Being a young petrolhead in days gone by..
Discussion
With rising fuel prices, insurance costs and an ever more dreary choice for our early cars petrolheads seem to be a rare breed in younger generations of recent years. The few of us there are make the most of what we've got, but things still seemed better in the past 
I just thought of this post after spending the evening at a family friends birthday with one of her grandparents, who is a massive petrolhead. His stories from the 50's and 60's were fantastic!
He was telling me about, age 17, his dad allowing them the keys to his brand new Jaguar XK140 to take a girl out on a first date. Then attempting to impress her by unclipping the convertible roof at 120mph and letting it fly back.
He went on to talk about the times out with his mates in their early 20's. Watching Paddy Hopkirk flying through Kielder Forest in a Mini Cooper. Seeing him come down a hill, pitch the car completely sideways into a corner in front of them, then the front end just gripping up on exit and the car darting forward. He and his mates then came down the same hill in his mate Ford Anglia, once the rally had past through, and tried the same thing. They were confused when rather than flying through the next bit of the forest they ended up backwards down a hill in a river. They had to go find a farmer to pull them out
This might just be a bit of 'the grass is greener' and rose tinted specs etc, but anyway. Do any of you 'older gents' have interesting stories from your youth as a petrolhead?
I just thought of this post after spending the evening at a family friends birthday with one of her grandparents, who is a massive petrolhead. His stories from the 50's and 60's were fantastic!
He was telling me about, age 17, his dad allowing them the keys to his brand new Jaguar XK140 to take a girl out on a first date. Then attempting to impress her by unclipping the convertible roof at 120mph and letting it fly back.
He went on to talk about the times out with his mates in their early 20's. Watching Paddy Hopkirk flying through Kielder Forest in a Mini Cooper. Seeing him come down a hill, pitch the car completely sideways into a corner in front of them, then the front end just gripping up on exit and the car darting forward. He and his mates then came down the same hill in his mate Ford Anglia, once the rally had past through, and tried the same thing. They were confused when rather than flying through the next bit of the forest they ended up backwards down a hill in a river. They had to go find a farmer to pull them out
This might just be a bit of 'the grass is greener' and rose tinted specs etc, but anyway. Do any of you 'older gents' have interesting stories from your youth as a petrolhead?
I passed my test at 17 in 1980. Insurance was expensive then, about £120 a year for an Austin 1300. A lot of money when my salary was £2250/year. I refused to borrow money to buy or run cars so couldn't afford my first decent car until I was 24, a Mk1 Fiesta XR2. But from 25 on I had some decent stuff, Supra 2.8 and the like.
I think young drivers today have it better. The most basic of cars, a Citroen C1 or suchlike, is a million times better then the 70's British garbage we had to choose from. As a youngster I had Austins, Triumphs, Metros, Minis, and they were all slow and unreliable. At least you get in a car today and theres a good chance it'll get you to where you want to go.
I think young drivers today have it better. The most basic of cars, a Citroen C1 or suchlike, is a million times better then the 70's British garbage we had to choose from. As a youngster I had Austins, Triumphs, Metros, Minis, and they were all slow and unreliable. At least you get in a car today and theres a good chance it'll get you to where you want to go.
U T said:
I passed my test at 17 in 1980. Insurance was expensive then, about £120 a year for an Austin 1300. A lot of money when my salary was £2250/year. I refused to borrow money to buy or run cars so couldn't afford my first decent car until I was 24, a Mk1 Fiesta XR2. But from 25 on I had some decent stuff, Supra 2.8 and the like.
I think young drivers today have it better. The most basic of cars, a Citroen C1 or suchlike, is a million times better then the 70's British garbage we had to choose from. As a youngster I had Austins, Triumphs, Metros, Minis, and they were all slow and unreliable. At least you get in a car today and theres a good chance it'll get you to where you want to go.
I wouldn't call that expensive at all. I've no idea what an Austin 1300 is... but how many 17 year olds today do you think could get a car insurance quote for anything at all for 5% of their current annual salary? I think young drivers today have it better. The most basic of cars, a Citroen C1 or suchlike, is a million times better then the 70's British garbage we had to choose from. As a youngster I had Austins, Triumphs, Metros, Minis, and they were all slow and unreliable. At least you get in a car today and theres a good chance it'll get you to where you want to go.
Any 17 year olds reading who care to share what % of their salary their insurance costs? I'm curious now.
Tyrion said:
I wouldn't call that expensive at all. I've no idea what an Austin 1300 is... but how many 17 year olds today do you think could get a car insurance quote for anything at all for 5% of their current annual salary?
Any 17 year olds reading who care to share what % of their salary their insurance costs? I'm curious now.
Mines is around 25%, on a wage of ~£10,000Any 17 year olds reading who care to share what % of their salary their insurance costs? I'm curious now.
Tyrion said:
U T said:
I passed my test at 17 in 1980. Insurance was expensive then, about £120 a year for an Austin 1300. A lot of money when my salary was £2250/year. I refused to borrow money to buy or run cars so couldn't afford my first decent car until I was 24, a Mk1 Fiesta XR2. But from 25 on I had some decent stuff, Supra 2.8 and the like.
I think young drivers today have it better. The most basic of cars, a Citroen C1 or suchlike, is a million times better then the 70's British garbage we had to choose from. As a youngster I had Austins, Triumphs, Metros, Minis, and they were all slow and unreliable. At least you get in a car today and theres a good chance it'll get you to where you want to go.
