w00t w00t

[TheScrapman]

Oh you dirty man.I trust you'll be bringing that tomorrow then? Can I have a go pleeease?!

[whitevanman]

I used to valet them and get them ready for sales when I worked at a Chrysler dealership back in 1982

[wuvvum]

I trust you'll be bringing that tomorrow then? Can I have a go pleeease?!

Alas no. It's over near Warwick so the logistics of getting it home in the evening after work are not really workable - I've worked out that if nothing goes wrong on the drive home (this is a 25-year-old Talbot remember) I'd be getting back to mine at about 1.45 am. That's the sort of stunt I can only really pull on a Friday evening, and the seller's going to be away Thurs - Sun this week, so I won't be picking it up until end of next week. I'll bring it to the December meet though, and you can have a go then.

[nigel bickle]

A frame it the first (home) trip-surely?

[wuvvum]

A frame it the first (home) trip-surely?

Nah. It's T&T'd and the seller reckons it'll get me back OK. I'll just take me AA membership card with me - should be fine.

[wuvvum]

Well, it's home.

 

 

First impressions were somewhat mixed - it runs hot (if the temp gauge is to be believed) and is in dire need of a tune-up, but it drove the 170 miles home without breaking down so it can't be too terminally ill. It also managed (by my calculations) 38mpg, which isn't bad for an unwell 25-year-old 1.6 in dire weather conditions.

 

It seemed rather gutless to start off with, but seems to have cleared its throat a bit at some point along the A14, and now seems almost nippy off the line. PAS is as vague as I'd expected but makes parking a doddle. I haven't had a chance to test the handling properly yet due to soaking wet roads, but first impressions are that the understeer isn't as bad as I'd been led to expect, although it rolls as well as any '70s French design. Also the clutch didn't slip at all, despite the seller advising that it would need replacing - granted the biting point is high, but I think it's got a couple of thousand miles left in it yet.

 

There is some grot on the rear arches, as the seller stated in the ad.

 

 

 

Again though I don't think there's anything terminal there. Seller also said something about rust on the rear hatch round the rear screen, but I can't see any

 

 

It does need a new rear wiper blade though.

 

Interior is basic (I think the Minx was the base model?) but comfortable, and in pretty good nick - the car's only done 55K from new. OE Philips radio cassette still works and sounds authentically tinny.

 

 

Overall it's not love at first sight but I do quite like it. I'm going to wait until I've had a chance to give it a service and a blast down some dry back roads before making a definite pronouncement. Having said that, it's rare, it's pleasant to drive, it's tested till end of July and taxed till end of Jan, and it's beige, so I can see myself keeping it for several months at least.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Same radio as mine!!! Looks great Wuvz. Chgeck inside the tailgate for grot around the window, mine looks OK on the outside but is as rusty as hell inside.Also check the inner arches in the boot, that seems to be the no. 1 grot spot on these. I'm quite jealous!!

[Gompo]

Oh man that's a beauty.How civilised was the cruise - noisy?Any long term plans?Great that we've got another one on the site, hopefully even if you get rid it will stay on here!

[mnde]

Hey Wuvs that's great. Looks like it's got the same column stalks as a Citroen BX, isn't it?Mark.

[VWPowered]

awesome, very jealous

[carlo]

Notice Talbot started using Peugeot steering wheels, column stalks and gear knobs from 1984 on.

[wuvvum]

Yup, steering wheel and column stalks are Peugeot 305, but similar items were used on most of the PSA range at that time. It does have twin concentric knurled knobs for adjusting the driver's door mirror though (one for in and out, one for up and down) which is pretty and which I haven't seen on any of the Pugs or Citroëns I've owned.Cruise was civilised enough - 60 is about 3000rpm in 5th so didn't feel too stressed, although it's not the most refined engine in the world. I had a better look under the bonnet yesterday and it's got a twin-choke Weber, which would explain the decent acceleration - I always thought the Minx had an old Solex.I'm probably going to use it quite sparingly through the winter - these things rust for fun and it's one of only 15 left on the road so I'd like it to stay roadworthy for a bit longer if possible. I'm going to tidy up those rear arches though - even someone as inept as myself should be able to spray beige paint without making too much of a mess.

[Rusty Pelican]

Quality , very jealous

[Guest]

That could have been a lot worse-Bosh some pics up when its tidied/polished up