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Feb 23, 2011 12:46:48 GMT
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Sorting through some old photo's to put on display at my wedding on Saturday & came across this picture, which to me explains alot as to why I ended up being into old J tin & Toyota race/rally type cars in particular: That is me hanging out of a Team Toyota GB Supra at the age of 3. So what made you go the way you have with cars? Early years experience, or just like what you saw in ththe classifieds & bought it?
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Feb 23, 2011 12:50:30 GMT
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Feb 23, 2011 12:53:48 GMT
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For those disinclined to click, here's what I said... People often ask me what the whole car obsession’s all about. After all, they’re just things. How can I be so relentlessly, unstoppably captivated by machinery, metal and plastic, oil and rubber? Well, there are a number of reasons. And for the sake of catharsis, this week’s JuicyPips will explore some of these possible triggers, tales and stimuli that, to be honest, will probably be pretty boring for you but might be quite helpful for my brainbox. So, why am I so into cars and stuff?
My dad had something to do with it My old man always had interesting cars when I was growing up. He was way handier and more practical than me and could usually be found lying under the car, covered in oil and swearing at stiff bolts or contentedly carrying out some maintenance task or other. From the age of around two until I was eight we lived in Hampshire, and I remember my dad having an Austin Mini, a Mazda Montrose, an Austin Princess and a mkV Ford Cortina 2.3 V6. After that we moved to Kent and I remember his car collection with more clarity. Over the years he had a Citroën CX Pallas, an Alfa Romeo 33 Gold Cloverleaf, a Saab 900 Turbo, a mkI Vauxhall Cavalier 2000GLS (a proper 1980-model Cavalier that was all chrome and Rostyles), a Citroën XM, a Rover Vitesse… he even built a kit car; a replica Aston Martin Volante Vantage based on a mkII 3.0 Capri – a car that he gave me and, to my eternal shame, I sold (although it does now live at Brooklands Museum giving rides around the banking in school holidays, which is some consolation). Even now he drives a ’74 Citroën DS. I didn’t have a chance. It was largely his fault.
Something must have clicked in my brain at an early age One of my earliest memories – I can’t remember how old I was, but very, very young indeed – is being asked what I wanted for Christmas. I said ‘I want two cars and one road’. Sure enough, I got a set of ‘Crack-Ups’- two Matchbox cars with rotating panels, so they look like normal cars but transform into damaged ones when you crash them into each other. My parents still have them somewhere. My special ninja skill when I was a kid was an uncanny ability to name the make and model of a car from a distance in the dark, just from the shape of its tail-lights. I really should have gone on You Bet. (Incidentally, I can still do this. I just don’t tell people.)
I was a lonely kid I had friends, I wasn’t a total loser. I just preferred to hang out on my own. Often this involved going off on long solo bike rides or just watching telly for hours on end. But what I always really wanted to be doing was building model kits of cars; J.Cates Model Shop in Herne Bay was my pocket money mecca. It was way better than playing football, which was exhausting, humiliating and confusing. Building cars was cool because a) it was my achievement and mine alone and b) I just thought cars were ace.
Cars make TV and films cool I would watch anything with a cool car in it when I was little. I couldn’t name a single A-Team plot for you now, but I watched a lot of it. Remember an eighties sitcom called ‘Morris Minors’? No, no-one does, it was curse word. But I watched it every week. Is Smokey & the Bandit a good movie? I think so, but I’m just focusing on the Trans Am.
The scene is huge Cars fascinate me. Every single car in existence is interesting to me for some reason or another. Traffic jams don’t really annoy me because I get to closely analyse every vehicle nearby, thinking about the car itself, wondering why that particular person chose that particular car, whether they like it, thinking about common issues with that model and wondering if they suffer from it, trying to make a word from their registration number, working out how fast it would be given its engine, drivetrain and age… I’m a total car geek. Thankfully, there are thousands of people like me, so there’s always something car-related to do. My wife despairs. I’d go to a car show/race/museum/event every weekend if I could, although it would drive her up the wall. She’s amazingly tolerant of my obsession.
