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Jan 19, 2015 11:10:38 GMT
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carmad
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,000
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Jan 19, 2015 13:20:18 GMT
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I'll see your rwd fiat and raise ya a fwd one for my own stash What about a super charged viva ha
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slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
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Convincing Sleepers.slater
@slater
Club Retro Rides Member 78
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Jan 20, 2015 13:16:29 GMT
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I'm sorry but once your car looks in any way different to a bog standard model its not a sleeper any more. As soon as the lowering stick comes out or the wide steels go on it simply becomes a case of not knowing what's under the bonnet rather than not suspecting. People used to call my first metro a sleeper. It wasn't, it was more a 'factory+' style retaining the original styling of the car while updating everything possible, fixing the stance and making it go fast.
The only exemption from the rule in my eyes is when modifications are so cliche and badly executed. (see Barry Boys) that you expect the car to be slow. Roll a 90s fiesta with crazy body kit in white gel coat hanging off it and actually make it work I think that counts too.
The trouble is people like to say that have a sleeper but don't like to roll a normal curse word looking car. The word ends up meaningless. I've got huge respect for people who do the job properly!
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Jan 20, 2015 22:35:36 GMT
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That Clio has changed alittle since it was first built... New colour is very... ...
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Jan 21, 2015 13:01:56 GMT
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I'm sorry but once your car looks in any way different to a bog standard model its not a sleeper any more. That really depends on you point of view. In MY eyes, a sleeper is any car that is considerably faster than it should be. this includes (at the extreme end) things like the norris designs evo which is hardly subtle, and i know evo's are fast, but under no circumstances do they have any right to be THAT fast. Just my 2p
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Current fleet: '58 A35 (half mine) '67 11 window splitscreen vw (half mine) '77 mini 1000 (not quite 1000 any more!!) '86 Armstrong MT500 '89 XR4X4 '94 Corrado VR6 Some sort of sevenesque kit car (no age yet!!) '01 Mondeo estate 2.0 (engine eventually destined for kit car!) - scrapped, engine only left! '98 E300 estate, rusty but seemingly reliable, fast-ish tat hauler. eventual engine donor A35 van, or whats left of it after it lived in a field for many years
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Jan 21, 2015 13:14:46 GMT
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there is a really good genuine 'Sleeper' in performance ford this month a sierra estate. literally looks bog standard even with wheel trims ! runs a quick cosworth lump, very very convincing
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Jan 22, 2015 11:59:41 GMT
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I think the perception's of what makes a "sleeper" in this thread are all correct in their own way tbh.
I think it's down to taste and preference as to how you're going to go about doing that and which type you PREFER and ultimately class as a sleeper.
I think we can all agree on the following though;
A sleeper must be fast - For me, stealth performance by way of surprise - Car's that are manufactured with a powerful engine even though they look run of the mill/standard, cars that have been modified mechanically even though they look like a "shed" or car's that are usually slow/standard/undesirable all fall into this catagory, for me.
I also don't discount car's that have been modified slightly exterior wise either, as long as they still have that element of surprise then they're still a sleeper performance wise.
You've got the rat/car's usually disregarded by people type sleeper's, usually small engined, look a bit scruffy and/or car's that aren't "popular" but have increased performance due to a monster that's been cramned under the bonnet. You could say any increase in power whether it be conservative or not tbh.
You've got the povo spec sleeper's, look tidy and in good condition with a few nice additions, usually small engined everybody presume's it's slow and it's got either a conservative oem+ install (bigger/better engine from same manufacturer) or it's been turbo'ed or had a bigger v6 shoe horned in t'front or back.
Then you've got what I own(It's more "modern" than most retro car's on here but it's still 16yrs old). Not a rat look or povo spec monster but unassuming all the same, a 4 door saloon that just looks like any other run of the mill Toyota tbh, it does have a high spec inc leather's and all the toys with a big exhaust (I can't fit a pea shooter) so it does have a few give-away's but most people don't have a clue what it is (including enthusiast's)or assume it's "just" a gs300, even though it actually has a 2JZ VVTi 3ltr twin turbo lump under the bonnet and is pretty rapid running circa 400bhp... Now some would say that's not a sleeper because of it's looks...
