Non-pedal powered vehicles you drove
- Thread starter Arch
- Start date
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Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
This is the only image of my Matador at the moment. I have just dug out the negs to see if I can get new prints made.
Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
Oh, just remembered another one I have driven.
Dodge K850 fire engine, with a Perkins V8 engine.
Dodge K850 fire engine, with a Perkins V8 engine.
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
My driving history is a bit dull by comparision...
My first car was one of these.
It was cheap. And nasty. It had several endearing handling traits, including lift-off oversteer.
Next came a 1000 cc Metro like this.
It was better than the Skoda, but only just...
After that I didn't have a car myself for some while, but we shared a Fiat Uno 45S - which I loved. Economical and handled well, in the way that small Italian cars tend to do.
This was replaced by a Fiat Tipo, which was unmitigated garbage.
I then embraced an incipient mid-life crisis with one of these -
and then got a job 30-odd miles away, so I got another Fiat Uno.
And occasionally drove one of these
Starting around this time, we had a run of three Hyundais - Lantra estate, Accent and Matrix.
We chopped the Matrix in earlier this year - the warning lights on the dash were all getting a bit techno - and got one of these - a Cadillac BLS.
It's all Saab 9-3 TDi running gear under the bodyshell, and it's fast, comfy and economical.
And seriously cheap to buy. Some poor bugger lost £17 000 on it in four years...
My first car was one of these.
It was cheap. And nasty. It had several endearing handling traits, including lift-off oversteer.
Next came a 1000 cc Metro like this.
It was better than the Skoda, but only just...
After that I didn't have a car myself for some while, but we shared a Fiat Uno 45S - which I loved. Economical and handled well, in the way that small Italian cars tend to do.
This was replaced by a Fiat Tipo, which was unmitigated garbage.
I then embraced an incipient mid-life crisis with one of these -
and then got a job 30-odd miles away, so I got another Fiat Uno.
And occasionally drove one of these
Starting around this time, we had a run of three Hyundais - Lantra estate, Accent and Matrix.
We chopped the Matrix in earlier this year - the warning lights on the dash were all getting a bit techno - and got one of these - a Cadillac BLS.
It's all Saab 9-3 TDi running gear under the bodyshell, and it's fast, comfy and economical.
And seriously cheap to buy. Some poor bugger lost £17 000 on it in four years...
Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
I had two of those, a 120 and a 130 rapid.My driving history is a bit dull by comparision...
My first car was one of these.
It was cheap. And nasty. It had several endearing handling traits, including lift-off oversteer.
I also had three engines between them as I used one, my ex wife was using one, and she was doing near 30k miles a year in her's. I would overhaul an engine and swap it into my car that she would then use. I would then overhaul the engine that came out of mine and swap it into hers. She would then swap cars again and I would overhaul the engine that came out of hers and swap it back into mine and then overhaul that engine....
I was swapping engines in them every 6 weeks or so and they would get thrashed up and down the motorways.
I got very good at overhauling those engines out of the car and swapping them over quickly.
I liked the old Skodas and have been looking for another one. It would make a great electric conversion with the weight of batteries in the front to cure the handling.
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
IIRC the later ones had a somewhat-better rear suspension that helped the handling. Certainly my one handled better with a few paving slabs in the boot.
Mad Doug Biker
Just a damaged guy.
- Location
- Craggy Island
Do trains count?
I have driven a whole manner of classes of diesel and electric locos ranging from the humble class 08 to the class 92, I also have driven some steam locos in Poland before, such as Ol49-69.
I have also driven model trains before. Do they count too?
I have driven a whole manner of classes of diesel and electric locos ranging from the humble class 08 to the class 92, I also have driven some steam locos in Poland before, such as Ol49-69.
I have also driven model trains before. Do they count too?
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
I'd love a 130 Rapid, to live in the garage with our Octavia estate!!
(failing that, a Volvo 'Amazon' estate)
That is brilliant, any more information/pics please!!
Two friends of mine (Frank Elson & John Carroll) would be very interested in that
Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
I don't think it exists anymore. It had a number of owners after me and last I heard it was being broken up in South Wales.
Started as a 109 Land Rover 4cyl petrol.
I used Salisbury axles modified with long shafts each side for the rear, and a widened Rover axle on the front.
There are three inverted leaf springs centrally pivoted to the chassis.
The axle location was by rigid A frames to a flexible bush in the chassis.
Powered by a Ford York 6cyl 3.6 litre diesel driving a 5 speed ZF gearbox with crawler 1st gear.
The transfer box I designed and built in house with three ratios (using lightly modified LR gear wheels), three axle outputs, a PTO output and was remote mounted.
The cab was stretched 10" wider at the rear to form a tapered cab.
The bonnet and grille was made in house, as was the rear pick up body.
All work was done on the street over three years phased to allow MOT, insurance and road fund each year.
The range of gears gave at 4000rpm: low 1st 1.5mph, high 5th 108mph(theoretical) and 15 gears in all.
paddy01
Senior Member
- Location
- Exmouth (Devon)
A V&M R1 ridden in the 1999 IOM TT. We were never sure whether it was ridden by Dave Jefferies or not although the suspension was definitely marked up for a big person.
Bought by my brother as a trackday bike some years ago.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
My driving history can't compete with the posters so far, so I'll throw this into the mix:
A Mainair Gemini Flash 2a. Not the one I was learning on but the same model. (Mine was pink
).
I got up to 4 hours on these before I had to put it on hold due to shortage of money. It was excellent fun and I hope to try again at some point, though it would probably be like starting from scratch as it's been so long..
A Mainair Gemini Flash 2a. Not the one I was learning on but the same model. (Mine was pink
).I got up to 4 hours on these before I had to put it on hold due to shortage of money. It was excellent fun and I hope to try again at some point, though it would probably be like starting from scratch as it's been so long..
Night Train
Maker of Things
- Location
- Greater Manchester
Cool!My driving history can't compete with the posters so far, so I'll throw this into the mix:
A Mainair Gemini Flash 2a. Not the one I was learning on but the same model. (Mine was pink
I got up to 4 hours on these before I had to put it on hold due to shortage of money. It was excellent fun and I hope to try again at some point, though it would probably be like starting from scratch as it's been so long..
I have flown one of these.
Boon 51
Veteran
- Location
- Deal. Kent.
A V&M R1 ridden in the 1999 IOM TT. We were never sure whether it was ridden by Dave Jefferies or not although the suspension was definitely marked up for a big person.
Bought by my brother as a trackday bike some years ago.
One of the all time greats.. Sadley missed..
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
A Piper Cadet I believe. You fly as well as all the engineering etc? I may well have to be very jealous.Cool!
I have flown one of these.
