This is where it started for me

[cpjitservices]

A little insight to my life of cars. I'll try to keep this short.

 

All began when I was a young'un - Father worked at Edmunds Walker. Sales Manager. Branch based in Darlington, then moved onto Durham and Carlisle. Company Cars ensued such as Astra Mk2 Esatate, and Hatchback both in Blue, there was a red Escort too from Carlisle - N Reg (N***REE).

 

My earliest memories of cars started with my old mans Black, Sierra Sapphire. Was on an F reg. I remember coming in from school, Dad not in good mood. Car gone. He went to MOT it and was promptly told to drive it straight to the bridge - he could keep the keys and continue if he wanted but it was in fact two halves of a car - the weld marks were prominent from underneath. 

 

I'll list a few others from what I can remember.

Black Orion 1.6 - G Reg

Blue Sierra MK1 Hatch - B Reg

Blue Sierra MK1 Estate - D Reg (HGF!!!)

Chevy Monza in Beige - Engine Fire - DOnt remember much about it except it was in the yard for a long time!

Carlton 2.0 - F Reg - Beige - Sounded Like Concorde, Dad Hated it off it went to the bridge

Black Orion Mk3 - J Reg - Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. Off to the bridge it went

Silver Fiesta 1.1 Popular Plus - D Reg - Mum got sick of having 3 doors, dad sold it.

Volvo 340 GL - E Reg - Didnt have the square reverse lights: Blew Radiator in Scotland so dad left it where it was

Rover 216S - H reg - I remember this going like Stink and fell in love with Rover form that point - Dad drove it like he stole it: Everywhere - not sure what happened to it

Beige Sierra Mk2 - Not sure what happened but he had it a while and sold it then picked up a Mondeo

Mondeo Mk1 N Reg - Was nice, his favorite car - got written off by some berk who pulled out in front of him and smashed the front end.

Citroen AX 1.4 Navy Blue - H Reg - Loved it but outgrew it

Rover 620TI - Loved the BMW engine - New wife = New Car so he ditched in favour of A, -- S***AAW was the reg - not sure of numbers

Peugeot 405 Estate - 1.8 Diesel I think - Had this over 5 years I think

 

No Idea what he drives now as we no longer speak or know whether hes still alive, but was always tinkering with cars. From leaving school I worked in several garages in Darlington, one of which was main dealer at Croft (Reg Vardy Rover), which sealed my love for Rover I guess, started off as an apprentice in a backstreet garage and saw some terrible terrible antics and promptly left! Went to another garage, then got offered a place at Vardys so off I went after about 6 months. Left Vardys after about a year to move to Hull which is where I am now - though I no longer work in the motor trade.

 

Thats me, Sorry if this was boring, just thought I'd give you all an insight.

 

And still messing about with cars!

[BorniteIdentity]

We were talking about Cut and Shuts at work just the other day, coincidentally.

 

The 22 year old lass I worked with was utterly bemused.

[cpjitservices]

We were talking about Cut and Shuts at work just the other day, coincidentally.

 

The 22 year old lass I worked with was utterly bemused.

The other funny thing with that car is I remember the engine in it quite vividly, I have never seen another Sierra with that engine so it may of had an engine change also.

[cpjitservices]

This is what the engine was like in the Sierra - but From what I recall The cam cover was 'longer' with the ford emblem at the very bottom. 

 

 

[mercrocker]

Chevy Monza, eh?    God knows how long it is since I saw one of those, one of our security guards at work had one about 20 years ago.   It was hanging then.    

 

All this talk of cut and shut reminds me of a dodgy friend of mine who got in serious trouble over a Mk1 Pisshat that he sold which was stitched out of two others.   Whether he knew that when he sold it or not I never found out but something he said to the understandably stroppy seller always made me laugh.  

 

Bloke - "Bloody death trap you sold me - put my bloody family in a hearse that will.  Etc" 

 

Mate - "Don't worry chap, all the funeral cars have been cut and shut as well.  Including the hearse...."

[Rod/b]

I remember when I were a lad going into a scrap yard in Rainham to get some rear window rubbers for my Metro. I got the bits out of the car on top of a stack and went off to the office to pay but it was deserted. I heard some noise in the big shed so wandered in and there I found 3 blokes in the middle of positioning the front end of a blue sierra onto the back end of a white one. Looked to have been chopped right across the screen surround and across the middle of the front floorpans.

