My mate bought a Jubilee Robin in 1979 because he never passed his car test and only has a bike licence. He still has it now and has kept up to it beautifully.
Great car and video. The writing is thorough, honest and well presented. Keep it up. I'm a Yorkshireman living here in California and I do appreciate your videos.
Yep, there's a lot to be said for Reliants. I'm not interested in what that old has-been Clarkson has to say about them - we've moved on a bit since then, as you know! 👍🏿
I've had three Reliants in the past and loved every one,great to drive (you had to drive them) cheap to run and easy to maintain,my last one had over 120.000 miles on the clock when I sold it and it still sounded as good as the day I bought it,the only people who knock them are the ones who've never driven one,great video
You did your homework and came up with another interesting video which is well worth watching. Good information and nicely presented. - Well done again.
I am 72years old and I've driven one of these for fifty years ihave ridden motorbikes up till two years ago when I wrote of my bike when the weather has been really icy I've used the reliant for the eighteen mile journey to work these cars are much maligned but have served me well over the years
Fantastic review of one of the most misunderstood vehicles ever. Most people actually think they are called a Robin Reliant for some odd reason. I had a Reliant Supervan III when I was 17 with just a motorcycle licence, as soon as I passed my car test I switched to a 4 wheeled car and never looked back, however driving one for 6 months was more than enough to dispel the myths that surround these. Yes you do have to be careful on corners, it's the long corners that catch you out. I got mine slightly on two wheels a couple of times at around 40mph and it's scary, I certrainly never tried to do it deliberately. Sweet engine, sweet gearbox, simple mechanical parts and they fulfilled a purpose. However much my friends laughed at me (and they did, relentlessly) they never refused a lift in the rain! Top speed was surprisingly fast, certainly well over the 80mph that was the highest marked on my speedo. Happiest at 40-50 on smooth roads. Compared to my Supervan the Robin model looked quite sophisticated and luxurious..
An excellent video detailing the impact this humble car had on social mobility during the 1970’s. Much maligned yet these were everywhere in the 70’s and early 80’s.
I’m 26 and I’ve only really ever seen Rialtos and mk2 Robins on the road. Never seen a mk1 robin on the road. Used to see allot more when I was a little kid. It used to be every town/village had at least 1.
Nice and enthousiastic review you made for the good old Robin! It handles very well and sporty because of it's light weight. Like the Kitten does as well!
As a young apprentice back in the 80's I was once given a lift home in one, no idea what speed we were doing but it felt like it was a rapid little motor. The clocks look like they were off a series Land Rover.
That's a fantastic video. You're absolutely right to focus on the social mobility aspect of them. Also - those estates do indeed have plenty of space (I can't remember if that back seat folds down or not) but I remember them being seriously popular with tradesmen - cheap to run and tax but you could get your tools in the back. Mind you, also absolute fire traps - I saw one go up once and it was gone in seconds...
I had a drive of one of these back in the 80s. It was owned by a friend of a friend. It was extremely manoeuvrable and so easy to park. It was even more manoeuvrable than the Mini I think.
I worked for a Reliant main dealer and worked with them every day. I heard all the scare stories and saw all the damaged vehicles after bumps and scrapes. It didn't stop me buying one a couple of years after leaving the company! Great fun, and roomy for my fishing gear too! Great vid m8!
Brilliant! Thought provoking too, which I didn’t expect from a car walkaround video. Please keep on referencing the social aspects and impacts of the vehicles you show us. It’s lacking in most other channels. The Reliant was a popular choice in the 1960s & 70s North East, where i grew up. Always retired or disabled miners, with a pigeon basket in the back. Allotment sites were like an owners meet! That was their demographic, the guys who had come from bikes ( often via sideacar outfits), and didn’t want to get a car license. Why bother when you could have this? Thus you are spot on when you mention the mass mobility brought by the Reliant. What a shame they never exploited the lightweight car category in France, which remains popular now.
Great Video! Love them or hate them, Reliant vehicles are part of British motor history, and as you say, sold in great numbers. I can't say I would have bought one myself,(possibly a Scimitar) but I can say that about hundreds of cars. Your videos are great , I really enjoy them, (loved the one on The Maxi) it is good to see younger people appreciating the innovations and engineering of the past, these steps have had to be taken to get to where we are today (which some would say is a worse place) I am a classic car enthusiast, and find the History of any vehicle ,fascinating. Keep up the great work Young Man, it is well appreciated ,and no doubt you will be working in the Motoring media in the future! Cheers dx
Much respect to yourself bro, I absolutely adore your videos, very informative and interesting. Idk if you remember but I’m the guy who saw you in the Halfords that one time lmao
My first car was a regal saloon 3 wheeler which I could drive on my motorcycle licence. I taught myself to drive in that car. After several rot-box 4 wheel cars, I later bought a robin. Just drive carefully is my advice and try not to crash.
