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[storchy neil]

carful marty known to lead some up the garden path

 

gee marty trying to give nev a disorder of some kind neil

 

 

[Marty_d]

Neil! I'd never lead anyone up the garden path.

 

As far as I know, you can't get any kind of disorder from a pink Landy, unless you try driving it in Alabama or somewhere.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Looks too much like a unstreamlined Facetmobile

 

 

[David2ayo]

That particular example is a bit more macho than the norm, but I'll admit it's the lines of the vehicle that I like. It's square, flat panelled, flat glass, looks like a 4WD should look like. Compare that to something like a Porsche Cayenne which wants to be both a 4WD and a sports car. I'll take the "functional" look any day... even if it was painted like this:

My wife wants it

 

(and I would let her take it out when I'm not driving it myself). Especially if it came with a roll or two of the long-ago mentioned toilet paper. Got to get back on the thread somehow!

 

David

 

 

[Yenn]

I have quite a few hours driving Land Rovers, mainly when I was in the British army, but a few since then and I can honestly say that there is only one vehicle worse to drive and that is an English Hillman.

 

Any wine is good wine, just that some is better than others. I really believed that until I tasted Browns wine. Browns, not Brown Brothers which is good stuff.

 

Several trips to Britain have shown how their food has improved. I really like some of the British pub food, which is more than I can say about my last few meals in Australian restaurants. One in Beechworth Vic was so poor that when I complained they gave me my money back. One at Lakes Entrance was just better forgotten and one in my nearest town of Gladstone reminded me of school dinners as a kid in England.

 

It seems that as the number of chefs appearing on TV increases that the chefs in restaurants are getting worse.

 

 

[David2ayo]

I have quite a few hours driving Land Rovers, mainly when I was in the British army, but a few since then and I can honestly say that there is only one vehicle worse to drive and that is an English Hillman.

Oh. NO! I'm devastated! First, my motor vehicle of choice is condemned, and then! THE CAR I LEARNT TO DRIVE IN!!!!

 

I suspect the Honourable Yenn has had some bad experiences whilst driving Land Rovers, probably in the form of gentle admonishments from the RSM in the passenger seat, so I will, considering his previous quality and informative posts, turn a blind eye to this one.

 

Our family had a pair of Hillman Minxes, 1959 and 1962, the family number plate KP-220 on Dad's '59, and BKP-220 on Mums. Now, to get these plates, you pay an annual fee. I managed to keep KP-220 and scored DW-151 before the RTA realised they could charge a bucketload for the privilege. The shorter plate would fit on the side of my S3 shorty, well that's my excuse.

 

David

 

 

[nomadpete]

Uderno wot a poinonalised number platelike that means to others, but to me it's just another meaningless number plate. It might be of interest to those rare friends who still drive Hillman motor cars. But then again, the only interesting Hillman's have a badge on front. Says "Singer" and it means that machine can neither sew nor sing. One thing for sure, you won't see likes of that on my grubby old Landy

 

 

[David2ayo]

Another badge-engineered Hillman was the Humber Vogue, the staid cousin. Driven by little old ladies who could not afford a Rover. Unfortunately for their reputation, an aquaintance of mine acquired a very nice example, and very slightly lowered it, put slightly wider wheels on it, and installed a weber carburettor, extractors and a bigger exhaust system on it. As a result, depressing the right hand pedal actually made a difference (without making everyone nearby deaf). I don't think he had personalised plates, but their plate setup accepted the fullsize plate, the Land Rover did not.

 

 

[Yenn]

I knew I would upset someone with my Hillman comment. I drove Hillman utes in the army and they were ho hum. My mother had a Hillman Californian and I sometimes drove it, but not far. It was so uncomfortable that I used to get cramp, which was the same as Land Rovers. The throttle position was horrible. At the same time as I was driving Land Rovers I was also driving Austin Champs and Humber Scouts, just lovely driving positions. For a really bad drive I would choose the Thornycroft Mighty Antar, worlds biggest vehicle at the time (1956). Not bad once you got it going, but with no power steering below about 2500rpm it was a cow to manouever in a tight situation.

 

 

[facthunter]

The Hillman Ute was really the car with the back swapped. It had a miniscule sidevalve motor. Not really a plumbers wet dream. Australya invented the UTE by Ford about mid 30's. When someone builds "my" 4 wheel drive, as I say it will have electric motors in each wheel, and no drive things that break and scrape along the ground between where the wheels run. A hummer looks more purposeful but a bit wide as it has to fit tank tracks. Geez that Rover is crass. It's mobile kitch. Makes a Lada Niva look stylish. There is ONE vehicle that Trumps the Defender The MAHINDRA UTE. Get one and be different. They must be cheap because someone bought one I saw at Winton. Nev

 

 

[David2ayo]

Yenn, I am a realist! I get the feeling the same guy set up the Hillman driving position as set up the Land Rover. All very well if you fit, (especially in the non-adjustable early series Rovers) bad luck if you do not. I'm one of the lucky ones.

 

Fit in a car, bike or plane is very important, as I found out last flying lesson. My instructor kept complaining I was dropping the starboard wing. When he had a good look at me from outside (its a Legend Cub tandem-seater) he realised I was stretching to reach the stick in straight and level, holding the stick in right hand, subtly pulling it to the right .... No wonder I never felt really comfortable in it!

 

David

 

 

[facthunter]

You want good seats in anything you spend a lot of time in. The plane must have the controls where you can comfortably OPERATE them to their movement limits. Sometimes you need the lot Quickly. Nev

 

 

[nomadpete]

Aaaah. The Austin Champ.

 

Now there's a car that's fun to drive.

 

It's capable, and actually rode well, and unlike Landy, pointed predictably in the rough.

 

If I could stumble across one, that would be my choice to play in

 

 

[facthunter]

Very heavy and has an RR motor. A good effort at building a quality vehicle. Nev

 

 

[gareth lacey]

we had 1 years ago , 5 forward gears and five reverse gears very over engineered the suspension was a nightmare , in a real war scenario it would fall to bits and mechanics would not be able to fix , the suspension was great but the drive shafts to each wheel were so finite to install splined shafts , and it would still run engine under water if you had snorkel fitted very strong vehicle but very limited

 

 

[nomadpete]

The Champ was designed to be a traction vehicle, I used to tow trees around with the motor producing useful power from 500rpm (enormous flywheel). And it was governed to a maximum speed of 64mph, it always left landrovers in its dust.

 

Would have liked to try the big six cylinder Champ. That was a big beast though.

 

Overengineered, but delightfully so.

 

 

[Yenn]

Has anyone driven the Humber Scout? A 1 ton ute with streamlined bodywork. 4WD independent suspension with torsion bars and a RR 60 series engine. Only problem was brakes as delivered from the factory. We had to inspect brake cylinders on each one before they were safe to drive.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Maybe the Humber was the one I thought was a 6 cylinder Champ.

 

I didn't have any problems with the Champ suspension except a broken torsion bar (simple to replace).