What a lovely tribute to the Reliant Robin. Your joy at driving that little car was palpable, and great to have some common myths debunked! A lot of people forget what a difference these cars made to the lives of thousands in the UK in the 70s and 80s, with their low running costs and no need to have a full driving licence! Terrific video!
My uncle used to complain that driving in winter in his was awful because the front wheel had to battle through the mound of snow that wasn't cleared by 4 wheel vehicles. Better than a motorbike though I am sure!
Those newer Robins where actually quite tough for what they were, a school friend of mines dad from Felinwynt had 2 of them between 1988 when I went there and 2000 before I moved away. The first one was a Blue fairly new one for the time in 88 . Somehow it ended up wrapped round a Porsche of some kind on his way to work at Verwig school. The Robin had a couple cracks in the body somewhere that totaled it, which was a shame as you could hardly tell there was visible damage. The Porsche on the other hand looked like it hit a wall at 80 mph and they shoveled most of it up off the road . The one he replaced it with was a lot older and started getting some fiber glass fatigue cracks in it. The memory I have of that one is his late Dad being outside with this red Robin, cutting bits out of a red plastic bucket and fiber glass resin gluing them on the cracks . I can tell you the comment not to make to a proud Robin owner is " wouldn't it be better to cut the best bits off the Robin and glue them on the bucket". Poor old Ed was not seeing the funny side, and CerI and his brother were trying not to laugh in front of their Dad !. Take care.
After I passed my driving test I drove a Reliant Regal 21E quite a lot. It was a great little car and it taught me a lot more about driving than the minis a lot of my friends drove would have taught them. For them a corner was something you steered around, with the Reliant you had to get everything right, speed, entry, braking, line and so on. These are skills that I was able to take advantage of throughout my life. The people who make fun of Reliants are those who have never used them.
When my brother was little, whenever he saw a 3 wheeler he would wind the window down and shout 'PLASTIC PIG!!' at the top of his voice. Sadly he died at the end of November. There are a few still on the road around us and my sister, mum and I have taken to shouting at them now, it does make us smile remembering his antics.
I don't know of anyone that owned a Reliant and slagged it off. They were fairly easy to DIY repair and maintain. As an A to B vehicle they were cheap and reliable and made for a rather jolly first car. I think the love for them is still evident, it's a pity that more were not made. Happily though, quite a lot of them still exist. My favourite was the regal van, camping gear loaded in the back and setting a course for north Wales, happy days. You would have to have owned one to understand its appeal.
I'd say reliable with a modicum of mechanical sympathy , in my youthful hands I was often repairing , favorite trick was blown head gasket , oil pump went , leaf springs on rear snapped !and hundreds of small problems .But sure was fun when not working on it
I'd say reliable with a modicum of mechanical sympathy , in my youthful hands I was often repairing , favorite trick was blown head gasket , oil pump went , leaf springs on rear snapped !and hundreds of small problems .But sure was fun when not working on it
I'd say reliable with a modicum of mechanical sympathy , in my youthful hands I was often repairing , favorite trick was blown head gasket , oil pump went , leaf springs on rear snapped !and hundreds of small problems .But sure was fun when not working on it
I remember Sam Glover put crossply tyres on his Robin, to deliberately limit the grip and make it easier to slide round corners. Apparently that's an established fast-driving technique in a Robin!
My younger sisters hubby had a late 60's Reliant Regal , he used to really make it shift but as a passenger i was expected to act like i was in a racing sidecar and launch myself into the direction of the corner to hold down the inside back wheel as moving ballast . Btw that's like a luxury version of Twc . I haven't seen you enjoy driving that much in a while .
I tipped my mum's Regal onto the village green coming back from the pub in about 1974. We managed to get out and right the car after a bit and eventually it re-started and got it home. Only needed a wash! Now that's reliability.
I once drove a Regal van. Ride was appalling and you were conscious that there was only one wheel at the front so I was a bit careful on cornering but I agree they are far far more stable than some would have you think. What did for them in the end was said to be the closure of the mines. It seems coal miners were on motorcycles mostly so liked a Regal/Robin/Rialto for winter motoring to work to keep warm and dry. Of course you could drive one on a motorbike license
My mum had two Robins, I used to like driving them in town; 0-30mph were really nippy. A bit less fun at 65mph on the motorway, but still okay. I remember writing off my mk5 Cortina on leave and borrowing mum's Robin to travel back to RAF Wattisham, it was so much fun to get the inside wheel up in the air on the constant-radius airfield perimeter track, although the rear passengers weren't too happy about it 😂
I don't know how you took one onto a motorway because it was breaking the law to do so, There were signs at the entrance to motorways saying no three wheel vehicles.
@@zog97xy I don't remember that. The signs DID say no Invalid Carriages. I questioned HubNut about him taking his Invacar on a motorway, and he stated that the later more powerful models had been given permission. I doubt that any policemen nowadays would know the rules in any case...
When these were fist made, a motorcycle licence gave you a B1 licence. (This is the category for 3 wheeled vehicles under 450kg) thus 'motorcyclists' could buy a car without having to pass a car test. Back in the day there were a lot more people that took their driving test on a bike as their first step to independence rather than a car like now.
