One Of Everything

[Autumnpuma 0]

I posted this originally in my blog, but I've taken the suggestion of many people and started a proper thread of it. I initially wanted to break down what cars I thought were 'essential' for everyone to own at least one of in their lifetime, but it sorta grew into a thread about car stories....and I loved it! So feel free to post your own car stories.

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Cars. We all love them. For me, they were freedom. Anywhere I wanted to go, I went. At 18 I used that freedom to drive north from Southern California to Washington. Three friends, one guy and two gals, headed for freedom in a cheap red Hyundai Excel. That poor car was packed with stuff only 18-year-olds would think of packing. Some clothes, a few books, my art gear and junk food. We roared (well, roar and fast are not the same thing in a Hyundai Excel) down Interstate 5 with me behind the wheel, one friend next to me sleeping and the other in the cramped back seat wearing headphones and singing Journey songs loud and off-key. I swear, if I turned too sharply the pile of packed stuff in the seat next to her would have fallen and crushed her!

That old Hyundai was the cheapest car I've ever driven. The steering wheel must have been bolted directly onto the axle because I felt every bump in the road. At speeds over 60mph the whole car would shake and the steering wheel would rock rapidly back and forth under my hands. Absolutely terrifying and absolutely fun.

Through my life I've had many cars and I've narrowed down what everyone *must* own in their lifetimes. You need a convertible. Mine was a '79 Fiat Spyder but any rag-top will do. You need to experience the sun beating down on your head, the wind blowing back at you from behind the car and the absolute joy of feeling completely exposed whilst driving too fast. The world never will look better to you than it will from a convertible.

You also need a pick-up truck. You become the 'guy with the truck' to all who know you and it's really fun to be called upon to help your friends and family out. A unique experience. Also, you can create a redneck swimming pool by putting a blue tarp in the back and filling it up with water. Don't forget a duckie float with your cooler of beer sitting on it! (Yes I've done this and yes it works wonderfully). Mine was also a 4x4 and I recommend that you also learn to drive off-road. Many fine adventures were had in that truck...maybe they'll make it into another post...

A luxury car would be next. Do I really need to explain how nice it is to ride in comfort? The only problem is that you'll never want to leave that big plush seat. My plush car was a late 80s Oldsmobile. Damn that was a smooth yet powerful car. And large enough to do dirty stuff in the front seat.....

The boys at Top Gear had it right when they said every car-lover *must* own an Alfa some time. I would extend that to *any* Italian car. You'll never have a car that you'll love and hate so much as your slick Italian car.

Lastly you should own a sports car. It's marvelous to go fast, to quote the flick Grand Prix. Mine was an '88 Supra. My friend had a Chrysler Laser and we would do things with those cars that would later make it into Vin Diesel movies.

I would write more but I have the overwhelming urge to go out and look at my rather mundane Honda Civic. That little car is possibly the best hunk of metal and plastic I've ever owned. It takes the miles and the abuse and gives back pure loyalty. I'm going to kiss 'er and leave a lip mark in the dirt on the window.

(I would suggest that those who posted replies to my blog go cut and paste your stories here...they're all too good to be shunted over on the blogs!)

[monza gorilla 1]

Allow me to be the first cut and paster.

First car was a 1970 Ford Escort, ex police, complete with rubber bung in the roof and no brakes to speak of. Second was an Austin Allegro. Jumped a bridge, landed and sheared the engine mounts. Many others, including a Corrado 16v (couldn't afford a VR6!) and a much missed Rover 820 turbo which ate it's own driveshafts. But the one I really miss is a Daihatsu Charade GTti. Absolutely mental. Sounded like a Porsche 911. Handled like one too. Random oversteer at inopportune moments. I never knew front wheel drivers could be so scary. Snapped it's cam belt at 90 and embedded most of it's valves in the piston crowns.

These days I love the Scim. And hate it in equal measure. And then love it some more.

Addendum:

Everyone must at some point own an old car made of leather and full of wood, with crossply tyres, an asthmatic engine and a cheeky countenance. Ladies and germs, I give you the Wolseley 1500.

