childhood memories

[gary_davidson]

A maxi, we used to live over 3 miles from school so the council laid on a taxi for us, usually we got a beige maxi, so there would be at least 6 of us, sometimes 9 in one car (pre-seatbelt laws = brill), i know it's not the maxi's fault but that doesn't stop me from holding a grudge. occasionally they would send a yellow lada instead, 9 kids in a badly neglected lada that only a few hours earlier was being used to take home pissheads and occasionally would stink of sick, oh the joy*

[chaseracer]

I still want a wedgie Prinny though.

Talk to Gunn... 

[chaseracer]

Back in the days when German cars - other than the VW Beetle - were the exception in the UK rather than the default option, the Owd Giffer ran airborne radar trials out of RAE Thurleigh (now car storage and Bedford Autodrome).  He was travelling weekly so the six year old Avenger was retired to hack duty and replaced with a nearly-new Opel Rekord.  It lasted for years and he's bought German ever since.

 

Maybe it was the memory of that wafty velourtastic barge that inspired me to get into a big Merc... 

[Norbert]

I had a fantastically shite childhood. My old man normally had company cars, so our privately owned stuff could be past its first flush of youth. At one stage we went on a family holiday in shite convoy with an Austin Ambassador towing a fifteen-year-old Robin caravan, followed by a beige Toyota Starlet driven by my mum carrying all the supplies (the luggage space in the Wedge was full of dog). Another holiday my dad came along in his Chevanne so he could go to work during the holiday (a bit of a short-haul trip by necessity that one).

 

One strange side effect of my Dad's company car habit was his abiding love of Renault 18s after having a couple (and a Fuego) while working for a Renault tractor dealer. When he found himself temporarily needing private wheels, he bought a GTX estate from a local vicar which was the absolute bees knees - we sold it and kept the Wedge when it was realised 2 big cars didn't add up. Then as now, i considered that the Wrong Answer.

[Spiny Norman]

Worst memory I have of childhood motoring related stuff was when dad replaced the third Renault 16 he's had in a row (the only car I ever really remember us having as a kid, since they spanned my childhood from about 3 to early teens) for an FE Victor that went from showroom shine to scrapyard shit due to rust in 6 years.

Even back then, the R16 had a bit of street cred, it was a reasonably cool dad car and the crusty, frumpy VX didn't, and it felt horrible to ride in as a passenger after the comfiest car in the world.
Never liked them after that.

[carlo]

Citroen DS 21 Pallas.

My father once bought one because he thought he needed to move up after having owned a succession of R16s.

We all (My mum, my sister and I) found it hideously ugly, I remember my mother saying 'oh no, it looks like a French living room'.

My father soon started to dislike it, too, because it didn't pull the sausage off the plate uphill, something extremely annoying in a country like Austria.

But the worst thing about it was that I got seasick in it as soon as it was in motion. Most trips usually ended prematurely on the hard shoulder, where the DS pissed one of its numerous fluids on the Autobahn. I was actually looking forward to these breakdowns, because they gave me some relief from being sick.

I think we had it less than two years, when my dad traded it in for yet another R16.

 

This post reminded me of our childhood, a lot of which was spent going down to Devon every year in a Renault 16.  Not that we disliked it though, I remember it being really comfortable and the old man loved it.  Here's the only picture left of MTW 818C, which must have been one of the first R16s over here.  It was a left hooker and we loaned it to a TV company in the late 60s - it appears on some program I've forgotten the title of.

 

[Eric]

Best childhood (car)memory?

The 15th of April 1977, A quick look out of the window, waiting for Dad to come home....and it wasen't the 12TS but a brandnew Renault 16 TX in lightblue metallic parking in front of the house!

To my delight Otto-Models produced it last year in the right color!!!

