Most incredible car I have owned. Had trouble with front brake pads. and hand brake. Other than that, what a car! Used to pull out to a red line at 7000 rpm and still want more. handled like it was on rails, as long as you knew about body roll. What a car.
Love the car, but, a more powerful engine would be good.
I'm really happy to read this about the red-lining! Almost all of the reviews I've read of these cars comment on the bad acceleration. I remember though, learning to drive in one of these in the late 70s, and I still remember that it would do 50 km/h in 1st, 80 in 2nd, 125 in 3rd. That was pretty amazing for a family 1300 built in 1971. Compare that to, say, a 1969 Ford Cortina (utterly dreadful car). It would reach those speeds at 7400 rpm. I know, because we gave it a rev-counter for Christmas in about 1982, after my father had been caning it for 11 years already. He really drove it like a maniac, and despite that it survived until 1989. My sister had it parked under a tarpaulin out front of her house, and when she took the tarpaulin away, it had basically dissolved. A sad end for a much loved car. My rather overweight and grumpy mother still moans about how no other car has ever been as comfortable.
Yes, I agree - bought mine in 1990 for $800 -a bit rusty, but I didn't spend a cent for ages, then brake calipers siezed, heater core fell apart, and a few other things happened. I fitted a tacho and it revved happily to 7000, and never complained. Loved the comfort - no vehicle I ever owned was as as plush (except maybe my R16). Moved to sydney from adelaide and the rougher roads killed it within 6 months. Often think about getting another, but I think they may have gone the way of the dodo, at least in Oz.
Note: A Comments RSS Feed 
is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site