Reliant Rialto, new project! (now with pictures)

[Philyc]

Engine number appears to be from October 1980 and therefore from a robin according to the number on the hpi check and using that spreadsheet.

 

As far as I'm aware of all the numbers match on the paperwork it should be ok? I was under the impression that as long as a chassis stays the same without alteration you can change the body. I'm just not sure if that should then appear on the v5.

 

I'll do more digging tomorrow. But it's not flagged as stolen or written off etc so if numbers match on all paperwork it should be ok(in my head atleast). I'm very happy to be told that I'm talking drivel though!

 

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

[vulgalour]

I wonder if it's nothing more sinister than someone having a Robin and a Rialto back when they were cheap and plentiful and have just made one good car out of two poorly ones.

[RayMK]

Some kit cars which used a complete, unaltered chassis and running gear from, for example, a Triumph Herald, were still registered as a Triumph Herald.  Later, sometime around 2000, DVLA began to get fussy and asked for such vehicles to show the kitcar make on the logbook.  In principle your Robin has been revised in the same manner on the V5 to show its current body style.  With your clear HPI check and the fact that there isn't another 'trike' taxed or MOT'd with the same registration number, the risks of simply doing it up and getting it on the road again would seem to be small.  Just get this thread deleted and sell it quietly a bit later as an MOT'd runner  .

[NorfolkNWeigh]

So hpi check is clear. If I go ahead and get it working, mot, tax etc (it's been constantly taxed and mot'd from 2006-2012, and any ringing would have had to happen before 2006). Then what are the implications for me if It suddenly reveals itself as stolen?

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

The implications are the same as if it was any other car;

a. The legal owner (possibly an insurance company) could claim it or give you the option to buy it again.

B. It could end up on a Q.

 

I would either give it a miss , keep quiet and don't draw attention to it , in the knowledge you can't ever sell it to a stranger, or ring it properly.

[Philyc]

Some kit cars which used a complete, unaltered chassis and running gear from, for example, a Triumph Herald, were still registered as a Triumph Herald. Later, sometime around 2000, DVLA began to get fussy and asked for such vehicles to show the kitcar make on the logbook. In principle your Robin has been revised in the same manner on the V5 to show its current body style. With your clear HPI check and the fact that there isn't another 'trike' taxed or MOT'd with the same registration number, the risks of simply doing it up and getting it on the road again would seem to be small. Just get this thread deleted and sell it quietly a bit later as an MOT'd runner .

Fair. I am in hope that it is that simple as the guy whose selling it seems to be a decent well-to-do elderly gent who isn't well enough to do the work himself.

Also I imagine things like vin numbers etc are checked at an mot against the database for what should match the registration number/v5. So the fact that its been mot'd in its current body may make me lean to it being ok.

 

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

[Guest Temple3737]

Hi im new and your thread immediately caught my eye! 

 

1.) Its strange Haynes never made a manual for the Rialto. That being said the Haynes Robin manual should do fine. The Rialto used the same chassis and your early model will have the Robins 'Red Top' engine. The only difficulty you should have would be removing all the different positioned nuts holding the body to the chassis and perhaps the wiring loom. Everything else should be a Robin component or just slightly redesigned part.

 

2.) I agree with most people it could a) be a Frankenstein someone put together out of a robin and rialto or (most likely imo): Reliant rushed to bring out the Rialto and the very first batch were made solely of Robin parts so that they could use up old stock. Your engine would definitely be a spare robin 'red top' from their store house, as for the chassis this should be from a Robin too. Robin chassis weren't galvanised however towards the end of Robin production there are accounts of some of them using new galvanised chassis aimed at Rialto production. Only you can check, but your chassis should be galvanised to be a genuine Rialto.

 

At least it is registered as a Rialto, I have read somewhere on the net that some very early examples where also accidentally labelled 'Robin Saloon/Estate' in the log books by dealers.

