THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[seth]

People are quick to shout about how pioneering they are (first GTE, first rear wiper, first split-folding rear seat) yet no-one actually wants one. Maybe I'll find out why that is...

 

The senior engineer in my first job had one. He was called Brian. Nice guy. But I do think you need to be called "Brian" or perhaps "Keith" to have one. I suppose you're not too far off with "Ian". I think they might just be too sensible for many people.

[dollywobbler]

I'll be fine then. I'm definitely going through a sensible phase.

 

Oh, hold on. I quit my job and moved to the back end of beyond on pretty much a whim. Oh well.

[seth]

Wasn't meant to be a dig! Though I don't think you took it as such!

 

Its a theory I've been formulating. The majority of people into older/classic cars don't use them regularly - that recent survey on R-R proves that as much as anything. So they have boring practical moderns (or even 10-20 year old "moderns") for daily use. So their special/older car is not meant to be a sensible car for them. Its the escape from the mundane. So to get something that is as sensible, practical, capable (and probably as reliable) as their modern doesn't work for them. Ergo, Scimitars are cheap. They could drive a more interesting car daily but choose not to.

[dollywobbler]

No offence taken - sorry, my post probably came over as a bit huffy but I amended it in my mind as I was typing.

 

See where you're coming from Seth, but people are paying more for MGB GTs than Scimitars, which I find odd. Now, I actually quite like MGBs, but surely given the choice, the Scim is the one to go for? Also consider what people will pay for a nice Capri, with exactly the same engine. Or a Gilbern - which also has the same engine/construction.

[outlaw118]

^^^^^ I'd definetely have one, if I a) had the £££ the space c) the understanding SWMBO d) the balls to go for it.

One of these days.....

[seth]

See where you're coming from Seth, but people are paying more for MGB GTs than Scimitars,

That's because they're MGs

Also consider what people will pay for a nice Capri,

Thats because they're blinded by Fords.

Or a Gilbern

Thats because they're made in Wales by dragons and therefore a bit mad.

[garethj]

I was passed by a Scimitar on the motorway once, he must have been cruising at 90+ That's a good thing, I like to see cars like that being thrashed a bit with the reps.

 

Almost makes up for the dozens I've seen on the hard shoulder

 

Good purchase, is chassis rot the main issue with them?

[autofive]

Nice!, That looks pretty tasty, much more up my street then the Land Rover and hopefully not as juicey neither.

 

Thanks. Owner reckons he's seen 32mpg, which should be possible on a 60mph A-road cruise, though he was quick to point out that it soon drops when you enjoy yourself!

 

 

nice looking motor

 

32mpg - its a dream

 

more like 22mpg, and 14 if you boot it

 

my take on the scimitar values: stigma of a 3-wheeled cousin, electrical niggles and chassis rot

 

good luck with the MOT - PM me if you need any spares, a have two sheds full

[Cavcraft]

Very nice that DW, is he MOT testing it or leaving it for you to do? Now you can drive round Wales pretending to be Princess Anne or one of her siblings, that'll probably go down well as long as you remember the union flag stickers

Oh, Graham Walker will probably be your friend if you need parts, they do (or did) own the rights to Scimitars.

[barefoot]

...I re-sealed the car's tailgate washer jet with RTV...

 

What's RTV?

I've been using Captain Tolleys & am a bit unconvinced.

[garethj]

I used the Volvo’s capability as people carrier yesterday, 5 kids to carry around so I pulled the 2 seats up out of the boot floor. No reports of travel sickness and once I had Rhianna cued up on the mp3 player everyone was happy.

 

And for the record, quasar shooting is brilliant fun if you ignore the geekyness.

[Cavcraft]

I'm off work this week so if anyone wants a hand moving a car or pissing about with stuff near Chester let me know. Free most days between about 9.30am and 4.30pm, going rate is twenty fags and a cup of tea plus just my fuel costs. I have trade insurance and can drive anything up to 7.5 tonnes but no mini-buses, motorbikes or pre-1980 cars.

[dollywobbler]

Yeah, big weaknesses of the Scimmie are the afore-mentioned chassis rot (this one benefits from new outriggers and looks very solid) and iffy electrics (chap has made his own earths in quite a lot of places and everything actually works). Plus glassfibre bodywork is not the miracle cure some think it might be. Can develop cracks and paint imperfections can be very costly to sort out. There are one or two small cracks in the paint, but these don't seem to be in the body and are in unstressed places.

