And now I want a scimitar........
Discussion
Trying to come up with some retro car ideas for a lad looking out for his first car in the general gassing section and then did a bit of a double take on my own description of it.....
A bit different
Reliable
RWD
Space for a mountain bike frame etc in the back
And now suddenly I want a Scimitar!!
Can anyone tell me a bit more about them as a drivers car? What are the standard performance figures and what can you expect from one with a few sensible mods? Whats the handling like?
Is it safe to assume a decent example will be as reliable and (dare I say it) water tight as a second hand 90s car? The whole attraction of a Scimitar is it's apparent every day usability (combined with fun factor), so it wouldn't be used as a second car.
Just pipe dreaming at the moment, but might go on the look out for something new over the winter....
A bit different
Reliable
RWD
Space for a mountain bike frame etc in the back
And now suddenly I want a Scimitar!!
Can anyone tell me a bit more about them as a drivers car? What are the standard performance figures and what can you expect from one with a few sensible mods? Whats the handling like?
Is it safe to assume a decent example will be as reliable and (dare I say it) water tight as a second hand 90s car? The whole attraction of a Scimitar is it's apparent every day usability (combined with fun factor), so it wouldn't be used as a second car.
Just pipe dreaming at the moment, but might go on the look out for something new over the winter....
Hi Chris,
Glad to see you have turned to the Scim side
Get yourself on here,
www.sporting-reliants.com/
Anything and everythig you would ever want to know about Scims,
johnny
Glad to see you have turned to the Scim side
Get yourself on here,
www.sporting-reliants.com/
Anything and everythig you would ever want to know about Scims,
johnny
Edited by johnnymaestro on Wednesday 2nd May 20:25
Get an SE5, better stock handling than the later cars, sportier looking dash, purer than the later lard buckets that have loads of electrical gizmos that go tits up.
It's an absolute bugger getting anything in the back, you have to limbo under the rear screen and the loading hole is pretty small.
We've run 2 over the past 17 years, great if you don't mind constant dirty finger nails and tinkering.
As standard 0-60 in about 8 seconds, top speed about 120, mpg about 18 in town and high 20's on a motorway.
A lot of car for little money.
Go for the best chassis and bodywork you can find, engines etc are cheap and easy to swap, getting the paintwork sorted aint !.
There are a few around with Rover V8 conversions, well worth finding a properly done one.
Cheers
It's an absolute bugger getting anything in the back, you have to limbo under the rear screen and the loading hole is pretty small.
We've run 2 over the past 17 years, great if you don't mind constant dirty finger nails and tinkering.
As standard 0-60 in about 8 seconds, top speed about 120, mpg about 18 in town and high 20's on a motorway.
A lot of car for little money.
Go for the best chassis and bodywork you can find, engines etc are cheap and easy to swap, getting the paintwork sorted aint !.
There are a few around with Rover V8 conversions, well worth finding a properly done one.
Cheers
Apart from electric windows I cant think of any. loads of electrical gizmos was perhaps overstating it a bit but in my defence I will add - Hazard warning lights, fog/spot lights, brake pad warning lights, brake fluid warning lights, fuel warning lights & on later models electric mirrors and central locking, and as you pointed out electric windows.
Cheers
Cheers
Scimmy53 said:
Get an SE5, better stock handling than the later cars, sportier looking dash, purer than the later lard buckets that have loads of electrical gizmos that go tits up.
It's an absolute bugger getting anything in the back, you have to limbo under the rear screen and the loading hole is pretty small.
We've run 2 over the past 17 years, great if you don't mind constant dirty finger nails and tinkering.
As standard 0-60 in about 8 seconds, top speed about 120, mpg about 18 in town and high 20's on a motorway.
A lot of car for little money.
Go for the best chassis and bodywork you can find, engines etc are cheap and easy to swap, getting the paintwork sorted aint !.
There are a few around with Rover V8 conversions, well worth finding a properly done one.
Cheers
It's an absolute bugger getting anything in the back, you have to limbo under the rear screen and the loading hole is pretty small.
We've run 2 over the past 17 years, great if you don't mind constant dirty finger nails and tinkering.
As standard 0-60 in about 8 seconds, top speed about 120, mpg about 18 in town and high 20's on a motorway.
A lot of car for little money.
Go for the best chassis and bodywork you can find, engines etc are cheap and easy to swap, getting the paintwork sorted aint !.