[dribbler 6]

Random rememberance to some of my machines in no particular order;

A Vauxhall Astra Mark One 1600cc. 90 bhp, four speed manual. Would run at 4000rpm when cold until the auto choke came off. My first car. Wooden steering, understeer prone....like I cared or even knew back then. It went down the road like no other car any of my mates had. I was seventeen. I lived like a tramp to pay the insurance because it would see off XR3i's. They had 105bhp though. How the hell did that happen? Mates were driving pushrod 1200cc Chevettes, Mark One 1 litre Polos and all that. My Astra was daddy-esque.

Tin worm in the inner wings, combined with a holey fuel tank made me call time on Leonard the Astra. He got chopped in for a Ford Sapphire 1800LX. Motorway fodder; my girlfriend was in London at Uni. Muggings needed a bore mobile to ferry her up and down the M1 motorway. All in the name of love and for the promise of things a young man needs to feel alive.

Cheeky Peugeot's followed; a 205XS, a stock 106 1100cc, then one of my faves, a 106 GTI. Just great fun. I loved that car more than is natural. Washed and hoovered religiously every week, waxed every month. Never parked next to anything. Always kept below 3000rpm until oil emp gauge said 'go play'. Sump plug dropped every 3k.

Lots inbetween; Fiat's, lots of Morris Minor's, a Mazda MX-5. A 3-litre Capri....I know, don't laugh.

Cars are my life. But now bikes are too. A company car and a people carrier have numbed the car experience of late. I need a project. Something to get me all silly and attached. Or do I? Nappies aint cheap. Oh how priorities change.

More toys, one day....

[dribbler 6]

Addendum:

Everyone must at some point own an old car made of leather and full of wood, with crossply tyres, an asthmatic engine and a cheeky countenance. Ladies and germs, I give you the Wolseley 1500.

Ooh, yes. That or it's mechanically identical and similarly badge engineered brother, the Riley 1.5.

Fact: The floor pans, torsion beam suspension and swivel pins were all Morris Minor. The Morris Marina went on to use the same suspension set up. Yes, those Ital's of the 80's had Moggie bouncy bits.

Does that mean BL were cheap skates or that the Issigonis hardware actually was ahead of its time? Okay, it was the former, but Pat Moss loved going side ways in a Minor. Rack and pinion weren't around that much back in the day. Twas all worm and peg.

I'll shut up now.

[monza gorilla 1]

A 3-litre Capri....I know, don't laugh.

I'm in no position to smirk. I owned a Probe........

About your Astra: I had an Opel Kadett SR, same thing but with recaros, P6s and stick on wheel arches. Loved it. Except when you indicated left the wipers came on. And if you turned the headlights on the wipers came on. Drove around with the fusebox open and the wiper fuse hanging on a piece of string, in case of rain.

Took my friend's Wolseley to a show while he was on hols. Amazed at how nice other road users were. All smiles and "after you, Claude".

[dribbler 6]

I'm in no position to smirk. I owned a Probe........

That just sounds so wrong, Claude.

[Grabthaw the Hammerslayer 4]

OK <rolls sleeves up> my woeful list of cars included:

Peugeot 309 - company car horrible dog of a car would not warm start (and stalled often)

Volvo 240 - 17ft long, pea green, no wing mirrors, engine grenaded at 70mph and burst into flames. My first car I owned.

Astra Mk2 - company car drove it everywhere foot to the floor. Completely knackered by the time I handed it back.

Cavalier Sri - gold - nice, fast until it fell to bits from rust and the head gasket went

Ford Sierra Automatic - leaked like a sieve

Renault 5 - still get dewy eyed about this silly little car, with a 1.0 litre engine. Loved it. Did 75K miles in it. Only conked out once.

Renault Clio Diesel - underpowered pile of poo

Renault Megane - knackered engine management, loose back end, lethal

Seat Toledo V5 (Mk2, Golf in a different guise) - silky smooth 2.3l engine. loved it

Seat Toledo TDi - scarily fast esp when Turbo kicked in

Fiat Marea (yeah, what can I say, it was steady and I had no money)

Citroen Berlingo (cheap, cheerful, surprisingly good road holding although very uncool and unsexy) bit like me lol

Mitsubishi Grandis (current wheels) - big, cool looking for a mpv, fast, good tourer, but heavy (on weight and on petrol)

No wood in site, no Alfa, nothing with a soft top.

I'll leave now