Horsetan Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 ....my father, as a motorbike fan, was interested in it and always reckoned that more should be done with 3-cylinder engines. Having recently driven one of the new generation of small cars with a 3-cyl engine, I can see his point. The Japanese kei cars often had 3-cylinder engines in them. I think the UK-market Daihatsu Charade usually had a 3-cylinder engine in it (unless it was the GTti version) He was also a big two-stroke fan and always wanted one of the old Saabs. That was ruled out by my mother on the grounds that the Saabs rolled in corners as badly as a 2CV..... Look on the bright side; she could have approved the purchase of a Trabant. That was a 2-stroke..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 30801 Posted March 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 10, 2017 The Japanese kei cars often had 3-cylinder engines in them. I think the UK-market Daihatsu Charade usually had a 3-cylinder engine in it (unless it was the GTti version) Briefly had a 1980 Charade and it was a 1.0 ltr three pot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Traxson Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) The 2CV engine was intended to be a 2-stroke. This is why instead of 'one up, one down' the pistons are 'both up, both down'. Why it was decided to make it a 4-stroke I don't know. Most, or even all, british 4-stroke vertical twin motorcycles are both up together it evens out the power strokes on a 4-stroke engine. Honda on the other hand had some one up-one down 4-stroke twins and they sounded very odd on tick-over or low rev's. Edited March 10, 2017 by Phil Traxson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) Nobody ever bought an Italian car for the quality of its electrics. No need for the last three words. People who buy Italian cars do so with their hearts not their heads, and rightly so. Edited March 10, 2017 by royaloak Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
runs as required Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 He was also a big two-stroke fan and always wanted one of the old Saabs. That was ruled out by my mother on the grounds that the Saabs rolled in corners as badly as a 2CV. There are some great early 60s photos of Saabs rallying. My elder son, now in his fifties and a car afficianado, was a complete nutter about those 'roop poop' Saabs. We lived in Dar es Salaam during the Eric Carlson years and witnessed the Armadillo shaped projectiles on the East African Safari over the Easter week-end. He even named our young bitch puppy 'Roo-poop'. 2 Interesting to watch that Fiat twin cylinder 4 stroke animation. I couldn't fathom whether it was petrol or diesel. (I have a guilt thing about running my cheapo old 59 reg diesel Mondeo) dh 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 ISTR Lancia used to specialise in narrow-angle V4's. Rather good too. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Nobody ever bought an Italian car for the quality of its electrics. The wiring loom in my four year old Giulietta originated in Germany.... and (touch wood / an efergy of the Pope) the electrics are the only thing that have let me down so far...! (Note to self : must.... stop.... looking.... at.... previously.... thrashed.... Maserati.... Quattroporte.... MkVs.... on.... Autotrader.... ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kickstart Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 The 2CV engine also produces a spark to both plugs simultaneously which cuts down are on the points. Such wasted spark systems are very common on bikes. Having recently driven one of the new generation of small cars with a 3-cyl engine, I can see his point. We recenltly bought a Focus. The one we bought is a 1.6, but we also test drove a slightly newer 3 cylinder turbo one (very similar performance). I found it quite noticeably rough. The wiring loom in my four year old Giulietta originated in Germany.... and (touch wood / an efergy of the Pope) the electrics are the only thing that have let me down so far...! Many years ago we bought an Alfa 75. A friend who already owned one showed us around theirs as to what to look for when buying. Popped the bonnet up and said that the only bits that go wrong under there are the bits labelled Bosch. They were right All the best Katy 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted March 11, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2017 Last time I drove a 3 cylinder car it had similar performance and smoothness to my previous car when a cam pulley jumped 180 degrees on one cam of the 4. Moral is if it says replace bolts, replace them 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Just happened upon this cracking set of images of the '68 Alfa Carabo concept car, thought I'd post the link before it slips my mind... http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1968_alfa_romeo_carabo/images/35863/ 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Just happened upon this cracking set of images of the '68 Alfa Carabo concept car, thought I'd post the link before it slips my mind... http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1968_alfa_romeo_carabo/images/35863/ I used to have Matchbox version of that - in pink! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted March 11, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2017 (edited) Car wash anyone >> http://www.facebook.com/sketchhistory/?pnref=story page down to 'Knight wash. Edited March 11, 2017 by PhilJ W Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Daihatsu Charade and Suzuki Alto (and now the Celerio) have/had 3-pot engines which, by all accounts, are fun, revvy little units. The Daewoo Matiz was also a 3-pot and, I'm given to understand, is not. The nicest sounding triple that I'm aware of is the early Laverda Jota motorcycle engine with crank throws at 180 degrees; I believe because the Laverda factory didn't have the facilities to manufacture a proper 120 degree crank. Whilst the later 120 degree engines were technically superior in all regards they didn't sound anything like as impressive. On the subject of 2-stroke flat twins, I can't think of a roadgoing example off the top of my head, but Zenoah will happily sell you one for your ultralight aircraft. Or indeed a 70-odd cc tiddler for your large scale model aircraft. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Daihatsu Charade and Suzuki Alto (and now the Celerio) have/had 3-pot engines which, by all accounts, are fun, revvy little units. The Daewoo Matiz was also a 3-pot and, I'm given to understand, is not. At one of the late season banger meetings at Great Yarmouth last year a Daewoo Matiz was paired with the biggest caravan (by quite a margin) on the circuit for the destruction derby! The result was a dead heat as the two remaining cars both took each other out, I think the other was a Vauxhall Zafira. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted March 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 12, 2017 Daihatsu Charade and Suzuki Alto (and now the Celerio) have/had 3-pot engines which, by all accounts, are fun, revvy little units. The Daewoo Matiz was also a 3-pot and, I'm given to understand, is not. The nicest sounding triple that I'm aware of is the early Laverda Jota motorcycle engine with crank throws at 180 degrees; I believe because the Laverda factory didn't have the facilities to manufacture a proper 120 degree crank. Whilst the later 120 degree engines were technically superior in all regards they didn't sound anything like as impressive. On the subject of 2-stroke flat twins, I can't think of a roadgoing example off the top of my head, but Zenoah will happily sell you one for your ultralight aircraft. Or indeed a 70-odd cc tiddler for your large scale model aircraft. Funnily enough I saw a 120 Jota while Debs took me out for an hour this afternoon. Nice late version, RGS style fairing. The rider didn't look entirely in control of it, and given the house it came from (mega posh) is probably an investment rather than a genuine enthusiast. I test rode a 180 Jota (Orange with silver frame one) in the late 70's, I bought a Honda 900 instead - the Jota was too much of a handful for me back then, it took two grown men to pull the clutch in! A ride around town wasn't the best environment to feel it at its best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 You often read about other people's "barn finds" - old cars found mouldering in some tucked-away place. Well, I've found one. Or rather, I've known about it for some time but this was the first chance I'd had to grab a photo. It's a bit difficult to get your horse to stand still so you can take a snap, when all your equine friend wants to do is get you to the pub. When I go off on my Sunday alcohacks with my partner-in-crime, we generally stop at a pub called the Cart and Horses. Next door to the pub is a very overgrown cottage. It looks almost derelict, but my riding partner assures me that a recluse lives there, and he has let his cottage go to rack and ruin to deter visitors. Of even greater interest is the equally overgrown garage. For years there was an abandoned Rover 100 / Metro outside, but this has been replaced by an equally neglected 2001 Mk.4 Golf. However, forget the modern car that is unlikely to run again, and look past it through the garage door half-open and into the gloom beyond. Can you guess what old car sits forlornly within....? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted March 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 12, 2017 Is it French? Andy G 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Is it French? No. I walked up close, and it's definitely not French. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted March 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 12, 2017 Then I'm thinking something like an Austin 1100? Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Then I'm thinking something like an Austin 1100?... There's no hiding anything from you, is there? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted March 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 12, 2017 It was the A series engine under the bonnet that gave it away... Really it was the tail lamp and the boot chrome finisher/handle thingy that gave it away. It looks surprisingly good, I suppose the roof of the garage is ok? Andy G 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Let's put it this way: nothing has moved in or out of that garage since the last time that car was driven in. Even the Golf outside has moss growing all over it. Anyone fancy trying to convince the recluse to part with it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted March 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 12, 2017 I think you are the man for the job! You could trade him the horse.... Runs for cover... Andy G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Let's put it this way: nothing has moved in or out of that garage since the last time that car was driven in. Even the Golf outside has moss growing all over it. Moss grows on vehicles that are in regular use in Wales, if they're not cleaned very often! Not telling how I know . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 (edited) Apologies in advance for another stab of Italianate goodness but I couldn't resist posting this little cutie from Alfa Romeo... Ye olde Italian car mag from September '69, lovely period cover shot, the black saloon looks like a Fiat or Lancia of some sort...(?)... Edited March 13, 2017 by Rugd1022 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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