What would you buy & why?

[JPB]

Mmm, nice thing, but should skates not come in pairs?

[TerryG]

OK fusspot, how about these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162477081834

[JPB]

Dafs are a very fine thing indeed, and the Daddy of all CVTs is the least unreliable as it's such a simple, but brilliant idea. However there are many cars that I can now only drool over at shows which I'd have been able to drive not that long ago so really, all of this very lovely tin is good to look at but the internal dimensions and low floor of the daily drive make it one of only two cars that I know for certain I can still drive safely and without a passenger to help me at both ends of a journey.

I should quantify the nature of the issue. Minimum dimensions of something I can cope with are so: seat cushion height from floor (of the vehicle) - minimum 28", sill height to step over from the floor (outside) into the car - maximum 7", minimum height of vehicle door aperture from floor, assuming seat base is at the minimum height stated above - 5' 9" and minimum distance from forward edge of driver's seat - at full height and maximum rearward extension - to the accelerator pedal needs to be 33" with at least a further 2" left for further rearward shifting or tilting of seat base.

I reckon a "slammed" commercial vehicle might be suitable , but every candidate that offers the essential minimum and maximum dimensions seems to be a) modern, b) Japanese or c) parked on my drive already.. c = a+b!

[TerryG]

That's fairly specific, are they the requirements of a piece of a mobility equipment or what you find comfortable / easy to do by yourself?

[JPB]

An element of both, Terry. I recently had a spell of relapse following which I didn't get all of my mechanical or cerebral functionality back and I'm told that I can forget any ideas about that happening, so the bB was an absolute godsend and it is huge fun to drive thanks to that crazily free spinning yet tough little engine, the best auto box I've ever met to date, twitchy handling that keeps me awake and the fact that.. whisper it .. other owners are sociable in the same way as owners of old cars tend to be, but the one thing I don't need to explain to anyone who has ever fallen for the charms of an older car is that there's just something special about keeping an ancient piece of machinery going as a viable means of transport in the 21st century and I need that buzz again.

I'll find a new plaything some day, there must be a vehicle somewhere that meets most of my requirements.

[Grumpy Northener]

Here you go John - I already know that these are a 'nearly there' for you - but this is a rare species in this format - wants work but it looks sensible money and he is willing to take a bid on it - that would leave you several £k in your budget - bit of welding + paint , interior would tidy up and I have no doubt you do a lump of it yourself and get welding / paint done professionally http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/ ... 200-bolton - pity that I have too many projects of my own otherwise I would have a go at this - really like the old A60's dad had a fleet of them has taxi's

[JPB]

Yes, I love these too and they can be modified very slightly to make them almost John-proof! I can see that one being a very practical proposition after it's been fitted with a couple of the excellent GRP wings that the COOC used to offer back in my days as a member, a bit of tidying, some seat covers and a flash over with rattle cans in a totally inappropriate, garish and badly applied shade of orange.
I could definitely add value to that car by carrying out such basic preservation strategies so I've just fired off a PM to the guy who's selling it.

I lost my crystal ball some years ago, just before I sold a spotless MK1 Escort 1100L (yes, a 2 door one ) - to a student - for £350 with a full year's justifiable MOT and half a tank of petrol.. but I can see the potential in that where the admittedly beautiful examples I have seen recently wouldn't have been ideal dailies as I'd be scared to park anything really shiny and leave it for some ned to embellish with key scratches or for a careless person to leave trolley dings in its doors, plus the better a car is, the more I stand to lose if I sell it, not that the profit potential is critical if I like something, but we can all hope!

My otherwise vacant mind is still full of commercial vehicle ideas too though, so while I wait to hear about the Wolseley, anything along the lines of an old bus or van that would fit or could be made to do so is still another possibility.
Indecisive, moi? I don't know, what do you reckon, maybe, maybe not..

[rich.]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-120LSE- ... rmvSB=true

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1964-Chevy-G1 ... rmvSB=true

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/15251864 ... rmvSB=true

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Tank/172 ... rmvSB=true

[alabbasi]

Buy my Humvee, it fits great in tight spaces, great on fuel and very fast

www.ebay.com/itm/152514868226?

[JPB]

Rich, you crack me up! The Skoda is no use to me but what a lovely (overpriced?) thing that is! The Chevy van appeals greatly and would be ideal for carrying bodies for burial in the forest at dead of night, the CX has been sold and that mini tank is too silly even for me but please keep right on posting this crazy stuff, I love the things you come up with.

Al, I love that thing. I even did an online insurance quote and it came back at £684.79 to add that to my existing multi car policy! To put that into perspective; my bB (same car as the 1st generation Scion xB that was sold in the States, but with bench seats, column change, foot parking brake and the steering wheel on the correct side), although a type approval exempt import, only costs £180 per year to insure. Just for sh*ts & giggles, I got a quote for the Humvee based on it having its own policy instead, that came in at an even less sensible £1,079.64!
I love the thing but would be bankrupt within the year if that were on my fleet.