Fascinating Features on Older Cars
Discussion
When you were a kid, there must have been quirky things that fascinated you about some cars..
I don't mean the obvious, like styling, noise etc..
To get us going, as a kid I was curiously fascinated by:
-the adjustable hydro-suspension of the Citreoen CX
-the column shift on Renault 16s
-that funny U-bar handbrake on Alfa 75s
-the LED display on the first Sierra Ghias showing open doors etc.
There are probably lots of others..
I don't mean the obvious, like styling, noise etc..
To get us going, as a kid I was curiously fascinated by:
-the adjustable hydro-suspension of the Citreoen CX
-the column shift on Renault 16s
-that funny U-bar handbrake on Alfa 75s
-the LED display on the first Sierra Ghias showing open doors etc.
There are probably lots of others..
A few things, mainly about my Grandad's petrol blue S-Type Jag – E reg (1967) if I remember rightly.
I was blown away by the fact it had TWO petrol caps, on the rear wings, just behind the doors. "Why two caps?' I asked my dad. 'For the two petrol tanks of course, son', he said.
I was flabbergasted. (No, really)
ANd it had a walnut dash and a red leather interior, while our Volvo 121 was black vinyl I think. Mind you, I was only 7.
Materials and your arse and legs sticking to the seats like a bastard in the summer changed somewhat when he bought a Peugeot 504 in 1972 with and I'll quote the old man "Caramac-coloured velour interior".
He had to explain what velour was.
I was blown away by the fact it had TWO petrol caps, on the rear wings, just behind the doors. "Why two caps?' I asked my dad. 'For the two petrol tanks of course, son', he said.
I was flabbergasted. (No, really)
ANd it had a walnut dash and a red leather interior, while our Volvo 121 was black vinyl I think. Mind you, I was only 7.
Materials and your arse and legs sticking to the seats like a bastard in the summer changed somewhat when he bought a Peugeot 504 in 1972 with and I'll quote the old man "Caramac-coloured velour interior".
He had to explain what velour was.
I was a child. Children are daft..it's what they do.. even ones that turn out as great as us lot.. quote:
I was blown away by the fact it had TWO petrol caps, on the rear wings, just behind the doors. "Why two caps?' I asked my dad. 'For the two petrol tanks of course, son', he said.
I was flabbergasted. (No, really)
yeah that got me as well , it was so cool
"Two tanks" was stuff from Lemans or such like.
On a more sober note , my Dads Morris 1300`s speedo , remember the bar graph type , i think that was just the best thing in the world ,after the two tank`s of the Jag of cource
quote:
I remember my Grandad showing me his brand new (at the time) BMW 633CSi... it was AMAZING.. electric EVERYTHING... sounded beautiful, it was smooth and SOOOOOOOOOOOO quick!
Loved that car...
My dad have a V-reg one of them when V reg was new. I remember him saying that you can have a conversation at 100mph with the vents closed, and at the time that was a BIG thing!
I remember being fascinated by the talking cars, the Renault 25 as had been mentioned, and the Maestro when that was launched!
I think the coolest thing I ever saw on a car years ago was a judges Range Rover at Badminton Horse Trials in about 1979 that had its seats on a concertina type mechanism so that they extended out of the rather large sunroof so the judges could sit there in comfort judging the fence.
Matt.
quote:yep - the jag 2 tanks was a good one..
On a more sober note , my Dads Morris 1300`s speedo , remember the bar graph type , i think that was just the best thing in the world ,after the two tank`s of the Jag of cource
My Dad's Rover 2000 (P6? last curvy one).. had that bar graph thingy.. it also had a 'Petrol Reserve' pull level next to the choke.. cool
For some reason I loved the quad headlights on my Dad's Audi 100GL.
Probably because I only had prior experience of the twin lights on a Morris Minor and Vauxhall Viva, and the fact that it differentiated us from the 'LS' model.
And others:
- the swivelling headlights on Citreons.
- the Citreon SM's Maserati engine (a family friend had one).
- everything about my Uncle's Mini Cooper S and MKII Lotus Cortina.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Tuesday 8th October 10:59
Probably because I only had prior experience of the twin lights on a Morris Minor and Vauxhall Viva, and the fact that it differentiated us from the 'LS' model.
And others:
- the swivelling headlights on Citreons.
- the Citreon SM's Maserati engine (a family friend had one).
- everything about my Uncle's Mini Cooper S and MKII Lotus Cortina.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Tuesday 8th October 10:59
quote:
For some reason I loved the quad headlights on my Dad's Audi 100GL.
Probably because I only had prior experience of the twin lights on a Morris Minor and Vauxhall Viva, and the fact that it differentiated us from the 'LS' model.
And others:
- the swivelling headlights on Citreons.
- the Citreon SM's Maserati engine (a family friend had one).
- everything about of my Uncle's Mini Cooper S and MKII Lotus Cortina.
The Citroen Maserati – what a car! I saw Maejorie Proops sitting in the back of one holding a cigarette holder once on the A13 going into London
Grandad's Jag was like this:
forgot THE most important one! 
Hmm, the swiveling head lights have already been mentioned, but what about a pre-selector gearbox. Don't ask too much technical stuff here, but a mate's dad had one, and you selected the gear you wanted next, and then pressed the clutch.
OK, showing my age/lack of flash motoring history, but what about the trafficlutch on the early 2CVs? It was a kind of automatic clutch for starting off in traffic and then reverted back into a full manual.
OK, showing my age/lack of flash motoring history, but what about the trafficlutch on the early 2CVs? It was a kind of automatic clutch for starting off in traffic and then reverted back into a full manual.
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