Every car has a tale to tell This isn’t something that’s unique to cars; local historians, literary buffs, antiquarians, indeed any collector of or expert in almost any given field will feel the same. Every item that can be analysed will have many, many tales to tell. Think about your car: once upon a time, that was an incredibly exciting purchase for someone. They walked into the dealership, sat down with the salesman, worked through the brochures to pick out the exact specification they wanted, then, when it was ready, took delivery of their own shiny brand new car. Maybe someone learned to drive in it. Maybe it was taken on an unforgettable family holiday, or involved in some kind of life-changing accident, or for some reason driven down the street where you grew up, or took a woman in labour to hospital, or any number of other events… every car is rich with history. This is why I’m so into classic cars. A coachbuilt Italian thoroughbred, a Birmingham-built family saloon, a Detroit muscle car, utilitarian Eastern Bloc transport… every car has a purpose, and a gloriously textured past.
Internal combustion is awesome Seriously, this is something I can be really boring about. The physical, chemical and mechanical processes that make a car actually work are so fascinating, I think it’s such a shame that people see cars as just things. If you have even a basic understanding of what’s going on under the bonnet, it makes the whole process so much more exciting. Want to waste a couple of hours? Buy me a pint and ask me to explain how your car works. I’ll be banging on for ages. I just don’t get how people can’t find it all as amazing as I do.
You’re only a couple of steps away from greatness Driving is something that most people can do, it isn’t hard. But driving well – that’s much rarer. An understanding of the aforementioned physical/mechanical workings helps with this, but you need guts too. Racing drivers are heroes. Today, of course, it’s quite hard to really hurt yourself in a racing car, but there’s a rich heritage of fearless folk piloting astonishing cars at dangerous speeds, purely for the thrill of going fast - which, to a lesser extent, we can all do in our everyday cars. Yes, they’re better drivers than us in better cars, but it’s the same basic process. On the right road, in the right frame of mind, you’re not all that different to Stirling Moss in the Mille Miglia. Strap yourself in and just enjoy yourself.
I’m addicted to the visceral multi-sensory thrill Everything about cars transports me to a happy place. The smell of petrol puts me in the Jet garage in Liphook at the age of five. The tangier scent of race fuel places me behind a Ferrari 246 Dino in the paddock at Goodwood. The sound of popping, crackling anti-lag sends me to Lord March’s rally stage, dust in my hair and sandwiches in my knapsack. The creak of aged vinyl thrusts me into the back seat of my old mkII Cortina. The screech of tyres puts me on Paddock Hill Bend in the early nineties, watching the BTCC heroes of the age muscle one another into the expansive gravel traps. The smell of tyresmoke gives an indelible sensory image of Lydden Hill rallycross events of yore. The smell of engine oil, the feel of patinated steel, the action of a trolley jack, the unmistakeable crunchiness of a rusty wheelarch, the around-and-around motion of an early eighties sunroof winder, the satisfying snick-snick of a close-ratio gearbox, the whistling sound as a turbo spools up, the rumble of an angry V8, the wail of a race-tuned V12, the gorgeous smell of two-stroke… I’m a sucker for it all.
Apologies, this has probably been intolerably dull for most of you. Rather cathartic for me though.
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Feb 23, 2011 12:53:53 GMT
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I think it started off as a cost saving excercise, but I developed a preference. Hell, I could buy a Clio on finance for what I spend on renting a small unit to facilitate my hobby. The preference probably developed from being easier to work on, cooler to look at, and totally different to the rest of the carpark
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...proper medallion man chest wig motoring.
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Feb 23, 2011 13:00:20 GMT
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Hmmm - it somehow never stood to question to me to get a 'modern' car. Never been of much interesst to me. I've always adored the old tin. The smell, the looks, the sound, the chrome...
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Feb 23, 2011 13:04:33 GMT
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;D
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w00dy
Part of things
Posts: 119
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Feb 23, 2011 13:12:20 GMT
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My parents used to own a VW T25 Devon Moonraker. I remember the long, hot summers driving down to Spain in it and loving every trip. Nothing they owned since ever found such a place in my heart and I think that translated to my love of cars with character and a history. The whole desire for a newer car never really made sense to me, the youngest car I've owned was only a year younger than me.
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1977 Citroen CX2400 Pallas 1965 VW Beetle 1200
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Feb 23, 2011 13:13:36 GMT
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@ dbizzle
You have just described, word for word, my childhood, my interest, my marriage (in parts), my passion for cars, my freakish nerdiness, everything. Exactly.
Are we related???
Although it was my Uncle who was always tinkering with cars. I can remember lying under my mum's allegro with him watching him change the clutch, and intently listening how you line it up, and why you line it up. That then sent me on a craze of taking that same Allegro to pieces much to my Mum's horror, but pleased when I got it working again.
