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Rapport Ritz


Milford Cubicle

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Was anybody aware of this honey? I wasn't until I invested in some '80s Observer's books.

Appears to be based around a 1st or 2nd generation Accord saloon, I wonder how many were sold, and how much people had to pay for the luxury of an Accord with a long nose and Dralon upholstery.

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One of the only references to this car found online...

 

I have a 1982 Rapport Ritz. It is a 1982 Honda Accord 1.6 Hondamatic four-door saloon with aluminium body modifications by Rapport of Park Lane, Connolly leather, walnut veneers, air-conditioning and alloy wheels. The car has been in my family since the 1980s, has covered 52,000 miles and was one of the last of only 19 such models built. It might even be the sole survivor. It has now been laid up for a few years and requires some attention, but I need the space it occupies, so have to let it go. How much is it worth?

S.H., Barnet

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I believe a little press photo of one was posted here a long time ago, if I recall one of the optional extras on it was a turbocharger!Utterly baffling machine - if someone on here gets one they will surely be crowned Shite King.

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1200kgs & 80bhp coursing through a two-speed auto must make for an exciting driving experience!I am however enjoying the swoopy nose, rather like the silly jap racer look, plus the wheels (exacton?), which look rather tasteful.And LOOK! The interior is finished in gen-you-wine draylon. DRAYLON! Pimp.

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1200kgs & 80bhp coursing through a two-speed auto must make for an exciting driving experience!

Good job it has the electronically-operated aerofoil, sounds like you'll really need it!The weird thing is comparing it to Accord specs, it has gone from 930kg to 1180kg - how on earth is that possible? Surely Dralon doesn't weigh that much.....
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What a bizarre and pointless machine the Ritz Rapport was, can't say I've ever seen one, and would be very surprised if there were any survivors.There was also the Panther Rio, which was based on a Triumph Dolomite with lashings of leather and walnut added to the interior and a Vanden Plas type of grille nailed to the front :lol:

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From the ever-wonderful Austin Rover site: http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?rappindexf.htm"For those with less deep pockets, Rapport produced the Honda Accord-based Ritz range – comprising saloon, sporting estate and convertible – and a convertible Metro, known as the Metrosport."The Metro is quite something. I'm not sure what, but it is definitely some..... thing.

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Found this information too..."I have picture from World Cars guide 1982 showing a Rapport Ritz based upon the 1st gen Accord sedan with revised bumpers & a projecting "aerofoil" over the frt lights to disguise the frt. It also lists their turbo-charged variant with a claimed 112 bhp from its 1602cc and makes mention of a 2 door convertible model with an electric roof"Think it would have been wanting that turbocharger.I actually think the rakish nose works quite well combined with the bland 1st gen. Accord body, maybe that's because the photo is quite small.

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Found this from Autocar:

 

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On the subject of obscure 'Observer's Book of Automobiles' cars, has anyone ever heard of this before, from the 1966 book:

 

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Very obviously Triumph Vitesse based, there is not a single mention of it throughout the whole internet, or indeed any Triumph publication/club.

Has anyone heard of it? I know there was a British built Scorpion coupe in the early seventies but this was Imp based so I'm not sure if the two companies were the same.

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What intrigues me is, how was the new nose attached to the original Triumph hood? Was the Triumph tin cut off and the new 'glass nose tacked-on (you can even see the join!! No attempt at all to make it flush!!) or was the old nose still there underneath?

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Looks like the Rapport company went bankrupt. http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?rappindexf.htm Perhaps because the cars were so hideous and expensive that nobody wanted them? Who'd have thought it.....

 

It says that the Honda things had a rectractable nose to reveal more of the headlamps, there are some pics of the same system on a different car on that Austin Rover page

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So popup headlamps are expensive, heavy and unreliable, I know let's make the whole of the front pop up :D Pure shite, even down to the Halfords steering wheel

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OFF TOPIC but, Yes Reg, that is Brian Murphy as Lester Small.Like GarethJ I thought I was the only one. Everyone I mention it to is oblivious :lol: Lester was a small town driving instructor and it was about his 'hilarious' japes teaching the townsfolk to drive in a MK 1 Fiesta. There was also a long running feud with the milkman who he thought was knobbing his Mrs (I imagine you laughing away at your keyboard now :? )I've never seen it since it was first on, and will most probably be pisspoor on todays viewing, but it was great as a 6 year old :) It was on on a Friday night and that meant stay up night. During the same period as L for Lester, Friday was M*A*S*H (it was after Gardener's World :lol: ) Compared to Lester, MASH was in a completely different league. Loved it then, love it still, have them all on DVD :D Still watch Gardener's World too :oops:

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Way, way, way off-topic here - the film was meant to be a satirical look at the Korean War, I believe. The TV show was much more lighthearted. And yes, the books are also very good.

What's protocol when you want to pick up up on something someone said that isn't related to the thread.....start a brand new thread to discuss it? I just wondered because people don't seem to like it when you branch out.
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  • 3 weeks later...

Whoa! Are those your scans MC? Mind if I add them to Old Japanese Car (with your credit)?The convertible is possibly the best idea ever - you'd have to be utterly insane to buy it.

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We're wanting to include stuff that is based on Japanese cars, like the Dodge-badged Mitsubishis, Honda-based Rovers, etc. Seeing as this is just an Accord with mad stuff attached, it is worthy of inclusion! It's a broad spectrum.

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