Reliant Scimitar GT, GTE and GTC (1964 to 1986)

Why people buy one

• A distinctive British GT with room for four and a large load area, popular in period and still practical.
• Ford V6 engines are durable with regular servicing, and much of the running gear is shared with other cars.
• The glassfibre body does not rust, so outer panels are not a worry in the way they are on steel cars.
• A strong owners' club with detailed buying advice and technical support.
• A choice of styles: the rare early GT coupe, the slim SE5 and SE5a, the wider SE6 range, and the GTC convertible (around 442 built).

What to weigh up

• The steel chassis rusts, often in places hidden by the body, and chassis rot can make a car uneconomic to repair.
• Damaged or crazed glassfibre is costly to put right, and a proper respray costs more than on a steel car.
• Only late cars have a galvanised chassis. Sources disagree on when this started (1980 according to Hagerty UK, 1981 according to Classic & Sports Car and Classics World, roughly late 1983 according to the owners' club), so ask for proof, and galvanising does not guarantee a sound frame.
• Chrome bumpers, some trim and GTC-only parts are scarce, so check these are present and straight.
• Electrical faults are common because the glassfibre body needs separate earth wiring, and past bodged repairs are widespread.
• The Scimitar SS1 (from 1984) is a completely different small two-seat roadster and is not covered here; the Reliant Robin is also unrelated.

Where they rust

• Front, side and rear chassis outriggers, which collect mud and debris.
• The front of the chassis around and under the radiator, and the front chassis panel.
• Front suspension mountings and the lower front mounting panel.
• The centre outrigger at the B-pillar where the roll bar attaches; the outer seatbelts mount on the roll bar.
• Rear suspension and trailing arm mountings.
• The upper chassis surfaces where water collects, hidden between chassis and body.
• The area around the fuel tank, the spare wheel tray and the bumper mountings.
• Steel reinforcements inside SE5 bodies, which can rust and crack the glassfibre locally, and door and tailgate hinges.

Mechanical weak spots

• The Essex 3.0 V6 can overheat; check the cooling fan cuts in, the thermostat is fitted, and there is no sign of boiling. SE6 and SE6a cooling is often uprated to SE6b standard.
• Essex engines can wear the fibre camshaft timing gear and the oil pump drive; the owners' club suggests at least 40psi oil pressure above 2,000rpm.
• The Cologne 2.8 is regarded as reliable, though its original Solex carburettor is hard to keep in tune; cast-iron exhaust manifolds can crack on both engines.
• Manual gearboxes can jump out of gear when worn and a bent clutch release fork makes selection difficult; overdrive should engage and disengage cleanly. Borg Warner automatics often leak and wear sooner than the later Ford units.
• The Salisbury rear axle is strong but leaks if its breather blocks; some whine is common, but a loud, persistent noise means a rebuild.
• The front suspension uses Triumph TR-derived parts that need regular greasing; stiff steering and uneven tyre wear point to wear or oversized tyres.

At a Mathewsons viewing

• Check the chassis number and engine number against the V5C, and ask for proof of any claimed galvanised or replacement chassis.
• With a torch, look under the car at every outrigger, the area under the radiator, the suspension mountings and around the fuel tank for rot, fresh welding or thick underseal.
• Walk round the body in good light looking for star cracks, crazing or blistered paint, especially near hinges and on the bumpers.
• Lift the carpets and look for damp, as water leaks are common, and check the B-pillar area and roll bar mountings from inside.
• Open the bonnet and check for coolant leaks, a fitted thermostat and signs of overheating, and if staff start the car, watch the temperature gauge and oil pressure; do not assume it will be started.

Parts, specialists and clubs

Seen on Bangers & Cash

• Reliant Scimitar convertible (Bangers & Cash series 2, episode 10, First shown April 2020)
• 1967 Reliant Scimitar (Bangers & Cash series 9, episode 10, First shown April 2024)
• Reliant Scimitar (Bangers & Cash series 14, episode 1, First shown July 2026 on U&Yesterday)
• Reliant Scimitar GTC (Restoring Classics series 3, episode 1, First shown October 2023 on Yesterday)

Sources

• Buying guide: Reliant Scimitar GTE and GTC 1968 to 1986 (Hagerty UK), 8 December 2022
• Buyer's guide: Reliant Scimitar GTE (Classic & Sports Car), 4 October 2019
• Reliant Scimitar GTE buyer's guide (Classics World), 18 June 2025
• GTE buyer's guide (Reliant Sabre and Scimitar Owners Club), accessed 13 October 2026
• Reliant Scimitar GTE buying guide, history and review (Octane), 29 March 2024
• Do you remember the Reliant Scimitar GT? (Lancaster Insurance), 2 January 2018
• Scimitar SS1 history (reliant.website), accessed 13 October 2026