# Three Wheelers.



## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I got to thinking about my Reliant Regal 21E and all the fun I had in it when courting Shorty.
















How it got me through the winter of 82 and how it started up on the Sunday morning after the temperature dropped to -30C.

So, I got Googling and found this site. Spent 4 hours there last night.









http://www.3wheelers.com/enter.html

I wonder if NBF729M is still around.


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## Shaky (Dec 16, 2005)

Hello Stan,

You must have had some great times.







Interesting site by the way.

Pity you never kept it for old times sake. What colour was it ?


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

our metalwork teacher at school had one of these


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## in_denial (Aug 3, 2005)

pg tips said:


> our metalwork teacher at school had one of these


So did I, but mine was made by Corgi


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Dave,

NBF729M was dark Blue, I coach painted her with the nearest shade of Blue I could find using a Hamilton's "perfection" brush that I wore in by stroking it against a wall for half an hour.







The resulting paint finish was very smooth.  I did put in a lot of prep work using elbow grease and 600 grit WaD though.

She also had a very tasteful pinstripe job in complimentary three tone colours. All the chromework was converted to satin black and the "wing" mirrors were replaced with black door mirrors.

I have a picture somewhere, I must dig it out and scan it.

PG,

My mate Chris Forrester had a Bond bug too, he sold his Bonnie to buy it. Back in '72 we thought he was a cool dude but our Geography lecturer had a Lotus 7 in BRG with a yellow nose cone, real Prisoner style.







Rich twat!









Car drivers would not appreciate a three wheeler I suspect but bikers will understand that they can convert their skill to in handling bad road/ weather conditions easily to piloting a three wheeler. All it take is a little application and a respect for the vehicle in your hands.

I've owned Volvos and VWs, including a series 2 Golf GTI, but the closest bit of fun I've owned to a Regal 21E or a Mini 1275 GT is the Ford KA I own now.









I just don't like big cars with too many seats, maybe I need a bike again.







Or a Lotus 7?


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## dapper (Jun 18, 2004)

I like the look of the 'Scorpion':


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

There have been some quite tasty three wheel jobs available through the years, some are still for sale but I doubt I have the spine for them these days.









That does look a bit nice though.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Stan I can reccomend a Seven - check out my new toy thread below! 

The Grinnall... they do a 4 wheel version of that too... I met Mark Grinnall in the late 80s when he was selling TR7/8 coversions to his own Grinnall spec - they had kevlar pannels and all steel bodykits etc - quite something and still command good prices today. The Scorpian originally had a BMW engine and used its rear wheel and shaft drive, dash and other bits - very clever and made for quite a car. The 4 wheeler used the Fiat Coupe Turbo engine... which would have made it very fast indeed.

Im not sure Mark has got rich out of selling these but its been a great addition to the kitcar scene. 

Ive lost touch with their product line so just checked em out (google "grinall cars") and now theyre doing trikes as well! nice guys to deal with and have been around a long time in mainsteam and kitcar and now bike/trike scenes.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

pg tips said:


> our metalwork teacher at school had one of these


Ahhh the old "cheese on wheels" ...... they were cool for a year or two


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Only 3 wheeler worth having --> http://www.rltwatches.co.uk/forums/index.p...=8843&hl=morgan

IMHO of course!


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

IMHO Id prefer the Scorpian... surely the Morgan, Regal and BondBug would struggle with modern traffic conditions? Im not talking the 2mph rush hour crawl, I mean A & B roads on a summers day etc... Its always been a bugbear of mine that classics often become mobile chicanes on a sunday arvo. I was always wary of that whenever I drove a slow one and was on the lookout for modern cars who didnt expect such a slow vehicle in their path...









Paul, are you still tempted by a Morgan?


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

> The 4 wheeler used the Fiat Coupe Turbo engine... which would have made it very fast indeed.


I got taken out by Mark in one of these, a mate of mine was doing some composite work for him and I tagged along on a visit to his workshop...Glad I did









Great fun


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I found a picture of the old girl and scanned it in. I'd forgotten how glossy her coat was.









This was taken in 1985, doesn't time fly?


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Stan said:


> I found a picture of the old girl and scanned it in. I'd forgotten how glossy her coat was.
> 
> 
> 
> ...










