Fantasy Garage
Posted by: Brian OReilly on 07 November 2002
This is for NAIMGAME 'cos I know he's bored.
OK. Assuming you have a BMW 530d Touring parked outside for daily use, what vehicles would be in your Fantasy Garage ?
Pick five. Cars, motorbikes, anything with wheels, old or new, cost no object, you choose.
Think about it in bed tonight, and post tomorrow.
BTW if you're reading this Mick, Fantasy Garage does not mean Miss Whiplash and a rubber Postman Uniform.
Regards,
Regards,
Brian OReilly
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Steve G
Realistic(ish) options:
2 wheels
Honda Pan European for touring & commuting
Honda Fireblade for fun and trackdays
4 wheels
Caterham 7 for fun and trackdays
Audi RS6 tourer as a family runabout
Hymer S-class motorhome (with a garage for my mountain bikes) as hillwalking/MTBing base camp
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by BLT
Sod realism, I'm going for fantasy!
1. Full Spec MG Metro 6R4 with goodmans short-stroke engine, 3-way proflex etc (For forest Rallying)
2. Darrian GTR with N/A 2.4 Millington Diamond Cosworth engine (For Tarmac Rallying)
3. Porsche Cayenne Turbo S - to tow the two cars listed above, as a chase car and for general day-to-day driving.
4. '65 Pontiac GTO convertible - for sunny days.
5. Bentley Continental S1 - for not quite so sunny days.
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by BLT:
3. Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
I saw one of those in the airport car park and it's got to be one of the ugliest cars ever built!
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Rasher
quote:
Originally posted by Steve G:
I saw one of those in the airport car park and it's got to be one of the ugliest cars ever built!
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Steve G
My dad had a Maxi for a while and I thought it was a great car! It was a long, long time ago though.
Possibly the worst car (for looks and everything else) I've ever driven was an Austin though - a 1.1 Allegro. *shudder*
The first corner I encountered (at a fairly slow pace) I thought I was going straight off the road as I'd never encountered that much understeer before.
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by BLT
Yes, I agree - the Cayenne is absolutely hideous, I'm swapping it for a VW Touareg V10 Tdi. It isn't too pretty either (based on the same platform as the Cayenne) but it does have 550lbft of torque - ideal for towing
If you look at the Maxi from a spec point of view - Overhead cam engine, 5-speed gearbox, hatchback - it was a car at least 15 years ahead of it's time. What a pity that the execution was so poor.
There's just no excuse for the Allegro, though. It was worse in most respects than its predecessor (The Austin/Morris 1100/1300). The only real innovation was the "quartic" steering wheel. This had been a feature of the Edsel - another great motoring success (not). The body on early Allegros was often so floppy that jacking up one corner of the car resulted in the rear windscreen popping out!
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Hammerhead
Need it be fantasy?quote:
Originally posted by BLT:
1. Full Spec MG Metro 6R4 with goodmans short-stroke engine, 3-way proflex etc (For forest Rallying)
One here for sale at 65 large.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=21214&s=298My mum had an Allegro. It was bright yellow and I can remember thinking it was wicked because it had a radio (I was about 10 at the time.) All her other cars up to that point hadn't. It was one of the series 3 type I think with quite smart plastic wheel trims.
Steve
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by JeremyD
In view of current traffic conditions:
1. Sherman tank. As with a motorbike, a Sherman can be useful for making those gaps in city traffic that just aren't there for cars.
2. Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle. Although speed cameras preclude the use of its 300mph top speed for safe overtaking manoeuvres [cf the recent "Speed" thread], I feel its front-mounted missile would, in such circumstances, prove a highly effective road safety device.
3. Joe 90 car. A long journey can often be more restful without the immediate proximity of other traffic. But wouldn't I need a pilot's licence? And how far in advance would one need to have the flight plan approved?
4. This was going to be Ed Straker's car [making it the third in a trio of vehicles from Gerry Anderson series], simply because it looks so cool. Then I remembered that Honda already built it in the form of the Honda Prelude of a decade or more ago.
5. After choosing most of my other vehicles for their eminent practicality it occurred to me that if I were rich enough to own all those cars then I would probably want a vehicle that made more of a "statement" than Brian's compulsory BMW 520d. Actually, I don't know why people want cars that make statements but fictional sales reps etc. always seem to think they cannot be successful without such a car. Hence I have chosen Kitt from the TV series Knight Rider, because it makes more statements than any other car I know of. (Hudson from Terrahawks was a close second).
[This message was edited by JeremyD on Wed 26 May 2004 at 15:41.]
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by JeremyD:
2. _Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle_. Although speed cameras preclude the use of its 300mph top speed for safe overtaking manoeuvres [cf the recent "Speed" thread],
Current speed cameras don't work if you're doing more than about 180mph so you'd be fine.
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Rasher
I think Jeremy, we have all just learned a lot about you.
Why not swap the Sherman tank for the UFO all terrain jobbie.
