Crap cars of the past - your hypothetical ultimate ****box project?

[Raptor]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Mini Moke.
-100 Star Safety rating
.. drive it like it was the last time you would ever drive again, because that literally, would be the case if anyone came into contact with you.

image

Those large box section sills (next to the seats) on the Moke, from memory they hold the fuel and battery right

Originally Posted by .:4:.

Id probably go UC sunbird hatch, then 304 swap but get rid of the efi and go carby.

So basically a Torana hatchback

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

...
BTW the Commodore 4-cyl & the Starfire were 173 Blue motors cut down, not Red motors.

Yes they had a few improvements but a different coat of paint (red/blue/black) didn't exactly make them a different or modern engine did it, even if it fooled Holden buyers into thinking so

And slicing two cylinders off an engine designed as an inline six isn't exactly the text-book way to design a good inline 4 cyl. Oh Holden

[FairmontGS]

HD Holdon, nitrous, Holley 400. I'd run a transfer case to twin 3 speed all-sychros, column mounted.

Gears 1-3 left side of the column and 4-6 on the right. You'd have to been handy with the changes

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

ADR27a pollution gear was the enemy in those days.

Exactly!!Not that It took much Bypassing..(So I've heard)

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Raptor

So basically a Torana hatchback

Pretty much, but nobody likes either the UC or a sunbird. Even though they had a hand brake not the foot handbrake, but they never had a factory v8 option.

[Raptor]

Originally Posted by .:4:.

Pretty much, but nobody likes either the UC or a sunbird. Even though they had a hand brake not the foot handbrake, but they never had a factory v8 option.

Nobody?

I chose a UC Torana in preference to a LH/LX (back in the mid 80's)

Sure no V8 option but apart from the A9X they were the only Torana's with the revised floorplan that allowed for better rear suspension geometry, a bigger diff and the possibility of rear discs.

This is a nice one But those tail lights

[Citroënbender]

Originally Posted by Raptor

...slicing two cylinders off an engine designed as an inline six isn't exactly the text-book way to design a good inline 4 cyl. Oh Holden

This approach begat the “PRV” vee-six as used in DMC among others. It was reduced 25% in length between design and final tooling as the early seventies fuel crisis dug in. It kept the shared rod journals and 90° OHC banks. Only a couple of V8 prototypes remain. Interestingly the patternmakers didn’t remove all the redundant bosses when cutting it down; it’s like pylons of a forgotten bridge.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Raptor

slicing two cylinders off an engine designed as an inline six isn't exactly the text-book way to design a good inline 4 cyl. Oh Holden

Never hurt Detroit diesels interchangeable modular design.

[Citroënbender]

Or the IH slant fours.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Raptor

Nobody?

I chose a UC Torana in preference to a LH/LX (back in the mid 80's)

Sure no V8 option but apart from the A9X they were the only Torana's with the revised floorplan that allowed for better rear suspension geometry, a bigger diff and the possibility of rear discs.

This is a nice one image But those tail lights

I knew they had the better chassis, being just a 6 there's a better chance of not having bent rails. Sunbirds, well, they didnt make enough torque to twist the cap off a vb. The car i first learnt to drive in was a UC hatch, 202, shot trimatic, years later when i was 16 i had L plates on a 12 second 308 converted UC sedan. 12.8 is still a 12.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Exactly!!Not that It took much Bypassing..(So I've heard)

No need to bypass anything, just rip it all off.

back in the day, had a 27A HX panel van.
208 triple 1 3/4 SUs Yella Terra head, mild comp cam, roller rockers and airbox intake, Supra box.

Got a lovely noise complaint letter and sent to the then RTA Lidcombe test centre.
The car got the full emission tests done on it, with the RTA guy telling me to re install the tailpipes (had side pipes) but it was the cleanest running HX he had ever done and passed it, to go back on the road.

I remember his reference to the triples as a poor man fuel injection.

