Scimitar's undervalued?
Discussion
I often hear Scimitar enthusiasts say that Reliant Scimitar's, or rather the GTE model, are finally gaining the value they deserve and that's it's only a matter of time before they start climbing and fetching big money. Give or take one or two unique and fine examples, I haven't really seen any indication that the GTE models are rising beyond a couple of grand. Most I come across for sale range from spares/repairs (a few hundred to £1,000), good nick but needing some TLC (1-2 grand maybe), then upwards of between 3 to 5 grand for ones in very good to excellent condition. They were going for that kind of money even 20 years ago.
They are certainly undervalued in my view. Anyone know why they don't seem to be rising in value?
They are certainly undervalued in my view. Anyone know why they don't seem to be rising in value?
I agree they are sensible money. They have everything going for them as a classic: they have a certain style and look which overtime grows on you, the Essex engine (or the Colongne on the rarer 6b model), they are great to drive, turn heads, have the bonus of being fibreglass so no chance of rust, and some models had a galvanised chassis.
There are far too many classics out there that are fetching really silly money, even motors that noone cared about back when they were more common.
There are far too many classics out there that are fetching really silly money, even motors that noone cared about back when they were more common.
Edited by Jukebag on Monday 8th May 21:44
Jukebag said:
I agree they are sensible money. They have everything going for them as a classic: they have a certain style and look which overtime grows on you, the Essex engine (or the Colongne on the rarer 6b model), they are great to drive, turn heads, have the bonus of being fibreglass so no chance of rust, and some models had a galvanised chassis.
Indeed, one of the bargains of the classic car world. Always liked the earlier SE4A/B coupes. When I was competing in sprints back in the later 80/s/early90's in my Sunbeam-Lotus I regularily competed with a guy that ran a modified one, was a quick car.I like the early (up to 1975) GTE's as well, there used to be a dark plum coloured one in the driveway of a house near to my school, was a cool car back then.
I think the only issue with them today (and why they are a often overlooked bargain) is the perceived badge stigma of the Reliant name, as a result of Only Fools n Horses and Clarkson on Top Gear.
Shame, great car.
There used to be a GAA engined Hillclimb Scimitar ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGAd52NCyFA ... not sure if it still exists with the engine in place ...
I owned a early se5 Scimitar GTE for a lot of years.
They are a very undervalued car in my opinion. I bought mine as accident damaged from a friend who was scimitar obsessed, he drove a rover V8 powered GTE everday & had a later GTE he was using for sprints/hillclimbing.
I spent far more on the car that it was worth getting it back to as it should be. I pretty much knew that when I started but knew it would be how I wanted it so wasn't too bothered.
The one thing I regret about my scimitar is selling it.
Ive noticed the prices for good scimitars does seem to be on the rise.
I still plan to get myself another one at some point hopefully.
They are a very undervalued car in my opinion. I bought mine as accident damaged from a friend who was scimitar obsessed, he drove a rover V8 powered GTE everday & had a later GTE he was using for sprints/hillclimbing.
I spent far more on the car that it was worth getting it back to as it should be. I pretty much knew that when I started but knew it would be how I wanted it so wasn't too bothered.
The one thing I regret about my scimitar is selling it.
Ive noticed the prices for good scimitars does seem to be on the rise.
I still plan to get myself another one at some point hopefully.
838HNK said:
There used to be a GAA engined Hillclimb Scimitar ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGAd52NCyFA ... not sure if it still exists with the engine in place ...
Bev Fawkes. It was updated and rebuilt around a Turbo Technics twin-turbo Scorpio 24v engine - technically still admissible as a modified production car because the Scimitar SE6 used both Essex and Cologne 2.8/2.9 blocks.I think the Ben Gough/Ian Daniels supercharged SE5 was quicker on some hills, but it's ages since I've paid much attention.
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for these. My Dad ran two consecutively for a few years when I was a teenager and carted us all around the UK and a couple of touring holidays in France in them. I remember going to the dealer somewhere in north Bristol when he was first considering one and thinking how good looking they were for what was actually quite a practical family car. Up until then my brother and I had been shoe-horned into an MGBGT, so in comparison the Scimitar seemed postively capacious.The first one was a white SE5A and the second a brown SE6 or 6A (can't recall which). The SE5A was the better looking of the two for sure and also a bit more nimble.
