For The Old Guys In Opelaus

[Deighty]

It appears from other threads there are a few of us older f$rts. Do any of you have pics of our older rides that we can scan etc and put online?????:angel:

[Tfer]

Damn it Chris....... you may have to go and ask my ex wife for me to see if she hasn't burnt the Rolla pictures yet :rolleyes:

[Deighty]

Damn it Chris....... you may have to go and ask my ex wife for me to see if she hasn't burnt the Rolla pictures yet :rolleyes:

Same - I think my pictures of the olf Falcon are long gone. Sad really.

Maybe this can be the thread where the old dudes hang out. ha ha ha

[Tfer]

Sounds cool to me...... :cool:

I can remember one of your falcons starting to get airborne at a seriously high speed at night along one of those lovely long stretches on our private runway :D

[Deighty]

Sounds cool to me...... :cool:

I can remember one of your falcons starting to get airborne at a seriously high speed at night along one of those lovely long stretches on our private runway :D

Very true - 200 would have to be a number i remember. Lucky it was the private runway. I still don't know how the old thing got to that speed. The problem was the lack of runway at the end. I hope you've washed your jocks since that day. hahaha:D

[Tfer]

Never had a car that could get there till now....... not that is worth while doing those sorts of things these days, but a revisit to the private runway might just be worth a consideration ;)

Oh dear..... tape decks in cars as well :rolleyes:

[CoupeSRiTurbo]

My old cars are here (posts 12 and 13)http://www.opelaus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10824&highlight=CoupeSRiTurbo
Can't be bothered posting them again in here. lol:D

[auzvectra]

a revisit to the private runway might just be worth a consideration ;)

i'm in :D.
i dont have any pics of my old rides, but i do still have the original manual for the statesman, and a certificate of authenticity :).

[KID_SRi]

I'm not a Old Timer yet, 28 in 6 months.
But I have a Old School Beast that on gets let out of the Cage once in a Blue Moon or when You might need a Beanie in Hell.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/KID_SRi/My_GTHO3.jpg
Shes Stock as a Rock(Not in Pic, The Globes are off my Mates XA & The Tyre are Falken Azenis RT215) Normally she run on the Standard 5 Slotters with 205RY14 AquaJets. Fuel Consumption, She needs a Tanker to follow ;)

[KID_SRi]

Heres the Beast from the East I had before the SRi
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/KID_SRi/mygem_bbs.jpg

That pic was taken whilst Fast Fours were going to Feature it.
She was powered by Old School Jap Muscle. G180W 1.8l DOHC with Cosworth Bathurst Cams, Garrett T3/4 Hybrid Turbo with a Blow Through Injection Perfection 55mm Weber Style Throttle Body. At time of Pic, 600mmX300mmx60mm 2 Core Intercooler, Raceglide Trimatic with 5500rpm Hi-stall Torque Convertor with Full Manual Valve Body, Harrop Alloy 9" Centre running Richmond 4.5:1 Full Spool Locker.
She was Fast, Well that was a Understatement. I did run it @ Calder & Heathcote, But last I said Times I was told on here that I'm full of it.
P.S: The Stock Muffler in Pic was to add to the Granny Effect of the Car, As It looked Stock.

[Tfer]

Very nice XY (I think?).... very nice :D

[KID_SRi]

Very nice XY (I think?).... very nice :D

Yep, She's a 1970 XY GTHO Phase III.
Forgot to mention The XY doesn't have the stock Distributor, I took it out and it has a Scorcher Electronic Ignition. The stock one had a Brain Fart and kept burning out Condensors & Points these days are Crap.

[Tfer]

Yep, She's a 1970 XY GTHO Phase III.
Forgot to mention The XY doesn't have the stock Distributor, I took it out and it has a Scorcher Electronic Ignition. The stock one had a Brain Fart and kept burning out Condensors & Points these days are Crap.

I wanted to say GTHO Phase 3 but there are so many fakes these days :rolleyes:

Awesome investment you have yourself..... I am jealous :D

[Turblue]

Here I am at Bathurst in my first car.

A Holden HK Premier. It was a 186 with a powergilde auto.

