For those interested in old cars.

[royaloak]

My Mum and Dad had a Visa, it was the 652cc (I think) and was good for 80mph, I always enjoyed driving it, my Dad would avoid driving as much as possible..

[sandwich station]

My Mum and Dad had a Visa, it was the 652cc (I think) and was good for 80mph, I always enjoyed driving it, my Dad would avoid driving as much as possible..

 

Do you have any pics of this?

[rockershovel]

I’ve never owned a Visa and have no recollection of ever driving one, but I often encountered the 2CV in my North African days. Strong, robust car, good performance on unmade or sub-standard roads and capable of carrying surprising loads (especially the “roll up roof” ones). Often seen with a small pressed-steel trailer containing sheep, surplus children or anything else Not Wanted On Voyage.

 

Incredibly uncomfortable seats, also had its own version of those little flaps below the windscreen which Land Rovers use to fill the body with sand...

[peanuts]

iirc the visa was quite a successful rally car especially on the continent where it was popular due to its low cost seem to remember a citreon visa cup or is that just my imagination  

[Southern Steve]

Seen at today's Chevrons Rally in Little Horwood, a Series 2 CX25 TRI Safari with some serious sound system in it:

 

IMG_20180908_151323.jpg

Hi Horsefan,

 

 

 

I know this car well as I did all the electrics on it!

 

 

You're right it has got some serious kit on it. Rear roof mounted a/c heater unit, remote start alarm, front and rear park sensors, rear and front facing .ameras, rear view mirror with built in sat nav and hands free fone. Plus other stuff I've forgotten about!

 

 

Here are a few of it in build. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Owd Bob]

We held our little annual car show yesterday, not many that had booked in bothered to turn up in the terrible wet weather but who could blame them as we ended up finishing in the early afternoon, but thankfully the few that had bothered brought some interesting vehicles. We had 15 cars in total. 

Low mileage mint 1966 Kestral still with original tyres and just 5,950 miles on the clock.

 

Swedish 'Toppica' camper only four still exist we were told by the owner who also brought this Saab badged Lancia 600, said to be the only one anywhere by the owner who had just brought it back to this Country.

This MGC was recently acquired by a friend of a friend when his brother sadly passed away recently, he did'nt think it was anything much special but it was chosen by the other classic owners as the car of the show. It had plenty of 1970's racing history, but sadly no hard top! 

The two door mk4 Escorts are getting rarer to see nowadays'

Back to the more common classic stuff!

I've seen an early Visa around here recently, a Silver one, a bit battered but still on the road, i'll try and catch a snap of it one day.

Edited September 9, 2018 by Owd Bob

[Horsetan]

I know this car well as I did all the electrics on it!

 

 

You're right it has got some serious kit on it. ...

I looked at the colour and thought it might be one of yours....

[Jol Wilkinson]

I am surprised the tyres on the Riley Kestrel haven't been condemned at an MOT. My MGB  got an advisory for cracking in the tread grooves on the rears, which were definitely not original at 80,000 miles.

 

There has been some discussion on the MGOC forum about tyre life. The general consensus is that they should be changed when ten years old, although the tyre manufacturers are - not unsurprisingly - in favour of changing at six years.Apparently wet weather performance deteriorates more noticeably at first.

[johnlambert]

I am surprised the tyres on the Riley Kestrel haven't been condemned at an MOT. My MGB  got an advisory for cracking in the tread grooves on the rears, which were definitely not original at 80,000 miles.

 

There has been some discussion on the MGOC forum about tyre life. The general consensus is that they should be changed when ten years old, although the tyre manufacturers are - not unsurprisingly - in favour of changing at six years.Apparently wet weather performance deteriorates more noticeably at first.

I fully agree, Jol.  Generally speaking, originality is to be commended in old cars but not where tyres were concerned.  The original covers probably weren't great when new and certainly won't have improved with age, even if the tread depth is still technically legal.

 

I think a lot of old car owners fall foul of tyre age as they don't do enough miles to wear out a set of tyres.  Given that the tyres are what keep you on the road it seems foolish to compromise or take any chances.

[peanuts]

this popped into my facebook feed vintage car and trains https://www.facebook.com/hannah.marshall.9275/videos/10156625452733134/?t=8

[Owd Bob]

I fully agree, Jol.  Generally speaking, originality is to be commended in old cars but not where tyres were concerned.  The original covers probably weren't great when new and certainly won't have improved with age, even if the tread depth is still technically legal.

 

I think a lot of old car owners fall foul of tyre age as they don't do enough miles to wear out a set of tyres.  Given that the tyres are what keep you on the road it seems foolish to compromise or take any chances.

I agree completely! I and others discussed the safety issues about the tyres yesterday with the owner but i'm afraid that with some folks you just can't tell them owt!   The tyres did look ok and had no visable cracking at all, was told the vehicle had been very well dry stored for many years....but there's still no way would i t risk it. Sorry Peanuts but that Face-ache link do's not work for me at this end, so i have'nt a clue what you are showing or trying to say!

Edited September 9, 2018 by Owd Bob

[Oldddudders]

Facebook says “Content not found”.

[alastairq]

The real question to ask about the Riley is...was it trailered to & from the event [to preserve the low mileage, or not get it dirty?]?

I assume , from their shape, the tyres are crossplies?

These are available new [at a price that makes my eyes water]....so they may be purely 'of original pattern'....?

 

Tyres apparently deteriorate regardless of how they're stored [according to the industry]!

 

[Although any advice of this nature, to emanate from a particular industry, I do take with a certain amount of salt-pinching...as I am always aware they have vested interests.]

 

Do modern crossply tyres actually have date markings? I have two new ones [bought from a reputable specialist dealer] and can find nothing remotely resembling a date marking.

