I was just having a chat with a friend at work, and the subject of Austin Allegros came up. This led on to a more general discussion about cars which were once an everyday sight, but have quietly disappeared from our roads without anyone really noticing. If these cars were animals, they would be on the endangered species list....
1. Even-numbered Renaults (4, 6, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 30)
2. Austin Maxi
3. Talbot Alpine and Solara
4. Fiat 131 Mirafiori
5. Citroen GS
Some of these could be down to a few dozen roadworthy survivors by now. (And good riddance, I hear you say.) I can't really see anyone bothering to weld up and respray an old Talbot Alpine or Renault 14 - could these cars actually end up extinct?
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I've seen a few Maxis around recently.
I think they only come out at certain times of the day when most folk are at work - the drivers of the ones I saw were OAPs, I had a few days off so was about town more during the daytime.
My mates Dad had a couple of Maxis. They were pretty decent cars - comfortable ride and a big boot.
Piers
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I saw a Renault 14 a few weeks ago - it was abandoned at the side of a road in Twickenham, with a council removal notice on the windscreen. It actually looked quite tidy, but I think, like the R18 I used to own, they're deceptive, as most of their rot is hidden, structural stuff, and by the time the panels start going, it really is crusher time. Shame really - for their time, they were well-equipped and comfortable to drive.
Whilst on holiday in Spain a couple of years ago, I swear I saw an even rarer Renault - a butt-ugly saloon version of the first-generation R5, badged "Renault 7". Can anyone confirm this, or had I had one sangria too many?
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yes you could buy a booted R5 in spain. Today in some middle eastern markets you can buy a booted Clio
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There was indeed a Renault 7 sold in spain, people in Spain prefer cars with a proper boot - most Taxis are VW Jettas or Ventos. In india you can buy a booted fiesta called Ikon - I also saw a Booted SKODA Fabia recently in the UK
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You are right! I saw one of these sheds in the Costa Brava last year.
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Many 1970s and early 80s cars are no longer seen.
What about:
Talbot Tagora
Matra rancho
Vauxhall Viceroy
Fiat Argenta
Talbot Sunbeam - except on Banger race circuits
Austin ambassador
Commer van
Peugeot 104
Peugeot 305
Peugeot 504
VW Derby
Alfasud
Alfa Giuletta
Alfa 90
the list goes on ...
anyone report seeing one of these ??
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Marcus wrote:
>
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> Talbot Sunbeam - except on Banger race circuits
Saw a couple of the Dodge badged US versions of this car in New Jersey
last week...
/john
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I had a Renault 4 years ago, and it recently drove into the place where I work. The new owner loves it, even to the extent of swapping the entire chassis from a later model.
Cliff
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The Spanish motor industry used to turn out quite a few oddball vehicles for the local market. There was an Austin 1100 with a big boot stuck on the back, an oversized Fiat 126 (made by Seat, sold here briefly as the Fiat 133, and almost certainly extinct in the UK), also some strange mutant Land Rovers made by Santana for the Spanish military. So a Spain-only Renault is quite believable, and would explain the apparent gap in Renault's numbering system. They used every other number between 4 and 21 on cars sold in the UK, except 13.
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While I was in Argentina, they used giant renaults for taxis (remis?) I dont ever remeber seeing them in the UK. Can Mark Brazil shed any light?
Jon
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Richard,
By chance yesterday I was looking over an old Maxi in tidy "everyday" condition. Thought what an efficient use of space for the size and nicely trimmed for the era.
On the Citroen GS/GSA front there is huge support for these cars withing the Citroen Car Club. Many are realising what an important car that flat small four was, in particular with that supple ride that has never (IMHO) yet been equalled in such a small car.
David
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> While I was in Argentina, they used giant renaults for taxis
> (remis?) I dont ever remeber seeing them in the UK. Can
> Mark Brazil shed any light?
Certainly all the Taxis are Renault and Peugeot. I think the one you are talking about looks something like a Mk111 Cortina but a little squarer, is that right ?
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thats the one - the boot slopes up towards the end of the car. Its actually a pug - i remember now, still dont know the number though.
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I've travelled in a million of them.
First time I was in Argentina, which was 10 years or so ago, the office had booked me a car to take me to the airport from my downtown office.
They described the taxi as a black and yellow Peugeot. As I was rushing through the door my secretary asked me if I wanted the licence plate.
I left uttering the immortal words....