I think it was more or a right of passage to motoring - There were a lot more people in late 60's and 70's that had motorcycles as their 1st motorised transport. Then when they wanted a car they could drive a 3 wheeler straight away with their original licence. As cars became more common as 1st vehicle there was no need for a 3 wheeler with all it's limitations compared to car. Remember these 3 wheelers were a niche segment even then. More common in the West Midlands where they were made (Tamworth)
@@erik_dk842 No. The provisional licence cost virtually nothing and could be used for both cars and motorcycles. The difference was that you could ride a motorcycle on your own whereas with a car you had to be accompanied by a fully licenced driver until you passed your test. When I was young in the 1970's the motorcycle test was very easy. I don't remember there being any driving schools for motorcycles like there were for cars.
I grew up in the U.K before moving to Canada. I remember my Dad saying something about if you drove a Robin or other similar car on a bike license only ,one rule was it wasn't allowed to have a reverse gear . Is that right or was that a rule they just turned a blind eye to in later years ?
Worth remembering that it WAS all about weight - the tax.class for tricycles was limited by weight, hence the fibreglass body, alloy engine and much more. Many motorcyclists used them as winter vehicles but, as you say, the market faded away and reliant with it I did once manage to tip one at 45 degrees by driving tight circles in a car park. The owner was not impressed as I wound down the drivers window, stuck an arm out and shoved it back into it's wheels
It would be absolutely awesome if you did manage a trip to Missouri to drive Aging Wheels's Reliant Robin and some of the rest of his fleet. I know it's very unlikely, but it'd be a dream video, right?
Ian and Robert would first have to conquer being separated by a common language. I still chuckle thinking of the interview when Ian asked Robert how he found the Figaro and Robert understood the question as meaning how he had come across it instead of what he thought of it.
Well, one of the three things I predicted earlier were sort of mentioned, but, that aside, there were at least two Reliants around here, one a hearing aid beige Rialto that last I saw passing by smelled like it was running very rich, and a late Corsa-eyed Robin like this one, I think the same colour too, pottering about to & from the supermarkets, so they're still out there, not having been rolled for telly or stripped naked for motor trike projects...
Great to see somebody actually do a truthful review of the Reliant for once, having owned and abused a few, i can agree with you completely about how much fun these are to drive. So many people (usually those who have never driven one) are quick to dismiss them for falling over which is not the case, yeah you can roll one if you try hard enough but they will usually slide about or lift a wheel and lose traction first! i'd love another but too many projects already lol. Thanks for being honest and keep showing the underdogs 👍
Thanks for a nice review Hubnut. These cars are totally unknown in Australia, apart from being space shuttles or persuaded to fall over. The engine is the same as you had in the Fox? I liked the look of it - very like Triumph's little engine as you noted, though in mirror image. Cheers.
I have two Rialto estates. One has the rare 2.75 diff. Never been brave enough to establish its top speed. Often attract friendly comment. You need to retain a sense of humour to get the full enjoyement out of ownership, particulary when they are 4 decades old and maybe a tad tempramental. Mine sometimes likes to sit down in heavy traffic on hot days after a long fast run, be pushed to the side, attract attention and pity then drive off as if nothing happened. Maybe its the E10 and valve saver cocktail I make it drink. Maybe time to experiment with thicker carb spacers and/or a ducted cooler air flow. Every journey is an advanture but so far always returned home under its own power. Wonderful willing engines have a red top(ex Kitten) in an 1938 Austin Seven special.
Great vid thank you. Think the main reason the old catalloy cruisers died out is the people that originally bought them drove them on a motorcycle licences, they are now sadly dying out.
I remember back in the 90's when a friend (a bit older than me) got his license & his dad got him a Ford fiesta (F reg I think). He used to drive it like a mad man (1.1 litre engine - but pretended he was in a rally car) took about 20 secionds to get to 60mph so when he was at that speed he would tend to maintain it). One day when i was a bit mad with him cos he'd decided not to pick us me up I was walking home (obv didn't have a lift) & came across a car wreck soon was evident it was my friends car though totally unrecognosable). What happened a reliant robin was turning in & my friend (speeding in his Fiesta judging by the 50 foot plus skid marks) crashed into the Robin int the side of it. The fiesta was completely written off - the guy in the Robin opened his boot pulled out a roll of masking tape & taped up the side part of the body which had torn almost in half... then drove off (after swapping insurance details etc), Fiesta had to be recovered with truck. My logic, understanding at the time thought it should have been the other way round!
Drove Regals (including a Supervan 3) and Robins throughout the 1970s and '80s, all providing sterling service for myself, wife and two youngsters. Holiday trips to Devon and Cornwall (from West London) were, shall we say "an adventure". Even managed to jam the in-laws in occasionally for pick-up and drop-off at the train station, while the kids sat in the Robin boot...!
To Andy Bootles. And what a glorious colour! I went with a friend from Scotland , to buy a Robin he wanted. It was bright blue. So much more a statement than the duller colours now
D'you know, if someone offered me one of those as a swap for that dreadful Yaris I now own, I'd have their hand off. They look fun! Not sure I'd do a 160-mile commute in it down the A1, but around home and family? Perfect. Mind you, at least I fixed the rear wiper on the Yaris today but it took a motor from a scrapyard to do so...
Thanks Ian. I really enjoyed this. I hope they add the Citroen 2CV to the list so I then will gladly travel from Ireland to drive this, along with the Hillman Imp,Morris Minor and Marina.
