Land's End to John O'Groats in a £50 Avenger

[trigger]

As promised here is the scan from the September 1994 issue of Top Gear magazine.

 

Land's End to John O'Groats in £50 Chrysler Avenger Estate 1994 (1) by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

Land's End to John O'Groats in £50 Chrysler Avenger Estate 1994 (2) by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

Land's End to John O'Groats in £50 Chrysler Avenger Estate 1994 (3) by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

Land's End to John O'Groats in £50 Chrysler Avenger Estate 1994 (4) by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

Land's End to John O'Groats in £50 Chrysler Avenger Estate 1994 (5) by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

Land's End to John O'Groats in £50 Chrysler Avenger Estate 1994 (6) by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

Land's End to John O'Groats in £50 Chrysler Avenger Estate 1994 (7) by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

Land's End to John O'Groats in £50 Chrysler Avenger Estate 1994 ( by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[RoadworkUK]

Yes! Excellent work there young Trigger-me-lad.

 

My Dad was asking yesterday if I wouldn't mind awfully him throwing away my collection of old magazines in the loft. E.G every copy of top gear from Issue 1 to somewhere in '99.

 

I responded voiciferously and abruptly that he shouldn't.

[theorganist]

I remember that edition well, was only thinking of it the other week, thanks for posting it up.

 

It would be ace to do it as an Autoshite road trip, I would certainly be up for it!!

[pogweasel]

Hey, I have been looking for this feature for ages. O am gonna pront it off and read it on the lav.

[pogweasel]

Apologies for the comedic spelling today, typong on my phone it comes out like thst policeman off allo allo...

[M'coli]

Thanks Trigger, that's splendid. It sounded like a decent enough example that just needed some proper maintenance.

[warren t claim]

It's strange to think that every "new" car featured in that issue is now older than the Avenger was when it did this journey.

 

Doing the end to end run today in a M reg Mondeo would be a piece of piss.

[trigger]

That's a very good point Warren, Hadn't thought of that!

 

The Avenger only lasted a year or so after this feature.

 

The vehicle details for CAD 726T are:

 

Date of Liability 01 12 1995

Date of First Registration 01 11 1978

Year of Manufacture 1978

Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1598CC

CO2 Emissions Not Available

Fuel Type Petrol

Export Marker Not Applicable

Vehicle Status Unlicensed

Vehicle Colour YELLOW

[warren t claim]

I don't suppose you have the CAR magazine featuring a similar article called "Edinburgh for a Monkey" do you?

[chaseracer]

I don't suppose you have the CAR magazine featuring a similar article called "Edinburgh for a Monkey" do you?

...and then banger-racing the R18 the next month because they couldn't flog it...

[warren t claim]

I don't suppose you have the CAR magazine featuring a similar article called "Edinburgh for a Monkey" do you?

...and then banger-racing the R18 the next month because they couldn't flog it...

 

That's the one!

[r.welfare]

I'm sure Trig has the R18 banger story somewhere on his Flickr stream.

 

GR8 story, I remember reading a condensed version in one of the Sunday motoring supplements at the time, didn't realise the Top Gear mag story was so many pages! Excellent.

[trigger]

I do have the story, I thought i posted it up here before in a thread but can't find it, I might as well repost it again, Hang on...

[Vinylseats]

Nice 1988 road atlas of Britain.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

great work trig!!! Driving that old shitter 1300 miles is more impressive than most of todays banger rally efforts.

[nigel bickle]

I used to 'compete' in an annual competition to the Le Mans 24hr. 3 months before we would select a 'category' , then the vehicle that got to the Dover ferry cheapest won a free entry ticket & beers weekend.

 

1st year was softtops -i found a 67 MIdget with knackered sills and a sick engine (advertised as misfire- actuually a snapped rod through block). Pidgeon poo welding and an old Minor engine, together with a large can of Woolworths poppy red had it road legal. Foolishly i added a set of old slot mags cos the exisiting tyres were shot -that priced me over a cheaper (by £3) Spitfire.

However, my £50 Midge lasted 3 yrs, toured Northern Spain,Southern France & some of Italy, Switzerland etc. Eventually sold on for a fat profit.

 

I did win twice- once on an original, early, Honda c90 with tartan panniers, and a bright yellow Fiat 500 (cheap trash then). I came close to last in a dull Sierra estate (1.6l's was the remit that year).

 

Dont think total expenditure ever topped £260. Happy days

[RedSparrow]

Thanks for this Trigsta. You are providing lots of material to read at work when no-one is looking.

 

What is that blue and white van/truck at the petrol station?

[Albert Ross]

What is that blue and white van/truck at the petrol station?

 

Looks like an ex-AA Bedford/Isuzu KB with the underfloor spec-lift. I'm struggling to find a picture of one to prove it to myself though!

[mnde]

Thanks for this Trig - a trip down memory lane. Ye gads, I was still at school when I started collecting TG magazine and cars like the Citroen BX were still current!! Great stuff. Perhaps Mr Bollox should recreate this journey in his new Avengah?

 

Would be grateful for a scan from another early TG - entitled "10 bonkers dashboards" or something, featuring the Citroen GS, Visa, Lancia Trevi, BRM V12? etc.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[RoadworkUK]

Would be grateful for a scan from another early TG - entitled "10 bonkers dashboards" or something, featuring the Citroen GS, Visa, Lancia Trevi, BRM V12? etc.

 

..Audi Quattro, Renault Twingo, etc. etc. I remember it well.