Favourite car your dad had
Discussion
MK4 Zepyhr, MK3 Capri, Toyota Hilux (mum hated it, said we looked like "travellers" 
) and a 306 GTI-6 were my personal favorites.
He's had absolutely s
tloads of cars, three of my previous cars have previously been owned by him and either passed down or swapped. Come to think of it, out of six cars i've only actually bought two...
) and a 306 GTI-6 were my personal favorites.He's had absolutely s
tloads of cars, three of my previous cars have previously been owned by him and either passed down or swapped. Come to think of it, out of six cars i've only actually bought two...Ford Cortina Mk3 in gold.
He worked for Gallaher (cigarette manufacturers) and in the days before scrutiny of the health aspects had really kicked in, and before retail prices meant security was an issue (he would always have a bootful of fags and cigars), the company saw fit to proudly put the Benson & Hedges logo and Royal Warrant crest on the front doors. I'm not 100% but I'm sure he said the colour was a custom one for their sales fleet to more closely match the cigarette packet as it was in my memory a lot lighter than the stock photo above.
Ahh, the 1970s...
Other memorable cars were a blue Sierra Sapphire that came with the 'impossibly cool on the playground' reg E111 KLF just at the time the KLF were at number 1, and the time he accidentally got an Audi 80 instead of a Sierra due an admin cockup, much to the chagrin of his colleagues (very important the company car heirarchy!).
He worked for Gallaher (cigarette manufacturers) and in the days before scrutiny of the health aspects had really kicked in, and before retail prices meant security was an issue (he would always have a bootful of fags and cigars), the company saw fit to proudly put the Benson & Hedges logo and Royal Warrant crest on the front doors. I'm not 100% but I'm sure he said the colour was a custom one for their sales fleet to more closely match the cigarette packet as it was in my memory a lot lighter than the stock photo above.
Ahh, the 1970s...
Other memorable cars were a blue Sierra Sapphire that came with the 'impossibly cool on the playground' reg E111 KLF just at the time the KLF were at number 1, and the time he accidentally got an Audi 80 instead of a Sierra due an admin cockup, much to the chagrin of his colleagues (very important the company car heirarchy!).
Monkeylegend said:
My Father never owned a car in his life. I can't be the only one who's parents never had a car, can I?
Nope; we never had a car either. I remember him threatening to buy a Morris Minor at one stage but ended up sticking to his motorbikes.I think that's why I find it very hard to treat cars as disposable appliances even today. They are still very hard-earned luxuries in my head.
Probably the Fiat Strada! It wasn't the fastest, most comfortable etc, but I remember going to pick it up from the dealership and all the family holidays we had, travelling about the country in it.
It was brand new, and on collection day it had to go back before he even drove it out of the showroom due to a number of build issues!
Looked a bit like this one, but was blue (and not an Arbarth):
It was brand new, and on collection day it had to go back before he even drove it out of the showroom due to a number of build issues!
Looked a bit like this one, but was blue (and not an Arbarth):
Can't say any of the cars my father chose would come up as "favourite" for me...
1963 Austin Mini 850 in yellow (destroyed in a crash...hit by a speeding driver in a 30mph limit on a blind hill brow)
1967 Austin 1100 in dark green (sold in working condition)
1972 Ford Cortina Mk3 saloon 1.6L in dark purple (sold for scrap as it was in atrocious condition despite being only 2 or 3 years old...the back axle actually fell out with rusted/broken spring mounts!)
1975 Ford Cortina Mk3 saloon 1.6GL (facelift) in bright red (sold in good working order after he died)
The Cortinas were company cars and if I was forced to choose I would have to pick the 1100 as favourite...
1963 Austin Mini 850 in yellow (destroyed in a crash...hit by a speeding driver in a 30mph limit on a blind hill brow)
1967 Austin 1100 in dark green (sold in working condition)
1972 Ford Cortina Mk3 saloon 1.6L in dark purple (sold for scrap as it was in atrocious condition despite being only 2 or 3 years old...the back axle actually fell out with rusted/broken spring mounts!)
1975 Ford Cortina Mk3 saloon 1.6GL (facelift) in bright red (sold in good working order after he died)
The Cortinas were company cars and if I was forced to choose I would have to pick the 1100 as favourite...
my dad had a few dullards. . .but then went for a Lotus Elite. . and followed that with a really nice MGBGT, which he had for ages, followed that with a Pug 206 CTI. . .he has returned to type now though a succession of Polo diesels and now a Toyota hybrid thing. The most he has ever spent on a car and he ends up with the dullest thing on the road, bloody typical !
Mk5 Ford Zodiac Executive. Silver when purchased, resprayed black. 3.0 V6, leather and wood interior, and, wait for it............a sliding sunroof!
Luxury.
Written off somewhat bizarrely after a collision with a Triumph Spitfire of all things. Replaced with a poverty spec beige Triumph 2000 - nasty vinyl seats. Bleurgh. That turned out to be his last car.
Luxury.
Written off somewhat bizarrely after a collision with a Triumph Spitfire of all things. Replaced with a poverty spec beige Triumph 2000 - nasty vinyl seats. Bleurgh. That turned out to be his last car.
Sadly written off by the next owner after just 6 months, I was gutted when I heard 
A J reg white escort cabriolet which was nice in the sunny weather. My fav was the Rover 216 GTi. Not the prettiest car in the world, but it was the first "performance" car I remember being in. Had a twin exhaust and al awful drone when coming off the trottle but sounded lovely none the less.
Hes now a big alfa head and is enjoying the cheapest car hes ever had which looks the nicest. 2002 916 spider. I am hoping the have this off him eventually.
Hes now a big alfa head and is enjoying the cheapest car hes ever had which looks the nicest. 2002 916 spider. I am hoping the have this off him eventually.
Earliest memory - Vauxhall Victor (estate in white with a red stripe) Boot was like a play room/pen - I might have spent a lot of time in there)
latter favorites
Ford Zephyr V4
P6 Rover (unfortunately 4 pot)
Lancia Beta (was learning to drive at the time and it was streets ahead of the previous car but it was a short term loaner so didn't stay)
Jaguar XJ 3.6 "executive"
The rest were just dross - Dad was and is very much a A-B car person (although I did catch him polishing the Jag once so maybe he was converting however he sold it shortly after!!)
latter favorites
Ford Zephyr V4
P6 Rover (unfortunately 4 pot)
Lancia Beta (was learning to drive at the time and it was streets ahead of the previous car but it was a short term loaner so didn't stay)
Jaguar XJ 3.6 "executive"
The rest were just dross - Dad was and is very much a A-B car person (although I did catch him polishing the Jag once so maybe he was converting however he sold it shortly after!!)
lickatysplit said:
my dad had a series of great cars, but If I had to choose one it will be the Capri as he let me turn the wheel a couple of times when It was moving :-) I was only about 4 at the time
My Dad used to let me sit in his lap, steering the car! In a reliant Regal!Ah, the 70s. Nowadays my two are bound and strapped in the back, in a nuclear-war resistant SAAB estate.
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