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Most obscure car you’ve owned?


Peter C

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I had a Talbot Samba as my winter car about 20 years ago when I had a silly 200SX, I don't remember seeing more than one other of them.

 

It was the same as this one,

 

4b80f12162a1.jpg

 

I paid £100 quid for it, ran it for 2 winters then scrapped it as it needed a backbox, there was nothing else wrong with it but I had nowhere to keep it and AS didn't exist.

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A few years back I owned 2x Subaru Alcyone, an XT and an SVX.

I wish I'd held on to the XT, but I just didn't like driving it. It was quirky as hell, and looked ace, but I didn't like the driving position, it handled like crap and I feared for it's fragility.

 

I still think that the Alcyone/XT are some of the most quintessential 80s sports cars out there. The straight edge/flat surface wedge design and hightech interior are just amazing. The SVX is an extremely interesting car in its own right, I still want one and if I had an unlimited amount of space and money, it would be one of the first cars I'd get.

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I had a Talbot Samba as my winter car about 20 years ago when I had a silly 200SX, I don't remember seeing more than one other of them.

 

It was the same as this one,

 

4b80f12162a1.jpg

 

I paid £100 quid for it, ran it for 2 winters then scrapped it as it needed a backbox, there was nothing else wrong with it but I had nowhere to keep it and AS didn't exist :?

Those 80s wheeltrims. Had forgotten about them. Usually buckled and sometimes one missing. Or maybe you only got 3 in the packet, Giffer accessories.
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Suzuki SC100 has cropped-up on here several times.

 

For me, it would either be the JDM Laurel hardtop I had before my current, older Laurel:

 

post-79-0-40888700-1550961781_thumb.jpg

 

Or the South African Skyline found in a scrapyard when Mrs SL was buying her wedding dress:

 

4135494938_1741f15044_o.jpg

1989 Nissan Skyline 3.0SGL (R31, SA) by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Both are now with the same Dutch Datsun/Nissan enthusiast.

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There were 22 Truck Airfield Crash Rescue Land Rover series 2A made. I've got two of the survivors. Built on a one ton chassis with lowered gearing for better acceleration* env axles and coach built body by HCB Angus. They've lost all their pump gear now.

 

28AG16 trailered up from London with lots of help from shifter Andrew

post-5582-0-88316000-1550962323_thumb.jpgpost-5582-0-47775100-1550962358_thumb.jpgpost-5582-0-23036300-1550962381_thumb.jpgpost-5582-0-62887000-1550962342_thumb.jpg

 

And 28AG12

 

 

post-5582-0-45987200-1550962543_thumb.jpgpost-5582-0-61954000-1550962578_thumb.jpg

 

 

Does a two door Astra 1.2 estate count?

post-5582-0-82437200-1550962633_thumb.jpg

 

There aren't many diesel Oldsmobile 88s cruising about

post-5582-0-16272600-1550962709_thumb.jpg

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I had a Citroen ID Safari in about 1974, and then another more recently

6137455641_1c959c51dd_z.jpg

Citroen DS21 Safari by Jean-Pierre Declemy, on Flickr

 

But the Slough built DS was probably the most obscure

6928645454_9303fc719d_z.jpg

Citroen DS 1964 model by Jean-Pierre Declemy, on Flickr

 

Or what about my Brabham Viva, I had forgotten about that

6603084981_6690e617a0_z.jpg

Vauxhall Viva HB SL90 by Jean-Pierre Declemy, on Flickr

The bonnet stripes had been removed before I bought it. Engine and gearbox parts were very fragile. I was forever buying bits from Gerry Marshall.

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A Maikonics Cit CX Turbo, 250bhp and 320lb.ft doesn't sound massive today, but it was quick in large part due to the extraordinary chassis, brakes and steering. Quite amazing, made contemporary supercars seem very ordinary.

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No pics but I had a Suzuki LJ80 soft top 4X4 in 1993, £600 from a Newsagent near Colwyn Bay

JJO 984W had 797cc of pure power but convertible off roaders were few and far between in those days

Got fed up with the draughty hood and 50mph cruising speed pretty quickly so advertised it in the local rag for £795, 32 phone calls in one night, Someone turned up with the full asking price by 6pm and drove off quite happily

Those were the days We shall not see their like again.

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Buried in the undergrowth in my garden is the 5th Robin Hood Pre Production made. The RH is a monocoque construction, mine has a space frame made out of square section tube. The quality of the components and especially the assembly is exceedingly poor. Just before RH closed the doors for good, I phoned them and spoke to one of the engineers about the car. He was horrified it had survived, and very strongly suggested it was never completed as the box section tended to rust from the inside. It will never be completed.

 

Most obscure I have would be the Saab Sonett 2 stroke, one of 258 built and 2 in the UK, although my Cobra is unique being the only ally bodied RAM Chassised example and one of the Royces has a unique body fitted.

