This is the metallic
greyish brown coloured 1987 Visa 11 RE I bought for € 75,00 from
its previous owner in Zeist. Although it was still in very reasonable condition,
I bought it as a donor car for my other 11 RE, the red one undergoing restoration,
which needed a lot of parts. The brown 11 RE was perfectly suited to provide
these.
Left:
the brown Visa in Zeist, just after I bought it. A part of the exhaust
had come off in France during the previous owner's summer holiday.
The trip to my home in Alphen was a very loud one. But the engine,
having covered 132.000 kms, ran very well, and will therefore go
into my red 11 RE (which engine ran less well after 250.000 kms).
Right: The 11 RE after coming home in Alphen aan den Rijn.
Left
and right: 11 RE is slightly dented, but most panels are reasonably
rust free. Rear wheel arches (and probably more vital parts underneath)
have rotted, though.
Left:
Visas are very conveniant as driving storage for parts. Tail lights immediately
went into red Visa.
Although not
in totally roadworthy condition, the brown 11 RE seemed to be well cared for.
The chap who sold it to me said it had always been in the family. The interior
(light brown) looks quite good as well, and engine and brakes felt totally
reliable. Dismantling it makes me somehow feel sorry, but Visa parts are getting
expensive and hard to come by, so scrapping a Visa seems the only economically
feasible way to complete the restauration of the red one. Thus the brown Visa
will not exactly die, but it will live on in the red Visa. I'll remember it
fondly.
Polleke
paying tribute to the brown Visa, November 2002.
The
brown Visa gets slowly dismantled. My brother Maarten robbed it of its
spare wheel support under the bonnet and its front seats. All were fitted
in Maarten's Décapotable Milly. Below, Maarten is testing the seats
on comfort.