[Tfer]

Here I am at Bathurst in my first car.

A Holden HK Premier. It was a 186 with a powergilde auto.

Look at the pits........ :p Dang that brings back some memories ;)

[Deighty]

Here I am at Bathurst in my first car.

A Holden HK Premier. It was a 186 with a powergilde auto.


Love the 186 - nearly indestructable. Had pictures of my XD Falcon at Bathurst under the tyre but have losat them over the year. Love the look of the old pits.:angel:

[pred8r]

I never seem to get time to take pics of my cars when they are finished, if at all :(

What I would give now, for a timeline of cars I owned........




Just some of the things you would do with the assistance of hindsight (also never would have sold my XB coupe for a start).

[Tfer]

I never seem to get time to take pics of my cars when they are finished, if at all :(

What I would give now, for a timeline of cars I owned........




Just some of the things you would do with the assistance of hindsight (also never would have sold my XB coupe for a start).

Pred.... am so there with you... I would have kept the little RWD Rolla, and did some more radical things to it.....

Ah.... hindsight.... a wonderful thing to beat yourself over the head with :D

[ronj]

The oldest on OPELAUS must be me, I'm 53 but still a kid at heart. My first car model T Ford. LOL. No it was a VW Kombi with a peace sign on the side. I was a long haired hippy surfer cruising up and down the coast looking for waves. My latest car is a ZC CDX opelised Vectra. ( I will try to post some pics). Poppy

[Wraith]

This is a great thread guys.......:)

I'm now over 40 and have had so many cars, I've lost count, have to think about it LOL :D

Trouble is, back in those days, we didn't have the luxury of digi cams and phone cams and all the rest of it and in my case, I was always so pre-occupied with doing up and driving and dragging my cars, that doing a photo shoot, was never even thought about.

Hence I had numerous cars I never documented, BUT I did take heaps of old film pics of some of the main ones - thank goodness - as it gives me so much pleasure from the memories :)

I'll have to dig em up and scan them into electronic files........

These days I take digi shots of everyhting, have about 500 pics of my current turbo vert, I document everything I do :)

Better get started on those pics :)

[Wraith]

As stated above here are a few of my past beasts :)

I thank my lucky stars I've at least got these pics, like I said before taking pics, wasn't a priority or concern then as it is now :)

First up my LC Torana GTR, I was 19 when I got it and I modded it to look like a genuine XU1, it was fitted with a 3/4 chassis, 9 inch diff, Ford top loader gear box form an XW GT HO modified steering custom hand made extractors etc. etc. and 350 chev. It had full RTA approval and it was V8 registered - yes then as now all done properly :)

I later spent 3 years and nearly 50k :eek: a huge amount of dosh back then and turned it into a 9sec 1/4 mile bracket destroyer :D.......pics of it's final guise don't exist :( and I ended up selling it in bits to recoup as much as possible back, to finance my first house.......damn I regret it now, wish I still had it :(

http://i19.tinypic.com/2wcldh0.jpg
In this pic, you get a glimpse of my HX Sandman Panel Van (no rear windows shaggin wagon :D) in the background, other than a set of dragway mags she was stock - 253 and 4 on da floor Aussie 4sp box :)

http://i12.tinypic.com/4gnplp0.jpg
14x10" '5 slot' American racing deep dish rims on rear with 12" wide TA's - yep not much grip, but loads of fun :D
13x7" '5 slotters' up front with better Dunlop tyres, hand polished by myself - yes even back then I was a wheel guru :)

http://i9.tinypic.com/2e1sxv7.jpg
The original engine set up......shoe horned in alright......this car was a serious suicide box, a common nik name for such conversions back then.
Forward movement was absolutely brutal, especially once the fully prepped race engine was installed - my front drivers seat broke twice, me ending up arse over head in the back of the car:eek:, that's how strong the torque was.