 

MoTs don't usually check for date markings [excpt on large vehicles]...but there are rumoured to be moves afoot to remedy this?

 

Finally, from a personal viewpoint, my driving reflects the fact I place little or no faith in the abilities of my tyres to 'grip' under a variety of conditions. Regardless of make, price wear etc.....experience has informed me that any misplaced faith in one's tyres is usually brought to nought at some point.

 

All I do is maintain them to the best of my ability.

 

The thing to worry about is, the attitude of other drivers in this respect?

[kernowtim]

Stanley steamer at llanfair, sept 1st 2018

[Kickstart]

Tyres seem variable. Very much seems to depend on how they are stored.

 

I know on bikes, my fz750 was off the road for about 8 years. The tyres had very little wet weather grip when I put it back on the road. I have a little ysr50 which still has its original tyres. On the other hand I own an Aprilia Sintesi, which the previous owner had put on new tyres a couple of years before. The new tyres were Yokohama’s, and they gave up making bike tyres at least 15 years earlier. Despite only being on the bike a couple of years they were a horrendous mess.

 

Katy

[russ p]

iirc the visa was quite a successful rally car especially on the continent where it was popular due to its low cost seem to remember a citreon visa cup or is that just my imagination

 

I always had a soft spot for the GTi especially the 115 version

[Owd Bob]

The Riley has crossplys and the owner drives his cars no matter how mint they are to all the shows he attends, yesterday he only traveled 3 miles but next week he is attending a show 30 miles away! I'm afraid there's no getting through to these elderly Owd Wigganer ex' Pit Men .. After 10 years i think its time to call it a day with our show, we started with 60 vehicles attending for the first three years but then local car clubs who attended and supported our show beggered off and started their own displays on the very same day, basically they nicked our idea and got the funding from the same kitty we did and for us things have gone down hill ever since! I just have to convince swmbo to now call it a day! I just went to visit another classic show held in my home town today  but run by a car club from a town 10 miles away   So is it really feckin' worth it!   

[PhilJ W]

I noticed that my tyres were showing cracks about the edge three years ago so I replaced them straight away. They were seven years old and less than 20,000 miles. I would have had to replace a couple of them due to pothole damage that was not visible whilst they were on the wheel. My brother had a Citroen Visa, IIRC it was 1100 cc with 4 cylinders mounted traversly but I understood the cheaper versions had the engine/transmission from the 2CV.

[Owd Bob]

Been looking at all the nasty cheapo' looking tyres on fee-bay for my Rascal van resto' i'll have to use commercial tyres but there's so many cheapo's at £75 a pair or £100 for four etc and not enough decent quality made ones in the size i need ...cheap enough for me to afford just yet, and as a camper it'll be sat around for long periods! But i'll sort that prob' out when i get to it......probably next Summer by the look of things!    

[PhilJ W]

Been looking at all the nasty cheapo' looking tyres on fee-bay for my Rascal van resto' i'll have to use commercial tyres but there's so many cheapo's at £75 a pair or £100 for four etc and not enough decent quality made ones in the size i need ...cheap enough for me to afford just yet, and as a camper it'll be sat around for long periods! But i'll sort that prob' out when i get to it......probably next Summer by the look of things!    

I got my tyres via Black Circles, very convenient, you choose and buy your tyres on the internet and then you only have to take the vehicle in at the booked time and place to have them fitted.

[Fat Controller]

I thought it was Eire?

 

To align with EU policy, they were going to try moving cars over one year...and if that worked OK, move trucks and buses over the following year?

 

Mind, they did that in Sweden.....everything stopped at a certain time near midnight...then swapped sides of the road...waiting a bit, before carrying on. I should imagine it confused the hell out of the elks....

I think it was 1985 when the French changed the rule about priorities on round-abouts, so that instead of 'priorité a droité, vehicles already on the roundabout took precedence. However, given the number of roundabouts that had to have markings painted on, the change was phased from Departément to Departémant. Driving down to Beaujolais was even more difficult than normal that year, as you didn't know which way round things would work when you moved from one to another.

[Owd Bob]

I got my tyres via Black Circles, very convenient, you choose and buy your tyres on the internet and then you only have to take the vehicle in at the booked time and place to have them fitted.

One problem Phil is i'll need the tyres put on before i can ever drive it or get to take it for a MOT! All the ones i have are completely ker-nackered! I'll have to buy on line and then pay to have them fitted ....maybe i can buy one a month from now until xmas and then store them on top of the wardrobe   Do you think swmbo will notice them?

[alastairq]

One problem Phil is i'll need the tyres put on before i can ever drive it or get to take it for a MOT! All the ones i have are completely ker-nackered! I'll have to buy on line and then pay to have them fitted ....maybe i can buy one a month from now until xmas and then store them on top of the wardrobe   Do you think swmbo will notice them?

The smell of fresh rubber, perhaps???   

[alastairq]

Been looking at all the nasty cheapo' looking tyres on fee-bay for my Rascal van resto' i'll have to use commercial tyres but there's so many cheapo's at £75 a pair or £100 for four etc and not enough decent quality made ones in the size i need ...cheap enough for me to afford just yet, and as a camper it'll be sat around for long periods! But i'll sort that prob' out when i get to it......probably next Summer by the look of things!    

 

What size tyres are you looking for?

 

Can you be bothered to convert to Datsun 13 inch wheels?

[RANGERS]

40 years ago, these little cars began to hit the streets of Europe:

 

IMG_20180908_163858.jpg

 

Hell, was it as long ago as that!?

Took a test drive in a Visa GT in 1984 but ended up buying an MG Metro. Another of my daft ideas.