Rose tinted Goggles thread

[mcrews]

in 1975 I got a 1966 Ford Mustang Coupe w/ a 200 ci straight 6, auto tranny and a 2.89 rear end.
Installed some clifford headers and could get 27mpg back an forth to college.

If I knew then what I know now.........coulda gotten 35mpg

[Arragonis]

Faves -

First ever car - Metro 1.0 HLE- BL A-series engine and long gearing. I never managed the 87 MPG they claimed for it but 47 MPG wasn't bad as I was 17 and drove like a 17 year old - i.e. a complete loon.

The Maestro and 220 SDi Diesels from the other thread stand out as being really nice. The Monstro was truly comfy but not really sporty, racy or sexy in any way, shape or form - like its owner

The 220 was a company car and a little strange to everyone else at the company who went out to buy Mondeos or Vectras or Saab 900s (old GM Cavalier based thing) at the same time. But it was comfy, handled like a race car with its additional rear ARB (I raced a then new Focus on the A701 and won easily) and I made money on every company car mile I drove Record tank averaged 70+ mpg on a round trip from Cheshire to London and back - I had a bet on making it on one tank and won £50.

I would then nominate my first ever TD car the mightly Vauxhall Nova TD Merit - complete with 145 section tyres - wheelspin in 3rd sir, certainly. Solid, square, boring but damn reliable and very fast. Japanese Isuzu engine and 5sp gearbox. Also my first turbo car - yes there is a "replacement for displacement".

Any of the Minis (not MINI) I have owned come after that - more economical than a 2CV and faster. Simple to work on but very very rusty - quite often my dad would trade in a 12 month old one with rust on the body.

And of course Helga - not entirely decided to let her go yet, I know I know... I expect this to be a 60+ mpg tank which given she is sporty (woosh) and my driving is mostly urban is quite good. Plus I have been fixing the rattles (some weekends off finally) so she is quiet again.

Least Faves :
Honda Accord - the UK/European mid-90s version. Quiet, comfy, reliable, and bankruptingly thirsty at the time. I drove from Preston to Manchester in 4th instead of 5th on day because it was quiet - it used 1/2 a tank for the round trip.

My boss anounced I could have my company car (the 220 SDi mentioned above) when the Honda had done 100K. I replied it had 116K on it already. This was the only car (except for being a prat in a Mini) I have ever spun and so I have concluded on this evidence that Honda know bvgger all about handling.

Daewoo Matiz - Truly awful car bought because I needed the free insurance and some insurance history after being on a companu policy for 5 years. Not especially economical but the 3cyl engine did sound like a Porsche. Unfortunately it was incapable of any cornering at all.

No honest, it really was that bad...

...except in the snow where it was strangely superb - I mean 4x4 passing on the A701 Beeftub in snow superb.

Ahh, the memories - again...

[robchalmers]

YOU KNOW THE BEEFTUB!!!!!

whats your thoughts on the Langwhang?

[nemo]

I've had many cars from small, two 73 spitfires and a 64 Sprite, to the land yachts 66 Catalina and 78 LTD II with others sprinkled in 69 Firebird, a 70 Duster, VW Scirocco, II to mention a few.
But to date my favorite was the 98 Contour 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual, only had two options AC and PS. Looked up my life time average on the car and it was a shade over 26 mpg. No too bad for having been driven above posted limit with the AC cranked almost year round. Highway was 28 to the low 30's. Could easily have done better with some driver mods.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by robchalmers

YOU KNOW THE BEEFTUB!!!!!

whats your thoughts on the Langwhang?

I did Moffat to Penicuik in 23 minutes once - it was 3am and I was going back to Edinburgh in a Fiat Bravo 20v. It was that or falling asleep.

I haven't done the A70 yet though, is there a good road from Irvine to the end of it, I do go to North Ayrshire every now and again...

EDIT - 33 minutes, 23 would be by Tardis.

[gone-ot]

...I tweeked my '72 Pinto 1.6L(FOB engine) 4-speed from ~22 mpg up to consistent 36-38 mpg via: (1) axle-ratio change from 3.55:1 to 3.18:1; (2) addition of electronic ignition system; (3) front chin spoiler; and (4) tri-Y header into BIG empty muffler.

...that was "back" during the first OPEC "Oil Embargo" time frame.

[gone.s]

When I was a small child my parents had an Isetta for a while. In the late '70s I had a Honda an600 sedan. Worst tank was 38mpg and normal was 45. 600cc 2 cyl. here's a great vid of one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOJWTgwRa4Q&NR=1

In the mid '80s I had an '80 Audi 5000 diesel 5spd that my brother had bought new. No turbo but it cruised effortlessly on the highway at 85 and got 45mpg doing it. Huge fuel tank. The range was around 750 miles per tank if I remember correctly. I loved that car. I once drove from Indianapolis to Richmond on a tank of fuel no problem. This pic is not mine but it looked just like this.
'80 Audi 5000 diesel | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

With gas at $4 a gal I'd love to have both again.

[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by squatch

When I was a small child my parents had an Isetta for a while. In the late '70s I had a Honda an600 sedan. Worst tank was 38mpg and normal was 45. 600cc 2 cyl. here's a great vid of one.

In the mid '80s I had an '80 Audi 5000 diesel 5spd that my brother had bought new. No turbo but it cruised effortlessly on the highway at 85 and got 45mpg doing it. Huge fuel tank. The range was around 750 miles per tank if I remember correctly. I loved that car. I once drove from Indianapolis to Richmond on a tank of fuel no problem. This pic is not mine but it looked just like this.
'80 Audi 5000 diesel | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

With gas at $4 a gal I'd love to have both again.

Man, another Audi 5000 diesel owner! Mine was dark grey, 5 speed, non turbo.

[Fat Charlie]

I had a POS 96 Suzuki Esteem. I drove it hard and still got 42 MPG. It was so lightweight that it had good acceleration up to 70- above that, acceleration wasn't really the right word. It was so underpowered that it could go faster in fourth gear than fifth. One time I threw a Christmas tree on the roof for a two hour trip. I got 20 MPG that night.

I ditched it when gas was around $1.50 and I was going to the desert for a year. When I got back I bought for horsepower, not mileage.

[skyking]

Originally Posted by mcrews

in 1975 I got a 1966 Ford Mustang Coupe w/ a 200 ci straight 6, auto tranny and a 2.89 rear end.
Installed some clifford headers and could get 27mpg back an forth to college.

If I knew then what I know now.........coulda gotten 35mpg

I came in to post about MY '66, what a coincidence.
6 cyl 200 with that really bad 3 speed manual. I took that out, went to the wrecking yard and got a bellhousing off a maverick and a pristine 4 speed toploader.
Rear end started to sing so I stuck in what I had, a '67 8 inch with 2.80 gears.
I did manage to get 30 MPG back and forth to Seattle from central Washington, until the old 6 gave up the ghost in the face of those clifflike tall gears.