Besides a Volvo
 

My forum moniker '37Ruby' was chosen at the time of joining because I ran a 1937 Austin Ruby as my hobby car.

Since joining the forum I've moved the Ruby on. So here it was...

https://i.ibb.co/C0rYYDz/IMG-20180725-192314387.jpg

Perhaps I should have chosen a more generic moniker.

Since then I've gone modern retro and bought a poorly & unloved Smart Roadster.

This is it...

https://i.ibb.co/njx8XBG/IMG-2020041...o-62361555.jpg

I currently have the engine out for a full rebuild. Engine is back together and I'm now working on the turbo.

I'm a petrol headed tinkerer by nature and the Volvo doesn't give me that as it's far too reliable....so I keep a hobby vehicle in the garage and escape into there as often as possible.

It got me wondering...to scratch the same itch as mine, what non Volvo, non daily runner hobby cars do forum other members have...?

I just have the daily V40, garage queen C70 and 'er indoors Mini Cooper. Until I sold it 2 years ago I did have a 1965 Silver Cloud III that I owned for 33 years and did 32,000mls in it. Always maintained by myself, but now find the three cars are sufficient to keep me amused.

When I sold the Rolls I put it on ebay at a fair price to sell. After about a week I had a call from a chappie in Bavaria who offered to pay the full asking price and would immediately transfer the money so long as I would deliver to Dunkirk. I explained I was uncomfortable selling the car without him seeing it first and offered to meet him at Birmingham Airport with the car and he could then decide on the purchase. If he decided to buy, I would then deliver to Dunkirk free of charge. He made some excuse that England at that time of year was too cold to travel to - October btw.

About a week later, I had a call from a chap in Suffolk - offered the asking price and would collect next Saturday - he also offered to transfer the money straight away, but could only do so in £10,000 tranches as that was his limit. After agreeing to the sale, he made the first transfer within a few minutes and after 7 or 8 transactions had made the full payment. He arrived to collect on time and was absolutely over the moon with the car - he said it was much, much, better than he expected, so all in all a very satisfactory ebay transaction.

He then phoned about a week later to say how delighted he was and wondered if I had any workshop manuals as I had done a lot of the servicing. I said I had a full set of original, immaculate manuals and wanted £500 for them - again a quick transfer and they were couriered the next day.

Nice line up... Have to say that out of all of them it has to be the Rolls Royce that catches my eye.


It's a common theme apparently for UK cars to be targeted by overseas collectors.
When I sold the Austin I got calls from Slovakia and the Netherlands but I held out and sold it to an enthusiast in the UK.

I got a Mini Coupe Cooper S in the summer. I've had this Volvo for four years which is longer than any other car but wanted something more fun to drive. The Mini is superb in that sense, I used to do a lot of karting and this feels very similar to a kart in the way it steers and grips the road. It's in metallic blue with black wheels, roof and mirrors - best colour combination I've seen - the looks are highly dependent on that. I guess the Smart Roadster is in the same mould in terms of fun factor

To cold to travel to England in October...It isn't exactly Caribbean in Bavaria at that time of year:rolleyes:

A brace of Saabs, '37 Ruby'. A '96 9000 with the V6 lump (technically Linda's car) and an 06 9-3 ragtop (our second) as a retirement toy. We would much have preferred an S90/960 or a C70 (like 'ITSv40's), respectively, instead, but neither were readily available at the time.

In the light of 'Dirty Rooster's recent post upon the subject, a gentleman - completely unsolicited - offered us £300 for the 9000 only yesterday.

I didn't consider that unreasonable and it may have been just enough to be tempting had we wished to sell the car. I believe he assumed it was a non-runner without MOT and appeared surprised to learn that it was in regular use and had only recently been MOT'd. As he was at the wheel of a '17' reg Minibus, I rather doubt that he required it for banger racing.

Regards, John.

'54 Riley RME:~ purchased in the early 1970s and still firmly with the family.
Bob.

I'm not sure this fits but my other car is a 1994 Rover 827 Sterling, for the most part it's exceptionally reliable but still fulfils my penchant for tinkering as i have added and upgraded various things in the car and now certain parts are getting old and wearing out, because of the general lack of spares for anything over 20 years old and the demise of Rover Group, i'm finding i have to make certain parts to keep it mobile and safe.

I've had it over 12 years now and don't plan on parting with it anytime soon for whatever reason! :nah:

...and you could argue the mostly solid dependability of your Volvo affords you the chance to have a hobby car too!

Yes the Smart Roadster is go kart like in its handling. It's only 800kg with a 80 horses turbo 3 cylinder motor pushing along from behind.
Put it on a twisty road and it's a match for many a more powerful vehicle.

The V6 in the 96 is a wonderful engine.

Dont sell it, you'll regret it.

Different manufacturer but I had this in 2011.

https://i.ibb.co/cwJYPMC/IMG-0602.jpg

...but I stupidly sold it. One that got away.