When the later German 2.8 V6 replaced the evergreen Capri 3-litre, the Scimitar was blunted but was improved on the MIddlebridge motors when the freerbreathing 2.9-litre came on stream. None give problems, but each type uses its own fi xings – so make sure the correct type is fitted by looking for signs of movement or wear around the mounting holes. A 1978 Reliant Scimitar SE6a features in Me and My Motor today By Lorelei Reddin Community Content Editor My car sorry I don't have one with me in it Interview - Pat Afford (Reliant co-founder, E.S Thompson’s daughter) Interview - Jack Timbury (Ex-Reliant apprentice 1937 - 1938) Interview - Microsoft on Supervan III in Forza Horizon 3 game; Interview - Trident Motors Inc. USA (Former Reliant customer) Members Stories - Daniel Clift (UK) / … Buy a good GTE for at least £1500 and you’ll reap the benefi ts of the previous owner’s care, while really good cars start at £3000. For a long while, the Reliant Scimitar GTE was a maligned oddity to be avoided at all costs, but this distinctive-looking shooting brake has finally come of age and now is the time to buy. GTC and Middlebridge values are generally £2000-£5000, although the weather affects GTC values. That said the interior was made considerably classier, while power-assisted steering was now made optionally available, there was also a new 20-gallon fuel tank along with Girling dual-circuit brakes plus a stronger automatic gearbox too; 550 SE6s were produced before the updated SE6a appeared with a stronger scuttle, stiffer front springs, a change to Lockheed brakes with larger rear drums and, strangely, smaller front discs; 3878 left the factory before the SE6b debuted in 1980. Check for usual GRP crazing and bodged repairs, Switchgear comes from variety of cars, known to fail, Stag-like GTC is full four-seater. The Scimitar’s affordability suggests that it has little to recommend itself, as three grand nets a tidy example. How to value your classic for insurance purposes, Classics insurance for 17,18,19 & 20 year olds, Insurance when your classic isn't roadworthy, It's FREE to list your car on Honest John Classics, Hiring rather than buying? 1976 Reliant Scimitar Reviews. 1976 Reliant Scimitar GTE 3.0L V6 Essex from UK and Ireland. ... provided the inspiration for the Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5 launched in 1968. The original Scimitar of the sixties and seventies was a V6-powered machine that was famously popular with Princess Anne. Overview. bookmark with Delicious. In this bigger, heavier GTE it became almost intolerably heavy and – in the case of Autocar’s long term test car – even caused the steering wheel to fracture due to fatigue! Make sure you check all the switchgear works okay; from the SE5a onwards it’s fragile. The body style proved such a trendsetter that other manufacturers raced to produce their own versions, with Volvo’s P1800ES and … It’s unlikely to be rotten as such; repairs can almost always be carried out; the issue is how much work is needed. Unlike Jaguar, Reliant fitted its autos with longer diffs than the manuals (giving direct top closer to the manual’s overdrive top). Reliant Scimitar is a wonderful car and ahead of its time in many ways – no roof gutters for a start. Let’s not forget the GTC – Tamworth’s Triumph Stag. Overdrive really gives this Reliant a magnificent longer stride, however most came as autos. All Scimitars featured a Ford V6 engine; the 3-litre Essex unit was fi tted until 1979, when it was superseded by the smoother 2.8-litre Cologne lump. There was now a 2.9i engine and fi ve-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox, but before 75 cars had been produced, the company went bust. Reliant Scimitar GTE 2.5 V6 Automatic, 1970 at Billesholms Veteranbilsträff Juni / 2016 and 5 other events at Concours d’Élégance Paleis Het Loo 2016 4 years ago The GTE formula was so right that Reliant choose to grow it rather than come up with a replacement. So a heavily revised GTE appeared in 1976, known as the SE6. One of the most common is stripping of the fi bre timing gears, which is why many owners simply fi t metal replacements; they’re less troublesome but more noisy. Four types of wheel were offered over the years by the factory. The photo was as the new owner took it away on an ‘A’ frame and with a light board over the roof. The Reliant Scimitar SS1 is an automobile which was produced by British manufacturer Reliant from 1984.. Aiming to fill a gap in the small sports car market, Scimitar SS1 was launched in 1984 at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham. The new model was known as the SE5; its predecessor was the SE4. When Middlebridge took over the GTE’s production, it fi tted a 2.9-litre fuel-injected version of the Cologne engine, which offered more of the same really – extra power and refi nement but ultimately the same basic characteristics. The organisers of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, have decided to postpone the 2020 event. The blend of practicality and sporting appeal that makes the Scimitar such a useable and entertaining classic made it instantly desirable, while behind the wheel was a … Subscribe to Classic Motoring Magazine and save over 25%, Cheap, fast, practical, tough, easy to tune, easy to maintain, style, Some of the details a bit cheap, overheating and fi re issues, slow appreciator, Ford engines ensure good performance and ease of running. Reliant launched the Scimitar GTE in August 1968; a Ford Zodiac-powered sporting estate based on the more conventional coupe that preceded it but larger, better handling and far more practical. Make sure the front seats feel secure; the frames can fracture as they’re not very well made, leading to back seat driving just when you don’t want it. Oil pressure can be reduced through engine wear as well as the oil pump drive pencil wearing; replacing this is cheap and easy. It was Michelotti's last design. With excellent handling, care of a pretty sophisticated Aston-like rear suspension, a