Stunning 240 estate

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

the point of the Tesla model X Plaid is that anyone's grandmother with £110,000 can do a 9.5 second quarter mile. Like it or not, that is seriously impressive.

Alan

...............or loaded grandma can buy (or build) and have change, a Volvo 240 like this one :

https://youtu.be/Hag9OvwUt4c

9.99 @ 140.57mph

Much more interesting than a rapid Johnny Number Five!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

...............or loaded grandma can buy (or build) and have change, a Volvo 240 like this one :

https://youtu.be/Hag9OvwUt4c

9.99 @ 140.57mph

Much more interesting than a rapid Johnny Number Five!

Well, that is okay Dave, but it still isn't 9.5 seconds for the quarter mile, and granny couldn't collect Cuthbert and Jessica from school in it afterwards :-).

Tesla has obviously used the Model X Plaid as an advertising stunt, but the article I read said that all a 9.5 second time required was a few clicks on the computer to put it in a certain mode. The article described Jay Leno actually doing that in an otherwise unprepared EV. Everyone (including Tesla) would concede that the battery wouldn't last long in that mode, and that it wouldn't be something to do on the highway (well, maybe that empty piece of autobahn very early one sunny Sunday morn). I'm no fan of EVs, but I have to concede that is a mighty impressive party trick for a 2 ton motor car with no other preparation.

I still think 41 year old Volvos are cool - I just wish my 17 year old son (and his mates) agreed :-)

Alan

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Othen

Well, that is okay Dave, but it still isn't 9.5 seconds for the quarter mile, and granny couldn't collect Cuthbert and Jessica from school in it afterwards :-).

Tesla has obviously used the Model X Plaid as an advertising stunt, but the article I read said that all a 9.5 second time required was a few clicks on the computer to put it in a certain mode. The article described Jay Leno actually doing that in an otherwise unprepared EV. Everyone (including Tesla) would concede that the battery wouldn't last long in that mode, and that it wouldn't be something to do on the highway (well, maybe that empty piece of autobahn very early one sunny Sunday morn). I'm no fan of EVs, but I have to concede that is a mighty impressive party trick for a 2 ton motor car with no other preparation.

I still think 41 year old Volvos are cool - I just wish my 17 year old son (and his mates) agreed :-)

Alan

I never thought I say this Dave (because in the past I've ridiculed EVs), but I'm warming to Dan's idea that we should get a Tesla Model X Plaid. It is £110,000, but then I'm thinking I'm 61 now and in the last quarter of my life (which is fine). In 18 months time Dan will finish his A levels and probably go off to university or start a career, so at that time I could relocate somewhere nice (North Norfolk coast or Dorset coast) and treat myself to one last new motor car that could replace both the Porsche and the Skoda. So, it would have to be able to tow a bike trailer, have pretty good performance and I rather suspect by then (2024 or 25) EV will be the only viable option for a long-term final car.

The RB (and maybe another project I'm considering) would still figure in that plan, as would a couple of bikes (hence the towing requirement), but the Tesla would seem to be a good turnkey (although it probably doesn't have a key!) solution that would last the rest of my life (or at least until I stop driving). It may give me some pleasure when I'm a septuagenarian to still be capable of a 9.5 second quarter mile :-)

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

To be fair Alan, anything sub-10s for the 1/4 mile is fast, whether it's a Tesla off the production line or a modified 240 with a turbo LS1 Chevy V8 under the bonnet. Also sub-10s is a bit academic whether it's 9.1, 9.4 or 9.9 as a slightly dodgy start could easily lose half a second or more or a better than average start could gain just as much. Just to get in that ball park needs a lot of power, torque and grip.

As for your idea of selling your Porsche and Skoda and replacing with a Tesla, Elon Musk is waving the order form as we speak! Given the current market you'll probably get more than you expect for the Porsche and possible for the Skoda too.