[oman5]

My fondest and earliest memory of shite is my dad's avenger he modified when I was a child, I loved that car it was my 1st love, it roared like thunder and was like a rocket it had a 3.0 litre Essex and triple carbs, he painted it blue over silver I can picture it now, a stupid taxi driver fell asleep and ploughed straight into it while it was parked and inserted it into a mk4 Tina estate, I saw it in the morning and burst into tears, he was gutted as he never got to put the final piece of door trim on the drivers door, you can see a sparkle in his eyes when he talks about that car, I would absolutely love to build him one the same for his 60th birthday and let him put that final piece of trim on

do I have to say that you should definitely do this?  It was always in my mind to surprise my dad with a Scimitar 3.0, as he had always wanted one. I never got the chance, he passed away young.

[Charlie Croker]

I don't hate them for it but I was VERY embarrassed when my Dad wrote off our H reg Hillman Avenger in 1977.

The car had a huge lamp post type V in the front and even to a 11 year olds eyes it was scrap.

What was embarrassing about it was he did it on the local Asda car park and as much as I asked at the time I never got a right story out off him about how he did it.lol.

Same go's for a J reg Rapier H120 written off on a country road a year earlier although he did confess a couple of years ago when we were talking one afternoon that the Rapier episode was due to the fact he was racing a TR7.lol.

[Shep Shepherd]

My father's 1977 Chrysler Avenger, which was an ex-Sussex Police car and as such had black vinyl seats (and a Rapier H120 engine, but that's another story). I can still remember how hot they got in the summer of 1982, to the detriment of my legs when I wore shorts

[eddyramrod]

 the Rapier episode was due to the fact he was racing a TR7.

I'd like to have been a spectator at that race!

 

[ayrshirelad]

Mk2/3 Astras. My mum had them and still drives a new style Astra and wont even think about buying anything else. I drove B198vsr shortly after passing my test. Hated the dash and i kept stalling the thing as i passed my test in a diesal, and the works van i drove was a deisal also. Bloody things kept steeming up too! Hated then then still hate them now!

[sheffcortinacentre]

reg trips to our caravan in a 72 4dr mk3 1.6L in red during the mid late 70's never gave one bit of trouble, at the same time a mates dad had a bronze marina hateful car nowt but trouble, my dad replaced the mk3 in 81 with a dove grey mk5 same spec (the only new car he ever bought).

I still own it (not changed ownership details) in storage back of my garage.

[Peter Patina]

Sage Green 1966 Hillman Minx. Left in car whilst parents did shopping and leafing through AA Book of the Road: a cornucopia of wonder that was very obviously gateway to the whole motoring world of exploration. The exact breed of daffodil we might count as we laboured up Berkshire hills at 18MPH, how to get out of a skid, interesting facts about the heron population in Suffolk, how to load your roof-rack, all was there in reassuring heft within its damp-resistant black covers.

[hairnet]

Fondest mk3 tina flattening battery on hols in irelnd via under dash tape player when about 8 or 9 then learning 18 months later how to reverse bump diwn the slipe to get it goin outside the house in the mountains

 

Worst one mum crashing victor coming down uncles shays steep boreen ( grass up middle gravels hedges etc) abput 2-3 years before tina

 

Good memory bloke two doors up used to have garage in backgarden and would put 74 beetle away wed get ride in it round the back and up the entry then shut door for him

[Doctormop]

My Dad worked in the motor trade most of his life, mostly in the parts department, back then staff seemed to get the pick of any trade ins so, given that he worked for a Rootes dealership when I was born my first ever journey at 6 days old ( I was kept in an incubator for 4 days as I was a weak, puny little thing that nobody thought would survive) was in a 1964 Hillman Minx, that was swapped for a Hunter, followed by the 1st car I actually remember, a green Avenger GT that my Mother hated so off it went, he changed jobs around this time and worked for the Civil Service, with no Motor Trade connections he bought a Reliant Robin (PFR 45M), even as a 3 year old I couldn't understand swapping something with four wheels for something with three.

