Wedge fascination

[MarkS1966]

OMG!
I've just realised why I've always had a fascination for wedges

Here's a picture of my first car, from 1984

[simonwedge]

Not seen one of those before! Toyota?

[Trickie Dickie]

Sorry Mark but that is horrible!!!!

Trickie

[MarkS1966]

Thanks for that Trickie,
It was definitely of its time
It's a Nissan Langley, Exa Turbo, it had a 1500 4 cylinder turbo'd engine, and was manufactured in my Dad's factory in Rosslyn, Pretoria North, South Africa, where we lived at the time.
It was pretty cool, although I'm yet to see one in England and as an 18 year old, it was a great "magnet"

[mrzigazaga]

...Sorry mate...

[MarkS1966]

mrzigazaga said:

...Sorry mate...

Cheers for that Ziga
I'll remember that

[Solitude]

If that was 1984....the car in the background was light years ahead of its time !!!

[MarkS1966]

Solitude said:

If that was 1984....the car in the background was light years ahead of its time !!!

Cheers Gavin
They were built to a "budget" but being Japanese, they were good quality.
The pop up headlights looked cool, but didn't do anything when trying to see at night, kinda similar to the wedges I've got now!
It had A/C, power steering, central locking, AM & FM cassette stereo player, with auto reverse, red dials and gauges, all in all for an 18 year old, with women and speed on my mind it was brill!
I can remember driving along the main highway from Pretoria to Johannesburg and clocking 180 kmh, about 115 miles an hour, and I could get it to wheel spin pretty damn easily too!
The other great thing was when pulling into our local bar after giving it the beans on the way there at night, if you lifted the bonnet you could see the exhaust manifold glowing cherry red!
Small things I know, but good things to an 18 year old and now in hindsight, great memories.

[mrzigazaga]

Mark..I think what gavin is saying is if that picture was taken in 1984 then the car behind it was ahead of its time...When was that picture taken?...Or is that a picture of a picture of a car that you had or is that the picture of your car...Cheers..Ziga

[MarkS1966]

mrzigazaga said:

Mark..I think what gavin is saying is if that picture was taken in 1984 then the car behind it was ahead of its time...When was that picture taken?...Or is that a picture of a picture of a car that you had or is that the picture of your car...Cheers..Ziga

I thought I'd got my time-travelling under control! Damn, I've been sussed, must try harder!

It's a picture of the type of car I had at the time, thanks for the clarification Ziga

[Wedg1e]

Looks like the barstad offspring of a Porsche 914, Reliant Scimitar and Fiat X1/9.
Yes, I know that would have meant a threesome but it must happen, how else do you explain the Fiat Multipla and the Renault Megane?

[MarkS1966]

Wedg1e said:

Looks like the barstad offspring of a Porsche 914, Reliant Scimitar and Fiat X1/9.
Yes, I know that would have meant a threesome but it must happen, how else do you explain the Fiat Multipla and the Renault Megane?

I'll have a word with my dad tomorrow and see if he can remember how the design came about!

[Trickie Dickie]

MarkS1966 said:

it had a 1500 4 cylinder turbo'd engine,
It was pretty cool, as an 18 year old, it was a great "magnet"

This is the "Babe magnet" I had in my late teens (library photo - I am NOT french!!!)
1400cc plus turbo - like a flying skate board - and you could spin the wheels in the first 3 gears
and beat most cars from a standing start at lights



Only problem was the French build quality and I went thru 8 clutch cables in the first 1100 miles from new
until we found the turbo was burning thru the cables and fitted a longer one routed difffernetly.
1 new cable only lasted 11 miles!!!!! - and they say TVRs are bad?

Cheers
Trickie