Forgotten sports car?

:grin: a bit like Jeremy Clarksons Toyota that he crossed the channel in, covered in mastic and tape etc :laughing:

I remember being in Manchester, outside a nightclub behind Kendals and a “yuppie” got into one of these being driven by a chauffer. It was the 1980’s but it looked so cool. Not sure he would have the same reaction now, but I suppose getting in one now would say a very different thing about the passenger…

Hmm, IAD in the mid 80s, with Jon Shute showing off the MX5 technology demonstrator (V705). What’s in the background? Fiats, Toyotas and Reliants



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I was watching an old favourite, To Catch a Thief, on TV today and saw a Mk1 Sunbeam Alpine supposedly being driven with spirit by Grace Kelly.

Memories of one of my fellow students at Uni having a white one; it spent most of its time in pieces.

Are any left?

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Great set of photos and some nice old cars , I’m surprised there’s not a Lotus Elan there as well :grin: Like the white Spit.

Ooh! I know, post a picture of an ss1 in the ‘what I did to my mx-5 today thread’ and see if you can get mentioned on the When we ask what do you think thread :rofl:

That’s really quite interesting to see those photos.

Also of course MX5-Parts real name is Scimitar International Limited, so it just shows that the MX-5 must be the big brother of the SS1 whether His_Mazdas_Voice likes it or not! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Not :rofl:

MX5parts started selling “MX5” parts when they figured out the headlight for the Scimitar fitted the Mk1 MX5. As I recall, then they managed to get some surplus Mazda parts from the US.

Ka Yu/ Shing Fung (SFTMX5parts) put the cat among the pigeons by sourcing seriously cut price parts from Mazda in Japan (MX5s in Japan got bigger oil filters than Europe). Things got a bit tetchy at one point over website address registrations, butSFT became David Manners,and isn’t really the same now.

My sister had one of those tiny fiats it felt like a death trap as a passenger.

I wish they would source some cut price chrome bling

Oh dear…

When I was in the Triumph Sport Six Club the Amphicar was allowed to be part of the club, as it has a Herald engine and gearbox.

Come to think of it, that’s another car you rarely see now , the Triumph Herald/Vitesse convertable quite a respectable looking little car although I never owned one ,they always looked rather nice though, and they always remind me of old fashioned English summer days, wickerwork picnic baskets , sandwiches, cakes and a flask of tea , under a tree on the edge of a golden cornfield,…getting a bit carried away there , but you get my drift :sunglasses:

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I wrote my dad’s Vitesse off on black ice… Quick, great soundtrack , synchro wore out very quickly , and awful lack of grip . Early cars were the worst , with swing axle jack up pitching the unwary into the undergrowth. Power oversteer anywhere , anytime on 4.5 inch wheels with 155 tyres. And a hoot in the snow …

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I’ve got to admit, this looks damn nice :grin: thank God for enthusiasts who have got the time, money and patience to keep these cars on the road, all the things I haven’t got :grin:

Vitesse

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A friend of mine is currently restoring a Triumph Vitesse. It’s a bit different as someone previously had fitted a TR6 engine in it ( 2.5 ltr straight six with 3 twin choke Webbers ) Personally I’m not sure I’d fancy a ride in it as although it’s got upgraded brakes it’s still on the original suspension set up.
My first company car was a Austin Allegro estate 1.3 Deluxe. Finished in a terrible sort of mustard brown colour with the square steering wheel.

Sounds like its gonna be a fun drive when its finished :neutral_face: I know "modding " is all part of the scene, but personally with cars like the one pictured above , I’d like it restored to its original spec, even if its underpowered, but each to his own .
As for modding, this MX5/ Miata would impress the neighbors :laughing:

Someone modified a bit more

Now that’s a surprise :joy:

Great little cars, Heralds.
Hinge up the bonnet, sit on the wheel and the engine is all there in front of you.
24’ turning circle, back end skipped around corners line a kangaroo.

My first car was a green 13/60 soft-top and my mates had a red 1200 soft-top, a white 13/60 hardtop and a blue soft-top 2L vitesse - Lovely straight 6 engine in the vitesse.

Happy days :grinning:

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