Lot's of fun and no go!

[daqinggregg]

We’ve had ‘all show and no go’ to follow up ‘lot’s of fun and no go,’ these are the cars, that despite their headline figures made you smile for whatever reason.

Their level of comfort far outweighed their price tag, the capacity to keep up with faster machines was almost comical, and the ability to undertake long distance journeys belied their simplicity.

We all know, you can have as much fun in an MX5 as a 12C. however, this ‘Classic Cars and Yesterday Heroes’ so let’s keep it old school, pre 2000, I know that will not be to everyone’s liking, but we have to draw a line somewhere.

Its doesn’t have to be your own car, there are plenty of instances of tiddlers outperforming in different realms to be worthy of inclusion.

I have many motor sport recollections, but I’ll leave it to those better able to express them.



FIAT Uno 903cc, far quicker than the displacement would suggest, plus great handling.



Innovative switch gear, wind up windows top to bottom in a single turn.



An ability, to cover long distances in comfort.

Petrolheads, what are your nominations for “Lot’s of fun and no go” ‘lofang’ along with any recollections, anecdotes and images, you may have to share?

[Mark A S]

Ha, I win, my Jeep, fabulous fun, not a lot of go, fully air conditioned, makes people smile, what’s not to like

[Mr Tidy]

I'm with the OP!

The day I passed my test I took my Mum's 1971 Fiat 127 with the same 903cc engine out for a drive that evening and loved it - but that may have been because I was on my own, well until I picked some mates up for a trip to a local chippy.

[LuS1fer]

Fiat Panda 169 all day long. Used to get them as hire cars ( now displaced by less practical 500s and the Gen 3 Panda is far too blobby).

Still have two. Genius stroke of auto design.

[daqinggregg]

Mark A S said:

Ha, I win, my Jeep, fabulous fun, not a lot of go, fully air conditioned, makes people smile, what’s not to like

As the self appointed arbiter of ‘lofang’ I’ll be the judge of that. Looks great Mark, I’m sure (creature comforts aside) it delivers on many fronts a worthy inclusion.

[daqinggregg]

I think we can all agree FIAT did/does small very well, always served with a nice side dish of quirkiness!



Go on then smarty pants, you have a bash at starting it.

[ClaphamGT3]

Keeping with the Fiat theme, I nominate the 128 3p.

My second car back in 1987. By objective standards the performance was pedestrian even then, yet it felt like a rocket-ship; largely helped by an urgent-feeling, sweet little OHC engine and unbelievably confidence inspiring, chuckable handling.

This pic isn't mine (DGV294T) but is identical to it

[daqinggregg]

Every weekend up and down the country, some silly buggers are;


harassing bruisers for fun,


slinging their pocket rocket up a hill,


practising parking,


coxing one up a muddy incline,


showing their P&J at the ‘Dog & Duck’.

They may not be fast, but they are fun.

[Simes205]

ClaphamGT3 said:

Keeping with the Fiat theme, I nominate the 128 3p.

My second car back in 1987. By objective standards the performance was pedestrian even then, yet it felt like a rocket-ship; largely helped by an urgent-feeling, sweet little OHC engine and unbelievably confidence inspiring, chuckable handling.

This pic isn't mine (DGV294T) but is identical to it

Rear lights are so cool on these!

[Alex Z]

The original Ford Ka are now over 25 years old so qualifies.

60hp was not a lot, but they went round corners well, so conservation of momentum was relatively easy, and the Ka3 that I had came with such luxuries as aircon, electric windows and posh seat fabric.

[coppice]

Most fun ? 2CV with 602cc punching out almost 30 bhp . A 300 mile trip to Tayside , virtually non stop , via the A68 was a driving highlight .

Or perhaps my Visa Super E ? It had a very high top (4th) gear when most cars were undergeared - meaning slowing to 60mph or less on big motorway inclines , but 80, 90mph sprints downhill . An easy going , beautiful riding little car blessed with Citroen's satellite control pod too.

Only 78bhp so may qualify - my Alfasud 1350 Ti . I loved every single thing about it and the Golf GTi which replaced it might have been faster , but was almost achingly dull in every other respect

[KTMsm]

The obvious answer

1989 MX5 1.6 115bhp

I'd come from much faster cars, Mitsubishi Starion turbo, Lancia Delta integrale, Sierra Cosworth etc

I actually bought the MX5 to sell but driving it back from the auctions through Wales on a Summer's evening. It just felt so right, albeit with less than half the power of everything else I'd driven for the past 5 years

Still probably my favourite car

[FiF]

Left field entry.

