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grogee

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My dad worked for WHSmith for most of my childhood and he had company issue cars. He doesn't care about cars but he was/is a sympathetic driver and always washed them before they went back. Anyway they were very bland but I have happy memories:

MK3 Cortina 1.6L estate

Ital 1.7 HL estate

Mk5 Cortina 1.6L estate

MK2 Astra 1.6L estate x4 (a new one every 3 years)

MK3 Astra 1.7TD LS estate

Then I grew up and he had other cars 

All very humdrum but weirdly the one he hated the most (Ital) is the one I lust after most now. Maybe because Cortinas are already out of reach and the Ital is anti-fashion.

I learned to drive in one of the Astras and they were much more willing than the Ford stuff, 90bhp if I remember rightly. 

What fun cars did your folks have?

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I wouldn't say my dad had any fun cars. He had, since I can remember
Vauxhall Victor fb
Vauxhall victor fc
Vauxhall victor fd
Vauxhall victor fe
Leyland princess 2200
Vauxhall astra mk1
Vauxhall astra mk1
Vauxhall cavalier mk3
Vauxhall cavalier mk3
Vauxhall vectra mk1
Suzuki wagon R
Between these he had 4 bedford vans then a vw transporter. I think he was a confirmed vauxhall licker lol

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13 minutes ago, Daviemck2006 said:

I wouldn't say my dad had any fun cars. He had, since I can remember
Vauxhall Victor fb
Vauxhall victor fc
Vauxhall victor fd
Vauxhall victor fe
Leyland princess 2200
Vauxhall astra mk1
Vauxhall astra mk1
Vauxhall cavalier mk3
Vauxhall cavalier mk3
Vauxhall vectra mk1
Suzuki wagon R
Between these he had 4 bedford vans then a vw transporter. I think he was a confirmed vauxhall licker lol

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The Astras and Cavs were rated round my way (Devon) where nobody had any money and the roads were hilly and sometimes challenging (steep, single lane, slippy, sometimes with livestock on them).

Wagon R is funny, lots of comedy value in them. Surprised he didn't choose the Agila being a Vauxhall licker.

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My Dad had the following from when I was born:

Mk1 Cortina 1500 Super

Mini van (brand new)

Mk2 Cortina 1300 de luxe (The first I have any memory of )

Mk 2 Cortina 1600 E

Viva HC 2 door ( a real low point )

Mk2 Escort 1300L 4 door (first company car)

Mk5 Cortina 1600GL ( The best car he had)

Mk5 Cortina 1.6 base estate

Mk3 Escort 1.3L 5 door

Mk4 Escort 1.3L 5 door

1992 Orion LX diesel

1994 Astra 1.4 L (Last and worst company car)

Cortina 1.6 Crusader ( bought by me when he retired)

Cortina 1.6L ( bought by me off its original owner to replace the Crusader in1997)

I am not surprised your Dad hated the Ital after having a Cortina, I was really upset when we had the mk3 Escort, fortunately I bought my own Cortina within a year.

Edited to add, the fun cars were the Cortina’s, the others were not great although the Mini van and Mk2 Escort were ok and would be nice to have now. 

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The Astras and Cavs were rated round my way (Devon) where nobody had any money and the roads were hilly and sometimes challenging (steep, single lane, slippy, sometimes with livestock on them).
Wagon R is funny, lots of comedy value in them. Surprised he didn't choose the Agila being a Vauxhall licker.
He went for the Suzuki as he could get an auto. Vauxhall didn't do an auto agila. His last 4 or 5 were all auto.

