So the poor old Allegro gets a drubbing. But what was the best car available for the money from the same era?
Also, what would be your ideal car if you could pick anything built pre 1980?
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W123?
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Not quite the same money then, NC... but now a "normal" example of either will cost you £300 with 12 months test. Isn't age a great leveller? In fact the Allegro would probably be worth more owing to rarity and cult value.
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Sorry, yes, I was answering the second part of the question.
For similar money, for me, it would have to be either a Ford Escort, or a Vauxhall Chevette - probably the Escort.
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Yes NC, Escort Mk I in sporting guise, Mexico was a delightful car, not expensive to run and probably no more expensive to buy than a top-of-the range Allegro?
As for a pre-1980 all-time dream car, I am in mute overload owing to the embarras de richesses.
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Also what would be your ideal car if you could pick anything built pre 1980?
I wouldn't buy any pre-1980 car. Eugh!
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Suppose, gastropodio, that some charitable person offered you for a keep-it-in-the-family peppercorn price say, er, a mint Jaguar XK150 coupe with overdrive and disc brakes... Would you really think 'Eugh!' and turn it down? Just curious.
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there are some excellent pre 1980 cars
-P5B or P6 Rover V8
-original Jaguar S Type
-mkII Ford Cortina Lotus
-Triumph Dolomite Sprint
-Ford Capri RS 3.2
-Triumph TR4A
-Jaguar E Type series 1.5
-Ferrari Daytona
to name only a few
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to name only a few
A very, very few. Nearly all of the most desirable cars ever made were made before 1980. Not all of course, just nearly.
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The best pre-1980 car was without doubt any one which was provided free with a job. Make and model irrelevant !
In my case it was but a humble Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1 base model 1.6 in a particularly bilious canary yellow. However, it was free and fully expensed and could be (and indeed was) driven at maximum speed under any circumstances in any gear. Even if I had had to pay for its fuel you could brim it for £6. Definately the best car in the world at the time !
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pre-1980 best car?
Citroen CX, of course. La reine des voitures!
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Suppose gastropodio that some charitable person offered you for a keep-it-in-the-family peppercorn price say er a mint Jaguar XK150 coupe with overdrive and disc brakes... Would you really think 'Eugh!' and turn it down? Just curious.
Being mercenary I'd take it but, having driven one in the 1960s, I'd still think "Eugh" and sell it asap.
Edited by L'escargot on 23/07/2008 at 08:46
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Answer part the first: Citroën CX
Answer part the second: Facel Vega II
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My best pre 1980 car is the Cortina 1600E, I had one in amber gold.
I had more fun in this car than any other, I particulary liked the lever based reclining front seats!
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List of my pre 1980 best cars.
Renault 16 TX
Citroen DS
Rover P6
Lotus Europa
MGB - GT V8
Alpine Renault 110 1600
To name but a few
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 22/07/2008 at 19:52
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It's the car which I happen to own at any one moment in time!
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My parents actualy bought a brand new Allegro in 1976 - even though my mother's previous car, an 1100, had come from the local VW dealer, a friend of my father's.
Personally I think they should have had a Golf although they took the view that they were happy with the 1100, wanted a new one (couldn't afford a VDP like the 1100 they were trading in) and that was that.
Followed by 29 years and counting of Fords though.
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Best car at the time of the Allegro for the same budget, no idea.
I was too young to drive and grew up with FIAT's of the day which, apart from the sometimes mentioned tin worm issue, were reliable enough cars in the salt air of the NE of England.
If I could have any pre-80 car it would be a Lancia Montecarlo with the front brake servo disconnected. The other car I would love to drive is unfortunately disallowed being an '81 to '86 Alfetta GTV6 though a standard 2.0l falls into the allowed period.
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I would like anything with vinyl seats and a rectangular speedo where the needle goes from left to right rather than round the dial.
Also hanker after a Mk1 Escort or a Mk2, or a Granada.
Someone posted something about a Capri 3.0RS. Yes please!
I'd be curious to know which pre '73 car (VED exempt) would be the best in a real world environment. It'd be nice to enjoy driving whilst sticking two fingers up at GB and his cronies.
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My vote for the best car comparable to an Allegro would be either a Citroen GS or an Alfasud. It's a shame Alfa couldn't rust-proof their cars better, although they weren't the only culprits in those days.