 

They're good for 120+mph, not that I'd ever do a 'Princess Anne' - starting to get fed up with the fact she used to own them though. "Did you know?" etc etc. Gearing is pretty similar to the BX though (just shy of 22mph per 1000rpm) so I don't expect it to be a quiet cruiser - especially as it's got a K&N, better carb and stainless steel exhausts... she's not quiet!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm not a fan of Scimitars TBH, though without any sound basis for the dislike, its basically 'car racism' on my part. I just can't get on with those gasping old ford V6 engines, dribbling carburettors and kit-kat-wrapper electrical systems, although to be fair its hardly like they are packed full of electronic gubbins is it, it oughta be possible to get one working reliably without too much difficulty. I like the fact they have an overdrive box, that makes a lot of sense.

 

Obv I would literally beat myself into a cross-eyed stupor over one fitted with a VM 2.5TD + MT75 from a scorpio, that would be a fantastic weapon for a trans-european shite road trip and also GR8 4 A FRAMIN (if a bit conspicuous perhaps to the boys in blue when so utilised).

[ashmicro]

The Scim is nice, and the colour suits it I think. I was offered a white mark 5 (?) one about 12 years ago for nowt, and turned it down! It was going with some test as well. Gah!

[HillmanImp]

Obv I would literally beat myself into a cross-eyed stupor over one fitted with a VM 2.5TD + MT75 from a scorpio

 

They are one of my favourite looking cars of all time and would love to pop in a modern engine to use it as my everyday car. Think i would be a bit scared of the fuel consumption these days if I did not have anything else. That has been my big falling out with the GT6 this time round. Fuel consumption combined with my heavy foot.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

úðтðûþó ÑÂтрøöõú òþûþѠÑÂúðчðть ÿрþóрðüüу ôûѠÿþôñþрð ÿрøчõÑÂþú øóрðть ò ÿрøчёÑÂúø üþôýыù цòõт òþûþѠþÑÂõýь 2010 þôõòðûúø ø üðúøÑÂö ø ÿрøчёÑÂúø úðú ÿþôÑÂтрøчь úþÑÂую чõûúу òøôõþ üуöÑÂúøõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø 2011 фþрüð уúûðôúø òþûþѠúðúðѠôûøýð òþûþѠÑÂчøтðõтÑÂÑ ÑÂрõôýõù ÿрøчõÑÂúø Ѡчõûúþù üуöÑÂúøõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø Ѡчõûúþù ôûѠôõòþчõú úþрþтúøõ ÑÂòðôõñýыõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø ÑÂтрøöúø ѠÿрÑÂüþù чõûúþù ÑÂþòõты ÿþ уúûðôúõ òþûþѠтõхýøúð òыÿþûýõýøѠûðüøýøрþòðýøѠòþûþѠуúûðôúð òþûþѠôûѠúруóûþóþ ûøцð üþôýыù þúрðѠòþûþѠ2010 ÑÂðüыõ ôûøýýыõ ûþñúþòыõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ ÿрøчõÑÂúø 30 Ñ… ÿþôñþрúð ÿрøчõÑÂþú þýûðùý ñõÑÂÿûðтýþ ÿрøчõÑÂúø òõÑÂýð ûõтþ 2011 ôûøýýыõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø 2010 ôûøýýыõ тþýúøõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ фøûøÿѠôûѠуúûðôúø òþûþѠúðú üþöýþ ÿþôÑÂтрøчь ôûøýýыõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ ýøýð ôþñрõò Ѡчõûúþù ÿрøчõÑÂúø òþûþѠò ôþüðшýøх уÑÂûþòøÑÂÑ… úðú уûþöøть чõûúу ÿрÑÂüþ ñûþýôøý Ѡôûøýýыüø òþûþÑÂðüø ÿрøчõÑÂúø Ѡчõûúþù ûðüøýøрþòðýøõ òþûþѠчõрõÿþòõц üþôýыõ ÑÂтрøöúø òþûþѠúððрðû úрðÑÂúð ôûѠòþûþѠÿðûøтрð ôþûóþòрõüõýýðѠуúûðôúð òþûþѠÑÂтþøüþÑÂÑ‚ÑŒ ûðüøýøрþòðýøõ òþûþѠуфð úðú уûþöøть òþûþÑÂÑ‹ ÑÂрõôýõù ôûøýýы úðú ÿþôÑÂтрøчь ôûøýýыõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ øóры þýûðùý ôûѠôõòþчõú ÑÂтрøöúø úрðÑÂøòыõ ÿðрýø Ѡчõûúþù òõчõрýÑÂѠуúûðôúð òþûþѠÑÂрõôýõù ôûøýы úðú þтрðÑÂтøть úрðÑÂøòыõ ôûøýýыõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ üуöÑÂúøõ ÑÂтрøöúø Ѡôûøýýþù чõûúþù úрõðтøòýыõ úþрþтúøõ ÑÂтрøöúø ûõóúøõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø ôûѠôûøýýых òþûþÑÂ

