Omega Owners Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Please check the Forum Guidelines at the top of the Newbie section

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4  All   Go Down

Author Topic: What your perfect 10 car collection?  (Read 5768 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Doctor Gollum

  • Get A Life!!
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • In a colds and darks puddleses
  • Posts: 28089
  • If you can't eat them, join them...
    • Feetses.
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #30 on: 15 September 2020, 10:06:10 »

Billy Connollys' Harley Trike is about as close as I would want to get to a bike... The Challenger convertible will do everything that the trike does, but with four people in it and I always reasoned that I can't fall off a car.

A bike would be an efficient way of killing myself :D
Logged
Onanists always think outside the box.

Migv6 le Frog Fan

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Webs End.
  • Posts: 11734
  • Nicole's Papa
    • 3.2 Elite. Boxster. C1.
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #31 on: 15 September 2020, 10:19:07 »

The throttle works both ways. I think that everyone who loves power, speed etc. should try bikes, although in a controlled manner.
Modern bikes are so bloody quick its very easy for the inexperienced to get into a lot of trouble in no time at all.
But, if you start quite slowly to get the feel of things and build up your speed with experience, there are few, if any things that can give the same thrill.
An average tourer type bike, or a 600 will be quick enough to blitz any experience of acceleration and speed youve had in a car. Unless youve driven a top of the range Lambo or similar or a single seater in anger. Even then.........
Go on give it a go, you know you want to really.  ;D
Logged
Women are like an AR35. lovely things, but nobody really understands how they work.

Doctor Gollum

  • Get A Life!!
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • In a colds and darks puddleses
  • Posts: 28089
  • If you can't eat them, join them...
    • Feetses.
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #32 on: 15 September 2020, 10:24:49 »

Trouble is you start taking advantage of the size/speed and suddenly you're 'filtering' through traffic at more than walking pace (bikes, by design, fall over if too slow) and before you know it you're doing 30 into a car door ::)

I will stick to four wheels, especially now I am heading towards a point where I won't grow back so quickly...  :D
Logged
Onanists always think outside the box.

Nick W

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chatham, Kent
  • Posts: 10836
  • Rover Metro 1.8VVC
    • 3.0l Elite estate
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #33 on: 15 September 2020, 11:08:51 »

The throttle works both ways. I think that everyone who loves power, speed etc. should try bikes, although in a controlled manner.
Modern bikes are so bloody quick its very easy for the inexperienced to get into a lot of trouble in no time at all.
But, if you start quite slowly to get the feel of things and build up your speed with experience, there are few, if any things that can give the same thrill.
An average tourer type bike, or a 600 will be quick enough to blitz any experience of acceleration and speed youve had in a car. Unless youve driven a top of the range Lambo or similar or a single seater in anger. Even then.........
Go on give it a go, you know you want to really.  ;D


I gave up motorbikes at 18 1/2 when my RD125 died.


Doing nearly 40mph downhill on a bicycle is more than enough exhilaration for me....






To me, it's a case of right tool for the job.


I don't need lots of power or speed to enjoy myself in a car. I'm not into track work, so a well setup slow car is more fun on the road than a fast one: I've owned 11(10? 12?) Capris, but only one was a V6. And the performance improvement on that(fitting a 2.9) was to eliminate some of the compromises(wouldn't run on unleaded, power torque, dreadful throttle response, plastic timing gear etc) cheaply. The problem was I ended up with a car that was so effortlessly fast that I frequently missed my turning at night because I was doing more than double the 30 limit without even noticing. It actually became a chore to drive, because I had to deliberately not use the attributes I had paid extra for. Yet the tweaked 2.0l could be worked hard without being dangerous. I would get far enjoyment from a Caterham 160 than the 4xBHP/3x£ versions.


A motorbike is excellent transport for urban commuting, as it is so small. Traffic isn't a problem, nor is parking, £10 of fuel lasts a long time and other running costs are low. I would be using the modern equivalent of the 250 Superdreams(which replaced the new CB200 he had for six months) my Dad used for 30 years, some of which included commuting to Vauxhall for 10 months a year. The other 2 months highlights the compromises: how you deal with the weather. And every couple of years we had to collect him from one of the London hospitals because somebody had knocked him off it - a pedestrian walked into the side of him once ???


Big bikes are like exotic cars to me; I like to see them, but what they do has absolutely no appeal. Same applies to boats, planes, horses, racecars, off-roading, etc - fun to try occasionally.




