Biante HAVE to model these..... [Archive] - Biante Model Cars

Esses

28-01-2005, 04:51 PM

Originally posted by JD350
How come no pics of the AU Falcon or UC Torana :confused: :p

AU (Series 1 only) I'm with you on, but UC Torana? Come on, that was about the cleanest design of them all (IMO) & they at LAST ditched those awful foot-operated park-brakes & went back to the original HB's centre hand-brake.

JD350

28-01-2005, 05:00 PM

I really do love Toranas, but this UC Torana (http://gmh-torana.imagineering.net.au/torana_uc.shtml) is not a good looking car :eek:

Esses

28-01-2005, 05:20 PM

OK, you've lost me. The red one is a little plain (base model) but the blue ones look OK. Which one looks bad to your eye?

JD350

28-01-2005, 05:27 PM

Sorry Steve, not that I hate the UC, overall it has a great body shape, just do not like the front panel/grill nor the rear tailights.
They really softened the car with those mods, much prefered the earlier versions.
This pic may help UC (http://www.sydneytoranaclub.com/images/gallery/je nny01.htm) and this another UC (http://www.sydneytoranaclub.com/images/gallery/me lissa.htm)

gmcorvette

28-01-2005, 05:30 PM

The UC looks good compared to the TA / LJ 4 cyl.

Y2Joel

28-01-2005, 05:54 PM

This one would have to top my list.

Y2Joel

28-01-2005, 05:56 PM

Ooops, my mistake http://www.uglycars.co.uk/uglycar.asp?ref=23 .

toad

28-01-2005, 06:04 PM

I wonder what is the ugliest Australian car made?

Morris Nomad must be close. Maybe the Mini Moke?

singer

28-01-2005, 06:07 PM

Originally posted by Y2Joel
Ooops, my mistake http://www.uglycars.co.uk/uglycar.asp?ref=23 .

Got to agree with that. & Honda put its name on it:eek:

singer

28-01-2005, 06:09 PM

Originally posted by toad
I wonder what is the ugliest Australian car made?

Morris Nomad must be close. Maybe the Mini Moke?

Steve,

If you'd ever driven or for that matter owned a Moke and Nomad you'd realise that these were actually great cars

toad

28-01-2005, 06:11 PM

Singer,
I can't believe I found your car in there....

http://www.uglycars.co.uk/uglycars.asp?offset=50

:D

toad

28-01-2005, 06:18 PM

Singer..this is what it says about your L300....

Lurching round the roads like a giant gurning metallic hippo, this car is the perfect buy if your family consists of 6 sheep and children with stunted growth. The abundance of these re-processed freight containers has no doubt been fuelled by misers seeking tax breaks for crap vehicles.

Gee...I'm pleased my Lightburn Zeta isn't there.

gmcorvette

28-01-2005, 06:18 PM

These are the ugliest Aus made cars:

Being a Holden fan I'll start with them

Holden HD
Comm. VB/VC (Exc HDT 5.0)
Torana TA / LJ 4cyl
Holden Camira
Holden Piazza
old Astra
Scurry 4X4

Most old Fords:
Ford XK-XM
Ford XA-XC (except Cobra)
Ford XD-XF (volvo cars)
Ford AU

...and all old Jap craps made in AUS.

singer

28-01-2005, 06:20 PM

Originally posted by toad
Singer,
I can't believe I found your car in there....

http://www.uglycars.co.uk/uglycars.asp?offset=50

:D

You're mistaken. That's a Turbo diesel similar not the same.

At the time that I bought the bitsamissing triton, bitsamissing were the only company who brought out a Dual Cab Ute in Auto which my Wife needs.

If it were upto me, I'd have had a Hilux 4WD SR5 Turbo Diesel

toad

28-01-2005, 06:22 PM

Originally posted by singer
You're mistaken. That's a Turbo diesel similar not the same.

At the time that I bought the bitsamissing triton, bitsamissing were the only company who brought out a Dual Cab Ute in Auto which my Wife needs.

If it were upto me, I'd have had a Hilux 4WD SR5 Turbo Diesel

:D :D

ferrari fan

28-01-2005, 06:27 PM

Lets not have a poll on who is the most ***** forum member.
As it could be turning out ugly.

Most old Fords Xa-XC :confused:

Have 1 years experience 29 times over or am I saying this incorrectly

singer

28-01-2005, 06:27 PM

Originally posted by gmcorvette
These are the ugliest Aus made cars:

Being a Holden fan I'll start with them

Holden HD
Comm. VB/VC (Exc HDT 5.0)
Torana TA / LJ 4cyl
Holden Camira
Holden Piazza
old Astra
Scurry 4X4

Most old Fords:
Ford XK-XM
Ford XA-XC (except Cobra)
Ford XD-XF (volvo cars)
Ford AU

...and all old Jap craps made in AUS.