 A major problem with the Reliant's steering saw it be chopped in for a Mini clubman estate (AFR 134L) which could at least stand up on its own, that went in favour of a green Lada 1200 (UCW 441R)  which my Mother never got on with, cue an orange Allegro (RDK 372S) which he kept for about 5 years, my Brother's constant whining that we should get a dog led to the purchase of a Chrysler Alpine (HRN 249S) that seemed to break down an awful lot, I remember being in the back seat of this on the way to school when the rear passenger door, the side I happened to be sitting on just opened of its own accord, it was decided that I must have been 'fiddling with it' but in all honesty I wasn't.

 The alpine only lasted about 18 months tragically the same as the dog as it became ill and had to be put to sleep, Mum and Dad were too upset to get another so the Alpine was swapped for a Fiesta popular (FCW 740W) which my Dad kept for 7 years, I always think it strange that as the family grew he seemed to get smaller cars 2 teenage lads in the back of a mk1 fiesta is never going to be comfortable.

 My other childhood type memory is that once or twice a year he got to borrow the boss's car, aged about 9 I was dropped off at school in a Granada Estate, Christ I felt like someone important, when I was 11 and at secondary school the Granada had turned into a Saab 900, I literally did not want to get out of that car it felt like a cross between the Starship  Enterprise and a magic carpet I only ever rode in it once as he changed jobs again the next year but I'm sure its these early experiences that have given me a lifelong love of big motors.

 Just to bring the story up to date my Dad is 81 and drives a Kia Picanto 1.0, bought brand new on the scrappage scheme, I've checked and double checked but apparently I'm NOT adopted!!!

[Angrydicky]

My dad's Citroen BX caught fire. 

[mercrocker]

Here is a new direction for this  thread - cars we entered life into....

 

I left hospital in a Ford Pilot.

My sister ditto in a Mk 1 Consul

My daughter in Mk 3 Zephyr 6

 
Unfortunately my grandson came home in Fiat Punto  (nothing to  do with me...) and broke the symmetry

Never mind....

[Forty-two]

My first ever car memory was my grandfathers new at the time Rover P6 V8

 

His property had a detached wooden double garage, standing in the drive you would hear this thing fire up and echo in the cavernous garage and then slowly emerge with a deep rumble.

 

It was traded later on for a Rover 820 which was nice but never had the same presence.

 

Later memories again come from the same V8 but this time in a new at the time G Reg Range Rover Vogue. I am happy that I have at least managed to own, even if it was a little rotten!

[dangerousdave]

cheers for that do hope they get it flying

[jbz2079]

One of my earliest memories was a Commer van/crewbus we got a lift back from our caravan in Argylshire to Glasgow.

We came down the Rest and Be Thankful off the clock with a small trailer on the back, but not on a towbar, tied to the Commer with rope!

Never really like those vans after that.

[dangerousdave]

this reminded me of other memories like when my dad had his first decent non ford a d plate Nissan bluebird wed gone to buxton for the day ill never forget it we all got out of the car and my sister decided to lock all the doors behind her not realising the keys were still in it so while waiting for the aa a coach came past and smashed the little plastic vent thing they had near the back light so me as a car mad child made it my mission to find another one

 

I also remember been wary of red avenger estates because we got shown a video at school about ot talking to strangers and the stranger drove a red avenger estate and been scared of Austin princesses because as a child I had a fear of crash test dummies and around 1986/87 they were showing the advert with the dummy child flying through the window of a princess so every time I saw one I had that image in my head

 

the other memory is of dads mk2 escort 1.3 pop plus with vinyl seats me getting in it one hot summers day with shorts on and jumping straight back out again

[dangerousdave]

more memories now once was going on holiday to wales mum,dad and grandparents in said Renault 18 me in my uncles brand new Renault 21 with caravan on back and my uncle seeing a wheel going past and saying oops someones lost a wheel and a few seconds after the caravan drops on one side it was our wheel that went past which meant the police came to try and retrieve the wheel and I got to play in a police senator

 