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20 minutes ago, Shite Ron said:

My Dad had the following from when I was born:

Mk1 Cortina 1500 Super

Mini van (brand new)

Mk2 Cortina 1300 de luxe (The first I have any memory of )

Mk 2 Cortina 1600 E

Viva HC 2 door ( a real low point )

Mk2 Escort 1300L 4 door (first company car)

Mk5 Cortina 1600GL ( The best car he had)

Mk5 Cortina 1.6 base estate

Mk3 Escort 1.3L 5 door

Mk4 Escort 1.3L 5 door

1992 Orion LX diesel

1994 Astra 1.4 L (Last and worst company car)

Cortina 1.6 Crusader ( bought by me when he retired)

Cortina 1.6L ( bought by me off its original owner to replace the Crusader in1997)

I am not surprised your Dad hated the Ital after having a Cortina, I was really upset when we had the mk3 Escort, fortunately I bought my own Cortina within a year.

Edited to add, the fun cars were the Cortina’s, the others were not great although the Mini van and Mk2 Escort were ok and would be nice to have now. 

"Mk5 Cortina 1.6 base estate"

<feels smug with the clock and MW radio that my Dad's L model had>

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18 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

Wolseley 1500

Riley Elf

1974 Fiat 128 estate

1978 Mazda Montrose

1990 Nissan Micra

1994 Nissan Micra 

Lots of gaps between the Wolseley and the Mazda where we had no car

No car, feel your pain. But made up for it with fun Fiat and weird Mazda madness. I like both.

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3 minutes ago, grogee said:

No car, feel your pain. But made up for it with fun Fiat and weird Mazda madness. I like both.

the Fiat wasn't much fun at the time, as every time it was damp and wet it wouldn't start and we had to get the bus.  We only had the Mazda for 2 weeks and Dad finally got fed up of driving shit heaps and bought the Micra brand new

 

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Before my existence:

Mk2 Capri 1.6
Austin Maxi (brush painted, company car)
Austin Mini van (company car)
MG Metro
Locus Excel

After my existence:


Vauxhall Astra mk3 estate (company car)
Vauxhall Astra Mk4 estate (company car)
Ford Mondeo Mk3 (company car)
Rover 214 R8
Rover 400
Ford Explorer
Citroen C5 estate
Skoda Octavia 4x4 estate
Peugeot 208 XY
Mini Cooper S
Vauxhall Corsa van
Vauxhall Combo

Historically my Dad has always gone for the cheapest car for the mileage it'd covered he could and would then run it to 150-200k and trade it for something else.

Mum only passed her test a couple of years after me and can only drive autos, she's had:

Mini One CVT
Landrover Freelander mk1 1.8
Honda CRV Mk2
Mini Cooper
Mini Roadster
Honda CRV Mk3
Honda CRV Mk4

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On returning from our posting in Malta in 1954, dad bought his first car, a faded, dull red £15 1933 Austin 7. Some black Valspar, new headlining and the leaking sunroof 'plated over' with hardboard(!!) smartened it up.  This was the car that introduced me to car mechanics at the age of 4 until 9 because the engine was often on the kitchen table. I cried when dad sold it for the next car in 1959:-

1954 Hillman Minx. Sidevalve engine but had the luxury of a heater.

1958 Riley 1.5.  Lovely looking Damask Red twin carb thirstiness but draughty for us kids in the back seat.

1963 Vauxhall FB estate. Practical, fast,  comfortable and reliable. We were carted to the South of France twice for holidays and finally to Germany for another move.

1966 Ford Taunus P5 17m Turnier (estate). RHD despite being bought in Germany. Characterful V4 with column change and 6v electrics.

1972 Vauxhall Victor FE saloon. I had left home before he bought this one. I did not like its black interior.

?? Fairly recent at the time Citroen GSA (written off in an accident)

Replaced with another GSA, then he had another GSA a few years later before he died (1986). I drove his last one quite often before mum part exchanged it for a Micra.

 

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The oul fella had, IIRC:

1969 Ford Cortina Mk.2 1600E

1973 Ford Cortina Mk.3 1600 L Decor (ex-Met Police)

1979 VW Golf L

1981 VW Jetta C

1989 VW Jetta GL

1993 VW Vento GL

(1987 Mercedes 380 SE; this lasted all of a week!)

