OV9

integrale_evo wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:19 am Always likes the 164. Back in the day they looked like a big old barge though. Compared to modern stuff they seem pretty tiny these days

There's an issue of Autocar from back in the day where the cover story is a “group test” of the Alfa 164, Sierra Sapphire Cosworth and the Rover 827 Vittesse (I think). Weird group...

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:23 am

integrale_evo wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:19 am Always likes the 164. Back in the day they looked like a big old barge though. Compared to modern stuff they seem pretty tiny these days

There's an issue of Autocar from back in the day where the cover story is a “group test” of the Alfa 164, Sierra Sapphire Cosworth and the Rover 827 Vittesse (I think). Weird group...

It was one of those cars that is nimbler and quicker than you would expect. On the move it was quicker than my mates Impreza.

Despite being supposedly 20 bhp more powerful it's replacement didn't go as well, I had both for a bit and had the 164 had air conditioning I would have kept it.

Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:30 am

Carlos wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:22 am I've found some photos on an old USB stick whist having a clear out

Snap



Well, colour at least

Would I be flayed alive for saying I think the 605 was better looking?

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:51 am

Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:30 am

Carlos wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:22 am I've found some photos on an old USB stick whist having a clear out

Snap



Well, colour at least

Would I be flayed alive for saying I think the 605 was better looking?

HOW DARE YOU

605 was a handsome design for a repmobile. Blistered arches and wheels positioned to fill them helps...

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:51 am

Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:30 am

Carlos wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:22 am I've found some photos on an old USB stick whist having a clear out

Snap



Well, colour at least

Would I be flayed alive for saying I think the 605 was better looking?

I'm with Rich on this one. The headlights are too small on the 164/166. 605 is quite handsome for a French non-Citroen barge.

I still regret selling that. Checked its history the other day and it seems it was never back in the road after we offloaded it at auction for a meagre £200 or so

Tangent, but I used to really fancy a 75 3.0V6. The more aggressive Veloce looked too try-hard at the time, and just horrible now...

Still nice

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:51 am

Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:30 am

Carlos wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:22 am I've found some photos on an old USB stick whist having a clear out

Snap



Well, colour at least

Would I be flayed alive for saying I think the 605 was better looking?

The 405 and 605 were great looking cars, and the 605 actually had the nicer proportions. I think the 164 looks sportier but the big Pug is wonderful understated elegance.

mik wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:21 pm Tangent, but I used to really fancy a 75 3.0V6. The more aggressive Veloce looked too try-hard at the time, and just horrible now...

Still nice

I love the Veloce. Brutally ugly.

Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:10 pm I still regret selling that. Checked its history the other day and it seems it was never back in the road after we offloaded it at auction for a meagre £200 or so

They both depreciated heavily in the first few years. I can't recall exactly but I believe the guy I bought mine off paid £14k for it in 1998 so it had depreciated £10K in it's first year. I paid £2400 for it when it's was 6 years old, 90% depreciation in 6 years

In 2005 when I sold it, it was immaculate.

How old was yours then ?

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:22 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:51 am

Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:30 am

Snap



Well, colour at least

Would I be flayed alive for saying I think the 605 was better looking?

The 405 and 605 were great looking cars, and the 605 actually had the nicer proportions. I think the 164 looks sportier but the big Pug is wonderful understated elegance.

lets make this the last thing we agree on for a while.

Carlos wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:46 am

Coaster1 wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:23 am Nice.
RichB would hate its colour though.

it was lighter and brighter than it looks in that photo.



It also had a charcoal velour interior and wooden steering wheel which added to the 'old man' look.



But what a motor

Glorious. The best colour for them too. Looks a lot more special than the 605 to my eyes. The Peugeot's a looker too though

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:27 pm

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:22 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:51 am Would I be flayed alive for saying I think the 605 was better looking?

The 405 and 605 were great looking cars, and the 605 actually had the nicer proportions. I think the 164 looks sportier but the big Pug is wonderful understated elegance.

lets make this the last thing we agree on for a while.

But I’m wearing my shorts today

Carlos wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:24 pm

Swervin_Mervin wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:10 pm I still regret selling that. Checked its history the other day and it seems it was never back in the road after we offloaded it at auction for a meagre £200 or so

They both depreciated heavily in the first few years. I can't recall exactly but I believe the guy I bought mine off paid £14k for it in 1998 so it had depreciated £10K in it's first year. I paid £2400 for it when it's was 6 years old, 90% depreciation in 6 years

In 2005 when I sold it, it was immaculate.

How old was yours then ?

Was a '94 L IIRC. Some things didn't work, like the active suspension, and the sunroof you had to take the switch cover off to operate (!) but on the whole it was still in good working order. I was wonderful to drive - creamy V6 (24v version) and that pliable ride that the French used to do so well, whilst up on its toes when pushed. The only car I ever regret letting go of, albeit at the time I was sick of the sight of it after spending a week with two other blokes on drinking/driving rotation.

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:27 pm

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:22 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:51 am Would I be flayed alive for saying I think the 605 was better looking?

The 405 and 605 were great looking cars, and the 605 actually had the nicer proportions. I think the 164 looks sportier but the big Pug is wonderful understated elegance.

lets make this the last thing we agree on for a while.

Your agreement is offensive.

Not to me personally, but to my neighbour. Probably.

mik wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:21 pm Tangent, but I used to really fancy a 75 3.0V6. The more aggressive Veloce looked too try-hard at the time, and just horrible now...

Still nice

Always had a soft spot for these. They just look "right".

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:27 pm

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:22 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 11:51 am Would I be flayed alive for saying I think the 605 was better looking?

The 405 and 605 were great looking cars, and the 605 actually had the nicer proportions. I think the 164 looks sportier but the big Pug is wonderful understated elegance.

lets make this the last thing we agree on for a while.

I agree too the 605 is a great looking thing.

It's hard working on cars at the moment. I diagnosed the wierd steering issue on the Alhambra to be the steering rack, so ordered one of those. At the same time, I felt the shock top mounts were far too gone to get through another MOT, so thought I'd change those whilst I was at it.

The top mounts are sandwiched between the underside of the suspension turret and a cone spacer above. This brilliant design means over nearly 20 years, it collects water and forms a solid block of rust. The nut was barely recognisable as a nut. This meant I had to grind the cone spacer off, which also meant the shock absorber thread and to do this I had to remove the coolant bottle, battery, ECU, airbox and the entire wiper mechanism just to gain access.

I also had to cut off the droplinks as they had siezed solid too and the only way of peventing the internal part from spinning as you attempted to undo the nut is a completely rusted over hex hole in the spline, which of course rounds out as soon as you think of turning the nut.

So far, I've had to order new strut top cups, strut top mount kits, drop links, strut top cup nuts, shock absorbers and the steering rack.

This was over 2 weeks ago and AVS sent genuine parts very quickly, but ECP have delivered the wrong shock absorbers and a damaged steering rack (the inner track rod threads were fubar on one side). After 2 hours on hold, I managed to get them to agree to swap it all over, yet so far they've only collected the faulty and wrong items.

In the mean time, I discovered it needed some welding on the outriggers, but I was out of gas, so ordered some more. Over a week later, it's still not here...

Luckliy, I'm not in a rush, but fuck me it's fustrating!

mik wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 12:21 pm Tangent, but I used to really fancy a 75 3.0V6. The more aggressive Veloce looked too try-hard at the time, and just horrible now...

Still nice

Isn't that three cars badly welded together?