Ask a Shiter

[Volksy]

Ford did do a Fiesta 'Studio' on the last model, which didn't even show in the brochures. That had manual windows, a cassette player, and not a great deal else. Did have PAS though IIRC.

 

Not sure if they do one on the new model.

[Tayne]

My C4 has windy up windows in the back. I am disgustingly spoilt though, it has ABS. Which is useless in snow.

 

That's why ABS is switchable on Mercedes Gelandewagens and early Audi quattros.

 

I took the fuse out last year. This did not impress FATHA_WAT who regularly used the Citroen. Apparently I was 'stupid to drive in these conditions without ABS'

 

Its switchable for driving on dirt roads.

The idea is that locking the wheels will cause a barrier of gravel/earth/sand to build up in front of the wheels and slow the car more quickly.

[CIH]

A funny point about ABS and snow. Chuck abit of snow about the place and the amount of people who come into our garage thinking there's a fault because they have never before experienced "ABS pedal".

 

 

Traction control rocketh mightily in this weather as well. If you kill the ABS, you kill the traction control.

 

I think that depends on the TC system inquestion. When moving a customer's mk5 dizzle golf in work's car park it couldn't climb the small incline that my bluebird went-up no questions asked. I actually provoked the golf into spinning the wheels up with zero throtle input too, which was kinda peculiar.

[Jon]

I got in a mk4 Golf my brother in law had on hire through work a few years ago, which didn't have central locking. Do any cars still exist without this?

 

And what about drum brakes? Surely discs all round must be the norm now? If this proves wrong and I sound a bit like a tard, it just goes to prove how little I know about modern cars.

 

And was the Reliant Robin the last car sold with a 4 speed box and manual choke? Or even a carb? 5 speed boxes in larger cars seem to be almost non existent. The only one I know of is the Volvo V70 1.6 Bluemotion diesel, or whatever it's called.

 

BTW I've been driven round in a 7 year old Hilux ute these past few weeks, which is n/a diesel and doesn't have central locking (though lots of commercials still don't so that doesn't count).

[Negative Creep]

Doesn't really count but I bet the Caterham/Westfield etc range don't have PAS. I think the Elise can still be bought with keep fit windows as well

 

 

ETA just had a quick look on the respective sites and the base spec Corsa, Ka and VW Fox lack electric windows and the latter doesn't have central locking

[Jon]

ETA just had a quick look on the respective sites and the base spec Corsa, Ka and VW Fox lack electric windows and the latter doesn't have central locking

 

Does the base spec Fox still come with black placca bumpers? Shite spec which was very reminiscent of early base model Rover 600s. IIRC some Nissan X Trails came with black bumpers, or at least part black/part body colour, which somehow is almost worse (but infinately more practical on a 4x4)

[Negative Creep]

ETA just had a quick look on the respective sites and the base spec Corsa, Ka and VW Fox lack electric windows and the latter doesn't have central locking

 

Does the base spec Fox still come with black placca bumpers? Shite spec which was very reminiscent of early base model Rover 600s. IIRC some Nissan X Trails came with black bumpers, or at least part black/part body colour, which somehow is almost worse (but infinately more practical on a 4x4)

 

 

 

Sure does. It is a hideous little car compared to the Lupo, with truly comical ride height on such small wheels

[seth]

And what about drum brakes? Surely discs all round must be the norm now? If this proves wrong and I sound a bit like a tard, it just goes to prove how little I know about modern cars.

 

I think drum brakes are still reasonably common as they are generally well up to the requirements at the back of the car and handbrakes are more of a pain on discs.

[cms206]

And what about drum brakes? Surely discs all round must be the norm now? If this proves wrong and I sound a bit like a tard, it just goes to prove how little I know about modern cars.

 

Not sure if they still do, but my last Mk2 Focus on a 57-plate was discs front/drums rear on a 1.8 125ps Zetec... the diesels did have discs all round, despite having less power. Never worked that out.

 

 

5 speed boxes in larger cars seem to be almost non existent. The only one I know of is the Volvo V70 1.6 Bluemotion diesel, or whatever it's called.

 

My Mondeo 1.8TDCi Zetec only has a 5-speed 'box, the 6-speed was standard on the 2.0TDCi only. Typical Ford... !

