We've never seen this show before and we don't know if the mimicry explains why there's a creepy mannequin in the back window, but we do know the original recently sold at auction for an outrageous £44,227. This further solidifies our suspicion that we'll never really understand the British sense of humor. [Liftruck.co.uk and BBCNews]]

It's not quite as pathetic as Ford claiming the Granada looks just like a Mercedes, but the Benz-ified pentastar emblems of early-80s Chryslers always seemed like a humiliation for once-proud Chrysler.


Still, the K car was definitely an American interpretation of the front-wheel-drive small-car theme, with its boxy styling, bench seats, etc. The reliability wasn't quite up to Slant Six Valiant standards (and not even in the same time zone as its Japanese contemporaries), but it was good enough to get the job done.


Alameda police had Aries police cars during the early-to-mid 1980s (on a small, densely packed island city with just four bridges and a tunnel to the outside world, you don't need a fast car to catch bad guys); the grille and overall shape of the K was certainly Diplomat-like, but the small size definitely lacked in the authority department.

We know all about the dreadful-yet-oddly-lovable Reliant Robin over here, and some of us even dig the Reliant Kitten. Real aficionados of hellish car projects also know that the Israeli-made Sabra and Sussita were Reliant-based machines as well. But how about your very own Reliant Scimitar? It's a decent-looking car, powered by what appears to be the same Ford V6 used in the Capri, and here's an intact one pretty cheap. Imagine what you'd have if you stuffed absurd amounts of boost into that engine (well, aside from shattered drivetrain parts and the grunching sound of rusty steel collapsing, that is). Of course, first you'd need to fix all the stuff that's wrong with it, and we're guessing that's quite a list... but the seller has health problems- and other cars- so it's time to swoop in and steal this deal!

But the Scimitar is just too flashy for some of us, too obvious. Some of us like our hellish projects to be practical 4-door saloons with familial connections to about ten million different Hillman/Rootes-based models. For you, we have this lovely Humber Sceptre, also on eBay UK with no reserve. Talk about heritage- the Sceptre is related to everything from the Hillman Minx to the Iranian-made Paykan! Don't go harshing our mellow with talk about the horrid build quality of 70s Rootes products, now, because your magical wrenching skills will have this Humber burning up the roads... well, someday. The seller admits right up front that it needs some work, but it's got only 28,000 miles! What could go wrong?

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The other day we get an email from a guy named Jason Torchinsky who has not only read the feature we did on microcars A Quatrtet of Microcars, but also contacted Jonee the owner and driven them. Not only that, he owns a car that Jonee thinks is weird enough for us to be interested in. Specifically, a 1973 Reliant Scimitar GTE. Having never seen a Scimitar outside of Old Blighty, I informed him of course we'd be interested. Jason continued, "I think my Scimitar is only one of maybe two in California, and there's not more than a dozen in all of North America." Oh brother, were we interested. This past Sunday we arranged to meet up, drive the Reliant and go look at some cars, Jalopnik style. So much more after the jump you won't be able to handle it.

Based on the same chassis as the Israeli Sabra, Scimitar production began in 1964. However, the name Scimitar was applied to at least six drastically different cars (sadly peaking with the ghastly Sabre in 1991). This particular yellow beauty is a GTE SE5. As you can see, it is a shooting brake, so you know we're smitten. More important, it's an all-fiberglass shooting brake with a beefy Essex 3.0-liter V6 mounted behind the front axle and four-on-the-floor with overdrive available in third and fourth gear. Right-hand drive, too. Curiously, the Scimitar GTE is the first production vehicle to have split-folding rear seats so as to best take advantageous of the cargo potential offered by that third door. Also, as Jason pointed out, at the same time Reliant was making the Scimitar, they were also producing the Robin and the Kitten.

The first thing you notice while driving the Scimitar is that Reliant engineers have the smallest feet possible. True, I neglected to wear my wrestling shoes, but even if I'd been barefoot I would have had a hell of a time getting to the pedals. And forget about a dead pedal; your left foot rests on the clutch. The second thing you notice is how comfortable everything else is. Okay, the steering wheel rests on top of your thighs, but in a comfy manner you get used to real quick. Jason has kept his car's leather innards in excellent condition, and it jogged my memory of why I like British interiors so damn much. The big Essex mill provides plenty of torque (the block was designed for both gas and diesel applications) and the ride feels modern. My only beef (besides shifting with my left hand — which was actually really cool — and the pedals) is heavy-like-lead steering. Though, like fat clutches, I bet you'd get used to it. I noticed that when Jason was driving, the Scimitar handled rather well. Best of all, was the price. Jason traded a Volvo P1800 for it.

When Jason first contacted us, he mentioned that he and Jonee were thinking about forming a "weird car club." We think that's one of the best ideas we've ever heard. Jason and I got to talking about all the weird cars that (in some cases literally) litter the East Side of Los Angeles. Rather than just do a "standard" review of his car, we decided our time would be best spent on a car hunt. And man, did we score.

