THE TALBOT SOLARA - THE 80'S SALOON WE FORGOT ABOUT!

[@Bodga]

I still remember my grandad picking up his brand new Alpine from Regal motors Bilston. A482HFD I think? I eventually had it in about 1989 when he replaced it with a Rover 414 when he retired. Same colour as yours. Cracking car, one of my mates had a sierra, he couldn’t keep up with me on the motorway 😉

[@zebedep]

It's great to see one of these again - I remember them being a common sight as a kid, the same as the Horizon, Alpine, Avenger, Sunbeam, etc.. 🙂

[@kimmohietala5359]

They built Solaras in the Saab factory in Finland. And I recall they were fitted with the Saab 900 seats.

[@patrickyorke3028]

Initially it was heralded in some motor press at the time as the 'Cortina basher'. Great vid, thanks for posting.

[@thtmotoring]

Great to see forgotten cars like this getting some publicity. Looks like a good find and looking forward to seeing how it does for daily driving!

[@lucythemoggy1970]

as the vid went on I then realised you actually bought it! underrated car like the horizon.

[@dandandan389]

When I was a kid my dad has a Talbot Alpine on which he did some filler work to the front wing, he brush painted the repair with hammerite (well smoothrite), realised it didn't match so ended up doing the whole car. It didn't look the best but as he said "well a blind man would be pleased to see it!" He always called it the ticky ticky Talbot as I think the tappets were always out of adjustment. It was a very comfortable car and never let us down.

[@philpaxton2078]

Absolutely love this & although not the original wheel trims, they're very aerodynamic & so will add at least 3 mph onto the top speed. 😁 👍👍

[@huwdavies6650]

My dad had the run out Solara Minx. Lovely car to drive, highly underrated cars. It had a couple of external styling tweaks and it had received at that point in production some internal components from the Peugeot Parts Bin. For some reason, your boot lock seems to be upside down.

[@jedrick001]

My first car after passing my test was the Chrysler Alpine I remember not liking the look of the Samba with the boot instead of the hatchback but love it now, seeing the interior bought back memories. Plus the engine noise.

[@Mandylove999]

I used to work on alpines, horizons etc as an apprentice, i didnt much care for them, gear shift vague, tappetty rattly engines that were a pain in the ass to adjust due to the engine canted back towards the bulkhead, that said, it is nice to take a walk down memory lane and see cars of yesteryear, I don’t think iv’e seen any talbot cars of that era in years now, good vid

[@simonhodgetts6530]

There was a time when (briefly) the Solara was the most modern of three-box rep saloons. Then the Cavalier mk2 launched and the game changed!

[@PeterCox-k1w]

The hour hand has brewer's droop, the car looks honest and worthwhile😂

[@OldCarsNewVan]

Cool - my Dad had 2 Chrysler Alpines just before the name changed to Talbot, so I have a soft spot for these. Austin Rover wheel trims?? Anyway, cool - really like it

[@deviatefishy]

Amazing car. I love Talbots a lot.

[@barryjackson8512]

That’s fantastic, Those Vauxhall radios are worth a couple of quid.

[@chanabhaji2726]

Ti sunbean ill never forget that one. The orange tartan and black interior. Oh Happy Days.

[@dtuk22]

Theres one of these still going around where i live. I see it occasionally. The thing about cars from 30+ years ago is how small & flimsy they look by today's overly big cars.

[@Retro_andy_1977]

But congratulations Alex its a lovely old talbot!

[@davie100able]

By fitting the fluffy dice alone you gain an extra 150 bhp! 😂😂

[@Finne72]

We had a 1510 in Sweden in the 90´s. It was a very good car.

[@markoparviainen77]

Talbot Solara Sedan was a very nice.They made in Finland too in 80"s❤

[@frothe42]

Absolutely delightful vehicle Alex, love Kirby. Also love the sound of the turn signals!!!

[@TomAlter1000]

The idea that it has pushrods so no timing chain is a very odd thing to say. Of course its Simca Poissy engine has a timing chain! The same engine survived into the entry-level Peugeot 309. The brake switch you pressed is a brake pad wear indicator only. The other brake system light is in the instrument cluster. My dad had a 1.6 LS, but an earlier model with no power steering and just 4 gears. The steering was very low geared, so a lot of arm twirling. The gearchange on his 4 speed box was pretty awful but he generally liked the car. I remember they were well known for the heater matrix blocking up. I once had to take the whole dash out to replace the matrix as we couldn't unblock the old one.

[@AllThingsAlex]

Thank you for correcting me. Of course it has a chain :) Whoops. Wasn't sure about the brake warning switch but I have something similar in my Allegro which does function that way. Cheers.

[@Golo1949]

I had the fastback version, I think it was an Alpine ? great car comfy, fast and very practical. Eventually gave it to my BIL but it was in a crash on the motorway, written off sadly.

[@mattclayton9165]

Decent purchase Alex. Looking forward to future updates bud.

[@austinswallow]

I think you have bought well, looks to be in an exceptional condition for its age. I don't like them, never did, I can't remember the last time I saw one - they were not that popular when new! I still don't like them but appreciate its condition and it deserves to be used & enjoyed. Lovely all-round vision - why can't modern cars be like that? Thanks for sharing.