When Robin Hood closed down they were bought and continue as Great British Sports Cars http://www.greatbritishsportscars.co.uk

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

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Suzuki SC100 has cropped-up on here several times.

 

For me, it would either be the JDM Laurel hardtop I had before my current, older Laurel:

 

attachicon.gifDSCN7248.JPG

 

Or the South African Skyline found in a scrapyard when Mrs SL was buying her wedding dress:

 

4135494938_1741f15044_o.jpg

1989 Nissan Skyline 3.0SGL (R31, SA) by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Both are now with the same Dutch Datsun/Nissan enthusiast.

 

Some tasty pillarless 4 door action there. I can't think of too many other non suicide pillarless 4 doors.

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2x Suzuki SC100's, a Dodge Challenger, FSO1300, Kia Pride, Lancia Dedra 1.6, '89 Trabant 2 stroke, 17 Fiat X1/9's , '84Pontiac Fiero, Vw Santana GX5, Delta 1300, Chevrolet Caprice, Alfa 146 boxer, Alfa 145 Cloverleaf, Volvo 265 GLE,2x Lancia Y10, Proton 1.5 Aeroback, Uno 45 ES, VW Jetta GLi,  need to find the old photo albums..

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A Maikonics Cit CX Turbo, 250bhp and 320lb.ft doesn't sound massive today, but it was quick in large part due to the extraordinary chassis, brakes and steering. Quite amazing, made contemporary supercars seem very ordinary.

 

I'm not surprised.  I had a boggo 165bhp Turbo and that bloody flew - relatively light weight and plenty of torque I suppose.

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Suzuki SC100 has cropped-up on here several times.

 

For me, it would either be the JDM Laurel hardtop I had before my current, older Laurel:

 

attachicon.gifDSCN7248.JPG

 

Or the South African Skyline found in a scrapyard when Mrs SL was buying her wedding dress:

 

4135494938_1741f15044_o.jpg

1989 Nissan Skyline 3.0SGL (R31, SA) by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Both are now with the same Dutch Datsun/Nissan enthusiast.

 

I remember that hardtop Laurel - it had a rather splendid burgundy velour interior if memory serves.

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Renault 11TC "Phase 2.1" apparently.

 

It wasn't a phase 1 or 2 - I reckon it was built during the changeover from whatever was rolling around on the storeroom floor. It was an absolute pig to get parts for, and that was in 2005 or so. That was the only reason I sold it...just nothing matched any of the catalogues.

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I think my most obscure one was a 1994 nissan serena 8 seater. It was a 1.6 petrol and was no ball of fire. However it was used and abused, it towed a 24 feet twin axle elddiss superstorm caravan, and was used for a work hack taking the boats crew from here to scrabster or Kinlochbervie, a round trip of over 400 miles over mountainous countryside loaded to the hilt with 5 men and stores to last 7 to 8 days, and fishing gear. It did that for 4 years before being replaced with a vw caravelle 2.5td which the rest of the boats used. I have only ever seen one other.

 

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk

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For me it must of been my Saab 90 which seemed to be be a cut and shut between the front end of a 99 and the rear of a 900.

I never saw another on the road and it was in fantastic condition but a bit juicy but bloody reliable.

Mine was identical to this one down to the wheels and I sold it for £200 back in about 1998.post-9282-0-69875900-1550994010_thumb.jpeg

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Not sure how many Seras came over here.

 

post-3133-0-54479800-1550995624_thumb.jpg

 

Guess the DAF is pretty obscure these days but was probably a common site back in 'nam.

 

post-3133-0-30955900-1550995679_thumb.jpg

 

The Visa too was common but theres probably not many left at all now. Probably more than the DAF mind you.

 

post-3133-0-20293000-1550995778_thumb.jpg

 

Nowt as obscure as some if the braver people on here.

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Seat 133, sort of a bastard love child between a 126/127/fuck knows what else. Oddly charming and basic. 

 

Huge following in Egypt which should have warned me. Bought from the ongoingly crazy Sam G. Swapped for my previous white Triumph Toledo via StillOrange who likely has done absolutely nothing with it/to it.

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post-20078-0-14033900-1550996418_thumb.jpg

 

My old Silvia Turbo. Quite a crude old thing and occupied an arkward middle ground between 70s Datsuns and 90s Nissans.

See the odd one on eBay for silly money but I can't imagine who would buy one nowadays. I only got it because it was much cheaper than the Corolla GT Coupe that I really wanted.

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Also another one I had was a metallic brown 1983 booted polo with square headlamps I have seen a couple with the normal round lights but never with a squared face and it was badged as a GL so posh in VW terms.

 

It was a lovely little thing and I gave it to my brother who wrecked it and never saw another.post-9282-0-41814000-1550997433_thumb.jpeg

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