idiotboy Posted May 16, 2012 Author Posted May 16, 2012 Hello, The VDP looks very tidy, I'd take a 1 litre of 20/50 oil and a 2.5l bottle of water and a random selection of spanners and screwdrivers, Not that i suspect you'll need any of them. If you think your mad selling a LNA for a VDP then there's a local guy i found out on Saturday who sold this very rare Granada 5.0 Perana also for a Austin VDP recently!. 1976 Ford Granada 5.0 V8 GL Perana by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr Hi Trigger, Well I agree its a bit erm unusual. I thought that my missus would find a nice rock solid rust free Citroen CX diesel or something like that via her French contacts, but no. The only reason I'm selling the LNA is because its too small for us, we need a car that we can get 4 adults in comfortably. I'm not even sure the Allegro is big enough having only vague memories of one as a child. The LNA is great fun though and really efficient. I'll be sad to see it go, but I can't have 4 cars and the French lass is protective of the 2CV and Ami.
theorganist Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 I'm not even sure the Allegro is big enough having only vague memories of one as a child. The Allegro is pretty roomy, I had four adults in one of mine with no problem.
idiotboy Posted May 16, 2012 Author Posted May 16, 2012 I'm not even sure the Allegro is big enough having only vague memories of one as a child. The Allegro is pretty roomy, I had four adults in one of mine with no problem. I've just googled Allegro and one was a advert for the allegro quoting VAROOOOOM for five! Result. I see theorganist you have a Maxi 1750. I'm trying to understand what mpg I might expect from a 1750cc 5 speed allegro lol.
Tayne Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 Can anyone advise how I upload pictures and I can submit some As you already have the picture on flickr, simply use the share tab and copy and paste the BBcode for the appropriate size. Wartburg Tourist by wartburgknight, on Flickr
blguy1975 Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 Hi Keep try to rustproof the front wings and front panel as there no more around and the same goes for the fuel tank ,The E series is very good but don't forget the fuel additive as they don't like unleded, Keep the Hydragas pumped , There are Members of the ACi with Pumping Machine's , The headling can sag but can be re -attached carfully, If You a travveling a long way , Take the VP hubcaps off as if one comes off It will cost about £80 to replace, Check the Rad as they are rare too. Hope this helps Matt
dollywobbler Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 Blimey Matt. About time we saw you here given your tastes! Now, have you mentioned that your DS burst into flames when you bought it yet?
chaseracer Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 Ian! Don't compress Matt's enthusiasm! Welcome along, Mr.C - you'll fit right in here...
theorganist Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 I see theorganist you have a Maxi 1750. I'm trying to understand what mpg I might expect from a 1750cc 5 speed allegro lol. I'll let you know when I get in on the road which hopefully will be sometime before the next ice age !! I did have a 1750HL (twin carb) Maxi which never seemed to be excessive on the fuel consumption, I only used it for pottering about and the odd longer journey and unfortunately I never really made a note of the fuel consumption. Fifth, I think is more like an overdrive IIRC from the road tests of the time. My current Maxi apparently has a gearbox off a 1500 Allegro (was on a go-cart) which has higher gearing than the 1750!!
idiotboy Posted May 17, 2012 Author Posted May 17, 2012 Hi Keep try to rustproof the front wings and front panel as there no more around and the same goes for the fuel tank ,The E series is very good but don't forget the fuel additive as they don't like unleded, Keep the Hydragas pumped , There are Members of the ACi with Pumping Machine's , The headling can sag but can be re -attached carfully, If You a travveling a long way , Take the VP hubcaps off as if one comes off It will cost about £80 to replace, Check the Rad as they are rare too. Hope this helps Matt Many thanks blguy. Good tip about the hubcap. I'll make sure that they are all correctly fitted prior to driving off. It sounds like I really need to join the Allegro club.
mnde Posted May 17, 2012 Posted May 17, 2012 Hi there - welcome and good luck with your new VDP! I'm wondering whether or not I ought to tell Chris Salter I know of an LNA for sale........ DIdn't you have an import Beetle a while back? Cheers, Mark.
scooters Posted May 18, 2012 Posted May 18, 2012 15 posts and already an Autoshite legendLike Monkey, Sandy, Pigsy and that baldy.androgynous priest you have found your Ghandara! Welcome aboard Matt, A DS for a Wartie!!!!!!!! AWSUM RESPK 4 U MAD SHITTER CREDS! etc... Nice VDP that, yor missus is clearly as mad as cheese. My one just looks at me in a sort of resigned desperation... Oh, better get some Vactan rust killer for the 'leggy....mind you, with all that Gallic tin you probably have a tanker of the stuff.