Is that little hatch the engine access?









Nice striping! I have noticed little diesel engined micro-cars that seem to have taken Reliant's old customers, what are they? They always seem to be on the verge of vibrating apart and how come they have 4 wheels?


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Stan said:


> I found a picture of the old girl and scanned it in. I'd forgotten how glossy her coat was.
> 
> 
> 
> ...

















I never thought I say this about a Plastic Pig, but that looks great!









I need to sit down.....


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Thanks Paul, I had a lump in my throat when I finally sold her.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

jasonm said:


> > The 4 wheeler used the Fiat Coupe Turbo engine... which would have made it very fast indeed.
> 
> 
> I got taken out by Mark in one of these, a mate of mine was doing some composite work for him and I tagged along on a visit to his workshop...Glad I did
> ...


yes Mark is one of the good guys











Stan said:


> I found a picture of the old girl and scanned it in. I'd forgotten how glossy her coat was.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks about as good as it ever would I reckon. 







I love the 70s BL mirrors and sealed beam lights etc. Sure Relaint robbed most of its parts from other manufacturers but it did provide relaible transport for little money. I used to live in the centre of Plymouth and at the end of my road was a place that serviced these and they were forever whizzing about the street outside.

Stan where did you sell it to? ISTR one burnt out (rear end) in CarTransplants scrap yard back in the late 80s (88 onwards) that looked a similar colour...











MarkF said:


> I have noticed little diesel engined micro-cars that seem to have taken Reliant's old customers, what are they? They always seem to be on the verge of vibrating apart and how come they have 4 wheels?


2 stokes I think... I reckon they have 4 wheels so the old giffers who use them can get in an out ok. Theyre all the rage in Europe where mopeds are king and these are for more sensible people...


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## JonF (Aug 26, 2005)

I seem to remember seeing a modern version of a Morgan trike, using a Moto Guzzi 1000 or 1100 v twin. That would be quick enough for JonW. Or am I just imagining this?


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

JonW said:


> 2 stokes I think... I reckon they have 4 wheels so the old giffers who use them can get in an out ok. Theyre all the rage in Europe where mopeds are king and these are for more sensible people...


No, they are definitely diesels, you can hear and smell them, I think they are twins and they appear to have no balance shaft.







I have noticed them lately, all the plastic body panels vibrating like mad. Can't remember the name though.


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## JonF (Aug 26, 2005)

MarkF said:


> JonW said:
> 
> 
> > 2 stokes I think... I reckon they have 4 wheels so the old giffers who use them can get in an out ok. Theyre all the rage in Europe where mopeds are king and these are for more sensible people...
> ...


Mark

This sort of thing? (Not the Smarts they have here, obviously).

http://www.micro-cars.co.uk/

They are made by Aixam and Ligier in France, and I think an Italian company as well. About a 13hp diesel. The ones on this site have a fairly modern diesel, but some of them have a Kubota diesel, ie, one out of a cement mixer!. Utterly horrible, and the amazing thing is they cost more than a bog basic proper city car.

Amazingly, I've seen worse. I was in France years ago and there was one I saw which had a moped engine in. It was taller that it was long and had drum brakes ON THE FRONT WHEELS ONLY


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

JonF - The Guzzi ones I saw at a kitcar show... like most (not all) kits I wasnt too impressed with the engineering... Im not sure what the handling would be like...

Yas those the ones I saw... so theyre diesel... blimey!

I love the Piaggo Ape... no link but if youve ever been to italy youve seen one!


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

JonF said:


> Mark
> 
> This sort of thing? (Not the Smarts they have here, obviously).
> 
> ...


Aixam! That's it, cheers Jon.







I saw one in Gijon, stationary in distress, it was "missing" on one cylinder, I spent ages just looking and laughing at it, the thing was shaking itself to bits.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

JonW said:


> jasonm said:
> 
> 
> > > The 4 wheeler used the Fiat Coupe Turbo engine... which would have made it very fast indeed.
> ...


John,

I sold NBF729M to Websters of Longton and they sold her on within a few days







I don't know what happend to her after that, maybe she did end up burned out in Nantwich .


