour - but after trying one on for size I was too long in the leg.

[Who me ?]

mighty kitten said:

I worked at a bike shop in the early eighties and lots of bikers ran a pig through winter , we had a couple of mattresses in the workshop to roll them on their side to do clutch changes .

Lot easier than doing one from underneath, though it wasn't a difficult job .