 

Naturally i left quite quickly.

[tooSavvy]

I made a joke of 'buying a cheap Savvy (as in, less book price)' through waiting for two sideswiped ones to come up on fleebay 'parts only' & cross panelling onto the best one..

 

Within 6weeks a L/H trashed..R/H trashed (both pillar box red) came up at about £200 either one.

 

PB has totally fuc#ed that thread

 

 

TS

[cpjitservices]

The old boy was none too happy like as you'd imagine and to his surprise when he went back to the garage who sold him it - they had fucked off lol. I remember the name of that garage... dare I mention it ? bugger it - its long gone.... Cameo Cars!!!! 

[DVee8]

My wife used to work for Reg Vardy when we first got together,she worked at head office.

 

My mate use to buy crash damaged to 2 half,he always staggered the cuts to the A pillars as it was "stronger",most if not all went as taxi's.

[Christine]

With a car list as long as that , have you considered Wilson Wilson may be your father ?

[cpjitservices]

With a car list as long as that , have you considered Wilson Wilson may be your father ?

Thats only some of the list - Im sure I can probs remember a few more if I really raided the archives of the brain. 

 

Oh yeahhh here it goes:

 

Ford Zephyr MK3 : White with Red Roof - Binned due to passenger door not opening and dad booting it open, thus leaving big hole in door

Ford Zephyr MK3 : Red with White Roof - Binned due to over heating and starting problems

Ford Zodiac MK3 : Metallic Blue - Had it quite a while, until one day he parked it in the back yard - hand brake failed and it crashed arse first into the house. Mum very upset house is broken, Dad very upset car is broken.

Ford Sierra MK1: Light Blue - Alternator Issues

Ford Escort MK2: Square head lights: Gold/Beige: Came in from school - Front End Completely missing, Dad parked it in back alley. Went to lock house when a van came flying the opposite direction into the alley and smashed straight into the Escort. Bonnet wouldn't go down and Engine lost all of its bodily fluids so to the bridge it went. 

Red Nissan Primera: N Reg. Didn't like it, PX'ed it for Citroen AX. Actually, Citroen AX Dumped it's head gasket in the end as I recall.

 

[Noel Tidybeard]

 

Rover 620TI - Loved the BMW engine - New wife = New Car so he ditched in favour of A -- S***AAW was the reg - not sure of numbers

 

 

no bmw donk sullied the rover 600

[cpjitservices]

 

Rover 620TI - Loved the BMW engine - New wife = New Car so he ditched in favour of A -- S***AAW was the reg - not sure of numbers

 

 

no bmw donk sullied the rover 600

 

Wasnt the TI A BM Derivative ?

[sierraman]

Cut and shuts... you don't really see those anymore but at one time it was fairly common. Seems like in hindsight a lot of fucking about for a grand or so.

[flat4alfa]

Wasnt the TI A BM Derivative ?

 

Not even nearly.  That salesman did a good one on you

 

It's the final, but excellent, gasp from a 1954 Austin design

 

B-series > O-series > M-series > T-series

 

T-16 = Ti

[cpjitservices]

Not even nearly.  That salesman did a good one on you

 

It's the final, but excellent, gasp from a 1954 Austin design

 

B-series > O-series > M-series > T-series

 

T-16 = Ti

Oh no it's just from memory - I thought it had had a BMW engine in it - Could be wrong this was a long time ago.

 

Thinking back, it MAY of been a 618 ? 

 

Can't really ask the old man now lol

[ray]

Rover 75 was a BMW diesel.

[somewhatfoolish]

The 600 only ever had Rover or Honda engines; 618, 620 and 623 pez were Honda, 620 dizzler and 620 turbot were Rover.

[flat4alfa]

Oh no it's just from memory - I thought it had had a BMW engine in it - Could be wrong this was a long time ago.

 

Thinking back, it MAY of been a 618 ? 

 

Can't really ask the old man now lol

 

I reckon you should buy another 620 Ti to find out just to prove me properly wrong.  It's a great idea, and an ideal homage to your lineage