Edited by boxsterboy on 22/07/2008 at 21:48
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>>I would like anything with vinyl seats and a rectangular speedo where the needle goes from left to right rather than round the dial.
Mk2 Austin 1100 then.
You're on your own with the vinyl seats - sweaty, yuck!
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I'd be curious to know which pre '73 car (VED exempt) would be the best in a real world environment. It'd be nice to enjoy driving whilst sticking two fingers up at GB and his cronies.
I had a 1975 Rover P6 V8 which I drove to work and even had a few trips up the M6. Completely reliable and lovely to drive. Also no computers so capable of being fixed if it went wrong. Easily kept up with and frequently overtook modern traffic and coped well in all conditions while being extremely comfortable, and excellent visibility compared with modern cars. Highly recommended.
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Jaguar xj - v.nice to drive but loads of problems - Morris 1800 (is it just me?) - Ford 3 litre Granadas - nice but head gaskets didn't last long - all new company cars, It's so long ago I hope I've got the dates right - also had 7 series 3.5 BMW and R.Rover, OKish but neither memorable - so nothing must have another.
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I want an Alfa 33 Stradale, jsut how gorgeous is that car?
tinyurl.com/5dn4m7
I'd like an Aston DB5. An Alvis would also be great. I can see me buying the Alvis in ten or more years, however the Alfa and Aston are likely to be out of my price range.
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Its not just you T&D. Though I would have a 2200 (transverse 6 cylinder dont you know) rather than the 1800, and it would have to be the automatic. So much space!. So much speed! So much rust ;((
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Sorry everybody but I have to say, fron bitter experience, that most wheels from before 1980 are best avoided-most were absolutely dire and required constant fettling to keep them anything like on-song. Remember contact breakers?-dwell angles etc?-set it -look away and it needed setting again? And don't get me started on carbs, this is when they started to get really complicated, just before PI came in in a big way. Either you like fiddling with it or driving it- I used to like fiddling, now I just enjoy driving proper cars that don't need a spanner on them every 3K or so. Sorry to potentially upset the classic vehicle crowd but times have moved on!
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Jowett Javelin or a Saab 92
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If you mean the best car that was equivalent to the Allegro, then it would have to be the Alfasud, or possibly the Citroen GS.
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Lancia Beta ... very advanced (for its time) and a 'drivers car'
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Original Mini. Still a masterpiece of packaging, proper driving entertainment, low running costs, and proven, simple mechanicals. The design still looks fresh even today.
Cheers
DP
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My grandfather saw the light during the mid 70s. He was sick and tired of buying British made cars which were rubbish.
He went out and bought a Datsun Laurel 2000 and ended up owning Datsuns/Nissans until he stopped driving over 20 years later. Admittedly not petrol heads car, but for reliability they were well up there. I can never remember any of them letting him down.
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Going a bit far to write off everything made in the 70s as rubbish.
It's called progress the cars I drove in the 70s didn't seem too bad then.
Rustproofing wasn't too good in a lot of cases and compared to today they weren't loaded with gadgets.
Wouldn't want to run one as an everyday car compared to comfortable reliable modern metal but lots of them still represent cheap fun which is at least cheaply fixable when it goes wrong.
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Thankfully, your stipulation for the second part just about allows me to get into the car I would have over any other from any time.
I'll have a 1979 Aston Martin V8 Vantage please.
For the first part, I don't really have the experience to say - but I certainly wouldn't say no to an Alfasud if the people above are correct about them being of a similar price.
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I'll have a 1979 Aston Martin V8 Vantage please.
there is a house around the corner that has 4
1970s astons. all immaculate and driven reguarly.
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I would buy any pre 1980 car that had PS -ABS -cruise - auto - electric windows - ebd - leather -heater rear screen- heated seats - AC -discs - TC -CL -air bags - and fluffy dice.
Sort of narrows it down a bit
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Other favourites popular cars:
Rover P6 2000
Ford Fiesta Mk 1
Vauxhall Chevette.
Early Hillman Hunter (nice looks, stodgy handling)
.....and, of course, the VW Golf Mk1, which appeared in 1974. Possibly the best rival of the Allegro.
Edited by Sofa Spud on 23/07/2008 at 14:45
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1954 Morris Oxford Series II, radical car for the time.
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there is a house around the corner that has 4 1970s astons.
