What would you buy & why?

[GHT]

WTF??? That was pretty random.

It was a clumsy attempt at humour, didn't mean to insult you. The implication being that an old fart like me doesn't get his oats any more. Sorry John.
That Morris Isis that Rich gave a link to, beware. It has a front bench seat, back in the day when I did get my oats, a front bench seat negated the need to climb in the back. You don't want to be uttering those four little words, do you?
"You're not, are you?"

[JPB]

I wasn't insulted, just confused as I tend to sleep these days, whereas you, obviously being the energetic type , associate getting off to bed with something beyond the (in)activity that I seek there.

My fault, I should know better than to let concerns about Weird French cars - and what might go wrong with them - keep me from my shut eye.

[rich.]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1978-VAUXHALL ... fresh=true

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Maestr ... 1864300596



edit,
john you need this in your life..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/352009266441? ... rmvSB=true

[Grumpy Northener]

How about the Viva John or are the sills / footwell step too high ? it appears to a very nice motor and top spec (I seen a very rare Viva estate for sale - in fact this one http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C849759 - it's just rightish for my business wheels - looks like it needs a bit of paint but since when has that been an issue with me - it would be about the right the money with a haggle - downside it's only a 1250cc - double downside I simply just don't have the time for the next week or so to go look / do a deal / get it back home etc)

[JPB]

Rich, I couldn't possibly comment on anything from the internet that flags up the word "grooming" on my safe search settings! But if I could, I'd be mourning the ruination of a previously perfectly adequate van. Someone disagreed though, as it sold virtually as it appeared, this in spite of the car warehouse's being home to a great many far less, erm, "unusual" motors at lower cost. Go figure..


Chris, the sill/floor height on a Viva should be ok for me but only if combined with a higher seat and roof line. I'd eventually be able to get in with a spot of help, but ISTR, from the last HC I worked on a good few years ago, that there's nowhere near enough legroom and my right leg prevented the door from being closed. That slant engined auto is a nice looking thing and the porcelain green colour suits it well, but it's around the same sort of height from floor to roof as the Corolla and that had become impossible to get into unaided though once inside, at least its driver's seat was adjustable at both ends and could be tilted at the back which helped raise me far enough above the pedal.
When I was in my twenties, I could drive a mini quite happily as both legs had sufficient bend at the knees to allow me to manage with only a tiny steering wheel being required to get the right leg between it and the door, or with the factory wheel in the case of my van, whose door bin gave me the leg space needed.

[rich.]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOLSELEY-SIX- ... 2136799154

[Grumpy Northener]

Slightly out of budget John but is this getting closer ? - http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C623013

[JPB]

Rich, E6 engine, no! Nice car, and if I were three inches shorter and it had been an 18/85 then I'd have tried it on for size but I'd only have an E6 engine in a Kimberley as the Aussies managed to make them work properly where BL couldn't do so consistently. OK, so a surviving one is possibly one of the wednesday examples but I've rarely gambled and won.


Chris, these are a lovely ride and that one appears to be exceptionally well preserved, but there's nowhere near enough legroom and the only way I could drive my late model FE - pictured on the previous page - was by putting a thick cushion on the seat and fitting the inevitable small steering wheel. That worked then, but I can't bend that much these days so the roof would be in the way.

[rich.]

John have you considered the ford Scorpio Granada thing?

[JPB]

Fine cars though the Scorpio and Granada are, they have a long, near horizontal floor well so I can't get any upward adjustment in there. I drove a few when I was flexible that way but although they're not as weird as an early Mondeo in that respect (I can barely see over the dashboard in one of those), the good old Granny is still not an option. I basically need something with a van-like seat height but with a car-like floor height and so far, only the daily car fits the bill. Even the similarly sized Transit Connect is too low in the seat, in spite of being roughly the same height in the roof, if that comparison helps.

Ideal may yet be a van with a sufficiently low step at the floor combined with no further steps and a high seat so that my leg length can be accommodated vertically and a high roof so that I can get in and sit down with minimal movement at the knee and hip joints, the daily car fits the bill on all counts, yet is under six feet in overall height and only the sparking from its aerial rubbing on the roof when I go into the underground car park at the supermarket gives away the fact that it's as tall as it is. (I usually remember to reach out and pull the aerial in before I go under the barrier)..

I keep coming back to the Reliant idea as a Metro Cab accommodates me satisfactorily and if I have to drop the occasional daily use part of the plan, then so be it. Transit mechanical stuff but with unique Taxi steering and front suspension to get that necessary tight turning circle, Thick Galvanised chassis that - unlike the small Reliants' chassis - didn't sit around in the mud at Two Gates prior to being painted or dipped, so are surviving well. Strong GRP bodies and remarkably refined to drive, especially compared to the more recent cabs.