[@arthuradderley5872]

Rare car Alex. Definitely a Vauxhall stereo but it looks at home there. Approved 💯

[@leonshackleford9585]

I want that Talbot Solara Car & Talbot Horizon As Well ! Any thing with Talbot written on I want

[@davidrochow9382]

Mitsubishi Australia had the Magna Solara in the 90s and early 2000s.

[@adamlee3772]

I don’t remember them.

[@dungbetel]

Nice clean car. I'm sure you'll get a lot of miles out of it. I hired a Simca 1307 once many years back. Nothing spectacular but did the job. Hope you can get that dash re-done

[@Phiyedough]

Even back in the day these were not that popular compared to the Alpine. My boss at Dunlop had a Solara and it must have been a higher spec. one as there were electric windows and other luxury features.

[@samwel69]

I went to go look at this car, when it was at smiths and Bloxham scrap yard, but somebody had got to before me, glad to see its gone to good owner 👍

[@charliecoco2115]

Very nice example Alex. Daily driver? It's much too good to be exposed to road salt and constant rain.

[@RetroRebuild]

SLAM IT ON DEEP DISH WHEELS NOW! GOD THATS BOXY, LOVE IT! 🤘👍

[@AllThingsAlex]

Oh yeah!

[@bondbug73]

Great car Alex. Get some fast enamel spray paint for the bumpers, and rust treat. Probably a bit rare for a daily driver now.

[@adamlee3772]

Good to see a car like this saved, even though I prefer Ford and Vauxhall from the time. Rear fog lamps became mandatory in 1979 I think. Not that they’re actually any use apart from annoying other motorists. Those tiger seat covers are truly a thing of beauty 😂 And yes, the wheel trims are off a Maestro or Montego from circa 1988 and after. (Handy hint for that clock, grind up a viagra with a little water and rub the resultant paste on the affected needle, it might cure the brewers droop it’s suffering).

[@glenrea]

I’ve owned a few cars with a BE1 and none have required lifting the gate to go into 5th. There’s an adjustable cam at the base of the gearstick under the gaiter. Probably worth re-bushing the selector first though

[@AllThingsAlex]

I did think it was a bit odd. Hmm...

[@OldCarsNewVan]

@@AllThingsAlex the gear changes were always a long throw - remember my dad having the Alpine and his hand looked like it was going through the dashboard when going for third 🤣

[@SuperShucks]

Interesting covers, can the medallion and avocado bathroom suite be far behind?

[@1961kickboxer]

I think the solara was cool being an 80s bloke didn’t they do a 2.2 litre

[@philwilde5076]

That was the Talbot Tagora you're thinking of. Also did the Tag in V6.

[@Retro_andy_1977]

My uncle had one.i remmeber one front wheel fell off. That was a W reg so quite an early one!! Despite that I do like them.

[@richarddavey9547]

Definitely shouldn't have to lift gear lever for fifth gear , must be some wear in something there.

[@mipmipmipmipmip-v5x]

I don't think there's anything without wear.

[@Johncondon-go1xe]

Looks good Alex

[@thomasqqcouperji4491]

Had one had electronic egnition roomy as well nice car

[@tomwinch9107]

Wow, only you could exchange an MGF for a Talbot Solara! Much more practical, more in keeping with George and new enough to have seatbelts in the back seats too! Hope you can find a suitable stereo to compliment the interior. You wouldn't want to radically change the look of the interior seat covers ;-) A great looking car that's a rare survivor from an almost forgotten marque!

[@markoparviainen77]

All Vauxhalls too 😂

[@northstar1950]

Bought a new one BUY 315 W in 1980, a DL with the optional 1.6 litre engine. Not a good choice! Coolant leaks and other problems wasn't sorry to see it go.

[@lucythemoggy1970]

the gearchange on those and horizons wasnt that good when they were new! like stirring pea soup alex lol

[@eddiejones.redvees]

It’s more roomier then my 2015 Astra j I think back then the Ford escort and the Vauxhall Cavalier were the cars people bought if they wanted a front wheel drive car I had I mk 5 cortina 1.6 which was comfortable very heavy on fuel, not like my diesel Astra averages 60 mpg

[@Tommy_Poole]

The Talbot Solara. The 80’s car truly worth forgetting. Personally I preferred the Solero. Although I believe the best ones of those were made by Walls

[@AllThingsAlex]

Lol!

[@Tagora2664]

My mother had a 1.3 LS back in the late 80's when I was a kid. Was a real workhorse and finally succumbed to age and neglect. Shame really.

[@JorgeFernandez-uc9qb]

I wish you many trouble free miles with it.

[@Kaybe-i6f]

I had a TALBOT SOLARA, it was a W reg and 3 years old when I had it. What a piece of crap it was. Rotten on the doors, gear change like stirring soup and typical roots engine, noisy. Drove okay but as a youth it had no street cred and all my mates had Fords or VW. The thing I can smell even now is the smell of mould as it was a damp car. Bloody best thing is them rusting away. Horrible cars.

[@AllThingsAlex]

Lol! :D

[@Prosaic-m5n]

Was fwd the stodgy cortina types thought it was to advanced . Talbot Tagora anyone? Jesus see from the moon seat covers