Its obvous that your taste is as good as your Bathurst knowledge base NIL

singer

28-01-2005, 06:32 PM

Originally posted by moxo
Oh, come on Nick - a great many of these are already available from Vanguards - 'specially the BLMC stuff

Fun site - thanks for the link.

Moxo

We need a half decent modeller to make them.

Vanguards didn't even get the Coad Cresta right. The tail lights are all wrong

singer

28-01-2005, 06:34 PM

Originally posted by toad
:D :D

Now every bloody company makes an Auto 4WD

sleepy

28-01-2005, 10:04 PM

i cant really think of any ALL australian cars that were ugly they were all classics of their time, although the ej was a tad on the ugly side... there were lots of ugly cars assembled here and imported en mass in the early days and still today... the early citroens were rather unusual .but the moke was quite unique and good in the warmer states ,but not to good in tassie..

toad

29-01-2005, 12:30 AM

The Austin Kimberly/Tasman we Aussie designs. And not very beautiful eitrher I might add.

What about the P76.

a9x

29-01-2005, 05:43 AM

Originally posted by gmcorvette
These are the ugliest Aus made cars:

Being a Holden fan I'll start with them

Holden HD
Comm. VB/VC (Exc HDT 5.0)
Torana TA / LJ 4cyl
Holden Camira
Holden Piazza
old Astra
Scurry 4X4

Most old Fords:
Ford XK-XM
Ford XA-XC (except Cobra)
Ford XD-XF (volvo cars)
Ford AU

...and all old Jap craps made in AUS.
mate you might want to do some research before you post anymore as not all those holdens you listed are aussie made some were BADGE ENGINEERED jap cars

singer

29-01-2005, 07:06 AM

Originally posted by a9x
mate you might want to do some research before you post anymore as not all those holdens you listed are aussie made some were BADGE ENGINEERED jap cars

Toad,

This fellow does no research at all, he just shoots his mouth off, then waits for his crap to come back, then he uses a lame excuse (I was only born in the 70's) for his poor research skills or just plain lazinness.

In future I won't be wasting my time responding to any of his posts.

If I were you, I wouldn't either as its a waste of time as it goes in 1 ear, swims around in a vacuum, then out the other. :(

wayno

29-01-2005, 07:19 AM

Aussie MADE cars makes it a bit more difficult. Some of the ugliest ones made available in Aus weren't made here and it seems (unfairly to me!) that they get to dodge a bullet here!
Leyland P-76 would be right up there for cars made here, but the Ford Taurus is the ugliest thing I've seen widely available here.

Graeme

29-01-2005, 07:22 AM

Has anyone noticed how some 'ugly' cars (for their time) go on to become classic cars, eg the Ford Motor Company's short lived Edsel division's products.

As for here in Oz, my instant choice is the mid-70s Datsun 120Y - I considered it butt-ugly back then, but these days I'm more considerate. After all, it does at least possess individuality.

Toad's choice of the Leyland P76 fits into the same time frame as the 120Y - and I kinda like the old Leyland whale too.

wayno

29-01-2005, 07:26 AM

I hate to admit I had a 120Y for about a week. The handling and overall dynamics of the car were truly terrifying. It handles like a dog on wet lino and was a car I was genuinely froghtened of.
If I had enough money I would buy every one of these still in existence to make sure they kept an appointment with the car crusher!

singer

29-01-2005, 07:44 AM

Originally posted by wayno
I hate to admit I had a 120Y for about a week. The handling and overall dynamics of the car were truly terrifying. It handles like a dog on wet lino and was a car I was genuinely froghtened of.
If I had enough money I would buy every one of these still in existence to make sure they kept an appointment with the car crusher!

My Wife learnt to drive in a 120Y Auto, a car which was meant to for that purpose only.

My wife fell in in love with the 120Y Auto (which she subsequently named Cecil, Go figure) so I rebuilt the Car in its entirety, )I rebuilt the Engine, transmission, suspension, electrics & interior) so in the end it was like a new Car.

It was a very reliable & we kept the Car for 9 years until my Wife's hands became so weak that she needed a car with power steering.

The neighbours bought Cecil as their Kids learning to drive car.

I still see the car on a regular basis 12 year after first acquiring it

singer

29-01-2005, 07:51 AM

singer

29-01-2005, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by toad
The Austin Kimberly/Tasman we Aussie designs. And not very beautiful eitrher I might add.