I remember the 18 was a car my dad didn't want but had no choice it was from a dodgy dealer near us he first bought a Vauxhall carlton which the engine blew up after a day so took it back and got a mk5 Cortina which every single bush was knackered and they wouldn't give him his money back so he had to take the Renault

 

I remember I was a bit gutted when he got the bluebird because it replaced a mk2 Granada 2.3 lx estate which I felt like royalty riding in

 

journies from hospital when born

 

me a Chrysler valiant charger vh 770 an aussie muscle car(as I was born in aussie ) I will have one one day done as a replica of dads

 

my sister a mk4 Cortina estate still remember the reg cak 809t

[Ghosty]

I'm pretty sure I was brought home from hospital in F473KNF, a maroon Fiesta 1.1L.

Simply because there's no way it was in my dad's C reg Capri 1.6 Laser.

[Split_Pin]

Great thread here.

 

My most prominent car memory was riding in the back of my Uncle's white FE Victor estate with my cousin. GES772N had a huge slidey blue vinyl bench seat in the back with no seat belts obv. My cousin and I would play a game of 'round corners' where my Uncle would turn a wee bit sharp round a junction or something and we would send ourselves deliberately sliding in favour of the G force.

 

I also recall we pretended that power line poles were alien invaders and we would dive for cover when we approached one. The stacked ones were Zircons and the T shaped ones were Cokkitakis.

[ProgRocker]

The car my parents had when I was born was a 1974 M reg Cortina 1600XL estate in orangey-red with Ro-Style wheels.    It wasn't often they had a car as new as 3 years old. I vauguely recall being strapped into the black plastic child seat in the middle of the rear bench.

[Junkman]

I was brought home from hospital in a bloody VW Beetle my father had borrowed for the occasion from the company he worked for at the time.

I remain a miserable grumpy sod ever since and haven't forgiven him to this day.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Brown Hillman Hunter.  What a bag of shite that car was!  At school, three lates a term meant one detention, but my dad negotiated a deal - my brothers and I could be late five times before getting jugged, on the basis of Dad's crap car.  We often froze our nadgers off waiting for him to pick us up from somewhere, as it had broken down again. 

 

I wasn't that keen on the ex Panda car light blue Anglia with the leopard skin seat covers, either.   I LUUUUURRRRVED the Princess.  

 

I recall my dad getting razzed off on a roundabout by a silver Rapier Fastback with a black vinyl roof.   My dad said at the time that he really wanted that exact car.    He had done some work on parts of the Rapier's interior when at Rootes Chrysler (so if the glove box on yours doesn't shut properly - blame my dad) . About twenty five years later I bought him one.    It wasn't a Holbay, and had a Badermatic box, but it was still quite fun.  A sheep in Wolf's clothing, and a bit OMGHGF, but we both liked it. 

[eddyramrod]

Mention of the Commer minibus reminds me of the bus we had at school.  This was, of course, the 70s, before Guidelines etc.  I vaguely remember the school bus being a Thames 400E, but it was replaced in about 1972/3 by a PB minibus, white with orange striping.  I think it was a 1967-or-so bus.  It was used for class trips, usually for Geography purposes, of which I only ever experienced one as I missed at least half my schooling through illness.  Mr Bradley (Geography) drove, and his wife followed us in their beige 1966 Beetle (slidey sunroof FTW) with the overspill kiddies.  I'd bet money you wouldn't be allowed to do that now!

I'm sure I also remember the Metalwork department having a dark grey Fiat 500 for restoration practice.  Wonder whatever happened to that?

[Skoze]

Don't really have any bad memories associated with cars, even the bad ones haven't put me off anything.

 

I do have very fond memories of my dad's 24v Carlton GSI though. Heated seats on long journeys, being fascinated by the CD changer int he boot and how it turned the volume up when you sped up, cracking 120 on the A13 and being told not to tell mum (as any excited 10 year old would, I did as soon as I got home) and sliding round greasy roundabouts on the way to the London Boat Show every year. Fantastic Car, that was. 

 

I was brought home from Hospital in a Pug 309 GTI