 | | | 
03.11.2016, 10:33
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: La Cote
Posts: 17,488
Groaned at 414 Times in 275 Posts
Thanked 20,435 Times in 10,578 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report.
Nope, 25 years. Hilda was loyal. Did not look well, at the end of her life. But Dad took so much care of her, fixed all by himself.  He always said people need cars they can understand and fix themselves. Well, he says that about any machine, lol.
Everything rusted away, the caroserie was not pretty, but it worked, like a charm. The engine was untouched by any illness.
To put the overalls on and dig under the Lada was his fav past time, apart from building himself a garage for her. His patients mechanics would sell him parts he needed and would teach him (he is a good doctor). Driving it was actually pita for me, tbh (the stiring was hard, the stick shift a headache and handbreak, urgh), but I felt safe. Like in a tank.
__________________ "L'homme ne peut pas remplacer son coeur avec sa tete, ni sa tete avec ses mains." J.H. Pestalozzi “The only difference between a rut and a grave is a matter of depth.” S.P. Cadman "Imagination is more important than knowledge." A. Einstein
| This user would like to thank MusicChick for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 10:44
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | Everything rusted away, the caroserie was not pretty, but it worked, like a charm. | | | | | Tip: When the Brits rip on the Lada, you rip on the MG.
| The following 2 users would like to thank for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 10:45
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: La Cote
Posts: 17,488
Groaned at 414 Times in 275 Posts
Thanked 20,435 Times in 10,578 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | Tip: When the Brits rip on the Lada, you rip on the MG. | | | | | Ok.
What's MG?
| The following 2 users would like to thank MusicChick for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 10:51
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | Ladas were built with the motto "If a car is going to rust it might as well start in the factory" 
Lada was one of the first manufacturers to introduce keyless entry to a production car - you simply slipped your hand through one of the panel gaps  | | | | | The first and only time I've been in a car accident was whilst travelling back from a music festival in a friend's Lada Riva. She had been driving about 3 weeks after passing her test and we T-boned a Ford Sierra. The Sierra was utterly written off with a big Lada shaped square punched into its passenger door side and the Lada had a scratch and a broken headlight.
I'll hear nothing bad about Ladas.
| This user would like to thank for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 10:54
|  | RIP | | Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Eglisau
Posts: 7,248
Groaned at 46 Times in 45 Posts
Thanked 14,131 Times in 5,506 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | Ok.
What's MG? | | | | | MG: Morris Garage. Formerly a builder of fine british motorcars. Lord Nuffield was the donor of Nuffield College, Oxford. Completely knackered by BMC, otherwise known as British Elend.
Something makes me think that you would kind of like the Moggy: http://www.simoncars.co.uk/morris/minors5.html | This user would like to thank JagWaugh for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 10:57
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Democratic Republic Kenistan
Posts: 10,653
Groaned at 279 Times in 230 Posts
Thanked 19,403 Times in 7,402 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: |  | | | The first and only time I've been in a car accident was whilst travelling back from a music festival in a friend's Lada Riva. She had been driving about 3 weeks after passing her test and we T-boned a Ford Sierra. The Sierra was utterly written off with a big Lada shaped square punched into its passenger door side and the Lada had a scratch and a broken headlight.
I'll hear nothing bad about Ladas. | | | | | She was probably quite tired and needed a rest after 21 days of solid driving. | This user would like to thank dodgyken for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 10:59
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | She was probably quite tired and needed a rest after 21 days of solid driving.  | | | | | Young and daft in those heady days, young and daft...
| 
03.11.2016, 11:00
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | Ok.
What's MG? | | | | | A beautiful rust sculpture that somehow manages to get on the road for a short period of time. | The following 4 users would like to thank for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 11:01
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Democratic Republic Kenistan
Posts: 10,653
Groaned at 279 Times in 230 Posts
Thanked 19,403 Times in 7,402 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: |  | | | Young and daft in those heady days, young and daft... | | | | | I take it you're no longer young then | This user would like to thank dodgyken for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 11:01
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: La Cote
Posts: 17,488
Groaned at 414 Times in 275 Posts
Thanked 20,435 Times in 10,578 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report.
We rolled downhill in our Lada, because commies put road signs completely wrong on that spot. That place had more accidents than cars that passed untouched. Rolling downhill in Lada gave me only a minor break of cartilage in my ear, I had a poor quality headphones on, listening to a walkman. Everybody else was unharmed. Lada was a champion. The only thing was the gas it took, too much.
It is actually funny seeing so many Škodas around, reminds me home. It is here and home, people go for ok cars for ok price. So popular here.
| This user would like to thank MusicChick for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 11:05
|  | RIP | | Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Eglisau
Posts: 7,248
Groaned at 46 Times in 45 Posts
Thanked 14,131 Times in 5,506 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | A beautiful rust sculpture that somehow manages to get on the road for a short period of time.  | | | | | The rubber bumper variants were the pinnacle... your hands wouldn't freeze to them when pushing it somewhere in sub zero temperatures.
