Last shite purchase of the decade

[wuvvum]

There's less than five hours left of the Noughties, a decade in which I have got through a hell of a lot of cars. Ten years ago I had owned a grand total of four - a Y reg Escort van, a B reg Mini Mayfair, a Y reg Manta GT/J and a C reg Visa 14TRS. In the intervening decade over 300 cars, from the sublime to the ridiculous, have passed through my sticky paws. The last of which is this.

 

 

I've just driven it back from Chipping Norton, and it made it back absolutely fine - the only unscheduled stop was when a bit of hard braking to avoid a dizzy bint in an X5 resulted in the NSF caliper sticking on a bit, which wasn't a problem until I got on the A34 and things started to get rather hot - I realised something was amiss when I found myself doing 60 with my foot to the floor. So I pulled into a services and squirted water at the disc until it stopped sizzling, and it was fine after that.

 

The car itself isn't bad at all really. It's had some old-giffer-style paintwork here and there, but nothing I can't sort out. It also seems to have a bit of an earthing fault somewhere as use of the indicators, wipers or heater fan makes the battery light glow slightly - I don't think it's an alternator fault as the headlights are fine. HRW doesn't seem to work either, but other than that it all seems OK. It is very basic though - it doesn't have headrests, a trip meter, a rear wiper or even a dipping interior mirror. Wiper switch is odd too - you push the end in to switch the wipers on and off, and twist the stalk to select fast and slow (or slow and even slower in this case).

 

It's not a fast car by any stretch of the imagination - it's got the 954cc engine but with a lower compression ratio than the AX and with more weight to drag around it's nowhere near as lively, despite lower gearing. It will buzz along at 70 happily enough though once it's up there. I haven't had a chance to really try out the handling yet but I suspect it'll be typically '70s French small car - precise steering but with lots of roll and very little grip (135x13 tyres = GR2 4 GRIPPIN).

 

Disappointingly little shite on the roads today - apart from an 803cc Moggy in Woodstock and a very late (K-plate) BX hatch on the A11, the only spot worthy of note was a Lamborghini Espada on the A44 between Chipping Norton and Oxford. Given that the Espada is one of my favourite cars of evAr, though, and I've never seen one on the road before, it kind of made up for the lack of other tat on the roads.

[VWPowered]

shitty 19 i got afew days ago, its probable it'll be off to the crusher

 

[Guest]

Looks wonderful Wuvvum!

[Dukestar25]

I've not seen a uk registered one of these since, I dunno, the early 80's.Good purchase Wuvvum Dare we ask the price..?

[Milford Cubicle]

I don't think I've ever seen a UK registered one, but there used to be a French-registered one parked at the local hotel.Utter shite purchase, well done wuvvum! Is it fairly solid? IT looks it.

[binhoker668]

I suspect I've previously waxed lyrical on these matters, but have to say again - 104s and LNs/LNAs have a very special place in my mental shite car file...Nearly got me a 104 early this year, but it slipped away.I think they're a very fun drive!!Awesome purchase fella...How many clams did it cost ye?Oh, and also - bagsy next!!!

[reallyloud]

One of those cars that suddenly disappeared off our roads very quickly - the last time I saw them in numbers would have been in the late 80's and to be honest I seldom clocked them then. I know the made them in France until 1988, but the last one I recall seeing here would be on a Y plate. Yet another inspired buy for the Wuvcollection.

[pogweasel]

Awesome. My mate had an orange one with chrome extremities back in the day, it was totally cool-uncool hinking about in it. STYLING.

[P.I.]

Samba development hack.......with too many doors?

[Richard]

In a way it was, but I think it was approaching ten years old by the time the Samba rolled along.

[dollywobbler]

Aye. Samba and Citroen LN/LNA were side-projects of the 104. I really like it. Nice work!

[VWPowered]

yes later ones are LNA/Samba/104 early ones were just LN/104

[greengartside]

Excellent shite purchase there wuvvum, have always been a fan of those little cars cheap, fun motoring at it's best!

[Mr Lobster]

Nice buy, that looks pretty good Wuvvum.