Suffice to say, people were very reluctant to ride shotgun with me :D

http://i13.tinypic.com/2ebg93o.jpg
Me at 22 years, overseeing the final preparations of my race engine before being run in and tuned over a 2 week period at Chev Off Road HQ in Caufield.
It was installed in the Torana and all the serious stuff began - this is what you call scary stuff, front end 2 feet in the air on take off and terminal speeds of over 140mph in under 10 seconds.......

http://i18.tinypic.com/2w3c295.jpg
Another shot of the race engine

http://i16.tinypic.com/47x0t55.jpg
One of the many dyno sheet readouts.......remember it's from 20 years ago and the engine is only running stage 2 of it's 5 stage pro shot fogger NOS system and is still tight......max. power would've been around 1000hp, but I never ran it at that, it was never required !!!

[Wraith]

More pics to come...... soon :)

[Slimcraigie]

Here I am at Bathurst in my first car.

A Holden HK Premier. It was a 186 with a powergilde auto.

A colour photo too :p

[seldo]

The oldest on OPELAUS must be me, I'm 53 but still a kid at heart. My first car model T Ford. LOL. No it was a VW Kombi with a peace sign on the side. I was a long haired hippy surfer cruising up and down the coast looking for waves. My latest car is a ZC CDX opelised Vectra. ( I will try to post some pics). Poppy
:lol: You're just a youngster....:( I pick up missus's new Astra Coupe on Monday so looking forward to that. Managed to finally source some new wheels for it but i'll post elsewhere on those.
As for cars that I've had - I'm afraid I literally couldn't count them, or remember them all more correctly....but there's been some goodies...
A few stand-out ones were Sierra Cosworth Turbo, Maserati Bi turbo, Peugeot 505 Turbo, Dax Cobra, XU1, Fiat 500, Corvette, E Type, XJS, Stag, '24 Dodge, '28 Dodge, and I still love my current VY Senator stroker....

[xplosv57]

If i could own a list 1/2 as good as that ill be happy, some very nice cars on here!!! Im still young so i can build a much longer list as the years go on hahaha!!!

[WLD-18L]

wraith thats amazing !

[Wraith]

More past blasts which I've managed to find and scan :)
http://i15.tinypic.com/2vinzx3.jpg
My venerable 5.0ltr V8 VH SL/E Commodore - love this car, served me well for 12 years, besides having to rebuild the trimatic box 4 times, it didn't skip a beat :)
I acquired and fitted 16" HDT Aero wheels from a VK Group A, I fully polished them.
http://i16.tinypic.com/333fh1f.jpg
And here's the reason why the box splattered all those times :D
Worked 308, 030thou overbore, featuring Yella Terra heads, big valves, Heat seeker st3 cam, Edelbrock torquer manifold, modified Rochester Quadrajet carb, modified electronic dizzy, all fully sorted on the rolling dyno at Tate Phillips automotive in Hawthorn :)
This SL/E had balls :D
http://i15.tinypic.com/33xy04x.jpg
My first brand new car purchase - at age 33, it was a long time coming - 1999 HSV LS1 Clubsport R8.
This is one of the best cars I've ever owned and driven !!!
Very powerful, very fast, very smooth, very comfortable, IMO very good looking, an overall delight to drive :)
http://i17.tinypic.com/2v1vo2a.jpg
Another shot in the dealership before taking her away, notice the Hacket gold SV99 in the background, I was almost gonna buy that one instead, but the price was a ripoff :( because of it's exclusivity.
http://i17.tinypic.com/2rr419u.jpg
Immediately after getting home:)
http://i18.tinypic.com/2hn3ksn.jpg
Safely at home in the garage, along side the missus' S13 :)

I can't wait to get another V8, for me 4 potters even the turbos have provided a fun detour away from my prefered V8's but they just don't compare.

[KID_SRi]

I painted nealy of the Bumpers,Skirts & Spoilers for the SV99.
Fark, 1999 seems so long ago.

[Apex]

Wow Wraith you have had some truly wicked cars, I love that torana, must have been unreal to drive! Mate of mine had a VH/SLE like yours, it had a full dark green matching interior but his ran a “two five flee” it’s the only one I have ever seen like it.

Its cool seeing the amount of opelaus members have owned V8 beasts in the past, iv only had one V8 a gutless (but great sounding) 165kw VS SS witch hardly counts as a even half decent these days, the rest of the cars iv owned have been Japanese fours and sixes.

