Genuine Jaguar Polaris 19" Alloy Wheels

That car reminds me of the Bristol ?

Sadly for car enthusiasts. There is very little to choose from in appearance. Nowadays there is so much plastic. The bonnets have taken a dive, in the name of safty, no longer can your eye follow the bonnet mascot around a curve. For our best cars, Jags, Rovers, Bently's etc. What's happened to the chrome. Now many radiator grilles look more like a bit of expanding metal or chicken wire. Then going deeper. Todays cars are a mix-match. Body parts made in... Engine comes from the US Oldsmobile.

 

I agree Mike, if money was no object like a lotto win, no modern Lambo, Ferrari, Bugatti for me, take a late 50's-1960's styled car, then resto mod it, modern suspension and brakes, upgrade the engine with a few mod cons, decent Bose sound system, something like a Ferrari 275gtb, in me dreams as they say

 

Reading through this thread, a few of the cars mentioned bring back memories for me.

Austin Westminsters: Great car, but spoiled for me by a very tragic and wholly unavoidable accident in which a young boy was killed. The Westminster, incidentally, was driven by Police Officers, but no blame can be put on them.

Gordon Keeble: Pretty looking car spoiled by an abysmal choice of engine. When contemories sush as Bristol, Jensen, even Facel Vega were using the 383 Chrysler, they went and chose the 327 SBC. Unreliable at best.

Bristols: Only an opinion, but possible a better car than even a Rolls, and I've driven both....

Rover SD1's: The local Police had them for a while, and had bets on which bit would fall off next!

The "american cars dont handle myth." I'll match mine against any similar sized car from any country on any circuit. At 55 years old though, it is still only a youngster...

 

It is interesting to see the differences from there to here as far as classic car passions. Over here it is the muscle cars from the 70's that command attention. The wiley coyote-rocket-strapped-to-your-back style ride that is prized.

I had my little barbie-menopause car wheels restored a couple of years ago and now they go into storage for the winter so no salt hits them. Expensive for the restoration but well worth the money.

 

I might take you up on that with my 66 goat, not your standard 389 360hp version though, it has the ram air option and a few tweaks, last dyno'd about 18month ago @ 410bhp, but she aint much kop in the corners

 

I've posted it before, but heres my dyno sheet...



The handling was sorted at production as well...

 

446bhp and a mopar engine, I have heard people say before, they have the handling sorted on muscle cars, air ride or ride tech etc, but its the weight that is the problem, the gto of mine is a tad over 1.6 tonne, and not a heavy weight, but she still under steers like a pig when you drop a cog into a tight corner. I had a quick look, but you didnt mention what car you have? I'll hedge my bets on a 1/4 mile quietly confident, but not in the corners, shes ok, but not great.

 

Hey guys. I feel I must apologise for, perhaps hijacking your thread. Sorry. However it was nice to find a thread that dealt with motors.
If I may. Memories of motoring days past. You could pickup an oldie for £15 or 25 quid. OK you spent out on it, but that was motoring in those days. When you were up and running, off you'd go for a spin in the country. You always carried a spare can of oil, and water plus your tool kit. and yes, a tow rope. THe scenery often included many broken down cars, so having started out clean and tidy. You returned home, oily, greased and often smelling of petrol. Nice day out.

I have to admit. This sad old sod, late at night, logs into you tube. I like some of the music and also the motor related videos. Just watched a vid of the Rover SD1 and the Rover 800. Then this guy showed up in New Zealand, and wowee. He took us for spin in the Triumph 2000 and 2500 series. Great.
Back to the good old days. Tinkering with cars. OK. I as a traffic cop, had to undergo a course, City & Guilds, to qualify proficient to carry out roadside MOT's. Up until then. We were able to stop, examine and report numerous mechanical faults. Now this new legislation allowed us to as it wre. Sit outside a testing station, and pick and choose. Sorry guv, but despite you have just had an MOT. Your car has failed. In Charlton, SE London. A garage set up. It was soon discovered. Get a remould tyre and an MOT. You passed.
Back to home mechanics. Winter time and bet your life, the spanner slipped and you took a chunk out of your knuckles. Happy days.

 

446 refers to the engine size in cubic inches, not the amount of horsepower. The engines bhp is 538. Far more important though is the amount of torque.

In regards to handling. Mopar enthusiasts are quite aware that on certain models, handling was sorted during production. Even if some of the parts werent available to the general public back then, they are now. Weight can be an issue though. I agree on that.

 

Nothing wrong in watching car porn on youtube Mike, my memories of cars is slightly different, born in 1970, when I first became interested in cars, it was the ford Zythyr, then the Escort, Cortnia, Capri, Granada, and as I became of age, my first car was a Triumph Dolomite 1300, easy to work on, then I progressed to an Alfa Sud 1500 not that easy, then to a Granada mk2, Capri1.6 laser, then it was the age of electronic, I had a Mitsibushi Galant mk 1, then it was an Audi 80, and best to let the professionals fix them (not Bodie and Doyle), my favourite car I owned was an Audi A8 4.2 from a driving point of view, however recently, there is something really special about a summers drive in the Triumph 2000, SUs running well, windows down, or the V8 burble of the GTO in a tunnel or in Cheddar george, knowing if the break down, chances are you can fix them with a set of spanners, some screw drivers, or a pair of pliers, rather than sit at the side of the road awaiting recovery, and a several £100 bill (if your lucky). My every day vehicle 2015 Mercedes Vito van, comfy, reliable, high 30s mpg, aircon, and plenty of space for shopping, hasnt missed a beat in 5 years, tyres, brake pads and light bulbs.

 

538bhp, means your tyres spin for the first 2 seconds or more of the race, we can talk tourqe,but its what is available at the fly wheel, don't get me wrong, Mopar is awsome, but its how the car uses it, now I aint arguing with Americans with 1/4 mile stats, because it is what these cars where made for, but us Brits like to tinker, but I reckon my Gto is around the 11 second mark give or take a few tenths (no proper equipment), I have used phone Apps and 0 to 60mph comes in at 5.9 seconds

 

@Cuttings if its fine by you, what I will do over the next few days is dig out a time slip from just after the engine was built, and post it. I'm just hoping a) I can find one, and b) scan it of photograph it well enough for it to be legible.

 

Here you go @Mike Allen, we have a thread running on cars.

Cars!