2003 VW Golf 1.4 16v &

2003 VW Bora S TDi (handed down to me; is still going)

2012 VW Polo 1.4

Fair to say he won't drive anything that isn't German. 

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My dad tends to go a long time between cars, and runs them right into the ground before replacing them. Hence why he's not had many over the last 5 decades:

Before I was born:
Mk1  Escort 1300 (his first car)
Mk3 Cortina 2000
1978 Chrysler Avenger Estate (I was brought home from the hospital in this one!)

After I was born:
1982 Mk2 Granada 2.3L
1986 Mk3 Granada 2.0GL
1994 Rover 620Si
2003 Renault Laguna 2.0 Dynamique (?)
2010 Renault Laguna 2.0 DCi 180 GT 4Control (current car, and by far the longest model name!)

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16 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Not to mention cloth seats in the L! My Dad had a company 1980 Mk5 base auto estate. Seats were vinyl but he had GL side mouldings fitted to look less pov!

The estate was a 1982 model so had the Windsor cloth seats, it also had an aftermarket towbar, rear wiper and Philips push button radio. It was quite a nice car (compared to the Viva which we had for far too long) nowhere near as nice as the luxury of the GL it replaced though. It did make me appreciate how great estate cars are though.

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My Mum and Dad split up. Make of this what you will.

Mum and Dad

Escort Mk1
Dormobile
Austin Maxi
Morris Marina
Some other chod I don't remember (probably Vauxhalls)

Then they split
Mum

Mk1 Fiesta
Nissan Micra
Nissan Micra
Rover 214
Citroen C3
Citroen C3
Citroen C5
Citroen C5
Dacia Duster

Dad
Mk1 Golf GTI
XR4x4
Renault 25 Turbo (yeah, that one)
Some imported Japanese People carrier (there were 5 kids by then)
(Another one after that I think)
MGF
Fiesta ST

I don't think my Mum cares for cars much 😂

 

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My dad has had a pretty much automotive monoculture, with the exception of a few bikes

1965-73ish

1. 1948 Land Rover Series One

2. 1951-2? Land Rover Series One

3. 1950s Riley Pathfinder

4. 1950s Austin Champ

5 1950s BSA 350?

6 1960s Lambretta 80cc?

1973-1994

7. 1964 Land Rover Series IIA

2005-present

8.  1971 Land Rover Series III

Bear in mind my dad isn't in any way shape or form a car enthusiast, in fact he is decidedly unenthusiastic about cars most of the time, although he is quite handy at taking them apart. Note also that he owned the same vehicle (No 7) for 21 years (I've owned it for 27 years), and that he has never owned a car newer than 1971, the year the UK abandoned pounds shillings and pence. He is nowhere near as eccentric as that makes him sound. 

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10 minutes ago, warch said:

My dad has had a pretty much automotive monoculture, with the exception of a few bikes

1965-73ish

1. 1948 Land Rover Series One

2. 1951-2? Land Rover Series One

3. 1950s Riley Pathfinder

4. 1950s Austin Champ

5 1950s BSA 350?

6 1960s Lambretta 80cc?

1973-1994

7. 1964 Land Rover Series IIA

2005-present

8.  1971 Land Rover Series III

Bear in mind my dad isn't in any way shape or form a car enthusiast, in fact he is decidedly unenthusiastic about cars most of the time, although he is quite handy at taking them apart. Note also that he owned the same vehicle (No 7) for 21 years (I've owned it for 27 years), and that he has never owned a car newer than 1971, the year the UK abandoned pounds shillings and pence. He is nowhere near as eccentric as that makes him sound. 

I had the pleasure of working on this recently (and will again, diff seals). It was lovely to work on apart from the bastard bonnet catch that tried to trepan me.

IMG_20210912_113108615.jpg

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2 minutes ago, grogee said:

I had the pleasure of working on this recently (and will again, diff seals). It was lovely to work on apart from the bastard bonnet catch that tried to trepan me.