"What for ? how many black and yellow, peugeot taxis can there be ?"
Mr. Cool fails again.
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I think it was a 605, but it might have been a 5 something.
Have a look at this..
www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/5067/pugindex.h...l
If it isn't one of these, then there used to be a whole bunch of Renault Torinos floating around, you might be thinking of one of them. How long ago were you there ?
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I was there in 1999.
From that website it looks like a 505. Although I am sure that peugeot SA, probably bought the body panel presses and amended them somewhat. The same as buying most of a UK train station and moving it over there too tracks and all).
Thanks for the info.
Jonathan
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I've just found a photo of the Renault 7:
www.geocities.com/renaultoriginal/varios/otros.htm
Scroll down a bit - it's even uglier than I remember!
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I believe you get a similar effect with the opposite sex as well after inducing large quantities of tequila. Go on, admit it, when you saw it on holiday you were wondering if you might be able to buy one in the UK til you sobered up?!
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Ah, the old "beer goggles" effect!
Yes, I was.
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There's a garage/scrap yard up the road that is resurrecting a stretch Princess in a lovely civic maroon. Sills are totally gone, but it looks like they are fixing it up. Can't be many of them around.
Chris
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Truly the Internet is a wonderful thing. Scroll down a bit further and you find a big ugly Argentina-only car - presumably the one Jon was talking about.
Amazingly, there is a solitary web page devoted to the Fiat 133.
www.norbertschnitzler.de/Aachen/seat_133.htm
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Couldn't quite believe that on Wednesday coming down the M6 I not only saw but was overtaken by a laden (back end down, front up) Renault Fuego. I had thought they had all rusted away like other Renaults on the list. Still a few 4s around tho' and I would love to find a good GTL as a hack runabout. Shod with Michelins the one I had previously was incredibly surefooted in snow.
Someone in Coventry was advertising a 30K mile Solara for £325 for several weeks recently. There's a GS apparently in everyday use over at Kidderminster but even I haven't noticed a Fiat 131/132 lately.
Since I have a strong interest in cars that only require one trip to the Cashpoint. Some others I have owned have also disappeared: Peugeot 604; Peugeot 504 (except the pick-ups); Peugeot 304; first generation Renault 5; Citroen Dyane and Ami; Fiat 126 aircooled.
David
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Plenty of Dyanes dotted around, mainly enthusiast owners.
Andrew
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I used to have a K reg. Renault 4, the only vehicle I've ever bought new.
It was a real 'go anywhere' car, -I used it to carry a hang glider up mountainsides, over ploughed fields, etc. I remember it as being very comfortable, quiet and with the neatest and most convenient gearchange -you could change gear with your little finger whilst holding the steering wheel. I sold mine at 175K miles. I'd buy another one tomorrow if they still made them. (you could fix just about anything on them with a selection of springs and rubber bands!)
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How about :
Hillman Avenger
Citroen LNA
FSO Polonez (sold with a free caravan I believe)
Talbot Tagora
Fiat Strada (famously buillt by robots)
Skoda Estelle
Toyota Crown & Cressida
original Datsun Cherry
Opel Ascona
Vauxhall Chevette
All used to be common sights. Don't see a lot of Cortinas these days either
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Was that the two door fastback coupe effort?
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Any version! Check out:
home.wanadoo.nl/i.y.vlaar/e10files.htm
Never knew they did so many types.
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Saw a Delorean (not sure of the spelling ) in use on the road and not a cosseted never out in the rain thing in South Gloucestershire the other day.
Steve
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Going on a slightly different tack it seems funny to me how narrow minded some folk are regarding particular Makes/models. Particularly when it comes to slagging off things like Metros, Allegros Skoda Estelles etc. The thing is to look at how many of the things they made and sold. Metros for example, thousands and thousands of them on the road, surely then you cant deny that BL/Rover got it 100% RIGHT for the market it was aimed at. The Estelle is a good little car for what it is providing you dont compare it to a BM. The Allegro and Maxi were design triumphs let down by indifferent build quality and Trade Unions but the basic package was brilliant. Yet how often do you hear them described as junk?
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I saw an Alfa 90 last week in the local supermarket. Left hand drive and a turbodiesel. This must qualify for some sort of prize as the most unlikely personal import of all time. Pretty much all the Alfas of that era have now disappeared - Giuliettas, Alfettas, GTVs, Suds, even Sud Sprints. Can't think why....
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