First Car

asathorny · **Reply #30: September 13, 2012, 08:39:50**

Happy days circa 1962

Doggie 1 · **Reply #31: September 13, 2012, 08:44:11**

Quote from: 847563 on September 13, 2012, 08:36:37

I had a 1956 Morris Minor 850 OHV & yes, it was better than a bike, especially when it rained

Split windscreen?

Phil №❶ · **Reply #32: September 13, 2012, 08:52:23**

Yes and I had an electric element demister on the driver's side. I left it on at school once. The battery was dead flat, I had about 1 metre to roll in reverse, rolled, dropped the clutch & started instantly. Can't do that with a alternator fitted car

Doggie 1 · **Reply #33: September 13, 2012, 09:05:51**

Ah, those were the days, when men were men and cars were real cars....

Phil №❶ · **Reply #34: September 13, 2012, 09:09:50**

And petrol was 4c/lt

Doggie 1 · **Reply #35: September 13, 2012, 09:11:51**

Quote from: 847563 on September 13, 2012, 09:09:50

And petrol was 4c/lt

4d.

Phil №❶ · **Reply #36: September 13, 2012, 09:18:15**

No 4c when I had the car, it wasn't in 1956, I was only 1 then

Doggie 1 · **Reply #37: September 13, 2012, 09:20:48**

How old were you when you had the car.
Decimal currency came in in 1966.

Phil №❶ · **Reply #38: September 13, 2012, 09:21:30**

Doggie 1 · **Reply #39: September 13, 2012, 09:23:36**

The car I'm talking about was built before 1966.

Phil №❶ · **Reply #40: September 13, 2012, 09:26:55**

Unless our wires are crossed, 1956 is 10 years before 1966

Doggie 1 · **Reply #41: September 13, 2012, 09:28:24**

Maybe our wires are crossed.
1956 was pounds, shillings and pence which is what I was referring to.

Phil №❶ · **Reply #42: September 13, 2012, 09:33:06**

Ok,

My 1st car was made in 1956.

I drove it @ 16 and during that time fuel bowsers went metric. I distinctly remember complaining about paying 4c/lt to my friends.

Doggie 1 · **Reply #43: September 13, 2012, 09:34:05**

Fairy Nuff.
I wish it was 4c/l now.
I wouldn't even mind paying 5c for premium.

Keith · **Reply #44: September 13, 2012, 10:04:47**

1st car was a yellow 1964 Austin Mini, 850cc I believe with a floor mounted starter button... Everything that goes around, comes around huh? £90 that cost my parents and it had every known Mini fault on it possible! It went through 2 MoT tests before I sold it.
That was in 1971, just 7 years old and was almost done for...... when I look at my i30 now, almost 5 years old & still in the prime of its life!

How cars have improved.

My next car was a 1963 (yes older... I had to but this one myself) Ford Anglia 997cc, pretty basic motoring but lasted 2 - 3 years before I got a job as a TV Engineer that came with a company van... Fully expensed!

The one memory that sticks in my mind about those first cars of mine was how I needed to do a service on them for peace of mind before any trip >200miles....

Now remembering squirty oil cans, grease guns and drum brakes all round...

Doggie 1 · **Reply #45: September 13, 2012, 10:14:06**

Great stories.
I remember the Anglia well with its reverse sloping rear window.
My dad used to get Ford Anglia vans as his company cars so I've done a few miles in those.
Us kids used to sit on wooden boards in the back of the van with no seatbelts.

Keith · **Reply #46: September 13, 2012, 10:40:46**

Quote from: db08 on September 13, 2012, 10:14:06

Great stories.
I remember the Anglia well with its reverse sloping rear window.
My dad used to get Ford Anglia vans as his company cars so I've done a few miles in those.
Us kids used to sit on wooden boards in the back of the van with no seatbelts.