IMG_20210912_113108615.jpg

That is lovely, especially in what is now quite an unusual configuration- Long wheelbase truck cab.

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I was born in 2001 so to fit the bill of this thread I might as well talk about my grandads cars:

1950 Land Rover (complete with a 3.5 V8) 

1971 Rover 3500

1979 Vauxhall Chevette L Estate

1981 Citroen CX 25D Super Safari

1986 Citroen BX 19RD

1987 Citroen CX 25DTR Turbo 2 Safari

1990 Citroen BX TZD

1995 Citroen Xantia 1.9 SX

1999 Citroen Xantia 2.0 LX Estate

2014 Citroen C4 Grand Picasso Excl +

And as for company cars, he and his colleagues had use of a variety of things over the years, including a GSA Break, Rover 800 and Volvo 360.

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Sit up and beg Ford Prefect probably pre war. 

1960 Austin Se7en (Mini) 

1967 Morris 1100

1969 Renault 10

1973 Renault 12

1976 Vauxhall Cavalier 1600

1977 Opel Ascona 1600

1980 Opel Kadett (Astra) 1300

1984 Citroën Visa 1.1 RE

1986 Peugeot 309 1.1 RE 

All except the Ford were bought new and the Peugeot was kept until 2002 when he gave up driving. 

 

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My father was in the building industry all his life training as a joiner, becoming a surveyor and holding the position of manager with several mid-sized building companies. He then started his own building company in the early 1970s. Later when my brother or myself did not join him he went back to be a self-employed surveyor. He was a great father.

My father’s first car was Standard Flying 9 which he shared with my Grandad, I am guessing that would be mid 1950s. The Standard was just prewar so I guess around 17 years. It cost £150 which was round £4,000 in today’s money for an old clunker still effect of WW2 no cars being produced.

 

The early cars are a bit vague, but I remember mother telling me he bought a Bedford CA while building a house very late 1950s.

 

He had Standard Vangaurd Phase 1 and that is one of my earliest memories when it broke a piston and we were rescued by his friend in a MK2 Consul.

 

He then had a new company Ford Anglia 105.

 

In 1963 he got one of the new Morris 1100s company car and I remember going to Austria in it.

 

Next is 1965 and my father had taken over his boss's 1964 Austin Cambridge Estate, I remember it having a radiator blind operated by a chain from the dash. 

While the Cambridge was only 2 years old it was not considered fit for a trip to Austria and my father hired this Hillman Minx.

 

The next was a new Vauxhall Victor 101 Estate that replaced the Cambridge. Not quite sure which year is was -1966?

 

The Victor FC Estate was replaced with a new 1968 FD Victor 2000 SL saloon. One evening my father sent me to the garage to collect something from his car, of course it was a ruse as nobody had noticed he had had a new car for 3 days!

 My father did 55,000 miles in 18 months with the FD and it was worn out.  

 

At the Earls Court Motor Show October 1969 my father was on the lookout for a new car and I guided him to a Toyota Crown I had found. My father liked it and his boss agreed he could have it as his company car, he test drove one and mother agreed it was ok. The plan was to have it for Aug 1970 trip to Austria. As 1970 advanced my mother started to nag my father have you ordered that car yet or we won't have it for the holiday!

 

I was riding home on my bicycle and was so surprised to see my father drive past in a 1965 Mercedes 220Sb Auto. He had been out with his boss, they spotted this used car and bought it!

 

My father changed jobs and had to provide his own car while on probation, he bought a 1960 VW beetle. He did not remain with that company for long.

 

A new job meant a Ford Escort 1100 pool car until his new Cortina arrived. The Cortina never arrived because he left to set up his own business. The 1960 Beetle was given to my mother to replace her 1957 small oval window Beetle that used to overheat if not driven gently. Unfortunately I cannot find any pictures of the Beetles or Escort.