Sorry im not an old guy but I’ll post 1 pick anyways because if there’s one car im going to regret selling when im older it will be this one! My favorite, this 2001 Lexus IS200 can’t find many pictures but at time of sale the car was putting out some impressive power and torque. It had around 40 upgrades over a stock model.:cool:

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m225/tteett/tteett_4.jpg

[Wraith]

Awesome stuff their TTEETT :)

No need to be an old bugger to post some pics on this thread, everyones welcome :) Besides even at my age (41) I still feel as young as ever and I'm sure others do as well and have no desire or wish to slow down with my car enthusiasm :)

KID_SR1 you say you painted the SV99 body kits ?? that's a great piece to stick on your resume :D

And yes, 1999 is quite a while ago now, seems like only last month for me, it's truly amazing how fast the years seem to go by.......

[seldo]

:) Besides even at my age (41) I still feel as young as ever and I'm sure others do as well and have no desire or wish to slow down with my car enthusiasm :)
And yes, 1999 is quite a while ago now, seems like only last month for me, it's truly amazing how fast the years seem to go by.......Hmmm...well, I'd already had my licence for a couple of years when you were born.... And '99...that was only the day before yesterday wasn't it...? :eek:

[Wraith]

LOL the older the wiser I say :D

I vote you the Master of Wisdom for this forum Seldo :)

Actually I'm greatly relieved that there's at least one person as much older than myself as I am over the majority of other members here :)

But yes, the years just seem to flick by way too quickly :(

[KID_SRi]

KID_SRi you say you painted the SV99 body kits ?? that's a great piece to stick on your resume :D

I worked for 4 years for a Place in Kilsyth, We painted all the HSV & HBD for Holden. Then they got sent to Clayton for Vehicle Assembly. I mainly did the 2-Tone Bars(Clubsport,Senator,Senator Signature). But I got fired for Misconduct.

[pred8r]

And yes, 1999 is quite a while ago now, seems like only last month for me, it's truly amazing how fast the years seem to go by.......

When you are 'over the hill' you start to pick up speed :D

[Wraith]

When you are 'over the hill' you start to pick up speed :D

hahahahaha LOL, I like that one - irony is it's actually true !!! at least in my case it is :D

KID_SR1 you got fired from such a great job for misconduct :eek:

O.K. what was it ?? smacking a shmuck in the gob :D or deciding to paint up your own choice of colour schemes on the HSV trims :D

[MatsHolden]

Here I am at Bathurst in my first car.

A Holden HK Premier. It was a 186 with a powergilde auto.

That's awesome...

[KID_SRi]

hahahahaha LOL, I like that one - irony is it's actually true !!! at least in my case it is :D

KID_SR1 you got fired from such a great job for misconduct :eek:

O.K. what was it ?? smacking a shmuck in the gob :D or deciding to paint up your own choice of colour schemes on the HSV trims :D


I flashed my Nuts @ my Mate & another Dude complained.

[Wraith]

I flashed my Nuts @ my Mate & another Dude complained.

Bahahahahahahahaha LOL you made me just fall out of my seat :D :D :D

I wonder what would've happened if you flashed em at a female :o LOL :D

BTW I hope you had your mind on the job when you painted the front and rear bars of my '99 HSV in the pics LOL :)

[MatsHolden]

I wonder what would've happened if you flashed em at a female :o LOL :D



Criminal record... that's what. lol

[Wraith]

Criminal record... that's what. lol

Or might have got lucky, if you know what I mean ;) LOL still funny as :D

[seldo]

I flashed my Nuts @ my Mate ......
...Thanks for the warning.....:eek: .;)

[KID_SRi]

Bahahahahahahahaha LOL you made me just fall out of my seat :D :D :D

BTW I hope you had your mind on the job when you painted the front and rear bars of my '99 HSV in the pics LOL :)

I knew ya would have got a Laugh.
The '99 to Early 2000 Front Bars were dodgy anyway. When they got moulded in Austria, The Mould had Cracks in it. So around the Spot Lights and directly Below the Centre of the Grill above the Number Plate had massive Cracks moulded into the Plastic, We had to Bog them up. But they weren't as Bad as the VR/VS Bars we used on the Late Model Maloo(around 99 til the VU) they had Gigantic Mould Crack all over them, We had to speed file them out with 40grit Paper then Bog the Entire Side.

