The best car your Dad had....
Discussion
Probably the best car (from a PH perspective) Dad has owned in my lifetime was a Mk2 Escort RS2000 in the early 80s. Bright yellow. But in truth I was too young to really appreciate it.
The best car that I really remember was a x-reg Capri that he was given by my grandpa, who owned it from new. Dad had it for a year or so around 1989 and it smelled of grandpa's pipe tobacco. It was only the 1600cc version but it looked and felt so cool - low to the ground and two tone grey. I think I was 10 when dad sold it and I remember being tearfully sad to see it go. And I can still remember the registration number: XRE700X.
I've come over all nostalgic.
The best car that I really remember was a x-reg Capri that he was given by my grandpa, who owned it from new. Dad had it for a year or so around 1989 and it smelled of grandpa's pipe tobacco. It was only the 1600cc version but it looked and felt so cool - low to the ground and two tone grey. I think I was 10 when dad sold it and I remember being tearfully sad to see it go. And I can still remember the registration number: XRE700X.
I've come over all nostalgic.
Ford granada savage. Either a very very rare car (haven't found anything on google) or it had the 3.0 Savage Essex v6 dropped in. That was before I was born.
He did have a R5 GTT around 1990 which was pretty cool, lots of other stuff as well. Bay window VW's, a MK2 MR2 and a Citroen BX estate which was a novelty as was the Rover V8 Daf van.
He did have a R5 GTT around 1990 which was pretty cool, lots of other stuff as well. Bay window VW's, a MK2 MR2 and a Citroen BX estate which was a novelty as was the Rover V8 Daf van.
Mars said:
Gotta post this one too. Dad used to write all of our names on a front wheel (in chalk) then when he stopped, whoever's name was pointing to the ground won 50p. Of course, the joker that he was, he'd stop, then reverse a bit, then go forward a bit... all the time claiming he was lining his own "win" up (there was no way he could see it and this was after some 150 miles). 
This was a dreadful car (Mom's Talbot Solara) but Dad used to chalk-up most of their cars when we were kids.
Fantastic story This was a dreadful car (Mom's Talbot Solara) but Dad used to chalk-up most of their cars when we were kids.
In the late 60's my Dad had a wreck of an XK120 reg RYB1. It was hand painted in orange! Saw an ad for it about 15 years ago, fully restored.
Step dad then came along. Worked in the early 70's for a BMW dealership called Langley Motors in Thames Ditton. Would often arrive home in all manner of 'exotica' , my favourites being the 3.0 CSL Batmobile and the E3 3.3L , sligtly stretched saloon.
At this time BMW were on their knees and still quite rare on UK roads.
Step dad then came along. Worked in the early 70's for a BMW dealership called Langley Motors in Thames Ditton. Would often arrive home in all manner of 'exotica' , my favourites being the 3.0 CSL Batmobile and the E3 3.3L , sligtly stretched saloon.
At this time BMW were on their knees and still quite rare on UK roads.
Cars my Dad has had during my lifetime
Mk.1 Astra estate in brown, drove me back from the hospital in it
Mk.2 Astra hatch
MG Montego
Sierra estate that had a car phone
Fiat Uno with tweed seats
Ford Focus
So yeah..........thrilling. Although I like Sierras and have a curious desire for an MG Montego in BRG
Mk.1 Astra estate in brown, drove me back from the hospital in it
Mk.2 Astra hatch
MG Montego
Sierra estate that had a car phone
Fiat Uno with tweed seats
Ford Focus
So yeah..........thrilling. Although I like Sierras and have a curious desire for an MG Montego in BRG
I think this thread will run and run.
I guess a lot of us inherited our PH tendencies from our dear old dads, inspired by helping him steer while driving down the beach, or sitting on the garage floor watching him replace shock absorbers. My favourite was helping him change brake fluid - me sitting in the drivers seat, the seat pushed right the way forward, me pushing the brake pedal as hard as I could with him giving instructions somewhere underneath the car. Happy days!
I guess a lot of us inherited our PH tendencies from our dear old dads, inspired by helping him steer while driving down the beach, or sitting on the garage floor watching him replace shock absorbers. My favourite was helping him change brake fluid - me sitting in the drivers seat, the seat pushed right the way forward, me pushing the brake pedal as hard as I could with him giving instructions somewhere underneath the car. Happy days!
STW2010 said:
I can remember my Dad getting many company cars, but the one I remember most was a Vauxhall Omega V6 (I think it was the Elite? It had a 3 litre engine though). This was automatic, but it had this 'S' button on the gear lever, and when he pressed it and accelerated it was quite an experience. Most cars up until then had been reasonably standard cars, so that was quite an exciting new car to me.
Very similar for me.Company cars, automatic Omegas and letting me press the 'sport' button.
He's since had some much better cars, but doing burnouts in the Omegas always stands out for me.
I know these things are all relative, but in terms of the best car he had in my lifetime I was soooo excited as a 13 year old when my dad collected his L reg Rover 216 GTi in white. Half leather, an awesome engine (to a 13 year old!), and in "retro-cool" white way before it's time...
...this was only bettered by the M-reg 620Ti (Black, M117 BCF, where are you now?) - so, so rapid for it's time, utterly bewitching as a child.
I'm sure he would say the best cars he ever had were the Lotus Elan / Lotus Sunbeam combo... but that was pre-me.
...this was only bettered by the M-reg 620Ti (Black, M117 BCF, where are you now?) - so, so rapid for it's time, utterly bewitching as a child.
I'm sure he would say the best cars he ever had were the Lotus Elan / Lotus Sunbeam combo... but that was pre-me.
Garlick said:
Mars said:
Gotta post this one too. Dad used to write all of our names on a front wheel (in chalk) then when he stopped, whoever's name was pointing to the ground won 50p. Of course, the joker that he was, he'd stop, then reverse a bit, then go forward a bit... all the time claiming he was lining his own "win" up (there was no way he could see it and this was after some 150 miles).
This was a dreadful car (Mom's Talbot Solara) but Dad used to chalk-up most of their cars when we were kids.
Fantastic story This was a dreadful car (Mom's Talbot Solara) but Dad used to chalk-up most of their cars when we were kids.
Before my time my Dad did a bit of road rallying in a Mk1 Cortina GT. Then swapped for a Mk2 Lotus Cortina.
In my living memory, I remember Oct '81 picking up a new Mars red '82MY 1.6 Golf GTI. What a fantastic car that was. From then, a succession:
'85 one of the first 5-door Mk2 GTIs in Atlas Grey
'86 White 3-door GTI which, after my mother put it through a hedge after 1 week, received a nice set of BBS cross-spokes. Nice looking car.
'87 Monza Blue Jetta 16V. Fantastic, and which several years later became mine.
Garlick you are so right about that excitement of looking at new cars, helping in the decision making process, literally christmas eve level and style of excited sleeplessness and willing god/the universe to please Dad get it...
In my living memory, I remember Oct '81 picking up a new Mars red '82MY 1.6 Golf GTI. What a fantastic car that was. From then, a succession:
'85 one of the first 5-door Mk2 GTIs in Atlas Grey
'86 White 3-door GTI which, after my mother put it through a hedge after 1 week, received a nice set of BBS cross-spokes. Nice looking car.
'87 Monza Blue Jetta 16V. Fantastic, and which several years later became mine.
Garlick you are so right about that excitement of looking at new cars, helping in the decision making process, literally christmas eve level and style of excited sleeplessness and willing god/the universe to please Dad get it...
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