RUMCars Forum

General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: thomast on July 23, 2013, 10:03:44 AM

Title: One of my other small cars
Post by: thomast on July 23, 2013, 10:03:44 AM: Well, medium sized ;D It's in major rebuild at the moment after being completely dismantled for 25 years. Any petrolheads here who know what it is?

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1044986_485735428172683_1353190291_n.jpg)
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Bob Purton on July 23, 2013, 10:38:20 AM: Hmm, Nice looking car, dont know what it is but dont let the headmaster see it posted in this section!
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Stuart Cyphus on July 23, 2013, 11:29:23 AM: Quote from: thomast on July 23, 2013, 10:03:44 AM

Any petrolheads here who know what it is?

Did I almost hear my name being mentioned?.... ;)
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: thomast on July 23, 2013, 11:40:52 AM: No no, it's not a Stuartdebaker :D
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Stuart Cyphus on July 23, 2013, 12:14:17 PM: Oh well, we'll have to ask Steven then.... ;D
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Rob Dobie on July 23, 2013, 12:46:38 PM: It looks like a Triumph TR7. Lovely motor.
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: steven mandell on July 23, 2013, 01:31:01 PM: Its a little too pretty to be a Badsey Bullet.
Is it an English car?
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: thomast on July 23, 2013, 02:01:18 PM: As britsh as can be...
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: richard on July 23, 2013, 02:22:34 PM: Up north again so its a long way off and the pic. Very small but is a Lotus Elan ?
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Stuart Cyphus on July 23, 2013, 02:49:56 PM: Quote from: thomast on July 23, 2013, 02:01:18 PM

As britsh as can be...

Oink Oink! :-*
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker) on July 23, 2013, 03:16:58 PM: It looks like some mysterious kind of code. Cat-based if I'm not mistaken. ::)
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Chris Thomas on July 23, 2013, 03:41:30 PM: Shall I be the party pooper and spill the beans.... There is always one!!!

It is a Tony Stephen's Cipher. probably the best looking small open top sports car. Based on a Reliant 850 engine

Not amMicrocar, but very close.

Chris Thomas
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Big Al on July 23, 2013, 05:25:35 PM: Indeed and the clots at Reliant could have made this instead of the very dated Scimitar which was not a Scimitar as we knew it, or a Reliant. I still do not understand the logic of what they did. Then again if Lord Stokes was there by then it would be certain to be the wrong move. I can only assume they felt they needed more power and were worried by emissions, Then the Cypher/Cipher gained a bigger engine. I still think at the right price they would have sold barn loads of this car as it is Elanesque in its looks yet replaces the Midget, which nothing ever did. If such a car was available now, ie a Midget that did not fall apart, I would own one and play in the lanes of Britain, where such a car belongs. Reliant marched right passed the specialist niche market with their name on. Bloody fools.
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Rob Dobie on July 23, 2013, 05:37:07 PM: Another thought! Could it be a Reliant Scimitar SS1 ?
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: thomast on July 23, 2013, 05:52:29 PM: My dad bought this car for my mums 40th birthday. Promised to rebuild it and took it to bits the weekend after. This is how it looked for 25 years! My mum wil be 65 next august! 2 years ago I had to chose to eighter throw it out or rebuild it...

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/942091_10200685397911741_217753974_n.jpg)
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: richard on July 23, 2013, 06:03:21 PM: I thought chris had given us the name rob. Not that I have ever heard of one . A nice project - FLAWLESS - that is to say of course FLOORLESS
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: thomast on July 23, 2013, 06:57:55 PM: http://www.stevens-cipher.com
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: marcus on July 23, 2013, 07:26:48 PM: Nice car. Only a little outside RUM engine size, but still Rare!
Title: Re: One of my other small cars
Post by: Big Al on July 24, 2013, 08:37:10 AM: I thought mention of the Mazda might come up. Purely as discussion I would suggest this did not replace the Midget but the MGB, with which it shares size etc. The lightweight Sportscar has been dropped totally after years of being the plaything of enthusiasts. Maybe its time has gone as we live in a different world. The Mazda lifted the Elan/Cipher look and plopped it in front of a roadster starved buyer while everyone one else was calibrating the death of small sports cars. It does pay to listen to customers sometimes!

Compare the SS1 to the Cipher. Which would you have? SS1 etc are so cheap that those left are being thrashed to death on trials.