So the Paint Job is the Least of the Worries ;)

[entice]

having trouble trying to upload multiple images.. it seems that I exceed the limit when trying to add teh second one.. help is greatly appreciated...

[Wraith]

Entice, just try and reduce the size of the pics, great to see more members past blasts :)

KID_SR1 my front and rear bars looked perfect, job well done ;)

[KID_SRi]

Entice, just try and reduce the size of the pics, great to see more members past blasts :)

KID_SR1 my front and rear bars looked perfect, job well done ;)

There was a Coat of Epoxy then 3-4 PPG(Former ICI) Flexi-Primer over the Putty. So if you never seen the Raw Black Bar, You'd never Know.
But there was trouble with Safron Mica(Hackett Gold), It didn't match the Body. As the Body Kit always took a lighter shade to the Steel Paint work.

[Tfer]

LOL the older the wiser I say :D

I vote you the Master of Wisdom for this forum Seldo :)

Actually I'm greatly relieved that there's at least one person as much older than myself as I am over the majority of other members here :)

But yes, the years just seem to flick by way too quickly :(

I will second the vote..... go Seldo :D


When you are 'over the hill' you start to pick up speed :D

Or time flies, when you are having fun :D

[seldo]

I will second the vote..... go Seldo :D

Or time flies, when you are having fun :D
Sheeesh! Ain't that the truth! Good part is I still feel like I'm 20....just that when I put the throttle down sometimes the body says :naughty: ...you've got to be kidding....
Like on Weds I got knocked overboard during a sailing race and was dragged behind the boat for a while with a rope around my ankle until it let go and burned through to the bone leaving me in the middle of the bay and had to wait for the boat to stop and then swim for it.....an 'effin long swim let me tell you... I can hardly walk atm...Feeling very sore and sorry for myself...Wish I was 20 again...

[entice]

so i think I finally worked out how to add the images,

but i apologise for the poor quality!

Still own all 3 of these...
1. 1962 Vespa GL. Original condition, one owner prior to me, and still have the original sales brochure. Planning on a full restoration one day, but really, it doesnt need it!
2. 1974 Fiat 124 Sport (CC) coupe. Restored from 1999-2002. is currently undergoing a shell replacement as I'm planning to improve the restoration significantly. Powered by a high compression engine, lumpy cams, twin DCOE webers (love the sound of twin weber carbs!), and electronic spark
3. engine to go into the 1974 Fiat 124 Sport Spider (CS). high compression, this time with OEM twin Weber IDF's, and OEM air cleaner. Not as much power as the DCOE's, but greater concourse points!

[Deighty]

1. 1962 Vespa GL. Original condition, one owner prior to me, and still have the original sales brochure. Planning on a full restoration one day, but really, it doesnt need it!


Love the Vespa. A restore would be great. I have ordered a 1966 Vespa from Vietnam fully restored. It's on the boat now. I've got pics of it in Vietnam before it went on the boat. Will take more when it arrives. Will try to load the pics from Vietnam. Wish me luck.

Respect + 2 for the 1962 Vespa - they can be a wild ride. Lots of fun.

[entice]

I imagine it's a Vespa Sprint that you have on it's way? is it a ScootRS? 8 or 10 inch wheels?



I was originally looking for an SS180 or a GS150/160. The idea for me was a single seat, classic lines vespa, with original 10 inch wheels. It doesnt get ridden much at all (need to take her out today I think) and spends most it's time indoors. Hence, i also wanted a non battery model.. so it ruled most things out and I ended up with the GL. Also, I wanted a non restored model, with all oem parts... so here I am. Doesnt actually need a resto.. it's all in perfect condition. The resto would be only since I need to replace teh cruciform in it, and that requires an engine out job.. and whilst i'm there, I may as well......

Mine was sold and service by Vespa House in Melbourne in 1962 (still have the paperwork for it). a Young italian man bought it at the time. Since Owned, i have replaced all cables, found a replica speedo so i dont damage teh original one) front shock (geez it was buggered), new tyres, and given it a thorough clean and polish.

