For those interested in old cars.

[Owd Bob]

Know what you mean Phil' all the dash is already stripped out because the master brake cylinder and servo are all under there and they are both away for rebuilding at the mo' The wipers have been on and are working ok, so the cab, dash and steering and the wiring is a real mess at the minute, the windscreen was broken when we got it, so that needs replacing soon we have a new screen and the old rubber is ok. As for speed i think i'll just guess at it and we'll be slower than any passing push bike so well be alright! 

[Two_sugars]

I bet that's a bit of a Bu99er in a cross-wind. . . . 

 

 

John

[keefr2]

Not sure if i could safely & legally these days leave the smaller original wheels on the front?

Do you mean width or diameter? Lot of cars still come with larger width rear wheels - Porsche 911's as just one example....

[polybear]

Not sure if i could safely & legally these days leave the smaller original wheels on the front?

 

 

Good idea to tell the insurance thieves company if you do - any excuse not to pay out.....

[Rugd1022]

Great selection of photos Hobby, many thanks for posting those - the Rover 2200's are getting very scarce now, they were only built from late '73 to early '77 with so many of them donating parts to 3500s down the years.

[Owd Bob]

Thanks keefr2, i mean just leave the original 12" inch diam' on the front they are 155.R x 12 C. i can't really fit any wider profile ones on the front unless i fit spacers, but there's plenty of room under the arches in the diameter size for a bigger diameter tyre but that would just make it sit up higher and look narrower, i'm just thinking would it be legal and work ok with wider tyres on the back. I'm dreading driving it on any motorway and the thought of the 40 tonners rushing past makes me shudder...it's all old roads for me with this thing....i should be able to get the 70 miles from here to N Wales in a week for our annual hols' at least we can brew up and kip in it on the way   .

[Hobby]

Auto versions are even rarer, though there are a few round here! The other P6 was an auto as well, though a 2000, not 2200, perhaps we auto owners get about more!

[keefr2]

Thanks keefr2, i mean just leave the original 12" inch diam' on the front they are 155.R x 12 C. i can't really fit any wider profile ones on the front unless i fit spacers, but there's plenty of room under the arches in the diameter size for a bigger diameter tyre but that would just make it sit up higher and look narrower, i'm just thinking would it be legal and work ok with wider tyres on the back. I'm dreading driving it on any motorway and the thought of the 40 tonners rushing past makes me shudder...it's all old roads for me with this thing....i should be able to get the 70 miles from here to N Wales in a week for our annual hols' at least we can brew up and kip in it on the way   .

Don't know about that tbh Bob, I think my son's Mazda RX8 had different profile tyres front to back, but the wheel diameters were the same.

 

Keith

[Horsetan]

"Staggered" wheels are very much a thing - I used to see 7x16 front, 8x16 rear or 8x17 front, 9x17 rear on BMWs. Some people like this, but I think it just complicates the job of buying tyres. I prefer mine the same size all round.

[alastairq]

Bob, wheel size/diameter, front-to-rear, don't matter....it's side-to-side where eyebrows get raised.

 

I doubt you'll notice much difference in speedo accuracy...as I recall, mine under-read quite a bit. When ready-to-roll, just go out in it, and give the Missus a borrowed sat nav.....that's give you some idea of where 30mph really is.

 

Sidewinds will be an issue, but the chassis is a heavy old lump, so COG is low down....it's the headwinds that will give you real issues...they'll possibly stop you in your tracks? You may find you'll be back to 12 inch wheels on the back, just to overtake artics?

 

For tyre, these are a good bunch

 

https://www.camskill.co.uk/

 

Just find a local enthusiastic garage to fit them for you...I pay but a tenner a wheel at mine.....since I've retired, I've lost access to the 'company' tyre fitter..who used to change a tyre for a few packets of custard creams. 

 

 

These are cheap enough as well

http://www.citytyre.co.uk/

Edited September 10, 2018 by alastairq

[Rugd1022]

The fab newfangled four wheel drive Jensen FF at Earls Court, it's either 1966, 67, 68 or 69...

 

 

 

[Two_sugars]

Thanks keefr2, i mean just leave the original 12" inch diam' on the front they are 155.R x 12 C. i can't really fit any wider profile ones on the front unless i fit spacers, but there's plenty of room under the arches in the diameter size for a bigger diameter tyre but that would just make it sit up higher and look narrower, i'm just thinking would it be legal and work ok with wider tyres on the back. I'm dreading driving it on any motorway and the thought of the 40 tonners rushing past makes me shudder...it's all old roads for me with this thing....i should be able to get the 70 miles from here to N Wales in a week for our annual hols' at least we can brew up and kip in it on the way   .

 

Your 155 X 12             gives to 926.5  turns per mile

 

         175/65 X 13       gives to 918.4  turns per mile

 

         165/70 X 13        gives to 912.7  turns per mile

 

 

So . .Up an inch on rim size and either of the above don't make much difference to your speedo reading but should give slightly better road holding.

 

 

John

[royaloak]

Do you have any pics of this?

Sadly not, it was 'just a car' at the time.

[alastairq]

Your 155 X 12             gives to 926.5  turns per mile

 

         175/65 X 13       gives to 918.4  turns per mile

 

         165/70 X 13        gives to 912.7  turns per mile

 

 

So . .Up an inch on rim size and either of the above don't make much difference to your speedo reading but should give slightly better road holding.

 

 

John

 

Remember Bob's age?

 

The 14 inchers will add about half an inch to the height of the driver's seat from the ground.......at our age, such trivia assume a terrible importance....