Any of the above are sleepers to me though, obviously some are more extreme than other's and therefore have MORE surprise but a lot have element's of each thrown in and they kind of merge together in some aspect's so if you discount one, you're kind of contradicting yourself tbh.
At the end of the day they're all car's that have been or are being made faster than they look. A sleeper has a SURPRISE factor, particularly regarding performance.
Everybody who's seen my engine has always been surprised what it's running... I've only met a few people who actually know what it is and they're owner's, 2jz owner's or know someone who's had one.
I'm sure someone pulling up on my passenger side in his/her clean stock looking Transit running a cossy YB would be suprised too, as I would be with his/her van and then we'd both see the guy/gal on our right who's rocking their ratted up E21 running a v8 and all take a look in our rear view and see a bog standard 1 pop metro with skinny wheels and beige interior powered by a 1.8 VVC K-Series turbo.
It isn't down to just the looks of a car when it concern's a sleeper car, it's actually the engine and overall package that make's something a "sleeper" in my opinion.
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heathrobinson
Part of things
Broken everything
Posts: 848
Club RR Member Number: 111
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Convincing Sleepers.heathrobinson
@heathrobinson
Club Retro Rides Member 111
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Jan 22, 2015 12:04:31 GMT
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You've hit the nail on the head there. If it can surprise you from the lights, it's pretty much a sleeper.
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mikeymk
Part of things
'85 Polo Coupe S 1.6 16v
Posts: 931
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Being underestimated is dangerous. I've had various experiences of this, so my car has proven to be a sleeper. On these occasions though, I've had to be very much awake..
The most common one here in the town of roundabouts is where I exit a roundabout and accelerate up to speed along a dual carriageway. A very quick car or bike will take the outside lane and pass me, then pull in to the left hand lane in front of me. Or at least, that's what they think is happening..
But occasionally they haven't got past me, and I then have to hit the brakes to prevent them running me into the kerb.
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Jan 24, 2015 12:43:21 GMT
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^^ah a fellow MKer.I used to have a Mk3 golf vr6 that had been converted to a late mk1 tt 1.8t with bigger injectors k04s turbo,running in the region of 300bhp,surprised a few people.Also had a volvo s40 t4 stripped out track car using a lot of evo 6 parts,will dig some pics out
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Jan 25, 2015 14:52:45 GMT
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1976 Triumph TR7 v8 2003 Mg zr 105 daily driver
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mikeymk
Part of things
'85 Polo Coupe S 1.6 16v
Posts: 931
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Jan 25, 2015 19:08:53 GMT
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I had a 416 GTi of the same shape, earlier non-grille model, that was a great car. Only a 1.6i but the twin cam Honda CRX engine was a screamer - quite a contrast to it's limo-style beige leather/wood interior and base-model exterior, surprising not only other motorists but also my own passengers on occasion.. I sold it for peanuts in a moment of madness, and would love another one. ^^ah a fellow MKer.I used to have a Mk3 golf vr6 that had been converted to a late mk1 tt 1.8t with bigger injectors k04s turbo,running in the region of 300bhp,surprised a few people.Also had a volvo s40 t4 stripped out track car using a lot of evo 6 parts,will dig some pics out The Volvo sounds interesting! Yeah, you can't be slow in this town. Not on the grid, anyway. It's getting so crazy out there that even a petrol head as myself has to question it at times. The redways are also a bit of a race track for those of us who like burning carbs as well, just gotta use the bell and make sure you don't go between the dog and the person holding it's lead..
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Jan 25, 2015 19:19:32 GMT
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That's the thing i love and hate about driving around here. Good roads that you can go fast on. But every Corsa is constantly in your boot trying to make you race them. I hardly ever drive the 5 around MK for that reason. Well, i hardly use it at all anyway, haha! I'd love to see that Volvo too. Sounds crazy. I thought i'd better contribute to the thread as well. This van happily runs low 12's at Santa Pod
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Last Edit: Jan 25, 2015 19:37:39 GMT by scratcher
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