More than just "Retro"

[Rollo]

The car manufacturers seem to have got into their heads that the public out there likes the idea of "retro" cars, and so in an attempt to appease us they "re-interpret" them, and as such we get cars like the New Beetle, Mini, Fiat 500 and even that awful looking thing, the Chrysler PT Cruiser.

How about go one step further? How about re-visiting the old body pressings of cars, and re-engineering them with new kit?

Personally I'd like to see Ford, take the Mk1. Cortina and rather than give us a 1.5L Kent, how about chuck in a 1.6L from the current Fiesta, and bring with it, the Fiesta's airbags, brakes, and gearbox?

How about Vauxhall stepping up to the plate with a 1978 Vauxhall Viceroy but give it the 2.8 Ecotec V6 found in the Insginia? My dad was always forever complaining that his Viceroy was underpowered, let's see how it'd do with 250 horsies up front?

What would you like to see re-made? Or are you really happy with the jelly-mould blobs that the wind tunnel churns out these days? Where's the style gone?

[MrJan]

Alfa to bring back the Guilia. Doesn't really matter what lump they drop in because it'll still be unreliable but damn it's a good looking car.

[Jag_Warrior]

I'd like to see a better (modern) interpretation of the Jag Series 1 E-type. Styling wise, the XK8 (specifically the newest one) is a poor pretender to the throne - they got it close to right with the 2005 though ( ;) ). I'd say the same thing about the Jaguar MK II vs. the S-type. And to me, the Jag XF looks like one of the nicest Volvos I've ever seen. :dozey:

[walrus81]

What sort of engine would you put in a Morris Marina?

[Mark in Oshawa]

What sort of engine would you put in a Morris Marina?

A 351 Windsor with nitrous injection. Otherwise...just enter the Marina in parking for a monster truck show, preferably under them....

I like retro styling in American muscle cars, even the goofy take on the 69 Camaro that the new Camaro emulates...

[Daniel]

The car manufacturers seem to have got into their heads that the public out there likes the idea of "retro" cars, and so in an attempt to appease us they "re-interpret" them, and as such we get cars like the New Beetle, Mini, Fiat 500 and even that awful looking thing, the Chrysler PT Cruiser.

How about go one step further? How about re-visiting the old body pressings of cars, and re-engineering them with new kit?

Personally I'd like to see Ford, take the Mk1. Cortina and rather than give us a 1.5L Kent, how about chuck in a 1.6L from the current Fiesta, and bring with it, the Fiesta's airbags, brakes, and gearbox?

How about Vauxhall stepping up to the plate with a 1978 Vauxhall Viceroy but give it the 2.8 Ecotec V6 found in the Insginia? My dad was always forever complaining that his Viceroy was underpowered, let's see how it'd do with 250 horsies up front?

What would you like to see re-made? Or are you really happy with the jelly-mould blobs that the wind tunnel churns out these days? Where's the style gone?


Quite agree Rollo. Luckily the 500 is fairly faithful to the original although it does look huge compared to an original.

http://www.tuningmag.net/images/news/carzone_fiat_500_18012008/Fiat-500-NEW-vs-OLD.jpg

I'm trying to convince Caroline to do a restoration of sorts on her Subaru and that's only 15 years old. Would be good to completely change the suspension and brakes over for more modern Impreza stuff.

[Mark]

Fairly faithful? It's a completely different car bearing only a passing resemblance at best to the original.

[Daniel]

Fairly faithful? It's a completely different car bearing only a passing resemblance at best to the original.
I meant in terms of looks ;)

It bears a bit more than just a passing resemblance to the original car anyway ;)

The one above is a Pop so doesn't have all the chrome bits which make it look more like the original.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~fenix1983/Files/500/DSC_5717.JPG

If the original 500 above didn't have that rally plate on the front and the new 500 had the chrome bumper strips you'd see what I mean.

[Mark in Oshawa]

The picture of the two 500's is just how much small cars have grown. With safety reg's and the way we are spoiled by power, you couldn't build a car as small as the original 500 and still be legal on the road. The new era Fiat 500 is an awesome little car. I hope they bring them to North America now they have bought up Chrysler.

[Daniel]

The picture of the two 500's is just how much small cars have grown. With safety reg's and the way we are spoiled by power, you couldn't build a car as small as the original 500 and still be legal on the road. The new era Fiat 500 is an awesome little car. I hope they bring them to North America now they have bought up Chrysler.

Yeah the 500 is a monster truck compared to a lot of the old cars which were properly small. Here's a crappy picture I took a few hours ago of our 500 with Caroline's Subaru and you can see just how much taller it is, how high the bonnet line of the 500 is (to give it more of a crumple zone) and look at just how huge the doors are for added side protection.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~fenix1983/Files/500/500Subaru.jpg

Fiat will bring the 500 to the US. If they keep the quality up there with the Polish built 500 it will blow a lot of other cars out of the water.

[Mark]

The Subaru isn't that much longer than the 500 either!

[Daniel]

The Subaru isn't that much longer than the 500 either!
Glasses for Mr Hewitt! :p

The Subaru as near as makes no difference to a metre longer!

[Mark in Oshawa]

The 500 actually is big..or at least tall. Tall is in for small cars...

[Daniel]

The 500 actually is big..or at least tall. Tall is in for small cars...
Yeah it's 15cm taller but because the driving position is quite upright and quite high you actually have less headroom than in the Subaru :crazy: