British Leyland

[rh306]

...been lurking on a couple of British Leyland forums recently, anyone else here into that kind of thing If I had the storage I'd be looking at an 'R' reg TR7 fixed head and a 2 door Range Rover I think... Even if they didn't work, they'd be nice to look at




maybe a GKN wheeled XJ-S too

[pacerpete]

Jeez Neil, you really are a twisted sick puppy ! I draw the line
at Barebackinginteracialteenmidgetamputees.com

[rh306]

..ah I forgot the rubber bumper Midget



..do any of these turds function in a basic car like manner or do they all need constant 'fettling' / re-engineering

[pacerpete]

They needed constant fettling/ re-engineering when they were new !


The main issue is that with few exceptions 70s BL stuff is not very sought after and hence not worth a huge amount. This means that very few cars are repaired or restored PROPERLY.

My £200, cough, TR7 drophead sports coupe was very reliable !


PS +1 on the kents, magnificent rimmage

[rh306]

They needed constant fettling/ re-engineering when they were new !


The main issue is that with few exceptions 70s BL stuff is not very sought after and hence not worth a huge amount. This means that very few cars are repaired or restored PROPERLY.

My £200, cough, TR7 drophead sports coupe was very reliable !


PS +1 on the kents, magnificent rimmage

ready peado'ed is probably the way to go then I guess This guy is a size 14 by the look of the other items

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-TR-7- ... 678wt_1270

[Andyboy]

TR7's are mint. I did an article of a fully restored early car, chassis number 7 or something. It drove very well. Not as sharp as a 924 but it had a really torquey engine and an excellent ride. A good one is worth having but the engineering quality is light years away from German stuff of that era. I'd have that XJ-S, a java green TR7, Brazil brown 3500 SD1, a 2200 HLS Princess in black and a seventies Marina Van for scrapyard visits.

[rh306]

[Andyboy]

.

WHOA!! I've just spaffed in me boxers. Such a great looking car - time has been very kind to the TR7.

[cecotto479]

I like BL stuff. That list of Andy's sounds perfect. I'd probaby include a good proper engined Stag in Tahiti, a duotone blue P5B coupe, and a Triumph 2500 estate.

[spook]

Some paint codes on the Stags remind me of the old bumper cars of the 70s, i really liked the purple colour? some of the Stags had.

But the met Blue on the old Jensen Interceptor remains a firm favourite, alas not a BL car.




A mate of mine had a TR7 when we where around 18, he was the fooking Daddy until another mate got an XJS

[capri_rob]

I've always wanted an XJS but nothing else from the BL back catalogue will ever grace my driveway - I sometimes get dark thoughts about a Dolomite Sprint but then I'll see one at the NEC Classic car show and think "nah".

An SD1 Vitesse would be quite cool but I'd rather see other peoples than own one.

[e30topless]

all TR7's have shafted petrol tanks... try source another, if your lucky enough to find one that isn't rusted you will shed a lot of blood and tears fitting it

my recent TR7 spanner rash almost makes ownership of a hydrospastic twin SU HLS Princess seem like a good idea

[B7]

.

WHOA!! I've just spaffed in me boxers. Such a great looking car - time has been very kind to the TR7.

You wrongun! Hideous pile of junk.

I'm with Rob here. Very few from BL of that era would ever have my name on the V5 either.

Interiors were jank and the only engine I ever rated was the V8 and that was derived from a buick lump.

The SD1 V8's were a nice drive but build quality was shite. They were respraying them before the 1st owners collected them.

They introduce the Marina as a New car. Morris minor in a posh frock is what it was!

XJ-S was pig ugly when introduced and still was when it was dicontinued.

MG's were nice in 1964. Not quiet as appealing in 1980 when the technology was the same and they'd stapped big black rubber monstrocities to either end!

Same with the Mini. All very clever and fun in 1959. Still selling them in 2000 was insulting peoples intelligence!

All of it run on a shoestring, with the tail wagging the dog! A true lesson on how not to run a car industry!

I will give you two though that I maybe could be tempted by:


By b7tmw at 2012-07-29

By b7tmw at 2012-07-29

[pacerpete]

Come on Trev, everybody wants the coupes and convertibles, think outside the box, be your own man, express that new found moredoor love !





Just the job for a sensible family man of your advanced years

[B7]

Come on Trev, everybody wants the coupes and convertibles, think outside the box, be your own man, express that new found moredoor love !





Just the job for a sensible family man of your advanced years

Ha Ha! Now THATS Scrap and was in 1981!!!!!!

Spotted a 1980 Triumph Acclaim down te breakers the other week in doom blue. Front discs looked like they were from a Mini Mayfair!

[Andyboy]

Marinas and Itals were scrap, but a good source of hoseclips for the impecunious. Most BL stuff is comedy which is why it's coming back into fashion. Ford stuff is nice but it attracts too many knuckle draggers. At the end of the day it's all 30-40 years old and outdated old shite.

[pacerpete]

Marinas and Itals were scrap, but a good source of hoseclips for the impecunious. Most BL stuff is comedy which is why it's coming back into fashion. Ford stuff is nice but it attracts too many knuckle draggers. At the end of the day it's all 30-40 years old and outdated old shite.

+1 .

I so get the "crap cars are cool" mantra. A Marina TC in a suitably period hue is a very cool chariot, there are virtually none left and its 'crapness' is endearing !

On the other hand a default mk 2 Escort with bubble arches and 18 Cibie Oscars hanging out of it is NOT cool.

[rh306]

Morris Marinas, didn't they use half the parts from that on the Lotus Esprite?

