General Chit Chat

[Hoboh]

Get an MX-5, there's a reason it's the all time best selling sports car.
That hairdresser's car thing is a fallacy. The only people who say that are jealous folk who wish they were in the drop top club whilst driving around in a sky blue Citroen Xsara Picasso.

Jealous my ass, they are a lady car, just like a Ford Ka, VW beetle (the new breed) and the Mercedes slk or whatever little 2 door sport jobs.

[TANGODANCER]

Although I no longer drive now, I've done plenty enough in the past. If I were to want another car now it would be a fine weather machine (bollox to driving in ice and snow, bus and train will do for then) like an old fella like this from 1950. I'd don my Victor Meldrew cap and drive all the scenic routes at forty miles an hour, and take notice of all the things I've just blasted past in the race from A to B and never looked at.

[Hoboh]

Although I no longer drive now, I've done plenty enough in the past. If I were to want another car now it would be a fine weather machine (bollox to driving in ice and snow, bus and train will do for then) like an old fella like this from 1950. I'd don my Victor Meldrew cap and drive all the scenic routes at forty miles an hour, and take notice of all the things I've just blasted past in the race from A to B and never looked at.

That is a fine piece of art that car!

[Dujon]

I drove a couple of those (MG TC) back then, TANGO. Crashed one too, but that's a different story. They were a fun machine, but if the driver decided to wind it out on the open road they could become quite dangerous. I found - and recently confirmed the trait with an American TC owners' club - that once it attains the heady speed of 60mph the front-end becomes logarithmically lighter and lighter. This means that a driver not realising this nasty habit is about to bite could sail blithely straight ahead instead of turning into a corner. As best I can gather it's the air flow under the front mudguards that tries to cause the vehicle to become airborne.

Bob, the MX5 is certainly not a 'hairdresser's' car. It's a sports car with a few added creature comforts inside. Certainly they are not competitors to some of the Audis and Ferraris and suchlike when it comes to brute power, but they handle like a dream and thrive on being punted along windy roads.

If you want to get a proper 'wind in the hair' experience have a look at a Lotus 7 or one of its derivatives. Most of those real sports cars are a fairly tight fit, so if you are tall or wide (or your intended passenger is) then they might not suit. The aerodynamics aren't great, but the boys on the track get 250 Km/h + out of them. My last one weighed less than 600Kg wet (registered as 532Kg) and produced 197KW at the rear wheels (most don't have that much grunt). My other one was just a standard Fiat 124 engine with a couple of dual throat Webers bolted on. That's about 150bhp (you can do the calculation) at the flywheel. It was like hitting a brick wall once it reached 160Km/h though. As I mentioned, they tend to have the aerodynamics of a brick so a bit more power/torgue makes a big difference.

Whilst most don't have oodles of power a properly designed one makes up for that with nimbleness. Take one close to the limit and there aren't too many cars that will match you.

Good luck with your search, sir, there're plenty of genuine sports cars out there.

[CrazyHorse]

Get an MX-5, there's a reason it's the all time best selling sports car.
That hairdresser's car thing is a fallacy. The only people who say that are jealous folk who wish they were in the drop top club whilst driving around in a sky blue Citroen Xsara Picasso.

Jealous my ass, they are a lady car, just like a Ford Ka, VW beetle (the new breed) and the Mercedes slk or whatever little 2 door sport jobs.

Sexist pig.

[Harry Genshaw]

Bob - I've found just the thing for you. Free entry to the Macron too

[malcd1]

Bob - I've found just the thing for you. Free entry to the Macron too

Only a one seater unfortunately for Bob.

[thebish]

hahah!

[Bijou Bob]

Love it! Whatever did happen to the Spaz Motor Company and did they only make the one Chariot model??

Sadly Bish, my dastardly plan seems to have backfired and cost me a Mini Cooper. I've no idea exactly how that happened, but clearly NMB is a lot cleverer than me


(And yes, before anyone mentions it, I know, it was just using a Salford colloquialism from my childhood)

[Montreal Wanderer]

Love it! Whatever did happen to the Spaz Motor Company and did they only make the one Chariot model??


(And yes, before anyone mentions it, I know, it was just using a Salford colloquialism from my childhood)

I believe they were called Invacars and owned by the UK government, leased to invalids. Eventually banned from the roads as dangerous over ten years ago. I suspect Spaz is a politically incorrect term for the disabled. I'm surprised at Bob of all people using it.

[Burnden Paddock]

1st world problems and all that, but.......my mid life crisis continues unabated and NMB is rather upset at the thought of my return to biking (She's seen 2 serious accidents in the last week involving bikes, so I can see where she's coming from). Given that I don't really want to upset her, I've turned my thoughts to sports cars instead. I'm after forum opinion. Personally, I think the MX-5 is a hairdressers car and I can't afford a TR5 or TR6, so I'm thinking Alfa Spider or BMW Z4. Are those any less hairdressery though and if so, what wouldn't be??

Eh, weren't you saving up to move house last week? No wonder NMB is upset if you're splashing out on sports cars when she wants to move!

Admit it. You just want to feel the wind blowing through your hair, flowing over your aero dynamically shaped dome!

[bobo the clown]

Bob ???? Do you really want to "splash out on a sports car" ??

You need counselling mate.

[Gary the Enfield]

Bob ???? Do you really want to "splash out on a sports car" ??

You need counselling mate.

Would that make it a Buka-car?

[Bijou Bob]

I believe it's known as ' Seagulling' amongst the dogging fraternity. But no, I don't Bobo. It's been a long week.

[Hoboh]

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/a-c ... spartandhp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Poor man, all those years.

[Burnden Paddock]

Bob ???? Do you really want to "splash out on a sports car" ??

You need counselling mate.

Would that make it a Buka-car?

[Bijou Bob]

1st world problems and all that, but.......my mid life crisis continues unabated and NMB is rather upset at the thought of my return to biking (She's seen 2 serious accidents in the last week involving bikes, so I can see where she's coming from). Given that I don't really want to upset her, I've turned my thoughts to sports cars instead. I'm after forum opinion. Personally, I think the MX-5 is a hairdressers car and I can't afford a TR5 or TR6, so I'm thinking Alfa Spider or BMW Z4. Are those any less hairdressery though and if so, what wouldn't be??

Eh, weren't you saving up to move house last week? No wonder NMB is upset if you're splashing out on sports cars when she wants to move!

Admit it. You just want to feel the wind blowing through your hair, flowing over your aero dynamically shaped dome!

It's true BP, I am looking for the feeling of the wind through that one hair that remains and yes, we are hoping to move, but I've had this in mind for a while now, so for the past few years, for every week you or Harry have been injured, I've put a tenner in a jar but taken a tenner out each time you've completed a park run. There's about 2 grand in the kitty now.

[Harry Genshaw]

^ that's what you think. I've been taking 50p out every time you get divorced or act like a c*nt!

[Bruce Rioja]

I've not seen a Spaz Chariot in yonks. Whatever happened to 'em?

[Burnden Paddock]

^ that's what you think. I've been taking 50p out every time you get divorced or act like a c*nt!

Zinger!!