1970s cars

[Si]

I would if I was considering taking up hair dressing...

Thats a Triumph Spitfire ... as you are well aware .....

You're living in the past.....MX5 defo a hairdresser's car....then supplanted by the ford puma (one of which I had )

[landsurfer]

Well i do cut my own hair (no 2 all over) so technically your correct ...
But it is a 1800cc twin-cam fuel injected hair dressers car ....

[JeremyB]

I would if I was considering taking up hair dressing...

Thats a Triumph Spitfire ... as you are well aware .....

You're living in the past.....MX5 defo a hairdresser's car....then supplanted by the ford puma (one of which I had )

Something for the weekend Sir?

The Mx5 is a great little car, but can you strap a bike on the back?

[landsurfer]

OH YES ......


http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/boot-mounted- ... 0wodvs0FFg

[al_yrpal]

MX5s are great for non tinkerers who don't want to use them to tour. Like MGBs the boot space is minimal. One small suitcase, no chance of a bike. They are apparently pretty reliable and you used to be able to pick up used Japanese imports cheap. The Stags large boot and rear seat carries masses. Spitfires boot is reasonable too.

Al

[landsurfer]

MX5s are great for non tinkerers who don't want to use them to tour. Like MGBs the boot space is minimal. One small suitcase, no chance of a bike. They are apparently pretty reliable and you used to be able to pick up used Japanese imports cheap. The Stags large boot and rear seat carries masses. Spitfires boot is reasonable too.

Al

The boot is big enough for 2 adults to go touring from Yorkshire to cornwall over a 2 week period via the Wirral, welsh coast, avon , somerset, devon cornwall, Devon, Hampshire and all points in between ....
All the maintenance is done by myself, including the replacement of both wings, removal of the air con system ( in a soft top !!) and numerous reliability upgrades ....

PS try reading the post above yours .....

Did you have problems with your MX-5 ???

[landsurfer]

The Grandson and myself at the national rally 2016 ....

[al_yrpal]

A couple of 'non tinkerer' friends have them because they are reliable and I base my comments on what they have told me. They don't go touring in them because they reckon they can't carry enough luggage for two people or bikes.

Al

[pete75]

[quote="kwackers"
But if it's all down to maintenance then explain why modern cars are more reliable? Are they simply better maintained?
Or is it that I'm right and they're simply better cars?

120k and 12 years on my current mini. Minimal maintenance, drives and handles like new. Only reliability issue is a new air sensor at 100k. No new clutches, no farting about damp proofing the electrics, no new sub frames or welding. Not even new brake lines.
I'd hate to think how an old mini would look with the same level of use and maintenance.[/quote]

I made no claims about seventies cars being as good as modern ones.

What I said was your remarks on their reliability were way off the mark in my experience. I wasn't talking about stuff wearing out but the difficulties in starting, not starting the cold and wet etc you claimed almost every vehicle suffered. As far as I'm aware this wasn't the case on most vehicles. Those problems were almost all down to poor maintenance particularly of the ignition system.

Since the late eighties most cars have ignition systems that don't really require any maintenance.

[thirdcrank]

I've remembered something that used to be better.

Once upon a time, when heaters were simpler, it used to be easy to get fresh air on your face and warm air on your body, or at least your legs. My Renault Fourgon van (now referred to as the white chugger tp differentiate it from its successor, the brown chugger) had a flap which extended across the lower edge of the screen. The only other car I've had with something similar was a series III Land Rover, the point being that it's only possible with a flat screen. Anyway, the "eyeball" vents which became common at either end of the dash on many cars used to let in fresh air. My current car has three zone heating with individual controls for driver, front seat passenger and back seats, as the driver I only seem to be able to get one heat level. I can't have cold air on my face and warm on the rest of me.

[Mick F]

Buy a Mini ......... if you an get a decent one these days.
They had vents on "eyeballs" with fresh air. Heater was in the centre of course.
Older ones had sliding windows at the front, and the posher variants had opening rear windows on a hinge.
Earlier ones had a recirculation heater, and later ones had flexy tubes bringing in fresh air to the heater.

[JeremyB]

I have no idea how to operate the heater on my modern car (Audi), way too complicated, trying to alter the settings while driving is in my opinion more dangerous than trying to text or email the missus. Same for trying to tune the radio.

[Mick F]

Our Fiat 500 has automatic air conditioning.
It's set to 22degC for most of the year. You don't touch anything, it just does it all for you.

If you want the heated rear window on, you have to press a button of course.

[ferrit worrier]

Buy a Mini ......... if you an get a decent one these days.
They had vents on "eyeballs" with fresh air. Heater was in the centre of course.
Older ones had sliding windows at the front, and the posher variants had opening rear windows on a hinge.
Earlier ones had a recirculation heater, and later ones had flexy tubes bringing in fresh air to the heater.

but if you had a Mini van the heater was an optional extra

[Mick F]

I've had two Mini Vans.
One was my first car - Jan 1973 - 850cc 1968 Mk2

The other one was named Dirty Gertie. We paid £90 +VAT from the auctions in Glasgow - late 1983. 1000cc. S reg 1978.
Dirty Gertie was ex-Glasgow Council and was filthy both inside and out. The rear doors were rotten at the bottoms and the whole interior was littered in fag ends and spent matches. Mind you, it had half a tank of petrol and FIVE brand new tyres!

I repaired the rear doors, did a few other bits and bobs, gave it a good cleaning, and it was a brilliant car. When we sold her, we got £225 cash.

Both the vans had heaters. My first van had a recirc heater, but Dirty Gertie had a fresh air heater.