The Dark Wob

CLINT wrote: ↑Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:06 pm My 2002 Citroen C5 had wheel trims on top of alloy wheels that looked like steels...

Teslas come with wheel trims on top of alloys too ("Aero caps")

SiC wrote: ↑Sun Aug 02, 2020 10:17 pm Landcrabs certainly aren't cheap cars anymore.

I forgot how absolutely half-arsed the dashboard is on the later cars.

I know. They look like a J4 van trying to rival a CustomCab Transit.

That dash is hilarious, did anyone ever admit designing* it?

I think everybody did their own little section.

Prefer the MK3 Austin. Had strip speedo in mine. Cost 400, sold for 225 (not tax eggsempt at the time being June '73 in 2003)

1800s carried over basically the Mk1/Mk2 dash, it was the six pots that got the hotch-potch of Formica off-cuts. I had a Mk1 Morris that still had touches of Farina-era BMC inside (and of course the cars overlapped by a good half-dozen years) which I think cost me about the same as yours back in 2001/2.

It's really only the Hydrospakkery that puts me off another.....

mercrocker wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 9:53 am It's really only the Hydrospakkery that puts me off another.....

The main attraction for me. After having a couple of post '77 Maxis, I'd rather give the Hydrosag a miss and stick to the the rubber springing.

mercrocker wrote: ↑Mon Aug 03, 2020 9:53 am It's really only the Hydrospakkery that puts me off another.....

What's wrong with hydrolastic? The ride or the maintenance of?

Maintenance wise there is a cottage industry fixing up and refurbishing the displacers. So much so that they have a service where they come out and replace any that have failed. Mostly rehosing but that is the vast majority of why they fail.

Ride I'm only just experiencing so can't say if I like it or not yet...

Ultimately, I dislike the ride. I found it okay on undulating road services but not over potholes and bad road surfaces of today. There is also the maintenance issue which I suppose may have improved in the last 15 years or so but the last garage had gone bust that had pumps and spares in my area just as I was on the point of deciding whether or not to keep the crab.

I find my Cowley, once all the bushes and dampers were changed, rides far better than my 1800 did without the annoying pitching. I also have a natural aversion to FWD much as I understand the benefits. Still like Crabs, Minis and the like but not to the point of serious long-term ownership.

I miss the days when ride comfort was a consideration in car design.

We have made progress on safety and handling but in many cases gone backwards on ride comfort.

Wasn't the Auston 3 litre effectively a RWD landcrab with hydrolastic?

Having never owned a Mini I hanker after a hydrolastic one just because there must be only a really tiny number left.