Favourite car your dad had
Discussion
Hello chaps,
I had a flashback this morning of being in my dad's Civic Aerodeck VTI, and it got me thinking - surely we all have fond memories of motors our dads had?
My dad used to be pretty keen on Hondas, started out with an N reg Accord 2.0 then moved on to a T reg Aerodeck. I was only 12 at the time he ordered that, but was already completely obsessed with cars, and I remember trawling through the list of potential options for his next company car. It came down to a Primera GT or the Aerodeck, the Primera was really good and had a nice woofle from the exhaust, but when we test-drove the Civic we were instantly addicted to the noise of that VTEC lump, so it got the nod.
That car took an absolute pounding, commuting every day, family duties on weekends and a trip to France that saw some pretty shocking speeds achieved despite being 5-up with luggage. I will never forget the smell of leather when it was new, the pattern on the seat fabric, the tuneful engine note and my dad taking great delight in launching it from 0-60 while 12-year-old me eagerly timed the acceleration with my watch's stopwatch. I think the best we ever did was 8.1.
I had a flashback this morning of being in my dad's Civic Aerodeck VTI, and it got me thinking - surely we all have fond memories of motors our dads had?
My dad used to be pretty keen on Hondas, started out with an N reg Accord 2.0 then moved on to a T reg Aerodeck. I was only 12 at the time he ordered that, but was already completely obsessed with cars, and I remember trawling through the list of potential options for his next company car. It came down to a Primera GT or the Aerodeck, the Primera was really good and had a nice woofle from the exhaust, but when we test-drove the Civic we were instantly addicted to the noise of that VTEC lump, so it got the nod.
That car took an absolute pounding, commuting every day, family duties on weekends and a trip to France that saw some pretty shocking speeds achieved despite being 5-up with luggage. I will never forget the smell of leather when it was new, the pattern on the seat fabric, the tuneful engine note and my dad taking great delight in launching it from 0-60 while 12-year-old me eagerly timed the acceleration with my watch's stopwatch. I think the best we ever did was 8.1.
Somehow my father managed to place a pre-order for a Peugeot 405 (he hadn't owned a Peugeot before and wasn't really a car enthusiast other than reading the CSMA (Civil Service Motoring Assoc.) magazine each month) and got one of the first ones to be delivered, it was the only one in our provincial town while the classic 'Take My Breath Away' adverts were on tv, so it seemed extra cool. (And I think it was compared to Sierras and Cavaliers at the time - until it became a minicab favourite).
That's the only interesting car he's had in my lifetime, he claims to have had a load of fast Minis and MGs in his youth [citation needed], although he currently has a new Kia Ceed that I reckon is more of a looker than a Focus or Astra etc.
That's the only interesting car he's had in my lifetime, he claims to have had a load of fast Minis and MGs in his youth [citation needed], although he currently has a new Kia Ceed that I reckon is more of a looker than a Focus or Astra etc.
Mine had an A reg (1982) Landcruiser - 3980cc straight six, 102bhp (yes, you read that right). The thing is that it developed all it's power at about 3rpm. We used to load it up with a huuuge caravan, Zodiac on the roof, caravan full to the gills with gear and my parents, me, my two sisters, usually one of my sisters mates and my gf and go all the way to Spain in it every year. It only had five seats but we'd just fold the back flat anyway and drink booze all the journey, listening to Nik Kershaw and Lionel Richie or whatever other cack my sisters had brought.
They car did about 24 mpg regardless of whether it was empty or was grossly overloaded (see above).
Very agricultural but never ever broke down. Used a lot of glow plugs for some reason, but 268000 reliable miles before it got changed for the following model (the 4.2TD). Full Toyota main dealer history too - it was the oldest car they still serviced regularly.
I think the holidays are what made that car so special. Great car.
Here it is, minus the boat on the roof...
They car did about 24 mpg regardless of whether it was empty or was grossly overloaded (see above).
Very agricultural but never ever broke down. Used a lot of glow plugs for some reason, but 268000 reliable miles before it got changed for the following model (the 4.2TD). Full Toyota main dealer history too - it was the oldest car they still serviced regularly.
I think the holidays are what made that car so special. Great car.
Here it is, minus the boat on the roof...
Edited by Dog Star on Wednesday 25th March 10:22
I liked the Escort Cosworth and especially the W124 E-class, but I think my favourite was the old black Scorpio. I liked it so much that I once climbed up onto the driver's seat and snapped the wiper stalk / switch off the column.
Can't remember much about the car except it was big, black and had black perforated leather seats.
Can't remember much about the car except it was big, black and had black perforated leather seats.
BMW 740. I remember being blown away by the fact that it had a working TV in it! Looking back it was about a 3 inch screen and looked like there was a blizzard going on in there.
It certainly felt fast to the 10 year old me - I remember a spirited "race" against a jag up in the highlands one summer which resulted in the jag getting pulled over by the police and we got away because we were in front. Good times!
It certainly felt fast to the 10 year old me - I remember a spirited "race" against a jag up in the highlands one summer which resulted in the jag getting pulled over by the police and we got away because we were in front. Good times!