Thanks for your fair and kind verdict! I used to have one RHD Rialto over here in Germany. It accelerated quite impressively, but cornering or going through roundabouts on the continent in a RHD threewheeler with only the driver aboard was slightly hazardous... Eventually I realized that, with me being 1,93 m tall, it was really too tiny for me. Whenever I lifted up my foot from the gas pedal, I accidentally turned on the (single) windscreen wiper or the horn/indicator respectively for the clutch. Great exhaust sound, though!
Haha I thought I was the only person who calls it the Robin Reliant and has to correct myself each time. Superb video as always. Very fair and thorough. The 3-wheeled Reliants and the licensing laws make sense when you consider that Britain still had rationing in the mid-50s. I really think that the Regal, Rebel, 70s Robin and Kitten are actually the cutest cars ever made. More so than the Mini, Fiat 500 and anything else. The Kitten mainly because of the name. And yet there's also the hairy-chested Scimitar - what petrolhead wouldn't want one of those? Would love to see a Scimitar feature on Twin Cam.
Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s my Dad bought a Reliant Robin 750 in 1989, we went miles over the years my Dad drove 3 wheelers. The Heater wasn’t needed as the heat from the engine heated the car through the front foot wells. Demisting the windscreen in damp weather was done via a dry cloth! A very characterful car of which our family have fond memories of.
This video is soo nostalgic lol. My stepfather had a robin. He only had a motorcycle license when he met my mum, so this was his first car so we could travel as a family lol. Loved it! We had a Pye stereo and it always seemed so big inside.
I love My Reliant, I drive one because I only have a motorcycles licence, I passed my full cat A motorcycle licence in 2017 thankfully the laws changed again in 2013. I rebuilt my Rialto from the ground up and got it on the road in October of 2020. My first driving lesson was a solo drive to the MOT test. I have now put nearly 10k on it, and i still love driving it. the claims these are unstable come from people as you said who have never even sat in them. I will at some point opt for 4 wheels but not because of stability. I also owned a Mk.1 super robin salon IE hatchback for a few months, I managed to get it driving, but i was forced to sell due to budget constraints.
Yes! My first car at 17 was a Reliant Robin Jubilee Estate reg TRH 628R . I got it in exchange for a seized bike . Went all over in that car and it was cheap as chips to run. Yes, you could do the 100mph mark in it with the front wheel bouncing off the deck . Scary but fun. The Jubilee model was a limited production and denoted by the badge on the front mine was number 53 I think. It had been previously owned by a Heath Robinson type of bodger . It had a habit of going through carbon thrust bearings . It was sadly a bad end for mine as It seriously overheated when the rad blew. Still limped home 35 miles in a stop start every couple of miles until it overheated again .....it got me home though ! . I swapped up for a Triumph Dolomite 1500HL with a broken starter motor which happened to be the same as a Reliant starter. WIN !.
Absolutely brilliant video twin cam, I love these great lil cars having been a reliant Robin mk1 owner for 17an half years. Only sold mine cause my uncle passed away and I couldn't look after it by myself. But it's been sold to a friend so I still see my old girl regularly 👍
Last one to clear things up a little more for people in the rolling over bit. Radial tyres were becoming commonplace for cars and Reliant, who used cross ply which are hugely stiffer than radials, had to do something to address the Regal's very real problem of turning turtle (trust me on this, I have been in one when a strong wind nearly blew my uncle off the M2 bridge over the Medway, he was a Reliant nutter and the week after in his orange van, we had to escape super quickly as it caught fire on the A2 leading to my mum prohibiting us kids going in his "deathtraps" lol) so Robin's were fitted with the all new technology of rear anti roll bars which allowed the car to roll without rolling over thus able to lead better into sharper corners. They also moved the engine behind the wheel rather than the Regals above the wheel thus putting the engines considerable gravity mass between front passengers and it became as difficult as a 4 wheel car to turn over a Robin. Regal's had very stiff suspension because the roll was controlled by the crossply, many were prob wiped out with people fitting radials to 'em which are very soft on side roll.
A fantastic little car. I went through a phase and had a few of them. They go forever on a pint of petrol and you can tune the hell out of them. Using wide rear wheels and spacers improves handling and they really are quite 'peppy'. The mark 1 Robin had a 750cc engine with a brown rocker box and a Zenith carburettor but this was quickly replaced with the more familiar 850cc red top engine using an SU carburettor. The original radio fitted was made by Phillips and was tiny and actually the speaker was under the passanger seat!? There never was a factory fit cigarette lighter and the interior light isn't operated from the doors - Strange but true. The Top Gear where Clarkson relentlessly tipped the reliant over really boiled my piss. Any reliant owner will tell you that they're absolutely fine if you don't abuse them. Thanks for this video, it's about time someone said something positive about Reliant.
My dad had 3 robins. One of them was an estate like this one but not a jubilee version. It took him a good minute or two to get it started in the morning lol
David- that wasnt uncommon that less-mechanically minded struggled with the will or knowledge to keep things going. Over the weekends when I was a teenager and before that, when I was a child- evreyone worked on cars at the weekend and those that couldnt or didnt were soon coming over, just when I was running out of time/light and ask a question..it happened to me so many times. Thesedays- I still do my own repairs and maintenace on my fleet/collection- I know no other way of doing it and trust no-one!
