Nik's Cars

First car - this would be in 1975 - a 1958 Reliant Regal 3 wheeler, 748 cc side valve(Austin 7 flathead) engine, Thermo-syphon cooling,(no pump) and Hydraulic brakes on all 3 wheels! No heater was standard so demisting was either by hand or an electrical element which was stuck on the windscreen and connected to the battery, (No cigar lighters in these) heat came from the engine inbetween driver and passanger. This had a fibre glass body, wooden frame work with a glass fibre interior and boxed steel chassis.
 
 

2nd Car- 1965 Ford 105E Anglia 997 cc OHV (with an 18 year old Nik sat on it), brush painted in Light Blue and White Valspar. This ended up with a 100E engine as it used as much oil as petrol. It hated starting cold and when I got rid of it some of my neighbours said they were late for work as I'd woken them up cranking the engine for so long before it started.
 
 

3rd Car - A 1966 Ford Corsair, V4 1663 cc Engine, converted to SU carb. The first car my mates and I fitted a Wing to rear and Spoiler at front on, Front springs cut-down, Spray on Windows tinted (Black), Rover 2000 reclining front seats added. This was in was mid to late 70's when most people didn't know about air-dams spoilers or aerodynamics in cars. Most people thought they were snowploughs or cow catchers!
 
 

4th Car - 1967 Reliant, 600 cc OHV all alloy Engine - lightened/balanced, ported, big bore exhaust, 155/70x13" Radial tyres, rear wing, front spoiler, bonnet vent, cruising lights and the rear cut down to create a coupe, brush painted Matt black. Thanks to the aero dynamic tweeks it handled well at high speed. Believe it or not for people 6' plus the Reliants are still the best for leg room. Probably due to the fact the engine is between the driver and passanger instead of infront. Probably the first stealth car produced.
 
 

5th Car - 1968 Ford Corsair, V4 1996 cc engine, lowered front and back with anti-tramp bars added.
 
 

6th Car - a 1969 Austin-Healey Sprite, original options included :- wire wheels, heater and anti-roll bar.
Mods :- Engine: Piper 285 cam, LCB exhaust manifold, compression upped  to 230 psi, large bore exhaust system. Run on unleaded thanks to Carbon-Flo.
Front Suspension: 11/16 anti-roll bar, Cut down rear Imp springs, lowered and uprated dampers.
Rear Suspension: Stiffened, lowered and telescopic dampers added.
Electric Cooling Fan, Plasma ign, electronic fuel pump, fuel regulator, Omni-auto's roller release bearing and 3.5 diff also added.
 
 


7th Car - a 1972 Wartburg Knight Estate, 993 cc 3 cylinder 2-stroke engine, Manually adjustable radiator louvers, free-wheel device and a vast amount of space inside, 40 + mpg. Seen here towing a trailer with another Wartburg Knight Estate on it (Not mine), someone I knew got it in a swap for a 4kb (yes 4kb it was 1kb but he upped it mem) homebuilt computer, it hadn't been run for 2+ years but due to the roller bearing crank etc you could still turn it by hand.
 
 

8th Car - a 1965 Austin A40 - first car I ever raced (hill-climbs and Sprints) 1098 cc engine although this was replaced with a Sprite 1275 cc unit for racing. Never the fastest A40 but I put this down to the standard exhaust manifold/system all the 1098's I had after went faster.
 
 

9th Car - a CS+II Mini-Bug - never driven on the road I bought it as an unfinished project to get parts I wanted cheaply and then sold the car on.
 
 

10th Car - another Austin A40
 Mods :-Engine: 1098 Austin-Healey unit, 3 into 1 exhaust manifold, Sprite big bore exhaust system. 1½" SU, run on unleaded thanks to Carbon-Flo. Front Suspension: Cut down rear Imp springs, lowered and uprated dampers. Rear Suspension: Stiffened, lowered. Sprite Gear-box, Electric Cooling Fan, Plasma ign, electronic fuel pump, fuel regulator, Omni-auto's roller release bearing, 185/60x13" P6's on 6" Cosmic alloys and 3.9 diff added.
 
 

11th Car - 1979 Austin Allegro 1098cc (the car in front, going around Castle Combe) named Reggie it was a fairly standard car with the exception of a Nick Stagg lightened flywheel and electronic ign.
 
