Tue Sep 17, 2019 12:58 pm
#1720474
Oh, I hadn’t meant this post to be a “past and present”, but hey ho
1st car, a 1978 Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1 1.6L GL. Canary yellow and tinworm brown. A “gift” from my Dad – it had been my Mum’s runner for a year or so, but even the local bodger mechanic gave up on it; the engine was knackered. I acquired a replacement 1.6L engine, swapped it myself and my many years of b uggerin around with cars commenced! Sold it when I got the one below:
2nd car, another Mk1 Cavalier – but with a supe-rare factory fitted sunroof! 1.6L swapped out for 2L. Sold to a mate who was an avid collector of cheap cars.
Triumph Acclaim, accident write-off from an uncle. Bodywork and welding is not at all my thing, but got there in the end. It was the first Honda engine I’d worked on – and wow, I was a convert immediately. Quality, engineering, eye for long term serviceability etc – such a change from the garbage I’d been used to. Interior was lovely, some nice details. Unfortunately, the Triumph bodywork let the engine down, wipers assembly fell into a box section that had rotted away – it was a major job to replace. I can’t actually remember it’s fate...possibly sold for spares.
BMW 5 Series, a seriously loud orange coloured one that struggled badly with the 2L engine it had in it. Like driving a cheap sofa. It went back to my father at some point - will have been scrapped. I had another 5 series, with 3.5L engine and auto box (that rattled at startup and for the first mile...). Lovely car, like driving a nice comfy and expensive sofa. Went back to my father, he kept it for a few years as an alternative run-around then scrapped it.
VW Passat Turbo Diesel Estate (B2 body) from 87/88 with 120k on the clock. Bought from an uncle who was a builder. Interior wasn’t that bad considering...
I renamed it “the tank”. Engine had been almost completely rebuilt at around 80k – so it was still very economical. I was commuting about 80 miles for a couple of years – the lack of power steering has knackered my neck to this day.
It lived up to it’s “tank” name when my garage partly collapsed in on it during a particularly wild storm. I spent between Christmas and New Year in my folks garage panel beating, filling and spraying the beast. Sold it to my car hoarder mate when it had 250k on the clock, and still getting nearly 50mpg! He got it up to 500k before it got scrapped.
Next, 1991 Honda Civic 1.6i 16v 3 door with sports pack suspension. First car I actually went to a dealer, and took out a loan to buy! It was very much a passion purchase. No power steering, weighed 2x nuthin, engine went to 8000rpm – and I’m sure produced more than the 145bhp that Honda said it did. I regularly outran cars with 200+bhp, the lack of power steering etc give it “go-kart” and suspension/balance/wheels “on rails” handling. Tremendous fun on the winding Clydeside roads I frequented. The most fun I’ve had in a car (with the engine running, if you catch my drift...)
Gave it as a gift to an ex when I left Scotland.
Mk1 Audi TT. Much fun was had in the Swiss Alps and Jura mountains. I had to sell it at quite a loss when I closed my company in Belgium.
Toyota Prius. Fugly but fun in the Brussels stop/start traffic. I had to endure 3 hours of the parking sensors beeping whilst stuck in a freezing rain storm. The rain froze on the sensors, and there was no bleedin “off” button!!! All that Jap pointless and never used gadgetry – but no simple off button. Grrrr
Pranged it twice taking corners too early, thanks to sprog MkII having me awake from 2am – 5am every night for 15 months. Sold to a couple of dodgy E.European “exporters”.
Seat Alhambra, 7 seater 2L TDI FourDrive – aka “the family bus”. Now 5 years old, accountant says I should swap it out – but I’m waiting for VW to come out with their all electric replacement of the Sharan (or possibly the Tesla Y series).
There’s been a few interesting “loaners” etc in the mix, but never “mine”. The Honda remains the most fun car I’ve had.
1st car, a 1978 Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1 1.6L GL. Canary yellow and tinworm brown. A “gift” from my Dad – it had been my Mum’s runner for a year or so, but even the local bodger mechanic gave up on it; the engine was knackered. I acquired a replacement 1.6L engine, swapped it myself and my many years of b uggerin around with cars commenced! Sold it when I got the one below:
2nd car, another Mk1 Cavalier – but with a supe-rare factory fitted sunroof! 1.6L swapped out for 2L. Sold to a mate who was an avid collector of cheap cars.
Triumph Acclaim, accident write-off from an uncle. Bodywork and welding is not at all my thing, but got there in the end. It was the first Honda engine I’d worked on – and wow, I was a convert immediately. Quality, engineering, eye for long term serviceability etc – such a change from the garbage I’d been used to. Interior was lovely, some nice details. Unfortunately, the Triumph bodywork let the engine down, wipers assembly fell into a box section that had rotted away – it was a major job to replace. I can’t actually remember it’s fate...possibly sold for spares.
BMW 5 Series, a seriously loud orange coloured one that struggled badly with the 2L engine it had in it. Like driving a cheap sofa. It went back to my father at some point - will have been scrapped. I had another 5 series, with 3.5L engine and auto box (that rattled at startup and for the first mile...). Lovely car, like driving a nice comfy and expensive sofa. Went back to my father, he kept it for a few years as an alternative run-around then scrapped it.
VW Passat Turbo Diesel Estate (B2 body) from 87/88 with 120k on the clock. Bought from an uncle who was a builder. Interior wasn’t that bad considering...
I renamed it “the tank”. Engine had been almost completely rebuilt at around 80k – so it was still very economical. I was commuting about 80 miles for a couple of years – the lack of power steering has knackered my neck to this day.
It lived up to it’s “tank” name when my garage partly collapsed in on it during a particularly wild storm. I spent between Christmas and New Year in my folks garage panel beating, filling and spraying the beast. Sold it to my car hoarder mate when it had 250k on the clock, and still getting nearly 50mpg! He got it up to 500k before it got scrapped.
Next, 1991 Honda Civic 1.6i 16v 3 door with sports pack suspension. First car I actually went to a dealer, and took out a loan to buy! It was very much a passion purchase. No power steering, weighed 2x nuthin, engine went to 8000rpm – and I’m sure produced more than the 145bhp that Honda said it did. I regularly outran cars with 200+bhp, the lack of power steering etc give it “go-kart” and suspension/balance/wheels “on rails” handling. Tremendous fun on the winding Clydeside roads I frequented. The most fun I’ve had in a car (with the engine running, if you catch my drift...)
Gave it as a gift to an ex when I left Scotland.
Mk1 Audi TT. Much fun was had in the Swiss Alps and Jura mountains. I had to sell it at quite a loss when I closed my company in Belgium.
Toyota Prius. Fugly but fun in the Brussels stop/start traffic. I had to endure 3 hours of the parking sensors beeping whilst stuck in a freezing rain storm. The rain froze on the sensors, and there was no bleedin “off” button!!! All that Jap pointless and never used gadgetry – but no simple off button. Grrrr
Pranged it twice taking corners too early, thanks to sprog MkII having me awake from 2am – 5am every night for 15 months. Sold to a couple of dodgy E.European “exporters”.
Seat Alhambra, 7 seater 2L TDI FourDrive – aka “the family bus”. Now 5 years old, accountant says I should swap it out – but I’m waiting for VW to come out with their all electric replacement of the Sharan (or possibly the Tesla Y series).
There’s been a few interesting “loaners” etc in the mix, but never “mine”. The Honda remains the most fun car I’ve had.