[plasticvandan]

engine number on the logbook is irrelevant.engine number on the car is key.From what i can deduce this is a c.1988 Rialto SE base model estate with the logbook and vin for a 1980 Robin.its previous colour change being the colour of the robin from which the logbook came from,the rialto clearly being in its factory paint.In my opinion the Rialtos identity has been taken to use on a trike or similar and a robin identity "aquired" to put on the rialto at a later date. As the vin plate is just riveted to the fibreglass,any mots/checks wont show that it is in fact a rialto with an older robins logbook.

 

Im saying no more.i know how easy it is to get a Reliants i.d from a drawer full of them,and i wouldnt touch this one with a bargepole.if you decide to get it thats up to you.

[Philyc]

Hi im new and your thread immediately caught my eye! 

 

1.) Its strange Haynes never made a manual for the Rialto. That being said the Haynes Robin manual should do fine. The Rialto used the same chassis and your early model will have the Robins 'Red Top' engine. The only difficulty you should have would be removing all the different positioned nuts holding the body to the chassis and perhaps the wiring loom. Everything else should be a Robin component or just slightly redesigned part.

 

2.) I agree with most people it could a) be a Frankenstein someone put together out of a robin and rialto or (most likely imo): Reliant rushed to bring out the Rialto and the very first batch were made solely of Robin parts so that they could use up old stock. Your engine would definitely be a spare robin 'red top' from their store house, as for the chassis this should be from a Robin too. Robin chassis weren't galvanised however towards the end of Robin production there are accounts of some of them using new galvanised chassis aimed at Rialto production. Only you can check, but your chassis should be galvanised to be a genuine Rialto.

 

At least it is registered as a Rialto, I have read somewhere on the net that some very early examples where also accidentally labelled 'Robin Saloon/Estate' in the log books by dealers.

 

it is registered as a Robin, but like you said, ive come across that with minis before and its never anything to worry about.

 

engine number on the logbook is irrelevant.engine number on the car is key.From what i can deduce this is a c.1988 Rialto SE base model estate with the logbook and vin for a 1980 Robin.its previous colour change being the colour of the robin from which the logbook came from,the rialto clearly being in its factory paint.In my opinion the Rialtos identity has been taken to use on a trike or similar and a robin identity "aquired" to put on the rialto at a later date. As the vin plate is just riveted to the fibreglass,any mots/checks wont show that it is in fact a rialto with an older robins logbook.

 

Im saying no more.i know how easy it is to get a Reliants i.d from a drawer full of them,and i wouldnt touch this one with a bargepole.if you decide to get it thats up to you.

 

Thanks for all your help, it is all taken on board and i will scrutinise all of the number and documents, along with the database. if its still suspect or it seems a bit fishy then i'll leave it alone, better safe then sorry.

[oldcars]

engine number on the logbook is irrelevant.engine number on the car is key.From what i can deduce this is a c.1988 Rialto SE base model estate with the logbook and vin for a 1980 Robin.its previous colour change being the colour of the robin from which the logbook came from,the rialto clearly being in its factory paint.In my opinion the Rialtos identity has been taken to use on a trike or similar and a robin identity "aquired" to put on the rialto at a later date. As the vin plate is just riveted to the fibreglass,any mots/checks wont show that it is in fact a rialto with an older robins logbook.

 

Im saying no more.i know how easy it is to get a Reliants i.d from a drawer full of them,and i wouldnt touch this one with a bargepole.if you decide to get it thats up to you.

Sorry to be thick but how does a Rialto fit onto a mk1 robin chassis, i thought they were different? Or is it a case of its on its Rialto chassis but the id from a old Robin?

[Philyc]

Sorry to be thick but how does a Rialto fit onto a mk1 robin chassis, i thought they were different? Or is it a case of its on its Rialto chassis but the id from a old Robin?

from what i can see its only the a frame which is different. I think the issue is if its a complete rialto but with the ID of a robin. but then i suppose thats difficult to prove as i now know that the vin plate and chassis numbers are actually attached to the body shell rather then to the chassis itself.

