Well, I collected the 44 on Monday evening and drove the 130 miles or so from Wolverhampton to Hertfordshire. What a cracking wee car the 44 is. The flat 2 air-cooled 870cc engine rasps away in front of you and thanks to the variomatic system returns 0-60 results and a top speed not dissimilar to a Viva or similar 70's saloon. Fuel consumption comes in at around 33mpg on a foot down cruise - certainly a better behaved motorway car than the Morris Minor was. Also - you can see why the variomatic system was so popular - when you compare it to some of the horrible notchy gearboxes of the time or the dreadfully ratio-ed Borg Warner auto boxes, this was a truly innovative car of its time.
Some of the design is very cunning indeed.
Interior is simple and very functional - excellent road vision all round and a light an airy place to be. Driving position is quite upright but relaxed - no tractor style Ignossiss but a decent amount of legroom ad for a small car good accommodation for the passengers.
Looking at the dash you have a single dial - the speedo which also has the oil pressure warning lamp and the charge amp as well as full beam and direction indicators - specific to left or right - often an optional extra. The stalks - let one does full beam right one is indicators and horn if pulled towards you.
Wipers are a switch to the right, hazards next to it and the squirty bulb for the washer is next to that - no washer motor to worry about here - it works on the water pistol principle.
To the left of the wheel you have the lights - side lamps or main
left of that is the transmission locking switch - never to be pushed when driving over 30mph as it locks the ratio of the cones enabling you to negotiate very steep hills.
Direction is chosen by the floor mounted lever which works a dog clutch in the rear - forward/'neutral'/reverse the direction can only be selected under 900 revs so you have to wait for the revs to die or you get horrible crunching!
The seatbelts are non inertia originals - serious bits of webbing kit which hold you a tad too close for reaching some of the controls.
The Dutch are a tall race and the Van Doorne bros working with Giovanni Michaelotti (spelling) gave substantial leg room - the car has a big car feel inside.
Under the bonnet a 'safety' feature is the spare wheel mounted in front of the driver, collapsible steering column and seriously thick steel give this small car a feeling of strength you don't get in a Fiat 500, Imp or Mini. You can see many of the features that Volvo developed with the 240 series in the 44 - cross bracing etc - all in all a very tough car which probably explains why there are still quite a few that haven't dissolved - the rust proofing was designed for the Dutch maritime climate so it tends to me mechanical mayhem rather than rot that finishes them.
The bonnet hinges from the front a la Jag/BMW - the little engine sits at the front of the compartment - impellor and cooling flanges at the front and the crab on the top.
Boot wise the luggage compartment is a good size and square for a car of this age - I carried 2 medium suitcases and a laptop bag and coats etc no problem.
Fuel filler cap is behind the hinged rear number plate.
Driving the car
Starting an early variomatic car is a unique experience - firstly you have to have to select the direction of travel - then you put your left foot firmly on the foot brake - then you start the engine taking care not to rev it too much or the car will start to roll forward (or backwards) depending on which direction you selected - this means where you park is always a slight challenge.
Moving from reverse into forward when the engine is cold often means switching off, selecting direction and restarting again. With practice you car tell when the clutch shoes are biting and therefore when NOT to switch direction.
Fun results when you put your foot down - the revs rise high and then come down as the car accelerates - a bit like one of those modern scooters (also CVT) - the wee engine begs for revs and it is great fun flooring it and hearing the responding clatter from up front 'overdrive' is reached by easing off the revs - weirdly the momentum and speed is maintained but the cones move into a higher 'ratio'.
The car handles very well for a wee car of this period - the variomatic acts like a LSDiff.
Brakes are drums all round and do the job well.
The car is most amusing on an A road - B roads are fun but I'm always a bit wary of high hedges and drum brakes - which keeps your speed down a bit. Motorways are no problem - car cruises well at 70 - can run out of puff on the hills though.
Round town the car is brilliant - unlike many older cars the variomatic system makes the car very sharp on the off - it is easy to take most modern stuff up to 1.8's off the line in the first 20-50 meters - this makes it more than capable in dealing with the greatest issue in keeping up with modern traffic - namely getting onto fast roundabouts.
My one leaks a bit of oil and as the sump only holds 2 lts needs careful watching on a run. Crankcase oil seal probably but might just be a breather valve.
I will post some pics next week. I can honestly say that these are great practical classics for those on a budget - simple to fix, the transmission is easy once you get your head around it - the belts are just as likely to go as any timing belt is with less disastrous consequences. The owners club is well supported; parts are easy to get from Holland.
Best of all - when driving people smile and wave at these cute cars - you don't get aggro especially when they see you can keep pace - certainly better performance than on many modern micro cars.
People wave at me in the BMW as well - only they use a different gesture.
Shift to Daf and you'll never shift again!
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