[Sprintey]

I'm going forward in years to 2009, and Franco's challenge is to take a Golf with the DSG and 1.4L twincharger (world motor of the year, mind you) and
a) maintain the thing
b) boost it until something breaks.

[CyberWasp]

With all this talk about Starfire Commodores I figure I can enter a 2nd crap car to compete.
The Camira was a Supercar and don't you forget it.

I wish I could list the mods I would do to it but I have lost all interest in this Camira project already.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

I'm going forward in years to 2009, and Franco's challenge is to take a Golf with the DSG and 1.4L twincharger (world motor of the year, mind you) and
a) maintain the thing
b) boost it until something breaks.

Oh my, I'm the most vehement VW hater, it's a match made in heaven, or most probably hell

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

With all this talk about Starfire Commodores I figure I can enter a 2nd crap car to compete.
The Camira was a Supercar and don't you forget it.

I wish I could list the mods I would do to it but I have lost all interest in this Camira project already.

image

My mum had a camira wagon. It was factory fitted with the crapping out option, the random boot opening whilst driving option, and its demise was the option not too many people took. That was the parking pin and handbrake failing option. The house across the road was a good enough brake. They didnt appreciate it, but who wouldnt love a camira in the living room?

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

With all this talk about Starfire Commodores I figure I can enter a 2nd crap car to compete.
The Camira was a Supercar and don't you forget it.

I wish I could list the mods I would do to it but I have lost all interest in this Camira project already.

image

Two recollections of the almighty Starfire four . Sister Agnes was fellow Nun and friend of my Auntie Molly(Sister Cecilia) who was a teaching nun at Westbury and would bring her home occasionally as my aunt never learned to drive . Agnes became a close friend of the whole family over the years . One day they arrived in a new VC Commodore with the four and auto . I hadn't long got my licence and was car mad ,suppose I still am , so we were talking about the new ride . I recall Sr Agnes saying it was nice enough to drive but it's a bit noisy and slow compared to the Toyota the convent had before . Still recall that .

A bit later on my mate's dad bought a gold VC Commodore Starfire with a manual box . I recall a few golf trips in it with Pete , Paul , Chris , Yvonne and such .From the passenger seat I think Agnes was right and I don't believe it was particularly economical either.. To be honest I've never driven a Holden car with the Starfire but I'm guessing it's not all that fondly remembered in many cases .

[roKWiz]

Back in the day we referred to them as misfire fours.

[Mulva]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

...A bit later on my mate's dad bought a gold VC Commodore Starfire with a manual box . I recall a few golf trips in it with Pete , Paul , Chris , Yvonne and such .From the passenger seat I think Agnes was right and I don't believe it was particularly economical either...

You just needed to look over his shoulder to see the vacuum econo gauge to see how economical it was



Have to admit teenage me did like how fast that gauge would "blip" on quick gear changes (VB 202, not starfire)

[arronm]

[.:4:.]

Probably the least inspiring manual car i have ever driven was a vb commodore L. The car was bought from a deceised estate, as basic of a car it was, stock 202, 4 speed manual, it was in mint condition. It was bought by a mate of my brother who had just got off a legnthy driving ban. The plan was to drop in the motor his dad built and gave him years earlier for his 18th. A perfect straight car for the 355 twin throttle body efi stroker holden v8. That thing made some silly numbers on the engine dyno, had all the bees dick parts, but for reliability was de tuned to 550hp on the engine dyno. The engine never made it into the car. Due to a sketchy driving history the blokes dad wouldnt let him put the motor in a tin can. The car got sold when the rego ran out for $600, the over built 355, that went for closer to $20k.
That thing would have been an absolute rocket ship being so light.

[Junkyard-Dog]

I had a 87 Ford Telstar. 2.0 carby, 5 speed manual. It was my first car so naturally, I installed the largest speakers I could fit - after chopping half the rear parcel shelf out to make room for them...