What about the P76.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

They're all considered classics & have clubs catering for them:D

singer

29-01-2005, 07:59 AM

Originally posted by toad

Gee...I'm pleased my Lightburn Zeta isn't there.

The only reason there could be for that, is washing machines on Wheels don't count as Cars:D ;)

moxo

29-01-2005, 08:09 AM

OK I don't think there can be too much argument about this Aussie car....

http://www.mms.qld.edu.au/getting-about/hartnett.htm

There seems to be some confusion as to what is an ugly car and what is an awful car. Plenty of awful cars look pefectly acceptable. Plenty of ugly cars are quite OK from and engineering, performance or quality standpoint.

I'll cop it on the chin about Vanguards - but when that's the only one you're likely to get, surely that's better than not at all.

For what is likely to be a very entertaining read, check out www.sniffpetrol.com - they have published a book called 'Crap Cars.' Australian journalist and author Tony Davis has also recently done a book of lemons.

And just think - every time one of us nominates a truly vile piece of garbage - somewhere in the world is an enthusiasts' club that caters for it.

And sometimes you don't have to go far to find models of awful, ugly or just plain wrong cars. I submit the following for your consideration:

http://www.biante.com.au/merchandise.cfm?mode=view&MerchandiseID=13064

Out of stock now, but Biante used to have a Tatra....

Moxo

moxo

29-01-2005, 08:11 AM

Originally posted by singer
The only reason there could be for that, is washing machines on Wheels don't count as Cars:D ;)

Hey Singer - you forgot the cement mixers. Be fair, now.

Moxo

singer

29-01-2005, 08:27 AM

Originally posted by moxo
OK I don't think there can be too much argument about this Aussie car....

http://www.mms.qld.edu.au/getting-about/hartnett.htm

There seems to be some confusion as to what is an ugly car and what is an awful car. Plenty of awful cars look pefectly acceptable. Plenty of ugly cars are quite OK from and engineering, performance or quality standpoint.

I'll cop it on the chin about Vanguards - but when that's the only one you're likely to get, surely that's better than not at all.

For what is likely to be a very entertaining read, check out www.sniffpetrol.com - they have published a book called 'Crap Cars.' Australian journalist and author Tony Davis has also recently done a book of lemons.

And just think - every time one of us nominates a truly vile piece of garbage - somewhere in the world is an enthusiasts' club that caters for it.

And sometimes you don't have to go far to find models of awful, ugly or just plain wrong cars. I submit the following for your consideration:

http://www.biante.com.au/merchandise.cfm?mode=view&MerchandiseID=13064

Out of stock now, but Biante used to have a Tatra....

Moxo

Moxo,

To have found the SniffPetrol site tells us that you either have way too much time on your hands or you're one very sick puppy.;)

Ask MRA for more work :eek: At least that should keep you occupied so you don't trawl the web

moxo

29-01-2005, 08:35 AM

Actually, most of the motoring and motorsport media read sniffpetrol. It's a sort of grounding exercise for us. I was about to write 'breath of fresh air' but that pun would have been a bit much.

So, we all check it regularly and quietly chuckle at the industry in-jokes and the consistent slamming of VW, Audi, BMW and M-Benz (Don't mention the war - I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.)

And I'm working on a profile of an Aussie rallying legend at the moment. His brother also drove in the Australian Grand Prix.

Moxo

toad

29-01-2005, 08:50 AM

Moxo,

Those Jap car ad's on Sniff Petrol are truley classic.

I wish we could see some of those in Oz.

moxo

29-01-2005, 09:05 AM

Originally posted by toad
Moxo,

Those Jap car ad's on Sniff Petrol are truley classic.

I wish we could see some of those in Oz.

Ahhh - you do know they were made up, don't you? Sniff Petrol is satire.

Moxo

toad

29-01-2005, 09:16 AM

Yes of course. Its a take on the real things.

moxo

29-01-2005, 09:27 AM

Oh thank Dog. For a moment there......

Apologies for ever doubting you

Moxo

toad

29-01-2005, 09:32 AM

I must have had my dumb blonde look on ;)

Esses

29-01-2005, 10:18 AM

Originally posted by singer
Steve,

If you'd ever driven or for that matter owned a Moke and Nomad you'd realise that these were actually great cars