[plasticvandan]

all chassis from 1973 to 2001 are interchangeable.no changes.

the only change being that the 750 robin had a wider front aframe,but even so can still be swapped as a complete assy.my money is that its a rialto with an older robins identity.In any case the only enthusiast way of a change would be fitting a galv rialto chassi to an older robin with a rotten chassis.,no one does it the other way round!

There is no evidence anywhere on this car that its a reshelled mk1 robin.absolutely everything is stock 1988 Rialto.

[plasticvandan]

i dont want to sound big headed,but i was obsessed with reliants from the age of 2 up until a couple of years ago when i had a big smash in one and havent had one since.I have had 36 and probably driven over 100,and had one the largest collections of archive material,including some tasty secret factory stuff as well at one point.This is why all this useless info is still stuck in my head!

 

Further edit,looked at super zoomed pics of engine bay,it has the post 82 rialto dual circuit brakes,and also has the post 86 inertia starter motor cables and junction under the engine tunnel.

[Eddie Honda]

This is why all this uselessful info is still stuck in my head!

 

FTFY. It's merely seldom required info.

[Philyc]

from another perspective, if i have unanswered questions after trying to get more info, or it starts ringing more alarm bells and i walk away what should i do? 

 

this car is being advertised on a mainstream website and no-doubt someone else will be interested but may not spot that theres anything wrong with it or not have access to people like you guys to point it out. Should this vehicle be reported somewhere or something else done about it?

 

I'm not one to grass on people, less so because the current owner is probably innocent of any actual wrongdoing on his part as he got it in 2013 and the colour change (which seems to indicate when any changing of identity took place) happened in 2002.

[Bobthebeard]

from another perspective, if i have unanswered questions after trying to get more info, or it starts ringing more alarm bells and i walk away what should i do? 

 

this car is being advertised on a mainstream website and no-doubt someone else will be interested but may not spot that theres anything wrong with it or not have access to people like you guys to point it out. Should this vehicle be reported somewhere or something else done about it?

 

I'm not one to grass on people, less so because the current owner is probably innocent of any actual wrongdoing on his part as he got it in 2013 and the colour change (which seems to indicate when any changing of identity took place) happened in 2002.

If it has served the previous owner well and has loads of MOT history then I assume it will serve you well. If nothing has been flagged up so far then unlikely to be a problem surely...

[Philyc]

If it has served the previous owner well and has loads of MOT history then I assume it will serve you well. If nothing has been flagged up so far then unlikely to be a problem surely...

 

It has MOT history that i can find up untill 2006 (computer records). the colour change occurred in 2002 according to the records online, so it has since been through several mots and taxed up to 2012 when it came off the road. but as previously said, any problems with it may not have been picked up by whoever did the mots.

 

if however during the course of my digging around i find proper proof that it is dodgy, i obviously wont buy it but i also wouldnt want anyone else to fall into the same pit.

[oldcars]

Would insurance be an issue for this? Not sure if it could pose a problem or not.

[Philyc]

from the fact its been driven etc since any changes may/may not have taken place, i dont think it would be an issue getting insurance. however i could imagine that in the event of an incident any issues with the identity of the vehicle are more likely to be questioned, scrutinised etc. if it is found to be illegal in any way i can see issues arising.

[Felly Magic]

Might be one to walk away and forget about it tbh

[Philyc]

because of work ive had a friend go up to check all the numbers and the v5. He's come back and told me that the engine number is correct and is OK/85/61551 (a robin engine from oct 1980 as far as i can tell) as per the check i ran on the vehicle.

the chassis number matches the v5 too but he failed to write down the number for me.

 

on the v5 it is registered as a reliant rialto estate, and first registered in 1981. this differs to the info i got from the .gov website which has it listed as a robin from 1980.

