The best car your Dad had....
Discussion
Great thread!
Unfortunately my Dad's list of cars does not set the pulse racing....to be fair to him he worked in the middle east and only came home every 20 weeks for 2 weeks so he rarely drove them (abroad he drove a toyota pick up)
1) 1975 Ford Cortina in purple with vinyl roof - for some inexplicable reason he wrote to my mum and asked her to get it resprayed in gold (which I believe might have been a ford colour) which it duly was.
2) 1983 light metallic green Nissan Cherry - new.
3) Nissan Sunny 5 dr Hatch. From memory this car was a year old when my Dad bought it - The car was dark blue but for some reason the previous owner saw fit to get light blue panels sprayed up the sides....
4) 1987 Nissan Sunny 4 door (New) - I learned to drive in this car which I subsequently worte off 6 months later when my Dad was abroad.
5) The sunny was replaced with a Rover 213S in gunmetal grey which was sold when my parents split up.
Since then I have bought my mum Nissan Micra's from auction (mainly motibility) which have all been good cars. Before I went to uni I worked for a friend of the family who was a car trader (he spent most of the day pricing cars on his mobile phone for main dealers which we then took straight to auction) which got me into cars. I was able to drive some pretty nice cars during this time - in fact one of the first cars I owned was a 1979 Porsche 924 which had been traded in - looked great and drove well apart from a dodgy syncro. I paid £1300 for it and yes the insurance was an issue!
Unfortunately my Dad's list of cars does not set the pulse racing....to be fair to him he worked in the middle east and only came home every 20 weeks for 2 weeks so he rarely drove them (abroad he drove a toyota pick up)
1) 1975 Ford Cortina in purple with vinyl roof - for some inexplicable reason he wrote to my mum and asked her to get it resprayed in gold (which I believe might have been a ford colour) which it duly was.
2) 1983 light metallic green Nissan Cherry - new.
3) Nissan Sunny 5 dr Hatch. From memory this car was a year old when my Dad bought it - The car was dark blue but for some reason the previous owner saw fit to get light blue panels sprayed up the sides....
4) 1987 Nissan Sunny 4 door (New) - I learned to drive in this car which I subsequently worte off 6 months later when my Dad was abroad.
5) The sunny was replaced with a Rover 213S in gunmetal grey which was sold when my parents split up.
Since then I have bought my mum Nissan Micra's from auction (mainly motibility) which have all been good cars. Before I went to uni I worked for a friend of the family who was a car trader (he spent most of the day pricing cars on his mobile phone for main dealers which we then took straight to auction) which got me into cars. I was able to drive some pretty nice cars during this time - in fact one of the first cars I owned was a 1979 Porsche 924 which had been traded in - looked great and drove well apart from a dodgy syncro. I paid £1300 for it and yes the insurance was an issue!
I remember Dad coming home with a red brand new Series III V12 E type, he also had some XJS's later that I remember being awesome on long trips.
Whilst the Jags were nice, he also had Chrysler by Chrysler which had a 360 cube motor, we had many family holidays in that a big, powerful american style sedan with bags of torque, it felt very powerful.
Whilst the Jags were nice, he also had Chrysler by Chrysler which had a 360 cube motor, we had many family holidays in that a big, powerful american style sedan with bags of torque, it felt very powerful.
Only one,
A 1996 Ford Mondeo SLX 1.8TD in Dark Aubergene
I loved it, I was only 4 when he sold it for a Millenium Mk2 Mondeo in 2000.
Trying to track it down but it wasn't taxed since '06. Hopefully just parked in a garage somewhere.
But currently he has 15 cars, so definately a petrol head. Impossible to just choose one.
A 1996 Ford Mondeo SLX 1.8TD in Dark Aubergene
I loved it, I was only 4 when he sold it for a Millenium Mk2 Mondeo in 2000.Trying to track it down but it wasn't taxed since '06.
Hopefully just parked in a garage somewhere.But currently he has 15 cars, so definately a petrol head. Impossible to just choose one.
My Dad has had an endless string of dull cars for as long as I can remember - generally brand new Escorts in boggo spec (we had one of the first Mk5's, 1.3L trim in metallic mint green).
The best car he has ever had in my eyes was a result of his E reg Escort being written off - the stopgap car until the Mk5 arrived was a Cortina. It was a 1.6 GL in orange, with a rubber boot spoiler and twin carbs. I loved it. JUU 843W. Wonder if it is still going?