Great review. Yes, thanks to Top Gear we will forever be explaining they are more stable than you'd think 🙄 and our 1983 Rialto seems outdated when compared to vehicles of that era, and there are no obvious updates (other than styling) to your 1999 version 😆 Nevertheless they are so much fun that you just don't care! You really captured the Reliant experience!😃
My dad got one of the early models, so he had a cheap second car. He spent an entire year in the 80's fixing it all, servicing the engine and gearbox, cleaning and rustproofing the entire chassis. A lady pulled out on him on the way back from its trip to get an MOT, and half the 'nose' just disintergrated in the 'bump'. No one hurt, but it then sat and rotted in the garden until we moved house. That was the end for 'Dad's plastic pig'...
It does upset me just how many people didn't seem to understand how ridiculous and obviously hyperbolic that infamous top gear skit was and actually take it at face value. Another car tainted by idiots who just parrot whatever the tellybox tells them without an ounce of critical thinking. Even as a young boy I could tell nothing about it was actually serious, and yet somehow here we are. Lovely video as always, I can feel that throttle response through the screen!
Not going to lie I'd love to buy one or drive one also if you go to the nec classic car show this year please can you bring a Robin of some sort ian. Probably on a trailer tho I wouldn't want to bring a lot of pain to you especially on the long drive and motorway driving especially to Birmingham
For that little circuit I believe you are correct. A Robin is completely at home there, great fun! That engine note - takes me back to the 1970s - vinyl seats, slightly cramped interiors, lovely!😊
I had a couple of reliant Robins many moons ago, and when my kids were little they thought it was hilarious when I did doughnuts in the snow, which was stupid easy in the Robin 😂
I drove it when I was there last year. Was an absolute hoot to drive so much fun and feels a lot faster than what I was actually driving and so stable at speed and cornering like a go kart
To see RUclipsrs crossing each other in different videos and different cars is quite an experience. Kind of time machine... Thanks for the Robin! See you soon --- Martin
Uncle Tom had a Regal then a Rialto and finally a late Robin, he never had a car licence - lived most of his life in London and mostly rode a motorbike until middle age.
I lost out on a Bond Bug, and bought a 1976 Robin 850. Had 4 years of reliable fun motoring and sold it for a profit lol. Will be looking for one to keep in the UK for our trips back home, great car. Also owned a Trojan 200 bubble car back in the day. Great video
Enjoyed that thanks,.. as a youth - early 1960s - I was driving a Reliant Regal 3/25 at age 16 on a motorcycle licence,. legal provided that the reverse gear was blanked off.. but as you quote,.. it is an actual car.
I prefer Aging Wheels number plate! Years ago there was an old guy that used to go and get his newspaper daily in his little reliant robin. He lived at the top of a hill, nothing stopped him. I walked to work for about 2 weeks as I couldn't get through the snow (out in the sticks in Kent, but mainly because of the hill), he had no problem any day, up or down. It was strange to see, tyres looked standard. The little car that could. Thanks for another great review Ian
My Nan had an A reg Rialto with the little drop down boot. She went absolutely everywhere in it. Up and down the motorway without thinking about it. Never let her down. She did prang it the first day she had it. Started it not realising it was in gear and it bounced forward into the back of my dad series one land rover. Resulting in my dad going out for a fibreglass kit to repair a small but of damage. Never let her down in 20 years. I'd love a go in one now....... was the best car when we were kids 😅
Back in the day (late 60's early 70's) if you had passed a motorbike test, you could drive one of the on your motorbike licence. But,,, you weren't supposed to used reverse gear and was "supposed" to get reverse blocked off.
Two things killed Reliant. First, as you say, their price, but equally, their main market died off. The post war motorist who initially could only afford a motor bike, passed their test on one and never got a car licence. A three wheeler gave them family motoring on a bike licence. As time went on, more and more people learned in a car so didn't need a three wheeler to get mobile.
The company who took over reliant were formed by the directors of MCW. Reliant used to produce the body panels for the Metrocab and it was their attempt to keep the continuous supply. Unfortunately they couldn't get the quality right
Brilliant video Ian. I had a 850 super Robin registration GMB 776N and a motorbike not car licence in 1990- my first car - I had no idea how to drive it and it popped out of 2nd gear which made cornering tricky! Brought back a lot of memories. Thanks 😂
I've always had a soft spot for Reliant Robins like the classic Mini & VW Beetle. I wonder if towards the end the new company should have revived the Reliant Kitten alongside it with the way the market was going? Could have been an interesting low cost rival for Smart and other small hatches...
They did look into it but I think a four wheeler may have fallen foul of crash regs than the three wheeler didn't need to meet. Also, they were not cheap! Low volume meant they were pricey.
Now that did look like fun! I can see how with a standard diff as soon as the rear wheel lifts you lose all drive and it drops back down. It would be a bit hairy with a LSD though.
As a small boy obsessed with motor cars, I remember reading the Pearson manual (remember those?) for the Vauxhall Victors up to the FC (Dad had a 1962 FB). It also covered the VX4/90s. I seem to recall dire warnings saying that you should not jack up one rear wheel on an FC VX4/90 and put it into gear with the engine running... and that must be the first time I came across the concept of the LSD.
If I ever go there that's the car I most want to drive. IMO the Mk1 Robin was a far nicer looking car than this. It's a shame so many have been destroyed in short circuit racing.
