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Reliant Scimitar Sabre (Ss1)


CHRIS211083

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Wow just pottering about and found this Scimitar Sabre thread. They are a Reliant sports car weighing 839kg and came with a few different engines. A 1.3 1.4 a 1.6 and the Nissan Silvia enigne or 1.8 ca18et Turbo engine. This one in this article is over 300bhp, I wont say how much as it would ruin the story but wow what a fast car that will be. Probably more than the car can handle but wow. They run Sierra diff and later ones have galvanized chassis. 

 

http://www.scimitarweb.co.uk/sgwrs/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=834

 

Just thought I would Share.

 

Chris.

Edited by CHRIS211083
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I thought they were called SS1?  Or is the Sabre the facelifted one?

 

I had some dealings with an early car in about 1993/4 when a colleague bought a 1985 1600cc one from a (dodgy) dealer in Bodmin.  It looked ok and went well enough but after few months he started complaining about odd handling.  This got worse and eventually I was pressed to check it out.  It was terrifying; massive rear wheel steer to the extent that it would turn left power on and violently jink right when you lifted off.  Looking underneath showed that the rear of the sill had rotted to the extent that the cross-member that the swing arm attaches to was completely detached and had nearly snapped off at it's inner end as well.  The whole rear of the chassis and both sills were horribly rotten and the mixed steel/fibreglass construction made repairs quite tricky.

 

Once sorted (by me - I didn't run fast enough) it actually went surprisingly well (XR3 spec 1600 CVH and 5 speed with narrowed Sierra rear end) and handled really well.  Horrible tacky kit car like interior though and leaked like a sieve.  Maybe the later ones were better.  The 1.8 turbo ones must go like stink - even before the boost is turned up.

 

They are popular with the classic triallers - work well and seem durable - I can only assume they use the galvanised ones!

 

There is a thread on RR somewhere with someone converting on to zetec (ironblock) though seems fairly involved process.  I reckon a galvanised chassis car could be a good basis for a project.

 

Nick

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Joe Mason had a turbo one I had a drive in a couple of years ago. I recall a well balanced car which went well, but, like Nick, a pretty awful plastic interior.

 

Also, even though the car was designed by none other than Giovanni Michelotti, who of course penned the (better looking!) Triumphs, I can only imagine that he was having an off day when it came to the SS1 as the proportions just seemed all wrong .

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Toyed with buying one a couple of years back, yes galv chassis ones are way preferable. nissan tubo models scare as hens teeth.  Nice construction all the panels bolt to the chassis/space frame.  Agree not the prettiest lines.

 

We were at Prescott on Saturday for a round of the TR Register Sprint Hill Climb Championship, my last event of the season and the engine still in one piece (more on that in the future) Foul weather day, either no traction off the line in first at anything above idle, or second it and gradually gather momentum, either way all a bit slip and slide rectum muscles held tight on the way up!

 

But anyway in the paddock next to us were a bunch from the Reliant Club (nice bunch of people) including a couple of SS1 Turbo's, normal Reliant times about on par with Triumphs but the Turbo's running 4-6 secs quicker.  

 

Reliant results below, but as I said with times it was very wet!

 

Class 6 Scimitar and Sabre Sports Cars

No.                Name                    Car                               c.c.      Year     Award      Run 1          Run 2

158               Stephen Oakes     Reliant Scimitar SS1    1809t   1987                    59.13           58.28

159               John Louch           Reliant Scimitar GTE    2994    1970                    62.31           61.52

160               Philip Andrew        Reliant Scimitar SS1     1300    1987                    65.20           64.89

161               Craig Hughes        Reliant Scimitar SS1     1860t   1992                    56.11           56.44 2nd

162               Michael Beacham  Reliant Scimitar GTE    2994    1974                    64.30           64.33

163               Nick Hall                 Reliant Scimitar GT      2996    1968                    65.75           68.34

858              Josh Oakes             Reliant Scimitar SS1   1809t    1987                    56.53           54.25 1st

859              Steve Louch            Reliant Scimitar GTE   2994    1970                    58.78           57.35

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