1986 Sinclair C5 - It was time I joined the world of EVs.
Discussion
I was born in 1978 so when the C5 was released in 85 I was 7 and I vividly remember it being on TV. At the time I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen and I couldn’t wait to be 14 and legally drove one.
Of course within 12 months of the launch it was pretty much all forgotten apart from being brought up as the biggest flop in British business ever.
I mostly forgot about them for the next 30 years, but im the 20 teens something triggered an interest and I often thought about buying one. Many times I browsed eBay/fb market place but I never went for it. Ultimately I had no use for one above and beyond being a cool trinket for the garage.
Fast forward to 3 October this year and I’ve started a new job 5 miles from home, working where I live for the first time in decades. Thoughts turned to getting a bike to cycle to the office on the days I go in and then it hit me, I should buy a C5. Back off to the classifieds and Facebook groups I trotted.
Prices had gone up A LOT in the last few years with anything running and tidy being close to £1k. There was one post which caught my eye, the Hammond Collection of Microcars was being auctioned off in Kent and one of the lots was a C5. I registered with the auction house as I had the day off and enjoyed watching a real auction over my morning coffee as various bits of microcar memorabilia went under the hammer. Lot59 came up, the fist complete vehicle, the C5. The hammer fell at £420 and I found myself the owner of a C5, also I found myself needing to find a willing friend with a big car to go get it. I don’t live in Kent!
Three days later my friend Adam and I complete the 4 hour round trip in his mk1 X5 to collect it from the museum. Lesley, the daughter of the original microcar collector and museum founder, was delighted to find out I actually planned to use it. She was sad to see it go and had considered keeping it with a couple of other cars they were hanging onto for sentiment. She said it worked recently and had been used round the carpark by museum visitors frequently.
I’ve since started to clean it up, I’ve fitted a battery and I’ve taken it for it’s maiden spin round my local roads.
I’ve fitted some LED bulbs and golf buggy battery. I’ve got a fresh set of stickers and reflective strip to go in once I’ve finished scrubbing the shell with cillit bang get as much of age related marks and satins out.
Then it’s onto the process of upgrades to make it manage the 10 mile round trip to the office with ease.
I have to say that driving it is an absolute hoot. Makes me grin from ear to ear and so many people slow down and want to talk to you as you ride along in it.
It might have been a flop in 1985, but in 2022 in a world of battery scooters, ciycle paths and powered bikes it actually makes a lot of sense. Sir Clive was just way ahead of his time.
Of course within 12 months of the launch it was pretty much all forgotten apart from being brought up as the biggest flop in British business ever.
I mostly forgot about them for the next 30 years, but im the 20 teens something triggered an interest and I often thought about buying one. Many times I browsed eBay/fb market place but I never went for it. Ultimately I had no use for one above and beyond being a cool trinket for the garage.
Fast forward to 3 October this year and I’ve started a new job 5 miles from home, working where I live for the first time in decades. Thoughts turned to getting a bike to cycle to the office on the days I go in and then it hit me, I should buy a C5. Back off to the classifieds and Facebook groups I trotted.
Prices had gone up A LOT in the last few years with anything running and tidy being close to £1k. There was one post which caught my eye, the Hammond Collection of Microcars was being auctioned off in Kent and one of the lots was a C5. I registered with the auction house as I had the day off and enjoyed watching a real auction over my morning coffee as various bits of microcar memorabilia went under the hammer. Lot59 came up, the fist complete vehicle, the C5. The hammer fell at £420 and I found myself the owner of a C5, also I found myself needing to find a willing friend with a big car to go get it. I don’t live in Kent!
Three days later my friend Adam and I complete the 4 hour round trip in his mk1 X5 to collect it from the museum. Lesley, the daughter of the original microcar collector and museum founder, was delighted to find out I actually planned to use it. She was sad to see it go and had considered keeping it with a couple of other cars they were hanging onto for sentiment. She said it worked recently and had been used round the carpark by museum visitors frequently.
I’ve since started to clean it up, I’ve fitted a battery and I’ve taken it for it’s maiden spin round my local roads.
I’ve fitted some LED bulbs and golf buggy battery. I’ve got a fresh set of stickers and reflective strip to go in once I’ve finished scrubbing the shell with cillit bang get as much of age related marks and satins out.
Then it’s onto the process of upgrades to make it manage the 10 mile round trip to the office with ease.
I have to say that driving it is an absolute hoot. Makes me grin from ear to ear and so many people slow down and want to talk to you as you ride along in it.
It might have been a flop in 1985, but in 2022 in a world of battery scooters, ciycle paths and powered bikes it actually makes a lot of sense. Sir Clive was just way ahead of his time.
It’s 90% cycle paths, Basingstoke is mostly a new town so cycling is well caters for. The only roads I need to use are residential ones. At least from my google maps rece. I’m going to build up my confidence in range over weekends before I commit to jumping in with my laptop in the boot.
Doofus said:
If you can find a way to plug your laptop in while it's in the boot you'll get an extra 200m of range. 
And when does a new town stop being a "new town"? I'm 53, and when I was a kid, Basingstoke was a 'new town'
Never. New College Oxford (real name "St Mary's College of Winchester in Oxford") was started in 1379. But it was new then, so it is new now...And when does a new town stop being a "new town"? I'm 53, and when I was a kid, Basingstoke was a 'new town'
Doofus said:
If you can find a way to plug your laptop in while it's in the boot you'll get an extra 200m of range.
And when does a new town stop being a "new town"? I'm 53, and when I was a kid, Basingstoke was a 'new town'
AMAZINGstoke, please!!And when does a new town stop being a "new town"? I'm 53, and when I was a kid, Basingstoke was a 'new town'
That combination of cycle paths sounds perfect for TheBeast™…..I assume you will have a nickname for it?
Of course, other ‘enhancements’ are available….. https://www.visordown.com/news/general/video-100mp...
Fantastic to see.
My dad wanted to buy us one when being sold Off cheap but wasn't allowed. Pity.
Interesting to see how much modern batteries and motor can improve these?
At wings and wheels once there was a geezer who arranged a C5 meet including a few of his own, really interesting and he had a rocket powered one that 110mph or something like that.
My dad wanted to buy us one when being sold Off cheap but wasn't allowed. Pity.
Interesting to see how much modern batteries and motor can improve these?
At wings and wheels once there was a geezer who arranged a C5 meet including a few of his own, really interesting and he had a rocket powered one that 110mph or something like that.
HorneyMX5 said:
Good question. I always assumed “new town” was a permanent designation to places like Milton Keynes etc. they’re not very new anymore, but no projects like to have really been done since have they?
Not on that scale, though there’s plenty of Garden Village developments that tend to be an extension to an existing location. There were going to be some eco towns that were entirely new, now I think about it. What happened there?
Anyway, back to the C5… I’m sure with some light modification they’d be decent on the right commute.
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