This other project you've hinted at a couple of times now wouldn't happen to be a 262C would it? I suspect Dan would see that as cool given the standard roof chop and slight "gangsta" overtones of the Bertone body.

I do have a couple of other thoughts on what it might be, among them a P1800, PV544 or another 244 similar but different to the RB. There is one more possible but i don't think that's as likely as the ones i've mentioned so far.

Something in the back of my mind says BEVs aren't great for towing, worth double-checking before signing over the cost of a house in some parts of the country for a Tesla!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

To be fair Alan, anything sub-10s for the 1/4 mile is fast, whether it's a Tesla off the production line or a modified 240 with a turbo LS1 Chevy V8 under the bonnet. Also sub-10s is a bit academic whether it's 9.1, 9.4 or 9.9 as a slightly dodgy start could easily lose half a second or more or a better than average start could gain just as much. Just to get in that ball park needs a lot of power, torque and grip.

As for your idea of selling your Porsche and Skoda and replacing with a Tesla, Elon Musk is waving the order form as we speak! Given the current market you'll probably get more than you expect for the Porsche and possible for the Skoda too.

This other project you've hinted at a couple of times now wouldn't happen to be a 262C would it? I suspect Dan would see that as cool given the standard roof chop and slight "gangsta" overtones of the Bertone body.

I do have a couple of other thoughts on what it might be, among them a P1800, PV544 or another 244 similar but different to the RB. There is one more possible but i don't think that's as likely as the ones i've mentioned so far.

Something in the back of my mind says BEVs aren't great for towing, worth double-checking before signing over the cost of a house in some parts of the country for a Tesla!

All good points Dave.

As far as I understand the Model X has a programmable mode that sorts out the grip and so on (rather like F1 cars) and so makes it possible for most drivers to replicate a 9.5 second quarter mile (given fair conditions). I suppose that much is quite easy to achieve with very well behaved electric motors and clever computers. That is clever marketing - making it such that the average (or perhaps even below average) driver can achieve a 9.5 second quarter with no great skill.

I won't let on about my next potential project until I've been to see the motor car towards the end of next week. All I will say is that it is another Volvo, and I'll be keeping the RB whatever.

The Model X is (as far as I know) the only EV rated for towing at the moment - hence being attracted to that motor car. I do need a towing hitch half a dozen times per year, so that is a requirement for whatever replaces the Skoda (which is a very good towing car indeed). It does indeed cost as much as a house in some parts of the country - and three times what I paid for my first house (in 1984) - but there are no pockets in a shroud.

:-)

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Othen

All good points Dave.


The Model X is (as far as I know) the only EV rated for towing at the moment - hence being attracted to that motor car. I do need a towing hitch half a dozen times per year, so that is a requirement for whatever replaces the Skoda (which is a very good towing car indeed). It does indeed cost as much as a house in some parts of the country - and three times what I paid for my first house (in 1984) - but there are no pockets in a shroud.

:-)

Alan, just a thought ... If you only infrequently have need of a tow car why not consider renting one on those occasions when you do? It may even work out cheaper in the long run if you consider that there would then be no need to factor in any potential purchase's towing abilities nor equip one for towing. In addition, you would also have a greater choice from a wider range of possibilities when it eventually is time to replace your Skoda and / or Porsche.

Regards, John.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

Alan, just a thought ... If you only infrequently have need of a tow car why not consider renting one on those occasions when you do? It may even work out cheaper in the long run if you consider that there would then be no need to factor in any potential purchase's towing abilities nor equip one for towing. In addition, you would also have a greater choice from a wider range of possibilities when it eventually is time to replace your Skoda and / or Porsche.

Regards, John.

That is a very good point John. I suppose even renting a van every now and then might work out cheaper. It is very convenient to be able to hitch up a bike trailer or my 3/4ton ramp back trailer whenever I have a need, but with some better planning I could probably rent a van for around £80/day.

Another option would be to install a towing hitch and some electrics on the RB. Noooooooo! That would ruin it :-).