Series 1 E-Type 4.2 Roadster.
The exact car he had, a picture taken recently when it was for sale at JD Classics.
Superb memories of being sat on his lap looking down the bonnet and seeing the carburetors though the vents, and one Sunday morning blast where we set a record either of us is yet to beat from home to Silverstone
Being picked up from school in it was also a real treat amongst all the Escorts, Sierras and Belmonts of the time.
The exact car he had, a picture taken recently when it was for sale at JD Classics.
Superb memories of being sat on his lap looking down the bonnet and seeing the carburetors though the vents, and one Sunday morning blast where we set a record either of us is yet to beat from home to Silverstone
Being picked up from school in it was also a real treat amongst all the Escorts, Sierras and Belmonts of the time.
My dad had rather crap company cars from what I can remember.
Best one was probably the Vauxhall Carton GSI 24v as I used to come home on leave and punt around in it. Could get lots of mates in the back, we even got a couple in the boot for one drive to the pub IIRC.
He had a Merc E class after that and it was rather dull.
Best one was probably the Vauxhall Carton GSI 24v as I used to come home on leave and punt around in it. Could get lots of mates in the back, we even got a couple in the boot for one drive to the pub IIRC.
He had a Merc E class after that and it was rather dull.
0llie said:
Series 1 E-Type 4.2 Roadster.
The exact car he had, a picture taken recently when it was for sale at JD Classics.
Superb memories of being sat on his lap looking down the bonnet and seeing the carburetors though the vents, and one Sunday morning blast where we set a record either of us is yet to beat from home to Silverstone
Being picked up from school in it was also a real treat amongst all the Escorts, Sierras and Belmonts of the time.
I think we have a winner ...The exact car he had, a picture taken recently when it was for sale at JD Classics.
Superb memories of being sat on his lap looking down the bonnet and seeing the carburetors though the vents, and one Sunday morning blast where we set a record either of us is yet to beat from home to Silverstone
Being picked up from school in it was also a real treat amongst all the Escorts, Sierras and Belmonts of the time.
My Dad wanted a new car for work and was looking at getting another Nova to replace the D reg saloon he'd had for ages, we went to the Vauxhall showroom and they had new Vauxhall Astra SX there. It had foglights, sports bumpers/seats/spoiler and alloy wheels. I thought it was cool as. The price was £11,165 accoring to the salesman and my heart sank as I knew it was too much for a second car for us. Anyway the salesman said he could do a deal as it was the new shapes were coming out soon, so we sat down to talk.
Evetually he came £8,600, a years free insurance and £500 cashback from Vauxhall. My Dad asked me 'well, shall we go for it?'. Obviously a gave a big yes and 4 weeks later J744 WWG in Mistral Grey came to live with us. It looked just like this....
Only a year later someone stole it and burnt it out.
Dads had a few nice cars but this one for me was the favourite. Happy days!
Evetually he came £8,600, a years free insurance and £500 cashback from Vauxhall. My Dad asked me 'well, shall we go for it?'. Obviously a gave a big yes and 4 weeks later J744 WWG in Mistral Grey came to live with us. It looked just like this....
Only a year later someone stole it and burnt it out.
Dads had a few nice cars but this one for me was the favourite. Happy days!
None of my family were into cars, not one. My Dad owned a succession of bland, instantly forgettable Morris/Hillman/BMC family estates and saloons but the one I wish I remember more about, I was 3-4 at the time he owned it, was an American (or Canadian) Ford (I think...) which he bought from an American airman who was going back to the states. It was a huge pre-war model, intended to be chauffeur driven as it had a wind-up partition between the front and rear. Dad had bought it because my Mum had just had twins and it carried all of us, plus baby stuff x 2, plus a pram on the back in comfort. He sold it around 1958-ish and bought an Austin A40 Devon instead...
Ford Capri 1.6 Lazer in black (A653 YSX probably long since gone)
Toyota Celica GTR (Jap import with 4WS and a few other JDM-type stuff (G605 NVF)
My uncle had a white Astra GTE 8v which a 5yo me thought was the fastest car on earth and obviously derived from Knight Rider due to the digital dash
Toyota Celica GTR (Jap import with 4WS and a few other JDM-type stuff (G605 NVF)
My uncle had a white Astra GTE 8v which a 5yo me thought was the fastest car on earth and obviously derived from Knight Rider due to the digital dash
On another note - it was my mum that had the pick of the cars.
The first I remember was an Escort XR3, then an XR3i, Then an Astra GTI Mk2, then she had one of the first MX5s in the UK (honestly - she'd seen one just after it's launch in the US and as soon as she came back she went to the local Mazda and demanded they take a deposit even though they had no idea when it was going to be launched in the UK) then she got a late 1980's Merc 500SL which she still has.
The first I remember was an Escort XR3, then an XR3i, Then an Astra GTI Mk2, then she had one of the first MX5s in the UK (honestly - she'd seen one just after it's launch in the US and as soon as she came back she went to the local Mazda and demanded they take a deposit even though they had no idea when it was going to be launched in the UK) then she got a late 1980's Merc 500SL which she still has.
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