Cars You Never See Anymore

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Found it via another means

1970 Fiat 595 Abarth Esse-Esse For Sale | Car And Classic

Italo-Austrian Carlo Abarth established Abarth & C. S.p.A. in 1949 as an Italian racing car and road car manufacturer. The company began developing and racing cars based on the 204 sports car that they obtained from the Cisitalia liquidation. In 1951 the company moved its headquarters to Turin...

www.carandclassic.com

 

[dessiato]

I’m not sure why I keep getting notifications of barn finds, they’re often interesting though.

 

[hash tag]

Feel free with that thing.

 

[Chz]

I like a 944 and all (more on a grins per dollar basis than outright sexiness), but I think it's possibly easier to find one that's still in better nick than that for a low price.

I was very close to getting a 944 S2 and decided on a 635CSi as a prettier, if much heavier (srsly, it's nearly half a ton more) option.

 

[dessiato]

I like a 944 and all (more on a grins per dollar basis than outright sexiness), but I think it's possibly easier to find one that's still in better nick than that for a low price.

I was very close to getting a 944 S2 and decided on a 635CSi as a prettier, if much heavier (srsly, it's nearly half a ton more) option.

If you look at the performance of a 944 and compare it to a 911 of similar age, the 944 has a better all round performance. They'll out handle the 911, and will hold it in a straight-line

 

[Griff]

But I know which one I'd prefer...

 

[dessiato]

View attachment 320294

But I know which one I'd prefer...

Me too. The 911 is just more charismatic.

 

[Chz]

I'd agree the 911 is certainly the more attractive car, but those years (mid 80s - early 90s) are when it got a reputation as a bit of a widowmaker. Power went up, but the rear end got awfully slippy for a while before they figured out how to tame the beast.

 

[Griff]

Must have been around 1986 when I was 20 and working for a right bastard (courier co. owner) in Great Russell Street who bought a new 3.2 Carrerra in Guards Red.
One day he asked me to park it for him which terrfied me as I had to drive it up and round the one way system round Holborn and Centre Point.
A couple of minutes in though and it was fucking brilliant. Made a lovely noise and really pinned you to the seat when you dabbed the throttle.
Going down the ramp of the NCP was scarey though.

First thing he said when I gave him his keys back was "Did ya scratch it?"

 

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A real cutie seen on today's walk.

 

[hash tag]

Looks up A30's for sale. As nice as this one is, is there not a little mistake regarding the engine in this ad? Austin A30

 

[dessiato]

Looks up A30's for sale. As nice as this one is, is there not a little mistake regarding the engine in this ad? Austin A30

Unlikely. The 1275 was a BMC A series engine and the block was shared across a number of sizes. It's quiet possible it was a straight swap. The A series, from memory, I'd need to check to be certain, had sizes from about 800cc to 1500cc.

 

[dessiato]

Unlikely. The 1275 was a BMC A series engine and the block was shared across a number of sizes. It's quiet possible it was a straight swap. The A series, from memory, I'd need to check to be certain, had sizes from about 800cc to 1500cc.

Just checked, 1275 was the biggest A series.

 

[hash tag]

In the top half of and it says a 1275 engine and in specs below 803cc

 

[dessiato]

In the top half of and it says a 1275 engine and in specs below 803cc

I didn't notice that. If it's a Midget then I'd assume it's 1275. But...

 

[pseudonarcissus]

Unlikely. The 1275 was a BMC A series engine and the block was shared across a number of sizes. It's quiet possible it was a straight swap. The A series, from memory, I'd need to check to be certain, had sizes from about 800cc to 1500cc.

I don’t think you could bore out an A-series to quite 1500…I think 1275 was the biggest factory size

 

[dessiato]

I don’t think you could bore out an A-series to quite 1500…I think 1275 was the biggest factory size

You are right. I checked, and corrected what I said in my next post.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

You are right. I checked, and corrected what I said in my next post.