Always thought they have represented pretty good value compared to other British classics of the same era. Maybe the Reliant badge has been a natural brake on values up until now. Can't see them ever getting to sky-high prices though.
Always thought they have represented pretty good value compared to other British classics of the same era. Maybe the Reliant badge has been a natural brake on values up until now. Can't see them ever getting to sky-high prices though.
Apologies my first reply was a little bit off topic ... I think most fibreglass cars are undervalued as fibreglass in itself is seen as something difficult to repair and or repaint. There also seems to be a wrongly associated "kit car" stigma.
As the Reliant has a separate chassis that can easily be split from the body I think they're a relatively straightforward restoration. Gilbern Genie and Invaders seem to have gone up in price a little bit more but are a nightmare as you have to cut out the tubular chassis thats bonded to the body. The Essex V6 is agricultural ... a bit more expensive to rebuild than a four cylinder engine but seems to be bomb proof ...
Given the relatively high prices of Mk1 3 Litre Capris I think a Reliant SE5 is a steal at current prices ...
I guess once the large majority have gone to the great big carpark in the sky the prices will go up a bit but I still think fibreglass four seaters will always be an acquired taste ...
As the Reliant has a separate chassis that can easily be split from the body I think they're a relatively straightforward restoration. Gilbern Genie and Invaders seem to have gone up in price a little bit more but are a nightmare as you have to cut out the tubular chassis thats bonded to the body. The Essex V6 is agricultural ... a bit more expensive to rebuild than a four cylinder engine but seems to be bomb proof ...
Given the relatively high prices of Mk1 3 Litre Capris I think a Reliant SE5 is a steal at current prices ...
I guess once the large majority have gone to the great big carpark in the sky the prices will go up a bit but I still think fibreglass four seaters will always be an acquired taste ...
mickyveloce said:
Wonderful engine (I had one in a Transit once), stylish car.
I prefered my Eclat for it's outrageousness, but I'd quite like one.
I'm not sure if it's common knowledge, but Princess Anne has one......
Corrected that for you. She still has a Middlebridge Scimitar.I prefered my Eclat for it's outrageousness, but I'd quite like one.
I'm not sure if it's common knowledge, but Princess Anne has one......
The 60's coupes have started to rise in value and fetch strong money abroad. GTE's are still very good value for money as are GTC's.
plasticpig said:
mickyveloce said:
Wonderful engine (I had one in a Transit once), stylish car.
I prefered my Eclat for it's outrageousness, but I'd quite like one.
I'm not sure if it's common knowledge, but Princess Anne has one......
Corrected that for you. She still has a Middlebridge Scimitar.I prefered my Eclat for it's outrageousness, but I'd quite like one.
I'm not sure if it's common knowledge, but Princess Anne has one......
The 60's coupes have started to rise in value and fetch strong money abroad. GTE's are still very good value for money as are GTC's.
(Nice to see nobody has taken up the challenge of the grocers' apostrophe in the topic title. Scimitar's undervalued what.......?)
I agree it's the Reliant name stigma that has probably affected values, but that hasn't stopped the 70 odd Middle bridges that were made from attaining 20-30 grand. I wish every good GTE 5a, 6a and 6b (only 400 or so 6b Cologne engine models were made) could fetch Middle bridge money.
Speaking of Middle bridges, I often see a lovely red Middbridge that frequents a local retail park. It's been there enough times for me to assume the owner uses it on a regular basis rather than just being shoved into a garage and never used. Wish other Scimitar owners, and other classic owners for that matter, could do the same. Strangely though, it just so happens to be parked on the same retail park and in the same parking space as another Middlebridge I've seen, the other one being green. So someone (presumably someone local) owns two of them, or it's someone's who's a mate of the other owner who just happens to shop at the same retail park. Why would you want to own two?.
You have the GTC which seem to fetch reasonable money - 6-12 grand, but the low numbers likely adds to their value. The SE4 go for decent money too depending on condition, with the rare early Sabra from the 60s often go for around the 20k mark. It's the GTE and wedge Sabres that don't seem to be appreciating.