I wouldn't call that expensive at all. I've no idea what an Austin 1300 is... but how many 17 year olds today do you think could get a car insurance quote for anything at all for 5% of their current annual salary? I think young drivers today have it better. The most basic of cars, a Citroen C1 or suchlike, is a million times better then the 70's British garbage we had to choose from. As a youngster I had Austins, Triumphs, Metros, Minis, and they were all slow and unreliable. At least you get in a car today and theres a good chance it'll get you to where you want to go.
Any 17 year olds reading who care to share what % of their salary their insurance costs? I'm curious now.
Deranged Granny said:
You are also forgetting the lack of insurable RWD cars (surely a huge loss for a young petrolhead such as I).
Mazda MX5 and Toyota MR2 were among the cheapest cars I got quotes for this year.Unless you mean, there are no ridiculously underpowered RWD cars now (not including "classics"), in which case, you're right.
I think some eras are better than others, I started driving in the mid Nineties, the choice of affordable cars was good, petrol was cheaper and insurance was at least half as expensive if not more than it is now.
I think the biggest dissinsentive at the moment has to be cost of insurance, honestly £2k for a year on something quite dull? My first car was a mini, bought it for £700 when I was 19 and paid around the £500 mark for insurance, drove it like a burk! I wouldn't want to be a teenager at the mo, thats for sure.
I think the biggest dissinsentive at the moment has to be cost of insurance, honestly £2k for a year on something quite dull? My first car was a mini, bought it for £700 when I was 19 and paid around the £500 mark for insurance, drove it like a burk! I wouldn't want to be a teenager at the mo, thats for sure.
yes when I staerted even the common cortina Mk4 gave a good dose of oppo lock action!
First car in 1984 was a 1967 318 Dodge Dart , then Fiat 131 supermiafiori ,volvo 120 Amazon, Hillman Hunter GLS, Fiat 132 ,Couple of imps and minis and then a Nova sport from Harry Hockley all before the age of 20!
The insurance back then was amazingly cheap especially TPFT.
First car in 1984 was a 1967 318 Dodge Dart , then Fiat 131 supermiafiori ,volvo 120 Amazon, Hillman Hunter GLS, Fiat 132 ,Couple of imps and minis and then a Nova sport from Harry Hockley all before the age of 20!
The insurance back then was amazingly cheap especially TPFT.
interloper said:
I think some eras are better than others, I started driving in the mid Nineties, the choice of affordable cars was good, petrol was cheaper and insurance was at least half as expensive if not more than it is now.
I think the biggest dissinsentive at the moment has to be cost of insurance, honestly £2k for a year on something quite dull? My first car was a mini, bought it for £700 when I was 19 and paid around the £500 mark for insurance, drove it like a burk! I wouldn't want to be a teenager at the mo, thats for sure.
Most 19 y/olds drive like berks, that's why the insurance is £2KI think the biggest dissinsentive at the moment has to be cost of insurance, honestly £2k for a year on something quite dull? My first car was a mini, bought it for £700 when I was 19 and paid around the £500 mark for insurance, drove it like a burk! I wouldn't want to be a teenager at the mo, thats for sure.
TameRacingDriver said:
Mazda MX5 and Toyota MR2 were among the cheapest cars I got quotes for this year.
Unless you mean, there are no ridiculously underpowered RWD cars now (not including "classics"), in which case, you're right.
Your statement holds true even including classics. I'm 20 now with 3 years' driving experience; tried MX5s, tried MR2s, tried Sierras, tried Cortinas, tried Escorts (MK I & II), tried BMWs, tried Mercedes, tried MGBs, tried Volvos, tried everything. There's bugger all out there until you're 21 at least.Unless you mean, there are no ridiculously underpowered RWD cars now (not including "classics"), in which case, you're right.
Edited by Deranged Granny on Sunday 27th November 20:38
I started in 1984, £300 Hillman Avenger, £200 insurance, earning about £80 a week I seem to remember. Insurance about half that the next year because we all got to know a man from the Pru who was a bit dodgy, he was not absolutely truthful about what we done for jobs, I think we all worked on farms.
Tyrion said:
I wouldn't call that expensive at all. I've no idea what an Austin 1300 is... but how many 17 year olds today do you think could get a car insurance quote for anything at all for 5% of their current annual salary?
Any 17 year olds reading who care to share what % of their salary their insurance costs? I'm curious now.
I'm 18 and for mine (see garage) it is around %5 of my yearly income to insure (based on last years total)Any 17 year olds reading who care to share what % of their salary their insurance costs? I'm curious now.
interloper said:
I think some eras are better than others, I started driving in the mid Nineties, the choice of affordable cars was good, petrol was cheaper and insurance was at least half as expensive if not more than it is now.
I think the biggest dissinsentive at the moment has to be cost of insurance, honestly £2k for a year on something quite dull? My first car was a mini, bought it for £700 when I was 19 and paid around the £500 mark for insurance, drove it like a burk! I wouldn't want to be a teenager at the mo, thats for sure.
Agreed.I passed my test in 1992 by age 22 i was driving around in a 300bhp sapphire cosworth.Insurance was £650tpft(not declaring mods of course!) and petrol was about half the price it is now!I think the biggest dissinsentive at the moment has to be cost of insurance, honestly £2k for a year on something quite dull? My first car was a mini, bought it for £700 when I was 19 and paid around the £500 mark for insurance, drove it like a burk! I wouldn't want to be a teenager at the mo, thats for sure.
Most 22 yr olds i know now are still driving around in s
tty old saxos and the like and having to pay a fortune on insurance and petrol for the privelige.And as for tyring to buy themselves a house.....forget it.
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