Fast and cheap classic?

More than one pilot has survived a crash into trees, only to undo the harness clips while in an inverted open cockpit. And quite few parachutists have unclipped while dangling from trees...

Ian

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Ian Johnston" saying something like:

Understandable; the instinct is to get out fast.

Probably doesn't look too high up from where they are and they think they can use their training to roll and survive as they hit the ground. Out of interest, is there a recommended way of doing it? Climb up the shrouds and get down the tree the normal way, or simply wait to be rescued / shot?

I know what you mean. A cooking 900 non turbo inection won't fully make classic status, while a carbed non turbo might.

And my very early (B plate 1984) 16v T16S definatley would, as the majority of 1984 turbos were 8v, with the 16v not coming into play fully until 1985. I'm glad to say that it looks like the guy I sold it to has kept up the deal of restoring it properly (I let it go for less than I really wanted, because it did need some work, but was perfectly safe, and he had spent ages looking for a decent by scruffy 900 that could be made mint). Last time I checked that DVLA site about road tax, it is down as SORNed. I like that he is doing it properly.

The 9000 2.3 is a fantastic car. Not the chuckable oversized go cart that the original 900 was, and not the mass produced GM product that the later GM900 was, but a colaboration between Fiat/Lancia/Alfa Romeo/Saab for a shared sporting executive platform.

Think Alfa 164 when you think Saab 9000. The 9000 Carlsson CD and CS in the pre-facelift models, and the Aero/CSE/Griffin/Anniversay models post facelift are the ones to go for. Choose a B235 over the GM v6 though. A much more potent, desirable, longer lived and reliable engine.

BTW, if you want rare crossover shared platform cars, look out for a Saab 600. Not sporting at all, but a familiar shape.

And doesn't handle as well. I know, I used to have a 900 too. Pre-facelifted early 900 T16S Fantastic. If I could find a later T16S with the rear handbrake/9000 brake system, with the early 900 front end (lights/bumpers/headlight wash wipe system) transplanted (it's a bolt on) I would snap it up.

Even with 20years of wear and tear, my old T16S looked scruffy but drove fantstically. Wish I had never sold it for the GT4. For what the GT4 has cost me, I could have had the body refurb done, and had the engine mounts/wish bone bushes done at the same time, and the oil leak that fixed it cured which I was at it.

LOL, I fitted Toyota Celica ST162 seats to my 120L Yes, they bolt in fairly easily, passed the MOT OK, and are very comfy. They take away the "Deck chair" feeling of the proper Skoda ones too.

Not so familiar. The Delta rusted..

In news:dac4u9$btov$ snipped-for-privacy@central.aber.ac.uk, Andrew Robert Breen decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

A Saab 600 Integrale would be amusing though.

They missed a trick there..

/s/Carlsson/Integrale

It differs in having roof rails.

:)

Sleeker GT Phwoar ( snipped-for-privacy@bouncing-czechs.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Bugger me. I've just learnt something. Never heard of that.

Good ol' Fiat/Lancia - they'd jump into bed with ANYBODY in the 70s.

Fiat were trying to merge with Citroen before Peugeot stepped in - the remnants of the deal are still ongoing today with the vans and people carriers, but no car ever resulted - although the Gamma saloon and CX do allegedly share some under-the-skin pressings.

Hmmm. CX with a (sorted) Gamma flat-four...

The DS was orginally supposed to have a flat four, but they ran out of money and time developing it. Which was a shame, because right to the end the engine let the rest of the car down.

Ian

Ian Johnston ( snipped-for-privacy@btinternet.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Flat six. They developed two, one air cooled, one water cooled. Lovely looking motors - they were both at one of the ICCCRs. Got some piccies somewhere.

Whoops and thanks.

Ian

I've got a 164 (early 3l), a friend has a 9000 (which he ignores, in favour of his tatty old 900 turbo)

There is _no_ comparison between the 164 and the 9000 chassis. Even ignoring the excellence of the Alfa V6, one's an overweight sportsbarge, but the other's a jellymould.

Funny thing is that the Alfa chassis is the simplest of the lot for design and maintenance. Fewer parts, they just put them in the right places.

Adrian realised it was 04 Jul 2005 21:53:58 GMT and decided it was time to write:

I photographed a prototype at this year's Techno Classica in Essen:

Mine were from a 70s Corolla; I did a damned fine job of reupholstering in cloth with extra foam on the side squabs, so much so that they graced my Marina coupe, then the Skoda, and probably something else afterwards!

zz ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

If I check on one of mine that I know is SORNed, I get :-

Vehicle Status SORN Not Due Date of Liability 01 12 2005

It's got a "date of liability" of '94 for an ex-car of mine that I know was scrapped around then.

Another ex is shown as last V5 in '92, date of liability "Not Available.", so it looks like that's about the break-point in their info.

SORN isn't needed on cars that haven't been taxed since before SORN was introduced in the late '90s.

All those cars are about to be deleted from the current vehicle register. If the current owner hasn't taxed or SORNed it last year, and didn't sent the log book off last month it won't have/get a V5C and will have to be re-registered to be put back on the road.

Last time I checked that DVLA site about road tax, it is down as SORNed. I like that he is doing it properly.