What are your 'weird' likes in cars?

[theorganist]

Talbot rattle.

 

I love gear boxes with a long travel not a short stubby movement like in a Sierra but more like a Maxi with a very deliberate and slightly baulky gearchange! 

 

Another one for the gearbox whine especially on BL cars!

[twosmoke300]

The exhaust noise that on mk1 and mk2 fiestas had

[HillmanImp]

Opening front quarter lights

 

I always assumed that opening front quaterlights so you would not freeze your nuts off when having a fag. You can keep your hands on or at least close to the steering wheel more, plus the ash doesn't come back in the car when you flick it. 

 

At least thats what I use mine for. Is there any other reason for them I wonder? 

[overrun]

For some reason I like the the Rover Streetwise and it's equally short-lived cousins, the Polo Dune and the Citroen C3 whatsit.

I have no idea why!

Sort of the same...

Also, the 100hp Panda.

[MrBiscuits]

 

 

I'm another one who likes the hydro whirring of an old school auto. Had a couple of old BMs with the 5hp18, that combined with the straight 6 made a great soundtrack

[overrun]

The exhaust noise that on mk1 and mk2 fiestas had

The buzz of the fuel pump at idle, from an Orion 1.6i Ghia.

Preferably when accompanied by a Peco BB4.

[Fat_Pirate]

I like the smell of old fabric upholstery. I imagine that's mostly old skin and fungus, but I find it soothing.

[messerschmitt owner]

three on the tree

handlebar steering

[New POD]

I might be banned after this post.

 

I love the front end detailing of the generation 1 (Rover designed, Built in a Morris Factory at Cowley, owned by BMW) Mini.  In particular the front scuttle vents (in front of the window) and the small side wing vents with side repeater light. 

 

When they face lifted it to Generation 2 in about 2006/7 they lost the front vents in a scuttle made of black plastic, and designed the side vents to look erm shit. Like as if the designer had only been allowed access to wax crayons, and it looks crap.   

 

I also prefer the back too. The Generation 1 has a wrap around side window, and the Generation 2 has a weird bulge and failed to wrap the window around.

 

I also like any and all car with pop up headlights. IMHO a car isn't a proper sports car without popup lighting. Even that Mazda Hatch back that used the Mx5 motors does it for me.

[DVee8]

4x4's and Vauxhalls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Runs and hides

[Lord Sterling]

I might be banned after this post.

 

I love the front end detailing of the generation 1 (Rover designed, Built in a Morris Factory at Cowley, owned by BMW) Mini.  In particular the front scuttle vents (in front of the window) and the small side wing vents with side repeater light.

You are amongst friends here. Worry not.

 

At the Cannock Auctions, a couple of our Midlands friends had a bit of a "confessions of shiter" moment pointing to the early Bini.

[Parky]

I do like the first Bini's. I owned one and I do miss it. It had flaws and needed fettling but I forgave it every time I saw an empty twisty road.

 

And I also love the interior of a mark three Granada Ghia. Big fat soft chairs, just marvellously wafty barges. Always liked the pump thing for the lumbar support and the joystick controls Ford had to fade the speakers front to back. Simple and effective.

 

The whine of a pushrod Renault engine. Richard Bremner once described it as a "tinny timbre" which is a perfect summary.

 

Weller wheels. White weller wheels.

 

Any 70's Ford in Modena Green. I just love that colour!

[Matt]

Quicky design

 

Straight lines everywhere

 

Unadulterated tininess

[eddyramrod]

I'm with Junkman here.  Fins, just like a V8 petrol engine and chrome bumpers, are the work of the angels.  I'm also very partial to a four-door "hardtop" as the Americans call it: a saloon or coupe with no visible B-post when all the windows are rolled down.  I had it all in one package in my green Cadillac (colour a bonus), so if it never happens again, at least I can say I did it.

[scruff]

Crash boxes

[dollywobbler]

Crash boxes

 

I'm a wuss. I only like my synchro lacking on first. Do love the noise of synchroless gears though. 

 

Other odd likes. Factory tinted rear lights.

[UltraWomble]

I like "boxy" cars.

Vans with windows in them effectively.

[Taff]

column change

chrome horn rings

tail lights that are unique to the car and not parts bin items

nice welding (sports bike frames - I know a robot probably did it but a man can dream, can't he?)

iphone connectivity

[AnthonyG]

Sort of the same...

Also, the 100hp Panda.

Oh yes, 100hp Pandas are great, as are all generations of the 4WD ones .

 

Other likes:

the whine of a box-in-the-sump A series

the 1995/6 Mondeo Verona, available in a lovely shade of metallic green

Rovers 1990s colour range

[Timewaster]

I like a van with a column change.

 

Odd really as the only one I have driven was a very tired Bedford Midi with 1st 3rd and 5th all in the same place.

 

As a yoof, my paper round bosses B reg Mitsubishi L300 was a thing of fascination.

 

In fact I like a van generally. Even an Iveco.

[Parky]

Forgot dash mounted gear shifts a la Renault 4 and 2cv

[skattrd]

Single wipers, pop-up lights, quirky dashboards, unconventional styling.

 

Oh, and forced induction, especially turbos on little Daihatsu.

[Asimo]

Two doors only please.

 

Semi-automatics, ie torque converter + manual gearbox

 

Bench seats

 

Static seat belts

 

70 series tyres on steel wheels

[UltraWomble]

Steel wheels and original wheel trims

[overrun]

I do love pop up lights, too.

They almost make a Ford Probe interesting.

 

[seth]

...single wipers just do it for me in a big way. I live Mercs 'jumping' single wiper system and can watch them for hours!

 

Sorry to all you single wiper fetishists out there but you do realise that the correct number of wipers for a windscreen is three?

 

[Inspector Morose]

Two strokes in cars

Weird engine configurations (Commer TS3 is on the bucket list)

Old school diesels.

Super chargers over turbochargers

Using the most convoluted and complicated mechanical solution to a simple problem (I'm looking at you Citroen)

 

The farty noise that Sherpas and moggy minors used to do when changing gear.

Rear opening quarterlights.

[xtriple]

Forgot pop up lights! My Mum had a TR7 with them and in the winter they had a life of their own - one up, one down, both up but one blinking.... great! Had a couple of Lotii(?) with them and they were so unpredictable it made every journey a delight (pun intended!).

 

Mazda MX5 mk1 for the win.

[skattrd]

Ooh, I forgot - digidash

 

/note to self: must buy Tipo with a digidash

 

Oh, and saloons with a wiper on the rear window ... can these be retro-fitted to cars that never had them?

[UltraWomble]

I do love pop up lights, too.

They almost make a Ford Probe interesting.

 

I too like to make sure my car can carry a dead body in the boot with ease....