decent ride and plenty of feedback from the brakes as well as the steering, the GTE is more of a driver’s car than you’d think any estate of this era could ever be. Reliant Review catalog. Some late SE6bs and GTCs have a galvanised chassis which is unlikely to have any corrosion. It was first displayed in 1964. Reliant's first Scimitar was a coupé based upon the styling of a Daimler SP250 prototype (renamed the SX250) and the chassis of a Reliant Sabre. Find of the week on eBay is a Reliant Scimitar first driven by Princess Anne. Check the colour of the transmission fl uid if in doubt (the dipstick is at the rear of the engine, accessed from under the bonnet); it should be pink rather than black. Those who have one swear it’s the better car…. The GTE was later resurrected by Middlebridge, but failed to take off, despite Princess Anne buying one, and disappeared from view in 1990. Few would ever sample it though, because by the time the Middlebridge GTE arrived, the basic design was over two decades old, and buyers wanted something rather more modern for their money. There were steel items with three different glassfi bre trims, ‘Princess Anne’ alloys, Dunlop composite wheels (with an alloy centre riveted to a steel rim) or Wolfrace alloys. Combine that with a glassfi bre bodyshell and you have a car that feels fabulously nimble and it’s quick too, thanks to that lusty 3-litre Ford Essex up front. Costing £1559 at its ’68 launch and some £300 more than the 2.5 SE4 that continued in production until late 1970, around 2500 examples of the SE5 were made before the SE5a replaced it three years later. Reliant brought in BRM’s (That’s British Racing Motors) John Crosthwaite to design a chassis for the Scimitar; his cruciform backbone design provides excellent stiffness without being unduly heavy. Cracks across the top of the front wheelarches are also quite common, but this may be a sign of impact damage, so look out for signs of other problems such as a distorted chassis. Please do not advertise products, all posts of this nature will be removed. I'm considering a Lancia Appia. (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), Triumph Spitfire V Reliant Scimitar SS1 Review, Rolls-Royce Shadow vs. Bentley Mulsanne vs. Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, MGB vs. Back in the late 1960s you could have something sporty or cavernous, but not both – until Reliant came along. Power steering is highly desirable. ... As part the Reliant Scimitar GTE’s 50th Anniversary in October 2018, the Reliant Motor Club teamed with with Tamworth Brewring Co. to unveil a new celebratory beer called Scimitar. If you’re going to have to get this work done, also budget to have some relays fi tted into the headlight and electric fan circuits. Once hot, expect to see 15-20psi at tickover and 50-75psi at 2500rpm. Fast, roomy, and very useful, cheap running gear and great specialist support, also still relatively cheap to buy considering its fame and ability, Lacking in build quality, with well-known corrosion issues. I have an old Lada Riva. Now you want to know all about it! That large Triumph model had clearly provided inspiration – with its T-piece targa arrangement and removable hardtop – and, just like its fellow British marque, Reliant struggled to meet ambitious sales expectations. Reviving the Scimitar name, which earned the Tamworth company considerable 1970s credibility with its GTE sports estate ... 2014 Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DIG-T first drive review. The Essex powerplant tends to be durable and highly tunable, but it does have a few weak spots. Reliant Car Reviews and Road Tests: ... such as the Scimitar, Saber Six and Reliant SS1 sports cars, along with the three wheeled varieties such as the Reliant Robin, Regan and Rialto. 1974 Reliant Scimitar 1974 Reliant Scimitar price guide for classic cars. All panels are available; problems may arise when you try to graft them in though. The trim itself is generally durable, especially where leather has been used;it was optional from the SE5a onwards. The design may have aged gracefully, but demand tailed off. You’re onto a winner with the Reliant’s glassfi bre bodywork, as rust isn’t an issue. The later Cologne V6 doesn’t have the torque of its Essex predecessor so Reliant fi tted a lower ratio back axle to maintain acceleration levels. As well as being good looking and usefully commodious, the 3-litre Ford V6 gave the Reliant Scimitar GTE plenty of performance. Our guide will save you money. The fi rst sign of old age is jumping out of second or fourth gears; when this happens you’ll need to rebuild the gearbox or buy an exchange unit. Are parts available for these classics? The top inner wishbone bushes can wear, while the fulcrum bars on which they pivot can corrode. The next year Middlebridge bought the production rights to the GTE but it wasn’t until 1989 that the relaunched car became available. Insurance tips and tricks by make and model - could you save? Don’t let that put you off this brilliant bargain all rounder though. Specs datasheet with technical data and performance data plus an analysis of the direct market competition of Reliant Scimitar GTE 3 Litre in 1971, the model with 3-door kammback coupe body and V-6 2994 cm3 / 182.9 cui engine size, 95.5 kW / 130 PS / 128 hp (DIN) of power, 261 Nm / 192 lb-ft of torque, 4-speed manual powertrain offered up to October 1971 for Europe . However, if you drive a dog you’ll never get it, so ensure any potential purchase is scrutinised closely. And today, values remain criminally low. Keep it polite and on topic. However, if the GTE does have any shortcomings, they’re well hidden. The areas most likely to be affl icted with crazing and cracking are the corners of the bonnet, the base of the windscreen pillars, the panel below the window on the tailgate and around each of the door handles, along with the wiper spindle hole in some of the earlier models. Like GTE, trim fails, . 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