6:42 On the right there, that's a Gen 6 Celica (94-99), the ones with four non-pop-up headlamps. Perhaps the best car of all time, says Scottie. 13:30 Rear wiper, that makes it better than a Tesla S Plaid.
My wife drove that one when we visited there with me in the back! I couldn't agree more that it is a lot of fun and definitely recommend anyone else visiting to give it a go!
You need to get one! Though the prices are so high, more like a mortgage. Someone at the model flying club has the same model type as well - as like most as he's only got a motorcycle licence.
I remember lying down in the boot of one of these as a child while my auntie drove us to the shops as there were only two seats and the other was taken by her friend. I've never been as terrified before, or since.
Sorry Ian.....I would take a reliant 3 wheeler over a 2CV all day long!! I can hear you for a start!! Lets remember Top gear under Clarkson, May and Hammond was an entertainment show not a motoring programme.
I remember driving one in the 70's in a strong wind and the front end lifting up and down very scarey. Very cramped space but good fuel economy and it did get you from a to b even if it was noisy,
Thanks for the drive around. Unfortunately I wouldn’t have fun in it unless they fixed that exhaust leak. Fumes getting into old cars has been the bane of my existence for more than 20 years. I’m just a spectator now, not a participant.
Love these, Dad had the Regal onwards, I have a Robin 850 (I think it was), it's been nearly 30yrs since I last drove one, would love to drive one again and take my son out in it, show him the mechanics and how it all worked, they were and are amazing cars, they made you drive a completely different style because you had to compensate for the lack of one wheel... I had the best fun ever in mine...
I did actually witness one going over on a bend many many moons ago.They used to even get banger raced.Built at Two Gates near Tamworth by the old A5.For me the funniest Top Gear feature featured Clarkson turning them over.
The Reliant 3 wheeler range is oh so cute. I used to have a sky blue 1993 Reliant Robin LX, bought as a hobby car, I had it restored, then enjoyed driving it. I’ve always had a fascination with Reliants, not sure of the reason why, other than their quirkiness. I’m glad you’re a fan too, Mr Hubnut❤.
It's nice to see these cars, but YT creators swarming a warehouse of old MOT failure jalopies on private land is less interesting (to me) than seeing you deal with the real issues! Best to you & yours, Ian. Happy 2024. Prosperity & Contentment.
What a lovely tribute to the Reliant Robin. Your joy at driving that little car was palpable, and great to have some common myths debunked! A lot of people forget what a difference these cars made to the lives of thousands in the UK in the 70s and 80s, with their low running costs and no need to have a full driving licence! Terrific video!
I owned a 1975 Robin when I was 17, used it in the winter to get to work, rather than the motorbike.
My uncle used to complain that driving in winter in his was awful because the front wheel had to battle through the mound of snow that wasn't cleared by 4 wheel vehicles. Better than a motorbike though I am sure!
I remember that scenario. Sometimes it was easier to have front wheel in the left track and osr in right.
I had a Regal, Robin and Kitten in the 70s. Drove the 3 wheelers on a motorcycle license
Those newer Robins where actually quite tough for what they were, a school friend of mines dad from Felinwynt had 2 of them between 1988 when I went there and 2000 before I moved away. The first one was a Blue fairly new one for the time in 88 . Somehow it ended up wrapped round a Porsche of some kind on his way to work at Verwig school. The Robin had a couple cracks in the body somewhere that totaled it, which was a shame as you could hardly tell there was visible damage. The Porsche on the other hand looked like it hit a wall at 80 mph and they shoveled most of it up off the road . The one he replaced it with was a lot older and started getting some fiber glass fatigue cracks in it. The memory I have of that one is his late Dad being outside with this red Robin, cutting bits out of a red plastic bucket and fiber glass resin gluing them on the cracks . I can tell you the comment not to make to a proud Robin owner is " wouldn't it be better to cut the best bits off the Robin and glue them on the bucket". Poor old Ed was not seeing the funny side, and CerI and his brother were trying not to laugh in front of their Dad !. Take care.
You were clearly loving the drive. It's great that you keep an open mind about cars
After I passed my driving test I drove a Reliant Regal 21E quite a lot. It was a great little car and it taught me a lot more about driving than the minis a lot of my friends drove would have taught them. For them a corner was something you steered around, with the Reliant you had to get everything right, speed, entry, braking, line and so on. These are skills that I was able to take advantage of throughout my life. The people who make fun of Reliants are those who have never used them.
When my brother was little, whenever he saw a 3 wheeler he would wind the window down and shout 'PLASTIC PIG!!' at the top of his voice. Sadly he died at the end of November. There are a few still on the road around us and my sister, mum and I have taken to shouting at them now, it does make us smile remembering his antics.
RIP, stay strong comrade
I remember shouting this! Along with mates and older brothers! Thank you
I don't know of anyone that owned a Reliant and slagged it off. They were fairly easy to DIY repair and maintain. As an A to B vehicle they were cheap and reliable and made for a rather jolly first car. I think the love for them is still evident, it's a pity that more were not made. Happily though, quite a lot of them still exist.
My favourite was the regal van, camping gear loaded in the back and setting a course for north Wales, happy days. You would have to have owned one to understand its appeal.
