This Weekends Shite Part 1

[Torsten2001]

Chuffed with this, twin cylinder, Full service history, very little rust! FOC

[pogweasel]

Haha, that's a dinky little thing and no mistake. Cracking. Can someone page DR. HIRST to give us the complete history on these?

[r.welfare]

Top stuff! That is even cooler than a Y-reg Suzuki Alto. What's the driving experience like? I drove a Cinquecento once and was amazed at the narrow gaps you could get it through, that looks similar or better - ideal for town!

[Milford Cubicle]

I used the smallness of my Subaru to avoid the exbortitant parking charges at the local hospital by nudging up the kerb and zinging round the parking barrier. Imagine the japes you could get up to in something as small as a Domino! Quality buy.

[Torsten2001]

At the mo my driving experience of this is 2 yards backwards, seems to drive real nice! Booked in for an MOT tomorrow so going to see some action this evening!

[Spottedlaurel]

I can only agree with the above comments, well done Torsten! Probably be quite a nifty thing on the country lanes round here too, nippy and ideal for squeezing past fools (usually in 4wds) who don’t get far enough off the road.

[michiel]

Who needs more than two cylinders eh? Jealous!

[Torsten2001]

as a big fan of Triumph and BMW motorcycles I'm inclined to agree!

[Milford Cubicle]

How much power does that dinky engine make anyway? It's about 600cc IIRC.

[michiel]

Over here it was 617, 30 horses and 38 Nm of torque...

[Milford Cubicle]

More than enough.

[Guest]

Can someone page DR. HIRST to give us the complete history on these?

This is the first generation Domino/Mira Cuore/Mira/Cuore with a 2 cylinder SOHC lump, came out in 1980. Japanese spec and early European ones are the 550cc AB engine, but later they went to the trouble of giving us a "big block" 617cc AD engine, which pushed the power up from 27hp to 30hp. It's a Daihatsu thing, they like to defy logic by doing things like that. Utterly pointless.

 

I believe we only got one trim spec, as advertised by this woman, who has quite a scary combination of clothes:

 

Over in Japan, they decided to take it one step further in 1981 by adding a part-time 4WD version to the range, pretty wacky. But in 1982 they went mad and created the very first Mira Turbo pushing the power up to 40hp! Shame they didn't do a 4WD Turbo version, they did that in later generations, but it was fulltime 4WD by then.

 

The engine looked like this:

 

And the car looked like this:

 

Features available (some are options) are as follows.....

 

Sporty red interior!

 

Ridiculously over-specified Tenvox radio system!

 

What's that in the corner.....

 

Yes, it's a digital boost gauge.

 

However, the Mira Turbo appears to now be totally extinct, as I've never seen one for sale in Japan EVER. If one appeared I would have to sell everything I own and buy it, so it's probably for the best.

[Volksy]

I love th ecomment in the Brochure (Scary clothes woman) shot, "the domino is as easy to manouvre and park as a supermarket trolley"Does this mean they go sideways when you least expect it, and roll off and bump the most expensive car in the carpark?

[michiel]

'I drive a Type-R'. 'Ah, a Honda Civic/Integra/Accord?''Err...' Jeez, I need to find a decent scanner, the one at work is shite and I've bought a load of old Dutch J-brochures.

[Torsten2001]

any idea how many of this generation Domino's are left?

[michiel]

On our side of the Channel... well I don't think I've ever seen one for sale.

 

Found this 'customised' 1987 example, I kinda like it... apologies.

 

Wood ceiling

[Volksy]

oooh, i quite like that too.. I'll get my coat.

[MrRegieRitmo]

any idea how many of this generation Domino's are left?

Well, once one went, the rest kinda followed.....

[Volksy]

Groan

[Guest]

any idea how many of this generation Domino's are left?

I'm going to guess around 20. I'd have thought a lot less, but mint ones keep popping up now and then on eBay which makes me wonder if a few are still pressed into use as biddymobiles, not to be sold for a few years yet.

[Torsten2001]

well my little biddymobile just passed the MOT!!!! I'm amazed, I can't remember the last time a car just passed the MOT without at least some deep inhaling through teeth!!

[Guest]

Good work! I also forgot there's a 5 door version available (which I'm 99.9% sure we never got).

 

Not sure why they changed the look of the back for the 5 door, but there you go. Also great respraying action there, don't remove the badges or anything!

[MrRegieRitmo]

Cool - if those reverse lights slid to the bottom of the red area & assumed a central position I'd have said they'd been nicked off a Chrysler Alpine / Chrysler/Talbot Sunbeam!

[pogweasel]

Are you some kind of rear light fetishist?

[Guest]

I am, passed a U11 Bluebird with the interlaced rear lights today, nearly crashed into a kerb as I gazed round to stare at them. Phwoar.

[mk2_craig]

I don't think I've ever seen a 3-door with that front end, did the UK only get the 5-door version?

[Guest]

Yes, I believe we only got the 5 door of the second generation and were again robbed of the superb Turbo version, which by that stage was available with an intercooler and fuel injection.

 

 

LOVELY!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Cool - if those reverse lights slid to the bottom of the red area & assumed a central position I'd have said they'd been nicked off a Chrysler Alpine / Chrysler/Talbot Sunbeam!

NO WAY! The dont extend 2cm round the corner of the car like an alpine/solara. Remedial rear light class for you!!!

[MrRegieRitmo]

Are you some kind of rear light fetishist?

They are a focal point for me. Thats why I hate the Lexus style fad at the moment - they just look daft. I don't even like them on a Lexus. Clear & featureless apart from two or three blood blisters! Yeeurggh! Good clusters make or break a car. I personally also hate single colour clusters like they put on the MkII Clio & all current Peugeots because they're solid red & when you get a red car too it looks like it hasn't got any rear lights! One of my least favourite rear lights ever is on the MkV / VI Escort, horrid horrid ugly bulbous featureless things!

[MrRegieRitmo]

Cool - if those reverse lights slid to the bottom of the red area & assumed a central position I'd have said they'd been nicked off a Chrysler Alpine / Chrysler/Talbot Sunbeam!

NO WAY! The dont extend 2cm round the corner of the car like an alpine/solara. Remedial rear light class for you!!!

Aaah but that's where you're wrong my friend - Talbot Alpine & Solara had completely different rear lights altogether! That's why I only stated Chrysler Alpine!

 

Tut tut