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

That is a very good point John. I suppose even renting a van every now and then might work out cheaper. It is very convenient to be able to hitch up a bike trailer or my 3/4ton ramp back trailer whenever I have a need, but with some better planning I could probably rent a van for around £80/day.

Another option would be to install a towing hitch and some electrics on the RB. Noooooooo! That would ruin it :-).

Alan

Bear in mind most vans will also be BEVs by the time you come to rent them Alan, maybe not as viable as it sounds. I first thought the same as john and was going to suggest the same - great minds and all that - but then it occurred to me most new vans or 4x4s for rental would be BEVs so you'd be restricted on towing again.

As for adding a towbar to the RB, how heavy is the trailer and the load you'd be placing on it? I believe (but would need to confirm) the maximum towing weight is ~1000kg as the RB sits, adding an auxiliary ATF cooler should increase this to ~1500kg and given many 240s (in both saloon and estate form) would have had towbars either from new or bought secondhand because they were regarded as good tow cars in their day, it could be viewed as a "period accessory". Can't remember if you have a Bulb Failure Warning unit on the RB but wiring the towbar would be a mission if so! You'd need to run the 7-core all the way to the dash and pick up the feeds to the BFU, not the feeds from it to the bulbs.

[Moomoo]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Bear in mind most vans will also be BEVs by the time you come to rent them Alan, maybe not as viable as it sounds. I first thought the same as john and was going to suggest the same - great minds and all that - but then it occurred to me most new vans or 4x4s for rental would be BEVs so you'd be restricted on towing again.

As for adding a towbar to the RB, how heavy is the trailer and the load you'd be placing on it? I believe (but would need to confirm) the maximum towing weight is ~1000kg as the RB sits, adding an auxiliary ATF cooler should increase this to ~1500kg and given many 240s (in both saloon and estate form) would have had towbars either from new or bought secondhand because they were regarded as good tow cars in their day, it could be viewed as a "period accessory". Can't remember if you have a Bulb Failure Warning unit on the RB but wiring the towbar would be a mission if so! You'd need to run the 7-core all the way to the dash and pick up the feeds to the BFU, not the feeds from it to the bulbs.

Seem to remember , wiring for seven pin sockets just a plug in affair to existing wiring.
My wife will tell you, I could be wrong!🤔

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Bear in mind most vans will also be BEVs by the time you come to rent them Alan, maybe not as viable as it sounds. I first thought the same as john and was going to suggest the same - great minds and all that - but then it occurred to me most new vans or 4x4s for rental would be BEVs so you'd be restricted on towing again.

As for adding a towbar to the RB, how heavy is the trailer and the load you'd be placing on it? I believe (but would need to confirm) the maximum towing weight is ~1000kg as the RB sits, adding an auxiliary ATF cooler should increase this to ~1500kg and given many 240s (in both saloon and estate form) would have had towbars either from new or bought secondhand because they were regarded as good tow cars in their day, it could be viewed as a "period accessory". Can't remember if you have a Bulb Failure Warning unit on the RB but wiring the towbar would be a mission if so! You'd need to run the 7-core all the way to the dash and pick up the feeds to the BFU, not the feeds from it to the bulbs.

That is not a bad idea at all, 'L.S.'. The 2 series is well up to occasional light towing duties and as you say many - especially estates - were so equipped from new. If Alan can bear to fit one to the R.B. it may be the answer to his dilemma.

I towed a light 6' x 4' trailer extensively in period with both 2 and 7 series cars with few issues. My cars were equipped for towing when I bought them and the BFWL functioned as normal, so presumably wiring for same was standard in period. I don't know if it will be of any help to Alan, but I also successfully carried one of those light 'spectacle' bike carriers directly on the towbar. They were ideal for mopeds and lightweight motor cycles, but I doubt that they would be suitable for heavy machines like Alan's Triumph.

Regards, John.