Avengers for sale around the world...

[Paddy75]

A Talbot (I guess) on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHRYSLER-TALBOT-HILLMAN-AVENGER-1-6-LS-/330659358234?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4cfcd5661a

Pity its not a GLS. Looks like the rear arches have been rebuilt.

[JoKer]

far out thats a cortina front! haha

[Paddy75]

Haha yes that was the Avenger, Cortina chaser! The MK1 was to 'avenge' the sales from Ford's MK2 Cortina and the MK2 styling was with an eye on the MK4 'tina.
'Don't stall on me MK3 Cortina!' There were severe problems with the Mk3's new OHC Pinto and Rootes were indeed a wee bit more wise, make a high cam OHV instead so as my neighbour told me people were told to go for an Avenger because of less engine trouble and better on the juice.

I see the gold Vauxhall Viva that was forsale on ebay in Newcastle Co. Down appears to have been sold, I seen it today in the town, pity I wasn't in the Avenger I would have parked beside it, wait for the owner and ''..holy f*** an Avenger..'' Wanna race?

[blekkja]

I was eyeing up an HB Viva more than a few years ago... haven't really seen many since. They used to be more common than Avengers locally, I'm sure (All of them, not just the HBs). Possibly lucky that I stuck with the Hillmans then

[JoKer]

mate next door to me had a roatary 1 that was a race car all of its life

[Paddy75]

Vauxhalls had a bit of a rep' for soft engines. Even the 1980s Cavaliers/Opel Asconas while they were good on fuel the engines were weak, they'd even warp crankshafts. The Chevette/Kadett was a great handeling wee yoke ans a bit more comfortable than an Escort and like the Avenger/Sumbeam they were coil all round. They were a lot more rusty though, I remember seeing many Kadetts with the big tin-type rust blisters in them, once they started to rot there was no stopping it.
The Viva, HA or HB had lesf springs, the bodies too heavy and the engines were 'bad breathers' as an uncle mechanic of mine said, ''..snorty lumpy hoore of a thing...''
When I was working (about 1990) in a garage there was a Viva behind the garage used for spares or to store half worn tyres. As the mechanics said of them, the front brake flexi's were too long that made the brakes spongy - Cortinas also had that problem, ''..a wheel-barrow..'' as he said of the Viva. More reliable than a BL (sure so is a Lada!)
The Avenger was pretty well spoken of and its no suprize that as far as I recall many mechanics drove them.

As the 1970 Rootes-Chrysler hand book says:
''We think the AVENGER a winner and we want you to get the best out of it.''

Light, well designed, torquey and high revving reliable engine, all coil suspension and cool as f*** interiors and exterior.
I can see why on ebay and otherplaces, an Avenger is at least one thousand pounds/euro/whatever higher than the rest.

[Paddy75]

Another Talbot, looks pretty solid as the seller says. Probabbly will go for

[oldschool]

Gotta love those LS models...no rubber on the bumpers and the poverty spec dash w/o rev counter...glad we never got them here...haha
BTW did the late model Chrysler 1300's still have the 4.11 diff or did they put 3.89's in them?
I know the later 1600's used a 3.70 and a 3.54, but no 3.54's in NZ.

[Paddy75]

Yes the MK2 does look a bit naked without the chrome surrounds and the later ones I recall were all 1.6 GL or GLS's.
The diff ratios are all over the place. It seems that a lot of changes were made to the Avenger esp. with the front suspension. My 1300 has (according to the Service Code) a 4.11. The late MK1's with a 1600cc engine had 3.7 (according to the specs page on a Chrysler '76 brochure I got) diff.
I'm guessing that because the short stroke Avengers (70-73 1250/1500cc) had the torque peak high up the revs and 9.4 comp ratio that they were low grared.
Then as they took the peak torque down the revs with the 1300/1600 engines and lowered the comp ratio to 8.6, they in turn geared up the diff. So a 1250 had a 4.37 then the 1300 had a 4.11. (but not always, I think the 73/74 1300 still had a 4.37 - or was it a 4.37 on LC engines?)

The 1600 kept the 3.89 untill 75/76 then 3.7 - as far as I can tell.

The MK2 had a slightly higher compression ratio of 8.8:1 so its pretty likely the 1300 diff went up to 3.89:1.

The 3.54:1 was probabbly only gotten on special order or for European (Autobhan) countries.

All I do know is that with the 1.75'' carbie on my 1300 that there does seem to be a bit of spare torque when going uphill so taking it up to 3.89:1 would do it no harm.

[oldschool]

Yes a 3.89 would be good in your 1300 Paddy...maybe easy to find a complete 3.89 rear end as that was the most popular ratio. Can probably sell your 4.11 for more as they're sought after for racing and rallying.

[Paddy75]

Another one! Somebody was thinking about a Tiger2 replica! It would seem that a couple of apparent recent articles in the 'Fast Ford' magazines where the Avenger was given 'Worthy Opponent' status has made any Avenger valuable.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HILLMAN-AVENGER-1300-SUPER-BROWN-/320833842502?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4ab32fed46

Note the, what looks like MK1 Escort, (no I'm wrong about that,) indicators on this one! I'd not be suprized if it hits

[Paddy75]

I never seen this before! Must have been because the DL didn't have reversing lights.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/hillman-Chrysler-Avenger-lights-MK1-/220940778872?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item337118bd78

Or was the reversing lens dyed? Bizzare!

[oldschool]

Here's a mint looking Talbot Sunbeam Lotus for sale on e-Bay for 6800 pounds...a rare 1982 model!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170778837569?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

[oldschool]

And here's another Lotus Sunbeam...going cheap..?!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TALBOT-SUNBEAM-LOTUS-ROAD-CAR-one-last-/300663164864?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4600ebcfc0

[avenga]

Almost worth it just for the engine.

I have always wanted to see how a lotus engine would go in an Avenger. I think it would be pretty awesome.