For some reason I think it was possible to get to about 1400…I guess a lot of us had a-series cars in the 80s we wanted to make go faster. Who didn’t try putting twin carbs on a mini…they would pass anything on the road excepts a petrol station ️

 

[dessiato]

For some reason I think it was possible to get to about 1400…I guess a lot of us had a-series cars in the 80s we wanted to make go faster. Who didn’t try putting twin carbs on a mini…they would pass anything on the road excepts a petrol station ️

I had an MG Metro with a 1275. It was never quite quick enough.

A friend had a low light, 803, Morris Minor. He put a 1300 Sprite in it. He dropped it down a roadworks hole. It might have been wise to have sorted the brakes too.

 

[Chz]

There's a Gen 2 Audi 100 I see around here sometimes. Not really my sort of car, and in that shit brown that was popular a way back when. But it's in top shape, and obviously someone's first love or something like that. I fully appreciate the car, even if I don't want one myself.

 

[DownwardDog]

I don’t think you could bore out an A-series to quite 1500…I think 1275 was the biggest factory size

You can put the head off a BMW K1100 bike on them (as the bore centres are identical) to make a 16V DOHC A-Series.

The A-Series was also developed by Datsun/Nissan into the SR series which went out to 2.0L and made over 200hp in OEM turbo form with the SR20DET.

 

[steeplejack]

Very trendy round these parts. Fancy getting one? I'm guessing this is between £35 & £50,000 Joe Macari

You can get the Zastava "Fića" version in the Balkans in top condition for 5-10000 euros. Several companies restore them and there ws a real Fića craze a few years ago.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

I had an MG Metro with a 1275. It was never quite quick enough.

A friend had a low light, 803, Morris Minor. He put a 1300 Sprite in it. He dropped it down a roadworks hole. It might have been wise to have sorted the brakes too.

I learned to drive on a Mini 1275GT…the ultimate grand tourer
The first car I bought was a Morris Traveller with the 1100 a-series.
I did have a Mini City for a few years in the 90s.
I don’t think I’d want to go back..but they were good days

 

[ringo]

I had an MG Metro with a 1275. It was never quite quick enough.

A friend had a low light, 803, Morris Minor. He put a 1300 Sprite in it. He dropped it down a roadworks hole. It might have been wise to have sorted the brakes too.

I learned to drive and passed my test in my mums Mini. An 850 maybe? The smallest engined one.
Drove her MG Metro for years after that. It never quite lived up to the MG badge did it?

 

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I watched an old 5th gear earlier where they reviewed remade minis, one electric, one petrol, one even had a whole new bloody shell. They were both North of 50k.
dessiato want another 1275 mini? ** NOW SOLD ** Very Special 1971 MK3 Cooper S 1275 ** Two Owners In 51 Years ** – Richard Williams Classic Mini's

 

[dessiato]

I watched an old 5th gear earlier where they reviewed remade minis, one electric, one petrol, one even had a whole new bloody shell. They were both North of 50k.
dessiato want another 1275 mini? ** NOW SOLD ** Very Special 1971 MK3 Cooper S 1275 ** Two Owners In 51 Years ** – Richard Williams Classic Mini's

I’ve had several Minis, including a Countryman. Very good, for their day, but any one of the three bad accidents I’ve had I’d not have got out alive. The last two of which one took off the front and back of my Rover, and the one in which a truck didn’t stop and rammed me taking 4” off the back of my Peugeot 405…well, I’d not be here now.

 

[dessiato]

Centaur, ugly looking thing.

 

[weltweit]

There were quite a few classic cars on the road near me today, so many that I am sure there must have been some event nearby. Sadly I can't seem to find out on Google so I have probably missed it.

There was a lovely open top classic, an original Mini and a 2002 BMW and a few others.

 

[Dogsauce]

Saw a few oldies (proper vintage not 80s etc.) on the roads round Bristol today too, but it was a lovely morning so probably perfect for a run out in the hobby car rather than a specific event.

 

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At the historic commercial vehicle run in Brighton today, we found Kermit, looking very green