Popsi's 1980 Mitsubishi Express

[Popsi]

All help needed and welcomed

[bigfoot]

I have one of those plates spare if you want it

[locost_bryan]

Think the Express was a tax special, where they were sold without the back seat so they got classed as a commercial vehicle with a lower sales tax rate. Then you'd pop into the parts department and buy a seat.

Pretty sure the AA ran them as service cars.

[Popsi]

On 10/12/2023 at 10:05, bigfoot said:

I have one of those plates spare if you want it

Yeah that'd awesome @bigfoot cheers mate

On 10/12/2023 at 11:28, locost_bryan said:

Think the Express was a tax special, where they were sold without the back seat so they got classed as a commercial vehicle with a lower sales tax rate. Then you'd pop into the parts department and buy a seat.

Pretty sure the AA ran them as service cars.

Ah right I didn't know about them being a tax special! That's interesting.

I had heard they didn't come with the back seat. My warrant man worked at a Mitsi dealership decades ago and said they were also sold as delivery vans and that's why there's no headrests on the seats. So you can reach into the back more easily.

[locost_bryan]

Headrests weren't a legal requirement then, so they were often deleted from the commercials and povo spec models.  Can vaguely remember someone complaining to Fair Go about the base Mirage not having them.

[yoeddynz]

Nothing wrong at all with your welding efforts. Good on you for having a go and learning new skills 

[Popsi]

On 11/12/2023 at 13:53, locost_bryan said:

Headrests weren't a legal requirement then, so they were often deleted from the commercials and povo spec models.  Can vaguely remember someone complaining to Fair Go about the base Mirage not having them.

That makes sense. I quite like the look of no headrests. Gives a nice unobstructed view through the windscreen out the back of the car. Looks clean.

I was under the impression that headrests were mandatory because of airbags to stop your head being pushed back in a crash? Why would they have been necessary pre-airbags?

21 hours ago, yoeddynz said:

Nothing wrong at all with your welding efforts. Good on you for having a go and learning new skills 

Yeah cheers mate! I'd usually consider my welding middle of the road but panel steel is a different story. All I'm trying to do is stop from blowing through the whole time.

I was in the corner of the workshop the other day hammering the patch panel and I guess looking like I knew what I was doing and a workmate comes over and goes "are you a panelbeater by trade?"

I go fuck no, I've got no idea what I'm doing 

 

[locost_bryan]

Head restraints were primarily to reduce whiplash injuries from being rear-ended.  Introduced in the States in 1968 and compulsory in Australia from 1975.  Most Australian cars had them from around 72, my dad's 73 Falcon had the high-back bench seat, and my 72 Marina has adjustable ones.

[MrRedneck]

Had a family friend many years ago who got permanent nerve damage after a fairly low-speed rear-end accident. Damaged her spine too! They can be pretty serious injuries.

[Popsi]

That's much earlier than I would've guessed head restraints were introduced. 

The rear end impact thing explains it. I hadn't considered that at all

Now you've put the shits up me about not having any!