[Guest Temple3737]

engine number on the logbook is irrelevant.engine number on the car is key.From what i can deduce this is a c.1988 Rialto SE base model estate with the logbook and vin for a 1980 Robin.its previous colour change being the colour of the robin from which the logbook came from,the rialto clearly being in its factory paint.In my opinion the Rialtos identity has been taken to use on a trike or similar and a robin identity "aquired" to put on the rialto at a later date. As the vin plate is just riveted to the fibreglass,any mots/checks wont show that it is in fact a rialto with an older robins logbook.

 

Im saying no more.i know how easy it is to get a Reliants i.d from a drawer full of them,and i wouldnt touch this one with a bargepole.if you decide to get it thats up to you.

 

I don't want to derail the thread but I would like you to answer a question on rialtos based on this one as you are the encyclopaedia of them  

 

You say its a 1988 version, but didn't later models have those horrible puffy plastic bumpers stuck on the front and back? Has this one had them removed or am I guessing its a 'poverty spec' with the vinyl interior and so didn't have them fitted?

 

from another perspective, if i have unanswered questions after trying to get more info, or it starts ringing more alarm bells and i walk away what should i do? 

 

this car is being advertised on a mainstream website and no-doubt someone else will be interested but may not spot that theres anything wrong with it or not have access to people like you guys to point it out. Should this vehicle be reported somewhere or something else done about it?

 

I'm not one to grass on people, less so because the current owner is probably innocent of any actual wrongdoing on his part as he got it in 2013 and the colour change (which seems to indicate when any changing of identity took place) happened in 2002.

 

 I would say buy it if its cheap, then don't aim to have an accident in it! I wouldn't have thought insurance would be a problem and at the end of the day you could tinker with it and sell it for hopefully more than you paid. If there are too many alarm bells with its grey area you could walk away, but then again in its varied life previous owners seem to have had little problems and it has survived selection from the banger racers and trike builders.

[AnthonyG]

If you just wanted a cheap Reliant to do up and then race* around in, I'd say buy it.

 

If you want to sell it after sorting it out to a Reliant fanatic for significant monies, then all these identity issues may prove to be a problem, as I assume most Reliant botherers will at least query the no. plate/model disparity (although I doubt they'll have plasticvanman's level of knowledge).

 

Just a thought.

[Philyc]

I'll think about it. It's primarily for me to get up to scratch then either keep it as a Sunday run about or sell on if I don't like driving it. I'm not doing this to make money, I enjoy tinkering and learning about different cars and engines as I go. That was the reason for buying my mini and then my motorbikes. That said, I don't want to buy a stolen or dodgy car which could potentially get someone into alot of trouble!

 

I'll keep digging and let you all know. But thanks everyone for all your pointers and advice. It's great having a place like this where I don't feel like such a plonker asking about these sort of things.

 

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

[beko1987]

I've learnt more about rialto's/Robins in the last 10 minutes reading this than I ever knew before!

 

Top beardage. Id leave it personally, buy a Ford ka, weld it up and keep it for 10 years in a warm, dry place

[trigger]

I would offer to look at it for you as it's only 15 mins from my house but i don't know the first thing about them. Personally if it's cheap (I've seen the ad) and it wouldn't cost much to get back on the road then I'd say go for it. If it turns out to be a nightmare you can sell the parts off and make a trike out if it.

[plasticvandan]

I don't want to derail the thread but I would like you to answer a question on rialtos based on this one as you are the encyclopaedia of them

 

You say its a 1988 version, but didn't later models have those horrible puffy plastic bumpers stuck on the front and back? Has this one had them removed or am I guessing its a 'poverty spec' with the vinyl interior and so didn't have them fitted?

 

 

 

I would say buy it if its cheap, then don't aim to have an accident in it! I wouldn't have thought insurance would be a problem and at the end of the day you could tinker with it and sell it for hopefully more than you paid. If there are too many alarm bells with its grey area you could walk away, but then again in its varied life previous owners seem to have had little problems and it has survived selection from the banger racers and trike builders.

POV spec Rialto,vinyl seats,no bumpers,no trims round the rear lights,etc etc.POV spec was dropped in 1991 ish and only top spec rialto made alongside the robin lx until 1994.