What would you buy & why?

[suffolkpete]

I presume that as it has a bike gearbox there is no reverse. A new owner could be in for a shock. DVLA are sending their contractors, SGS, to inspect any vehicle that suddenly is taxed after not being taxed for a while.

[JPB]

That particular car had - when I last saw it at an event - an electric reversing motor running via a toothed belt on a pulley on the propshaft IIRC, but whether it's still there I couldn't say as the current keeper may have lost some of the parts..

[rich.]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201847055238? ... rmvSB=true

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/16254046 ... rmvSB=true

[JPB]

Hmm, I'll just ask the seller of the space ship whether it works, that might be the answer!

[rich.]

not a space ship...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112425431305? ... rmvSB=true

you know you want it john.

[JPB]

Erm, how to put this without causing offence.. Nope, can't do that, especially as Firefox dictionary says that I'm wrong to spell offence with a C rather than an S.
But GHT was looking for a B was he not? Maybe that one would do for him, its flamboyance might work well with his dress sense?


Oh go on then, that thing is a complete turd and it deserves a three vomit rating which the new emoticon affords me the chance to award:



Yet there's something about it and, if it were in the other Gentry - by Dundee - as opposed to the one in Arkansas USA, I'd be going through there to see whether it might be of some use to the sis-in-law beast. Logically, if that engine fits an MGB, it will also fit into her Riley.

[TerryG]

The advert's a bit old but if you don't fancy a space ship, how about a space cruiser
https://www.gumtree.com/p/toyota/toyota ... 1177629452

[JPB]

That is pretty, and in amazing condition for a UK example, but if I were after one of these, I'd buy an import from a yahoo.jp auction and import it. That way, you get full history from the day the thing was born plus loads of toys that we in the UK weren't deemed worthy to receive in our domestic versions
Without wishing to stereotype an entire nation's population, I've found that buying that way is utterly painless and the only bad part is that, when you're an impatient git like me, wanting everything yesterday, the sleepless nights while the boat is on its way over are far worse than a child's wait for Santa Claus to make his delivery!
But yes, they're a pleasant thing and the old tales from "That's Life" back in the day, relating to handling, aren't strictly cause for concern as it's a van and should be expected to drive like one, which it does, but not in a bad way.
I'm not sure whether I'd get into one now though. Yes, the driving position is high above the road, but the floor is high so the driving position is very car like and as such, not really ideal. Don't anyone else be put off though, these Toyota vans are well worth considering if you want a car that doubles as a lumpy bed for dire emergencies such as when you find that the nearest Day's Inn to your route has no rooms left and the Travelodge is a pre-facelift one. Premier Inn? I'll take the car/bed option thanks, they must have paid Lenny Henry one hell of a fee to claim that their beds are comfortable. I stayed in one once and the receptionist could tell from the look on my face that I hadn't slept and was extremely unhappy, so processed my refund instantly and without being asked! This meant that I'd effectively had the tea, biscuits, use of the telly and two showers for nothing, so if the lovely person who was on the desk at the Premier Inn at Fort William that night in 2012 should happen to be reading this, feel free to bill me for the stuff I used, I'm fussy but I'm no scrounger!

[rich.]

this will cure your pain john.. im sure even ght will love it.. all you need is an autobox

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-mighty-Be ... 3641.l6368

or a plastic mini?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Mini- ... 3641.l6368

or...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mitsuoka-K2-J ... fresh=true

plastic maxi?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1971-Mini-Min ... 3641.l6368

[JPB]

Well done, Mitsuoka, that's more like it!
I'd be very wary of throwing money at any unfinished kit car these days, it's a minefield getting something like the Clubfoot-fronted thing back on the road unless it's already registered and has been in use recently but strangely enough, I do like it a bit.

Pointless though, pre-last year at around this time I'd have fitted into a mini or even the Mitsuoka thing but suddenly I couldn't so unless they do them in pairs I'd be better off investing in a warehouse full of avocado bathroom suites. Hmm.. There's a plan.