Possible 1980s cars?

B-M-W...

Hey Alan,

Don't know about the boot space, but a Merc 380 SL springs to mind. They're still pricey second-hand today.

And talking about expense, there's the Rolls Royce Corniche too. And Aston Martins.

More runabout things would be the an XJS, but no room in the back, Escort XR3i, BMWs and the like.

Regards

Whacko

A BMW series 3 would work. My boyfriend then had one and you could squeeze 5 people in and the boot was pretty big.

BMW 325i, it's a tad small, but you can squeeze three in the back if one person is small. The boot has a good amount of space, but the Cab loses some of that space to house the rag-top. I don't know what a keyboard flight case is, so can't help there. They would have been reasonably inexpensive with the cloth seats and without all the premium options (can't get them that way here in the US without a special order -- leather and wood everything).

(Cabriolet, for you US guys, means a convertible. Boot means trunk)

Edit: Oh, you mean a hard case for a piano type keyboard? They *might* fit in the 325i. Depends on how wide they are.

AlanDavid said:

I hope this is the correct place to post this. I'm trying to decide on a vehicle for my MCs and need some insight into what could closest fit the following criteria. I'm aware I'll probably have to make compromises...
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- Produced preferrably between 1980-1984 (Earlier is acceptable, but no later than spring 1985)

- Available in the UK. (Right-hand drive)

- Cabriolet.

- At least 4 seats. It would be best if the backseat can theoretically hold three people. (What I mean is, it's fine as long as a fifth person can 'somehow' squeeze in...)

- Adequate boot space. If not impossible, enough room for a stack of 4 keyboard flight cases. (I know... I know... ) -- Can elaborate if it would help...

- Expense is not an issue. In fact, something a bit pricey would be best.
=======================================

Any suggestions or opinions?

Click to expand...

Full size keyboards? 88 keys? Four of them?

You're going to need a huge boot.

I've just measured the one upstairs. It's 54 inches long. In a flight case you're going to be looking at about 5 foot.

Not even an estate car is going to have a boot long enough without putting down the back seat (and then you can't get the people in).

Most cars aren't going to get one in width ways, if only because of the wheel arches.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a transit van? You could cut the top off with an angle grinder and make the worlds only cabriolet transit...

AlanDavid said:

I hope this is the correct place to post this. I'm trying to decide on a vehicle for my MCs and need some insight into what could closest fit the following criteria. I'm aware I'll probably have to make compromises...
--------------------------------------------------------------
- Produced preferrably between 1980-1984 (Earlier is acceptable, but no later than spring 1985)

- Available in the UK. (Right-hand drive)

- Cabriolet.

- At least 4 seats. It would be best if the backseat can theoretically hold three people. (What I mean is, it's fine as long as a fifth person can 'somehow' squeeze in...)

- Adequate boot space. If not impossible, enough room for a stack of 4 keyboard flight cases. (I know... I know... ) -- Can elaborate if it would help...

- Expense is not an issue. In fact, something a bit pricey would be best.
=======================================

Any suggestions or opinions?

Click to expand...

Okay, the immediate issue that you are going to have is that most Cabriolet style cars in the UK at that time, and even now, are 2 seaters.

Your best bet, if money is no option, would be something like a Jaguar XJS cabriolet. They were two door, but they did have a back seat, and although it would be a tight squeeze, you could probably get three in there. Plus they have adequate boot room.

shaldna said:

Okay, the immediate issue that you are going to have is that most Cabriolet style cars in the UK at that time, and even now, are 2 seaters.

Your best bet, if money is no option, would be something like a Jaguar XJS cabriolet. They were two door, but they did have a back seat, and although it would be a tight squeeze, you could probably get three in there. Plus they have adequate boot room.

Click to expand...

Actually, early on the only drop versions of the XJS were conversions by Lynx.

AlanDavid said:

I hope this is the correct place to post this. I'm trying to decide on a vehicle for my MCs and need some insight into what could closest fit the following criteria. I'm aware I'll probably have to make compromises...
--------------------------------------------------------------
- Produced preferrably between 1980-1984 (Earlier is acceptable, but no later than spring 1985)

- Available in the UK. (Right-hand drive)

- Cabriolet.

- At least 4 seats. It would be best if the backseat can theoretically hold three people. (What I mean is, it's fine as long as a fifth person can 'somehow' squeeze in...)

- Adequate boot space. If not impossible, enough room for a stack of 4 keyboard flight cases. (I know... I know... ) -- Can elaborate if it would help...

- Expense is not an issue. In fact, something a bit pricey would be best.
=======================================

Any suggestions or opinions?

Click to expand...

Well, there's always the poor old Triumph Stag. If you want something very rare, there the Bristol 412. Not to mention the long lived Rolls-Royce Corniche, which also was sold a Bentley. Then you have the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante. Lots of 4 seat open top cars without leaving the British brands.

When you get into the differences between, say the Corniche and the Mondial, you're really talking about a societal class difference, as well, aren't you? Some aspect of who the owner of the car is going to be has to play into it, I'd think.

Good Luck!

AmericaMadeMe said:

Well, there's always the poor old Triumph Stag. If you want something very rare, there the Bristol 412. Not to mention the long lived Rolls-Royce Corniche, which also was sold a Bentley. Then you have the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante. Lots of 4 seat open top cars without leaving the British brands.

Click to expand...

There was also the Triumph Herald Cabriolet. If the boot was not big enough you stuck a luggage rack over the boot.

Sigh ... I loved my Triumph ...

AlanDavid said:

No! Not 88 keys. Only one would be 61-key, the others 49, 44, and 32, respectively. (If it matters, one is a keytar.)

Click to expand...

Ah. They should go in sideways. There should be a car that will fit them

you might not be able to close the boot, you might have to tie it down with bungees, but you should be able to get the stuff in okay if that's the sizes of instruments you are talking about.

One thing to remember is that cabriolets usually only have 2 doors - no matter how big they are. It's because of the hinging at the rear.