What's your motoring history?

[MX-5 Lazza]

Seeing a comments about previous cars got me thinking so I though I'd start this thread so we could list our motoring history:

Me - in the correct order if my memory is working correctly...

• Vauxhall Viva HL (really old...)
• Ford Cortina MkIII 1.6
• Rover P6 2000SC
• Vauxhall Chevette Hatchback
• Ford Cortina MkIII 2.0 GT (2dr coupé - I loved that car - bright orange!)
• Rover P6 2000TC (1971 car into which I put a rebuilt 2200TC engine - a really great car, wish I'd kept it)
• Rover 216 SE (1985 car in "Champagne" i.e. beige. No power whatsoever)
• Toyota Carina II 2.0 GLi Executive (wins the award for "Car I've owned with longest name")
• Mazda MX5 1.8i Berkeley (bought new in 1998 and kept for 7 years)
• Mazda MX5 1.8i Sport (now MP62 supercharged. I can't see me selling it in the foreseeable future)
• Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec (Bought to do the boring stuff - actually a really good car)

I had a few motorbikes before I moved to cars but nothing big (I didn't have a bike licence)...

• Malaguti 50cc trial bike
• Yamaha FS1e
• Suzuki GP100
• Suzuki GT250 (I know - but I was young & foolish and didn't worry about things like tax, licence, insurance, life, world peace...)
• Suzuki A100 (a bit of a classic, very early model)
• Yamaha AS1 (even more of a classic - 125cc twin cylinder precursor to RD125 produced before bikes were restricted so was damn quick for a 125 - could almost keep up with the GT250. Overlapped with the Viva & Cortina)

I loved biking but it's just too dangerous. A knob in a car can kill you regardless of how safely you ride. After 3 accidents, one potentially serious (I miraculously survived with a few flesh wounds) I decided to stick to cars.

Spill the beans - what did you have, good bad & ugly

[MX-5 Lazza]

neil_bolton said:

Sideways.

no matter what I'm controlling

So was the guy who nearly killed me on my motorbike which is why I'm anti-sideways on the road

[MX-5 Lazza]

bluetone said:

mike9009 said:

1986 Austin Metro

Well done Mike; you win shed-of-the-thread so far!

you've obviously never driven a Viva HL like me or an Austin 1100 like gdaybruce (a girlfriends mum had one which I borrowed sometimes so I know how it feels i.e. an empty box with seats, wheels and an engine. Plenty of space but absolutely no comfort or thought of luxury. The front bench seat was useful though ).
My mrs used to have a Metro however, a 1275 GT and while it was a bit of a shed it was. Great car to fling along a country road with oversteer available that could bd controlled with the throttle, in fact in many ways it was similar to an MX5 -slow but great fun.

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Tuesday 12th January 22:59

[MX-5 Lazza]

Maz8062 - what was the Isuzu Piazza Turbo like to own?
I nearly bought one when I was 21, it would have been less than 3 years old at the time. I really wanted it but couldn't find insurance for a reasonable price so ended up with the Rover 216SE instead lol.
The one I test drove felt great with a strong engine and good handling (compared to what I had before).

[MX-5 Lazza]

I didn't really have photos of my old cars except...



and...



and (oh dear)...



I'm sure there is a picture of my old Chevette somewhere - it looked "good" in red with a black Starsky & Hutch style black stripe/tick

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Wednesday 13th January 16:24

[MX-5 Lazza]

FELIX_5 said:

Lazza, were those OZ's on your MK1 and were they 15"?

Yep. The standard Berkeley wheels weigh a ton!

I actually didn't plan to change them but I hit an enormous pot-hole which bent 2 wheels. I did get them straightened (Berkeley wheels are like hens-teeth) but I just didn't trust them any more so bought a set of OZ SuperL in 15".
They looked great and were very lightweight but contrary to what everyone says, the ride became more crashy and it uffered from a lot more tram-lining with the OZs. I think it might be due to the heavy Berkeley wheels making the tyres absorb some of the bumps whereas the light OZs reacted to every slight imperfection. It wasn't the tyres that caused it either - I had Bridgestone SO2 which were transfered from the Berkeley wheels to the OZs so no change.

OC members might recognise this picture:

A virtual pint goes to anyone who can say where they might have seen it (other than on various forums)

[MX-5 Lazza]

Evangelion said:

... and the Lotus badge!

http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&a...

[MX-5 Lazza]

gdaybruce said:

Colin Anthony Bruce Chapman should, I guess, feel posthumously flattered by the tribute!

Not sure about him but Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman might well feel posthumously flattered

[MX-5 Lazza]

FELIX_5 said:

Has that pic been used in an OC Calender???

Nope.

gdaybruce said:

MX-5 Lazza said:

gdaybruce said:

Colin Anthony Bruce Chapman should, I guess, feel posthumously flattered by the tribute!

Not sure about him but Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman might well feel posthumously flattered

Damn! Outdone by a bigger pedant than me!

My father worked for Lotus for 40 years, my brother for 10 years and me for 1 year - I actually met Colin a couple of times though that was before I worked there (he was dead by then). He was a proper big-head but likeable and everybody respected him for his undoubted talents.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Planet Claire said:

MX-5 Lazza said:

A virtual pint goes to anyone who can say where they might have seen it (other than on various forums)

From the OC mag - Cox & Buckles advert, or some other MX5 place

Correct! (though I'm sure I've mentioned it at a few meets so I'd be disappointed if you didn't know that )

I never actually took the car to Cox & Buckles but then the ad doesn't claim that I did

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Thursday 14th January 14:08

[MX-5 Lazza]

71notout said:

Mitsubishi Shogun 2.8 TD GLS LWB - P116HSL

Where did you get the Fiesta bonnet ornament? LOL