 

While working his notice with the Escort, he had to find himself a car, I remember looking at cars with him including other fintail Mercs and an Austin Westminster. I think this was 1972. He settled for a 1960 Mk2 Jaguar 3.4 auto in maroon.  He must have liked it because while he still had the Escort, he parked it at a friend’s house near work and drove the Jag the first 25 miles and collected the Escort to take to work. The rear main oil seal was leaking badly and he did not have the means to take the engine out, so took off the front suspension, sump and fitted a new seal. The Mk2 made the trip to Austria without problems.

 

He found himself doing a lot more miles than he expected, so he started using the 1960 Beetle as a work car and my mother was given the Mk2 for her weekly shopping and errands. My mother did not like the Mk2 because she found the steering too heavy without PAS, so it was changed for a 1965 S-Type 3.8 auto with PAS in white with blue leather. I know from the albums they had the S Type in 1974.   

 

In 1974 my father had an insurance policy mature and decided to buy a 1300 cc, newish car for his daily use to replace the beetle. By then I was 15 and pouring over the car books looking for candidates, I remember us going to see an Alfa Gulia and being disappointed that he was not comfortable in it. We looked at quite a lot of cars but not BL, Vauxhall or Ford. I remember wanting him to have something interesting when compiling my list to help him! Fiat 124 and 128 were looked at, he preferred the 124. Peugeot 304, Audi 80, Renault 12 and others were considered but a 1973 Citroen GS 1220 Club, in green metallic with brown vinyl seats was chosen and stared the whole Citroen thing that lasted the rest of his life.

 

I did my driving practice on the green GS and when I passed my test was allowed to borrow it. My father had six GS/GSA and after the Jaguar came out of everyday use my parents had two GSs at a time. Next was a white N reg GS 1220 Club that he bought half price from a garage because the suspension was stuck in high, by then my father has learnt his way around GS and soon replaced the £11 height adjuster that had seized. My favourite was a 1978 GS X2 in metallic brown it was a year old and under 10k miles when he got it, he had it until 1985. Another L reg white1220 Club and a silver P reg 1220 Pallas were bought as older cars and the Pallas was sold in 1984. His final of the model was a X reg white GSA special. He also had a red pig nose Visa Twin he ran at the same time as the GSA but I can’t find a picture of it.

 

In 1978 my father bought a spare car for the family, initially for my brother to get to college because his Ford Anglia 1200 Super needed a fair bit of welding. A local farm mech where he worked part time said he would do it, but not until after the harvest. The car was a 1965 Cortina Super fitted with a 1340cc Classic engine, hand painted in blue it looked tidy. I borrowed it now and then and liked it specially the airflow vents. Unfortunately a few months later my brother was driving it and a car turned across him from the other direction and that was that!

 

Enter my father’s BXs, First was a graphite A reg 16RS with alloy wheels followed by a white C reg GT, E reg red GTi and a red K reg GTi. Again these were run two at a time, GSA-BX16RS, BX16RS-BX19GT, BX19GT-BXGTi and 2 times BXGTi. Unfortunately my father passed away only 66 years old in 1995, my mother sold the E reg GTi and kept the K reg GTi.

Yes the K reg GTi is the one I now have as my mother gave up driving and passed on.

 

Here is a selection of photos I have.

