OMG! M40 Motorway Sunbeam Rapier / Citroen BX combo shocker!

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

 

Check it out Homies. An F plate BX Heavy Oil station wagon pulling a '65 Rapier up the M40.

 

 

Magnificent!

[pompei]

yip yip

[seth]

Living the dream

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Indeed. She's a '64 build Series IV 1600 registered Jan 65 according to DVLC. I thought it would have been the 1725 big block of Rootes Muscle.

 

I had a 1962 Rapist Series 111. In 1982. TFX400. Storm grey with red flash.

[seth]

I had a 3A back in '99 ish.

 

 

An interesting car and certainly stylish. I much prefer the earlier ones to the later ones with the squared front grills.

[Angrydicky]

Lovely Always loved the styling of the Rapier and Gazelle.

[brammy777]

What a great combo. The motorway is suprisingly good (at times) for spots, although I admire the clearness of these ones! Well caught.

I saw a french registered BX Estate on the back of a Transit flatbed/tipper/whatever a few weeks ago, it was miles too long for the van.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I had a 3A back in '99 ish.

 

 

An interesting car and certainly stylish. I much prefer the earlier ones to the later ones with the squared front grills.

I don't think I've ever seen one. What I have seen though is a 1956 Gazelle 1 with the OHC Singer engine. The 1956 Minx Series 1 with the big cheesegrater grille is also a fine beast. I think Rootes lost it slightly when the they went to the Arrow in '66. The Arrow Rapier is a bloody horrible looking thing.

[Pete-M]

Both pretty much Scouse registered as well. I'll have to keep an eye out.

[trigger]

I recoken the blokes bought Rapier as a upgrade from the BX.

[STUNO]

Indeed. She's a '64 build Series IV 1600 registered Jan 65 according to DVLC. I thought it would have been the 1725 big block of Rootes Muscle.

 

I had a 1962 Rapist Series 111. In 1982. TFX400. Storm grey with red flash.

Just missed out on the 1725, that came in 1966

[whitevanman]

I had a very low milage 64 rapier up until 4 years ago, went to an old bloke who restored it

[Guest]

I think Rootes lost it slightly when the they went to the Arrow in '66

OI Less of that silly talk thank you

 

Thats a great spot though

[pogweasel]

The Arrow Rapier is a bloody horrible looking thing.

The above statement is RONG.

 

 

 

I bloody love these.

British Barracuda.

[HillmanImp]

The above statement is RONG.

 

I bloody love these.

British Barracuda.

I love these too. Is very near the top of my 'it will be mine, oh yes'' list.

[dollywobbler]

Nice. Must admit, the BX does make a superb tow vehicle, even in non-turbo diesel form. Max towing weight is 1100kg though, so I suspect the Rapier takes it a little over that (I know that the Bond did when I towed it to a garage...not that the BX seemed to mind).

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I remember an article in 'Your Classic' about 20 years ago about towing, where Chris Horton was towing a P6 on a pukka 4-wheel car trailer using a BX estate, he was saying what a great tow vehicle it was but even to my clueless 15-yo eyes it looked a somewhat unbalanced arrangement.

[messerschmitt owner]

I collected my Honda Z600s using the Punto cabrio as the tow vehicle, towing a pukka Brian James tandem axle car transporter - the Fiat looked ever so tiny.

 

However, I have towed to Germany and back (Bond Minicar on straight bar), and Holland and back to Scotland (Berkeley out, Mochet in) with a BX hatch and it does indeed tow superbly.

 

and those rapiers, especially with a Holbay head, are fab - I took the engine out of one years ago to go into a Sunbeam Alpine MkIV.

[chaseracer]

Nice. Must admit, the BX does make a superb tow vehicle, even in non-turbo diesel form. Max towing weight is 1100kg though, so I suspect the Rapier takes it a little over that (I know that the Bond did when I towed it to a garage...not that the BX seemed to mind).

C5 seemed to manage...

 

[dollywobbler]

Nice. Must admit, the BX does make a superb tow vehicle, even in non-turbo diesel form. Max towing weight is 1100kg though, so I suspect the Rapier takes it a little over that (I know that the Bond did when I towed it to a garage...not that the BX seemed to mind).

C5 seemed to manage...

 

C5 has a tow weight of 1500kgs, which is what I reckoned it was...

 

Wasn't that that (brand new) C5 considering it was a 1.6Hdi!

[boobydoo]

..and me!! Love 'em!! H120 please !!

[boobydoo]

Blimey, you have to be quick replying don't you!! You answer one message but about 5 more push in ahead so your one doesn't quite make sense!!

[pogweasel]

Not really.

I think you just failed to notice page 2 before replying... check the times on the posts if you don't believe me....

[eddyramrod]

One of my teachers had an Arrow Rapier back in the 70s when it was only a couple of years old. I always wanted one, but in the end had to settle for two Minxes and a Sceptre between 1980-84. I'd happily swop my Capri for one...

[seth]

H120 please !!

I'd just like an H120 engine thanks!

 

From what I've read I have the impression that the Arrow range pretty much saved Rootes as it meant they had something new on the go to show Chrysler. The earlier series cars were very well built but I think at great expense. I remember taking the horn button/steering wheel centre of my Rapier at some stage and counted over 30 separate components. The same job on the Herald is done with about 8 parts.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Wasn't the Arrow Alpine/Rapist based on the Grunter Estate floorpan? It certainly has its rear lights. They just look heavy, underwheeled and nowhere near as nice as the Mark 1 Crapi or the Manta A.

[155V6]

They do look better with Rostyles,but I agree they could do with bigger wheels.Father 155 had several Rapiers when I was younger,I learnt to drive in one of them(as well as a Mini pickup).Great in the summer with the pillarless windows & a Webasto roof.He's still got the remains of an H120 in the garden,along with a Lancia Y10,HPE,Delta 1300...

[Vin]

From what I've read I have the impression that the Arrow range pretty much saved Rootes as it meant they had something new on the go to show Chrysler.

I have an article/report somewhere, that was published just after the Chrysler Europe operation was sold to Peugeot.

 

It starts with Rootes presenting their new American masters with the brand new Arrow range.

 

The response from the Chrysler Execs was - Gentlemen, it's already obsolete. Oh dear.

[mnde]

They do look better with Rostyles,but I agree they could do with bigger wheels.Father 155 had several Rapiers when I was younger,I learnt to drive in one of them(as well as a Mini pickup).Great in the summer with the pillarless windows & a Webasto roof.He's still got the remains of an H120 in the garden,along with a Lancia Y10,HPE,Delta 1300...

Woah there. Got any pics? It's a long time since I've seen a Delta that's not an Integrale.

 

Mark.

[155V6]

Here you go