Could you tell me the general area so I can hate them more accuately? ;)
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That, Bazza, made me spill my tea !
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Mind your shoes !
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if you could pick anything built pre 1980?<<
Alfa Montreal
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Sorry!
Rather embarrassing choice of word to spell wrongly too.
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I missed the typo - it was the sentiment that made me laugh.
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Oh all right then. Got to be British, eh? Of course even in that limited field there are many contenders. Depends on your mood and what's in your mind.
Fifties Bristol 2 litre, 401 or 402. It should either be totally original or tweaked and with disc brakes. But original, in as-new condition, would do very nicely if you didn't want to hurry. Very fine looking motor, rapid cruiser with overdrive, engine (BMW prewar design with very thin inclined pushrods) silky and durable... But one that good would cost a pretty penny.
Racing Talbot 90s and 105s and things like 6.5 litre and 8 litre Bentleys used to be advertised for smallish money. Good Speed 6 Bentleys cost a bit more.
A king's ransom these days, proper cars, the sort you might actually really want.
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Vauxhall Astra Mk1 - Personal experience mine did 160,000 miles (not a lot now but i think for a car of that era it was good) before i decided to give it up. every mile was a personal pleasure only failed to start once - other than that started 1st time, everytime not a issue - if I could i would have it back.
Edited by Pugugly on 24/07/2008 at 00:45
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'Best' is as difficult to define as 'worst', isn't it!
You can take Lud's approach and think of the best to drive of the post-war era: his choices sound good but everyone who remembers that far back will have their favourites.
Alternatively you could think of the mass-market cars that moved the game on rather than simply following the current trend. Such as:
- Austin A40 Devon (late 40s) - OHV engine, independent front suspension, 4-speed gearbox and a graceful body which managed not to look pre-war (Ford Prefect) or dumpy (Hillman Minx)
- Issigonis Mini - obviously, perhaps also the 1100
- Triumph Herald / Vitesse - they looked good, and brought the convertible back into fashion
- Renault 16 - first 5-door hatchback (I think the Austin A40 Countryman of 1959 was the first 3-door hatch)
- VW Golf - the small hatch that the Allegro should have been
- Peugeot 205 - oddly enough when it came out in 1983 all the competition was either bigger or smaller. It set the trend for supermini-size.
I think that's the opposite of my definition of 'worst' (a car's failure to achieve what it was designed to do).
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For sheer practicality, longevity & innocent fun - surely nothing surpasses the (later) Morris Minors? They're still available, still supported for parts & have an undeniable district-nurse glamour & ruddy-faced commonsense.
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Dolomite Sprint. Nuff said.
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I think it was gmac who wanted a Lancia MonteCarlo:
I absolutely loved my 1978 MonteCarlo; though it's tiny pedals were as much a problem as the brake servo. I would still consider one today. It was beautifully made by PininFarina.
I would also second the Renault 16.
But one car that I haven't seen the above list that was reliable, comfortable and cheap to own was the Renault 12. I thought it was a masterpiece in the early 1970s.
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I wouldn't mind getting me ands on a Rover P5 coupe Automatic so I could spend all day Saturday cherishing it, then taking it out on Sunday morn (when dry !)
British motoring at its zenith.
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Yes, that body whether coupe or saloon was excellent, good looking too. Better of course with the V8 than the earlier 3-litre straight six, may even have been an ioe engine as Rover favoured that layout along with Rolls-Royce at one time.
There are still a few handsome ones about, but I guess most have been killed by chassis rust like most Rover 2000s and 3500s in the 2000 body. Those had a complicated, cranked front suspension that must have given trouble at high mileages. In its day though the 2000 had pretensions to being a sort of British DS, and owners liked it a lot.
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You could almost respect politicians being driven around in one of those !
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There are actually a few P5's on eBay including a fully restored 62 mrk 1 going for 7k
imagine doing the shopping in that !!
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1965 Austin A40 countryman, I can remember regularly thrashing down the A3 into Wandsworth at an indicated 80 mph, this was years before they reduced the limit to 50mph. Also remember once whilst on the A3 hearing strange noises from the engine pulling in and finding the oil sump plug had fallen out. Called up my brother , replacement sump plug and fresh engine oil and off we went - no probs ! Those were the days.
Another great car was the Mk1 Rover 827SLi, had a 1988 version , what a rocket ship that was, 22mpg didn't seem to matter back then.
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