dollywobbler Posted May 18, 2012 Posted May 18, 2012 Matt did indeed have an import Beetle. One of the dullest cars I've ever driven but it looked nice!
idiotboy Posted May 18, 2012 Author Posted May 18, 2012 Hi Scooters Thanks for the respect, it was to try and balance karma. Back in 2001 I sold a really nice '87, fully loaded Trabi 601s (with the bungle hide interior) to buy what I thought was my dream car, a Silver 1978 GS pallas C matic. The GS turned out to be the biggest pile of tut I'd ever owned. It leaked 4 different types of fluid (one uber rare Total T, the CCC asked me politely to fix the car after the 3rd litre went missing/evaporated as it was draining their remaining stock of Total T). Would I have another? Yes probably. The Mexican Bug I bought to appease my VW loving parents who'd had 5 bugs over the years ( I was conceived in the back of a Navy Blue '72 1302S apparently). It had an interesting mix of Aircooled Vee Dub and MK1 Golf bits. Golf seats, switches, dizzy and ignition module etc and a Mexican spec, 1600 cc unit with the 6.6:1 compression ratio torquetastic boxer mated to a GT Beetle box with a high 4th gear ratio. Yes it looked lovely, drove OK, but as a car made no sense. It was interesting in that it had appeared on Top gear in 1992 (paperwork to prove) and had been owned by an actor called Anthony Andrews. I found aircooled VW owners seem to have a fixation on lowering suspension and chroming everything, which isn't my bag. I seem to remember that it was a running battle to stop the thing turning Pink (VW Tornado red issue) as the paint oxidised like a bastard. I like my motors to be practical and the Bug just isn't. Now a VW Type 181, now you're talking. Now if only I could find out where my navy blue J reg 1971 Volvo 144 went. Sadly it vanished in 2002 and I can't remember the reg number cos stupid me left the V5c in the glovebox. I've still got a set of keys for it. I always take the keys with me to classic car shows just in case I find it again.
idiotboy Posted May 18, 2012 Author Posted May 18, 2012 Blimey Matt. About time we saw you here given your tastes! Now, have you mentioned that your DS burst into flames when you bought it yet? I probably did. Man that was a bad moment, possibly the most expensive mistake I've ever made. Never buy a car from an Englishman in France, not unless you know the vehicle inside out and even then. Talking of expensive mistakes has anyone seen that red Mazza Quatraporte on ebay for £2k?
idiotboy Posted May 18, 2012 Author Posted May 18, 2012 Vanden Plas Update Right just got off phone with Derick the vendor and confirmed Reg number and that deposit has been received. Possible VDP pickup of the 24th or 31st has been agreed. He's had the tax off it so I've got to wait until Footman James send me an insurance cert so that I can get Tax. Apparently the car has an Alarm (WTF???) although why I'm not sure. Maybe to prevent it being stolen and trashed by BBC Top Gear. Unfortunately said Alarm keeps draining the battery, so that might be an early part that gets ditched. The car also apparently has a Sunroof which I didn't spot in the pictures. The gentle Thwap of the letterbox today announced the arrival of an Autodata manual for the Allegro (£0.99p eBay Bargain) and I've been thumbing through this with Interest mixed with fear. In a book published in 1986 when the last Allegro was only 3 years old they are indicating area's of rust concern in a workshop manual lol! Anyone would think this is an Alfa.
M'coli Posted May 18, 2012 Posted May 18, 2012 FWIW, the VPs were virtually hand-built and are supposed to have the best build quality of any BL car of the 70s - so let's hope they aplied on the paint properly!
Mr_Bo11ox Posted May 18, 2012 Posted May 18, 2012 Allegros are pretty rust-resistant compared to most old shite of that age. The only serious 'hidden' rot they seem to get is where the front suspension tie-bar things reach the bottom edge of the front panel and inner wing.
mnde Posted May 20, 2012 Posted May 20, 2012 Hi Matt, I've just been looking through some old photos, and found a couple I took of your Bug at Aircool Day, Duxford, and the H van rally in Melplash, both 2003 Mark
AnthonyG Posted May 20, 2012 Posted May 20, 2012 Welcome to AS. What on earth is a Simson Schwabe - a moped?
