Shite update

[wuvvum]

I haven't done a fleet update in a while, so as the weather was half decent today I thought I'd take a couple of photos of recent purchases. It's not a particularly impressive update to be honest - my shite mojo has recovered somewhat from the all-time low over the summer, but I'm still not getting through tat at the rate I used to.

 

I bought a Subaru Legacy twin turbo estate to use at Marham as I didn't want to risk killing the Stagea. The Subaru was fun, and pretty quick until it hit its JDM 112mph limiter, but the fuel consumption was hideous. So I sold it (some of you might have seen it up on RR) and bought this.

 

 

It's a UK market MX5, owned by a lady in her 60s who was selling due to buying a car with four seats (Ford Cougar) so she could ferry the grandkids around. It's far from immaculate, but it was cheap. It was also pretty local by my standards (Kings Lynn), which was a good thing as it lost its clutch after about 1/4 mile and I had to drive it home banging it up and down through the 'box, and pulling away using the starter. I ordered a new slave cylinder, but haven't got round to fitting it as it's a right bastard to get to - I've bled the clutch up though and it's now a lot better than it was - still loses pressure in heavy traffic but for normal use it's OK.

 

It also needs a new headlight motor relay, so the lights have to be wound up and down by hand at the moment, and the hood isn't 100% waterproof. There's some rust, but nothing terminal - the sills have been welded in the past though. The mark on the driver's door is polish, which I haven't got around to washing off yet. It's out of test now, but I'm not overly bothered as I bought it to use as a track day car (with perhaps the odd cheeky run out with the hood down if we get a summer next year). I'm not going to go on about the purity of the driving experience as apart from anything else I don't want Wat to come round my house with a baseball bat, but for what I paid for it it's quite a fun little thing.

 

Then last week I was offered this little beastie at a price I couldn't refuse, so I snapped it up - one of these has been on my list for years.

 

 

 

It's a '98 model, which means it misses out on some of the funky interior and Fisher Price switchgear which graced the earlier models, but it's still quite a nice place to sit.

 

 

It has a full length canvas sunroof which seems watertight so far, plus electric windows and a 4-speed fan (older cars only got two speeds). It also has the 1149cc OHC engine as opposed to the 1237cc pushrod lump in the early cars, and it trundles along well enough. It's quite economical too, although not as good as the Rover. I've been using it as my daily all week and it's pretty good fun to drive - a bit like a Clio but with noticeably less weight.

 

I sold the Alfa 75 a couple of weeks back, and as you know the Pintara has gone to swell the already impressive ranks of the Bickle fleet. I've got my eye on a couple of things at the moment, including that diesel Vanguard, but nothing definite yet.

 

Oh yeah, I don't think I ever formally introduced this thing.

 

 

Yes, I bought another one. You may remember I had one last year and it was utterly shit. Well that one was a diesel, this is a petrol, which means the power output almost doubles to a heady 20bhp (still from a 505cc twin). And it really does transform the car - apart from being quieter and smoother (although everything is relative...) it boosts the performance to the extent that the thing is actually useable as transport - it zips up to 30, rolls along quite happily at 50-55 on the open road, and can be pushed to 60+ if need be. Unfortunately they didn't think to upgrade the brakes from the diesel model, so the pedal needs a hefty shove to slow it down from its top speed, and being a more basic model the seats have even less lateral support than the ones in the diesel, which makes hard cornering interesting, but it's still good fun in its own way. I've had it for a while now and used it for nipping to Tesco's and occasionally for slightly longer trips, but I'm probably going to get shot of it soon while it still has a bit of test.

 

And that's about it.

[garethj]

Epic shite shopping once again. I :heart: the Twingo, I almost bought one a couple of years ago and it's still on the list of cars I'd like to own.

 

MX5s are a bargain these days, good catch

[sporty-shite]

I love Twingos, and have fancied one for ages. Would like a "Fisher Price" early one, but yours does look ace. Top bombing!

 

LMK when you want to shift it. Probably won't have any money, but could always offer a hopeless swap!!

[nigel bickle]

You little tinker...

 

You've 'forgotten' a few now; havent you.......

[Volksy]

When you get bored of the Twingo, let me know!

[vulgalour]

I don't even know what that appalling final car is. Top shopping for blue shite.

[ruffgeezer]

I think it might be a Liger of some sort, aren't they a bit like a clockwork cracker toy?

[ashmicro]

Aixam? Love that little Renault. I was taken for a drive in one by a lunatic, about 10 years ago. Never understood why they didn't do a RHD one.

[Cavcraft]

All three are ace, credit is always due to you Wuvvum as you always manage to buy some really interesting stuff. Those Mazdas seem to hold their value incredibly well, was going to buy one a couple of months ago but even shit ones were making decent coin.

[pompei]

Always loved those Twingos, GR9 work.

 

I remember reading about a performance one years ago. Can't remember if it was factory or modified but it had my lust gland working overtime.

[Baz]

Yet more impressive stuff....I love an MX-5, as you know, and I think that pretty much every PROPER Shite-ist must have entertained thoughts of a Twingo at some stage....And with a great big sunroof too!....I'll keep an eye out for you....Do you still have that splendid little R6?

[wuvvum]

Yep, the R6 won't be going anywhere anytime soon... I treated it to a full new exhaust this year, so it's slightly quieter than it was - still need a set of series 1 rear lights though (I've got a possible source, just haven't got around to sorting anything). I've now put the old girl in the shed for the winter, so will probably have to wait until the spring.