Reliant Centre, Willenhall.

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

Celebrates its 50th anniversary this week.

Drove past  their premises frequently in the 80/90's, always surprised me how busy it always appeared to be back then.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2025/04/13/lovely-jubbly-we-visited-willenhalls-reliant-car-centre-as-it-celebrates-its-50th-anniversary/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJpnlZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHqjLg2ivY8UrioMTVDbFenP4iaK6FvEuK6gF51rEbAkoKooKYwSxBGYm8YFE_aem_4Ppkwfeg2pPz6iY_RD9a3A

 

 

 

 

[plasticvandan]

Really surprised it's still going,in all the years I was involved with Reliants,I never once used them for anything,no online presence and never attended any club events with parts for sale etc.really don't  know how they make a living being there are only around 500 Reliants still in use nationwide,if that.

[SiC]

If you own the property and have a pension then it's not a bad thing to be pratting around with the old 3 wheeler that comes in. Presumably they also deal with more modern or even other classics too. 

[sierraman]

4 hours ago, plasticvandan said:

Really surprised it's still going,in all the years I was involved with Reliants,I never once used them for anything,no online presence and never attended any club events with parts for sale etc.really don't  know how they make a living being there are only around 500 Reliants still in use nationwide,if that.

I remember the documentary where they were trying to set it all back up with that guy from Jaguar (??). Couldn’t even get credit terms on £26 worth of fucking light bulbs. 😂 

[plasticvandan]

They had gone bust 3 times by then and a lot of people lost a lot of money so can kind of get it. Reliant's success and decline directly correlates to the British bike industry. Brit bikes and biking in general started to tail off by 1970,the seventies were Reliants boom years selling largely to bikers with families,the eighties basically selling to a dwindling but still healthy customer base ,many who would buy a new one every few years.by the nineties they were very much only really selling to o.a.ps who had driven them all their lives.

[Burnside]

I've told this story before, but about 1992 I went to the Reliant factory in Tamworth, as part of a junior school project on transport. 

I remember there was a lot of old boys standing around smoking roll ups. An when someone asked about how they decided, if a 3 wheeler was to be a car or a van. ( While a side of a freshly moulded Reliant sat behind them on a jig). One replied after taking his roll up out his mouth, if we cut the hole out for a window it's a car. If it's a van we don't, me duck. We didn't bother them much, after that on the questions.

More interestingly was a old picture in a office, of some failed Reliant 5dr prototype. That from memory looked like a knock off of a MK1 Sierra. 

The management were really excited to show us there brand new K reg SS1 painted Triumph Java Yellow, that they were taking to that years Geneva motor show. 

Oh and we were shown a Scimitar, that was formly owned by princess Anne. Apparently she owned a few.

[High Jetter]

Am disappoint with the Express & Star, used to enjoy reading it when up that way.

Quote

The famous motor was driven by Del and Rodney Trotter in the critically acclaimed series, starting a three-wheeler craze that would last for more than 40 years.

The 'craze' had been around long before they trotted in!

[Surface Rust]

13 minutes ago, Burnside said:

 

More interestingly was a old picture in a office, of some failed Reliant 5dr prototype. That from memory looked like a knock off of a MK1 Sierra. 

 

Was it this? The Reliant FW11

It ultimately became the Citroen BX after both Reliant and Volvo rejected it.

Always surprises me as the BX just seemed to be Citroen through and through.

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

In the mid 80's I frequently drove past their Shenstone factory and one day the parking area in front of it was full of RS 200's,

Apparently they made the body's for them until Ford abandoned the model. a missed opportunity perhaps that Reliant didn't buy the rights to produce them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_RS200

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Surface Rust said:

Was it this? The Reliant FW11

It ultimately became the Citroen BX after both Reliant and Volvo rejected it.

Always surprises me as the BX just seemed to be Citroen through and through.

Front says BX, I'm getting FSO Polonez vibes further back

[rustdevil]

9 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Front says BX, I'm getting FSO Polonez vibes further back

Is there God in the door handles too

 

[rustdevil]

Just now, rustdevil said:

Is there God in the door handles too

 

I mean fso

[High Jetter]

20 minutes ago, rustdevil said:

I mean fso

God...fso...glad you cleared that up 🤣

[Burnside]

2 hours ago, Surface Rust said:

Was it this? The Reliant FW11

It ultimately became the Citroen BX after both Reliant and Volvo rejected it.

Always surprises me as the BX just seemed to be Citroen through and through.

This might have been the one.

Although going off my memory, the car I saw in the picture had a Sierra Ghia style front indicator/ foglight combo in the front bumper. But I could be wrong as it's so long ago alas.

Never knew about the BX and the Reliant connection.

In fairness Citroen probably did a better with such a project, given Reliant limitations financial wise etc. It's definitely given me something to read up on tonight. So thanks! 

[Burnside]

On another random side note, after the site in Tamworth was sold. For a while the buildings were rented out, until they flattened it all for housing. 

One occupier was selling sub £1,000 cars. They had a really nice looking early MK2 Astra GTE 5dr in Red, for £795 on a D reg with Autoplas wheel trims on. 

I used to admire it every Friday night as we past in my parents car, but as a kid it was out of reach. Was probably full of filler in the rear arches, with veng aftermarket front wings and covers sills anyway! 

[plasticvandan]

6 hours ago, Burnside said:

This might have been the one.

Although going off my memory, the car I saw in the picture had a Sierra Ghia style front indicator/ foglight combo in the front bumper. But I could be wrong as it's so long ago alas.

Never knew about the BX and the Reliant connection.

In fairness Citroen probably did a better with such a project, given Reliant limitations financial wise etc. It's definitely given me something to read up on tonight. So thanks! 

I know the car you mean,it was an ogle design concept of a restyled gte,I think I know where I can grab a pic when I have a bit more time later.

[plasticvandan]

Was it this?

[Burnside]

8 hours ago, plasticvandan said:

Was it this?

It definitely looks close to the front end styling that I remember, except for the lack of extra doors. Maybe a 5dr was considered as well? 

[plasticvandan]

It may possibly have been a mock up of an anadol,but by time you were there Reliants involvement with otosan was long gone