My mum had three of these - Two Rialtos from the late 80s & an early 90s Robin, which later found itself on Good Omens. She said it handled like a mini, and despite them being unreliable and slow, was always happy with it. Now she has a Microcar MC1, which is neither fun or loveable, but it’s more comfortable and has 4 wheels.
Blimey, are you a reporter/journalist of some sort? I'm really impressed at your presentation; it was excellent - so professional. You didnt stutter nor did use "parasitic syllables" (words like huh, uhhh, hmmm, aaaaa, etc.), you kept your composure so confident and relaxed. I really enjoyed it! Awesome. :)
Reliant robin good car, I have the LX which uses the same headlights as Ford Fiesta ,which are a pain to get hold of these days, but still a lovely care go every were in it, good video
I've had a Mk1 Robin van and two Rialtos, they were excellent little cars and I used and abused them mercilessly. If it snowed I would take the Reliant in preference to which ever dull eurobox was parked on our drive. My last Rialto never missed a beat in thee years of hard work which often included caning it up and down the M11. Cheap to run, easy to maintain and an absolute hoot to drive, what's not to like?
In New Zealand its sort of flipped. A 3 wheeled motorized vehicle above 50cc is registered as motor vehicle. This means the new 3 wheeled motor cycles such as the Yamaha Tricity, or Can-Ams are cars. This has two benefits, the registration is a lot cheaper, and you don't need a separate motorcycle endorsement on your license. Registration of a vehicle carries an accident tax based on statistics, called ACC. In NZ its high for motorcyles. So this makes cars cheap to register. For the license you get a license and add "endorsements". So you don't need the expense and time to get the motorcycle part.
Twin-Cam...What's your name and how old are you? You are brilliant at this and should have a career in auto journalism presenting on the TV. Great stuff!
I remember them. They were contemporary with the Escort Ford, the Minor Morris, the Imp Hilman and the Viva Vauxhall. The same company made Scimitar Reliants. Off to town now in my Mondeo Ford.
I had a teacher who owned a Kitten. Can't recall if it was the saloon or estate. I went from Manchester to Shropshire and back in it. Quite an experience.
Great stuff as usual from your good self jammed packed full of interesting facts about the car in question. Excellent observational points on the transmission tunnel and the door cards. My eldest brother did exactly what you mentioned drove a Bond with a soft-top I believe on a motorcycle licence upset a petrol pump attendant being a show off with his first car , my Mother was amused and overheard the attendant say "who does he think he is Sterling Moss" the fill it up please didn't go down well. The other three wheeler was an early Reliant Regal in poo brown he did a few journeys from Brighton to Suffolk in her god alone knows how when he's over six foot in height.Thanks for reminding us all of this Silver Jubilee model.
Thanks! I love hearing stories about older cars. Through these stories, they're woven in to the social fabric of our nation. That's what makes them interesting!
I like your videos twin cam. It seems to me that most if not all the cars you review are from my childhood era. And I love learning about them. Pete 🇬🇧
Very interesting and informative evaluation of the Robin, despite holding a full car licence from age 17, I have always had a keen passion for Reliants, right from being a little girl, I think it was the quirky appearance that drew my interest, also that they are very much different to most other vehicles, I did fulfil my Reliant obsession by owning a later (1993) Robin LX, it was purely a project, which I had restored to as new condition, although being a later model, it did lack the charm of the earlier Robin.
one very cool video again! I drove a Robin twice, great fun! the first time I drove it my passenger was wearing a full spongebob suit.... 2nd time I was blindfolded and had to navigate through a parking lot on my passengers directions. Never had so much fun in a car I think :D
I do like watching your videos-you certainly research your subject. People knock the Reliant-but it came at a time when cars were still expensive for everyone and taking a 'car' licence, when you had spent years on a motorcycle and laterly- a combination once the wife and kids came along it was simply another unnecessary expense! These little cars did the job- and up till the end of the 1960's-people didn't really travel far anyway. Only the adventurous drove far and wide. Cars simply didn't last, mainly due to rust and engines needed replacing/rebuilding at around 70k or at least a thorough overhaul-head/valves/shells , etc. Having said all that- Ive never been in a Robin but thats more by lack of opportunity than any other reason. Keep up the good work!
Interesting video. We had two Reliants, a Rebel estate and a Kitten estate. Both lovely cars although they did need regular maintenance to stay reliable. The Kittens party trick was its tight turning circle. Miss them both.
I remember these Robin 1977 jubilee editions we had several new Saloons and estates at the reliant dealership I worked at in the 1970’s , I had been sent for training at Tamworth factory when the Robin was originally launched, also the four wheeled Kitten,we had a few new Bond bug 750cc in stock in 1972, working on all these was simple stripping an engine / gearbox easy and cheap compared to now, and very good fuel economy, good video as nice to see one of these again perhaps a Bond Bug or Bond 875 if you can find any ?, Saw a rare prototype Robin pick up at the factory but it never reached production.