idiotboy Posted May 21, 2012 Author Posted May 21, 2012 Welcome to AS. What on earth is a Simson Schwabe - a moped? Hi AnthonyG Simon Schwalbe.... imagine a Vespa and a Honda cub got busy, a Schwalbe would be the product of that union. It's a Roman holiday...in Berlin with Eric Honika.
idiotboy Posted May 24, 2012 Author Posted May 24, 2012 Welcome to AS. What on earth is a Simson Schwabe - a moped? Hi AnthonyG Simon Schwalbe.... imagine a Vespa and a Honda cub got busy, a Schwalbe would be the product of that union. It's a Roman holiday...in Berlin with Eric Honika. OK I've now sussed how to get images on here. So here is some of the Shite I've owned recently: Wartburg 353S Tourist Ami 8 Club (Still own) LNA DSpecial Mobylette Retro bike shite Simson Schwalbe made by same company as Wartburg shite MZ 125 east german shite
idiotboy Posted May 25, 2012 Author Posted May 25, 2012 Some lovely motor there idiotboy Yes, trouble is due to my no claims having now expired cos I had a classic policy, I can't have a new car. The only cars I can have on my current insurance are nothing above Group 9, no French motor newer than 20 years old. No Jap motor newer than 30 years old etc. I bought a Bargain white Xantia 2 litre petrol auto last year, for £200. one owner FSH not a mark on it, but cos it was a 94 on an M plate my insurers wouldn't do it, and the cheapest quote I could find was £768! What made me laugh was when I asked for a quote on a 95 Jag XJ6 4.0 and I was quoted £250 as the Jag was classed as a classic car. So I had to sell the Xantia 5 days after buying it. Insurance these days makes no sense. I thought maybe I should take the hit and insure a car on a normal policy that earns No claims bonus, so I called round all the usual suspects and this is the strangest thing. A group 1 insurance car is not the cheapest car to insure. I was quoted over £500 to insure a 2006 Fiat Panda 1.1, but less than £200 to insure a 1.8 1978 MGB GT. How does that make any kind of sense?
dollywobbler Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 Where's the shonky disaster DS? That was your Autoshite winnah! My favourite silly insurance moment was when my 3528cc Rover P6 V8 proved cheaper to insure than my 602cc 2CV.
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 Shouldn't the Allegro Vanden Plastic be a 1500? Unless some irresponsible speed addicted maniac has dropped a 1750 mill in there. You'll love the drive home, but make sure Mrs I.B is sat in the back with a picnic table down with a magnum of Chateau L'Merde whilst you snick it into fifth for the cruise home. Looks a stunner.
idiotboy Posted May 25, 2012 Author Posted May 25, 2012 Where's the shonky disaster DS? That was your Autoshite winnah! My favourite silly insurance moment was when my 3528cc Rover P6 V8 proved cheaper to insure than my 602cc 2CV. What this old pile of tut? That caught fire as I tried to drive it off the Vendor's driveway? It was a 1967 LHM fluid "Frogeye" DS19 Pallas fitted with a manual transmission. I remember being contacted by a snooty type in the Citroen Club saying that it wasn't a real DS but an ID with Pallas bits fitted as they never made a manual DS Pallas. He shut up when I gave him the Chassis number which proved it was a DS not an ID though, I might be an idiot in some things but I'm anorakky enough to know the difference between a DS and an ID.
idiotboy Posted May 25, 2012 Author Posted May 25, 2012 Shouldn't the Allegro Vanden Plastic be a 1500? Unless some irresponsible speed addicted maniac has dropped a 1750 mill in there. You'll love the drive home, but make sure Mrs I.B is sat in the back with a picnic table down with a magnum of Chateau L'Merde whilst you snick it into fifth for the cruise home. Looks a stunner. Well I don't know...most VP's I've seen are 1500, but I think you could get the VP with the 1750 Twin carb. I've been told its the same "Sporty" unit as fitted to the Maxi High Line.
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted May 25, 2012 Posted May 25, 2012 The manuals were definitely 1500's but I have a feeling the late autos were 1750? 1978 Glass guide only lists a 1500. And yours was £2794 new in 1976. Unless it's a 1975 in which case it was £2312 - that's inflation!
idiotboy Posted May 25, 2012 Author Posted May 25, 2012 The manuals were definitely 1500's but I have a feeling the late autos were 1750? 1978 Glass guide only lists a 1500. And yours was £2794 new in 1976. Unless it's a 1975 in which case it was £2312 - that's inflation! Interesting, I'm told its a manual 5 speed. So is it a rare old beast after all?
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