Reliant kitten owner

Post pictures and stories about your cars both present and past. Also post up "blogs" on your restoration projects - the more pictures the better! Note: blog-type threads often get few replies, but are often read by many members, and provide interest and motivation to other enthusiasts so don't be disappointed if you don't get many replies.
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Lamblover
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:45 pm

Reliant kitten owner

#1 Post by Lamblover » Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:15 pm

Hi all my names mark, just found this forum and it looks interesting so here is my introduction to my little reliant kitten saloon...its a 1976 850cc I bought it from Birmingham as a non runner, it's now running beautifully and is road legal..she's had quite abit of work done to the chassis and body to get her to were she is now...anyway here's a few pics....

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zipgun
Posts: 856
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Crowborough

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#2 Post by zipgun » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:52 am

OMG! John is gunna wet himself.. ;) :lol: :lol:

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TerryG
Posts: 6754
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:54 pm
Location: East Midlands

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#3 Post by TerryG » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:55 am

again ;)
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.

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Luxobarge
Posts: 1900
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:12 pm
Location: Horne, Surreyshire

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#4 Post by Luxobarge » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:07 pm

Indeed. I foresee quite a bit of love for this car on this forum - that's lovely!

I'd love to see some photos before/during the work you did on it - any chance?

Cheers!
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

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TerryG
Posts: 6754
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:54 pm
Location: East Midlands

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#5 Post by TerryG » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:13 pm

Other than peering through the windows, i have never seen inside one of those before. the central air vent made me smile.
You have a very good looking toy there :)
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.

kevin
Posts: 856
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 7:49 am

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#6 Post by kevin » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:42 pm

I love it and have never seen one before, are they the same as a 3 wheeler but with the obvious 4 wheels?

Kev

vulgalour
Posts: 674
Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#7 Post by vulgalour » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:18 pm

That looks fabulous, one of the best applications of that Rover purple I've yet seen.

zipgun
Posts: 856
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Crowborough

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#8 Post by zipgun » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:29 pm

Handles like a Lotus

















and a Maxi ! The inner door handles, that is.. :oops:

Lamblover
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:45 pm

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#9 Post by Lamblover » Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:03 pm

Hi all thanks for the kind comments..here is the pics of the car when I got her home, showing basically how the previous owner left it..the brakes were stuck so I just replaced the cylinders and refitted the shoes greasing the moving parts..engine turned over but did not start :? This was due to a dodgy fuel pump so after cleaning the carb,replacing all fuel lines and fitting a new fuel pump she fired up after a few try's..the engine ran quite lumpy so I adjusted the ingnition timing to 10 btdc as opposed to tdc the Haynes manual says :) I also noticed the ignition was replaced with a simon bbc electronic ignition kit so that saved me a few quid as I don't really like the points and condenser system..after a quick drive up the road she ran crap :lol: but after some carb fettling she's not to bad now but still needs a proper rolling road setup.

I decided to take her for a mot (for the failure sheet) but to my amassment she passed :D with no advisories so I was well chuffed and proud...now she's taxed and fully road legal so just waiting for some good weather to go for a long drive...

Pics of her after I got home

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The interior was wet and damp and stunk..there was wires everywhere

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Non running engine

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Here's a link to a YouTube video of her in her first stages after getting engine up and running

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arov6N2d-Iw

Cheers

Topaz
Posts: 246
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 11:52 am
Location: Derby

Re: Reliant kitten owner

#10 Post by Topaz » Mon Feb 17, 2014 8:49 pm

Hi Mark - nice car and well done with the MOT - I like the idea of just putting it in for the test to see what's wrong :D

At a guess you must be based in the East Midlands - I saw your videos of Stenson Lock and the Berkeley T60 in Mansfield. My son has a 1979 Mini and we took that to Peter Burgess in Alfreton for a session on the rolling road - spent some time making various changes with the end result that it just ran better and was more responsive. No great boost to the horsepower as it's just a bog standard 998cc with no modifications what so ever but Steve was pleased with it - cost me £70 for a couple of hours work two years ago.

Mike

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