Daf 66 Marathon coupe.



Lots of photos of them in competition, incl London Sydney Marathon. Now that's a long drive, though not comfortable, but fun.

[cerb4.5lee]

Alex Z said:

The original Ford Ka are now over 25 years old so qualifies.

60hp was not a lot, but they went round corners well, so conservation of momentum was relatively easy, and the Ka3 that I had came with such luxuries as aircon, electric windows and posh seat fabric.

I remember being really impressed with them years back when I had a drive in one too. I was expecting it to be really slow because I had a 2.9 V6 XR4x4 at the time in comparison, but it never felt it to me, and it was a lot of fun to drive as well I thought.

[Ranger 6]

In line with the Jeep - here's mine.

Yes, it's a V8, but remember it's got a massive 135bhp from it's 3.5 and it's great fun, both on road and off

[coppice]

FiF said:

Left field entry.

Daf 66 Marathon coupe.



Lots of photos of them in competition, incl London Sydney Marathon. Now that's a long drive, though not comfortable, but fun.

Nice - I saw Jan De Rooy's 4wd rallycross version at Croft , it seems like centuries ago .The 66 was a Michelotti effort I think ?

[AC43]

ClaphamGT3 said:

Keeping with the Fiat theme, I nominate the 128 3p.

My second car back in 1987. By objective standards the performance was pedestrian even then, yet it felt like a rocket-ship; largely helped by an urgent-feeling, sweet little OHC engine and unbelievably confidence inspiring, chuckable handling.

This pic isn't mine (DGV294T) but is identical to it

I had one of these in dark blue. It revved to 7,250 at a time when BL and Ford offerings had A Series, B Series and Kent engines......

40 years later and I have a dark blue Fiat 500 1.2. Also makes me smile.

[FiF]

coppice said:

FiF said:

Left field entry.

Daf 66 Marathon coupe.



Lots of photos of them in competition, incl London Sydney Marathon. Now that's a long drive, though not comfortable, but fun.

Nice - I saw Jan De Rooy's 4wd rallycross version at Croft , it seems like centuries ago .The 66 was a Michelotti effort I think ?

It was Michelotti.

They'd also got rid of the dreadful swing rear axle arrangement on the 44, though sadly put a normal differential in. The 44, though even slower, had on slippery surfaces the benefit of the transmission giving a slippy diff effect, though to the detriment of the life of the rubber bands.

Approve of your 2CV nomination by the way. One of the few cars you can drive flat and hardly ever risk your licence.

2CV memories. Fireman's strike, up hill convoy, lead panda car as pathfinder, Green Goddess full of squaddies, blues bells and two tones going full welly. Yet everything going so slowly up this hill that there's a 2CV looking for the overtake.

[CDP]

daqinggregg said:

I think we can all agree FIAT did/does small very well, always served with a nice side dish of quirkiness!



Go on then smarty pants, you have a bash at starting it.

I had one. It caught my brother out - the starter pull still works when you haven't got the ignition on. He was getting pretty angry (Fawlty style) before he worked it out and my mum was cracking up.

He also tried to time the 0 to 60 on the A47 Acle Straight near Great Yarmouth. 7 miles dead straight, dead flat and he failed.

We reckoned if you opened the roof without the rear windows it would knock 5 to 10mph off the top speed. Leant how to slipstream overtake in it.

[LuS1fer]

ClaphamGT3 said:

Keeping with the Fiat theme, I nominate the 128 3p.

My second car back in 1987. By objective standards the performance was pedestrian even then, yet it felt like a rocket-ship; largely helped by an urgent-feeling, sweet little OHC engine and unbelievably confidence inspiring, chuckable handling.

This pic isn't mine (DGV294T) but is identical to it

I preferred the earlier SL which lacked a hatch. Fiat were peerless at small cars. My sister had a boxy 1978 Fiat 128 and by god, was that a checkable car.

She had a Mini before that and I later had a Mini 1000 which are instruments of torture, in comparison.

Also add in the Hillman Imp which was also more fun than the Mini and an Alfasud 1200Ti which was hilariously good to drive.

However, back then, Italian cars dissolved in a faintly moist atmosphere.