[kibble]

im a big fan of BL stuff....i have 2 atm in the family lol i've got a 1977 mini with full wood&picket options in russet brown done a genuine 34,000 from new, fully restored after i pulled it out of a chicken shed on a farm, love it to bits, the 2nnd is my dads 1989 mini with a fast road 1380, twin su's and a 108bhp at the fly, quite a little rocket off the lights!

this is my 6th mini, i love them, nothing else on the road drives like it and they're just full of so much character!
as for TR7's i think they kinda overshot the mark there! wobly suspension and weird designs! and triumph's arn't actually known for their engineering, take the dolly sprint and stag cylinder heads for example!!

doesnt say i wouldnt own 1! i've a massive love for all old retro cars, landrovers mg's etc...the biggest downfall is when rover took over, austin had it going well with the mini and the metro etc...then rover came along and balls'd it all up lol

[Andyboy]

I had loads of Minis back in the day but wouldn't go back. Triumph had great ideas but BL couldn't and wouldn't spend the money to make it properly. BL had a five speed gearbox in a cheap production car ten or more years before BMW!

[pacerpete]

Just to clarify, while minis are definately crap, they are definately not cool, except in the eyes of the owners. And they would say that.

[Andyboy]

Maxis are where it's at - I'll have a Damask red 'big block' 1750HL.

[B7]

Maxis are where it's at - I'll have a Damask red 'big block' 1750HL.

Mobile Bed! Theres a couple of Rally replicas round Horley / Redhill area driven by proper warm beer drinking, Paedo wierdo's.

[pacerpete]

Maxis are where it's at - I'll have a Damask red 'big block' 1750HL.

Mobile Bed! Theres a couple of Rally replicas round Horley / Redhill area driven by proper warm beer drinking, Paedo wierdo's.

Hark at the freak who carried out a bare P40 resto on a Herald 10/40 !

[DanThe]

Land crabs and all-agro's are where its at

[pacerpete]

Does it get more paedo than this bad boy ? Check out the 'erection' hanging out of the back of it !

Whatever about the Marina, I bet all of the previous owners were on the 'register'

[B7]

Maxis are where it's at - I'll have a Damask red 'big block' 1750HL.

Mobile Bed! Theres a couple of Rally replicas round Horley / Redhill area driven by proper warm beer drinking, Paedo wierdo's.

Hark at the freak who carried out a bare P40 resto on a Herald 10/40 !

Says the man with a want for wrong yank shite with fake wood

[kibble]

Just to clarify, while minis are definately crap, they are definately not cool, except in the eyes of the owners. And they would say that.

how can they be crap? they're a cut classic design icon along side the lambretta, the vw beetle etc and if my memory serves me correct the 1st car to be mounted with a transverse engine set up?
they have bundles of character, they're not fast or flashy, but the parts are cheap, they handle like nothing else on the road

[capri_rob]

Just to clarify, while minis are definately crap, they are definately not cool, except in the eyes of the owners. And they would say that.

how can they be crap? they're a cut classic design icon along side the lambretta, the vw beetle etc and if my memory serves me correct the 1st car to be mounted with a transverse engine set up?
they have bundles of character, they're not fast or flashy, but the parts are cheap, they handle like nothing else on the road

When I was in my teens for several years I desparately wanted a mini as my first car - bought the magazines for years, read all the books, the works -right up until I went and viewed one with cash in my pocket and years of wanting to own one evaporated in the space of about 5 minutes.

I bought a Mk1 Golf instead.

Mini's might have been OK in the 60's and The Italian Job is a classic movie but thats about it IMO

[Andyboy]

Just to clarify, while minis are definately crap, they are definately not cool, except in the eyes of the owners. And they would say that.

how can they be crap? they're a cut classic design icon along side the lambretta, the vw beetle etc and if my memory serves me correct the 1st car to be mounted with a transverse engine set up?
they have bundles of character, they're not fast or flashy, but the parts are cheap, they handle like nothing else on the road

Also poorly made, horribly rot prone, noisy, slow with a jarring ride and laughable reliability. I went toa classic car show last weekend and sure enough, one of these sorry heaps had expired and recieving the attentions of the RAC. Plus there is the Mini 'scene' with all the weirdos and misfits - not to impugn your good self.
I had lots of Minis including two proper Cooper S's, but that was 20 years ago. Having said that, a really well done sixties or early seventies car is a pleasant toy. It must be completely period whether modified or not, and I find the proper old stuff like this attracts a different crowd to the usual Mini lot. They are also a lot of money - a properly restored 850 is 6-7 grand upwards, and 20+ for an S............but not my 20 grand. Been there, done that, no desire to go back.

[capri_rob]

Isnt the engine and gearbox on these turds lubed by the same oil?

Also prone to failing in wet weather as the key ignition components get soaked through the front grille ?

[B7]

Isnt the engine and gearbox on these turds lubed by the same oil?

Also prone to failing in wet weather as the key ignition components get soaked through the front grille ?

Oh yes! Gearboxes running in engine oil = not many miles achievable on a box. I've seen them where one being continually driven with a f*cked box eventually takes the bottom end out. The debris from the disintegrating gearbox, contaminates the oil pump and starves the bottom end of oil. Happened on the bro in laws Metro Turbo. What a piece of shite that was!!!

The ignition problem is fairly easy to fix though with the later sheild behind the grille and a "johnny" on the distributor.

As above already said, the mini in 1959 was a design revelation. Issigonnis was a clever guy. But by the late 70's and cheap Datsuns and Toyotas arriving by the boatload, it had had it's day.

Why anyone would want to drive one today (and pay a premium due to what they go for) bothers me that there are too many inbred freaks about in the world!!

[Andyboy]

It was the idler gear bearings breaking up that caused the most mayhem, bits getting into the oil etc. the bigger fwd stuff (B&E series) was tough as old boots.