Robin`s Roadster Pickup (green)
Magazine Article (page 2)

Home

Magazine Articles (title page)

Page 1

As the text is difficult to read I have reproduced it here.

( cont. from page 1 ) Skoda catches at the rear. The fat ugly screen rubber has been replaced with a slim version cut from two early saloon rear screen rubbers.
The doors are singly the cleverest bit; now rear hinged using reversed 4 door centre pillars with matching hinges and sections of rear doors let into the back edges of these. Door catches were pirated from a Seat Malaga and the quarterlights are now smaller, and fixed, to allow use of larger door glass to perfect the lines.
Remove the two piece roof, split for easy stowage under the locking solid tonneau, and you`re confronted by a smooth, empty, hump free dash. For legality, when driving a small pod drops down below it containing speedo, fuel gauge and warning lights.

At the rear, flush fitting lights were carved from Hella trailer lenses and all the smooth subtlety is perfectly set off with a classy coat of blue/green from the latest Fiat Tipo range.
Three months well spent, don`t you think ?

Specification

CHASSIS
Front end: Minor, lowered 3" (2 splines on torsion bars), narrowed 1 1/2". Marina 1800 hubs/brakes.
Rear end: Toyota Celica GT Mk2 (3.9 ratio) on 5-leaf springs with Marina Spax shocks. Extra location arms from Lada.
Wheels/Tyres: 6x14" Enkei 26 unidirectionals with Dunlop 185/50x14.

BODY
Modifications
: 2 piece lift off roof, front hinged, de-badged bonnet, suicide doors with handles and swage lines removed, larger door glass and smaller 1/4 lights. Pickup bed chopped 3", rolled rear pan, flush tail lights. Front bumper lowered, wings extended to match, engine bay panelled smooth, all wires/accessories hidden. Indicators: Honda Accord repeaters.

DRIVETRAIN
Engine
: 2 litre Fiat twin cam, stock apart from 2x40DCOES.
Gearbox: Fiat 5 speed.
Cooling: Marina 1800 rad, Nissan Cherry fan.

INTERIOR
Material
: Vauxhall grey speckled cloth.
Seats: Allegro rear bench.
Gauges: Skoda speedo, Minor fuel gauge.

PERFORMANCE
Standing 1/4 mile
: 16.2 secs.
Est. top speed: 110mph
Economy: 20mpg average.