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Custard's crusty Rialto


Custard

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21 minutes ago, RayMK said:

 My current Reliant is a '61 Regal side valve running on crossply tyres...

I really should have a proper look at that car sometime!  I remember seeing it at a gathering at the FoD one day (possibly after the last-but-one Festival of the Unexceptional?) and you said hello.  I wasn't having a great day and was finding the whole socialising thing very overwhelming so probably wasn't the best conversationalist.

Seem to recall you were doing battle with a running issue when warm back then.

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The correct mirrors are unavailable new, the going rate is a whopping £50 each for secondhand ones so most tightarse Reliant owners fit shit aftermarket mirrors when the original ones get broken. I managed to get one for the drivers side and I've just managed to find a cheap passenger side one. I couldn't see a thing in the mirrors it came with, the correct one I got made a big difference.

Steering should be pretty light but mine did get quite heavy as my old front tyre had a slow puncture (since replaced). Brakes need a good shove but you should have a decent pedal. Master cylinders are expensive, slightly cheaper having the old one reconditioned than buying a new old stock one.

They're great fun, I love mine (once I've shoehorned myself into it)

 

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30 minutes ago, doug said:

Any good to you? It works but the case was cracked so I taped it up. Yours for the cost of post if you want it.cbc96a8928953e08f2b5079508f272bc.jpg645d469ab4465eba7e2e3eb480fe3393.jpg

Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk
 

Thanks so much for the offer!

I don't have the old fan to compare to so I'd need to check the fitment. I'll let you know

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I honestly can’t see anyone taller than 6’ getting behind the wheel and being able to drive a Robin/Rialto by the way. I’m 6’ and have had to remove the drivers sunvisor so I can see where I’m going! They are tiny inside and you’ll be very cosy with your front seat passenger if you have one. Not great for social distancing!

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Two things I remember from mine - check the fuel hoses. If they’re old and cracking, then change them Sharpish. They have a tendency to pee fuel in the exhaust manifold with disastrous results. Sidelights / indys - disturbingly expensive even second hand. I removed the bulb holders, put 16mm glands in the holes, then ran cables through to LED panels from fleabay. Nice and bright and the MOT tester was most complimentary 👍

well bought 😎

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@groovylee Oooh thanks for that tip, I'll inspect them ASAP. Was thinking of something similar for the sidelights, maybe not as fancy as LED but even if I just got some bulb holders and glassed them into place it'd be better than what I have or I might measure them up and see if some generic Hella units would fit

No updates yet, I won't get a chance to do anything with it until friday but next job is get some grease onto the kingpin and then order a new sump. Also gonna have a go at sorting the speedo so no one can argue its not road legal.

My Dad's specially hand crafted 'wing mirror fins' work fairly well but I have a bid on a pair of used ones on ebay.

The drivers door is bollocksed. I was looking at it the other day, and I'm not sure if its going to be possible to get it shutting right again with everything lined up. The cracks are in the pillars where it sits in the door jam. If I add material there, by time its sanded down to fit it probably will just crack again. The weather strip is perished and the channel on the regulator that the window sits in has rotted away. Ideally I'd just find a whole door off a later one, complete with window regulator and weather strip but doubt that's gonna happen.
Unpainted NOS ones are available but pricey so that's a last resort. I'm going to try and get the one I have sorted somehow.

I'm very grateful for all of your advice and interest by the way. I'm loving this silly little car and its cool to share it with you

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