Vehicles you liked to see as a child
Vehicles you liked to see as a child
Author
Discussion

DickyC

Original Poster:

58,651 posts

228 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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A car nut from an early age, I loved seeing cars, vans and trucks that were a bit out of the ordinary.

There were the, "Cor! Look at that!" variety.





And there were the ones I just enjoyed seeing.


glazbagun

15,376 posts

227 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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I remember thinking the difference between the MK 2&3 Fiesta's rear light cluster was really futuristic. And the way the indicators swooped upwards.



Japanese cars weren't as common then. The CRX was a cool looking thing, but I also loved the tinted Aerodeck with pop-ups.:



mike9009

10,955 posts

273 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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The Jag XJS always got me as a kid.

It was not exotica which you would never see, but always thought 'wow' when I saw one in the flesh.....

Strangely, the flying buttresses at the rear seemed the attraction and probably why my first sports car was a MK1 MR2 followed by a vx220.


Never owned an XJS though...



brownspeed

1,157 posts

161 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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those 6 wheel military troop carriers (there's a resto thread on one somewhere on PH- I had a matchbox toy model of one) and DUKW amphibious landing crafts (there was one on the beach at Moelfre Anglesey when I was a lad; I never saw it move though)
ANY fire engine of course


Nicks90

884 posts

84 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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Matra rancho

Bloke across town owned one when I was a wee nipper and I just loved it, looked soooooo different to everything else at the time and I got quite excited everytime I saw it.

MitchT

17,143 posts

239 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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As a kid...
  • Any bus that wasn't within the scope of the stuff that worked the local services.
  • The dustbin wagon - I used to love watching them empty the bins into the back and the big teeth coming down and crushing it all.
  • American cars.
  • Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Growing up in West Yorkshire I can count the number of these I saw on one hand until they recently became ten-a-penny around Bradford and Keighley.

BricktopST205

2,734 posts

164 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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Being a child of the late 80's I can remember seeing my first MK3 Mondeo. Felt like I was in a new century when the vast majority of people were driving in Sierra's, Orion's, Cav's etc.

I would actually say the 90's marked a monumental shift in car design that I never witnessed before or since.

dxg

10,771 posts

290 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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I really used to like BT vans. Don't know why, but there was something about that particular shade of yellow.

Austin Prefect

2,709 posts

22 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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When I was very young I liked big Healeys, they looked like they were smiling.

Up until the 80s it was a real treat to see an Aston Martin, now you see several a day.

Michael_B

1,872 posts

130 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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On the drive[1] to school in mid 70s as an 11 year old there was a house with one of these parked on the driveway.



My Dad used to slow down so I could gawp at it.

[1] I got a lift most of the way as it was on my father’s route to work, though I had to walk the last 1/2 mile to the school gates. After school I had to walk the full 3.5 miles back, though it was mostly downhill.

InfamousK

841 posts

220 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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The

Thanks to Colin White doing the National Hot Rods.

Dbag101

1,098 posts

24 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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It usually meant I was off to get fixed up, having done something utterly stupid, and I might not die after all.

Dbag101

1,098 posts

24 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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InfamousK said:
The

Thanks to Colin White doing the National Hot Rods.
Wing mirrors used on the McLaren F1 too.

s m

24,479 posts

233 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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A Citroen DS at the lights so I could watch it sink on its suspension

WrekinCrew

5,711 posts

180 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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LunarOne

7,325 posts

167 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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Nicks90 said:
Matra rancho

Bloke across town owned one when I was a wee nipper and I just loved it, looked soooooo different to everything else at the time and I got quite excited everytime I saw it.
I came here to post this. One of the parents of one of the kids at my school had one in a sort of moss green colour if I remember rightly, and I loved the way it looked.

LunarOne

7,325 posts

167 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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Any French car which had those weird little conical 1960/70s hubcaps. I was fascinated.

miniman

30,102 posts

292 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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I remember being desperate to have a ride in a Sierra when they came out. A relative duly turned up with one and I was delighted. Spotting an XR4i with the twin spoiler was a treat.



I also used to walk to school past a garage that regularly had 2 or 3 TVR Wedges in stock and they seemed highly exotic and desirable.

remedy

2,306 posts

221 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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Dbag101 said:


It usually meant I was off to get fixed up, having done something utterly stupid, and I might not die after all.
That just reminds me of OFAH, when Del gets ripped off by the guy selling gold chains.

But, relatedly, I always had a soft spot for the Capri. And Opel Manta. And the Ford Probe (24v). Now that was futuristic.

Stick Legs

8,984 posts

195 months

Sunday 23rd February 2025
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The Leyland Boxer / Terrier / Clydesdale trucks.

Always looked ‘happy’.