Hear hear! Excellent, I agree it is small things that we are good at not the big corporation nonsense. With modern composites we could turn out a ultra safe small practical car. We all don't need big daft US style SUVs.
My neighbour replaced the clutch in his robin but forgot to refit the earth strap to the engine,it resulted in poor starter operation but would still start at a struggle,rather than seek help or try to diagnose the problem he chose to just put up with it. Right up until the clutch cable which was obviously acting as the earth eventually combusted and burnt most of the engine bay before he could extinguish it,silly bugger! It was very tidy and original up until that point.
My brother had the earlier, more boxy version back in 1968 - it went like the clappers and he could be relied on to hand-brake-park it anywhere he wanted to in good old #HenleyOnThames :-) He managed to leave the Reading-Henley Rd one icy morning, sliced the top right off - he was OK though - Poor old Reliant went to that Three-Wheeled-Heaven in the sky ;-(
My dad had a russet red estate Robin from 1981 Then the Rialto came out in January 1982 He then got a yellow Rialto estate, A reg from 1983 It was always breaking down after six years of owning it 😂 On long journeys Good cars for runarounds but not long journeys
Nice video. Not sure about the history of the Aluminium engine; it appears that Reliant bought the rights complete with all drawings etc. for the side valve Austin Seven iron engine back in the day. So I imagine that Reliant developed the Austin engine to OHV and Aluminium construction but I'm only guessing since the exact information I haven't been able to track down. It is reasonable to assume that the gearbox is also derived from the Austin Seven but again I'm not sure. ……………………………………...………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..... Reliant Regent (reproduced from 3-wheelers.com). In 1938 Reliant started to use the four-cylinder 7 hp Austin Engine with the first Austin engined Reliant being delivered on March 12th 1938. Shortly afterwards Austin announced that they planned to stop the production of this engine. Austin were happy for Reliant to copy their engine and so it was decided that Reliant would manufacture their own engine, which was completed in September 1939. The engine was Reliant’s first engine and was a 747cc side-valve unit producing 14 bhp at 3,500 rpm.
I had a Reliant Regal and then a Robin, both were great to drive when you got used to braking round left-hand bends and accelerating round right-hand bands (to reduce any rolling). That was 50 years ago - and we all waved to each other - is that still done?
The reliant robins were built so that the back was heavier than the front, that way if the front was going to tip over, the back would counterbalance and level out. If they were going to tip over, then they wouldn’t have passed health and safety regulations.
It always p***ed me off when people called it a 'Robin Reliant', thanks to Jasper Carrot. To think these came out of the same factory as the Schimitar. Great video.
Hello, These were very popular amongst the Kent mining community during the 70's. Many older people had only a motorcycle license You could park it on a very small driveway There were very good dealers in Ramsgate, Deal,and Canterbury. The Thanet Morgan.. Cordialement,
![Eminem - Fuel (Shady Edition) feat. Westside Boogie & GRIP [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/k1OquBida9s/mqdefault.jpg)
"They will roll over, but only if you are a colossal tit."
Best line ever.
Proved to be true by Mr Clarkson, of course.
Your enthusiasm for the vehicles in your video's is very refreshing for someone of a younger generation. Keep it up.
Thanks!
Exactly my thought x
My mate bought a Jubilee Robin in 1979 because he never passed his car test and only has a bike licence. He still has it now and has kept up to it beautifully.
Another interesting, informative, professional and well researched video. Well done!
Great car and video. The writing is thorough, honest and well presented. Keep it up. I'm a Yorkshireman living here in California and I do appreciate your videos.
I love his enthusiasm for this little car. He's sold it to me, I want one now.
Nice to hear somebody expounding the Reliant Robin positives for a change....👍👍
Yep, there's a lot to be said for Reliants. I'm not interested in what that old has-been Clarkson has to say about them - we've moved on a bit since then, as you know! 👍🏿
The Reliant Robin has aged better than Jeremy Clarkson.
Clarkson, " if its not an Aston Martin its shite"
@@procta2343 LAGOOOOONDA! Checkmate.
Clarkson actually owns his very own Robin. T
@@bid84 - I don't think that's quite accurate - please check your facts.
I've had three Reliants in the past and loved every one,great to drive (you had to drive them) cheap to run and easy to maintain,my last one had over 120.000 miles on the clock when I sold it and it still sounded as good as the day I bought it,the only people who knock them are the ones who've never driven one,great video
Your a star..........a great video, your presenting style is everything, i had a Bond 875 three wheel car many years ago, an interesting car.
Colossal Tit, comment of the year 👍😂😂😂 brilliant video as always!
You did your homework and came up with another interesting video which is well worth watching. Good information and nicely presented. - Well done again.
About time you flogged a few “Twin-Cam” stickers to match Ian Hubnut’s, which pop up everywhere! You’re videos are all so good, like his. Thank you.
I am 72years old and I've driven one of these for fifty years ihave ridden motorbikes up till two years ago when I wrote of my bike when the weather has been really icy I've used the reliant for the eighteen mile journey to work these cars are much maligned but have served me well over the years
Fantastic review of one of the most misunderstood vehicles ever. Most people actually think they are called a Robin Reliant for some odd reason. I had a Reliant Supervan III when I was 17 with just a motorcycle licence, as soon as I passed my car test I switched to a 4 wheeled car and never looked back, however driving one for 6 months was more than enough to dispel the myths that surround these.
