Replacing Steve

[plasticvandan]

the original post was polo or a40,so thats why i said polo,after more was posted i tailored a new reply

 

sold the van for very little Joe/Dave i just wanted it gone,i had already decided to leave Relianting after 20 years obsessed with the damn things,the insurance was due a week later,so got shot quick,as a result i only got £300 more than i paid for it,despite it costing me over £2000 in the year i ran it.15000 miles,but had a new engine,2 headgaskets,one on the old and new engine,rebuilt gearbox,entire braking system,most of the electrics,new fuel tank,new front shocks,and every boltable part replaced.i now have nothing to do with Reliants at all.vans gone,then was sold on a week later (i know where it is) all the spares went,shame really as i had a lot of new rebel bits i had aquired,all the manuals literature gone,and all the second hand stuff,even had a new rear door lol.

Unless you have a lot of free time dont do it.

You have said how few times youve been recovered etc,but havent mentioned the fact that you have virtually rebuilt the entire cars before using them,and have the skills and facilities to do so.

[vulgalour]

Short term goal is definitely to keep the Maestro going as the daily, I'm no longer commuting 170+ miles a week as I'm now self employed again. I know the Princess isn't going anywhere, that one's a keeper, I'm just waiting on finding a replacement light cluster and a new front number plate so I can straighten out the front and get her through an MoT.

 

Whatever I eventually decide (and the A40 is more tempting by the day) nothing happens until the Maestro is in better condition cosmetically at the very least and most likely nothing will happen until the Princess is ready for her MoT again.

 

All of the above posts are food for thought for me.

[Mr Lobster]

I'd just run the Maestro until such a time as the Princess is fixed.

 

The Princess is clearly the most important to you so spend your time on getting that sorted whilst running the Maestro. Once the Princess is sorted then get the Maestro sold and buy an A40 if thats what floats your boat.

 

Seems to me that if you buy the A40 if takes away money / time / resources that you could otherwise use to get the Princess back on the road which seems a bit pointless to me.

 

FWIW though, personally I'd have the Polo.

[coalnotdole]

So have you still got any bits an pieces of rebel ephemera or parts Dan?

 

Shame its come to a point where you felt you had no other option but to sell, I seem to remember you were keen to keep it for the long term? With £2000 invested this year its highly unlikely to want that much spending on it again for a good few years... Sometimes things even out in the medium / long term. After all you don't need new electrics, shocks, brakes and petrol tanks every year!

 

Even so I recon £2k is not too bad for a years motoring covering 15,000 miles. Especially if you consider you were effectively recommissioning a vehicle which had been off the road for some time before you bought it. I hope the new owner is happy with it, are we likely to see it crop up online I'm not sure I've seen it anywhere? When I saw the Joe mason's advert for it I had thought you might have achieved a price in that range. ( which is ultimately what I think they are worth.)

 

Both Dave and Myself are largely self schooled and our resources and incomes are not huge. Sometimes the will to own and drive something old it is more important as the owners actual ability ... If I'd sat round waiting until I had the money / time / skill I really needed I'd still be thinking about owning an old cars instead of doing it.

 

I'm happy to put up with a certain amount of hassle / work as its sort of to be expected. Though even my sense of humor was tested earlier this month on a trip home from Devon. After several hours work the vans Lucas powered wipers went on a bit of a go slow followed by the occasional a strike. The novelty had worn off after the 6th time I'd got out in the rain to give the wiper arms a nudge to get them going again!

 

If i was in Volksy's position I'd buy the best on the road A40 I could find in the £1200-£2000 price bracket. I'd budget to spend £500 - £800 keeping it on the road for the first year and getting it to a decent standard where you know your happy with its reliability. Kept on the road and in half decent condition I cant really see how your likely to loose out if you get bored and come to sell it on. Even if you double the maintenance budget its still chap motoring.

[plasticvandan]

Afraid every last part has gone,all the new rebel parts i had,a big crate by the time it went,went to a very good rebel owning friend of mine,who also had my rebel literature and Reliant collection too,as i wanted it to go to a good home.and Joe had all the second hand parts,which emptied my second shed nicely.I was always a much more socially active Reliant owner,and as that side of things had changed dramatically for me,i decided to draw the line and sell up and move on.

The Rebel was without doubt the most labour intensive Reliant (or other classic) i have owned.I wouldnt have one again.by comparison a Fox or Kitten is far easier to live with.

The price Joe asked for it is what i would have liked,but i needed to sell quickly,hence i didnt even get half that.

The current owner i believe is the same chap who used to own the carribean cub,he came to last years national Reliant rally,hes a part time dealer as well,but i think its for his personal collection,so its fairly safe.

Im now working full time and its become very clear there is no way i would have been able to keep it on the road if i still had it,just not enough hours in the day,and i have no garage to be able to do any tinkering at night.