I'd say reliable with a modicum of mechanical sympathy , in my youthful hands I was often repairing , favorite trick was blown head gasket , oil pump went , leaf springs on rear snapped !and hundreds of small problems .But sure was fun when not working on it
I'd say reliable with a modicum of mechanical sympathy , in my youthful hands I was often repairing , favorite trick was blown head gasket , oil pump went , leaf springs on rear snapped !and hundreds of small problems .But sure was fun when not working on it
I'd say reliable with a modicum of mechanical sympathy , in my youthful hands I was often repairing , favorite trick was blown head gasket , oil pump went , leaf springs on rear snapped !and hundreds of small problems .But sure was fun when not working on it
What a fantastic little machine! I’ve always wanted a go in one. I’ll have to head on up there soon!
The parcel shelf lifts up when you open then boot!
It is officially more advanced than my 2014 Škoda Citigo
Laugh is this looks like its got a bigger boot than some of the modern super minis.
@@procta2343 Nevermind the superminis, some of the bloated faux by fours too.
I remember Sam Glover put crossply tyres on his Robin, to deliberately limit the grip and make it easier to slide round corners. Apparently that's an established fast-driving technique in a Robin!
My younger sisters hubby had a late 60's Reliant Regal , he used to really make it shift but as a passenger i was expected to act like i was in a racing sidecar and launch myself into the direction of the corner to hold down the inside back wheel as moving ballast . Btw that's like a luxury version of Twc . I haven't seen you enjoy driving that much in a while .
TWC was out on New Year's Day!
I tipped my mum's Regal onto the village green coming back from the pub in about 1974. We managed to get out and right the car after a bit and eventually it re-started and got it home. Only needed a wash!
Now that's reliability.
@@HubNuthad a blast watching that!
I once drove a Regal van. Ride was appalling and you were conscious that there was only one wheel at the front so I was a bit careful on cornering but I agree they are far far more stable than some would have you think.
What did for them in the end was said to be the closure of the mines. It seems coal miners were on motorcycles mostly so liked a Regal/Robin/Rialto for winter motoring to work to keep warm and dry. Of course you could drive one on a motorbike license
My mum had two Robins, I used to like driving them in town; 0-30mph were really nippy. A bit less fun at 65mph on the motorway, but still okay. I remember writing off my mk5 Cortina on leave and borrowing mum's Robin to travel back to RAF Wattisham, it was so much fun to get the inside wheel up in the air on the constant-radius airfield perimeter track, although the rear passengers weren't too happy about it 😂
"0-30mph were really nippy" - love it
I don't know how you took one onto a motorway because it was breaking the law to do so, There were signs at the entrance to motorways saying no three wheel vehicles.
@@zog97xypossibly just a dual carriageway, many call them motorways as a catch-all term despite having different legal mechanisms
@@zog97xy I don't remember that. The signs DID say no Invalid Carriages. I questioned HubNut about him taking his Invacar on a motorway, and he stated that the later more powerful models had been given permission. I doubt that any policemen nowadays would know the rules in any case...
Just the tonic I needed. The glee Ian has driving a reliant robin round a car park is infectious!
That is one happy HubNut! The Reliant clearly met the "Less is More" description.
When these were fist made, a motorcycle licence gave you a B1 licence. (This is the category for 3 wheeled vehicles under 450kg) thus 'motorcyclists' could buy a car without having to pass a car test. Back in the day there were a lot more people that took their driving test on a bike as their first step to independence rather than a car like now.
Was the motorcycle license that much cheaper than a car one?
I think it was more or a right of passage to motoring - There were a lot more people in late 60's and 70's that had motorcycles as their 1st motorised transport. Then when they wanted a car they could drive a 3 wheeler straight away with their original licence. As cars became more common as 1st vehicle there was no need for a 3 wheeler with all it's limitations compared to car. Remember these 3 wheelers were a niche segment even then. More common in the West Midlands where they were made (Tamworth)
That was its main USP.
Many had a bike license as it was much cheaper - no driving lessons and a fairly easy test.
@@erik_dk842 No. The provisional licence cost virtually nothing and could be used for both cars and motorcycles.
The difference was that you could ride a motorcycle on your own whereas with a car you had to be accompanied by a fully licenced driver until you passed your test.
When I was young in the 1970's the motorcycle test was very easy. I don't remember there being any driving schools for motorcycles like there were for cars.
I grew up in the U.K before moving to Canada. I remember my Dad saying something about if you drove a Robin or other similar car on a bike license only ,one rule was it wasn't allowed to have a reverse gear . Is that right or was that a rule they just turned a blind eye to in later years ?
It's a shame that they can't make the Reliant Robin as an electric car, now. If the price was right, it would be an ideal entry-level E-vehicle.
But they'd restyle an electric version as 'boutique retro-chic' and sell them to bored rich bods for £65,000. Sigh.
@@EleanorPeterson Have a look at the Twike 4 and 5. Essentially an attempt at redesigning the Bond Bug. but it costs £50,000.
Gotta love the Plastic Pig!
I don't see a PCSO anywhere?
