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Pre Christmas collection. Reliant content!


Angrydicky

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14 hours ago, Bren said:

That cabin has the ambience of a moscow subway train.

I don't know about Moscow subways but the St Petersburg one was very nice. I'd say this one is one step up from a Stagecoach Midland Red Bus... maybe two up from those trains that have tiny seats at the sides you can only perch on.

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1 hour ago, lesapandre said:

I was in France and got chatting at a show to a French bloke. These Reliants have a following there - the bloke owned one - there is quite a 'micro car' following. 

It's true the frogs love them.   When I park up somewhere ,I leg it to avoid the inevitable 100 questions.

Been out in it today. Not fun in these high winds...

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So, shopping list for parts currently stands at:

Drivers door - the fibreglass has cracked around the hinges and the whole thing has dropped.

Drivers seat - current one is incorrect and fucked.

Door mirrors - current ones are incorrect (too small) and they’re so loose I can’t see anything in them. Does anyone know what other vehicle the standard Robin mirrors come from?

Already bought a standard air filter to replace the foam one it’s got on there.

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12 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

So, I have a question..... what are these really like to drive? Can you describe it for us? Is it as terrible as everyone says? I’m really really really intrigued.


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Very small inside, I’m 6’ and when I indicate left the stalk hits my knee! Two people in the front is fairly cosy. Tiny steering wheel but steering is very light and surprisingly precise. Seems to handle very well, though I haven’t been brave enough to chuck it into any corners yet. Lots of cheap plastic rattly trim and not much sound deadening, so it’s loud! Clutch and gearbox are lovely, it’s actually very easy to drive and a lot of fun!

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Mirrors are unobtainaium,at least new anyway,believed to have been used on early 80s Talbot,which are even rarer.common and acceptable alternative is the metal mirror used on kit cars etc,often sold as cater ham e were actually used by reliant from 77-81 on the Robin and kitten,and have the same hole spacing.

wider wheels on the back help handling,leave the front alone.ideally you need the heater,as it adds valuable extra cooling capacity.

i used to sound deaden mine,which makes a big difference. 

The door is pretty easy to repair,I fibre glassed mine from the inside and red riled the hinge holes.

 

 

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9 hours ago, greengartside said:

@Angrydicky I’d love to have a blast in this fine machine one day. If any Robins for breaking/spares pop up locally, I’ll let you know. There was a guy who basically hoarded them at an old garage near Wymondham but they seemed to have gone now.

Thank you and yes, of course you can have a go!

I think the garage you refer to was Castle Hill Garage at New Buckenham. He is still going but moved to Wisbech a few years ago. Shame really, as that would have been very convenient for spares!

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10 hours ago, plasticvandan said:

Mirrors are unobtainaium,at least new anyway,believed to have been used on early 80s Talbot,which are even rarer.common and acceptable alternative is the metal mirror used on kit cars etc,often sold as cater ham e were actually used by reliant from 77-81 on the Robin and kitten,and have the same hole spacing.

wider wheels on the back help handling,leave the front alone.ideally you need the heater,as it adds valuable extra cooling capacity.

i used to sound deaden mine,which makes a big difference. 

The door is pretty easy to repair,I fibre glassed mine from the inside and red riled the hinge holes.

 

 

Thanks! I'll have to try to find a pair of used mirrors from a Reliant specialist, these ones are completely crap.

These alloys on the back are definitely wider than standard. There's a normal steel on the front but they're 10" all round. I set the tyre pressures as the front was 41 and the nearside rear was 41 but the offside rear was 27! I did them at 30 all round.

Someone's made a half arsed effort to stick some sound deadening on the underside of the bonnet but it's all peeling off. Ideally it needs some in both front footwells under the carpet. The carpets are out at the moment because they were loose and it turns out the poppers on the floor which secure them have just rusted away, like the channel which is supposed to hold the drivers seat in the down position! Yes, the body and chassis can't rust but it seems everything else has!

I guess the door is a common Reliant issue. I'll give repairing it a go, I've got some fibreglass and it's cheaper/easier than buying a new door.

Apparently the heater was removed from this car as they can constrict coolant flow!? Knowing how prone they are to HGF and how inaccessible the engine is, I'm leaning towards leaving the heater out. I'm missing everything bar the pipes and it seems to run on the cool side anyway.

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Heater restricting flow is complete crap I'm afraid,As you will find out reliant fitted nothing unless it was absolutely nessecceary.It adds about a pint of coolant to the system too,the rad doesn't hold much.most of the time I would run it on all the time.

yes 20/50 all the way,if you notice it using oil try a better quality brand,I found millers to be the best in the worn engine my rebel had.

if the deadening under the bonnet is black,that was what reliant fitted lol.

around the engine hump and under the floor is the main areas to do,also make sure the access panels have good foam on them and all the screws in,otherwise noise and fumes will come in the cab,same goes for the gear lever gaiter.

 

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