Reasons I have a Megane engine in Fake:
Original engine had done 210,000m
Original engine was dying, epically, for the previous 15,000m, but it still drove and I was proving a point
I was driving a 130mile a day round trip for some contract work I was doing, and I really really really got fed up of drive to work, car breaks, limp it home, fix it, go to bed, get up, car breaks etc. I spent 3 weeks doing this, and something went literally every day.
Now I'd lie if I said the sole reason that engine is there is it's more reliable than a 1.7 carb. We all know that isn't true if the carb is looked after, and isnt worn. However, how many castings arn't worn now? Thing is, injection takes a lot less sevicing than a carb does but the only 300 available with injection is stupidly thirsty and makes very little power for that economy. I currently get a nadgers worse economy than a GLT, but a significant amount more power for that. When I get the mapping sorted fully, I expect to return better MPG than a GLT cruising, and similar to slightly worse under load.
Since I've had that engine, nearly 6,000m ago, I've gone out every day, turned the key, and it's just worked (tm). I have the reliability of a modern car, with the handling feel and look of a classic/retro car. It's now a hot hatch 300 if you will, a 340GTi.
Yup, I could have bought a different car, more suited to my needs originally. My needs:
Practical: Load lugging is essential, no saloons or 106's
Reliable: As above
Interesting: I hate bland steering that doesn't relay information. The *only* modern car I've found that suits me here is an MX-5, and even that had an aftermarket rack. That basically narrows me down to 70's cars straight away, even most 80's I don't get on with. RWD is an advantage, I've never owned anything not and I enjoy it.
Vaguely quick: I still rally, so I want something that goes. Plus, I'm mid 20's. If I can't have a powerful car now, before I need a family related thing, when will I be able to?
So, what do we reckon then? Either a Dolly Sprint (ah, no, reliable fail) Chevette HSR (erm... yeah, likely) Talbot BumSeam (again, I'm not rich enough) Golf GTi (I've driven mk2 16v's, and yup, they are pretty much all the above, but not *quite* as much fun as a 340. Handle much better, in a "I can go round corners quicker" way, but not more fun.) Or, an e30, though saloons are useless for practical and the estates command a price, and most are either slow or thirsty.
I agree we should keep some standard. Turn up to the VOC Rallies, and you'll see plenty that still are, we are outnumbered by a margin most of the time. However, I'm more than a bit proud of the fact I've now got a reliable powerful modern engine, in a car that I enjoy driving, that I can daily (around 15,000m a year) and race that I saved from the scrapyard 7 years ago