And you could cut off the back roof, add a partition wall with a rear window and then you have a useful Pig Up
Worth remembering that it WAS all about weight - the tax.class for tricycles was limited by weight, hence the fibreglass body, alloy engine and much more. Many motorcyclists used them as winter vehicles but, as you say, the market faded away and reliant with it I did once manage to tip one at 45 degrees by driving tight circles in a car park. The owner was not impressed as I wound down the drivers window, stuck an arm out and shoved it back into it's wheels
It would be absolutely awesome if you did manage a trip to Missouri to drive Aging Wheels's Reliant Robin and some of the rest of his fleet. I know it's very unlikely, but it'd be a dream video, right?
Oh absolutely.
Ian and Robert would first have to conquer being separated by a common language. I still chuckle thinking of the interview when Ian asked Robert how he found the Figaro and Robert understood the question as meaning how he had come across it instead of what he thought of it.
Absolutely brilliant video Ian ❤👍what a beautiful car love it I don't know why top gear did that destroy cars reputation like the marina brilliant
I have driven this very car, and that's the reason why I just bought one 🎉
Pure Hubnut loveliness :) Imo the 70s version design is far more pleasing than the later ones but I'm a 70s model myself.
Well, one of the three things I predicted earlier were sort of mentioned, but, that aside, there were at least two Reliants around here, one a hearing aid beige Rialto that last I saw passing by smelled like it was running very rich, and a late Corsa-eyed Robin like this one, I think the same colour too, pottering about to & from the supermarkets, so they're still out there, not having been rolled for telly or stripped naked for motor trike projects...
Great to see somebody actually do a truthful review of the Reliant for once, having owned and abused a few, i can agree with you completely about how much fun these are to drive. So many people (usually those who have never driven one) are quick to dismiss them for falling over which is not the case, yeah you can roll one if you try hard enough but they will usually slide about or lift a wheel and lose traction first! i'd love another but too many projects already lol. Thanks for being honest and keep showing the underdogs 👍
Great sounding engine-we need more really light cars with small power(and with engine management they would be so economical)
❤ both my grandfather's drove 'em. Yes, I'm a Yorkshireman.
Thanks for a nice review Hubnut. These cars are totally unknown in Australia, apart from being space shuttles or persuaded to fall over. The engine is the same as you had in the Fox? I liked the look of it - very like Triumph's little engine as you noted, though in mirror image. Cheers.
I have two Rialto estates. One has the rare 2.75 diff. Never been brave enough to establish its top speed. Often attract friendly comment. You need to retain a sense of humour to get the full enjoyement out of ownership, particulary when they are 4 decades old and maybe a tad tempramental. Mine sometimes likes to sit down in heavy traffic on hot days after a long fast run, be pushed to the side, attract attention and pity then drive off as if nothing happened. Maybe its the E10 and valve saver cocktail I make it drink. Maybe time to experiment with thicker carb spacers and/or a ducted cooler air flow. Every journey is an advanture but so far always returned home under its own power. Wonderful willing engines have a red top(ex Kitten) in an 1938 Austin Seven special.
Absolutely brilliant fun, my friend has a trike on a reliant under pinnings, including chassis
It’s mad to think these were so recently on sale. Presume euro Ncap etc was about to kill them off
They didn't have to worry about crash regs due to the light weight.
Great vid thank you. Think the main reason the old catalloy cruisers died out is the people that originally bought them drove them on a motorcycle licences, they are now sadly dying out.
You so need another 3 wheeled car.... like I need another 3 wheeled motorcycle...
AY UP MR HUBNUT....... THAT'S A NICE FOOTBALL WHISTLE YOU GOT THERE
That's genuine heartfelt enjoyment, no mistake :) Lovely.
I remember back in the 90's when a friend (a bit older than me) got his license & his dad got him a Ford fiesta (F reg I think). He used to drive it like a mad man (1.1 litre engine - but pretended he was in a rally car) took about 20 secionds to get to 60mph so when he was at that speed he would tend to maintain it). One day when i was a bit mad with him cos he'd decided not to pick us me up I was walking home (obv didn't have a lift) & came across a car wreck soon was evident it was my friends car though totally unrecognosable). What happened a reliant robin was turning in & my friend (speeding in his Fiesta judging by the 50 foot plus skid marks) crashed into the Robin int the side of it. The fiesta was completely written off - the guy in the Robin opened his boot pulled out a roll of masking tape & taped up the side part of the body which had torn almost in half... then drove off (after swapping insurance details etc), Fiesta had to be recovered with truck. My logic, understanding at the time thought it should have been the other way round!
Virtually the same as the 1973 Robin so nearly 30 years on it is not surprising it feels old.
This will be me in a few weeks, booked to drive it and can’t wait! Great video 👍
Drove Regals (including a Supervan 3) and Robins throughout the 1970s and '80s, all providing sterling service for myself, wife and two youngsters. Holiday trips to Devon and Cornwall (from West London) were, shall we say "an adventure". Even managed to jam the in-laws in occasionally for pick-up and drop-off at the train station, while the kids sat in the Robin boot...!
I have always liked the look of this generation of Robin.
To Andy Bootles. And what a glorious colour! I went with a friend from Scotland , to buy a Robin he wanted. It was bright blue. So much more a statement than the duller colours now
D'you know, if someone offered me one of those as a swap for that dreadful Yaris I now own, I'd have their hand off. They look fun! Not sure I'd do a 160-mile commute in it down the A1, but around home and family? Perfect. Mind you, at least I fixed the rear wiper on the Yaris today but it took a motor from a scrapyard to do so...
