Faker

It is a new car, totally new shell, suspension, brakes etc etc - I know the chap who's company does them. Another mate of mine does a bit of work for them. I have driven the white and yellow one.
Selling well to ULEZ area apparently.
I'd still rather have a normal ICE 2CV personally. Id also never spend anywhere near the amount they cost on a motor vehicle, but thats just me. And i would never ever have one of those plastic rear end 'ville' vans - thats another story entirely
Feel free to PM me if you wish a more forthright comment 🤣
It also happens that most (but not all) of the 2CV repair, service, resto parts that anyone buys comes here through this company, directly or Indirectly, because of who they are partnered with and who that partner is partnered with.

Any car that's still on the road past a typical ten year life cycle is already doing its bit by negating the need to make another car to replace it. Just my opinion mind 😉

Plod over in Norn Iron definitely had a specialist vehicle unit where special vehicle testing and trials were done. An Astra Sri turbo was sourced and sent to Courtney Sport for the full package. Upgraded suspension and brakes, turbo, intercooler, pipework and mapping. It was a one off order and was specifically for traffic branch. Once it was retired from service it was sold with the entire Courtney Sport documented folder detailing all the modifications. This is the actual car… It was unmarked and virtually nothing gave it away. It had blue strobe lights and sirens obviously!


Norn iron plod used to have this Focus RS too. I’m led to believe it was tweaked also.

now it’s a fleet of M135 beemers with over 300 bhp as standard!!! Focus RS.. Focus ST and a Golf R

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

Anyone on the beige pages who knows me.... knows that I’m a sucker for small French competition cars...... so..
I found myself a little 1992 106 XSi. Original paint and virtually pin straight.  However it’s got a welded up sunroof needing attention. Converted to hillclimb-sprint car in ‘96, and last used in ‘04. Been in storage for 18 years. Original Northern Ireland registered car with me now being the second officially recorded owner.

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

So I’ve been using this thing as a daily driver since October last year! Love the thing!
it’s not exactly practical, seats aren’t the most comfortable, it’s loud… but I love it!
 

 

So a couple of months down the line… clubman events aside. Mrs Faker decided she wanted to do a demonstration rally…

So by way of update… it ran….. for a while.. then shat itself. Fuel system had deteriorated and began to perish quite badly. Transpires a couple of flushes didn’t cut it… continually gumming and blocking up the injectors. Entire fuel system swapped out with new hoses and fittings throughout, and replacement injectors fitted. 
few other tweaks aside, and a small amount of welding, wheels and tyres, brakes, and a few bits and bobs… and having not actually been on the road since 1998… it passed its MOT. 
 
Further to that it’s been used competitively on a clubman rally (lent it to a motoring journalist to do his first budget entry airfield rally) only for the chap to get a third in class!
result!

I fukked up soo bad! Something like 10 - 12 years ago.  Fella I knocked about with offered me this exact Clio Williams…. £1500 quid.. figure this! I turned my nose up at it because it didn’t feel quick enough (150hp) and the clutch was a bit ropey….  Proper proper Williams. It was in really good shape too….. had a light rear end tap but well enough repaired.. 
Went for a 172 instead! This is from a man that’s beside himself these days with 100hp sambas and 106! What a twat I was!! It was sold on and it’s  been in storage for years.
Would I want a Williams now? Hell yeah!

Undoubtedly a Clio Williams with an MOT for £800.
The fact it had rot needing chopped out of a rear wheelarch is what put me off. Was thinking even best case scenario, bodyshop by the time paint etc came into it and the no doubt other things needing addressed, i'd more into it for 3k+.
Yeah.... go look at their values now,  Even within 6 months of that, i'd have turned the easiest 2 grand ever, they rocketed in a way i've never seen a hot hatch rocket, it was a 5k car in under a year, it's now more like a 10k car for even a rougher but sorted one.😂
2nd place, Delta integrale. Was about 5k. Probably a bigger 'miss' than even the Clio on financial terms, but i don't regret it quite as much because there's still a part of me, even to this day that thinks there was something dodgy about it. But still.... can't even get the shell of one for half that now, let alone any of the running gear.

Thread revival…
this shocked me and my mate last night around Rowley. Fully plated up Carina E still going as a mini cab..

Still plenty of extremely shabby TX1s plying for hire around Belfast, which must be hitting advanced miles. I'm sure I've seen one on an R-plate not that long ago.


Best not to ask too many questions about their PSV test status...
There was still a Sierra minicab doing the rounds until about 2010 too; unsurprisingly, it was utterly hanging.
Every now and again when I'm on the Bangor ringroad I catch sight of a white E100 Corolla liftback with a taxi sign on the roof, but I've yet to snap a pic of it. Think it's on a 1991 reg, so fairly cracking on in years.

Well if you want old taxis there's one perfect place to go: Madagascar... 

And if that's too old for you, there's so much more in the way of beige French economical motoring... 

Off for another trip to Gigha.
We set off from home in the dark and rain, but it improved considerably by the time we reached Inveraray..


Another 90 mins on the road saw us in Tayinloan awaiting the ferry. On an aside, even 3 up with a full boot and tank, the 182 is a great A road car - comfortable enough, easy overtakes and 40mpg

Said ferry has a buggered ramp. So is only loading/unloading from one end.
Hence, I had to reverse onto the boat.
Happily we had the ferry to ourselves

 
Once  on the island, we had a still around the north of the island. Thankfully the weather was awesome, and a great time was had.
We got to see some Viking burials - laid out to look like a long ship.

Further round we saw some neolithic graves..


Stunning views as far as the eye could see - enjoy the pictures!

Only ever been a passenger in one but wowsers it felt rapid! It was a lovely orange colour. What happened on that track day to make it flip?

Too much throttle… too sharp a turn in… too much kerb!! 🤣

Enjoy the wee Clio RS 320touting. What a machine. Clio Sports are simply one of the greatest cars ever put in to production. Yes they can be a little delicate… but dear god they’re magnificent to drive. Sold my old one 7 years ago… to my nephew.. who tortured me to sell it. He wanted to try track days and needed a suitable machine (victim) to fulfil his desire and needs… with 112k on the clock and in fantastic (unbiased) condition I let it go for £900 (Jezuz wept!)… regret it every day since… especially with the track day usage outcome.. On a lighter note I bought a wee Yaris 1.8 SR a while back and I have to say…. It’s been utterly faultless. Unlike the Clio it’s not as delicate and being of Japanese origin it simply doesn’t go wrong. Wet weather handling capabilities aren’t remotely in the same league either I might add… but in the real world in dry weather it’s just as much fun, with somewhat less power.  Doubt I’ll have another Clio as the price of them now is insane! 

^^^ The yellow streak between the L and I on the OSR door suggests a different word entirely!