Hello Mudders,
In early March i got my Troopy on the road; this is the one that was the subject of the 'Troopy Build' thread. It is only just now that i have time to start a thread and let Mud know what it's like.
It's fantastic. My only comparison is my old 61, which is rather well-worn and tired by now, so there's not much to compare. I drove a Troopy for the first time in Kenya many years ago ('93), too long ago to remember details, apart from the fact that i rather liked it. I wanted one.
The Troopy is noisy: as well as the engine and exhaust noise, you can hear the gearbox quite often, at parking speeds you can listen to the power-steering pump, the ride is less than soft, and so on in that vein. Which is why it's fantastic, as that is exactly what i want in a car: one that doesn't isolate you from the driving experience and what the car is doing. No automated and/or electronic gizmo is doing your work as a driver; you want something to happen or not to happen, you as a driver must make it so. I love the feel of a direct mechanical connection from the controls to what is actually happening. And the exhaust sounds great to me; i wonder if it would be tiring on a long drive, however i am happy to make that compromise. It sounds so good to me that, when it's hot such that i open the passenger side window, as well as the driver's window (the exhaust tailpipe is on the passenger side), and i am near a wall that bounces the sound back, i make as much of a racket as i can, like blipping the revs when down-shifting. It would be fair to label me a happy juvenile then.
There are some very, very thoughtful touches in this build. The added red marker lights on the rear bumper extensions, for one; the discreetly-located 12volt outlets in the overhead console is another. It is evident that a lot of thought and work have gone into this build: the coolant heater is tucked away, and it must have taken a lot of patience to package the engine compartment as it is (recall, if you've seen the 'Troopy Build' thread, that an after-market turbo, intercooler, second battery, and an air compressor were added to the engine compartment). The overhead consoles are, pardon the repetition, fantastic, front and rear, as well as the storage bins lining the sides and rear doors. Highly recommended. The build quality of these is a pleasure to see. Second to none, in fact.
The car has good power (to go with the kids' sounds); i cannot say it accelerates quickly, as it is more of an agricultural implement than a car. It never ceases to impress me, whenever i drive a new car/pick-up/whatever, how quiet, fast, and comfortable modern vehicles are; this one's the opposite. So i do have to be careful in traffic, but that is no bother. This car is exactly what i want, and i find it an easy pleasure to drive in any conditions. And if i'm not up to it, i pull over and have a snooze: so the driver's seat that has been modified to slide back more than normal, as well as the seatback that will tilt close to horizontal, makes for a decent nap without resorting to crawling in the back to lie down. Perfect.
With the aluminium panels in place of the four side windows behind the door glass, one loses rear side vision, and the driver must be careful to adapt. I have had close calls due to that, but that is another adaptation i am glad to make. And i have the windows for those, so i am able to re-install them if i want to. No, i haven't installed convex mirrors additions; but i can yet.
For highway cruising, i have had it up to 130km/h (80 mph), just to see what it could do and what it was like (i tend not to push it to redline). It is not, of course, what this car is made for. I long ago got tired of being in a hurry for everything i do; i've plenty of opportunity for that when i am working (i tend to do nothing but work then, when i can afford it, i'll have nothing to do with work at all). So i am very happy to kick along at a pace that suits the car, and i'll live with its capabilities. I find the car is happy to cruise at 85-95 km/h; it can travel faster, but i'm not interested; if i wish to blow my brains out with speed, i'd have another car. Or i'll get on the motorbikes and calm the speed demons that way; not with this car, and i am perfectly satisfied with that. I am biased, however: this is a great car.
In early March i got my Troopy on the road; this is the one that was the subject of the 'Troopy Build' thread. It is only just now that i have time to start a thread and let Mud know what it's like.
It's fantastic. My only comparison is my old 61, which is rather well-worn and tired by now, so there's not much to compare. I drove a Troopy for the first time in Kenya many years ago ('93), too long ago to remember details, apart from the fact that i rather liked it. I wanted one.
The Troopy is noisy: as well as the engine and exhaust noise, you can hear the gearbox quite often, at parking speeds you can listen to the power-steering pump, the ride is less than soft, and so on in that vein. Which is why it's fantastic, as that is exactly what i want in a car: one that doesn't isolate you from the driving experience and what the car is doing. No automated and/or electronic gizmo is doing your work as a driver; you want something to happen or not to happen, you as a driver must make it so. I love the feel of a direct mechanical connection from the controls to what is actually happening. And the exhaust sounds great to me; i wonder if it would be tiring on a long drive, however i am happy to make that compromise. It sounds so good to me that, when it's hot such that i open the passenger side window, as well as the driver's window (the exhaust tailpipe is on the passenger side), and i am near a wall that bounces the sound back, i make as much of a racket as i can, like blipping the revs when down-shifting. It would be fair to label me a happy juvenile then.
There are some very, very thoughtful touches in this build. The added red marker lights on the rear bumper extensions, for one; the discreetly-located 12volt outlets in the overhead console is another. It is evident that a lot of thought and work have gone into this build: the coolant heater is tucked away, and it must have taken a lot of patience to package the engine compartment as it is (recall, if you've seen the 'Troopy Build' thread, that an after-market turbo, intercooler, second battery, and an air compressor were added to the engine compartment). The overhead consoles are, pardon the repetition, fantastic, front and rear, as well as the storage bins lining the sides and rear doors. Highly recommended. The build quality of these is a pleasure to see. Second to none, in fact.
The car has good power (to go with the kids' sounds); i cannot say it accelerates quickly, as it is more of an agricultural implement than a car. It never ceases to impress me, whenever i drive a new car/pick-up/whatever, how quiet, fast, and comfortable modern vehicles are; this one's the opposite. So i do have to be careful in traffic, but that is no bother. This car is exactly what i want, and i find it an easy pleasure to drive in any conditions. And if i'm not up to it, i pull over and have a snooze: so the driver's seat that has been modified to slide back more than normal, as well as the seatback that will tilt close to horizontal, makes for a decent nap without resorting to crawling in the back to lie down. Perfect.
With the aluminium panels in place of the four side windows behind the door glass, one loses rear side vision, and the driver must be careful to adapt. I have had close calls due to that, but that is another adaptation i am glad to make. And i have the windows for those, so i am able to re-install them if i want to. No, i haven't installed convex mirrors additions; but i can yet.
For highway cruising, i have had it up to 130km/h (80 mph), just to see what it could do and what it was like (i tend not to push it to redline). It is not, of course, what this car is made for. I long ago got tired of being in a hurry for everything i do; i've plenty of opportunity for that when i am working (i tend to do nothing but work then, when i can afford it, i'll have nothing to do with work at all). So i am very happy to kick along at a pace that suits the car, and i'll live with its capabilities. I find the car is happy to cruise at 85-95 km/h; it can travel faster, but i'm not interested; if i wish to blow my brains out with speed, i'd have another car. Or i'll get on the motorbikes and calm the speed demons that way; not with this car, and i am perfectly satisfied with that. I am biased, however: this is a great car.
I'd be pissed