[pred8r]

WOOHOO found some pics, if I find some more (theres 3 others I have pics of that i know of)

XB Coupe was 1st car, VB Commy was 3rd-ish, Fairlane was bought after selling VB (with MrsPred Pre-wifeing),

[xplosv57]

All you needed on the XB were some big tanks, and that would be mad max for sure!!!!

[Wraith]

Nice pics there guys........

Entice, I love the 124 :) drove one when I was in Italy a couple of decades ago.

I also drove and loved most Fiat models - 127, 128, 850 and both a 500 and 600.

The best car I drove there was a French Simca, for only a 1.0ltr rear mounted engine, man did this thing go like the clappers and sound awesome.....

[entice]

Yeah, I agree wraith.

those crazy italians didnt know how to reliably put a body together (i have found so many extra bits and pieces under the carpet and insulation of quite a few vehicles i've parted), but they sure knew how to build engines and drivetrains.

i think to them the sound of the engine was of utmost importance! it's more important to feel sporty rather than be fast!

Even at teh GP on the weekend, teh sound of the Bererra marshall car was amazing!

[Wraith]

hahahaha LOL :D yes I can tell you personally we Italians are crazy......

As you said and I've said in other posts, thank goodness Italians make good cars and motorbikes at least to redeam ourselves a little LOL :)

[entice]

Wraith,

was the Simca an Abarth 1000?

I'd really love a 500 Abarth (even in replica) as my next project.. and a Ferarri Dino.. and a 356 roadster, and....

[Wraith]

I'm not sure on the exact model name of it, but I can tell you it was a 1000 rear mount engine with louvred cover, similar to a Fiat 850 and it was a 1974 or 1975 model, it was silver with 2 black stripes on it over the whole body, starting from bonnet to boot - GT style, very nice looking for it's time :)

I'll do some research when I get the chance, see if I can come up with some pics.....

As I've said before it's performance was amazing, much more go than any of the similar size engined Fiat's and Alfa's of the time.

I remember the first time I travelled to my dad's hometown village located on a mountain peak, which was about a 3/4hr drive on a continously upward sloped curvy road, some slopes as steep as 45 degrees, that Simca just ate em up and climbed like a fighter jet, even with 4 people in the car :eek: absolutely fantastic ride and fun it was :)

[seldo]

I'm not sure on the exact model name of it, but I can tell you it was a 1000 rear mount engine with louvred cover, similar to a Fiat 850 and it was a 1974 or 1975 model, it was silver with 2 black stripes on it over the whole body, starting from bonnet to boot - GT style, very nice looking for it's time :)

I'll do some research when I get the chance, see if I can come up with some pics.....

As I've said before it's performance was amazing, much more go than any of the similar size engined Fiat's and Alfa's of the time.

I remember the first time I travelled to my dad's hometown village located on a mountain peak, which was about a 3/4hr drive on a continously upward sloped curvy road, some slopes as steep as 45 degrees, that Simca just ate em up and climbed like a fighter jet, even with 4 people in the car :eek: absolutely fantastic ride and fun it was :)
You forgot to mention that it looks just like a scaled-down Chev Corvair ....and due to its similar swing-axle rear suspension it also had very comparable diabolical handling....Although with 4 people in the car it would have sat down pretty well ;)

[Apex]

When I was a kid My Opa hade a Yellow Simca similar to the picture, brilliant cars, he passed it on to my dad, that car was around for years..ah memories.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m225/tteett/simca.jpg

[Wraith]

Seldo, you probably know the one, I'll definitely have to get pics.

I didn't notice any real handling querks and I gave this thing an absolute beating, to the point I had to have the clutch replaced.

I still remember it, it was only about 200mm in dia. tiny little thing, still couldn't get over how well it went with such a tiny engine and tiny clutch LOL :)

[seldo]

.....
I didn't notice any real handling querks.....