And every car has a tale to tell, God how true, first ever drive, driving your first child home from hospital, I could go on for ever. At some point, every car in existence was at least one person's prize possession and lovingly polished and maintained it. If I won the lottery, I wouldn't buy a Ferrari or anything like it, I'd just have to go round saving cars from scrapyards.
I was sitting in a traffic jam the other day, in front was an E30. It was immaculate. Next to it was a faceless Kiaundai thing. I found myself trying to explain to my wife and brother in law why the E30 was the better buy on so many levels, better built, style etc etc etc. The answer - Some people just want a car with the latest reg plate on it. I just cannot understand that.
I guess that one day, in the future the Kiaundais shall become retro and our kids will wax lyrical about how the 2008 model is so much better than the 2030 car.
I could go on and on about this, but I guess some of you are getting bored of me by now....
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Feb 23, 2011 13:20:38 GMT
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@ dbizzle You have just described, word for word, my childhood, my interest, my marriage (in parts), my passion for cars, my freakish nerdiness, everything. Exactly. Are we related??? Ha! I have a feeling quite a few people on here have a similar tale to tell...
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Feb 23, 2011 13:30:37 GMT
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The other kids in my street would read comics, I'd always read the AA Book of the Car (I've still got it). The other kids in my street would play football in the park, I'd always be playing with my Mum's car. The other kids would buy the latest Matchbox car, I'd always buy the 1970s ones. The other kids would collect football cards and memorabilia, I'd collect car brochures and read them from cover to cover. The other kids would buy the latest trainers, I'd buy tools to take my Mum's car apart. The other kids took their GCSEs, I got day release from school to study for my City and Guilds in Motor Vehicle Craft. The annual motor show was always more exciting for me than Christmas and my birthday. Good job my parents let me get on with it. This is why it makes me so happy that my 2 year old only ever wants to travel in my 20 year old Nova rather than my nice comfy Focus!
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speedy88
Club Retro Rides Member
"Nice Cortina mate"
Posts: 2,279
Club RR Member Number: 118
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What made you go retro?speedy88
@speedy88
Club Retro Rides Member 118
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Feb 23, 2011 13:59:13 GMT
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Growing up in the 90s, I found all the cars around interesting with my dad owning a nice Sierra Saphire up to about 2002. I think it must have lied dorment until I finally decided to get a big car (I wanted to be different from every other 20 year old driving around in saxos). Discovered 300s and then found a love for anything old.
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Gem
East Midlands
Posts: 1,328
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Feb 23, 2011 14:04:07 GMT
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I was fed up of my VW's breaking down so fella turned me to the dark side of old school bmw's. Never looked back since.
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Feb 23, 2011 14:15:46 GMT
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my parents did interstellar miles in the 90s for work, and the most reliable cars they had were the skodas, ergo, when I was 17, I decided I wanted an Estelle, and there it began. I'm not going to say I'm a diehard retroisti though. My second car was an 16 month old Seat Arosa on finance. I still like new/modern cars too. And when I was little and was going for those long trips in the car, I could tell other cars in the dark by the FRONT lights I can still tell the difference between a 405 and a cavalier, but that's not so much use any more lol.
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Feb 23, 2011 14:22:56 GMT
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I used to buy 70s and 80s Datsuns just as cheap £30 hacks in the early 90s, becuase they were so nicely assembled , reliable and easy to maintain. Plus they were unleaded and all metric and right hand drive from the drawing board (not bodged from LHD with parts location compromises). I just felt more like the car was exactly how I would have made it, than with other cars.
Then they just .... got old and I'm into em now because of nostalgia and I still like the way they drive, and I started a business in 1995 helping other fans of the cars get repairs and parts and its still going strong!