[pogweasel]

You that bit at the end of 'ghostwatch' where michael parkinson gets possessed by the ghost?

Well, that.... /\

[FredTransit]

Er, did you just copy and paste that crap or has he been hacked?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

úðтðûþó ÑÂтрøöõú òþûþѠÑÂúðчðть ÿрþóрðüüу ôûѠÿþôñþрð ÿрøчõÑÂþú øóрðть ò ÿрøчёÑÂúø üþôýыù цòõт òþûþѠþÑÂõýь 2010 þôõòðûúø ø üðúøÑÂö ø ÿрøчёÑÂúø úðú ÿþôÑÂтрøчь úþÑÂую чõûúу òøôõþ üуöÑÂúøõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø 2011 фþрüð уúûðôúø òþûþѠúðúðѠôûøýð òþûþѠÑÂчøтðõтÑÂÑ ÑÂрõôýõù ÿрøчõÑÂúø Ѡчõûúþù üуöÑÂúøõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø Ѡчõûúþù ôûѠôõòþчõú úþрþтúøõ ÑÂòðôõñýыõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø ÑÂтрøöúø ѠÿрÑÂüþù чõûúþù ÑÂþòõты ÿþ уúûðôúõ òþûþѠтõхýøúð òыÿþûýõýøѠûðüøýøрþòðýøѠòþûþѠуúûðôúð òþûþѠôûѠúруóûþóþ ûøцð üþôýыù þúрðѠòþûþѠ2010 ÑÂðüыõ ôûøýýыõ ûþñúþòыõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ ÿрøчõÑÂúø 30 Ñ… ÿþôñþрúð ÿрøчõÑÂþú þýûðùý ñõÑÂÿûðтýþ ÿрøчõÑÂúø òõÑÂýð ûõтþ 2011 ôûøýýыõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø 2010 ôûøýýыõ тþýúøõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ фøûøÿѠôûѠуúûðôúø òþûþѠúðú üþöýþ ÿþôÑÂтрøчь ôûøýýыõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ ýøýð ôþñрõò Ѡчõûúþù ÿрøчõÑÂúø òþûþѠò ôþüðшýøх уÑÂûþòøÑÂÑ… úðú уûþöøть чõûúу ÿрÑÂüþ ñûþýôøý Ѡôûøýýыüø òþûþÑÂðüø ÿрøчõÑÂúø Ѡчõûúþù ûðüøýøрþòðýøõ òþûþѠчõрõÿþòõц üþôýыõ ÑÂтрøöúø òþûþѠúððрðû úрðÑÂúð ôûѠòþûþѠÿðûøтрð ôþûóþòрõüõýýðѠуúûðôúð òþûþѠÑÂтþøüþÑÂÑ‚ÑŒ ûðüøýøрþòðýøõ òþûþѠуфð BOLLOCKS úðú уûþöøть òþûþÑÂÑ‹ ÑÂрõôýõù ôûøýýы úðú ÿþôÑÂтрøчь ôûøýýыõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ øóры þýûðùý ôûѠôõòþчõú ÑÂтрøöúø úрðÑÂøòыõ ÿðрýø Ѡчõûúþù òõчõрýÑÂѠуúûðôúð òþûþѠÑÂрõôýõù ôûøýы úðú þтрðÑÂтøть úрðÑÂøòыõ ôûøýýыõ òþûþÑÂÑ‹ üуöÑÂúøõ ÑÂтрøöúø Ѡôûøýýþù чõûúþù úрõðтøòýыõ úþрþтúøõ ÑÂтрøöúø ûõóúøõ ÿрøчõÑÂúø ôûѠôûøýýых òþûþÑÂ

[wuvvum]

I can drive anything up to 7.5 tonnes but no mini-buses, motorbikes or pre-1980 cars.