[PhilJ W]

Just a thought, the Rascal was basically a Suzuki Carry with Bedford/Vauxhall badging. The following model was virtually the same vehicle with the front wheels moved ahead of the cab and a short bonnet added. They were also fitted with 13 inch wheels so if you can obtain a set of wheels from one of these they hopefully would fit without any problems.

[Horsetan]

If anyone knows of a Leslie Alexander Franks of Edgware, it seems he was one of the previous owners of my CX. Only found this out today. I think he might be dead now.....

[Owd Bob]

Thanks for all the info' Lads especially the maths, i think i've sorted the tyres and sizes out now with your help and input, but only in my minds eye for now, i'm not really that owd just completely fecked up  ...so climbing in would be hard for me   we've tried looking for all the Suzuki parts as well and they virtually non-exisistant these days, it's the one reason we're having the brake master cylinder re-sleeved because i can't get the parts anymore not even a re-build kit, not that it would do much good as the alloy bore is badly scored! we could get a new master cylinder and servo from the main dealers and from overseas ..but at nearly a grand inc' vat they can stuff that for a game! We should get the originals rebuilt for well less than half that....we hope!   

[PhilJ W]

I wonder if any other parts from the later Suzuki Carry would fit. I was looking at a Bambi similar to yours a year or two back. The one I was considering was an MOT failure due to chronic rust but i was contemplating getting one of the later Suzuki's and transfering the caravan part on to it, should be simple as they are identical from the cab back. However a Suzuki in good order turned out to be expensive, there were plenty of cheap ones but many were only suitable for spares.

[Owd Bob]

My old but then new 1986 Suzuki ST90, came with side windows fitted and a folding rear seat, no VAT was payable on these vans back then and i bought this brand new for i'm sure less than three grand from a main dealer while working in Halifax.  As you might see everything about the body shell and a lot of the mechanics were completely different from the year later built British version of the Suzuki and Bedford badged Rascal vans. Think they still build this version in India? Seen mainly for Taxi use and painted Black and Yellow, plenty of spares are available for these from India but no parts are any good for my now year later built version....i've asked, looked, tried!

[Owd Bob]

I wonder if any other parts from the later Suzuki Carry would fit. I was looking at a Bambi similar to yours a year or two back. The one I was considering was an MOT failure due to chronic rust but i was contemplating getting one of the later Suzuki's and transfering the caravan part on to it, should be simple as they are identical from the cab back. However a Suzuki in good order turned out to be expensive, there were plenty of cheap ones but many were only suitable for spares.

I've been on a few forums and seen where some folks Phil' have taken a good savable camper bit off the back of an old rotting Bambi or Nipper chassis and stuck onto the newer 1300cc Suzuki Super Carries, Daihatsu's and Piaggio's....you'll need a pick-up version and cut the cab back out. There are some real fast wide wheeled custom Rascals out there as well!  

[Horsetan]

….Think they still build this version in India? ...

 

Maruti Suzuki - the joint venture has been operating in India for decades, and the minivan is still in production, apparently.

[PhilJ W]

My old but then new 1986 Suzuki ST90, came with side windows fitted and a folding rear seat, no VAT was payable on these vans back then and i bought this brand new for i'm sure less than three grand from a main dealer while working in Halifax.  As you might see everything about the body shell and a lot of the mechanics were completely different from the year later built British version of the Suzuki and Bedford badged Rascal vans. Think they still build this version in India? Seen mainly for Taxi use and painted Black and Yellow, plenty of spares are available for these from India but no parts are any good for my now year later built version....i've asked, looked, tried!

1-5-2018_159.JPG

There is/was a place in Erith that specialises in Suzuki spares. I went there for some parts for my Suzuki SJ410 but that was some years ago. 

[alastairq]

I had a Super Carry van [bought for me by last ex-wife...she thought I needed a wheelbarrow! Very useful vehicle indeed...although I was lucky if I saw 30 mpgs out of it....low geared, it was screaming at 70 mph!]

 

It was very narrow, compared to everything else, so I could take shortcuts up cycle tracks, and stuff like that!

 

But, a proper lorry in miniature...rather than a set of pressings from the nearest car range!

 

In many ways, I always thought it was what the Mini van should have morphed into. { Like I also thought the Honda S800 was what the MG Midget should have morphed into]  I used to like Morph....in those days....

[PhilJ W]

I had a Super Carry van [bought for me by last ex-wife...she thought I needed a wheelbarrow! Very useful vehicle indeed...although I was lucky if I saw 30 mpgs out of it....low geared, it was screaming at 70 mph!]

 

It was very narrow, compared to everything else, so I could take shortcuts up cycle tracks, and stuff like that!

 

But, a proper lorry in miniature...rather than a set of pressings from the nearest car range!

 

In many ways, I always thought it was what the Mini van should have morphed into. { Like I also thought the Honda S800 was what the MG Midget should have morphed into]  I used to like Morph....in those days....

My SJ410 shared the 930 cc engine with the Super Carry/Rascal. Problem was it weighed in at 1.3 tonnes and had the aerodynamics of a brick, 30 mpg could only be dreamed about.

[runs as required]

An old hippy, I've always loved camper vans (mine have all been VWs: T2 to T5 inclusive)

 

Here's a tiny Bedford Rascal still looking loved and good for its age in 'Narch'  - it must be like sleeping in N gauge. (For bus enthusiasts thats the old Eastern Counties HQ in the background - neo Georgian rather than Art Deco)

dhig

 

Bedford Rascal.jpg

I reckon this is still in Norwich if you really want to go back in time

dh