What's the oldest car you've ever driven?
Discussion
As the years roll by I am getting a strange urge to buy a 1930/1940s car as my next classic for weekend days out. Am I insane? I have never even been in one as a passenger, let alone driven one. I have driven quite a few 1960s cars (MGs etc), but nothing older. I think it's something about the styling and simplicity of the things. Trouble is I'm certainly not the world's greatest spannerman, so would be worried about serious breakdowns whilst out an about and the car spending more time hemorrhaging my hard-earned in the workshop, than looking lovely in my garage.
So what's the oldest car you've driven yourself and what was it like? Not just up and down the driveway, but actually on the road or race-track?
I'm hoping that the vast majority of experienced PH'ers will say that cars of that era are no fun at all, so that I come back to my senses.
So what's the oldest car you've driven yourself and what was it like? Not just up and down the driveway, but actually on the road or race-track?
I'm hoping that the vast majority of experienced PH'ers will say that cars of that era are no fun at all, so that I come back to my senses.
tomsugden said:
Don't cars of that generation have the pedals arranged differently (accelerator in the middle?) as well as non syncromesh gearboxes, a magneto etc. Very different driving style.
I've driven a 1917 Dodge where the pedals were in that order but they were all in order by the 30's IIRC.Non sychro depends on the car, my '67 Landie has partial, my '68 Volvo has full.
Oldest - 1911 Sunbeam 16/20
Newest - 2011 L200 Pickup
Nice round 100 years between the oldest and newest
ETA: A photo of the Sunbeam in question.
Was great fun but the external gear lever and non synchro was an eye opener!
Edited by carmadgaz on Friday 8th March 13:47
1954 Daimler Ferret. Loved the preselector box, why can't all cars have one?
Op- buy a vintage car, you'll love the experience!!! Just make sure you are good at tinkering (or know someone who is) as the older a car is the more fettling and preventative maintenance / TLC it will need to keep it running sweetly and reliably
Op- buy a vintage car, you'll love the experience!!! Just make sure you are good at tinkering (or know someone who is) as the older a car is the more fettling and preventative maintenance / TLC it will need to keep it running sweetly and reliably
Was that the Classic Car Club one perchance? Lovely car and I am gutted I never got a go in it whilst I was a member (weather never seemed right for it when they had it!).
Oldest car I drove was an early 50's land rover in Tanzania. I don't rememember much as this was back in 1995. Last time I asked about it (2010) it was still going (but had finally been replaced that year as the main car
)!
The speedo / milo whatever did not work but the owner reckoned he did about 20k km year in it!
That by my estimation (by 2010 when it was sort of 'retired') would mean it had done 750k miles??? !!!
Pretty incredible if true.
Is there a thread on here on who has driven the most miles in a single car?
Oldest car I drove was an early 50's land rover in Tanzania. I don't rememember much as this was back in 1995. Last time I asked about it (2010) it was still going (but had finally been replaced that year as the main car
)! The speedo / milo whatever did not work but the owner reckoned he did about 20k km year in it!
That by my estimation (by 2010 when it was sort of 'retired') would mean it had done 750k miles??? !!!
Pretty incredible if true.
Is there a thread on here on who has driven the most miles in a single car?
doogz said:
Oldest thing I think I've driven is a Frogeye Sprite.
My dads Daimler V8 250 from 1967 which I'm due to acquire later this year 
Does feel worlds apart from modern cars.. very heavy, non-power assisted steering.. road & wind noise.. squeaks and rattles.. reluctant to run from cold without generous application of choke.. very short gearing on the manual box.. overdrive (which you need to rememeber to engage and disengage each time you want to use what would be 5th gear) - but I utterly adore it every single time I drive it for the sense of occasion it gives you
Does feel worlds apart from modern cars.. very heavy, non-power assisted steering.. road & wind noise.. squeaks and rattles.. reluctant to run from cold without generous application of choke.. very short gearing on the manual box.. overdrive (which you need to rememeber to engage and disengage each time you want to use what would be 5th gear) - but I utterly adore it every single time I drive it for the sense of occasion it gives you
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