[Guest]

You know in the past, when everything was black and white.....were people black and white too? When they become 'in colour'?

[messerschmitt owner]

Keep fit windows are still standard on a few entry level city cars. Citroën C1 VT and Peugeot 107 Urban Light don't have electric windows or central locking. They do have Power Steering however. I believe the last car available without Power Steering was the CityRover...?

 

Agreed about the 207, you must have driven the 70-odd hp 1.4 Turbo Diesel.

keep fit windows and no power steering on the base spec smart fortwos - still!

[r.welfare]

Speaking of Smarts...I see lots of Smarts being towed on dollies/bars (all four wheels on the ground) behind Winniebagos. Smarts are semi-automatic, are they not? I always thought that towing automatic cars with the driven wheels in contact with the road for any great distance was BAD. What gives?

[M'coli]

IIRC Smarts have a conventional clutch but is activated electrically, hence the semi-auto.

[MrDuke]

Not sure if they still do, but my last Mk2 Focus on a 57-plate was discs front/drums rear on a 1.8 125ps Zetec... the diesels did have discs all round, despite having less power. Never worked that out.

 

I think the decision to fit discs all round is based as much on weight as power - I assume the diesels weighed a fair bit more. Although, as Seth said, rear-end weight shouldn't vary that much, maybe they assume that diesels are more likely to be used for towing and load-hauling?

[warren t claim]

Stupid Delorean questions...

 

Did John Z Delorean invent the toothed cam belt?

 

If so was its first usage on the FD Victor?

 

And for our Ulster readers, what's built on the site of the Delorean factory? Does any of it still exist?

[Albert Ross]

First cambelt usage in a production vehicle was the Ford with Pinto Engine, 1967/8 I believe. Pipped Vauxhall by a matter of weeks I think. I may be totally wrong of course, and it turns out it was the Bedford CF...... Just googled it. I'm wrong. Pinto was 1971.... Hmm. You are rite I is Rong.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Incorrect, I think it was some kind of Glas that first used a cambelt.

[Albert Ross]

Linky to working webpage not involving a Communist Dictator or it isn't true. Ner.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Linky to working webpage not involving a Communist Dictator or it isn't true. Ner.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timing_belt#Usage_history

[Albert Ross]

I do believe we have a winner.

 

Bugger.

[warren t claim]

I do believe we have a winner.

 

Bugger.

 

It's Wikipedia. Just edit it.

[red5]

He did. That's how he won...

[Tayne]

And for our Ulster readers, what's built on the site of the Delorean factory? Does any of it still exist?

 

A company called Montupet owns the site of the factory, uses some of the original buildings but has redeveloped some, and makes alloy wheels and some other automotive components.

 

The test track is still there, it may have some sort of preservation order.

 

I've found some architectural drawings on the web and I'm trying to find it on a map at the moment.

[fiatdaft]

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/sho ... t=delorean

 

this maybe of interest.

[Tayne]

The test track is at the top of the picture.

 

Dunmurry by Tayne, on Flickr

 

 

Original site plan

 

[Albert Ross]

Ah.. Edited yesterday though. So unless he pre-empted the question, or has 2 identities, therefore knowing what the answer SHOULD be, it can't be edited AFTER the time it states. Can it?

[warren t claim]

Ah.. Edited yesterday though. So unless he pre-empted the question, or has 2 identities, therefore knowing what the answer SHOULD be, it can't be edited AFTER the time it states. Can it?

 

Just call me Mr Cubicle.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

 

Eh?

[face]

Keep fit windows are still standard on a few entry level city cars. Citroën C1 VT and Peugeot 107 Urban Light don't have electric windows or central locking. They do have Power Steering however. I believe the last car available without Power Steering was the CityRover...?

 

Agreed about the 207, you must have driven the 70-odd hp 1.4 Turbo Diesel.

keep fit windows and no power steering on the base spec smart fortwos - still!

 

I've got a ForTwo and PAS was an option, mine has electric windows. I think it's only the old 'Pure' spec which had neither, and they don't seem to do those now

[barefoot]

You can still buy a new VW T2 van with a 4 speed gearbox.

 

I accept that it's an imported vehicle & may not count