Citroen SM

Our first catch of the day was this dilapidated Citroen SM. What a shame. You can see part of the rubber from the bumper has fallen off and is just lying on the ground. This is neglect bordering on abuse. Luckily, should someone decide to restore this beauty, the aircraft-grade aluminum is in top form.

The doors happened to be unlocked so we took a peek inside. The keys were in the ignition! You can see the brake bladder in the picture above. Be sure to click through the gallery to get a good look at all the other interior weirdness, especially those oval gauges. The really sad news is that Jason has talked to the owner, and he ain't selling. Sigh...

Citroen 2CV AK400 Van

Parked right next to the SM is a car Davey would happily kill for, a Deux Chevaux AK400 Van with quad windows in the rear. Personally, we tend to agree with Jeremy Clarkson when it comes to 2CVs – they're an under-owered French rip-off of the Bug that needs a piano or safe dropped on 'em (we know that's not entirely true, we know, we know). Still, there was something pretty damn nifty about this red gal. Many peoples' days would no doubt be brightened as she drove on my, delivering baguettes or what not.

Peugeot 505 STI

Staying with France (for the moment), above is a Peugeot 505 STI. We like this car for a number of reasons other than its country of origin. First of all, this car is someone's daily driver. That's 20 cool-car points alone. Second of all, for a car released in 1978 it looks incredibly modern. Only the massive bumpers, tacked on for the US market give it away as being designed while Jimmy Carter was in office. Also, it very well might be a diesel. That's another 20 cool-car points. As far as we could tell, all it needs is a new sunroof.

BMW 3.0 CS

Another daily driver, and this silver one sends the heart racing. She's a BMW 3.0 CS. I drive by it all the time on the way to Scott's house when I get called in for Karmann Ghia duty. But, as with all these cars, stopping to smell their auto roses is the right thing to do. In other words, be like Murilee. To our eyes this is one of the most beautiful German cars, let alone BMWs, ever built. Check out some of the remarkable detailing (like the air vents on the C-pillar) via the gallery.

Land Rover Station Wagon

This Land Rover was a totally unexpected find and one of the better cars we saw all day. First off, you've probably noticed we've been taking the time to obscure the license plates of these unwitting stars. However, this one is just too good. If you're scratching you head, "Pequad" was the name of Ahab's boat in Moby Dick. That's plus 50 points on its own.

This station wagon can easily seat 10 adventurers and the passengers in the back have a roller coaster style "oh shit!" bar to hold on to. And just check how primitive that dash is. Our favorite feature is the motor for the rear windshield, which is mounted inside the passenger compartment. From the looks of it, someone sitting in the way back has to flip the switch!

Looks as if we're not the only ones who are into obscure, abandoned cars. And if the owner of Pequad happens to be reading this, any man named Moses who lives at the Chateau Marmont can afford to pay $100,000, easy.

Jaguar XJS V12

We know that an XJS isn't nearly as weird or interesting as the other cars we found on our hunt. But, there is something just so damn right about these Jags. Especially with the V12, blue canvas top and proper wheels. This and the Land Rover would make a great matched set. Moving on.

Checkers!

The car gods were really smiling on us today as we found not one, but two Checker Marathons within a few blocks of each other (We also passed a Maserati Bora). As both of these cars appeared to be in good, non-beat to crap condition, we're going to go out on a short limb and declare that they weren't taxicabs.

BMW 2000 CS

Next came this very rare 2000 CS. In fact, we've never seen one on the road before. Some of you will be aware that the four-door version of this car was pitched in the US as the Bavaria. We just lover the single white kidney. How something so simple can manage to look five-times better than all the BMW art cars combined is a mystery.

Ford Bronco

Then suddenly, something truly miraculous happened. "Where did you get that Scimitar?" we heard a man cry in a British accent while laying underneath the Bronco pictured above. "I used to have one of those." One thing about Scimitars, they were akin to musclecars in England. Still, with only 5,100 or so built, we were pretty lucky to run into this guy. So, we talked for a bit about Reliants, his Bronco, the utter righteousness of Jensen Interceptors and then he said, "I have a Jag E-type. And a Shelby Cobra." Our tongues dropped. I asked him where. "In the garage. Come take a look."

AC Shelby Cobra Replica

While not a true original, this car was a devastatingly cool replica and built by AC, so it is about as close as you are going to get. That massive engine next to the Cobra is the all blowed up V12 out of the E-type. Remember, the Brits used to power Scorpion tanks with that sucker.

Jaguar E-type

I wish you all could have heard the stereo gasp Jason and I let out when the cover was pulled back on this absolutely drop dead, get reincarnated only to drop dead again gorgeous machine. The restoration was near-flawless. And like all cars, these things look so much better sitting in someone's garage then in a museum.

