Project ShiteRiders' Reliant Robin thread. Projects for sale, not mine though...

[ShiteRider]

I'm not been on here for a good long while due to various reasons. I got a dog and have been spending all my spare time with her which has been great, i'd also sold all my old chod which meant that all I had to post about was my constantly fucked vectra which was depressing to think about, let alone write about.

As luck would have it middle of last year I got a mk1 golf gti through work for scrap money. The downside being it was a cat B burnout, but as everything from the windscreen forward was fine I thought I'd get a caddy/front damaged golf and have a cheap project...

Fuck me was I wrong,seems the vag boys can rival the ford guys for scene tax. VW project is now on the back burner as something better has arrived.

My dog getting sunburn

My other dog after it got burnt

So I've got new shite, but what did I get...

[ShiteRider]

Want some clues?

Rwd

Everyone knows someone who had one

Motorsport heritage

Looks good on minilites

[xtriple]

Escort?

[Felly Magic]

Mk1 MX5?

[Timewaster]

Morris minor

[Shep Shepherd]

Lovely doggo ^^

[Supernaut]

Rover SD1?

[ShiteRider]

Behold Rocky!

(Rocky is the car the fat dolloper is me)

Yes it has minilites, I HAZ LOMBARD RALLY STAR

[HMC]

Imp?

Edit- late to the party- wow top bombing

[HMC]

Are those front lights from someone's parts bin or did they go mental and blow their r&d budget on them?

[ShiteRider]

I've actually got the white one as well, it seemed a shame to split them up.

They've come with enough spares to fill them both. I'm collecting them tuesday/Wednesday they're only a couple of miles from work so no epic collection capers.

[ShiteRider]

Are those front lights from someone's parts bin or did they go mental and blow their r&d budget on them?

Corsa I believe.

[ShiteRider]

White one has a fiesta front end

Neither has been on the road for while, but both have had pre MOT checks, the blue one has a couple of electric gremlins and conks out after 10 minutes. The white one runs like shit, which i'm hoping a carb rebuild will cure.

Current plans are thorough clean and service of both cars and then see which I prefer...or do the autoshite thing and buy a mk1 to complete the set.

[chaseracer]

Bub has the lightweight version of this.

[plasticvandan]

I have been looking for another (,would be number 37!) After my Mrs finally relented and said I could get one again,but so far haven't found anything suitiable.

Both use escort van rear lights,fiesta fronts (with reliants own,unobtainable adjusters) on the mk2 and cores on the mk3.Robin production unofficially ended because the mk3 wasn't type approved,and Reliant got a knock on the door from vosa.

[ShiteRider]

I've signed up to WOR seems a great site.

I wasn't really looking for a robin at all I fancied a volvo 240, but these came up through word of mouth from a guy I trust.

The previous owner, Roger, was a dyed in the wool reliant fan, back in the day he had a mk1 he'd fitted an avenger engine to and his brother had one converted to a pick up with a 16' articulated trailer.

[Split_Pin]

Great news, the Robin threads on here are among my favourites!

[cort1977]

I wasn't really looking for a robin at all I fancied a volvo 240.

 

I love that on here that makes perfect sense. 

 

Robins look good, can't wait to learn more.  Are there any other differences between the Mk 2 and 3 bar the lights?  Still A series?

[wuvvum]

They used the same 848cc engine right up to the end of production.  It wasn't an A series though, it was Reliant's own effort.  Lights and a couple of mouldings are essentially the only difference between an end-of-line Mk3 Robin and a 1982 Rialto.

[bub2006]

Love these. I had an h plate robin many moons back,now have a reliant trike. Mine was a similar blue to your mj3 but obviously a MK2. Running minilites on the trike but have a set of chromed 14 inches to go on so may have a couple of minilites up for sale soon ish. Later model are corsa b lights if I recall. Rear lights on the MK2 were ford Escort van lights but don't hold me to it. Plastic Van Dan knows more than I! Luckily both of yours Wil have galvanised chassis. Mine sadly Doesn't on the trike as it's a 1983 Rialto and has been tickled with the sparkling stick under the back end. I'm still looking for a mid to late 80s Rialto or an early MK2 as from my knowledge were the better built models. Well bought!

[somewhatfoolish]

I thought everything from the Rialto onward was galvanised?

[Split_Pin]

Wasnt the Rialto a Robin underneath? The end of the line estates look similar at the back to a Robin?

[plasticvandan]

The estates made in the mid-,late 90s used the mk2 robin front end with the rialto estate rear end,first with rialto trailer type lights then with the escort lights grafted in,these were all registered as rialto estates,again because they weren't type approved....lot of dodgy stuff going on in that period! Most of the mk3 models had recon engines fitted new as Reliants md had a bust up with the diecasting company,who smashed the engine block moulds in front of him due to non payment...gearboxes on the mk3 were poor as well.

Check the cream ones chassis,that was made during the tail end of bean engineering ownership,and many are rotten did to chassis being piled up outside before being sent for galvanising.

I had always promised myself a mk3,,remembering when it was launched (I was 11) that when they come down to £1500 I'll have one

[Eddie Honda]

that when they come down to £1500 I'll have one

[Video]

[bub2006]

Wasnt the Rialto a Robin underneath? The end of the line estates look similar at the back to a Robin?

They all look the same underneath pretty much, And inside! Early 90s the Rialto and robin ran side by side. Robin MK2 being hatchback and Rialto being estate. In the 80s you could have saloon hatch and estate with rialto front end. I really don't think there were many changes from the 850 robin MK1 in the 70s right through to the end bar obviously the body and gearbox/starter motor.

[bub2006]

The estates made in the mid-,late 90s used the mk2 robin front end with the rialto estate rear end,first with rialto trailer type lights then with the escort lights grafted in,these were all registered as rialto estates,again because they weren't type approved....lot of dodgy stuff going on in that period! Most of the mk3 models had recon engines fitted new as Reliants md had a bust up with the diecasting company,who smashed the engine block moulds in front of him due to non payment...gearboxes on the mk3 were poor as well.

Check the cream ones chassis,that was made during the tail end of bean engineering ownership,and many are rotten did to chassis being piled up outside before being sent for galvanising.

I had always promised myself a mk3,,remembering when it was launched (I was 11) that when they come down to £1500 I'll have one

Wasn't there lots of dodgy stuff going on mid 90s? Heard stories of recon blocks,buying crashed cars for parts to put in new cars and all sorts!

[plasticvandan]

yes indeed.The last car sold in britain to have drum brakes all round,and almost certainly the last to have points and an SU Carb

[bub2006]

Tricycle though and as you know,bike/trike rules and regs were very different.

[yes oui si]

 

Looks good on minilites

Nothing looks good on minilites. Fuck minilites.

[Frogchod]

I've actually got the white one as well, it seemed a shame to split them up.

They've come with enough spares to fill them both. I'm collecting them tuesday/Wednesday they're only a couple of miles from work so no epic collection capers.

In those spares, there wouldn't happen to be a Rialto sun roof ? If so I'll pay some beer tokens for it as mine's in 24000 pieces