My company vans were all Ford Escort derivitives thankfully, from around 1974, the first one I had was a Mk1 RUK 33L was the reg, 1100cc and gutless, and we carried my new born daughter behind my seat in the cargo bay, in her flimsy "Mothercare" rocker chair attaced to the van internal structure by the battery jump start cables that were essential when driving a Ford of that era

.
Next was a Mk 2 RFD 502R, a 1300 "smokin" van that had disc brakes on the front & seemed very quick compared to the previous 1100.
That was followed by a Datsun Sunny, a 1200 van which was very good in every way except for the very snatchy front drum brakes... but I cant remember the registration plate anymore...

Doggie 1 · **Reply #47: September 13, 2012, 10:57:07**

Top stuff.
My dad worked for a company called Fullwoods who used to sell and service milking machines to farmers.
The vans were blue with sign writing on them and I still remember the excitement whenever he was given a new one.
I used to go with him around all the farms when I was on school holidays but it was when there was a foot & mouth epidemic so we had to drive and walk through the rinses before entering farms.

komaterpillar · **Reply #48: September 13, 2012, 11:18:31**

My first car was a '73 HQ kingswood, 308, four on the floor and a Salisbury diff. Drove it for about 18 momths like that. The 308 was getting tired so it was pulled and freshened up, bored 40 thou, big cam and a stroker crank wich took it out to 355ci. Went pretty hard, but it had an appetite for four speeds and diffs. So in went the built auto (TH350, full manual valve body, stage 3 shift kit, and 3500 rpm stall) and a spooled Ford 9 inch diff. Flogged it around for about two years like that then hit a power pole in it. Sold motor, box and diff and sent the shell to the wreckers.

Then bought a xh falcon ute.

Doggie 1 · **Reply #49: September 13, 2012, 11:20:56**

Hey, nice first car.

I bet you wish you had that sitting in your shed right now, appreciating in $$$.
Despite the heavy steering and pre-RTS, I liked the old HQs.
They were a quantum leap over the HK/HT/HG.

komaterpillar · **Reply #50: September 13, 2012, 11:25:08**

Quote from: db08 on September 13, 2012, 11:20:56

Hey, nice first car.
I bet you wish you had that sitting in your shed right now, appreciating in $$$.
Despite the heavy steering and pre-RTS, I liked the old HQs.
They were a quantum leap over the HK/HT/HG.

Thanks mate

Yeah mine was pre-rts but I pinched the power steering setup off a hz, so no heavy steering for me

Doggie 1 · **Reply #51: September 13, 2012, 11:27:08**

Try and find a good HQ now for a reasonable price, especially a V8.

komaterpillar · **Reply #52: September 13, 2012, 11:30:08**

Quote from: db08 on September 13, 2012, 11:27:08

Try and find a good HQ now for a reasonable price, especially a V8.

I'm hearin ya

rustynutz · **Reply #53: September 13, 2012, 11:42:26**

Quote from: db08 on September 13, 2012, 11:27:08

Try and find a good HQ now for a reasonable price, especially a V8.

Is that because they have all been snapped up for HQ racing?

Actually, speaking of HQ's, I have an ol' 45rpm floppy record that "Modern Motor" car magazine put out when the HQ was introduced.....Talk about corny!

Doggie 1 · **Reply #54: September 13, 2012, 11:44:07**

I think you're right, a lot were lost to HQ racing, plus many more were stolen and stripped for parts.

rustynutz · **Reply #55: September 13, 2012, 11:56:23**

Found a pic of my old HQ.....

This was actually my second car, my first was a 1966 VW Beetle....

Doggie 1 · **Reply #56: September 13, 2012, 12:03:05**

Very nice.
Was it a Premier?

rustynutz · **Reply #57: September 13, 2012, 12:10:36**

Thanks Dave...yeah, it was a Prem...

It was a really nice looking car when I bought it, unfortunately it's looking a bit grotty in that pic, especially the mags...

I really loved the sunroof and the cloth seats....

Doggie 1 · **Reply #58: September 13, 2012, 12:12:16**

Looks good to me.
After-market mags - ROH or Aunger possibly?
What drivetrain did it have?

rustynutz · **Reply #59: September 13, 2012, 12:24:36**

Can't remember the mag brand, but pretty sure they weren't either of those...

Was a stock 253 with a Holley carby.
Transmission was a crappy Trimatic....