Kieth Smith 1st car 2.jpg

Morris 1100 01 a.jpg

Austin Cambridge a.jpg

Vauxhall Victor 101 Estate a.jpg

Vauxhall Victor 2000SL saloon a.jpg

Mercedes 220Sb a.jpg

Jaguar MkII ph2.jpg

Jaguar S Type ph 4 crop.jpg

Citroen GS 1220 Club green b.jpg

GS 1220 Pallas PLO 385R o-s front broad.jpg

Citroen GS white RKX 229L.jpg

Citroen GS X2 brown ph3 v2.jpg

Citroen GSA white ph2 a.jpg

Citroen BX 16RS a.jpg

Citroen BX GT white a.jpg

Citroen BX GTi red E reg a.jpg

IMG_20190803_113942 broad v2.jpg

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Dad's

MG Magnette ZA / ZB, not sure which (LJG300 I think)
Austin 1800 Landcrab (E reg I think)
Austin Maxi (GJN???L, Dad hated it and didn't have it long at all)
Fiat 124 Special T (KNO434N) rear ended by a Mini when stopped at a Zebra crossing in Romford but I think it was repaired
Fiat Strada (KAR965V) written off by an out of control Audi (see, it's not a new thing!)
Fiat Strada (EUL511V)
Fiat Strada (JTW199Y) - Dad's last car before he died in 1988, I was 17 and had a brief loan of it before it went back to my step mum who I think sold it, last taxed 1994

Mum's

Fiat 850 Sport Coupe (PEV565K) first car, early 1980s as Mum only learnt to drive fairly late on
Fiat 127 (WWC979S)
Fiat Uno 55S (A821VFM)
Toyota Corolla (J568LDY) got hit on a roundabout, damaging driver's door, culprit didn't stop, looked at a couple of Micras but didn't end up buying another car

Why do I remember these registrations when I can't remember what I had for breakfast?!

 

 

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From my birth in 1970:

J reg Vauxhall Victor FD estate

1974 Mk3 Cortina 1.6L auto - his first company car, bright orange 

1977 Mk4 Cortina 1.6L auto, silver 

1980 Mk5 Cortina 1.6 auto base, red

1984 Carlton 1.8L estate, dark blue 

1987 Sierra 1.8 GL estate auto, Galaxy blue

1987 Carlton 1.8L auto, black. He had this at same time as Sierra for a while as was in process of moving back north for promotion. Sierra at Heathrow and Carlton at Glasgow airport. This was his last company car, which he bought on taking earlier retirement. Just before he left, the transport manager down south recalled his Carlton saying it needed work before he took ownership. Was only 2 years old but came back with 4 new tyres (old ones in  boot), 4 new shocks and a full re-spray. Dad had always sent a bottle of scotch to him each Christmas over the years😉

After Carlton came 2 Honda Accords, Honda Legend, another Accord then Corolla and, lastly Jazz. Has now sadly had to give up driving🙁

 

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From when I was born 44 years ago:

1974 Cortina XL estate in orangey red with RoStyle wheels. 1600 or 2000? 🤔

1976 Granada 2.0 L in diamond white with black vinyl roof and fog lights like a GL

1979 Vauxhall Royale 2800 auto. Immaculate in silver with garish burgandy  interior. 😍

1980 Talbot Horizon 1.3 LS in blue

1983 MG Maestro 1600 in silver. Horizon was kept as 2nd car

1981 Suzuki ST90K pick up in white. Replaced the Horizon but was sold before the MG was traded in. 

1986 Vauxhall Carlton 2200i CD auto in navy blue 😍. I then passed my driving test in 1995 but was lucky to have driven this a few times. The Carlton was a little rough appearance wise but an excellent performer. I remember my dad sticking some chrome strips on the plastic grille to make it look like a Senator B! :mrgreen:

Several cars after that of course but I lost interest when I had my own crocks to deal with. 

 

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30 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

My father was in the building industry all has life training as a joiner, becoming a surveyor and holding the position of manager with several mid-sized building companies. He then started his own building company in the early 1970s. Later when my brother or myself did not join him he went back to be a self-employed surveyor. He was a great father.

My father’s first car was Standard Flying 9 which he shared with my Grandad, I am guessing that would be mid 1950s. The Standard was just prewar so I guess around 17 years. It cost £150 which was round £4,000 in today’s money for an old clunker still effect of WW2 no cars being produced.

 

The early cars are a bit vague, but I remember mother telling me he bought a Bedford CA while building a house very lay 1950s.

 

He had Standard Vangaurd Phase 1 and that is one of my earliest memories when it broke a piston and we were rescued by his fiend in a MK2 Consul.

 

He then has a new company Ford Anglia 105.

 

In 1963 he got one of the new Morris 1100s company car and I remember going to Austria in it.