That no pre-1980 is a bit of a bind, isn't it? My trader's allows me to drive pre-1980 cars "for trade purposes only" - I wouldn't have taken out the policy if it didn't cover me at all, I've usually got some '70s tat lying around.

[Cavcraft]

Yeah but I can live with it for now. I expect I could 'upgrade' my policy but it's so cheap compared to others it doesn't bother me too much. Also most of the disgusting old rammel I kick about in is mostly sort of mid-nineties on as a rule.

[autofive]

A5, what's the deal with the door fitment on that red Scummy? Is it not closed, then? Or do they just stand proud of flushness like that normally? Body flex-induced? Or?

 

sometimes the body hoop (chassis, door frame, over the roof, door frame and back to chassis) rots away and then the door wont shut, but occassionally its just the top hinge, or a dodgy door catch

 

They're good for 120+mph

 

and the rest

 

better carb

 

40 dfav?

 

p.s. Cavette: graham walker is NOT any scimitar owners friend, ebay and my sheds are the scimitar owners friend, GW is like the sort of friend who always wants money, never has any fags and rifles through your pockets while your asleep

[dollywobbler]

Stop fretting - it's just not shut properly. I took another pic earlier with my BlackBerry and it's flush-fitting. In fact - and I think this is often a sign of a perfectionist owner - the doors shut beautifully.

 

A5 - I'm not going to test the top speed, but I think it's got warmer cams in it. Road tests of the time state 123mph as a maximum, though obviously that was when they hadn't already clocked up 153,000 miles... (engine rebuild at 80k, new camshafts and followers about 20k ago).

[garethj]

Obv I would literally beat myself into a cross-eyed stupor over one fitted with a VM 2.5TD + MT75 from a scorpio, that would be a fantastic weapon for a trans-european shite road trip and also GR8 4 A FRAMIN (if a bit conspicuous perhaps to the boys in blue when so utilised).

Wasn’t there a thread on Retro Rides about some bloke who put a BMW diesel engine into a Scimitar? I can’t check now because the IT police have RR pegged as a messageboard, whilst Autoshite isn’t

[dollywobbler]

Yes there was Gareth - six pot dizzle! What that does for the handling, I've no idea as the Essex is mounted well back - and this diesel won't be.

 

LPG seems common though.

[Richard]

...I re-sealed the car's tailgate washer jet with RTV...

 

What's RTV?

I've been using Captain Tolleys & am a bit unconvinced.

 

Room Temperature Vulcanising sealant.

[Cavcraft]

p.s. Cavette: graham walker is NOT any scimitar owners friend, ebay and my sheds are the scimitar owners friend, GW is like the sort of friend who always wants money, never has any fags and rifles through your pockets while your asleep

 

He was alright when I scored a dirt cheap recovery trailer off him years back! He's a main stealer for those new (Indian?) MGTF things now and I'd be willing to bet the sales figures are lower than they were for new Scimitars.

[Rocket88]

Quite amazing how many SE5/6 Scimitars have survived. When they're good they're brilliant, when they're not.....always found SF5 was a bit cramped for the more robust amongst us, and without PAS they're bloody heavy at low speed manouvering, but they do drive well [better than a Capri imho] as long as ye ancient front suspension has been greased and fettled.Autos are surprisingly good. All sorts of lumps can be made to fit, someone slung in a Vauxhall Omega v6, complete with gearbox, which went like the clappers.

[AlsoMike]

Picked up this beauty last Thursday:

 

 

It doesn't get much more basic for a Mk2, 1.3 engine, 4 speed box, pretty much no options boxes ticked as far as I can see. In a fetching shade of Tornado Pink.

 

 

Rust-wise it's pretty clean, it did come with a free hole in the drivers door tho(nicely covered with gaffer tape by the previous owner). It's now sat on the correct wheels and much less pink thanks to a polishing sesh on Sat, I'd put up some 'after' pics if it wasn't lashing it down. Might have tracked down a door in the right colour as well, to finish the tidying.