In that case, you didn't drive it hard enough...;)

[KID_SRi]

When I was a kid My Opa hade a Yellow Simca similar to the picture, brilliant cars, he passed it on to my dad, that car was around for years..ah memories.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m225/tteett/simca.jpg

Thats a Simca Verdette, Also known as Hillman Imp. My Dad had one many moons ago, He rolled it Pissed when he was 19. The Engine is the same as a Coventry Climax GP Car of the day, Capable over revving over 13,000rpm.
I'm currenty after a Hillman Imp GT now, Very Rare these days.

[seldo]

Thats a Simca Verdette, Also known as Hillman Imp. My Dad had one many moons ago, He rolled it Pissed when he was 19. The Engine is the same as a Coventry Climax GP Car of the day, Capable over revving over 13,000rpm.
I'm currenty after a Hillman Imp GT now, Very Rare these days.
Not quite young fella. The Simca Vedette was a much bigger car which came out in approx '57 with a version of the old Ford side-valve V8 of about 2.7l in it because Ford took over Simca about then. The car in question is a Simca 1000. The Hillman Imp, whilst similar in appearance due to the styling trend of the time inspired by the Chev Corvair, is of no relation whatsoever. It did however have an alloy sohc 4 cyl engine based on the Coventry Climax fire-pump engine and was, I think, 875cc. I'm afraid that about the only similarity to the Coventry Climax F1 engine is the common manufacturer.
The Simca, introduced in about 61/62 originally planned with a flat 4 (again copying the flat 6 of the Corvair) had a late re-think and fitted a good little 944cc 4cyl ohv engine which was basically a short-stroke version of the engine in the older Simca Aronde. They also later produced a couple of Abarth versions which grew to 1100cc and went quite well compared to their competitors which were the Mini, the Renault R8, Hillman Imp etc.
I've driven all of these cars. ;)

[OPC]

i have only owned a few cars but here is one i own
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c371/OPCYALATER/phonepics013.jpg

here is my bro's car.. i wanna own it
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c371/OPCYALATER/phonepics005.jpg

my old astra
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c371/OPCYALATER/mycaravatar.jpg

and another car i wanna own
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c371/OPCYALATER/phonepics008.jpg

and another
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c371/OPCYALATER/holden-aims-04-1.jpg

here is another car i wanna own
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c371/OPCYALATER/phonepics004.jpg

[Wraith]

HAHAHAHA LOL Mohawk, that's gotta be the best posting on here yet :D

Even better than my past blasts LOL, well at least the artistic one :D I'm wrapped to see someone else who's owned a LJ or LC Torana :)

I too wished that the Torana TT concept car became a reality, it's become one of my all time fav's as well.......

I won't even begin to put up pics of cars I'd like to have, this thread will hit a 100 or more pages :D

Seldo, we've gotta get a pic up of the Simca 1000.......

[seldo]

Seldo, we've gotta get a pic up of the Simca 1000.......
Sure - here you are :)
http://www.philseed.com/images/sim1000a.jpg
http://www.philseed.com/images/sim100074door.jpg
http://www.philseed.com/images/sim100076a.jpg
http://www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk/images/thecars/1000gallery_01.jpg

[Wraith]

Yep, that's the one :)

The one I had for 3 months while I was in Italy, was silver-grey with black stripes........

Dosn't look like much, but 3 decades ago they looked pretty good :)

Although it's been over 20 years since I drove one, it still brings a smile to my face :)

[KID_SRi]

http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/CoatsworthGT1.jpg

I would like to build a Hillman Imp GT similair to the one Above, But alot lower ;)

[seldo]

http://www.sa.hillman.org.au/CoatsworthGT1.jpg

I would like to build a Hillman Imp GT similair to the one Above, But alot lower ;)
Yes - they are quite an appealing little car and went pretty-well for their day. Just a word of warning though - don't try your 13000rpm theory - it's fatally flawed and will result in serious shrapnel and wallet wounds.... They can certainly be made to buzz to 9000+ though.... Here in Aust, Graham Tubby Ritter was very successful racing one that used to scare much bigger cars and went far better than it had any right to do...

[KID_SRi]

Yes - they are quite an appealing little car and went pretty-well for their day. Just a word of warning though - don't try your 13000rpm theory - it's fatally flawed and will result in serious shrapnel and wallet wounds.... They can certainly be made to buzz to 9000+ though.... Here in Aust, Graham Tubby Ritter was very successful racing one that used to scare much bigger cars and went far better than it had any right to do...

