It was fourth time lucky with my Scimitar and my enthusiasm hasn’t diminished since.
My trusty 1978 Reliant Scimitar GTE is the only car in my garage which I refer to as a “keeper”. I acquired it in 2014 and actually had to buy two Scimitars off the vendor as he wouldn’t part with only one. The other one was a green project car which I had no interest in at all, but as it was the very rare LHD version, I knew somebody would take it off my hands: It sold to Belgium within three days. This actually makes my keeper my fourth Scimitar as I had already touched on the subject with two former cars bought sight unseen on Ebay around 2010/2011. As one required an engine rebuild and the other a bit more than that, I sold them on too – and interestingly enough, I know they have since changed hands more than once in different states of disassembly.
But I’ve admired the Scimitar for years, didn’t mind a RHD car at all and bit the bullet once again as my current one came up for sale. I wouldn’t say that I am infected with the Scimitar bug as such, as the choice was also out of quite rational reasons: Scimitars were (and are) very cheap for a handbuilt luxury sports car, they are quite rare (on the Continent at least), sufficiently brisk, very comfortable and I for one like their blend of rather simple ruggedness with a (sort of) sophisticated style. And not least, they are simply hugely practical with the folding rear seat arrangement.
But where did it all start for me – why a Scimitar anyway? It’s the classic story, really: I saw one in a magazine probably back in the eighties, didn’t know what it was, but something connected. The style, the V6 and the fibreglass construction. Only later did I learn how usable they really are and at the time I owned only classic cars. That’s right, no modern at all: I lived in the city and my bicycle was enough for my year round transport. However the idea of a year-round classic car seemed reasonable at the time and this lent me to focus on the Scimitar GTE, especially as my steel cars had tought me a few things about rust. Not that the Scimitar is imperceptible to rust as its chassis is steel, but with this in order and properly protected I imagined a Scimitar had to be the perfect year round classic. And I liked it.
“Like” turned more to “love” when I saw the car that was to become mine: I’ve always had a penchant for seventies colours applied to seventies cars and it doesn’t come much more seventies than this, does it? Photos don’t really do it justice as the Aztec yellow is such a full-bodied, warm and glowing yellow hue that I simply couldn’t wish for more. Complemented by an interior in beige fabric and rich brown plastic mouldings for the dashboard and doors I felt so much at home that I instantly knew this was a keeper. After new discs, a new carburettor and some other small fixes we were ready for the road in the Summer of 2015 and the Scimitar immediately repaid my trust by performing almost faultlessly over thousands of kilometers to France with my wife-to-be. Hauling champagne back was of course no problem, and neither was towing a caravan to Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix, sprinting down to the Nürburgring for the Oldtimer Grand Prix nor performing all of the other more trivial daily duties: I truly used the car and it turned out to quite simply be all I ever dreamt of it being – and maybe even more.
However it was not perfect as such: My Scimitar was repainted at some stage in its life – which I can see from the old invoices accompanying the car. However that was many years ago, and if you didn’t know better the paint could probably be passed off as the original first paint. In other words, it wears some battle scars here and there as well as showing the usual signs of ageing expected of an old fibreglass car: Stress cracks are abundant. Some would call it “patina” but that is a very romantic notion as in reality it is beyond that. However, it showed all of these signs already when I acquired it, and while they have probably become a little worse now, it is not of huge practical consequence on a fibreglass car as it of course won’t rust. I know they are there and even casual observers can’t overlook them, but overall the paint still has a good shine. The car as a whole still has huge presence in this splendid colour and every time I walk towards my Scimitar I feel we belong together. A true keeper, clearly.
All of these thoughts went through my mind as I treated my trusty steed to a good spring cleaning for the upcoming season. Actually I think it deserves a polish this year as well! But the question presents itself, whether it deserves more than that: The Scimitar is at times in rather fine company, and when compared directly to my Alpine Renault A310, which just happens to be yet another fibreglass car of exactly the same vintage, the difference is rather startling. As the Alpine was restored by its previous owner in 2014/2015 and only driven about 10,000 kilometers since, it is simply in another league. I rather like that as well, of course, as I also appreciate beautifully presented cars, right?
On the other hand, the Scimitar has played a different role in my stable, as it was more of a daily driver and indeed my workhorse. As such, it even has its advantages that I don’t necessarily have to worry too much about adding another scratch. But since then, my own circumstances have changed as well: I now have a company car with a tow bar – and it’s not as if I’m lacking other toys either. Funnily enough I had the exact same thoughts last year, upon which our International Editor Anders contacted me. As a man of the same impeccable taste (!)Â he too acquired a Scimitar, but indicated that he could be persauded (we’re like that, us Scimitar owners) to part with his. Which is in much better condition than mine, and I knew that. His even has a great colour too, mind. In fact I know why he asked: Economically it would make more sense to acquire a better Scimitar than to repaint and restore mine – again.
But – it is not MY Scimitar. It is not MY keeper. Mine is the yellow one. And it will remain that way: Yellow and mine.
Maybe I will in fact have it repainted. At some point anyway. In all probability not now as I have other cars and projects. But even five years in and I am still in love with my Scimitar, still enjoy driving it and in fact find that it has become part of the family. Not as the year round classic I initially wanted but as a fine all-rounder none the less. I don’t think I’ll ever part with it, as it seems such a great compromise of all that I like. Including value for money. Here’s for five more years!
Could it simply be the best all-rounder classic car for the money?