Yes you do have to be careful on corners, it's the long corners that catch you out. I got mine slightly on two wheels a couple of times at around 40mph and it's scary, I certrainly never tried to do it deliberately.
Sweet engine, sweet gearbox, simple mechanical parts and they fulfilled a purpose. However much my friends laughed at me (and they did, relentlessly) they never refused a lift in the rain!
Top speed was surprisingly fast, certainly well over the 80mph that was the highest marked on my speedo. Happiest at 40-50 on smooth roads. Compared to my Supervan the Robin model looked quite sophisticated and luxurious..
You're a great presenter. Always enjoy your videos!
The Robin is a car that Canada needed
I personally would love a Reliant Robin of my own, fantastic little cars!
They are some nice ones on ebay once in a while.
50 years ago I had a reliant robin van. With a mattress in the back for entertaining.lol. Young folk today don't believe us.....
I had a Reliant Regal for two years and it served me very well even in the harsh winter months of the 70's. Brilliant little car.
Really good profile of the Robin, well researched and presented.
An excellent video detailing the impact this humble car had on social mobility during the 1970’s. Much maligned yet these were everywhere in the 70’s and early 80’s.
I’m 26 and I’ve only really ever seen Rialtos and mk2 Robins on the road. Never seen a mk1 robin on the road. Used to see allot more when I was a little kid. It used to be every town/village had at least 1.
All good. Many commentators miss the point of these little cars, you got it. Well done.
Nice and enthousiastic review you made for the good old Robin!
It handles very well and sporty because of it's light weight.
Like the Kitten does as well!
Thanks mate
Cracking video and cracking little car! Again love the details in your videos and looking forward to working with you with the cozzy!
I shouldn't like these cars as much as I do, but the soft spot I have for them is HUGE.
My father owned 6 in total, and in the late 70s we would go out with seven inside. Mum dad and 5 kids.. great memories...
As a young apprentice back in the 80's I was once given a lift home in one, no idea what speed we were doing but it felt like it was a rapid little motor.
The clocks look like they were off a series Land Rover.
@@millomweb Series Land Rovers are pre Defender, and refer to the Land Rover Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3.
Nice vid of a little underdog. Good to see some are being loved.
That's a fantastic video. You're absolutely right to focus on the social mobility aspect of them. Also - those estates do indeed have plenty of space (I can't remember if that back seat folds down or not) but I remember them being seriously popular with tradesmen - cheap to run and tax but you could get your tools in the back.
Mind you, also absolute fire traps - I saw one go up once and it was gone in seconds...
I had a drive of one of these back in the 80s. It was owned by a friend of a friend. It was extremely manoeuvrable and so easy to park. It was even more manoeuvrable than the Mini I think.
I worked for a Reliant main dealer and worked with them every day. I heard all the scare stories and saw all the damaged vehicles after bumps and scrapes. It didn't stop me buying one a couple of years after leaving the company! Great fun, and roomy for my fishing gear too! Great vid m8!
Brilliant! Thought provoking too, which I didn’t expect from a car walkaround video. Please keep on referencing the social aspects and impacts of the vehicles you show us. It’s lacking in most other channels.
The Reliant was a popular choice in the 1960s & 70s North East, where i grew up. Always retired or disabled miners, with a pigeon basket in the back. Allotment sites were like an owners meet! That was their demographic, the guys who had come from bikes ( often via sideacar outfits), and didn’t want to get a car license. Why bother when you could have this? Thus you are spot on when you mention the mass mobility brought by the Reliant. What a shame they never exploited the lightweight car category in France, which remains popular now.
Thanks!
Great Video! Love them or hate them, Reliant vehicles are part of British motor history, and as you say, sold in great numbers. I can't say I would have bought one myself,(possibly a Scimitar) but I can say that about hundreds of cars. Your videos are great , I really enjoy them, (loved the one on The Maxi) it is good to see younger people appreciating the innovations and engineering of the past, these steps have had to be taken to get to where we are today (which some would say is a worse place) I am a classic car enthusiast, and find the History of any vehicle ,fascinating. Keep up the great work Young Man, it is well appreciated ,and no doubt you will be working in the Motoring media in the future! Cheers dx
Much respect to yourself bro, I absolutely adore your videos, very informative and interesting. Idk if you remember but I’m the guy who saw you in the Halfords that one time lmao
My first car was a regal saloon 3 wheeler which I could drive on my motorcycle licence. I taught myself to drive in that car. After several rot-box 4 wheel cars, I later bought a robin. Just drive carefully is my advice and try not to crash.
Thanks for your fair and kind verdict! I used to have one RHD Rialto over here in Germany. It accelerated quite impressively, but cornering or going through roundabouts on the continent in a RHD threewheeler with only the driver aboard was slightly hazardous... Eventually I realized that, with me being 1,93 m tall, it was really too tiny for me. Whenever I lifted up my foot from the gas pedal, I accidentally turned on the (single) windscreen wiper or the horn/indicator respectively for the clutch. Great exhaust sound, though!
