The Bus.jpg

850T The Little Red Bus

903cc of trouble

Introduction

This must have been around 1980. My parents went all over Europe in this little red bus. They broke down just about everywhere and sometimes mum had to get out and walk on hills. I so wish I had a decent one now.
We had looked at getting one years ago.. but were concerned with its ability in modern traffic

Super Cute though :cool:
Boy you were right to be! Even back then it was perilously slow and top speed was about 50. SO 0-60 was just for other people! Its big issue was cooling and it was always overheating and dropping the water. My dad used to carry a bucket, hoses on the roll and bags of jubilee clips. As a youngster I thought they were totally bonkers and used to tell them as much. Eventiually dad got fed up with repairing it by the side of the road and it was sold on. Only now do I understand that pottering along and slowing life down is not such a bad thing. I think a modern version of this would at the right price sell like hot cakes. Its even go me pondering a conversion of the Panda.
 
I still use my 900e pandora, it's not ideally suited to modern traffic (makes my corsa feel like race car!) but most people are positive and patient and I get immense satisfaction sharing the road in something so rare. I know exactly what your dad went through to keep his going, but the struggle is worth it when you hear the kids memories of it. I have also done a few shows, including fiat Forza a few years ago, and it's always been popular. It's a particular freedom to have a vehicle so versatile that one day you can camp, the next you can drop the kids at school and park in the city for work, then leave on drive all night, ready to take dogs to the park in the morning before loadng the fishing gear!
 
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