Post by dave1800 on Dec 18, 2017 11:47:03 GMT
With a few notable exceptions (Tommy etc), I imagine many owners would not wish to take their precious crabs out in the snow nowadays for fear of the dreaded salt ravaging the bodywork or being shunted by careless drivers.
I first owned a crab back in 1972 although I had driven a family owned model in 1966 when I passed my test. For the next 16 years crabs were my primary vehicle for driving to work although during this period I also owned a variety of Saabs. The crabs were the daily work horses and had to cope with all kinds of weather conditions in the UK including journeys approaching 80-100 miles each day on the snow on several occasions.
It makes me smile when I watch videos of modern vehicles equipped with traction and stability controls struggling to achieve traction in the snow despite being fitted with winter tyres. Back in the 60s -80s we generally had one set of wheels and tyres for road use all year round I have many wonderful memories of nonchalantly driving up snow covered hills past the BMWs, Mercs and Cortinas abandoned at the side of the road. I never managed to get stuck!
I think my biggest surprise was when I first drove my new Saab99 on the snow and naively thought it would out perform the Crab,it didn't!
Perhaps my memories are distorted but I cannot think of another two wheel drive car that I have driven that was so well behaved and had such good traction in the snow as the Crab.
I guess some of you here will have been lucky enough to experience this but but younger members may not. Our Australian readers may have driven in the Snowy mountains or have had fun driving their Crabs on dirt and gravel roads.
It would be good to hear stories from anyone who has had experience of driving or being passengers in Crabs in adverse conditions.
David
I first owned a crab back in 1972 although I had driven a family owned model in 1966 when I passed my test. For the next 16 years crabs were my primary vehicle for driving to work although during this period I also owned a variety of Saabs. The crabs were the daily work horses and had to cope with all kinds of weather conditions in the UK including journeys approaching 80-100 miles each day on the snow on several occasions.
It makes me smile when I watch videos of modern vehicles equipped with traction and stability controls struggling to achieve traction in the snow despite being fitted with winter tyres. Back in the 60s -80s we generally had one set of wheels and tyres for road use all year round I have many wonderful memories of nonchalantly driving up snow covered hills past the BMWs, Mercs and Cortinas abandoned at the side of the road. I never managed to get stuck!
I think my biggest surprise was when I first drove my new Saab99 on the snow and naively thought it would out perform the Crab,it didn't!
Perhaps my memories are distorted but I cannot think of another two wheel drive car that I have driven that was so well behaved and had such good traction in the snow as the Crab.
I guess some of you here will have been lucky enough to experience this but but younger members may not. Our Australian readers may have driven in the Snowy mountains or have had fun driving their Crabs on dirt and gravel roads.
It would be good to hear stories from anyone who has had experience of driving or being passengers in Crabs in adverse conditions.
David