I loved this thee wheeler. Pete UK
Haha I thought I was the only person who calls it the Robin Reliant and has to correct myself each time.
Superb video as always. Very fair and thorough.
The 3-wheeled Reliants and the licensing laws make sense when you consider that Britain still had rationing in the mid-50s.
I really think that the Regal, Rebel, 70s Robin and Kitten are actually the cutest cars ever made. More so than the Mini, Fiat 500 and anything else. The Kitten mainly because of the name. And yet there's also the hairy-chested Scimitar - what petrolhead wouldn't want one of those? Would love to see a Scimitar feature on Twin Cam.
Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s my Dad bought a Reliant Robin 750 in 1989, we went miles over the years my Dad drove 3 wheelers.
The Heater wasn’t needed as the heat from the engine heated the car through the front foot wells.
Demisting the windscreen in damp weather was done via a dry cloth!
A very characterful car of which our family have fond memories of.
This video is soo nostalgic lol. My stepfather had a robin. He only had a motorcycle license when he met my mum, so this was his first car so we could travel as a family lol. Loved it! We had a Pye stereo and it always seemed so big inside.
I miss seeing them on our roads.
Nice video. Another great view. Always had a soft spot for these! :)
I love My Reliant, I drive one because I only have a motorcycles licence, I passed my full cat A motorcycle licence in 2017 thankfully the laws changed again in 2013. I rebuilt my Rialto from the ground up and got it on the road in October of 2020. My first driving lesson was a solo drive to the MOT test. I have now put nearly 10k on it, and i still love driving it. the claims these are unstable come from people as you said who have never even sat in them. I will at some point opt for 4 wheels but not because of stability. I also owned a Mk.1 super robin salon IE hatchback for a few months, I managed to get it driving, but i was forced to sell due to budget constraints.
Yes! My first car at 17 was a Reliant Robin Jubilee Estate reg TRH 628R . I got it in exchange for a seized bike . Went all over in that car and it was cheap as chips to run. Yes, you could do the 100mph mark in it with the front wheel bouncing off the deck . Scary but fun. The Jubilee model was a limited production and denoted by the badge on the front mine was number 53 I think. It had been previously owned by a Heath Robinson type of bodger . It had a habit of going through carbon thrust bearings . It was sadly a bad end for mine as It seriously overheated when the rad blew. Still limped home 35 miles in a stop start every couple of miles until it overheated again .....it got me home though ! . I swapped up for a Triumph Dolomite 1500HL with a broken starter motor which happened to be the same as a Reliant starter. WIN !.
Good video. The Reliant Robin was a cracking little car.
Well done lad you’ve done a good revue!
I'm from Tamworth, and despite having nothing to do with the old Reliant factory, it always puts a smile on my face when I see one on the road
Well done kiddo, you cheered me up on a cold January day. Loved it.
Absolutely brilliant video twin cam,
I love these great lil cars having been a reliant Robin mk1 owner for 17an half years. Only sold mine cause my uncle passed away and I couldn't look after it by myself.
But it's been sold to a friend so I still see my old girl regularly 👍
Last one to clear things up a little more for people in the rolling over bit. Radial tyres were becoming commonplace for cars and Reliant, who used cross ply which are hugely stiffer than radials, had to do something to address the Regal's very real problem of turning turtle (trust me on this, I have been in one when a strong wind nearly blew my uncle off the M2 bridge over the Medway, he was a Reliant nutter and the week after in his orange van, we had to escape super quickly as it caught fire on the A2 leading to my mum prohibiting us kids going in his "deathtraps" lol) so Robin's were fitted with the all new technology of rear anti roll bars which allowed the car to roll without rolling over thus able to lead better into sharper corners. They also moved the engine behind the wheel rather than the Regals above the wheel thus putting the engines considerable gravity mass between front passengers and it became as difficult as a 4 wheel car to turn over a Robin. Regal's had very stiff suspension because the roll was controlled by the crossply, many were prob wiped out with people fitting radials to 'em which are very soft on side roll.
A fantastic little car.
I went through a phase and had a few of them. They go forever on a pint of petrol and you can tune the hell out of them. Using wide rear wheels and spacers improves handling and they really are quite 'peppy'.
The mark 1 Robin had a 750cc engine with a brown rocker box and a Zenith carburettor but this was quickly replaced with the more familiar 850cc red top engine using an SU carburettor.
The original radio fitted was made by Phillips and was tiny and actually the speaker was under the passanger seat!?
There never was a factory fit cigarette lighter and the interior light isn't operated from the doors - Strange but true.
The Top Gear where Clarkson relentlessly tipped the reliant over really boiled my piss. Any reliant owner will tell you that they're absolutely fine if you don't abuse them.
Thanks for this video, it's about time someone said something positive about Reliant.