Skills make a big difference too: I'm faster over the ground on the same roads, in the same cars(I could borrow Minis, or Capris if I wanted to) than I was 30 years ago, with less fuss, and far fewer of the oh shit moments that used to be commonplace. At 50, I am not going to learn how to do that on motorbikes without a lot of pain.


And it simply isn't worth it.

Logged

Migv6 le Frog Fan

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Webs End.
  • Posts: 11734
  • Nicole's Papa
    • 3.2 Elite. Boxster. C1.
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #34 on: 15 September 2020, 11:21:15 »

Fair enough I suppose. I got sensible enough to give them up when I hit 50. £10 of petrol might not go as far as you think. My last bike, a modest CBR600 averaged 35mpg.  ;)
Probably something to do with 4x 28mm carbs on an engine often revving to 12000 rpm I suppose.
I agree about the car driving btw. I can drive between two points nowadays at least as quickly as I did when I was young, but its a lot less spectacular.
Learning to read as far ahead as possible and react in advance, rather than constantly either hard on the throttle or the brakes, makes it seem a lot less rushed and exciting, but it isnt slower.  :y
« Last Edit: 15 September 2020, 11:24:50 by Migv6 le Frog Fan »
Logged
Women are like an AR35. lovely things, but nobody really understands how they work.

Nick W

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chatham, Kent
  • Posts: 10836
  • Rover Metro 1.8VVC
    • 3.0l Elite estate
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #35 on: 15 September 2020, 11:31:23 »

Fair enough I suppose. I got sensible enough to give them up when I hit 50. £10 of petrol might not go as far as you think. My last bike, a modest CBR600 averaged 35mpg.  ;)
Probably something to do with 4x 28mm carbs on an engine often revving to 12000 rpm I suppose.
I agree about the car driving btw. I can drive between two points nowadays at least as quickly as I did when I was young, but its a lot less spectacular.
Learning to read as far ahead as possible and react in advance, rather than constantly either hard on the throttle or the brakes, makes it seem a lot less rushed and exciting, but it isn't slower.  :y


But you're using an Astra VXR, when I'd be driving a 1200....


Reading well ahead, and having a plan means you don't have to react. There is no downside to this sort of driving technique :y

Logged

Migv6 le Frog Fan

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Webs End.
  • Posts: 11734
  • Nicole's Papa
    • 3.2 Elite. Boxster. C1.
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #36 on: 15 September 2020, 12:29:15 »

I meant reacting mentally to what you see ahead, rather than waiting until you have to physically react in a hurry.  :y
Logged
Women are like an AR35. lovely things, but nobody really understands how they work.

Mr Skrunts

  • Get A Life!!
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Skruntie Land.
  • Posts: 25468
  • 3.O Elite Saloon with all the toys,
    • 2003 CD 2.2 Auto
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #37 on: 15 September 2020, 13:23:39 »

I've noticed an omission from some lists.

The fanny magnet that is the MARINA

Had one of those, the brakes failed when it went through a puddle.
Logged
Ask yourself :  " WHY do I believe in what I believe?"

Remember that my opinions expressed here are not representative of the opinions of other members on the OOF Forum.

BazaJT

  • Omega Lord
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • SLady bitshorpe N.Lincs.
  • Posts: 9086
    • Omega 3 litre Elite
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #38 on: 15 September 2020, 21:18:49 »

Saw a Hillman Avenger saloon the other day-looked to be in very good nick from what I saw as it crept past me in traffic.Hard to describe the colour but it was one of the limited editions they did and had a pale vinyl roof that only went from above the windscreen back as far as the "B" pillar.
Logged

Migv6 le Frog Fan

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Webs End.
  • Posts: 11734
  • Nicole's Papa
    • 3.2 Elite. Boxster. C1.
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #39 on: 15 September 2020, 22:11:14 »

My fading memory tells me that model might have been called the Sunseeker.  :-\
Which reminds me, I want to add a well sorted Avenger Tiger to my list.
Logged
Women are like an AR35. lovely things, but nobody really understands how they work.

Nick W

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chatham, Kent
  • Posts: 10836
  • Rover Metro 1.8VVC
    • 3.0l Elite estate
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #40 on: 15 September 2020, 22:19:24 »

My fading memory tells me that model might have been called the Sunseeker.  :-\
Which reminds me, I want to add a well sorted Avenger Tiger to my list.


I'm with you: 2.0l Brazilian-block engine(with the BRM 16v head if you can find one ;D ), decent five speed gearbox, sensible period looking wheel and tyres - mix of 6&7" Minilites with 185/70s - and a nice interior with plenty of soundproofing. In red, with the full stripes and silly rear spoiler.