 

12th Car - 1977 Marina Estate 1275 cc - No picture of this exist thank goodness although I did try autotesting it, it was not designed for it and mainly got lent to people for long periods. Bought mainly as an engine source, which is now in a racecar.
 
 

 Austin-Healey Sprite remodelled
Mods :- Engine: LCB exhaust manifold, compression upped  to 230 psi, large bore exhaust system, Dellorto Carb, run on unleaded thanks to Carbon-Flo and occasionally water injected. Front Suspension: 11/16" anti-roll bar added above the chassis, cut down rear Imp springs, lowered and uprated dampers, Nylatron Bushes added. Rear Suspension: Stiffened, lowered and telescopic dampers added. Electric Cooling Fan, Plasma ign, electronic fuel pump, fuel regulator, Omni-auto's roller release bearing, 185/60x13" P6's on 1960's 6" Cosmic alloys, and 3.5 diff also added. A 1967 Williams & Pritchard Sebring fibre-glass bonnet with ally chin airdam.
 
 

14th Car - 1978 Reliant Kitten, 850 cc OHV all alloy engine, this was successfully auto tested and won both times I entered due to it's increadible handling and fairly good acceleration. 1st car I got speeding ticket in!
 Mods :- Mirrored side and back windows, Electric Cooling Fan, Plasma Ign, Electronic fuel pump, 165/70x10" tyres on Mini Sprite alloy rims were added.
 
 

15th Car British Heritage Sprite Shell
This was bought to rebuild the orignal Sprite into but due to the shody workmanship at British Heritage (i.e. Welds bad or missing, Nuts welded in the wrong places, 1500 parts used on 1275 shell, parts from day one breaking out in rust bubbles and standard parts not fitting) this is still in the garage being cut and rewelded and perhaps one day will be finished.
 
 

16th Car - 1971 Nissan Laurel 1800cc OHC - which according to Datsun UK didn't exist. seen here at Tredegar Vintage Rally.
 
 
 

17th Car - 1984 MG Metro 1275 A+ engine (Rover Heap of S**T)
 run on unleaded thanks to Carbon-Flo. Carb and Inlet kept for Sprite or A40. And I believe a lot of parts went into a racecar.
 
 


18th Car - a standard 1988 Vauxhall Cavaliar 1800LI - Called Lou
 
 

19th Car - yet another Austin A40 (registered 1968)
Mods :- Engine: original 1098cc Austin, Metro HIF 38mm SU + manifold, A+ Electronic Distrubutor, 3 into 1 exhaust manifold, Sprite big bore exhaust system. Run on unleaded thanks to Carbon-Flo. Front Suspension: Cut down rear Imp springs, lowered and uprated dampers. Rear Suspension: Stiffened, lowered. Sprite Front Disc Brakes, Sprite Gear-box, Electric Cooling Fan + bonnet coolling duct(also reduces lift) , Electronic fuel pump,  Omni-auto's roller release bearing, 185/60x13" on the rear, 165/65x13" on the front on 6" Cosmic alloys and 3.9 diff. The top half of the screen is Mirrored film and not metal and has less of a tint than normal Grey/Black Tints.
 


20th - YES yet another Austin A40 1967
A+ Electronic Distrubutor, 3 into 1 exhaust manifold, Sprite single box exhaust system. Run on unleaded thanks to Carbon-Flo. Front Suspension: Cut down springs. Electric Cooling Fan + bonnet coolling duct, Electronic fuel pump, 165/65x13" on 6" Cosmic alloys and 3.9 diff.
 
 


 
 

Remodelled the Sprite again
 LCB exhaust manifold, large bore exhaust system RC 40, Single SU HIF Carb and inlet manifold from a MG Metro, requiring a bonnet bulge, run on unleaded thanks to Carbon-Flo. Front Suspension: 11/16" anti-roll bar added above the chassis. Rear Suspension:  telescopic dampers added. Electric Cooling Fan, electronic fuel pump, fuel regulator, 165/65x13" on 1960's 6" Cosmic alloys, and 3.5 diff also added. RWA (round wheel arch) rear wings added, standard one piece fibre-glass front end, cut into 3 so it has 2 low wings, once I'm happy with it I want to modify the Williams & Pritchard Sebring fiberglass front end the same and fit that back on.
 

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