Great video, your enthusiasm for the Robin was inspiring 😁😁
Thanks Ian. I really enjoyed this. I hope they add the Citroen 2CV to the list so I then will gladly travel from Ireland to drive this, along with the Hillman Imp,Morris Minor and Marina.
Great review. Yes, thanks to Top Gear we will forever be explaining they are more stable than you'd think 🙄
and our 1983 Rialto seems outdated when compared to vehicles of that era, and there are no obvious updates (other than styling) to your 1999 version 😆
Nevertheless they are so much fun that you just don't care!
You really captured the Reliant experience!😃
My dad got one of the early models, so he had a cheap second car. He spent an entire year in the 80's fixing it all, servicing the engine and gearbox, cleaning and rustproofing the entire chassis. A lady pulled out on him on the way back from its trip to get an MOT, and half the 'nose' just disintergrated in the 'bump'. No one hurt, but it then sat and rotted in the garden until we moved house. That was the end for 'Dad's plastic pig'...
Aw!
I used to have a Bond Imp and loved it However, driving on Bolton moors in the deep snow was an experience............... 👻👻👻
It does upset me just how many people didn't seem to understand how ridiculous and obviously hyperbolic that infamous top gear skit was and actually take it at face value. Another car tainted by idiots who just parrot whatever the tellybox tells them without an ounce of critical thinking.
Even as a young boy I could tell nothing about it was actually serious, and yet somehow here we are.
Lovely video as always, I can feel that throttle response through the screen!
Not going to lie I'd love to buy one or drive one also if you go to the nec classic car show this year please can you bring a Robin of some sort ian. Probably on a trailer tho I wouldn't want to bring a lot of pain to you especially on the long drive and motorway driving especially to Birmingham
For that little circuit I believe you are correct. A Robin is completely at home there, great fun! That engine note - takes me back to the 1970s - vinyl seats, slightly cramped interiors, lovely!😊
"This feels frankly awful".
Also:
"What an amazing little car!" 😊
I had a couple of reliant Robins many moons ago, and when my kids were little they thought it was hilarious when I did doughnuts in the snow, which was stupid easy in the Robin 😂
Great fun but the squared off version looks better in imo
Four of us a tent and supplies drove from Manchester to Wales for a weeks holiday in the 80s in a N reg robin -Happy days and fond memories
my only drawback was i couldnt hear the radio, due to the noise of the engine!!
Great video thanks, it must be difficult to get a 3 wheel car MOT tested now.
With a basic electric transaxle as used on Tuktuks, this design would be far better than the hideous Citroen Ami electric.
And more durable. The Ami falls apart.
I drove it when I was there last year. Was an absolute hoot to drive so much fun and feels a lot faster than what I was actually driving and so stable at speed and cornering like a go kart
Great video Ian. Looks a fun car to drive. I noticed the rear vision mirror was missing.
To see RUclipsrs crossing each other in different videos and different cars is quite an experience. Kind of time machine... Thanks for the Robin! See you soon --- Martin
Uncle Tom had a Regal then a Rialto and finally a late Robin, he never had a car licence - lived most of his life in London and mostly rode a motorbike until middle age.
I lost out on a Bond Bug, and bought a 1976 Robin 850. Had 4 years of reliable fun motoring and sold it for a profit lol. Will be looking for one to keep in the UK for our trips back home, great car. Also owned a Trojan 200 bubble car back in the day. Great video
Enjoyed that thanks,.. as a youth - early 1960s - I was driving a Reliant Regal 3/25 at age 16 on a motorcycle licence,. legal provided that the reverse gear was blanked off.. but as you quote,.. it is an actual car.
I prefer Aging Wheels number plate!
Years ago there was an old guy that used to go and get his newspaper daily in his little reliant robin. He lived at the top of a hill, nothing stopped him. I walked to work for about 2 weeks as I couldn't get through the snow (out in the sticks in Kent, but mainly because of the hill), he had no problem any day, up or down. It was strange to see, tyres looked standard. The little car that could.
Thanks for another great review Ian
I have the 1994 Rialto estate Love it
My Nan had an A reg Rialto with the little drop down boot. She went absolutely everywhere in it. Up and down the motorway without thinking about it. Never let her down. She did prang it the first day she had it. Started it not realising it was in gear and it bounced forward into the back of my dad series one land rover. Resulting in my dad going out for a fibreglass kit to repair a small but of damage. Never let her down in 20 years. I'd love a go in one now....... was the best car when we were kids 😅
Back in the day (late 60's early 70's) if you had passed a motorbike test, you could drive one of the on your motorbike licence. But,,, you weren't supposed to used reverse gear and was "supposed" to get reverse blocked off.
Two things killed Reliant. First, as you say, their price, but equally, their main market died off. The post war motorist who initially could only afford a motor bike, passed their test on one and never got a car licence. A three wheeler gave them family motoring on a bike licence. As time went on, more and more people learned in a car so didn't need a three wheeler to get mobile.
oh i always want to own a reliant, but we doesnt have it in indonesia :(
I do like the number plate on Ageing Wheel's Robin!
I think I never seen/heard a Reliant without an exhaust blow.