There are a few around with Rover V8 conversions, well worth finding a properly done one.
Cheers
Must admit I had the impression they weren't as quick as that in standard - must have seen performance figures for an auto or something.
They do seem to be rather undervalued cars, so even the (very modest) sort of money I have to spend, will go quite a long way with one. Have to admit I think I'd go for a slightly retro one - minilites, bucket seats and some tweaks and/or an engine conversion.
Can anyone comment on what the standard SE5 handling is like?
Just a bit of a pipe dream at the moment, but I'm spending an increasing ammount of time in London where I wouldn't be able tp afford to run two cars and would need something with the carrying space to get a (wheel-less) mountain bike or a guitar amp around, whilst still providing some fun when I get to a decent road.
I presume the Essex engined scims are pretty reliable if properly looked after? Are they completely watertight and could one realistically live outside?
Hi Chris, to answer a couple of your Q's
leaving them outside - the body is made from GRP so wont rust, ever! big bonus
might be worth making sure the boot lock has been sorted though as these are known to be easy points to get into the early cars, but saying that, most theives who know that are probbably too old to be stealing things now . . . . . . mines had all that removed and has a lever fitted behind the drivers seat that unlocks it instead.
stuff in the back - to put it short you can fit lots in the back, fold down the rear seats and you can fit even more in, the only probs are the low rear window when its open and the fact that you have to carefully carry whatever your lifting in, over the bottom of the rear end, so you dont scratch the paint.
I took my gemballa rear spoiler up to malton a couple of weeks back without any problems (was off my 911), that was an awkward shape to say the least but it went in with no drama.
your after one with minilight alloys
this is my SE5 below, with minilights and some cooling mods on the side.
I cant comment on the drive though as ive never driven a std car, mine has everything replaced all different non original parts used, engine, gearbox, adjustable suspension, disk brakes all round, etc etc etc.
nowadays hardly anyone knows what they are and all my neihbours say they preferr it to the porsche becuase its a classic old car, although it might show their knowledge of cars as two of them said they love old jags like this . . . . .
leaving them outside - the body is made from GRP so wont rust, ever! big bonus
might be worth making sure the boot lock has been sorted though as these are known to be easy points to get into the early cars, but saying that, most theives who know that are probbably too old to be stealing things now . . . . . . mines had all that removed and has a lever fitted behind the drivers seat that unlocks it instead.
stuff in the back - to put it short you can fit lots in the back, fold down the rear seats and you can fit even more in, the only probs are the low rear window when its open and the fact that you have to carefully carry whatever your lifting in, over the bottom of the rear end, so you dont scratch the paint.
I took my gemballa rear spoiler up to malton a couple of weeks back without any problems (was off my 911), that was an awkward shape to say the least but it went in with no drama.
your after one with minilight alloys
this is my SE5 below, with minilights and some cooling mods on the side.
I cant comment on the drive though as ive never driven a std car, mine has everything replaced all different non original parts used, engine, gearbox, adjustable suspension, disk brakes all round, etc etc etc.
nowadays hardly anyone knows what they are and all my neihbours say they preferr it to the porsche becuase its a classic old car, although it might show their knowledge of cars as two of them said they love old jags like this . . . . .
Leaving one outside shouldnt be a problem as long as all the seals are good. Like any old car the rubber deterioates and can cause leaks. Be prepared for more electrical gremlins as earthing strops and other connections will corrode quicker. You would also be wise to have the chassis treated for rust prevention. There are a few out there which have been rebuilt onto glavanised chassis.
Plenty can be done to make a Scimitar go quicker and handle better.
Plenty can be done to make a Scimitar go quicker and handle better.
Hi,
The Reliant Sabre and Scimitar Owners Club can be found at www.scimitarweb.com
There have been numerous engine conversions for Scimitars including, diesel engines, American engines and Cosworth engines etc.
Check out:
www.sporting-reliants.com/ModifiedMotors.htm
Dave Poole
The Reliant Sabre and Scimitar Owners Club can be found at www.scimitarweb.com
There have been numerous engine conversions for Scimitars including, diesel engines, American engines and Cosworth engines etc.
Check out:
www.sporting-reliants.com/ModifiedMotors.htm
Dave Poole
Edited by scimmie on Monday 7th May 19:37
Rover V8 does kind of appeal
As Gary illustrated in the other post it'd be great for frightening M3 drivers! I think one reasonably well silenced and devoid of any badges to really catch them out would be good!!
