Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6318
Location: Derby
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badhuis
Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1391
Location: Netherlands
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 Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, the Top Gear laugh. Ha ha ha. It is well known that to get the poor Reliant tumbling each time they had to change a couple of things (one wheel larger than the other side, weight added to one corner, diff welded).
There are many stories linked to particular models. The Morris Marina and piano comes to mind, as does the Chevrolet Corvair and Ralph Nader. No points for telling these to any owner, surprisingly they know it already!
This is not to say that the Robin is a safe vehicle, it is not. The same for any motorcycle, not safe. And dare I say it, compared to modern cars, any classic car.
Your TC will not be very safe either Ray, but I hope this does not keep you from driving it (whenever it will be ready).
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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6318
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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I suppose I deserved that.  |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1954
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Your TC will not be very safe either Ray, but I hope this does not keep you from driving it (whenever it will be ready). |
The same can be said of the Dellow...But the realisation that one's carcass is an intrinsic part of the car's structure does have the effect of focussing one's mind at higher speeds...
Seat belts are as useless as a crashhat.
My Dellow does have a roll-over bar [proper setup, for racing]...But the prospect of lunching a grand's worth of windscreen frame in the process does heighten awareness.
It does, however, feel very stable at speed, if not directionally accurate.
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces. |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1954
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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From a technical viewpoint the Reliant range had much to commend.
Given the constraints of driver licensing, weight restrictions, etc, the Reliant engines and running gear are still a tour do force [IMHO]...Good enough to have been raced[750 formula] for many decades now, with accompanying ingenuity on the part of constructors.
Hence, tuning information, good bits/bad bts, etc, the knowledge is out there, if not in the halls of Cosworth.
As a suggestion, one could fit an engine from the Suzuki 3 cylinder range...as demonstrated by the Liege [kit car] fraternity[these are proper trials cars, not prettyboys..]
The 3 wheeler trials experts seem to extend the front wheel location a bit[for improved stability?] although I'm not certain about this.
There used to be one with a Mini engine and transmission stuffed into the rear..could climb anything, unless a bend was involved. Not prone to rolling over [unless on a severe adverse slope...but then Austin Sevens also roll over on trials!]but strong in a straight line.
Might be worth studying why the Bond Bug appeared to handle better than the Robin?
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces. |
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4758
Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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| Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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alastair; you mention weight restrictions, I believe that the spare wheel had to be an optional extra because if it had been included in the basic vehicle spec it would have put it over the weight which qualified it to driven on a M/bike licence.
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Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6318
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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Some information here on the plastic pig...
https://www.reliant.website/regal_hist.shtml
The one I used to service was either a MkV or MkV1 - I can't remember. I don't think they are THAT easy to overturn; in fact the driver is given plenty of warning as a rear wheel will lift first.
They had the advantage of being cheaply accessible to anyone with a motorcycle licence. I had an Aunt and Uncle who found their Reliant three wheeler FAR more agreeable than the motorcycle / sidecar combination that they had endured for many years!
I just don't want one, thank you. |
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Bitumen Boy
Joined: 26 Jan 2012
Posts: 1735
Location: Above the snow line in old Monmouthshire
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| Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:39 am Post subject: |
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| Penman wrote: | | alastair; you mention weight restrictions, I believe that the spare wheel had to be an optional extra because if it had been included in the basic vehicle spec it would have put it over the weight which qualified it to driven on a M/bike licence. |
I always wondered how easy changing the front wheel would be, especially at the roadside. |
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badhuis
Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1391
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Bitumen Boy wrote: | | I always wondered how easy changing the front wheel would be, especially at the roadside. |
There is nothing special in the handbook about it. It only shows the front and rear jacking points, where the front one is under the chassis just in front of the door. Supposedly this will jack up the front of the car enough to remove it. It seems there is enough room beside the wheel to take it off. Whatever, I think you more or less have to lie on the ground to do this. And preferably with a sturdy axle support under the chassis, not the jack only (although there's no mention in the handbook on this).
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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment |
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4758
Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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| Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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| badhuis wrote: |
There is nothing special in the handbook about it. It only shows the front and rear jacking points, where the front one is under the chassis just in front of the door. Supposedly this will jack up the front of the car enough to remove it. It seems there is enough room beside the wheel to take it off. Whatever, I think you more or less have to lie on the ground to do this. And preferably with a sturdy axle support under the chassis, not the jack only (although there's no mention in the handbook on this). |
I would have thought that using a jacking point just in front of the door would still take the weight off the rear wheel on that side leaving the car ballanced on one rear wheel and the front one, unless the jacking point is actually on that line but nearer the centre of the chassis's longitudinal axis.
Or maybe it is actually right at the front of the chassis's forward extensions and of course extra weight over the N/S rear wheel would help to keep it down.
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Posts: 1129
Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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| Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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One's opinion of the roadholding qualities of a Reliant would depend on where one was sitting when making the comment.
For example, if one were sitting in something like a modern sports car, then the comparison would be horrific.
However, in my days of driving a death-trap Bond Minicar, I would have considered a Reliant three wheeler one of the most stable and safe cars on the road!
Keith
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1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6318
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Keith D wrote: | One's opinion of the roadholding qualities of a Reliant would depend on where one was sitting when making the comment.
For example, if one were sitting in something like a modern sports car, then the comparison would be horrific.
However, in my days of driving a death-trap Bond Minicar, I would have considered a Reliant three wheeler one of the most stable and safe cars on the road!
Keith |
My Isetta 300 wasn't exactly stable but realising that, I dove it carefully and never actually turned it over.
Having said that I knew a fellow student whose bubble car had been "clipped" by a lorry. He lost count of the number of times it rolled over down an embankment and he suffered some serious injuries; his face looked like someone had taken a carving knife to it.  |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6318
Location: Derby
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bjacko
Joined: 28 Oct 2013
Posts: 362
Location: Melbourne Australia
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| Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2022 6:21 am Post subject: Safety Seven |
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| Not a lot I would imagine. Isle of Man registration too. |
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Ray White
Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6318
Location: Derby
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| Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2022 10:49 am Post subject: Re: Safety Seven |
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| bjacko wrote: | | Not a lot I would imagine. Isle of Man registration too. |
.. Isle of Man?
3 wheels?
No trouble!
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