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69 Plymouth Fury Convertible 75 Range Rover 2 door 82 Range Rover 4 door 84 Range Rover 4 door 78 Datsun 120Y 2 door 78 Datsun 120Y Coupe 78 Datsun 620 Pickup 81 Datsun Urvan E23 86 Datsun Vanette van 98 Electric Citroen Berlingo 00 Electric Peugeot Partner 02 Electric Citroen Berlingo 76 Honda C50 04 Berlingo Multispace petrol 07 Land Rover 130 15 Nissan E-NV200 15 Fiat Ducato
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Feb 23, 2011 14:33:30 GMT
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^^Is that because all the 405s have gone to Africa? Well, when growing up our cars consisted of these; Old man had an Audi Quattro UR, a Capri 2.8i (Black with an airbrushed ghost on the bonnet, got crashed into the Quattro a week after we sold the Quattro to a bloke down the road, oops), Pontiac Chieftain (I think), Mk1 Granada (Mother crashed that one... Oops) and an XR3i convertible that started out as a shell in the garden and was built in our garage (I even sprayed some of it at 5 years old ) He's currently got a Mecedes 500 SEL I think... Mothers car list is mental. Her first car was a Mk1 Capri... Since then she's had a Stag, 2 Mercedes W123s, a Singer Gazelle, Mk2 Astra, a Mk2 Golf (though it wasn't really retro at the time, just old and cheap) and a 190e. Plenty more, I just can't remember. Hell, even my gran had 6 Mk2 Jags. At the same time. Sold one to the band UFO. I've got an old photo album here somewhere just with all our old cars in it. Must try and coax my scanner into life. Basically, I didn't stand a chance.
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,786
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Feb 23, 2011 14:37:13 GMT
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I love to tinker, fix, alter, adjust and just generally fiddle with anything mechanical. Growing up my most prized possesions were model cars, construction kits, r/c cars, lego, mechano etc etc. I love the asthetics of old design. Something sadly lacking in todays production unless you look at the top end stuff. It's a cliche I know, but older things just seem to be better made. More to a standard than a price. Older cars are easier to work on. FACT. This helps me in my quest top modify and tinker. I find it very difficult to affiliate myself with any modern vehicle. I work, day in, day out, on 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's engines- I won't touch a modern one- so I guess it's not just a choice of transport, but also a way of life. And I wouldn't have it any other way ! In short, I love everything about older cars. (Except the rust )
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Feb 23, 2011 14:37:37 GMT
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Hell, even my gran had 6 Mk2 Jags. At the same time. Sold one to the band UFO. My grandad sold his Rover P6 3500 to Noel Edmonds.
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nofrills
Posted a lot
my wings are made of Steeeeeeeel!!!
Posts: 1,243
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Feb 23, 2011 15:38:29 GMT
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i think i am into it because of my dad, he had a bubble arched anglia 105 e with a alpina exhuast and a cortina gearbox, he also hada race engine for it, and as a very young child my parents were in the fortunate position to buy there house with no mortgage so my dad spent the same again on a daimler double 6. it was a lurid green, affectionetly named by me the bogey, loved that car, whilst my dad had that he also had a brand spanking chevette in yellow with yellow cheque interior and 2 firenza's, but the time came to move into a bigger house and all the cars were sold except the chevette which we had years, by then my parents were not so fortunate so they were mortgaged up and the cars took a back step although my dad restored cars for people at weekends, in the time, i helped with a lagonda v12, 4 old rovers, a austin allaggro and a victor, aswell by that time my best mates dad had a garage so got to tinker with alfasuds and stuff like that, plus as said before by the other chaps i was into my model kits and use to build all the american muscle cars, t- birds, caddy's, willy's coupes etc etc, and i was never into football, but really enjoyed making models and racing my tamiya thundershot, aswell as tinkering with my dads cars.
so that pretty well sums it up
I still like modern cars, but get a thrill driving my 5 pot over the standard people carrier type thing we have now, also i like to see the old cars ultra clean or natural patina but for me 80's and early 90's as that was my childhood and i use to love my mum's old nova gte on a e plate, my dad use to cane it and it use to just go with the flow
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Feb 23, 2011 15:45:17 GMT
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same reason as most.
grew up around cavaliers, peugeot 305s, mk1 fiestas, maestros and cortinas.
favourite car has always been lancia delta.
think something attracts me to cars designed with a ruler.
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1994 Mazda 323f 1.6i 16v GLX
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purplevanman
Posted a lot
Way too orangey for crows
Posts: 3,829
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Feb 23, 2011 15:51:57 GMT
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Always have been old man was into british bikes, his m8 had landys and an Austin Westminster Hearse which we used for auto jumbles Then at bout 12 and my parents split, I went with mum and hence lost all help with cycles or just putting up shelves etc so I had to learn how to do it myself, my time was nearly all spent in the garage, girls? pah, spanners ;D . Fixing old bikes, then motor bikes, then cars so retro wasn't a thought or a choice as such, it just was ...
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