My dad is on his third GTE (the previous two being a 5a and 6a) and this one being the rarer 6b model with a galvanised chassis. I prefer the 6a series more than
Speaking of Middle bridges, I often see a lovely red Middbridge that frequents a local retail park. It's been there enough times for me to assume the owner uses it on a regular basis rather than just being shoved into a garage and never used. Wish other Scimitar owners, and other classic owners for that matter, could do the same. Strangely though, it just so happens to be parked on the same retail park and in the same parking space as another Middlebridge I've seen, the other one being green. So someone (presumably someone local) owns two of them, or it's someone's who's a mate of the other owner who just happens to shop at the same retail park. Why would you want to own two?.
You have the GTC which seem to fetch reasonable money - 6-12 grand, but the low numbers likely adds to their value. The SE4 go for decent money too depending on condition, with the rare early Sabra from the 60s often go for around the 20k mark. It's the GTE and wedge Sabres that don't seem to be appreciating.
My dad is on his third GTE (the previous two being a 5a and 6a) and this one being the rarer 6b model with a galvanised chassis. I prefer the 6a series more than
Edited by Jukebag on Tuesday 9th May 21:26
Edited by Jukebag on Tuesday 9th May 21:27
nicanary said:
It's probably standing in the weedy bit of the drive at Gatcombe Park, covered in an old tarpaulin, held down by bricks - "I'll get round to doing it up one day". Seems the fate of all Scimitars.
(Nice to see nobody has taken up the challenge of the grocers' apostrophe in the topic title. Scimitar's undervalued what.......?)
Bad grammar everywhere these days. Earlier today I saw someone had used seven or eight full points in an ellipsis, instead of the correct three.(Nice to see nobody has taken up the challenge of the grocers' apostrophe in the topic title. Scimitar's undervalued what.......?)
Yertis said:
nicanary said:
It's probably standing in the weedy bit of the drive at Gatcombe Park, covered in an old tarpaulin, held down by bricks - "I'll get round to doing it up one day". Seems the fate of all Scimitars.
(Nice to see nobody has taken up the challenge of the grocers' apostrophe in the topic title. Scimitar's undervalued what.......?)
Bad grammar everywhere these days. Earlier today I saw someone had used seven or eight full points in an ellipsis, instead of the correct three.(Nice to see nobody has taken up the challenge of the grocers' apostrophe in the topic title. Scimitar's undervalued what.......?)
bodgerben said:
Undervalued or not they are fun cars, the Mrs has a SE6a with a Lexus 1UZFE V8 which I'm about to start using as my station run car as summers nearly here, the old man has a great original SE4a and my brother has a SE4a with a Daimler V8 - lovely.
Interesting stable sir.A friend of mine had an Se5a with a Rover V8 in it for a long time. Now has a GTC which he's owned for over 20 years. Currently lanquishing in the back garden following a lack of chassis/suspension interface. He tried to fit a V8 into that but gave up after seeing too many problems.
I could see myself with a GTC (rather than a Stag which I've tried and just couldn't get used to the offset pedals and rust traps) but doubt the 130bhp V6 would satisfy for very long. Even my old Volvo 940 Estate is running about 180.
The Essex V6 has a good load of low down torque so the low bhp is a little deceptive .... I do however think an alloy V8 (Daimler Rover or Lexus) must make them even nicer ... I'm also a recent convert to automatic gearboxes.
I'd love to see some pictures of the Lexus engine conversion ...
The only thing that does irritate me slightly is people starting a conversion and abandoning less than half way. The "V12 Jag conversion" attempted on the Gilbern Genie I have didn't leave much of the chassis in place and was a pig to recover from ...
838HNK said:
The Essex V6 has a good load of low down torque so the low bhp is a little deceptive .... I do however think an alloy V8 (Daimler Rover or Lexus) must make them even nicer ...
Chevy LS if you want to do it properly 
Having said that, I used to love the old Essex V6, had many a fun hour behind the wheels of a few modded and standard RS3100 Capri's back in the day, and a mildly modded Essex V6 (around 180hp) was great fun.
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