I can't wait to get in line to order one of these!
- Thread starter Black-Tooth
- Start date
kmead
Old enough to know better
A shame they won't make the four door, I have always had a soft spot for these.
They were popular used cars to get for a kid as they were simple, robust and had battering ram bumpers. More than a few of them in the town I just moved out of...
The multi door one is odd in that it doesn't have the seats rotated around, not many people I know of want to drive a multi row bus like that...
The El Camino, yeccch
They were popular used cars to get for a kid as they were simple, robust and had battering ram bumpers. More than a few of them in the town I just moved out of...
The multi door one is odd in that it doesn't have the seats rotated around, not many people I know of want to drive a multi row bus like that...
The El Camino, yeccch
rocco79/138
True Classic
Ian,
When America is great again the next logical step would be to make NZ great too!!! Not wanting to leave anyone out and all!!!
I actually like all of the car/trucks! The Ranchero would be least favorite but the ElCamino has always been interesting to me. Growing up we had a guy around the corner who owned a frame shop. He grafted a Monte Carlo front to the Camino rear. Yep Monte Camino! Chevy SSR is just sort of weird.
I would learn to speak New Zealand and immigrate for the chance to own a Vauxhall Ute!!! Watched a show from that section of the earth called "Bess of Both Worlds" here and "Upper Middle Bogan" in that market. The "Ambah" character drove a red Ute and I coveted that thing every time it graced the screen! The car, I mean!
No post on car/trucks could exist without mentioning it's (arguably) highest form of expression, THE BRAT! It is a varitable 4 wheel drive X1/9 pick up truck! If one would have been made... I owned one and one day while driving I happened to be on the same stretch of road with a Dodge Rampage! It was sureal... Would not have been much stranger had we both been riding unicorns... or were we???
Subaru tried to recapture, but missed with the Baja... The BRAT though, was brilliant! The EA-81 engine was designed for aircraft use which never happened so they went in the BRAT. Driving that thing at 2k on the tach you would swear you were in a Cessna 152... engine sounded exactly like a Lycoming O-235!
Tony, the checker pick up truck looks sweet and cuddley, like a Bison! Really is a cool looking truck though. I think checker cars are neat just because they are "old new"
Regards
When America is great again the next logical step would be to make NZ great too!!! Not wanting to leave anyone out and all!!!
I actually like all of the car/trucks! The Ranchero would be least favorite but the ElCamino has always been interesting to me. Growing up we had a guy around the corner who owned a frame shop. He grafted a Monte Carlo front to the Camino rear. Yep Monte Camino! Chevy SSR is just sort of weird. I would learn to speak New Zealand and immigrate for the chance to own a Vauxhall Ute!!! Watched a show from that section of the earth called "Bess of Both Worlds" here and "Upper Middle Bogan" in that market. The "Ambah" character drove a red Ute and I coveted that thing every time it graced the screen! The car, I mean!
No post on car/trucks could exist without mentioning it's (arguably) highest form of expression, THE BRAT! It is a varitable 4 wheel drive X1/9 pick up truck! If one would have been made... I owned one and one day while driving I happened to be on the same stretch of road with a Dodge Rampage! It was sureal... Would not have been much stranger had we both been riding unicorns... or were we???
Subaru tried to recapture, but missed with the Baja... The BRAT though, was brilliant! The EA-81 engine was designed for aircraft use which never happened so they went in the BRAT. Driving that thing at 2k on the tach you would swear you were in a Cessna 152... engine sounded exactly like a Lycoming O-235!
Tony, the checker pick up truck looks sweet and cuddley, like a Bison! Really is a cool looking truck though. I think checker cars are neat just because they are "old new"
Regards
ianlawson
ian - NZ
Hi Rocco, those Model E Vauxhall utes were an Ozzie-only 'abortion', mate! We, in NZ, had much more taste
, and stuck with the Holden ute's, which were very popular with our Kiwi "cow-cockies" (farmers). I can't figure out why GM-Aust went to all the trouble to develop the Vauxhall E's into ute's (utilities), because the Aussie-designed Holden's were far more robust, and less-inclined to rust and suffer from front suspension woes, as did the Vauxhall utes!Back in the late 1960's, some "entrepreneur" here in NZ attempted to develop an "off-roader" which supposedly would be attractive to farmers. It used a European Skoda
engine/driveline/platform, with a NZ- produced body (a tax-saving venture). It was called a Trekka! A total disaster! All these futile attempts to produce a locally-designed-built "off-roader' were in order to attract farmers, who could claim a significant tax-writeoff, being a farm-use "piece of machinery"
All this effort and "inventiveness" disappeared when Toyota introduced the Land Cruiser!!
cheers,
Ian - NZ
rocco79/138
True Classic
Hi Ian,Hi Rocco, those Model E Vauxhall utes were an Ozzie-only 'abortion', mate! We, in NZ, had much more taste
Back in the late 1960's, some "entrepreneur" here in NZ attempted to develop an "off-roader" which supposedly would be attractive to farmers. It used a European Skoda
All these futile attempts to produce a locally-designed-built "off-roader' were in order to attract farmers, who could claim a significant tax-writeoff, being a farm-use "piece of machinery"
All this effort and "inventiveness" disappeared when Toyota introduced the Land Cruiser!!
cheers,
Ian - NZ
I somehow confused the Vauxhall with the Holden... The Holden it quite a bit cleaner looking. I am pretty sure Holden built our GTO and the Chevy SS and the Pontiac G8. There is an outfit in Colorado that offers the Holden Ute for sale in the States, or did... If I understand they buy truck bits and build from G8. It is titled as a kit. I was polking around on the wiki X1/9 page and noticed you guys got North America X 1/9 vs the Euro spec? Not sure why but I assumed that your market would have been the better Euro spec.
Regards
ianlawson
ian - NZ
Hi Rocco. Not so, re your comment that "NZ got the Nth America vs the Euro spec"!
All X1/9's were imported FBU (Fully Built Up) into NZ. Most would have been "private imports", (imported by an owner returning to NZ from time spent o/seas). However, as I recall (back in the day), a few X1/9's were imported NEW by one of our entrepreneur-type car dealers who had the Alfa-Ferrari-Fiat-Porsche franchise for NZ. As I recall, the X1/9's were VERY expensive when compared to other "everyday" sports cars here in NZ e.g, MG, and consequently were slow selling!
A few other X1/9's were imported privately by Kiwi's returning to NZ from o/seas travel, and brought the X with them as part of their "personal used-travel equipment". This was a popular means of importing "almost new, but used" cars into NZ in those days, as they did not have to pay import duties (being second-hand). From memory, there are only about 10 X1/9's (of all year-models) on the current
NZ Automotive Register!
cheers, Ian - NZ
rocco79/138
True Classic
Hi Ian,
Wow! Elite group! I don't remember where I saw that but it was either a wiki or some X1/9 trivia site. I am familiar with importing cars like the Kiwis you mentioned. Had a friend that was stationed in UK and brought several classic(real) Minis stateside the same way. Went so far as to dirty up and retitle some newer RHD models. Had to be a certain age to import but since the papers stated a certain age the car gets through. Grey market import? Or is that another kettle of fish altogether?
Regards
Wow! Elite group! I don't remember where I saw that but it was either a wiki or some X1/9 trivia site. I am familiar with importing cars like the Kiwis you mentioned. Had a friend that was stationed in UK and brought several classic(real) Minis stateside the same way. Went so far as to dirty up and retitle some newer RHD models. Had to be a certain age to import but since the papers stated a certain age the car gets through. Grey market import? Or is that another kettle of fish altogether?
Regards