Actually, up till the late 'B MG made some pretty neat cars. The B V8 was a blast when you got it running.
| This user would like to thank JagWaugh for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 11:08
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | actually, up till the late 'b mg made some pretty neat cars. The b v8 was a blast if you got it running. | | | | | ftfy
| 
03.11.2016, 11:11
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: |  | | | The first and only time I've been in a car accident was whilst travelling back from a music festival in a friend's Lada Riva. She had been driving about 3 weeks after passing her test and we T-boned a Ford Sierra. The Sierra was utterly written off with a big Lada shaped square punched into its passenger door side and the Lada had a scratch and a broken headlight.
I'll hear nothing bad about Ladas. | | | | | Evidence of a complete lack of crumple zones and therefore no crash protection for the occupants of the Lada.
| 
03.11.2016, 11:12
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Democratic Republic Kenistan
Posts: 10,653
Groaned at 279 Times in 230 Posts
Thanked 19,403 Times in 7,402 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | Actually, up till the late 'B MG made some pretty neat cars. The B V8 was a blast when you got it running. | | | | | There is only one British effeminate roadster worth owning
(I didn't include the Plus 8 (bit too manly) nor the Dart (as the steering requires 7 people to turn). But the Dart did lead me to this - and 12 cylinders of loveliness)
| 
03.11.2016, 11:15
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: |  | | | Evidence of a complete lack of crumple zones and therefore no crash protection for the occupants of the Lada. | | | | | There was enough camping gear stuffed around us to absorb even the vaguest wobble in the car. Plus we were not even 20 years old at that time and things like whiplash hadn't even been invented... | This user would like to thank for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 11:17
|  | RIP | | Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Eglisau
Posts: 7,248
Groaned at 46 Times in 45 Posts
Thanked 14,131 Times in 5,506 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: |  | | | ftfy | | | | | Harken back to the heady days of 1971:
Jaguar introduced the V12 E-Type
Triumph was making the best TR6
Alfa introduced the Alfasud
Dodge, the Ram Van
MG?.... the Marina.
'nuff said.
| This user would like to thank JagWaugh for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 11:19
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Democratic Republic Kenistan
Posts: 10,653
Groaned at 279 Times in 230 Posts
Thanked 19,403 Times in 7,402 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | MG?.... the Marina. | | | | | We had a couple of them back in the day - first up the fastback  And then my dad paid £100 for a van at auction - which spent a year ploughing up and down the M5/A38 to renovating a cottage every weekend.
Meanwhile my grandfather maintained an Allegro 1750HL in immaculate condition
| 
03.11.2016, 11:27
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report.
I had an MG Midget with a hole on the floor where I could see the road going by. I had to pop the clutch to get it started, and thought about making the hole bigger and run like the Flintstones. I had to fix something on it every other trip.
I had a TR7 and the right front wheel once rolled off ahead of the car during a stop. I had to chase after the tire on foot for nearly a quarter of a mile.
In retrospect, I should feel lucky I survived them. The Brits must be blessed with grace and luck.
| This user would like to thank for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 11:31
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: La Cote
Posts: 17,488
Groaned at 414 Times in 275 Posts
Thanked 20,435 Times in 10,578 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | There is only one British effeminate roadster worth owning  | | | | | Oh yeah! I'd own her any day. (Not the pappi).
| This user would like to thank MusicChick for this useful post: | | 
03.11.2016, 11:32
|  | RIP | | Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Eglisau
Posts: 7,248
Groaned at 46 Times in 45 Posts
Thanked 14,131 Times in 5,506 Posts
| | Re: 9 months in Switzerland - a honest report. | Quote: | |  | | | We had a couple of them back in the day - first up the fastback And then my dad paid £100 for a van at auction - which spent a year ploughing up and down the M5/A38 to renovating a cottage every weekend.
Meanwhile my grandfather maintained an Allegro 1750HL in immaculate condition | | | | | The winter of discontent made special demands of the population.
A used Moggy traveller would a have been less than 100 at the time.
My sister's first car was a Marina. She called it "Patches" because it had various different shades of baby shit yellow paint on the repairs. I called it "Patches" because that is what I kept having to weld into it.
It was a car for people of character: with just the right weather conditions (about this time of the year) the carb piston would ice up at highway speed, so when you lifted your foot off the gas as your exit came up it would just continue whining along at the same clip. (Yes, it had the special equipment carb bell heater, yes it was connected and working, no it did not make any difference.)
It's demise came when it needed a new clutch. I removed the rear trans mount and as I let the jack with the engine and GB down the body collapsed in the middle. Sad, in a mildly entertaining way.
__________________
If everyone you know agrees with you consistently, they are either not listening, or not capable of critical thought.
| The following 2 users would like to thank JagWaugh for this useful post: | |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 06:25. | |