Even the interior was stunning. Or should I say, the interior was especially stunning. And the key in the center of the dash is bloody brilliant. Under the hood? Our new friend replaced the blown OEM engine with a racing D-type mill. Making this without question the greatest E-type in the world. Case closed, end of story, next. Talk about a Fantasy Garage...

Opel GT

This one is for Davey. We know it's not a Manta, but hey, we tried. Next time, in addition to Mantas, we'll be hunting for Volgas, Lancias, a Fiat or two and maybe even a Facel Vega. So stay tuned. And be sure to check out all the galleries as lots of great images didn't make the post. – Jonny Lieberman

Related:
Down on the Street; A Quartet of Microcars; Boating Reliant-Style [Interna]

We love the Reliant Robin the way we love a three-legged kitten. You consistently feel sorry for it, but it's impossible not to feel affection for the damned thing. Top Gear, of course, tried to turn one into a Space Shuttle, and the season before that they'd turned a Toyota Hilux, a Vanagon and Triumph Herald into amphibious vehicle. We have no idea whether this particular aquatic Robin still works as a car, but it seems to be doing a damn sight better as a boat than the ones fielded by Clarkson, Hammond and May. It doesn't explode, either, but we still kind of have a crush on it. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
KittensAreHot: Mad Reliant Econobox Action [Internal]

Okay, it never won Le Mans. It didn't even do all that well in Group B, as the FIA killed what may stand as the manliest class ever to exist in the history of motorsport before FoMoCo engineers really got the machine exactly right. But just look at it! It's a fabulous kitbash with a body built by freaking Reliant of all people. Plus, even though it was heavier than other cars of the era, you can tell by watching the footage that it still weighs like eight pounds. And somehow, while the ferocious Bruceosity of the 959 cannot be fronted upon, the RS200 is still cooler. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Porsche 959 at the 1986 Paris Dakar; 650hp? Ford Sierra Taillights? Why, it's the RS200!; Oh Group B, How We Miss You [Internal]

Been looking for a project car that nobody else has? How about this '63 Autocar Sabra? Yes, the Sabra nameplate was used on a Reliant-based sports car sold in Israel, but it was also used on the Autocar Sussita wagon when it was sold (very briefly) in the US. According to an Israeli friend, the Sussita was "the worst car ever made, period" and he claims to have seen a camel gnawing holes in the fiberglass bodywork on one, a fate he felt it deserved. But don't let that scare you off- pop for the Buy It Now of $1750, drop a 4A-GZE in it, and hang on! – Murilee Martin

1963 Other Makes [eBay]

Related:
Shalom, Sabra: The Cars of Israel [internal]

Nitpickers might quibble about the rollbar and non-stock wheels undermining the sleeperness of this '85 Reliant, and the engine sound isn't exactly what Lee Iacocca had in mind for the K-Car. But we're dealing with a ten second front-wheel-drive car here, and it has nary sticker nor wing nor scoop (unlike a lot of 14-second Civics we've seen at Test & Tune), so we say it's a sleeper, dammit! The madman behind this vehicle definitely knows his stuff, as the workmanship and attention to detail are overwhelming (we especially like the weight-reducing holesaw work in the interior and the muffler cavity inset into the trunk area). This thing's got a lotta sap, all right. Make the jump to watch a crowd-pleasing 10.53 run...

So there you have it: more proof that adding boost and removing weight truly works miracles. Hmmm... Cordoba minus Corinthian Leather plus 6-71? – Murilee Martin

The 10 second 1985 Plymouth Reliant known as Relentless [thedodgegarage.com]

Related:
Everybody Needs a 12-Second Minivan! [internal]

Well, we can't be sure this is really the nicest Sabra money can buy, but it's pretty sweet. 106 miles on the clock (that's an average of a little over 12,000 feet per year) and it looks freakin' perfect. OK, sure, it's actually Reliant's first four-wheeler, but so what? I'd say the buyer got a pretty good deal. – Murilee Martin

1962 Other Makes : Sabra [eBay]

Related:
Shalom, Sabra: The Cars of Israel [internal]

Yeah, yeah, they're 1/43 scale. But damn, it's a genuine 3-Wheelers.com limited-edition diecast Reliant Robin Supervan! I own only one 1/43 scale toy car at this point (a '75 Pacer X) but I think it may soon have a companion. – Murilee Martin

3-Wheelers.com Reliant Scale Model [3wheelers.com]

Related:
Hot Wheels Mania [internal]

Freakin' Reliant, man. The name speaks of solidity, and er, reliability, yet the cars have foofy names like "Robin" and "Kitten." The Robin is fairly well-known on these shores (at least among Anglophiles) as the personal conveyance of Carlos Ghosn Mr. Bean, but the Kitten is less-so. Yet somehow, our pal and star commenter TexansAreHot recently scored a ride in one, which inspired us to hunt down Reliant Kitten Online, which features, among other things, an ambulance suitable for a 39-inch-tall woman about to give birth.

Reliant Kitten Online

Related:
What Would a Jalopnik Reader Drive? [Internal]