My dad had 3 robins. One of them was an estate like this one but not a jubilee version. It took him a good minute or two to get it started in the morning lol
David- that wasnt uncommon that less-mechanically minded struggled with the will or knowledge to keep things going. Over the weekends when I was a teenager and before that, when I was a child- evreyone worked on cars at the weekend and those that couldnt or didnt were soon coming over, just when I was running out of time/light and ask a question..it happened to me so many times. Thesedays- I still do my own repairs and maintenace on my fleet/collection- I know no other way of doing it and trust no-one!
My mum had three of these - Two Rialtos from the late 80s & an early 90s Robin, which later found itself on Good Omens. She said it handled like a mini, and despite them being unreliable and slow, was always happy with it. Now she has a Microcar MC1, which is neither fun or loveable, but it’s more comfortable and has 4 wheels.
Great video! Back in the day us bikers loved these things, way better than a second bike and loads of fun. Mine was N reg I think. Happy days :)
Blimey, are you a reporter/journalist of some sort? I'm really impressed at your presentation; it was excellent - so professional. You didnt stutter nor did use "parasitic syllables" (words like huh, uhhh, hmmm, aaaaa, etc.), you kept your composure so confident and relaxed. I really enjoyed it! Awesome. :)
Aww thank you Andrey, that's very kind :)
I'm a History and Politics student!
this is good i think reliants are my guilty pleasure.
Reliant robin good car, I have the LX which uses the same headlights as Ford Fiesta ,which are a pain to get hold of these days, but still a lovely care go every were in it, good video
Oh hello!
I've had a Mk1 Robin van and two Rialtos, they were excellent little cars and I used and abused them mercilessly. If it snowed I would take the Reliant in preference to which ever dull eurobox was parked on our drive. My last Rialto never missed a beat in thee years of hard work which often included caning it up and down the M11. Cheap to run, easy to maintain and an absolute hoot to drive, what's not to like?
In New Zealand its sort of flipped. A 3 wheeled motorized vehicle above 50cc is registered as motor vehicle. This means the new 3 wheeled motor cycles such as the Yamaha Tricity, or Can-Ams are cars.
This has two benefits, the registration is a lot cheaper, and you don't need a separate motorcycle endorsement on your license.
Registration of a vehicle carries an accident tax based on statistics, called ACC. In NZ its high for motorcyles. So this makes cars cheap to register. For the license you get a license and add "endorsements". So you don't need the expense and time to get the motorcycle part.
Well done young man. 👍
I joined your channel.
Best regards from Los Angeles California USA 🇺🇸
Mr. Hahn
Twin-Cam...What's your name and how old are you? You are brilliant at this and should have a career in auto journalism presenting on the TV. Great stuff!
Another brilliant video Ed!
I remember them. They were contemporary with the Escort Ford, the Minor Morris, the Imp Hilman and the Viva Vauxhall. The same company made Scimitar Reliants. Off to town now in my Mondeo Ford.
Well said, they are means to get from A-B, If looked after ill still go on for more years to come. Thank you for your eview.
What a lovely car. I will be more than happy to owe one of this cars... Nice video and review! Great job!
I had a teacher who owned a Kitten. Can't recall if it was the saloon or estate. I went from Manchester to Shropshire and back in it. Quite an experience.
Great stuff as usual from your good self jammed packed full of interesting facts about the car in question. Excellent observational points on the transmission tunnel and the door cards. My eldest brother did exactly what you mentioned drove a Bond with a soft-top I believe on a motorcycle licence upset a petrol pump attendant being a show off with his first car , my Mother was amused and overheard the attendant say "who does he think he is Sterling Moss" the fill it up please didn't go down well. The other three wheeler was an early Reliant Regal in poo brown he did a few journeys from Brighton to Suffolk in her god alone knows how when he's over six foot in height.Thanks for reminding us all of this Silver Jubilee model.
Thanks!
I love hearing stories about older cars. Through these stories, they're woven in to the social fabric of our nation. That's what makes them interesting!
Always had a soft spot for these. Another top video 👍
A really informative and interesting video as always. I like your enthusiasm, and actually learn a lot. Keep up the great work
I like your videos twin cam. It seems to me that most if not all the cars you review are from my childhood era. And I love learning about them. Pete 🇬🇧
Very interesting and informative evaluation of the Robin, despite holding a full car licence from age 17, I have always had a keen passion for Reliants, right from being a little girl, I think it was the quirky appearance that drew my interest, also that they are very much different to most other vehicles, I did fulfil my Reliant obsession by owning a later (1993) Robin LX, it was purely a project, which I had restored to as new condition, although being a later model, it did lack the charm of the earlier Robin.
Great car 🤩🤩🤩
one very cool video again! I drove a Robin twice, great fun! the first time I drove it my passenger was wearing a full spongebob suit.... 2nd time I was blindfolded and had to navigate through a parking lot on my passengers directions. Never had so much fun in a car I think :D
I do like watching your videos-you certainly research your subject. People knock the Reliant-but it came at a time when cars were still expensive for everyone and taking a 'car' licence, when you had spent years on a motorcycle and laterly- a combination once the wife and kids came along it was simply another unnecessary expense!
