Favourite Q car

[fordperv]

Oooh I've just thought of another, the rover 75 v8, only around 200 rover 75 with a v8 made, the rest were MGZT and MGZT-T cars, could you imagine driving around in a 260 bhp 4.6 litre v8 rover 75 i reckon you could upset alot of aldi and bmw drivers

[phil_lihp]

Another vote for Brookjm's suggestion, one of the big appeals to me of the 220SLi was that it looked like a pipe-and-slippers 214SLi with its fussy wheeltrims and two-tone paint, plus the usual Roverishness of chrome and wood, but would surprise any number of tailgaters at the traffic lights, something I never quite got bored with.  The fact that it was a bit cosmetically rough when I had it just made it all the more entertaining, the turbo must be quite a good laugh but I didn't know you could get one in anything other than the Tomcat.

[Rusty_Rocket]

How about this...

 

The Cavalier Turbo.

 

Minicab by day, 4x4 Cossie chaser by night 

Also used by at least a couple of UK Police forces.

I never had a Cav Turbo, but the Calibra version was quite a monster, particularly when the 4x4 was working properly (rare occurrence)

 

[r.welfare]

It appears that Subaru did a 240bhp 3-litre version of the 2003-08 Legacy that looked pretty much identical to the 2-litre saloon. That'd do.

[Jikovron]

I had a basic go at creating a Q car with my Estelle as pictured here with a long since recycled Seicento

 

The thoughts were that it wanted an engine that wouldn't wreck the gearbox, weighed the same as the original engine and would bolt in using as much skoda parts as possible

K series then!

 

unexpected is the word, even though its not a volcanic powerhouse

 

I'd say my favourite factory Q car  that isn't actually quick these days but was in the 50's would be one of these, a car of veiled distinction, quite elegant in its detail form and a tax dodging 120mm stroke 110bhp engine

 

[seth]

Rusty, blue Triumph Heralds with Mazda engines in.

[Parky]

Back in the early nineties Granadas were everywhere. My friend Lloyd used to use his dads 2.9 model - I don't think it was a high spec, I think it was a GL - either way it was a dark grey colour, looked completely meh but that thing could lift its skirts and get a wiggle on.

[Barry Cade]

 

500E 322 BHP V8. Beige please, with 3 wheeltrims and an advert for " Der Berliner Zeitung " on the door.

[Timewaster]

I had a basic go at creating a Q car

Wow. Just wow. My mum had a T Reg 120LS in pog maroon that ironically died from HGF warp factor 9.

[cyruspower]

That 500E looks bloody awesome!

 

How about a Maserati 430? Really understated and bloody quick in a straight line.

 

[cyruspower]

Good god:

 

http://www.speedhunters.com/2011/10/car_spotlight_gt_gt_a_wolf_in_rabbit_s_clothing/

 

http://www.speedhunters.com/2011/10/car_spotlight_gt_gt_more_artz_sleepers_the_cordett/

[Noel Tidybeard]

I WIN

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I remember reading about those in Practially Brassic some years ago and they went like the clappers.

The first couple generations of BMW M5 were quite subtle but once they spot the M Sport badge you're busted.

Rover Vitesse or Carlton GSI3000 for me then.

Or a CM5T...

My Dad was a Midland Red Driver in the 60's and as his Dad was a senior manager ,he got on the 'Motorways Express' He's full of stories about timing between the marker posts on the M1 to confirm he was doing 100 and of getting bollocked for leaving his cruise control stick in the cab at the end of a shift.

Those buses could get from Victoria to Digbeth 50 years ago in under 2.5 hours and that was when the M1 finished at Hendon and they used the A45 till Whats now the M45.

Apparently even after the CM5T''s went out of service some later coaches would use an old turbo engine and 5 speed when their engine had gone bang.

[PiperCub]

The original 8V Lancia Integrale - before they went stupid with spoilers/silly arches etc

Lancia 8.32 Thema

Lotus Carlton or the 3000GSi (more subtle)

Vaux/Holden Monaro (want one of these V8's!)

Audi A8 4.2 - the original ones - look really dull

Alfa 155Q4

The original GTi's - the Mk1 Golf (& 205 to a lesser extent) as people didn't expect it.