That's nearly 200bhp in a <900kg car, which ought to be fun.....
Logged

Migv6 le Frog Fan

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Webs End.
  • Posts: 11734
  • Nicole's Papa
    • 3.2 Elite. Boxster. C1.
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #41 on: 15 September 2020, 23:58:33 »

Ad uprated springs , dampers, an LSD, and a quick rack, and away you go. A car capable of being much quicker than most of the people who might drive it.
Ive seen several well sorted Avengers driven in anger, in competition in Norn Irn, and they were undoubtedly a pretty competitive and much under rated car in their day.
It was a lot cheaper to build one of those than a competitive Escort too. Although Escort bits were more readily available, if more expensive.
Logged
Women are like an AR35. lovely things, but nobody really understands how they work.

Nick W

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Chatham, Kent
  • Posts: 10836
  • Rover Metro 1.8VVC
    • 3.0l Elite estate
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #42 on: 16 September 2020, 10:04:57 »

Ad uprated springs , dampers, an LSD, and a quick rack, and away you go. A car capable of being much quicker than most of the people who might drive it.
Ive seen several well sorted Avengers driven in anger, in competition in Norn Irn, and they were undoubtedly a pretty competitive and much under rated car in their day.
It was a lot cheaper to build one of those than a competitive Escort too. Although Escort bits were more readily available, if more expensive.


145lb Capri(same as effect as Avenger ones, but 1/4 of the cost) springs on the front, 195lb on the rear(these have to be Avenger/Sunbeam) for a 2" drop. I don't see the need for uprated shocks, new stock ones are fine. Poly bush throughout, and the rear suspension arms need help: box the top, and a strap across the bottom ones in front of the spring cup. Tubular top arms on a rally car.
.
LSD only on the really high power engine I mentioned; the gearbox upgrade is necessary because the stock can't handle more than stock Tiger power(which had a stiffer than normal case), and an overdrive fifth means a 4.1 diff is usable. Axle could be better, Lotus Sunbeams used the Salisbury HA for for strength


Don't like quickracks, the car is virtually undrivable with them. Replacing the stamped clamps with solid ones is worthwhile:





The commercial ones were a lot longer but were nearly £200, mine was about £2 and an evening's work



Capri vented brakes are a decent upgrade, and easy to fit. Rears are big drums, and are plenty good enough


They were cheaper than an Escort because all the bits you needed to buy for an Escort were standard: properly located strut front end with roller bearing tops; four link rear axle; standard DCOEs on the right car, twin Strombergs on lots of others; unbreakable big bore, short stroke engine - 190hp and 9000rpm on stock crank, rods, pushrods, rockers and shaft; huge engine bay with plenty of room for all the parts; Rootes competition department wasn't as well funded as Ford's but was just as serious.
« Last Edit: 16 September 2020, 10:21:25 by Nick W »
Logged

Migv6 le Frog Fan

  • Omega Queen
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Webs End.
  • Posts: 11734
  • Nicole's Papa
    • 3.2 Elite. Boxster. C1.
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #43 on: 16 September 2020, 11:16:28 »

I well remember having plates welded across the top of the rear links after one bent due to corrosion and the car went along the road like a crab.
Your probably right about quick rack etc. for road use, but in my mind im back in Norn Irn competing in the dozens of hillclimbs sprints etc. I used to marshall at in my teens.  ;D
I had Koni 30% uprated dampers on the front (iirc) and good old Spax adjustables on the rear. Although the rears were only adjusted to number 4 out of 12 (or was it 15 ?) settings, so probably not much stiffer than standard new dampers.
The old thing handled really nicely though. Slow in a straight line, but probably surprised a few drivers following, when it didnt need to slow much for the bends.
Had a lot of fun in that car. Then I decided I would cut all the rust out. There wasnt much car left at the end, which was pretty standard for a 7 year old car then. Sold it for scrap and got £15 for it.  ::)
Logged
Women are like an AR35. lovely things, but nobody really understands how they work.

TheBoy

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Brackley, Northants
  • Posts: 105839
  • I Like Lockdown
    • Whatever Starts
    • View Profile
Re: What your perfect 10 car collection?
« Reply #44 on: 17 September 2020, 17:26:50 »

Seeing as I can't find an equivilent replacement, I'm going to have to say:

1) Omega
2) Omega
....
10) Omega
Logged
Grumpy old man
Pages: 1 2 [3] 4  All   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.039 seconds with 21 queries.