924 / 944 and Suzuki Cappucino

The engine is further forwarded than you would expect from a Porsche.

I quite like the styling of the 1.7 though the 2L is faster and got some nice wheels I have heard the heavyer engine resulted in it slideing about a bit. As for a Beetle in drag there's nothing wrong with that if you ask me. (I have 3 cars that are much closer to the Beetle than the 914 (without the better rear end suspention of the Porsche) and they are a hoot to drive even with just 1.6l each(Ok I've only driven 2 of them as the other is in 300 bits scattered across my father's garage, but those 2 are good fun))

That's spot on then - because the 914 is mid engined just like ohh let me think, X1/9 Beta Monte Carlo, Stratos, 308,355, Dino. Will I shut up now ? P.s. - yes I know some of these are transverse which affects the chassis differently to a longitudinal engine ;-)

Erm, a true mid-engined car should have the engine forward of the rear axle.... just like an X1/9 etc. However, the 914, ISTR, has it hung out back more or less behind the rear axle.

The transverse / longitudinal debate doesn't come into this as the 914 is a flat-4, isn't it? - which is neither, really. (Although technically longitudinal)

No - it's mid engined like a Boxster or - err an X1/9. It's not like a 911,

It's the orientation of the crankshaft and it's consequent torque reaction which influences the chassis - that coupled with the cylinder arrangement as you mention above. The 914 either had a 4 or 6 cylinder boxer engine. Just like your 33 or my old Sud 1350 ti :-) '79 on a v registration. Fantastically responsive little car.

Bob Sherunckle made the world a better place for us by saying..

Indeedy, the Peugeot 205 T16 was a rather scary beast because the engine was transverse and offset to one side with the gearbox on the other. The thing that made it /really/ scary was that the engine, gearbox and wheels all rotate in the same direction, which causes rather interesting effects in mid air. Interesting enough to give fearless Scandinavian rally drivers a dose of the screaming heebie jeebies. Lift off throttle and the nose rises, boot it and the nose dives (in mid air of course).

I went in one once, back to back with a "Metro" 6R4. Good day that was.

indeed, wasn't a bad lump either.

Fantastic cars, but most responsive to one thing, dissolving.

Fantastic sound track. the eighties were a golden era for rally cars. Ahhhhhhh- Gruppe B, them was the days.......

Hence the fact I'm talking firmly in the past tense. I wonder what I could get that would feel similar ? Maybe a Midas or a GTM with a 1380 A series.

Bob Sherunckle made the world a better place for us by saying..

Oof, that's a quandry innit?

There's not much out there that's as much fun as a good 'Sud.

The 33 certainly wasn't anywhere near as good fun, The Strada Abarth 130 was fantastic, I wish I'd not sold my one.. but they dissolve too.

Nearest thing I can think of is probably a 106 GTi.

And 2 rolled out of the factory with 8 cylinders from the racing 908.

The Abarth was my fantasy car when I were a lad - tried to convert my 1300 using a 2.0 twink out of a scrapped argenta and the standard 1300 gearbox. Guess what - it didn't work.

All of these things are much too uncouth for my liking.