How's the maintanence acess/weight distribution affected by putting the RV8 in? Would I be right in guessing this is the main transplant choice?
Anyone here put something like a MTB frame in the back?
As Gary illustrated in the other post it'd be great for frightening M3 drivers! I think one reasonably well silenced and devoid of any badges to really catch them out would be good!!
How's the maintanence acess/weight distribution affected by putting the RV8 in? Would I be right in guessing this is the main transplant choice?
Anyone here put something like a MTB frame in the back?
chris71 said:
Anyone here put something like a MTB frame in the back?
I put my Kona King Kikapu (i guess you know what one of them is) in yesterday and took it to the woods, peddeled about for a bit then chucked it back in and came home.
had to take the front wheel of, and the only real problem was making sure you dont scratch the boot lid/bottom of the window with the pedals etc.
www.v8developments.co.uk will sort the RV8 convertion for you
DucatiGary said:
chris71 said:
Anyone here put something like a MTB frame in the back?
I put my Kona King Kikapu (i guess you know what one of them is) in yesterday and took it to the woods, peddeled about for a bit then chucked it back in and came home.
had to take the front wheel of, and the only real problem was making sure you dont scratch the boot lid/bottom of the window with the pedals etc.
www.v8developments.co.uk will sort the RV8 convertion for you
Oh yes - Kona's are pimp
If I had the cash I'd buy a freeride-spec Stinky just to look at. After I'd bought a 223 to go with my sub 5 that is. There's just too many toys and too little time!! Back on topic, that sounds promising! Even have difficulty getting my bike in the back of my outgoing ZS (seats fold, but leave a narrow opening!) - god knows what I'm going to do with my MX5 as my only car!
Think I'd prefer to get a car with the conversion already done. RV8 does sound preferably (litterally!) but I'm told you can gte 225hp from a stock Cologne V6 out of a Scorpio Cosworth? This sounds like a possibility too. According to the web, an SE5 weighs around 1100kg, so 180hp or so should be quite addequate! I have a 50 mile round trip to work everyday, so something reasonably civilised to drive (but not too much!) combined with decent MPG and fuel tank capacity would be good. Don't get me wrong, I know it's never going to be a 40mpg repmobile, but something I could do do a 200 mile motorway trip without stopping to refuel and stuff would be good. If I ever did buy a Grand Touring Estate, it would have to still be a viable grand tourer.
chris71 said:
Think I'd prefer to get a car with the conversion already done. RV8 does sound preferably (litterally!) but I'm told you can gte 225hp from a stock Cologne V6 out of a Scorpio Cosworth? This sounds like a possibility too. According to the web, an SE5 weighs around 1100kg, so 180hp or so should be quite addequate! I have a 50 mile round trip to work everyday, so something reasonably civilised to drive (but not too much!) combined with decent MPG and fuel tank capacity would be good. Don't get me wrong, I know it's never going to be a 40mpg repmobile, but something I could do do a 200 mile motorway trip without stopping to refuel and stuff would be good. If I ever did buy a Grand Touring Estate, it would have to still be a viable grand tourer.
From what I have been told the Cosworth conversion is a real pig to do. This was from the Scimitar specialist (QRG) who did it. The Cosworth engine is by no means a stock cologne engine. You can get 180bhp from an Essex engine.
An SE5 has a 17 Gallon tank so 200 miles should be doable.
plasticpig said:
From what I have been told the Cosworth conversion is a real pig to do. This was from the Scimitar specialist (QRG) who did it. The Cosworth engine is by no means a stock cologne engine. You can get 180bhp from an Essex engine.
The Cosworth engine is a double overhead cam job with timing chains and variable intake manifold, so fairly different. I think it was only used in the Scorpio, so there might be engine management/gearbox issues unless you transplant the whole lot.
Whole lot sounds good!
Whats the reliability like on the standard cars? I mentioned the scim idea to a colleague of mine and he was keen to point out their reliability is only good relative to 1970s standards! To be fair, he's a bit biased, I'm also considering a BMW 328 coupe and he's a big BM fan....
Whats the reliability like on the standard cars? I mentioned the scim idea to a colleague of mine and he was keen to point out their reliability is only good relative to 1970s standards! To be fair, he's a bit biased, I'm also considering a BMW 328 coupe and he's a big BM fan....
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