These little cars did the job- and up till the end of the 1960's-people didn't really travel far anyway. Only the adventurous drove far and wide. Cars simply didn't last, mainly due to rust and engines needed replacing/rebuilding at around 70k or at least a thorough overhaul-head/valves/shells , etc. Having said all that- Ive never been in a Robin but thats more by lack of opportunity than any other reason. Keep up the good work!
Interesting video. We had two Reliants, a Rebel estate and a Kitten estate. Both lovely cars although they did need regular maintenance to stay reliable. The Kittens party trick was its tight turning circle. Miss them both.
Takes me right back thankyou
I remember these Robin 1977 jubilee editions we had several new Saloons and estates at the reliant dealership I worked at in the 1970’s ,
I had been sent for training at Tamworth factory when the Robin was originally launched, also the four wheeled Kitten,we had a few new Bond bug 750cc in stock in 1972, working on all these was simple stripping an engine / gearbox easy and cheap compared to now, and very good fuel economy, good video as nice to see one of these again perhaps a Bond Bug or Bond 875 if you can find any ?, Saw a rare prototype Robin pick up at the factory but it never reached production.
Hear hear! Excellent, I agree it is small things that we are good at not the big corporation nonsense. With modern composites we could turn out a ultra safe small practical car. We all don't need big daft US style SUVs.
My neighbour replaced the clutch in his robin but forgot to refit the earth strap to the engine,it resulted in poor starter operation but would still start at a struggle,rather than seek help or try to diagnose the problem he chose to just put up with it.
Right up until the clutch cable which was obviously acting as the earth eventually combusted and burnt most of the engine bay before he could extinguish it,silly bugger! It was very tidy and original up until that point.
My late grandad had Reliants Regal, Robins and kitten before he switched to something different in the late 80s they were pretty reliable as I recall.
Well impressed! keep up the good work.
Fantastic, really enjoyed.
Lovely vid. Many thanks!
My brother had the earlier, more boxy version back in 1968 - it went like the clappers and he could be relied on to hand-brake-park it anywhere he wanted to in good old #HenleyOnThames :-)
He managed to leave the Reading-Henley Rd one icy morning, sliced the top right off - he was OK though - Poor old Reliant went to that Three-Wheeled-Heaven in the sky ;-(
I own a 1977 Reliant Scimitar GTE ... Its road legal, its not tidy, its a rolling project.
My dad had a russet red estate Robin from 1981
Then the Rialto came out in January 1982
He then got a yellow Rialto estate, A reg from 1983
It was always breaking down after six years of owning it
😂
On long journeys
Good cars for runarounds but not long journeys
Nice video. Not sure about the history of the Aluminium engine; it appears that Reliant bought the rights complete with all drawings etc. for the side valve Austin Seven iron engine back in the day. So I imagine that Reliant developed the Austin engine to OHV and Aluminium construction but I'm only guessing since the exact information I haven't been able to track down.
It is reasonable to assume that the gearbox is also derived from the Austin Seven but again I'm not sure.
……………………………………...……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....
Reliant Regent (reproduced from 3-wheelers.com). In 1938 Reliant started to use the four-cylinder 7 hp Austin Engine with the first Austin engined Reliant being delivered on March 12th 1938. Shortly afterwards Austin announced that they planned to stop the production of this engine. Austin were happy for Reliant to copy their engine and so it was decided that Reliant would manufacture their own engine, which was completed in September 1939. The engine was Reliant’s first engine and was a 747cc side-valve unit producing 14 bhp at 3,500 rpm.
I had a Reliant Regal and then a Robin, both were great to drive when you got used to braking round left-hand bends and accelerating round right-hand bands (to reduce any rolling).
That was 50 years ago - and we all waved to each other - is that still done?
The reliant robins were built so that the back was heavier than the front, that way if the front was going to tip over, the back would counterbalance and level out. If they were going to tip over, then they wouldn’t have passed health and safety regulations.
They pay Clarkson millions!!! and this channel so well done excellent information excellent tour around the cars thanks for the great content
Aww thank you mate, that's very kind :)
Great review!
Great video as usual.
OMG How many people call them a Robin Reliant instead of Reliant Robin? I was beginning to think I was wrong!
1:42 Not Gonna lie, I did *_Not_* expect it to be that powerful sounding.
Wait till you hear the 848cc this is a 748cc
@@John-ci2sd DAYMN!
@@Victor-056 ruclips.net/video/J2Y1Y9vdDoM/видео.html
Skip to 1:29 it sounds very rotty
In the Netherlands they sold pretty good, mainly because you could drive it on a motorbike license, like in GB. They were expensive though.
It always p***ed me off when people called it a 'Robin Reliant', thanks to Jasper Carrot.
To think these came out of the same factory as the Schimitar.
Great video.
A good video. I like your presenting style. Cheers!
Hello,
These were very popular amongst the Kent mining community during the 70's.
Many older people had only a motorcycle license
You could park it on a very small driveway
There were very good dealers in Ramsgate, Deal,and Canterbury.
The Thanet Morgan..
Cordialement,