Idiot question... "Q-cars".. I understand the term and the concept.. but where does it come from. Is it anything to do with James Bond's secret-gadget-inventing-chum.. or am I losing it?

 

No, I think it comes from "Q ships" which were WW2 freighters which carried concealed guns and were used to sink U boats. Therefore a Q car looks standard, but packs a hidden surprise. Bit like my Scoob

 

Sounds a lot more plausable to me, cheers!

 

Bigrex is right: it comes from the WW2 merchant convoy escorts that had big tarpaulins covering the guns & depth charges, making them look like ordinary laden ships. U-boat thinks easy pickings, comes in close, gets blown to sh*t.

Great Q-Cars of our time:

- Volvo T4 & T5
- Saab 9-3 / 9-5 Aero
- VW Vento VR6 (especially when de-badged)
- Cavalier turbo 4x4
- my mate's old MG Midget that had a tuned Rover K-series motor dropped in, plus suspension mods

 

Don't forget Dolomite Sprint.

 

Good point !!

 

Sorry to break in, but Legacy B4/GT-B?

Can't find the one eyed smiley.

Cheers.

 

Rover 620Ti was also a classic Q car. It looked the same as a normal 620, cept for bigger wheels. But could do 60 in 7 seconds and was as quick as a scoob in 4th gear.
30-70 was as quick as a standard 4WD cossie too.

How do I know? Cus I had one.

Editted cus I can't type at 7am

[This message has been edited by Neil Smalley (edited 19 September 2001).]

 

60 in 70 seconds neil ???

 

Q-Car ?

Lotus Carlton? Do me a favour! Hardly a wall-flower, now is it?!

Q-Cars need to be discreet. Like a MK2 Jag (actually a daimler but same difference), with a highly tuned, overbored, triple webbered, 4.4 litre straight six motor. Only external difference was a bonnet full of louvres. Got a bit hot, see...

I still fancy my Skoda Rapide idea. Take a Skoda Rapide, in grey. Airbrush on some "rust" around the bottom doors, etc. All powered by a lovely scoob turbo motor.

 

How about,
Mk 1 Lotus Cortina - one of the best handling saloon cars of its day.
Legacy turbo estate

 

Legacy Turbo saloon

 

Ive been thinking of doing that with my astra. Taking off the Boy racer bumper and wheels, and putting the standard kit on. just standard wheels and a subtle suspension drop, but keep the Nitrous..... and get a load more engine mods.
Then go out looking for Prey.
astraboy.

 

Great Q-Cars of our time:

- Volvo T4 & T5
- Saab 9-3 / 9-5 Aero
- VW Vento VR6 (especially when de-badged)
- Cavalier turbo 4x4
- my mate's old MG Midget that had a tuned Rover K-series motor dropped in, plus suspension mods[/B][/QUOTE]


can i add the peugeot mi16 and t16 to the list, 160 or 200bhp matched to a fine chassis but oh so discrete about it

 

Great Q cars of ALL time

Talbot Sunbeam Lotus
Flat Front RS 2000
Sunbeam Tiger
Lotus Carlton
ERA Mini
Fiat Supermirafiori
Audi RS4

And wot I've got in the garage GRPII Fiesta (MkI) (Ex Loiuse Aitkin Walker) with 185 BHP.

---john---

 

Re Lotus Carlton as Q-Car. Not sure it gets more descrete than anonymous large euro-saloon. You had to know stuff to recognise the square exhausts and fat tyres - that is if the fact it had just hit mach 0.8 hadn't given it away

Brickboy - has your mate still got his MG Midget. Sounds like the sort of motivation I'd need to finally get on with mine and get it out of the garage. Mind you when it was going I just had the basic mods. Straight through exhaust, 276 Cam, Filters, handdling kits etc. I enjoyed it at the time (brainless student - scares me silly now I'm an old man 28 . Classic live axle/leaf springs bump steer - enough to shift you several foot sidways on bad potholes.

My money goes fro the Lotus Sunbeam. Rear Wheel drive hot hatch - Nice !

Deano




[This message has been edited by dsmith (edited 19 September 2001).]

 

This thread is very loosely associated with 007 so I'll use that as my excuse for posting this.

A very confident James Bond walks into a bar and takes a seat next to a very attractive woman. He gives her a quick glance, then casually looks at his watch for a moment. The woman notices this and asks, "Is your date running late?" "No", he replies, "Q's just given me this state-of-the-art watch and I was just testing it." The intrigued woman says, "A state-of-the-art watch? What's so special about it?" Bond explains, "It uses alpha waves to talk to me telepathically." The lady says, "What's it telling you now?". "Well, it says you're not wearing any knickers....." The woman giggles and replies, "Well it must be broken because I am wearing knickers!"
Bond tuts, taps his watch, and says, "Damn thing's an hour fast."

 

Still fancy slotting a fettled 2.0 Zetec into a Ka. That'll learn 'em. Has anyone ever done it?

How about an early WRX RA, with no spoilers and 15" rims? Especially in domestic appliance white?

 

DSmith -- nope, it was "retired" a few years ago following an unexpected dose of power oversteer on an unseen patch of diesel. He lost the back end on the oil, and the front end to a tree :-( He was OK tho. As you say, big fun when the back end hits a hole -- not!

IIRC a pre-injection 1.4 K series (Metro, Rover 214 etc) fits pretty much straight in, a company used to advertise the conversion kits in the classic car mags. You get engine mounts, gearbox adapter plate and advice on radiators, carbs, manifolds etc. His wasn't wildly tuned, just a free-flow exhaust and K&Ns but the engine is *lighter* than the A-series lump as well as much more powerful & torquey.

The same company used to do a conversion for MGBs to drop in the 2 litre twin cam from the Rover 800, too.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Olly:
<B>Still fancy slotting a fettled 2.0 Zetec into a Ka. That'll learn 'em. Has anyone ever done it?[/quote]

Yep, there are a couple about. 'Fettled' as in 2.0 Zetec with a T34 strapped to the side!

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Olly:
<B>Still fancy slotting a fettled 2.0 Zetec into a Ka. That'll learn 'em. Has anyone ever done it?


[/quote]

Done!!!!



That'll be 400BHP, thanking you!!

Tuned fiesta turbo engine (CVH) in a KA....

Done!!!



That'll be 170BHP!!


I'm going to put an 1800 zetec into a KA next year sometime then get it turbo'd, Zetec conversions will do a 1800 zetec turbo that produces 280BHP, with a touch of nitrous I'll proably run it around the 350BHP mark

[This message has been edited by Bobfrog (edited 19 September 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Bobfrog (edited 19 September 2001).]