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by ErikL
Bikes-
Independent Fabrication Steel Deluxe w/ XTR
Serotta Concours CS w/ Record
Tractor-
Kubota L4300 with all digging/shoveling attachments (this would be fun to play with in the city)
Other-
Motorized stand-up skateboard/scooter thingy (for commuting)
Car-
1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 (as long as it rumbled side to side when idling)
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Mike Sae
In light of current gas prices I want to trade my fantasy garage for 200,000USD and a bus pass.
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Dan M
Assuming regular transportation has been taken care of:
- Pinarello Dogma with Campy Record
- Moots YBB SL with XTR
- 1960 BMW R69S w/ BMW certified mechanic
- 4x4 pickup + Airstream International CCD
- The Ferrari from "Ferris Buellers Day Off"
[This message was edited by Dan M on Wed 26 May 2004 at 18:13.]
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Mike Sae
JeremyD, Kitt is sorta low key- I mean, take away the cylon light and what do you have? A black Pontiac.
Perhaps the Tactical Van from A-Team would make more of a statement?
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by MichaelC
quote:
Originally posted by Steve G:
Possibly the worst car (for looks and everything else) I've ever driven was an Austin though - a 1.1 Allegro. *shudder*
The first corner I encountered (at a fairly slow pace) I thought I was going straight off the road as I'd never encountered that much understeer before.
Steve
If not worse, but at the very least a tie for the very worst was my first ever car - the Morris Ital.
I just do not believe that I have owned up to this.
To sum up: acceleration = glacial; steering = purely advisory (turn the steering wheel and after what felt like an age the chassis would respond, and an age later the body would follow); stopping = confidence would not be a word I would use in relation to the brakes (thankfully it couldn't go fast enough to be a worry); bodywork = nice two-tone effect with the outbreaks of paintwork anmongst the rust; seats = they looked like seats; electrics = sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn't.
The might of British Leyland and whatever they called themselves in those days.
Mike
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by MichaelC
What would be in my fanatsy garage?
In no particular order:
- Porsche 911 (turbo/convertible variety)
- Datsun 240Z Samuri variant
- Nissan 350Z Nismo variant
- M5
- X5 (for my wife)
- one of the UFO vehicles please
Mike
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by JohanR
quote:
Assuming you have a BMW 530d Touring parked outside for daily use, what vehicles would be in your Fantasy Garage ?
To me a 530d station wagon is a nightmare (big, diesel and, well, a station wagon). But, anyway:
1. A second hand 1990:s formula 1 car (can be bought here
http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/f1s.htm ). To use a supercar like Maranello, Gallardo or whatever, anywhere near it's limit you need to go to a racetrack anyway. So, why bother with the roadgoing capability. You also need a fulltime mechanic, but this is a fantasy.
2. A big truck to haul the F1 car.
3. Something topless for the summer. Don't know what since I haven't driven the expensive ones, but something between a 360 and an AMG SL55 will probably fit.
4. Something four wheel drive for the winter. Mitsu EVO something will probably do.
5. A vintage of some sort. Bugatti type 35 maybe?
JohanR
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by musfed
I forgot to add a bike for the sporty bits:
A Merlin Cielo with Campy of course. Ultimate in design. Carbon fiber with titanium lugs.
Merlin in close up(Tilff-Bastogne-Tilff this weekend)
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by MichaelC:
Steve
If not worse, but at the very least a tie for the very worst was my first ever car - the Morris Ital.
I don't recall ever driving one of those, however a friend had a Morris Marina 1.3 saloon as his first car and I recall it being really, really bad - with handling similar to the way you've described the Ital.
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by BigH47
Dodge Viper SRT-10 to pose and make a lot of noise!
Dodge Ram SRT-10 as above but to carry:-
some form of Paris Dakar type m/bike.
Cayenne/VW equivalent. For the country(Sloane Square pavement).
Maclaren/merc SL55 for the euro tours.
Full spec mad Lotus 7 type thingy for track days etc.
Howard
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by Steve G
quote:
Originally posted by JohanR:
1. A second hand 1990:s formula 1 car (can be bought here http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/f1s.htm ). To use a supercar like Maranello, Gallardo or whatever, anywhere near it's limit you need to go to a racetrack anyway. So, why bother with the roadgoing capability. You also need a fulltime mechanic, but this is a fantasy.
I was flicking through a classic car mag last night and there were quite a few F1 cars for sale - "ideal trackday car".
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by trickytree
quote:
My dad had a Maxi for a while and I thought it was a great car! It was a long, long time ago though.
Possibly the worst car (for looks and everything else) I've ever driven was an Austin though - a 1.1 Allegro. *shudder*
The first corner I encountered (at a fairly slow pace) I thought I was going straight off the road as I'd never encountered that much
I once drove a Allegro "Sport", which was nothing more than a bog standard Allegro with a 1750 Maxi engine fitted. Be afraid, be very afraid if anyone offers you a lift in one.
Paul.
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by Rasher
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by Steve G
Posted on: 27 May 2004 by BLT
The original Marina prototypes handled so badly that one car magazine refused to drive them. BL managed to make small improvements but they were always dreadful. The front suspension and steering came from the Minor - with all of the problems associated with trunnions etc. While the minor was renonwed forr its good handling it was designed in 1948 and weighed considerably less than the Marina.
Lord Stokes has a lot to answer for.....
