What came before the reliant Robin?
Discussion
quiraing said:
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
"Ten-four, thats fookin' good that!"
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.
Are you a regular at Knebworth Classic Car Show?It didn't turn a wheel this year, but must get round to using it more.
fjord said:
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.It didn't turn a wheel this year, but must get round to using it more.
eldar said:
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
I beg to differThey were also impossible to drive in snow
Edited by Cleon Fonte on Sunday 6th October 03:28
What I didn't understand was why people tended to call these Robin Reliants. You'd not have said back then Escort Ford or Apline Chrysler.
Anyone know where or how this started.
As a 4 year old, I saw a display of those Bond Wedges and pestered my Dad to get one. Hppily he didn't.
Re: Stability problems. In the 70s my aunt and uncle lived in a village in Northamptonshire. There were more relaxed attitudes to drink driving, and the local village drunk was a woman with a Robin. Early in the morning, you'd regularly spot it, abandoned on its side on a road around the village. Sometimes she'd be asleep inside it, sometimes she'd get out and make it home. Once or twice she ended up ihospital.
Remembering back to the 1970's and '80s, these cars seemed to be popular with older guys in mining villages. More often than not, immaculately turned out, with add-ons like pennants on whip ariels , CB radios, window stickers etc.
Anyone know where or how this started.
As a 4 year old, I saw a display of those Bond Wedges and pestered my Dad to get one. Hppily he didn't.
Re: Stability problems. In the 70s my aunt and uncle lived in a village in Northamptonshire. There were more relaxed attitudes to drink driving, and the local village drunk was a woman with a Robin. Early in the morning, you'd regularly spot it, abandoned on its side on a road around the village. Sometimes she'd be asleep inside it, sometimes she'd get out and make it home. Once or twice she ended up ihospital.
Remembering back to the 1970's and '80s, these cars seemed to be popular with older guys in mining villages. More often than not, immaculately turned out, with add-ons like pennants on whip ariels , CB radios, window stickers etc.
paintman said:
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.
Never did it.
Passed full car test 6 months after my 17th anyway. Amazing how that seems like ages when you're that age and eager to get going!
Let's be honest, piece of s
t.
If you're going to go down the 3 wheeler route, might as well do it in something that has charm.
Until you actually need to get to work (or anywhere) for that matter. Then you'll be desperate to have the silver repmobile.
t.If you're going to go down the 3 wheeler route, might as well do it in something that has charm.
ClassicMotorNut said:
Say what you like about the Regal, I would love one. They're much more interesting than the sea of silver repmobiles that make up modern traffic.
Until you actually need to get to work (or anywhere) for that matter. Then you'll be desperate to have the silver repmobile.
I can't believe some of the replies in this thread. We have clearly been infiltrated by members of BRAKE and non car enthusiasts.
No true car enthusiast would look at that poor old 3 wheeler and have a bad word to say about it. It's a piece of motoring heritage and it served a purpose in its day.
I'm no Reliant enthusiast, I can't say I have enjoyed a drive in anything related to the marque but if I saw that driving down the road, it would bring a smile to my face a nice warm feeling inside.
If the Regal was good enough for Gordon Murray in 1969 then it should be good enough for any real car enthusiast.
No true car enthusiast would look at that poor old 3 wheeler and have a bad word to say about it. It's a piece of motoring heritage and it served a purpose in its day.
I'm no Reliant enthusiast, I can't say I have enjoyed a drive in anything related to the marque but if I saw that driving down the road, it would bring a smile to my face a nice warm feeling inside.
If the Regal was good enough for Gordon Murray in 1969 then it should be good enough for any real car enthusiast.
bomb said:
Point noted, but the car in the picture above has 4 x wheels.
You're right! Appointment booked with specsavers.Quick bit of research suggests early models were 3 wheeled then subsequently changed to 4 owing topple-overability.
British registered 3 wheeler:
Later German 4 wheeler
Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 6th October 13:02
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