What gave you the car bug?
Discussion
Was wondering what gave the average PH'er their first interest in things automotive, was it a trip to a car show, seeing a 'flash' car as a child, a film with an exiting car chase in it, or did your interest develop later in life. I think mine kicked off in 1980 when I bought a copy of Autocar for the first time, aged 13, which featured the then new Rolls Royce Silver Spirit on the cover (Or was it the promise of the Morris Ital 1.3 being road tested that attracted me?).I leave the floor open..........
My parents always said I loved cars, even when I was a baby. Apprantly I would get excited everytime a car drove past the window, and when I began to talk, I would shout ca, ca, ca.
The Ford Mondeo was the first specific car I remember getting excited over though. My Dad got that free tape with whatcar, and I would watch it over and over. He then managed to get me a model from Ford after writing them a letter, and when his company car was due for renewal he chose a Mondeo
I should add that later I did become normal and the McLaren F1 was my favourite, until the Carrera GT came out.
Now it's a Delorean, so maybe I'm not that normal after all.
The Ford Mondeo was the first specific car I remember getting excited over though. My Dad got that free tape with whatcar, and I would watch it over and over. He then managed to get me a model from Ford after writing them a letter, and when his company car was due for renewal he chose a Mondeo
I should add that later I did become normal and the McLaren F1 was my favourite, until the Carrera GT came out.
Now it's a Delorean, so maybe I'm not that normal after all.
When I was little, my dad had a Mk.1 Transit mini-bus. One day we were trundling up the M1, in the middle-lane passing an on-slip. I was on on the first row of back seats. All of a sudden there was this howl, 6 cylinders of fury from our left. This grey bug-like blur came down the slip at a huge rate of knots, went straight from slip to outside lane in one move, and then warp-drived out of sight in what seemed like seconds. "Dad! What was that!? What was that?!!" I yelled. "That was a Jag!" he said approvingly (it was an E-type). From that moment I was hooked.
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thismonkeyhere said:
First sight of a Countach, early 80s.
Further reinforced by first viewing of 'The Cannonball Run' and 'The Gumball Rally'.
+1, especially the Gumball Rally.Further reinforced by first viewing of 'The Cannonball Run' and 'The Gumball Rally'.
A few things from my childhood, can't remember which order:
- Watching touring cars on TV - the Bathurst 1000/Wellington Street race in particular
- Late 80's F1 Senna vs Prost
St Michael Supercar book circa 1978 or something of that ilk. It also tickled my OCD that draws me to the top trump nature of vehicle stats. My dad would buy autocar and I would literally memorise all the engine capacities, BHP, 0-60 etc.
When car Car Top trumps finally came in at school I was like something out of Rain Man. I'll get my coat.
When car Car Top trumps finally came in at school I was like something out of Rain Man. I'll get my coat.
Think it was a mix of a few things.
-old man is an engineer so always fixing/breaking things including cars. Always had company cars, nothing special but the idea of a new car on a regular basis was nice.
- mothers MG metro turbo. White with red seat belts. Always remember that car, even though I was only 4 or 5 I think.
- first super car I sat in a Jaguar XJ220 at a small locak car show when they were new
- A number of series land rovers that mother had.
- Not directley but in my genes, a grandfather that sadley passed when I was 12 I think that used to own a guarage with turn around of older bentlys and rolls royces. As well as racing minis in his hay day
-old man is an engineer so always fixing/breaking things including cars. Always had company cars, nothing special but the idea of a new car on a regular basis was nice.
- mothers MG metro turbo. White with red seat belts. Always remember that car, even though I was only 4 or 5 I think.
- first super car I sat in a Jaguar XJ220 at a small locak car show when they were new
- A number of series land rovers that mother had.
- Not directley but in my genes, a grandfather that sadley passed when I was 12 I think that used to own a guarage with turn around of older bentlys and rolls royces. As well as racing minis in his hay day
Edited by eggchaser1987 on Thursday 12th September 16:19
No idea.
According to my mother - when I weas about 2 years of age - I pointed at a car (Matchbox) on a toy stall in the local market. I was completely smitten.
This then led to regular purchases (thanks to my pointing and verbal demands) throughout my early childhood. It got too much in the end as everytime I was taken out by my mother, I wanted a new car. I had hundreds of the things in the end.
I then had the usual thing of wanting to be behind the wheel when out in my father's car. I was allowed to sit on his lap and hold the wheel. I loved it. I was about 4 by this point.
The thing that really sealed it was when my mother organised for a work colleague to visit us with his 'special car' as she thought I'd like it. This chap turned up in a Lotus Esprit S3 and being 6 years old by then, I lost my mind. I lost it even more when he took me for a short drive in it.
According to my mother - when I weas about 2 years of age - I pointed at a car (Matchbox) on a toy stall in the local market. I was completely smitten.
This then led to regular purchases (thanks to my pointing and verbal demands) throughout my early childhood. It got too much in the end as everytime I was taken out by my mother, I wanted a new car. I had hundreds of the things in the end.
I then had the usual thing of wanting to be behind the wheel when out in my father's car. I was allowed to sit on his lap and hold the wheel. I loved it. I was about 4 by this point.
The thing that really sealed it was when my mother organised for a work colleague to visit us with his 'special car' as she thought I'd like it. This chap turned up in a Lotus Esprit S3 and being 6 years old by then, I lost my mind. I lost it even more when he took me for a short drive in it.
I'm not sure. I wasn't interested even as a teenager, although my dad was an aircraft engineer and had me help on DIY fixes on his cars. He's not a car person though and I never went to see racing or anything like that as a kid.
I went for comfort over performance for my first car, and the second just looked and sounded reasonably nice (first V6).
I had a clutch fail on the second car when I was skint and had to sort it myself with dad's help. Since then I've never been afraid of cars and now have a very healthy tool box and confidence to tackle pretty much anything.
I bought an MX5 for my then-fiancee and loved the way sporty cars drove compared to my rafts.
With a preference for sporty dynamics and disinterest in reliability issues now I have enough income to pay someone to sort anything I don't fancy doing and the ability to do whatever I like, I've ventured more upmarket but without really committing any serious cash.
I'd say I was very enthusiastic about cars these days but still have a mental block on paying a lot for one.
I went for comfort over performance for my first car, and the second just looked and sounded reasonably nice (first V6).
I had a clutch fail on the second car when I was skint and had to sort it myself with dad's help. Since then I've never been afraid of cars and now have a very healthy tool box and confidence to tackle pretty much anything.
I bought an MX5 for my then-fiancee and loved the way sporty cars drove compared to my rafts.
With a preference for sporty dynamics and disinterest in reliability issues now I have enough income to pay someone to sort anything I don't fancy doing and the ability to do whatever I like, I've ventured more upmarket but without really committing any serious cash.
I'd say I was very enthusiastic about cars these days but still have a mental block on paying a lot for one.
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