deleted by mod

[Steve L]

My rant is that just because three or four people have decided to hi jack this thread the remaining good comments have been removed too.

I do trust that the moderation dept are taking to task those who have hI jacked what was a well tempered and quite informative discussion.

Rant over from a very annoyed Steve!!

 

[CliveV]

Ah! but don't you feel invigorated by a slate wiped clean Steve!

I've just got back from spraying the aerosol mud on the Freelander after washing it at thw w/e.

Looks much better now

 

[JamesFrance]

I too was enjoying an interesting discussion and learning from other peoples experience. What a shame.

James

 

[BrianStAlbans]

Lets just let the Trolls take over and say what they like then shall we.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

What was the deleted topic called ??

 

[CliveV]

It was a very good discussion on the relevance of the 85% "rule" and in particular the fact that PC mag has a number of large vehicles including 4x4's on their fleet.

Whilst I can see the sense in this (why have smaller vehicles on a test fleet that could compromise what 'vans could be tested) Steve in Leo made the point that most people would have tow cars that are nearer to the 85% or even above it so should PC Mag not be testing rigs that are closer to the limit.

All was OK until the idiot Troll that is on a mission stated that 4x4's "gobble up the planet".

Que for me to rip his argument to shreds

I know it is cruel and what he really needs is therapy but put it down to character flaw if you like but jumped up little twits on a mission get up my nose.

Whilst it is sad that the whole thread disappeared - and for once I have to disagree with the Moddies because the silliness at the end could have been deleted not the whole blooming lot! - if those angry at a few words disappearing should consider how they would feel if the Anti's got their way and banned a whole class of very useful vehicles?

I just hope that the thread was not entirely deleted because PC mag felt somehow criticised for having competent AWD vehicles on its fleet.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Thank you Clive for enlightening me.

 

[Lutz]

I can understand why Steve is upset. It is rather unfortunate that the discussion got out of control and that this lead to the whole thread being deleted but he did have a legitimate question. Everybody knows that a 4x4 is, at least on paper, a better towcar but his question was only how much better are they than a medium sized saloon and how suitable or unsuitable is the latter? If only 4x4's are used in testing, we shall never know the answer.

 

[CliveV]

Agreed Lutz - but when your job is to test caravans of all sorts shapes and sizes - I hardly think the testing organisation is going to restrict the caravans it can test by only having relatively small cars on its fleet.

But before it all starts again - I can see the point of testing relevent Car & Caravan combinations. In particular young families on a budget would hardly want to have the expence of a 4x4 and an execcivly large caravan.

Years ago friends had a fairly basic Sprite - towed very well behind a Mk 2 Cavalier 1.6 estate. They had three children and on one wage things were a bit tight.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

I have towed caravans over the years with a 1964 Vauxhall Victor 1.6 litre estate, Triumph 2000 (both Mk 1 and Mk 2), Austin Montego 2.0 litre VDP, Austin Maestro 1,6 litre, two Vauxhall Carltons 2.0 litre, Vauxhall Omega 2.0 litre and now a Daihatsu Fourtrack 2.8TDX. The worst tow car was the Montego whilst the best were the Triumph 2000s and the Maestro. The Fourtrack obviously can't be compared with the cars as it is a 4x4. The Triumphs just purred along effortlessly and the Maestro covered almost 90000 miles often towing an ABI Globetrotter again effortlessly. In my opinion as long as the car/caravan outfit is a match why worry whether it is a car or 4x4. I will agree nowadays that caravans are becoming far heavier with all the gadgets fitted - back in the 1970s the vans were very basic - no hot water or wc (shovel behind the hedge job). Even though, they were very enjoyable holidays.

 

[CliveV]

I had a Triumph GT6 in my youth - same superb engine as the 2000's - loved surpising the MGB guys with it who thought it was a Spitfire. Did come unstuck once when one turned out to be a MGBGTV8. Had a good laugh with the guy tho when we stopped.

That 2000 engine was surprizingly good in a Triumph Stag my friend and I rebuilt. It bolted straight in and was not only economical but went well.

Not as fast as the Triumph V8 - but far more reliable.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

The Triumph Stag - if only? That rediculous V8 engine was the death of the Stag before it was introduced. Why on earth they did not use the 2.5PI engine or the Rover V8 3.5 litre God only knows. The Stag could have been a wonderful car. Hindsight is a marvellous thing.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

The Triumph Stag - if only? That rediculous V8 engine was the death of the Stag before it was introduced. Why on earth they did not use the 2.5PI engine or the Rover V8 3.5 litre God only knows. The Stag could have been a wonderful car. Hindsight is a marvellous thing.

Hey Clive we are now going off on a tangent from the main posting - also to remanice is a sign of old age.

 

[CliveV]

The Triumph Stag - if only? That rediculous V8 engine was the death of the Stag before it was introduced. Why on earth they did not use the 2.5PI engine or the Rover V8 3.5 litre God only knows. The Stag could have been a wonderful car. Hindsight is a marvellous thing.

Yeah! - lets live dangerously!

And trouble is I am old!

 

[CliveV]

We were told the Rover V8 was too light and required the Stag to have a fair bit of front suspension mods to get the handling right.

We did think of the 2.5 straight six but only used the 2L version as we had one knocking about.

I agree about the Triumph V8 - compared to the simplicity and sturdiness of the Rover/Buick unit there was no comparison. For a 1950's original design it still takes some beating. Also two people can lift one with ease! Ever tried to do that with a Triumph V8?

And the sump capacity was little more than a thimble.