The best car he has ever had in my eyes was a result of his E reg Escort being written off - the stopgap car until the Mk5 arrived was a Cortina. It was a 1.6 GL in orange, with a rubber boot spoiler and twin carbs. I loved it. JUU 843W. Wonder if it is still going?
My dad used change his brand new company car every three months during the early nineties but was only limited to vauxhalls.
Some of the ones he had were:
1991 Astra GTE 8V (During the three months of ownership it was vandalised and someone tried to break in to it whilst he was in London on business)
1991 Cavalier 2.0 CDi
1992 Cavalier Sri 8V
1993 Carlton Diamond estate, thought it was great at the time fully loaded with everything.
Some of the ones he had were:
1991 Astra GTE 8V (During the three months of ownership it was vandalised and someone tried to break in to it whilst he was in London on business)
1991 Cavalier 2.0 CDi
1992 Cavalier Sri 8V
1993 Carlton Diamond estate, thought it was great at the time fully loaded with everything.
this is a great idea for a thread.
my dad had some great cars which had a huge impression on me of course, things like
escort cosworth
3 door sierra cosworth
xr4x4 turbo technics
alfa sud/golf gti/scirocco/xr2
various lotus - elan+2's, elite, eclat
Tr7 convertible, GT6, MG-B Gt, Fiat 124 coupe, Fulvia
Lots of tuned minis - 1275-S estate, pick up's etc
plus racing/rallycross minis
But some of the best memories are of making absurdly quick progress in cars that should have never have been driven in that style (all with the minimum off effort) in things like 1.3 escort, marina's, cavalier 2.0, transit 2.0 petrol, vw caravelle v5, mini estate, capri (non v6), subaru XT turbo - some real 2 star cars but never ever being outbraked or out-cornered or out-manouvered in traffic! RIP.
my dad had some great cars which had a huge impression on me of course, things like
escort cosworth
3 door sierra cosworth
xr4x4 turbo technics
alfa sud/golf gti/scirocco/xr2
various lotus - elan+2's, elite, eclat
Tr7 convertible, GT6, MG-B Gt, Fiat 124 coupe, Fulvia
Lots of tuned minis - 1275-S estate, pick up's etc
plus racing/rallycross minis
But some of the best memories are of making absurdly quick progress in cars that should have never have been driven in that style (all with the minimum off effort) in things like 1.3 escort, marina's, cavalier 2.0, transit 2.0 petrol, vw caravelle v5, mini estate, capri (non v6), subaru XT turbo - some real 2 star cars but never ever being outbraked or out-cornered or out-manouvered in traffic! RIP.
This was my Dads best car an XJS Sport commisioned at the Jag dealer in Leeds, had special paint, wheels and headlights and vents in the bonnet, and a phone hence the second ariel. All sounds a bit naff now but back in 1980 this was a top motor. No doubt rusted to nothing now
Edited by Phil Dicky on Thursday 10th February 20:35
Edited by Phil Dicky on Tuesday 15th February 22:16
My Dad had some alright cars; an early Manta B GT/E, Calibra SE2 and turbo, BMW E32 735i, Jaguar Sovereign, a selection of *ahem* Rover, all pretty varied.
But the one that holds the dearest place in my heart, despite being followed by the V6 Turbo version, was his Phase 2 Renault 25 Monaco. I can't find a picture of a Monaco interior, but if you saw it (or remember them?) then you'd understand.
But the one that holds the dearest place in my heart, despite being followed by the V6 Turbo version, was his Phase 2 Renault 25 Monaco. I can't find a picture of a Monaco interior, but if you saw it (or remember them?) then you'd understand.
The one I'll always remember because it's the only brand new car he ever had. It was a mk3 Cortina 1.6L, chocolate brown with a fawn vynal roof and a fawn interior. I think it was an S plate and I must have been about 5. I was never again as excited as I was waiting for him to get it home until I got a 48k Spectrum for Christmas.......
When I was a kid my father inherited a Renault Fuego Turbo...
...which to this day, I still think is a cool car. He said it was awful, although it'd been undersealed from new so was probably one of the few non-rusty ones!
The most unusual was probably an armoured RR Classic he had in Kuwait...
The best was probably a TDV8 FFRR, although he's since binned that for one of the new V70's which he seems to prefer...
