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[Admin]

What is it about the old barges that makes us so damn emotionally attached to them??

I have owned 6 now, and I have loved 5 of them (had a dog of an ex plod briefly).

Lost count of the number of Omegas I have owned over the last few years.

I love the Omegas too... (well, enough to set this place up!  ) but I have only once felt really unhappy at selling one.

I know the Omega is a better car (not more reliable!) but a Senator has something that keeps me coming back to them.

Has anyone figured out what this "something" is yet?

[Big Rod]

They're cheap, fast and comfortable. Looked after properly they'll last for intergalactic miles. If you have a white one, they still scare people out of your way. They have more toys than you need and there's plenty of support if anything should go wrong. They're very closely related to the legendary Lotus Carlton.

The thing about Senators is that even though they're basically the same floorpan as the Carlton, they're very much in a different league, whereas the Omegas were all much of a muchness, even the top spec' models are barely distinguishable from the poverty spec' ones. Senators are instantly recogniseable as flagships.

Hope this helps!

[Kevin Wood]

even the top spec' models are barely distinguishable from the poverty spec' ones. Senators are instantly recogniseable as flagships.

This is the key, IMO. Park a 2.0 Select Omega next to an Elite with all the toys, take 20 paces back and you have to know your Omegas to tell the difference.

Park a Senator next to a base model Carlton and try the same test... You know the Senator is the daddy!

VX did just enough to set it apart as a different car, and whilst it had the same underpinnings the Senator was different enough, and rare enough, to stand out as something a little special.

My father drove one in the early 90's and I would have had one instead of an Omega but percieved that they were all getting a little long in the tooth these days. Having seen Tunnie's example I'm not so sure I was right.

Kevin

[Admin]

I understand what you are saying, but that, to me, is not what sets the Senny apart.

It is just that feeling the Senny gives you. It is a car with, dare I say it, soul!

They are still, to me, a very special car.  

[Big Rod]

There's something deep going on here LB!

Is it the medication or did you lose your virginity in one?!?!?!?!

[Admin]

 

Just trying to ascertain what makes a car "special"...

[Kevin Wood]

... Maybe it's the engines, then. Much as I love my Y32SE it's because it's smooth, quiet and powerful. I wouldn't, however, want to put a sports exhaust on it and bathe in the sound it generates.

I think the C30SE has a much nicer sound. Maybe it's a straight 6 thing.

Mmmm...

Senator
Jag E type
Triumph TR5/6/GT6/Vitesse
Aston DB5
Healey 3000
MGC
TVR speed 6
Supra

Which of the above doesn't sound bloody gourgeous?

Could be on to something here?

.. or maybe it is a spiritual thing. I certainly shed a tear when my Dad sold his Senator. Then again he did replace it with a Renault Espace Still 6 cylinders but that horrid PRV V6 lump from the De Lorean days!

Kevin

[Admin]

Senator to Espace??? Talk about bad choice!!  

It is partly the exhaust sound. It is also something more spiritual ( )

Or maybe I'm getting old and appreciating older things more!  

[tunnie]

Well this is tough... I am beginning to like the Senator more than my Omega.

The Omega is a far better drive and ride, it has noticeably less wind noise too.

But.. as in my other post... the Senator crammed with people and stuff, at 1,500 rpm... it was just pulling like a train up a 17% incline. I know the V6's technically have more torque but its how the car feels, the V6 seams to get the torque via revs. I hardly ever rev the Senator above 4k rpm, but when i do... my grin gets bigger  

I have worked on a few V6's not many, but the Senator engine is easier to work on.

Now me being 22, I should like Nova's Corsa's with exhausts the size of melons, but nope i love the Senator.

Why? Cause it goes like the clappers, puts modern £20,000 euro boxes to shame, cheap, returns excellent mpg, and brings a MASSIVE simple to my face when i hear the S6 roar!

Considering selling the 2.2, bank the money for a rainy day.

Then de-cat & chip the Senator  

[Martin_1962]

Don't worry about it Mark - I didn't do cars untill my mid 20s and the only hatch which excited me was the last car before I went GM

[Big Rod]

I have to say, had I not had to buy a newer car, I'd still be running around in a Senator, (Or maybe LC, but they're not really practical for everyday use!), my old barge, (RIP), was an absolute belter and blew the vast majority of other cars into the weeds. All for £450!! (Not inclusding the monies I spent on it which was quite a lot, but worth every penny.)

Ideally, I'd have had a Senator estate. None were ever put into production, but there was a prototype Irmscher-Opel with the 4.0 litre version of the C30SE. Looked stunning. There're are a few conversions and it makes me wonder why they never made it to production.

BTW, I have a spare LSD off a Senator if anyone wants to give me £100 for it.  

Gotten kind'a hooked on Monzas now, even though I've never driven one, (Didn't drive 'The Daddy' till after I'd parted with a huge wedge of spondooliks either. Really need to revise my car buying strategy I think!!), I'm picking up a fairly moth eaten GSE tomorrow night.

[Kevin Wood]

BTW, I have a spare LSD off a Senator if anyone wants to give me £100 for it.

Hmm. Will that fit on an Omega?

I'm picking up a fairly moth eaten GSE tomorrow night.

I used to lust after one of them. I passed it on my way to school every day.

Then, one day, I saw it arriving home on a low loader, about 2 feet too short.  

Kevin

[Big Rod]

BTW, I have a spare LSD off a Senator if anyone wants to give me £100 for it.

Hmm. Will that fit on an Omega?

Yes, but the rear subframe has to be modified. It's been done, but it's a lot of effing about, grinding and welding.

Might be able to swap the innards out, but that might be a whole world of pain in waiting.

[Omegatoy]

BTW, I have a spare LSD off a Senator if anyone wants to give me £100 for it.

Hmm. Will that fit on an Omega?

Yes, but the rear subframe has to be modified. It's been done, but it's a lot of effing about, grinding and welding.

Might be able to swap the innards out, but that might be a whole world of pain in waiting.

Innards are exactly the same!!! all carlton senny lsd will fity in an Omega casing but obviously the Omega will end up with the senny final drive ratio which i think is the same as the big Omegas but not the smaller ones!! nor the TD dammit!!!!

[Omegatoy]

Sennys and Carlton 24v s6s were my only cars from 95 my first one to 2006 my last one and 9 in between got to admit after selling the last one i wondered if i had done the right thing for a week!! had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach that i shouldnt have done it, but 16thousand miles later in the td I dont miss it so much,and buying a senny for a track daya few weeks ago(Marham) just proved to me how tough they still are and how damn quick they are!!
still love the s6 and would definetly buy another one!!

have to say tho me 24v engined Monza was the best driving car out of all of them  now definetly shouldnt have sold that!!!