So modern oils help those still with us.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

A lot of 3.5V8 engine conversions have been successfully carried out as well as the Ford V6 2.5/3.0 litre engine. The best conversion however, in my opinion, was the 2.5PI engine as, although it was not original, it was still a Triumph engine. The prices of second hand Stags seems to have bottomed out now and they are again starting to appreciate in value - oh for a couple of thousands spare cash and an understanding wife. If I could do this it would be to hell with you lot of caravanners, I would be in my element. Mind you I did once see a Stag towing a four berth van in Poole.

 

[CliveV]

Hmm! - I will have one in that gorgeous canary yellow please.

 

[Steve L]

Yep I quite agree Lutz.

I was even more annoyed when the modships decided to tell me off for posting my rant on more than one forum.

It was a pity Clives suggestion was not deployed and the errelevant threads removed.

Or perhaps it hit more tan one raw nerve and oportunity was seen to stop a politically sensative subject.

After all the BBC program "I want it now" on BBC1 tonight typifies what I mean. The I'm better than yow syndrome.

To this end, let me tell you a story that happened to me.

I used to own a sucessful engineering business and belive'd in equality.

As such I often donned a boiler suit and went out to do the Friday delivery run in our truck. One day I called at on of our customers in Bromsgrove to deliver goods. The new general manager greeted me and promptly F'd me up one side down the other because I'd left the pen to sign for, in the truck cab. I kept cool and fetched the pen, still being humiliated infront of the warehouse staff.

However, on returning to our works I promptly rang and spoke to the managers MD, and arranged to meet on the next Monday. I then turned up in my suit in my Jag XJ40 for the management meeting. The MD intorduced me to the manager who looked somewhat bemused. He asked if I had a bloke who looked like me working for me.

I said, you mean the chap you F'd at on Friday. Then told him that was me!! I also added that he will not speak to me or any of my staff like that or I will terminate the trading relationship with the company. To which his MD added his support.

You see we both had worked from the ground up and both shared the view that no one is better than the next guy as we are all humans.

It sure was fun to wipe the "better than yow" smile off his face. His MD said, he'd been waiting for that to happen for a few weeks.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Hmm! - I will have one in that gorgeous canary yellow please.

Clive my preference would be British Racing Green but however beggers can't be choosers so if anybody has a roadworthy Triumph Stag they wish to donate to me F.O.C. I wll accept. What hopes eh!!! mind you if I don't ask I will stand no chance.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Steve - a very good example of a put down. I have been in a similar situation with my line manager at College. As a union rep. I had a go at him for the way he addressed a technician and I reminded him that when he first started at the College he was also a technician.

Mind you Steve you have digressed from your original posting - only Clive & myself can do this regarding Triumph Stags - keep this up and you will have us all deleted again heheheh

 

[CliveV]

Hi Colin

My Triumph GT6 was Emerald Green. - God it was gorgeous! Not quite the BRG but close enough. We had to sell it when we started a family - My wife drove it to the shops whilst heavily pregnant (difficult! but she loved the car as well) and when she got there had a "brankson hicks" (?) contraction (the ladies will know about this and the correct spelling!) and a bit of her expanded abdomen got stuck behind the bottom of the steering wheel - massive thing that it was with no power steering.

She drove home again and had to wait some while before it all relaxed enough for her to get out.

The neighbours were very helpful (once they stopped laughing) and rang me at work. Didn't help that I found it funny tho.

So she had to go (the car) and we got an Escort (do not say a thing!)

I was reasonably OK in that I had just picked up my brand new Audi 80 (the older boxy type) company car. However I was in trouble again because we used it to rush to the hospital when it all started happening.

All I said was "My seats!" when my wife informed me her waters had broke - you should have heard it! (not the car)

Still all was well when my son arrived (first one) - but I had been using the entenox as well (great stuff!) and by the end I was high as a kite. I was asked to leave because I entered another delivery suite to tell them that I was a Father and it all went a bit pear shaped after that.

I remember thinking "what's the problem?" - what I saw was not any different to what I had just been looking at.

After lots of coffee and fresh air I went home. The seats cleaned up a treat.

Funny thing is my son is into classic cars (he has a pristine Mk1 Golf) and wants to get a GT6! - He saw one at a show with a 2.5 engine and loved it!

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Clive it might have been a cheaper option to have ditched the wife rather than the car, and to go from a GT6 to a Ford Escort - what on earth were you thinking of or were you still under the influence of the gas and air? Prior to meeting the wife I had a 1959 Ford Zephyr Mk. 2 convertable - the actual car from the 1959 motor show 651 NTW. Power hood, overdrive and 2.5 litre straight six engine, sunburst yellow with red hood. I also did the inevitable by selling the car when I started getting serious with the wife and needed the money for the deposit on a house. We all do silly things and live to regret it afterwards. I also had a MklV Austin Healey Sprite which had to go because of my middle age spread - difficulty in graceful entry/leaving when the hood was raised - my own fault as a result of good food and alcohol. Oh hindsight is marvellous - if only I could turn the clock back.

 

[Steve L]

Yep we all have cars we wish we'd kept. I had an old Austin 1100 reg JWP 6 K, wonder how much the reg would be worth today.

Or maybe the chance I had to get my hands on a Jaguar Stype 1965 reg for 300 quid and it had a new mot.

Oh hind sight is so wonderfull, pass the laughing gas chaps I could do with some of that!!

 

[colin(bridgend)]

This is the problem Steve - todays junk is tomorrow's collectable. Anybody have a crystal ball to envisage what the next range of classic car will be from today's offerings. Can you see today's VW/Skoda/Honda/etc. becoming a classic car of the future. The only thing that I could possibly see becoming a future classic is the defunct MG/Rover range. My daughter had an excellent Rover 218 Coupe (R. reg) which she has given to me as she now has a company car. I think this car may have a potential future as a classic.

 

[giovanni_5060838]

ALFA 156.....