Pug 406 Mi16 & V6 (& Xantia V6)

Skoda Rapid 120 coupe (don't laugh, a mate's one used to piss all over Mini's when I was a lad)

 

And an off the wall one - Merc Sprinter van with the 160bhp motor in it - lost a race with one down a deserted A1 one night years ago, I topped out at 95mph (hire van!!), he just sailed past giving me a friendly wave.

[rml2345]

My Dad was a Midland Red Driver in the 60's and as his Dad was a senior manager ,he got on the 'Motorways Express' He's full of stories about timing between the marker posts on the M1 to confirm he was doing 100 and of getting bollocked for leaving his cruise control stick in the cab at the end of a shift.

Those buses could get from Victoria to Digbeth 50 years ago in under 2.5 hours and that was when the M1 finished at Hendon and they used the A45 till Whats now the M45.

Apparently even after the CM5T''s went out of service some later coaches would use an old turbo engine and 5 speed when their engine had gone bang.

I love heading about what they were like in service as they're legendary among bus enthusiasts. Midland Red had to keep trimming time out of the Motorway Expresses as they got into Victoria so early it was causing problems.

Trying to picture a giddy family egging their Ford 100E up to 60mph and one of those goes streaking past into the distance would be like the white heat of technology on wheels.

[cyruspower]

Ahhhh more!

 

Phaeton W12

605 SV24

Renault 25 V6 Turbo

Alfa 75 Evoluzione

 

[dollywobbler]

 

Ok, it's not a car, but it is hiding a supercar.

[cyruspower]

I've seen and heard that Tranny running up the hill. Utter madness and a work of genius.

[seth]

Standing in the Cathedral Paddock once, a tannoy calll went out "Could Justin Law please return to and move his van as it is blocking someone's access."

[Paul Dupart]

Had a Volvo S80 2.9 24v a few years back. It kicked out just over 200bhp but looked just like a lumbering 140bhp 2.4, as 99.9% of the others on the road were. A big car but suprisingly nimble. Then there was the T6 version, but never had one of those (like hens teeth now)

[John F]

Lada 110 GTi aka VAZ 21106 GTi... Voxall fans will recognise that cam cover...

 

 

[bigfella2]

I had a basic go at creating a Q car with my Estelle as pictured here with a long since recycled Seicento

 

The thoughts were that it wanted an engine that wouldn't wreck the gearbox, weighed the same as the original engine and would bolt in using as much skoda parts as possible

K series then!

 

unexpected is the word, even though its not a volcanic powerhouse

 

I'd say my favourite factory Q car  that isn't actually quick these days but was in the 50's would be one of these, a car of veiled distinction, quite elegant in its detail form and a tax dodging 120mm stroke 110bhp engine

 

I'm sure that Skoda use to pass me most mornings in Barnsley, glad i didn't try burn it off now, as I would have looked quite daft.

[dollywobbler]

Just remembered that my friend makes kits to put 110bhp BMW motorbike engines in 2CVs. Now there's a Q car. Especially if you keep the Dolly stripes. We were musing a while ago that as these conversions have replaced the old trick of shoving a GSA engine into a 2CV, perhaps a BMW-powered GSA needs to happen. That could be fun.

[sheffcortinacentre]

the mk2-5 savage Cortina's where amongst the original Q-cars.

[fordperv]

 

Ok, it's not a car, but it is hiding a supercar.

I remember this van quite well in the metal, its owned by an xj220 specialists don law racing that was just around the corner from my house, what a machine it is, my god that place had some gorgeous cars in there

[Inspector Morose]

My Dad was a Midland Red Driver in the 60's and as his Dad was a senior manager ,he got on the 'Motorways Express' He's full of stories about timing between the marker posts on the M1 to confirm he was doing 100 and of getting bollocked for leaving his cruise control stick in the cab at the end of a shift.

Those buses could get from Victoria to Digbeth 50 years ago in under 2.5 hours and that was when the M1 finished at Hendon and they used the A45 till Whats now the M45.

Apparently even after the CM5T''s went out of service some later coaches would use an old turbo engine and 5 speed when their engine had gone bang.