The company who took over reliant were formed by the directors of MCW. Reliant used to produce the body panels for the Metrocab and it was their attempt to keep the continuous supply. Unfortunately they couldn't get the quality right
I believe the Top Gear thing was a setup for " good TV "
Brilliant video Ian. I had a 850 super Robin registration GMB 776N and a motorbike not car licence in 1990- my first car - I had no idea how to drive it and it popped out of 2nd gear which made cornering tricky! Brought back a lot of memories. Thanks 😂
I've always had a soft spot for Reliant Robins like the classic Mini & VW Beetle. I wonder if towards the end the new company should have revived the Reliant Kitten alongside it with the way the market was going? Could have been an interesting low cost rival for Smart and other small hatches...
They did look into it but I think a four wheeler may have fallen foul of crash regs than the three wheeler didn't need to meet. Also, they were not cheap! Low volume meant they were pricey.
Now that did look like fun!
I can see how with a standard diff as soon as the rear wheel lifts you lose all drive and it drops back down.
It would be a bit hairy with a LSD though.
As a small boy obsessed with motor cars, I remember reading the Pearson manual (remember those?) for the Vauxhall Victors up to the FC (Dad had a 1962 FB). It also covered the VX4/90s. I seem to recall dire warnings saying that you should not jack up one rear wheel on an FC VX4/90 and put it into gear with the engine running... and that must be the first time I came across the concept of the LSD.
If I ever go there that's the car I most want to drive.
IMO the Mk1 Robin was a far nicer looking car than this.
It's a shame so many have been destroyed in short circuit racing.
6:42 On the right there, that's a Gen 6 Celica (94-99), the ones with four non-pop-up headlamps. Perhaps the best car of all time, says Scottie.
13:30 Rear wiper, that makes it better than a Tesla S Plaid.
Possible to modify the front to fit a extra wide front tire?
So ...how do yoy change the front wheel , if you get a flat tyre ? Or is it a solid rubber tyre , like on a forklift ?
It's a bit of a pain. Normal tyre.
My wife drove that one when we visited there with me in the back! I couldn't agree more that it is a lot of fun and definitely recommend anyone else visiting to give it a go!
If delboy can drive a 3 wheeler then they must be cool 😎
Ian, I love that your enthusiasm here made you go ever so slightly scooby-doo at the end. As fun as ever, please don't stop.
You need to get one! Though the prices are so high, more like a mortgage. Someone at the model flying club has the same model type as well - as like most as he's only got a motorcycle licence.
I remember lying down in the boot of one of these as a child while my auntie drove us to the shops as there were only two seats and the other was taken by her friend. I've never been as terrified before, or since.
Didn't early Robins have a problem with steering brackets failing? Seem to remember a TV investigation in early 80s about it.
What engine size do these cars have and how many cylinders..... Any good these on motorway
848cc, 4-cylinder, motorway speed limit achievable if noisy.
Nice work
My Dad had a Reliant Regal many years ago. Lovely little motor.
Sorry Ian.....I would take a reliant 3 wheeler over a 2CV all day long!! I can hear you for a start!! Lets remember Top gear under Clarkson, May and Hammond was an entertainment show not a motoring programme.
It was an entertainment show, but they did a lot of damage to "crap" cars and the people who own them.
Top Gear didnt pay for their own fuel and running costs. Easy to mock something until you are paying the bills.
Best way to drive a Robin is like you stole it, fabulously fun to drive. I love the looks I get overtaking people on the motorway 😂
I remember driving one in the 70's in a strong wind and the front end lifting up and down very scarey. Very cramped space but good fuel economy and it did get you from a to b even if it was noisy,
I’ve got a late mk2 Robin and mine didn’t always make it to B 😂. Mine kept cutting out.
Thanks for the drive around. Unfortunately I wouldn’t have fun in it unless they fixed that exhaust leak. Fumes getting into old cars has been the bane of my existence for more than 20 years. I’m just a spectator now, not a participant.
Love these, Dad had the Regal onwards, I have a Robin 850 (I think it was), it's been nearly 30yrs since I last drove one, would love to drive one again and take my son out in it, show him the mechanics and how it all worked, they were and are amazing cars, they made you drive a completely different style because you had to compensate for the lack of one wheel... I had the best fun ever in mine...
This makes me want to buy one more and more
Be petfect for my 7 mile commute !
Only on wet days. You could cycle on dry days. This is a great city car
So... Princess Anne... let's see what you could have won...
She did actually have one for a time.
I did actually witness one going over on a bend many many moons ago.They used to even get banger raced.Built at Two Gates near Tamworth by the old A5.For me the funniest Top Gear feature featured Clarkson turning them over.
Clarkson is a complete wanker! Yes, he could occasionally be funny - when he wasn't trying to - but overall he was a right twat.
The Reliant 3 wheeler range is oh so cute.
I used to have a sky blue 1993 Reliant Robin LX, bought as a hobby car, I had it restored, then enjoyed driving it.
I’ve always had a fascination with Reliants, not sure of the reason why, other than their quirkiness.
I’m glad you’re a fan too, Mr Hubnut❤.
It's nice to see these cars, but YT creators swarming a warehouse of old MOT failure jalopies on private land is less interesting (to me) than seeing you deal with the real issues!
Best to you & yours, Ian. Happy 2024. Prosperity & Contentment.
Last year at EMW I rode a round with the Robin van Aart, a nice experience, especially compared to my Reliant Kitten Estate that I often drive.
Yes, I took that out too! Then I followed Aart home. He was driving like a demon!