...which to this day, I still think is a cool car. He said it was awful, although it'd been undersealed from new so was probably one of the few non-rusty ones!
The most unusual was probably an armoured RR Classic he had in Kuwait...
The best was probably a TDV8 FFRR, although he's since binned that for one of the new V70's which he seems to prefer...
Garlick said:
I've mentioned this before, but Dad had a '79 Cavalier 1.3L finished in yellow (YUC 838T) with a black vinyl roof.
He bought me a numberplate saying 'PAUL 1' to put on my bedroom wall, and occasionally he would attach it to the Cavalier and I would stand next to it all day feeling proud - or sit inside and listen to Capital Radio with my best mate Wayne
Nowadays kids like happy slapping, these were simpler times.
Memories.....
Aha, I used to love sitting and playing in the car, pressing all the pedals and changing the gears, pretend I was driving everywhere, on the drive, in supermarket car parks, radio on etc, can't believe my parents trusted me with the keys to their cars, but the only bad thing to ever happen was the first Audi got a flat battery because I kept wiping the windscreen and demisting etc... The Discovery was the first thing I ever did it in, was so cool, apart from the time Dad got miffed because I'd been playing with the low-ratio box and he couldn't get the car to move...He bought me a numberplate saying 'PAUL 1' to put on my bedroom wall, and occasionally he would attach it to the Cavalier and I would stand next to it all day feeling proud - or sit inside and listen to Capital Radio with my best mate Wayne
Nowadays kids like happy slapping, these were simpler times.
Memories.....
Phil Dicky said:
This was my Dads best car an XJS Sport commisioned at the Jag dealer in Leeds, had special paint, wheels and headlights and vents in the bonnet, and a phone hence the second ariel. All sounds a bit naff now but back in 1980 this was a top motor. No doubt rusted to nothing now
Edited by Phil Dicky on Thursday 10th February 20:35
Egg Chaser said:
I'm too ashamed to name it, because even his 'best' was absolutely terrible, just like his current car.
Though he did have an Alfa Romeo (Giulietta I think), but that was before I was born.
ETA- Looking back at my Dad's cars, it's quite hard to see where my petrolheadishness (technical term) came from
Tell me about it. He has a mk2 escort, which was the coolest thing.Though he did have an Alfa Romeo (Giulietta I think), but that was before I was born.
ETA- Looking back at my Dad's cars, it's quite hard to see where my petrolheadishness (technical term) came from
Edited by Egg Chaser on Wednesday 9th February 22:59
As far as my memory goes, he has had a triumph acclaim? Then bought a brand new skoda felicia? then a fiat marea?
WTF!
My Dad does like cars, but he's mostly too sensible to be a proper petrolhead. The highlight during my lifetime was his brief exit from the company car scheme where he bought a new 330Ci in 2001.
Otherwise it has been dull company Vauxhall's (I'll admit i like his '97 Vectra SRi at the time!) and prior to that a new Maestro followed by a Metro!
Before I was born he did have a new '81 Audi 80 (I think!) and mk1 Golf. They don't really make up for the Marina before that, even if it was so he could transport my ill
Otherwise it has been dull company Vauxhall's (I'll admit i like his '97 Vectra SRi at the time!) and prior to that a new Maestro followed by a Metro!
Before I was born he did have a new '81 Audi 80 (I think!) and mk1 Golf. They don't really make up for the Marina before that, even if it was so he could transport my ill
Garlick said:
Phil Dicky said:
This was my Dads best car an XJS Sport commisioned at the Jag dealer in Leeds, had special paint, wheels and headlights and vents in the bonnet, and a phone hence the second ariel. All sounds a bit naff now but back in 1980 this was a top motor. No doubt rusted to nothing now
Edited by Phil Dicky on Thursday 10th February 20:35
hornetrider said:
3500 SD1.
Mine too.. 
In fact he had 4 in a row, think he liked them! The one I remember most was his 1st - ULC 155R - which I spotted in a car sales place in about 1980, ended up very rusty...
The other favourite one was Gold - BRW???Y - which we were told was a Jaguar colour as the car had been sprayed to test a new paint. That was a manual gearbox car too which was pretty rare.
He always wanted a Vitesse but never quite got around to getting one but now he is in his 70's is quite happy driving around in a Range Rover Classic LSE
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