If you could have one car...

[cookiemonster]

I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the TR7

Or

The Triumph Spitfire

I couldn't choose between the two so I would have both

 

[GrumpyGregry]

But I'd swap 'em all for a Vincent Black Shadow.

I'd swap something much more precious for one of those....

 

[GrumpyGregry]

MGB or MGC

tough choice, the exquisite burble of the exhaust on a B as it hits the gear change rev range or the tappitty burble of the C's engine.

MGB V8. With leather and a Webasto. You know you want one really.

 

[mustang1]

For my own personal use, a Datsun 240z or merc 500SL (the hart to hart one)

 

[swee'pea99]

I'd swap something much more precious for one of those....

Jackson and I were out there in Ventura with a 750 Honda and an experimental prototype of the new Vincent -- a 1000-cc brute that proved to be so awesomely fast that I didn't even have time to get scared of it before I found myself coming up on a highway stoplight at ninety miles an hour and then skidding halfway through the intersection with both wheel-brakes locked.

A genuinely hellish bike. Second gear peaks around 65 -- cruising speed on the freeways -- and third winds out somewhere between 95 and 100. I never got to fourth, which takes you up to 120 or so -- and after that you shift into fifth.

Top speed is 140, more or less, depending on how the thing is tuned -- but there is nowhere in Los Angeles County to run a bike like that. I managed to get it back from Ventura to McGovern's downtown headquarters hotel, staying mainly in second gear, but the vibration almost fused my wrist bones and boiling oil from the breather pipes turned my right foot completely black. Later, when I tried to start it up for another test-run, the backlash from the kick-starter almost broke my leg. For two days afterward I limped around with a golfball-sized blood-bruise in my right arch.

Hunter S Thompson, Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail​

 

[laurence]

MGB V8. With leather and a Webasto. You know you want one really.

actually, no. the V8 was only as a GT version (officially). i'd much rather have a pre-1969 MGB or MGC, wire wheels and that beautiful chrome radiator grille.

 

[pplpilot]

Well, if we're talking sports cars...
I have seen a Seven-type kit car with Suzuki Hayabusa engines in it.
Note use of plural - two 1300 motorbike engines, putting out 170 horsepower. Each.
That's 340 bhp in something that weighs about half a tonne.
I'd love to have a go, but I'd be frightened it'd rip my face off!

http://www.tigerracing.com/z100.php

Held the 0-60 record for a while -

 

[s7ephanie]

Panther Lima (i think tha what its called)

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Jackson and I were out there in Ventura with a 750 Honda and an experimental prototype of the new Vincent -- a 1000-cc brute that proved to be so awesomely fast that I didn't even have time to get scared of it before I found myself coming up on a highway stoplight at ninety miles an hour and then skidding halfway through the intersection with both wheel-brakes locked.

A genuinely hellish bike. Second gear peaks around 65 -- cruising speed on the freeways -- and third winds out somewhere between 95 and 100. I never got to fourth, which takes you up to 120 or so -- and after that you shift into fifth.

Top speed is 140, more or less, depending on how the thing is tuned -- but there is nowhere in Los Angeles County to run a bike like that. I managed to get it back from Ventura to McGovern's downtown headquarters hotel, staying mainly in second gear, but the vibration almost fused my wrist bones and boiling oil from the breather pipes turned my right foot completely black. Later, when I tried to start it up for another test-run, the backlash from the kick-starter almost broke my leg. For two days afterward I limped around with a golfball-sized blood-bruise in my right arch.

Hunter S Thompson, Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail​

Sounds much like my old Jota. But with a kick starter. Even more like the DBD34 I once rode on a track day. 60mph in first. Shouldn't ever give a real man's bike to an effete American anyway.

And it's a great read but almost certainly a lie work of fiction. The Black Shadow came out in 1948/9. Vincent went bust in mid-fifties. The Honda CB750 was introduced in 1969. So if he was riding a prototype it was a very old one and probably very out of tune.

Hunter is oft quoted as saying "If you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die."

I'd counter "If you rode any of the bikes on the list of world's fastest production motorcycles at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die."

 

[swee'pea99]

The Black Shadow came out in 1948/9. Vincent went bust in mid-fifties. The Honda CB750 was introduced in 1969. So if he was riding a prototype it was a very old one and probably very out of tune.

According to the site where I found the quote, he was actually referring (tho' a lifelong Black Shadow fan) to the Egli Vincent "which was released about the time these books were written." To whit:

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I'd love a genuine AC Cobra, a 298, which seems a purer shape than the 427 (unless I had a 427SC)
But then you've got to suffer every 'Tom, Dick & Liddy' asking if it's a replica
I've been in a (genuine) 289 once, & it was a marvellous beastie

I had a friend who drove a Talbot Sunbeam when I was in my twenties. A tiny car with a highly tuned 2.2 litre engine from a supplier who knew their stuff. Lotus. She called it "Concorde" and when we went up the ramp onto the flyover at the end of Marylebone Road at 90 mph, I was in absolute heaven. I really would like one of those daft cars.

Was a :Lotus Sunbeam at the 'Trunce' on Monday evening!!!, haven't seen one for ages.
Nice little motors, with the odd gear-shift pattern

Sorry but I would have to go bang up to date with a Mclaren P1
Absolutely bonkers and totally impractical but awesome!!!
Technically stunning, amazing downforce and 4 years of my best work

Someone comes to my daughters School in one of those!!
I though it was a Lotus, or some form of GRP special, till I checked the badges & Googled the images
T'was in that bright yellowy shade too

Then again there is always the Cuthbertson Conversion , for getting over "t" moors near us.

The big problem with Cuthbertsons is that they 'dig in' on soft bankings when exiting stream/river beds

 

[GrumpyGregry]

According to the site where I found the quote, he was actually referring (tho' a lifelong Black Shadow fan) to the Egli Vincent "which was released about the time these books were written." To whit:

View attachment 26424

I watch one of them put a con rod through its crankcase about 10 years ago. The owner/rider was awfully upset.

 

[swee'pea99]

I watch one of them put a con rod through its crankcase about 10 years ago. The owner/rider was awfully upset.

You can see how it might be a tad irritating.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Motorcycles is not allowed.

But if they were:

Or...

Or... One I couldn't find a picture of. But anyway they is not allowed.

But if they were, my only bike would be a T-3 California, a DB1 and an RD350LC and a 1987 R80 G/S.

 

[donnydave]

I'd love a genuine AC Cobra, a 298, which seems a purer shape than the 427 (unless I had a 427SC)
But then you've got to suffer every 'Tom, Dick & Liddy' asking if it's a replica
I've been in a (genuine) 289 once, & it was a marvellous beastie

I can assure you its equally annoying owning a replica 427 and having people constantly asking "is it a real one?" then having to let them down and explain it's actually a fake plastic copy that I made in my shed at the weekends.

I agree about the shape, I prefer the 289 as the front is cleaner, and rear exhausts sound nice than the sidepipes that I've got but as you are no doubt aware, real ones are a kadjillion quid and replica 289's are far less popular and hence are also prohibitively expensive. Besides, I need the 427 body shape with the extra opening in the front for an oil cooler so my ridiculous engine doesn't explode .



I am currently working on a modification at the rear to take a bike rack, I'll post a piccy when its complete