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## Shaky (Dec 16, 2005)

[



Stan said:


> I found a picture of the old girl and scanned it in. I'd forgotten how glossy her coat was.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks very nice Stan, nice paint job, I like the pinstripe. I think you made a good job of that.

Is that an IAM badge on the front ?

Dave......


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Hiya Dave,

The car was properly prepared, it took quite a while and a lot of wet 'n dry paper (mostly wet). I used coach (the traditional stuff for brushing) primer and enamel applied with a Hamilton's Perfection brush. The masking took ages and I had to remove it between coats in case it rained. Masking tape that gets wet sets like concrete.









I decided to coach finish it as I couldn't spray paint (I had nowhere to do it and no equipment). The car was painted in the open air (







) but I chose the days well, warm, dry and very still. I started in late afternoon and finished in early evening. I did wet down the drive before I started to cut down the dust. 

There was very little, if any, debris in the final coat and I didn't bother flatting the few minor blemishes out, you'd have to look very hard to see them.

The paints were expensive but of superb quality and very nice to apply, combined with a lot of elbow grease on the prep and liberal used of Tak cloths the result was quite pleasing. And a heck of a lot cheaper than a commercial spray or coach paint.

The badge is from (the now defunct) National Breakdown, remember that?


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Stan, lets hope it was a different car... tho the right area and the right time and the right colour sadly...









I must scan my fave pic of me at the time, taken in the CT yard sitting in the remains of a herald conv with most parts missing, looking like I was waiting for my date to hop back in the car before we took off... classic!

Its amazing what you can acheive with time, good preparation and good weather... nice on Stan!


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Thanks Jon,

It would be nice if NBF729M has survived but it's unlikely, I supose.

As my Dad used to say "A good soldier never looks back". Doesn't do any good to get sentimental about machines and that includes watches.









Yep, I do talk a lot of rubbish.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

I went the Kempton Park Motorcycle Autojumble and Show in Sunbury, SW London yesterday....this has become a regular event for the vintage/classic motocycle schene over the last 15-20 years...and although there is no longer much pre-war stuff to be found these days







, just masses and masses of aluminium crankcases, primary chaincases, gearbox cases from 50s and 60s british bikes







, it does occasionally come up with interesting parts and bikes.

Here we have an absolutely original *BMW R75 sidecar outfit from 1941* complete with machine gun, spare wheel and reverse gears. What is so surprising about this bike is its condition, there was not a speck of rust on this 65 year old bike. It looks exactly like it would have done in 1941.

Now this is the sort of 3 wheeler that does it for me! If my garage had been built and the Silver Hawk sold, who knows what might have happened....

Cheers

Paul


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Great pics and a lovely machine but Â£16,500?









I think I would rather have this Ural brand new and Â£11k to play with.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Wonder how the MOT man would deal with the machine gun?!?!









I spent Sat with the British car clubs at a sprint day at Eastern Creek circuit to the west of Sydney... some very stunning vehicles indeed...


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## Marky (Sep 29, 2005)

Stan said:


> NBF729M was dark Blue, I coach painted her with the nearest shade of Blue I could find using a Hamilton's "perfection" brush that I wore in by stroking it against a wall for half an hour.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


NBF729M has been scrapped I'm afraid Stan...................


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Marky said:


> NBF729M has been scrapped I'm afraid Stan...................


Hi Marky,

How can you tell? Can you look up KWJ 246 please?


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## Marky (Sep 29, 2005)

Silver Hawk said:


> Marky said:
> 
> 
> > NBF729M has been scrapped I'm afraid Stan...................
> ...


Silver Hawk,

Sorry but I cannot help.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Marky said:


> NBF729M has been scrapped I'm afraid Stan...................


not to Car Transplants in Nantwich was it?


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## Marky (Sep 29, 2005)

JonW said:


> Marky said:
> 
> 
> > NBF729M has been scrapped I'm afraid Stan...................
> ...


Sorry I don't know................

You can register at Carweb for their 'VRR Enquire', which gives you 20 free VRM (Vehicle Registration Lookup) searches. Might be fun to see if you can find info about your old vehicles, long since gone?

Have fun.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Thanks Marky, that's a shame.









But, life maches on.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Glad I'm too yound to have been issued one of these!


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

would you have prefered one of these Paul?


















(image nicked from the net)


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