Ken, I DO hope that you're not referring to me there. My BIL had a Morry 1500 (5-speed missing 4th gear) & I had "Jemimah" - our (lil' bro. & I) Rally Moke - an olive green 4-seater that someone had done up with full Smiths instruments, roll-bar, sump-guard, CV-guards etc etc. Andrew pretend-rallied & I went quasi 4wd-ing. It was that car got me into 4WD's. I kept finding hills it wouldn't go up, though one day it DID get all the way out to Matt's property in the Brindabellas through mid-winter mud, snow & flooded creeks. Got BACK, too. He & John couldn't believe it!:D

singer

29-01-2005, 10:27 AM

Originally posted by Steve
Ken, I DO hope that you're not referring to me there. My BIL had a Morry 1500 (5-speed missing 4th gear) & I had "Jemimah" - our (lil' bro. & I) Rally Moke - an olive green 4-seater that someone had done up with full Smiths instruments, roll-bar, sump-guard, CV-guards etc etc. Andrew pretend-rallied & I went quasi 4wd-ing. It was that car got me into 4WD's. I kept finding hills it wouldn't go up, though one day it DID get all the way out to Matt's property in the Brindabellas through mid-winter mud, snow & flooded creeks. Got BACK, too. He & John couldn't believe it!:D

Steve,

Wrong Steve.

Toad = Steve Coad.

I remember that incident in the Brindys.

My reference to the Morris Nomad comes from my own experience with mine, holed sump & all
Cheers

toad

29-01-2005, 12:37 PM

Hi Ken,

This ute is for sale going to auction at Shannons this month. I think it is right up your alley. Maybe you should consider a trade up from the L300??

http://www.shannons.com.au/shannons/shannons.nsf/p ages/4328D8ACE32BF86FCA256F8F0004F0E4?opendocument

Esses

29-01-2005, 12:48 PM

Originally posted by toad
Singer..this is what it says about your L300....

Lurching round the roads like a giant gurning metallic hippo, this car is the perfect buy if your family consists of 6 sheep and children with stunted growth. The abundance of these re-processed freight containers has no doubt been fuelled by misers seeking tax breaks for crap vehicles.

Gee...I'm pleased my Lightburn Zeta isn't there.

Toad, I can't agree with that assesment of the L300, which here is the Van/People-Mover (Ken has the dual-cab Triton ute, originally known as the L200 Express many moons ago) as I owned a 4WD L300 Van as my Courier-Van for several years.
It wasn't especially reliable, but was easy to work on, responded really well to hotting-up & was a pretty competent 4WD, too. I surprised quite a few experienced 4WDers with it's ability (on 15-inch Pajero wheels) off-road & even more tarmac specialists with it's handling - once you overcame the initial understeer.:D

toad

29-01-2005, 12:53 PM

I have nothing against L300's. They are a rolls royce of ute's compared to the rattly old HJ I use.

But it is the description I found on the web. I do find it very amusing tho.

Esses

29-01-2005, 12:59 PM

Wasn't having a go at you, Toad, just the "opinion".

toad

29-01-2005, 01:26 PM

no worries. Actually I can't see why the L300 is in the list at all. I reckon they look tuff with the right kit on. The ugliest ute has got to be the Tata.

singer

29-01-2005, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by toad
Hi Ken,

This ute is for sale going to auction at Shannons this month. I think it is right up your alley. Maybe you should consider a trade up from the L300??

http://www.shannons.com.au/shannons/shannons.nsf/p ages/4328D8ACE32BF86FCA256F8F0004F0E4?opendocument

Toad,

I know the current owner & I've known of the Ute in question for 25 years. I've have ridden in it & would love to have in in my Collection.

The Singer 9 Ute uses a Holden Body, long before Holden became associated with General Motors to form GMH and is several years earlier than Lew Brandt's FORD Ute.

Cheers

In fact, I provided some of the parts required for its restoration.

Cheers

Nick Short

29-01-2005, 02:02 PM

I actually had one of the Austin Allegros mentioned on the website, in "Harvest Gold" and with the square "Quartic" steering wheel, that was considered by Austin-Rover (but nobody else) to be some sort of space-age design feature........a square steering wheel......Because BMC had no money at all, most of their output in the 70s (and into the 80s) was late40s/early 50s mechanicals, dressed in a marginally updated rust trap body. So gears in the sump rather than separate box, oil leaks as standard, wheezy engines, agricultural suspension (although the Allegro had Hydragas, a temperamental system) and ropey production quality.

toad

29-01-2005, 02:13 PM

Originally posted by Nick Short
I actually had one of the Austin Allegros mentioned on the website, in "Harvest Gold" and with the square "Quartic" steering wheel, that was considered by Austin-Rover (but nobody else) to be some sort of space-age design feature........a square steering wheel......Because BMC had no money at all, most of their output in the 70s (and into the 80s) was late40s/early 50s mechanicals, dressed in a marginally updated rust trap body. So gears in the sump rather than separate box, oil leaks as standard, wheezy engines, agricultural suspension (although the Allegro had Hydragas, a temperamental system) and ropey production quality.