Was a bit of an urban myth that the CM5T could do 100, they'd reach the pump governor at about 85-87. The turbo was there to give a bit of an extra push for pulling away as they were modified for motorway duties using a very high ratio diff (something like 4.3:1 instead of as built 4.75:1 - about 48mph) the turbo installation was made using a BSA turbo fitted to an unmodified engine but with higher pressure injectors and the smoke turned up to twelvety. The 8.25 litre engine in modified form produced about 135bhp.

The gearbox was also changed to a overdrive five speed instead of the direct drive top four speed David Brown special and had rather an unusual gate pattern - more akin to a "w" gate and was a notoriously awkward box to use (some were re converted back to four speed on demotion to bus service in their last years due to the five speeder being such a bastard) on demotion to bus service the toilet was removed along with the turbo.

The last one (4830 - the directors coach) was withdrawn about 1972 and exported to America. It's possibly still in existence but as a mobile home. Nobody seems to really know.

Now the CM6T that was built as the C5s replacement came with a bigger 10.5 litre engine but no turbo. It was also semi auto but still had an overdrive box. Power was up to around the 200 mark and with the very high ratio diff, they were capable of touching the magic ton. After rebuilding in later life, the new destination boxes that were fitted reduced this by about 10mph due to the increased wind resistance.

 

Oh, and I've driven one of the two surviving C5s too. It was nice.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Was a bit of an urban myth that the CM5T could do 100, they'd reach the pump governor at about 85-87. The turbo was there to give a bit of an extra push for pulling away as they were modified for motorway duties using a very high ratio diff (something like 4.3:1 instead of as built 4.75:1 - about 48mph) the turbo installation was made using a BSA turbo fitted to an unmodified engine but with higher pressure injectors and the smoke turned up to twelvety. The 8.25 litre engine in modified form produced about 135bhp.

The gearbox was also changed to a overdrive five speed instead of the direct drive top four speed David Brown special and had rather an unusual gate pattern - more akin to a "w" gate and was a notoriously awkward box to use (some were re converted back to four speed on demotion to bus service in their last years due to the five speeder being such a bastard) on demotion to bus service the toilet was removed along with the turbo.

The last one (4830 - the directors coach) was withdrawn about 1972 and exported to America. It's possibly still in existence but as a mobile home. Nobody seems to really know.

Now the CM6T that was built as the C5s replacement came with a bigger 10.5 litre engine but no turbo. It was also semi auto but still had an overdrive box. Power was up to around the 200 mark and with the very high ratio diff, they were capable of touching the magic ton. After rebuilding in later life, the new destination boxes that were fitted reduced this by about 10mph due to the increased wind resistance.

Oh, and I've driven one of the two surviving C5s too. It was nice.

I'll have to interrogate him about what actual types he drove,when he's back from France next, I know it was from about 1965 through to 1972.

Now you mention the semi auto, I remember going out one evening with him to test a motorways coach that had had a new engine, down the M5 . It was white not red and black and it had a funny gear change . We went as far as the big roundabout where the M50 starts , when we got back to Bearwood a mechanic gave us a lift home in a Land Rover, I rember telling him I'd had a wee at 80 mph ! Well, I was about 6 .

[dollywobbler]

You grew up in Bearwood too? Blimey. #threaddrift

[NorfolkNWeigh]

You grew up in Bearwood too? Blimey. #threaddrift

Smethwick actually then I lived in Aberaeron and Newquay #Brummiedrift

( I'll start to worry if you decide to move to Milton Keynes)

 

Picture of some Manchester Plod Q cars to get back on topic. Lotus Sunbeams in cooking colours- sneaky.

[Inspector Morose]

Bearwood had C5s and C6s allocated, the latter were painted white in their latter years after rebuilding. They also had Leyland Leopards which could get to about 80ish. Can't remember if they were fitted with lavs though.

 

A bit extra on the C5 motorway coaches. When they were converted, the passenger seats were re trimmed using a leopard print pattern moquette!

 

Sadly the site of Bearwood garage (and the birthplace of Midland Red) is now an Aldi and Argos.