Life of Shite

[eddyramrod]

Thanks Ken, I didn't realise you'd had your hands on those two.

[DSdriver]

One Saab is never enough

[eddyramrod]

I've had several cars of which one is never enough!

[Captain Mainwaring]

Thanks for sharing this Mr Ramrod, really enjoyed reading it. What a mixture of stuff you've had! 

[eddyramrod]

(Months later...)  Yeah I have, haven't I?  I do like variety, always have.  Unfortunately as the old cars get older, it gets harder to find something "different."  Or at least, makes finding them more expensive. And, thank you everyone for the comments on here.  It's nice to think someone is enjoying my words.

 

[Macscrooge]

A truly epic thread! I read it in one  sitting and now I need a lie down!  

[108]

On 1/31/2021 at 3:04 PM, eddyramrod said:

I've been on this forum over a decade now, and have often alluded to cars I've known in the past.  The basic idea of this thread has been rattling around in my head for some time; in relatively recent times it's been gaining momentum, because I posted in the Family Snaps thread, and the Proud of Your Motoring History thread.  So here it is.  My life in cars.

I'm actually starting before I was born!  I posted in the Family Snaps thread...

The Morris 8 in which, I was told, my mother learned to drive.  If I can find a suitable model it will join my collection.

ZE 3192, the little Ford van my dad had in Ireland in about 1947.

And a model of it!  This early in the story there is plenty of guesswork involved, but it's educated guesswork, because I spent years, decades even, devouring everything my parents could tell me about their old cars.  They've been gone a good few years now so there's nobody I can confirm things with.

My dad with what I assume was a work van, late 40s or early 50s.  I keep chasing the Matchbox-Dinky casting of this on ebay, but they normally go over my budget, so if you know of a scrap one that would benefit from some Humbrol, you know where to come.

RAF 563, their Austin A40 Devon van-conversion, which was their camping steed in the mid-50s.  A Matchbox-Dinky model of this van has very recently arrived and is in the queue for painting up.

That's me there, in Daddy's arms, so this must be the summer of 1959.  I didn't know they'd had a Minor, but...

...the Corgi Cameo version is perfectly good enough.

I'm going to take a little break here because I don't want the posts to get too large.  I'll break up the story into bite-size chunks.

Going back to the beginning:

Freynes of Clondalkin are still in business. There’s a Pharmacy and a separate Veterinary practice. Not bad going after all these years. 

Brilliant thread. 

[vaughant]

Not sure where exactly but I have a decent USA model of the pt cruiser I'd be happy to send to you for free if I can find it. It maybe bigger than the little dinky sized ones though? My son is currently clearing his loft so it may turn up sooner rather than later 👍👍👍. 

 

Free of charge as I've really enjoyed reading the thread 👍👍👍. 

[eddyramrod]

Well that's nothing short of magnificent!  Thank you

[FakeConcern]

Great thread, I'd read the start of it when first commited to internet, but lost track (subscribed now). Love the model replica of each car! I wish I had pics of all the cars my family have owned and also wish we'd had such interesting ones!

Waiting for update now haha.

[eddyramrod]

Thank you for the review!  Updates?  There isn't much to say now.  The Jag is lovely, and I'm going out in it very shortly for a birthday lunch.  The Motability Suzuki is away having a little bodywork after MrsR scraped it on an Audi by the Post Office.  And, er.... well that's it really.  No News Is Good News.

[eddyramrod]

Of course the moment I praise it...

Now the Jag is throwing up messages on the dash!  ABS Faulty, DSC not available, and occasionally, Restricted Performance.  I've booked it in at my local garage but they can't take it until the end of next week.  I'll just have to nurse it until then.  Fortunately, after the Keswick trip we did on Sunday, it doesn't have very far to go between now and then.

[eddyramrod]

On 4/15/2023 at 8:22 PM, FakeConcern said:

Great thread, I'd read the start of it when first commited to internet, but lost track (subscribed now). Love the model replica of each car! I wish I had pics of all the cars my family have owned and also wish we'd had such interesting ones!

Waiting for update now haha.

You can still have models of them!  Mk1/mk2 Golf?  No problem.  Astra, Focus?  Also available.  Volvo estate?  Take your pick!  It's just a matter of searching.  You'll have to rely on memory for details, that's all.  Was the Golf 3 or 5 doors?  Black or grey?  Colour only matters when you start to paint the models like the real thing so if the model Golf you find only comes in lime green, it won't be an issue.

*Note the Golf is used purely as an example here, you may or may not have owned one or more, I don't know.  I never have.