Reliant Archives.

My 3-Wheelers

It all started in the early 1990’s a few months before I went to University. My motorbike had been stolen so my mum suggested I buy a Reliant 3-wheeler with the Insurance money from my motorbike. She said you would be dry and you can carry all your suitcases and boxes of stuff when you go to University.  It made complete sense and so as you can drive a Reliant on a motorcycle licence I brought one for £350. My first 3-wheeler (which was also my first car) was a 1974 Reliant Super Robin (GRE 33N) with a 750cc engine. The car was later nicknamed “Gwen” from several ladies whom I was at University with at the time. When I first brought the car it was bright “Carnival Pink” and so the first thing I did was to paint it Electric blue. I had been a motorcyclist for many years and whilst having a full motorbike licence I had never actually driven a car.

When I first brought the Robin it actually took me about 10 minutes to learn how to drive it and then I eventually got it home.  As mentioned the first task was to paint it and fix a large knocking noise which later turned out to be cracked big ends.  The old 750cc Robins do not have the SU carburettor like the later 850cc model and I found that after a long journey in the summer the carburettor would vapourise petrol after the ignition was cut off causing problems restarting it. So armed with a craft knife I cut a hole into the bonnet and screwed on an air dam I found in a scrap yard to help cool things down. I then came across these really wide Mini wheels and so put those onto the back. The problem now was the wheels stuck out to far from the body so I had to use “modified” Mini arches to cover the wheels. This really helped cornering at speed no end.

It was whilst I was at University that a lady used to constantly block the entrance out with her arms wide apart. She would find it highly amusing to stand in the middle of the drive way and not let me out. To try and budge her from the drive way resulted in an electric screen washer (the kind that squirts water onto your windscreen) being fixed at the front of the car behind the mesh grill. I now had an electric water pistol on the front of the car that would squirt water at this lady every time she stood in front of my car and also any unsuspecting friends. I think I may also have got a few other people as they crossed the road infront of my car and sniggered at my 3-wheeled wonder.

The final change was inside the car when I re-carpeted it all in extremely thick Axminster carpet (to help make it quieter) and made a wooden glove box, with a few Jaguar instruments added to the dashboard.  This was then covered in Walnut effect stick on fablon so I had a full Axminster and walnut interior.  Much to my amazement when I joined the Reliant Owners Club a few months later the car came 1st in “The Best Early Robin” award.

My Robin and I went literally from one end of the country to the other but sadly it was wrote off in 1992.  I was stationary and a lady in a Vauxhall Astra decided to park her car into my rear end. The concluding hole had the Insurance people shaking their heads and so my Robin was no more.

Once the Insurance paid for my Robin I brought my third 3-wheeler in 1992 which was a 1982 Reliant Rialto (XEH 846X). It was actually my third as whilst I had the Robin I also bought a 1975 Reliant Robin van (JHA 338N) to turn into a “pick-up truck” but once the body was off, the chassis was rotten and soon after we lost the use of the garage it was stored in. So that car soon went. Getting back to the Rialto, this seemed completely different to my Robin and seemed to be a little bit more sensible. My Robin was a fun car to own and constantly made people smile but the Rialto did not seem to have that quality. It was a lot quieter though and faster as this had the 850cc engine.

My Rialto served me until the end of my University days. After I graduated in 1995 I used the car to start work but one day whilst driving down the motorway the throttle cable snapped. As the car sat in the lay by a rather large lorry hurtled past catching the Rialto and removing the rear offside corner and shaving an inch off the side. Thankfully how no one was injured defies logic but the driver of the lorry did not stop.  Repairs were made to the car which then served a few months more before it was sold on.

I then decided to take my driving test and then after passing it I now have a 4-wheeler. (Jaguar X-Type 3.0 SE) In February 2004 I also bought a 1972 Reliant Regal Supervan III (UWX 875L) which is was restored and completed in June 2005. I then bought a 1982 Reliant Rialto GLS Estate (NOJ 207X)and after running around in it for a bit used the engine out of it for the Regal and then sold it.  In December 2007 I was offered a 1974 Reliant Robin (GKD 871N) in Carnival pink - just like my very first Reliant.  Infact I used to park next to it when I had my first Reliant.  My girlfriend fell in love with the colour and so I could not refuse, espeically given the history of the car and so it has been called “Gwenn” in honour of my first Reliant.

My conclusion, 4-wheelers are great and big, but they just do not have the same amount of fun in driving them as a 3-wheeler.  4-wheelers are just 4-wheelers what ever the badge says on the back but a 3-wheeler always gets noticed and raises a smile

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My old 1974 Reliant Super Robin...in need of a wash!

My old 1975 Reliant Robin...without its clothes on.

My old 1982 Reliant Rialto.

My old 1982 Reliant Rialto GLS Estate.

My current 1972 Reliant Regal Supervan III.

My current 1974 Reliant Super Robin.

For more photographs Click here for “My 3-Wheeler  pictures that make me smile.”