That car was an absolute POS. To improve it? I'd probably just throw an ebay turbo on... See what the factory engine and trans can handle, then burn the car to the ground when something major breaks.

Yep.

[oldel]

Without doubt, the datto 180B has to be the most underated car that's worth a turbo, cam and EFI.

They sold heaps, people raced them, some still love them but when I was younger me and my mates treated dattos like a joke. Later on I slowly respected the older ones but the 120y, 180b and 200b were always treated as a joke. Wasn't until the mid 90s when I changed my mind realised the 180b was decent really.

Otherwise something maserati powered (not a biturbo but something back when citroen owned them). E: or something rover, volvo or saab. Holden is deadset boring because when they're bad there's no redeeming features yet they always sell heaps so not exactly a hated car.

E; If I could do an engine transplant I would have picked the datsun sunny - wagon

[ford71V8]

First car was a 180B.
Would still be going I reckon if it hadnt been T-boned.

[Franco Cozzo]

One of the more modern Saab's has the smaller capacity Commodore Alloytec (2.8L) V6 but with a turbo - it's a 9-5 Aero or something.

I reckon that's a pretty solid ****box project.

[mondeomatureguy]

I remember reading in a car magazine once when the Leyland Kimberley was released and the Press was at the Leyland factory in Zetland in Sydney for the release.

A reporter asked a Leyland Staff member what he thought about the Leyland Kimberley and he said "Theses Cars are crap mate"!

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by mondeomatureguy

I remember reading in a car magazine once when the Leyland Kimberley was released and the Press was at the Leyland factory in Zetland in Sydney for the release.

A reporter asked a Leyland Staff member what he thought about the Leyland Kimberley and he said "Theses Cars are crap mate"!

That reminds me of years ago when i got the ranger as a work car. I was working alongside a mate who was from the diesel generator mob. He didnt mind the ranger, but he clicked it when i said the new dmax my manager was pretty nice. Back in sef affffrica he worked in the isuzu factory. He arked up and said doesnt matter if the look alright, theyre ****. I couldnt get a word in after that, it turned into a long rant about all the reasons isuzus are ****.

[Syndrome]

Holden Barina (the Daewoo Kalos version)


Modifications:


Fill the boot with plastic containers full of fuel (no caps on the plastic containers).
Fill the interior with plastic containers full of fuel (no caps on the plastic containers).


Open all of the windows and then for the 'pièce de résistance', throw a lit cigarette inside the car.


Voila!

[CyberWasp]

What about a Toyota T18 as a project.
I am sure if you raid the Toyota parts bin there could be some good upgrades.
You would have to make it really fast so no one could see you in it.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Holden Barina (the Daewoo Kalos version)


Modifications:


Fill the boot with plastic containers full of fuel (no caps on the plastic containers).
Fill the interior with plastic containers full of fuel (no caps on the plastic containers).


Open all of the windows and then for the 'pièce de résistance', throw a lit cigarette inside the car.


Voila!

You're being a bit harsh the Syndrome...
Obviously had a bad one. We've got One. Wife got it new(2011), Oldest Daughter has Assumed Possession Of it.. 130 thousand K's & nothing but Services & 1 Coil pack 10-12 months ago Plus a couple of recalls..

No real complaints ,here.

[oldel]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

What about a Toyota T18 as a project.
I am sure if you raid the Toyota parts bin there could be some good upgrades.
You would have to make it really fast so no one could see you in it.

image

I forgot about them, were they are really early attempt at a camry hatchback, like just after the celica got fat and boring with the cockroach style and it was the last hurrah for that chassis?

Similar note, I doubt you'll find this (along with the rusty celica/camry/t18), the nissan gazelle...
E: I mean the 1980 similar hatchabck style gazelle like this https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HER..._turbo_xe.html
Not the notchback later gazelle which was the forerunner here to the silvia and sxx series of nissans

[roKWiz]

Get myself a Nissan ute and stuff a crossflow in it.
Oh crap.