The Dark Wob

Got plenty of Dolomite flakes to sweep up first.

Better to be sweeping up Mini rust flakes in private than having the last of your dignity brushed away in public by driving a sodding Reliant Kitten.

Sad to say but the Kitten is by far the better motor and a lot more interesting with rear wheel drive and proper suspension. A mini estate will be just as shit to drive as the saloon so you won't be missing much.

The world has gone mad.

panhard65 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:11 pm Sad to say but the Kitten is by far the better motor and a lot more interesting with rear wheel drive and proper suspension. A mini estate will be just as shit to drive as the saloon so you won't be missing much.

If Reliant is your thing then you can buy this beauty for a couple of hundred.

Warren t claim wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:26 pm

panhard65 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:11 pm Sad to say but the Kitten is by far the better motor and a lot more interesting with rear wheel drive and proper suspension. A mini estate will be just as shit to drive as the saloon so you won't be missing much.

If Reliant is your thing then you can buy this beauty for a couple of hundred.

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A couple of hundred pence?

SiC wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:55 pm Yeah, that extra weight and backend must affect the dynamics of it. 70s BL weren't exactly going to engineer that out either.

Completely indistinguishable to drive in my experience. Saloons, vans, estates, clubmans, pickups, whatever.
Obvious difference in “go” between engine sizes but they all steer and bounce in just the same way. Varied a bit depending on how tired they were and if they had wide wheels. Never drove a hydrolastic mini, I would expect them to feel a bit different. This is from the point of view of daily work driving, nothing to do with competition driving.

Seriously, just drive a few of them. Obviously they are cute and popular to own but as a drive they are fun like a moped is fun and that is not fun at all for most. They were originally succesful because they were unimaginably fast around roundabouts compared to sidevalve Fords for about the same money.

SiC wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:55 pm Yeah, that extra weight and backend must affect the dynamics of it. 70s BL weren't exactly going to engineer that out either.

Vans and estates handled slightly better than the saloon due to the longer wheelbase.

The colour is Sandglow btw. That doesn't look a bad one to be fair although they're as horrible as any other Mini. 1100 engine so a bit more go. That will have the rubber mounted front subframe. Lots more room to work under the bonnet that a std Mini.

Rev's last sentence is a good point. Engine servicing on bullnose Minis rapidly loses its appeal.

That Clubman is a bit of a crossover model - it has the mid 1976 on newer colour and trim, but Mark 3 switches and badges. It might have a solid mount front 'frame. Mark 4's had the rubber mount front frame and twin column stalks as well as different rocker switches and different seats that this one has. That was registered May 76 so right on the change point.