Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

haha developing an entourage, never heard that one before, love it.

I recall the teenage years in a mates baby Fiat with 5 of us squeezed in, and one would have to get out and walk on the really steep climbs, and even then the car only just made it to the top ahead of the walker :)

Bear in mind that Volvo is massive.

I have been in one.

Plus that Gandini design is now priceless.

Nothing will look as good anymore.

Worth a restoration over time imo.

Still the best forum car. 😎

Cheers

On the small cars uphill chat. When my folks were younger they had a Morris minor for a bit and some family members were in Amersham (which is hilly).

To get to one of their houses they had to reverse up the road because 1st wasn't low enough.

This still makes Campag sound like a knock off imo.

Thanks for the kind words guys!

Wow that is some praise :) cheers.
Its a great looking motor but im not sure i would go that far myself..

Restoration eh, well thats will set me back of that im certain. Not a single part on that car is cheap ive learned .)

I still take very good care of it but if it turns to costly i will be force to sell. The first year alone we had to change parts for a total of around 4k gbp. But those were needed and essential so did not want to cheap out.

There are a few small things i still have left fixing but for now im living with those. All in all its in good shape.

Yes.

There was a cabriolet version too. The motors made 30hp.

I'm with you. Never again will we see cars as individual as the Maserati.

Best car on the forum? Ooh, it's up there, I reckon it's a battle between @badboybjorn and BRM with his mg Racer. @Dammit ovlov was up there too

Do those portable lithium battery car jump starters work?

Not for me, but with caveats:

I have one that is 18000mAh/66.6Wh, that promises a starting current of 500A, with a peak of 800A. It's a G09D by DBPower, it's advertised as being able to start "up to" a 6.5 litre engine.

I bought it because it promises to be able to start the Mercedes, which as a 5.4 litre V8.

However, whenever I've tried to use it the charge in the jump pack has dropped to ~60% and it's totally failed to turn the engine over. Each time I've then had to charge the battery conventionally, whilst also charging up the jump pack.

For food-processor type engines of less than 2 litres they may well be fine, but for larger stuff, in my experience, they're all promise and no performance.

EDIT - the same pack also failed to start my 911 (3.4 litre) or Matt's Boxster (3.2 litre).

They probably test them with the plugs out. Much easier to turn over a 7 litre engine that way.

Conversely I got one (no longer listed on amazon otherwise I’d supply a link) that promised to get a 2.5L engine going, and it did indeed breathe life into my wheezing 2.5L Volvo on numerous occasions. Battery was never totally flat though, just weak enough to half heartedly attempt a starter churn before giving up. Clip the booster on, press the buttons and turn the key, boom.

They probably test them with the plugs out. Much easier to turn over a 7 litre engine that way.

I imagine that the AMG V8 takes a bit of turning when it's stone cold.

Wonder if it's just the compression, the tight tolerances or just the starter needs a big jolt to get going? Is yours supercharged?

Up there you say?

How do I apply for my entry into the golf club thread?

If you have to ask....

sit down, son

@NurseHolliday how is the Volvo? I really liked that car... Seriously entertained buying back then it and importing into aus.

Still just absolutely hilarious.

You can spend 95% of the time driving it like an 850 estate. Lots of room, very comfy, son in the back with everything you can possibly think of in the boot.

See some open road and put your foot down and then you're reminded that the factory boost gauge doesn't go high enough and even in 3rd gear in the dry you might still have traction issues.

Pushed 150 indicated on the autobahn, fully loaded for a month in Italy.

It's quite laggy, but that's what makes it fun, if it had a smaller turbo it would have less peak power but would probably be faster everywhere else in the rev range.

Above 70mph, all of my non car friends describe it as "stomach churning". I am absolutely used to it now, but I think the first proper drive after lockdown might return a bit of that novelty.

Wonder if it's just the compression, the tight tolerances or just the starter needs a big jolt to get going? Is yours supercharged?

Nope, NA, it's 11.0:1, which is fairly low I'd say (the Volvo was 8.5:1, but of course it's turbocharged).

Unrelated, I don't know if anyone has been watching the Driftworks videos?

If not, there's some great content to catch up on.

Phil from Driftworks appears to be pretty mental.

the owner of the n360 is my obsure hifi repair guru (B&O genius). aircooled fan. he has a citroen ami that is immaculate and a 1959 beetle that is perfectly original, except for the paint on the front wings - amazing.

they all fit in a double garage, with room for a fiat 500!

Sounds like the ideal family wagon 😁

My dad had an Ami Super from new, I'd be quite tempted by one.