Norm Beechey used to race Imp when he started Neptune Racing before the Famed Impala SS 409.
I have the original 1966 Wheels Magazine with the Feature, I only bought the Magazine because it has the Road test on the Isuzu Bellett GT. Belletts are my 1 True Love, I've had a Couple of the Years.

[seldo]

Norm Beechey used to race Imp when he started Neptune Racing before the Famed Impala SS 409.
I have the original 1966 Wheels Magazine with the Feature, I only bought the Magazine because it has the Road test on the Isuzu Bellett GT. Belletts are my 1 True Love, I've had a Couple of the Years.Yes - I seem to remember that Beechey did race one briefly....But Tubby Ritter was the man...he had several seasons racing them and, like I said earlier, made them go far quicker than they had any right to...
Ah...and Bellets...yes, know them well. They also went ok but were never really top contenders, but because they didn't weigh much they went well. There were a couple of works Bellett Coupes that went especially hard - I seem to remember that they were run by John Roxburgh who was particularly successful in a variety of mainly Nissan cars (even though the Belletts were Isuzu).

[Wraith]

What a classic beast, love the colour.....

[luvpsi]

question for mohawk!!! Has the photo of your old astra been photoshoped or not cos the car looks like its sitting on its ass! I remember seeing it a few times around Green Valey area but it was never that low:rolleyes: i want mine to look like that:D

[OPC]

question for mohawk!!! Has the photo of your old astra been photoshoped or not cos the car looks like its sitting on its ass! I remember seeing it a few times around Green Valey area but it was never that low:rolleyes: i want mine to look like that:D

its never been to green valley

and yes it was photoshoped lower

[luvpsi]

its never been to green valley

and yes it was photoshoped lower

hmm... pretty sure it was you:rolleyes: this would have been well over a year ago though. Did u have it 4sale in carsales.com?

[OPC]

hmm... pretty sure it was you:rolleyes: this would have been well over a year ago though. Did u have it 4sale in carsales.com?


yeah i did... hehe where is green valley anyway hahaha

[luvpsi]

yeah i did... hehe where is green valley anyway hahaha

around Liverpool area

[OPC]

around Liverpool area

AHA YEAH THAT WOULDA BEEN LIVERPOOL EXHAUST...

BUT THERE IS ALSO A ARDEN BLUE ASTRA TURBO LIVING AROUND THAT AREA

[KID_SRi]

Ah...and Bellets...yes, know them well. They also went ok but were never really top contenders, but because they didn't weigh much they went well. There were a couple of works Bellett Coupes that went especially hard - I seem to remember that they were run by John Roxburgh who was particularly successful in a variety of mainly Nissan cars (even though the Belletts were Isuzu).

There were a few Bellett GT Race Cars back in the day. Most were 1968 PR90 1600 OHV, There was a Factory Backed Genuine GTR 1600 DOHC that raced & rallied in Oz. To this day the car has never been found. It has been put down to GM taking over Isuzu in 1970 from Rootes Group, But between 1968 & 1970 they were sold from Chrysler/Mitsubishi Dealers. So its believed the GTR went to the Parts Bin as in the 2 year Sorting Period, Parts for Belletts & Florians were non existent.
A friend(Tom Amos) from Isuzu Car Club of Aust. has ran a Bellett GT in Historic Racing(Inc. Bathurst on TV) It was dubbed in Race @ Bathurst by Channel 7 as the " Hiroshima Mustang Killer" As its heavily worked 1600 OHV running alot of a G161z(Gemini) Engine Parts & spinning up to 8000rpm, Which is hardcore considering the Stock Engine will only rev too 5000rpm in 5 Main Block & 6500rpm in 3 Main Bearing Block.

I'll get my Bellett back on the road one day, It need disc Brakes ;)
As it running a 1972 Bellett GT 1800 SOHC(Only 1 of 4 in OZ) and pushing 2 twice the power of the Stock 1500 OHV. I also gotta sort the Swing Arm Rear Suspension, Which is self explainitory.