So why did you buy this car?

I grew up in NZ and remember they were very popular there as all the old granny's upgraded their morris/austin 1100's for Allegro's.

My family at the time was right into british ****heaps....we had a series of them over about 10years...mini's, Austin 1100's, a 1300 countryman, triumph heralds, an anglia, a couple of hilman minx's and Avenga's, even a vauxhall velox. I was very relieved when my old man discovered Australian cars in the mid 70's and we got our first Torana. ;)

Esses

29-01-2005, 06:42 PM

Toad, your family sounds like mine! Especially Dad! I'd still have a Mini, though, except that I need 5 seats in any car I have these days.:) Wonder if that's why Wifey won't let me have that MGB I've always wanted?:D

singer

29-01-2005, 06:52 PM

Originally posted by Steve
Toad, your family sounds like mine! Especially Dad! I'd still have a Mini, though, except that I need 5 seats in any car I have these days. Wonder if that's why Wifey won't let me have that MGB I've always wanted?:D

Wait another couple of years then Wifey will be begging you to go & get that MG. Go one better, get a Singer Roadster then the whole family will be happy:D

toad

29-01-2005, 10:18 PM

Originally posted by singer
Wait another couple of years then Wifey will be begging you to go & get that MG. Go one better, get a Singer Roadster then the whole family will be happy:D

In all the years of british cars we never came close to a Singer. Although a Hilman Minx and Singer Gazelle is basically the same thing.

Nick Short

29-01-2005, 10:47 PM

Toad, I was 17, with no money and needed something cheap to buy and insure......I wasn't alone amongst my peers in driving crud. Anyway, it's not every day you get to drive something with a square steering wheel......

singer

30-01-2005, 06:13 AM

Originally posted by toad
In all the years of british cars we never came close to a Singer. Although a Hilman Minx and Singer Gazelle is basically the same thing.

A Singer made by Singer Motors is far superior than those made by the Rootes Group although the Rootes Group had a Works supported a Singer Gazelle in the First Arstomg 500, driven by none other than Harry Firth which came in 4th in Class. :)

ferrari fan

30-01-2005, 06:22 AM

Originally posted by singer
A Singer made by Singer Motors is far superior than those made by the Rootes Group although the Rootes Group had a Works supported a Singer Gazelle in the First Arstomg 500, driven by none other than Harry Firth which came in 4th in Class. :)

Singer is to blame for all the plastic:mad: in the modern cars, as they were the first Brittish manufacturers to produce a moulded platic body (SMX Roadster).1953!

singer

30-01-2005, 07:09 AM

Originally posted by ferrari fan
Singer is to blame for all the plastic in the modern cars, as they were the first Brittish manufacturers to produce a moulded platic body (SMX Roadster).1953!

FF,

Get your facts straight :mad:

It was a fibreglass body:D not plastic & they did it before the GM Corvette.

Esses

30-01-2005, 07:21 AM

Yeah, well, some of those 'vettes were flaky, faulty, wallowing heaps, anyway.:D

ferrari fan

30-01-2005, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by singer
FF,

Get your facts straight :mad:

It was a fibreglass body:D not plastic & they did it before the GM Corvette.

Maybe, just maybe you might have to check it for me as i got this out Facts & Feats, the ultimate guide brought out by Thoroughbred & Classic Cars 1998/9 edition.
A very interesting publication indeed.

singer

30-01-2005, 08:39 AM

Originally posted by ferrari fan
Maybe, just maybe you might have to check it for me as i got this out Facts & Feats, the ultimate guide brought out by Thoroughbred & Classic Cars 1998/9 edition.
A very interesting publication indeed.

I have the Thoroughbred & Classic Cars 1998/9 edition FF, I can assure you, they are wrong and I wrote to T&CC about it. Their response was that it was a minor error, that Fibreglass and Plastic are much the same, something which I dispute.

Being a Singer Marque man, I researched it very thouroughly as I expect you would research Ferrari's.

It was a Fibreglass body made for Singer by Marston Excellsior for the SMX Roadster of which 6 prototypes were built (2 remain). The Car as well as the new Hunter had a Twin Cam 1500 engine.

The twin cam head was built in conjunction with HRG.

When the Rootes group took Singer Motors over in December 1955, they scrapped the twin cam engine & the SMX.

Reference Book: The Singer Story by Kevin Atkinson

Incidentally, my Singer Hunter has Fibreglass body panels also made by Marston Excellsior which usually fell apart under Australian conditions.

My Hunter is the only one left on the road in Australia with the original Fibreglass Panels.