Am constantly looking for ideas for suitable trials irons....most of which have been used at some point in the past....
From the class 8 specials side of things...in the past, many seemed to be based on small commercials (Tucker-Peake made one from a small sidevalve thames van)..I am aware of the commercial rule....but on looking over the various small commercials available, especially from Japan, there seems to be a lot of potential....suzuki for one, although the chassis does have a pecualier hike in it.....but once the thing is slammed together as a two-seater special (perhaps avoiding SVA??)...and the V5 altered, then subtle changes can be made?
Then there are the small toyota vans?
Sound, reliable, tough mechanics (the running gear, not the boilersuit!)
Hindustan Ambassador?
Smart plus4?
Premier Padmini? (still sold in Dubai, apparently)
In fact, any car made for the Indian market should prove an exceptional trials iron??
(CityRover??)
But one I would like to find is the early 60's Skoda Octavia.
I saw one competing onan Edinburgh about 10 years ago....his wipers had failed and he employed his missus and a bungee to reinstate vision!
Innovation and ideas are what's needed here?
I think (if my memory serves me correctly, which is getting less likely by
ReplyDeletethe day) that a Skoda similar to the one you describe won the British PCT
championship overall for several years .
I remember it featuring in motoring press adverts for Semperit tyres.
I think it looked rather like a regular front engined Hillman Minx, but
was, I suspect, rear engined.
Of course, I'm so "off it" these days, that this whole "recollection"
could quite easily be some kind of bizarre delusional "false memory".
I'm sure the elder amongst you trials bods know what I mean; (regards the
old Skoda I mean - not necessarily the delusions).
Does anyone out there have the faintest idea of what I'm rambling
on about?
Regards,
Dai
James.
In the late 70's and early 80's both Mike Stephens and Steve Courts were succesfull in Skoda Octavia Combi's. Michael
ReplyDeletethey were front-engine/rear drive...with a swing-axle independant back end. Skoda also had a production 3 valve per cylinder engine in the mid 50's.......nothings new? But the octavia (combi was the estate) was a cheap, but solid motor.....behind the times in comparison to what was available mainstream...yet no further behind than, say,SAAB? I'd still like one!
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