Classic Cars

Jason1969

I remember those especially the Dolly, everyone wanted one because of the insurance, don't see any of those about, 100,000 French farmers can't be wrong. Awesome cars.

pulliptears

Jason1969 wrote: »

I remember those especially the Dolly, everyone wanted one because of the insurance, don't see any of those about, 100,000 French farmers can't be wrong. Awesome cars.

I wanted a Dolly as my first car, she was lovely, white with a green striped roof. I'd just about persuaded my Dad to buy her for me when the interfering old bloke across the road who thought he was the sage of all cars told Dad you practically needed to take out the engine to do an oil change :mad: He bought me a bloody Austin Metro instead. Gutted.

Not seen a Dolly for many many years now though so probably a close escape lol

reeac

The brother of a friend of ours was keen on the Citroen Dolly and wrote off two of them. In one case he opened the door when it was very windy, the door was torn out of his hand and slammed back against the bodywork causing drastic distortion. The second case was when he miscounted and took the wrong exit from a roundabout, entered a farmyard and collided with a big heap of manure - I don't know whether that write-off was bodywork damage or on hygiene grounds.

pwllbwdr

forgotmyname wrote: »

I think i would rather be in an old non rusty late 70's big volvo than a small airbagged, crumple zone
equipped hatchback.

By the time you got past the headlight washers and rubber strip on the bumper the front of the little
hatch will look a mess. Then by the volvo bumper bends it will be parked in the boot of the little hatch.

You may think that, but you are utterly wrong. Lots of data available on crash performance of modern cars vs older ones.

There's no reason why you can't run an older car every day - we ran a Sprite and a P5B as everyday transport for years. If they are regularly used and properly maintained they can be very reliable.

rev_henry

reeac wrote: »

The brother of a friend of ours was keen on the Citroen Dolly and wrote off two of them. In one case he opened the door when it was very windy, the door was torn out of his hand and slammed back against the bodywork causing drastic distortion. The second case was when he miscounted and took the wrong exit from a roundabout, entered a farmyard and collided with a big heap of manure - I don't know whether that write-off was bodywork damage or on hygiene grounds.

Its difficult to argue that they're mechanically 'good' cars, I mean, what other car needs a chassis replacement as a matter of course?! I still love them!

My parents had 2 Dollies, though I only knew the second. I have vague memories of my father having the thing in bits on the driveway, organising a holiday in Norfolk because there was a guy there who did chassis replacements (we lived in Manchester at the time), and putting redex in the carb and ragging it up the motorway, gassing everyone so it would pass the MOT emissions test.

Oh and I was also in a fairly serious accident in it (well any accident in something made of paper and cheese is serious!), sandwiched between 2 cars as well. How it wasn't written off I don't know...

pulliptears

Seem to be fetching reasonable money for models in good condition:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1989-CITROEN-2CV6-DOLLY-YELLOW-MAROON-/120788292556?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1c1f8b13cc#ht_1692wt_1189

Though I think if I had 2 grand to spend on a classic this probably wouldn't be it now.

pulliptears

Now this was a car....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/m1-fiat-strada-65cl-very-good-conditon-original-/130586951756?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1e6796c04c#ht_500wt_1204

I distinctly recall the horrified look on my Mothers face when Dad rolled on the drive in it. He'd owned a cracker of a Ford Cortina MK III Ghia, red with a black vinyl roof. Then he'd been made redundant and downsized. It's worth pointing out that the job Dad had been made redundant from was a Test Driver for Michelin so he spent most of his work time over 15 years either in the USA driving Mustangs coast to coast or up and down the M6 in similar cars, so for him to arrive home with this shed, in day glo orange was quite the shocker.

He still talked about it before he died, every panel rusted and rattled and it was barely 3 years old. I think he stuck it out for 6 months from memory before he bought the Cortina MK IIII but I still pine for that MK III now and I don't think I've seen a Fiat Strada for 20 years now!

rev_henry

pulliptears wrote: »

Seem to be fetching reasonable money for models in good condition:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1989-CITROEN-2CV6-DOLLY-YELLOW-MAROON-/120788292556?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1c1f8b13cc#ht_1692wt_1189

Though I think if I had 2 grand to spend on a classic this probably wouldn't be it now.

Is he sure it hasn't had the chassis done?! Almost all have either had them replaced or died a death now...

There's a specialist in Somerset that sells ones restored to being probably better than brand new, although they're £6k+!

lindopski_2

Here is one for you, this chap is throwing in a bike as well in case it breaks down
MOt'd and taxed till next year too - oooh

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C248058

pulliptears

lindopski wrote: »

Here is one for you, this chap is throwing in a bike as well [STRIKE]in case[/STRIKE] For when it breaks down
MOt'd and taxed till next year too - oooh

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C248058

Fixed that one for you :D