 

Next is 1965 and my father had taken over his boss's 1964 Austin Cambridge Estate, I remember it having a radiator blind operated by a chain from the dash. 

 

While the Cambridge was only 2 years old it was not considered fit for a trip to Austria and my father hired this Hillman Minx.

 

The next was a new Vauxhall Victor 101 Estate that replaced the Cambridge. Not quite sure which year is was -1966?

 

The Victor FC Estate was replaced with a new 1968 FD Victor 2000 SL saloon. One evening my father sent me to the garage to collect something from his car, of course it was a ruse as nobody had noticed he had had a new car for 3 days!

 

My father did 55,000 miles in 18 months with the FD and it was worn out.  

 

 

At the Earls Court Motor Show October 1969 my father was on the lookout for a new car and I guided him to a Toyota Crown I had found. My father liked it and his boss agreed he could have it as his company car, he test drove one and mother agreed it was ok. The plan was to have it for Aug 1970 trip to Austria. As 1970 advanced my mother started to nag my father have you ordered that car yet or we won't have it for the holiday!

 

I was riding home on my bicycle and was so surprised to see my father drive past in a 1965 Mercedes 220Sb Auto. He had been out with his boss, they spotted this used car and bought it!

 

My father changed jobs and had to provide his own car while on probation, he bought a 1960 VW beetle. He did not remain with that company for long.

 

A new job meant a Ford Escort 1100 pool car until his new Cortina arrived. The Cortina never arrived because he left to set up his own business. The 1960 Beetle was given to my mother to replace her 1957 small oval window Beetle that used to overheat if not driven gently. Unfortunately I cannot find any pictures of the Beetles or Escort.

 

While working his notice with the Escort, he had to find himself a car, I remember looking at cars with him including other fintail Mercs and an Austin Westminster. I think this was 1972. He settled for a 1960 Mk2 Jaguar 3.4 auto in maroon.  He must have liked it because while he still had the Escort, he parked it at a friend’s house near work and drove the Jag the first 25 miles and collected the Escort to take to work. The rear main oil seal was leaking badly and he did not have the means to take the engine out, so took off the front suspension, sump and fitted a new seal. The Mk2 made the trip to Austria without problems.

 

He found himself doing a lot more miles than he expected, so he started using the 1960 Beetle as a work car and my mother was given the Mk2 for her weekly shopping and errands. My mother did not like the Mk2 because she found the steering too heavy without PAS, so it was changed for a 1965 S-Type 3.8 auto with PAS in white with blue leather. I know from the albums they had the S Type in 1974.   

 

In 1974 my father had an insurance policy mature and decided to buy a 1300 cc, newish car for his daily use to replace the beetle. By then I was 15 and pouring over the car books looking for candidates, I remember us going to see an Alfa Gulia and being disappointed that he was not comfortable in it. We looked at quite a lot of cars but not BL, Vauxhall or Ford. I remember wanting him to have something interesting when compiling my list to help him! Fiat 124 and 128 were looked at, he preferred the 124. Peugeot 304, Audi 80, Renault 12 and others were considered but a 1973 Citroen GS 1220 Club, in green metallic with brown vinyl seats was chosen and stared the whole Citroen thing that lasted the rest of his life.

 

I did my driving practice on the green GS and when I passed my test was allowed to borrow it. My father had six GS/GSA and after the Jaguar came out of everyday use my parents had two GSs at a time. Next was a white N reg GS 1220 Club that he bought half price from a garage because the suspension was stuck in high, by then my father has learnt his way around GS and soon replaced the £11 height adjuster that had seized. My favourite was a 1978 GS X2 in metallic brown it was a year old and under 10k miles when he got it, he had it until 1985. Another L reg white1220 Club and a silver P reg 1220 Pallas were bought as older cars and the Pallas was sold in 1984. His final of the model was a X reg white GSA special. He also had a red pig nose Visa Twin he ran at the same time as the GSA but I can’t find a picture of it.

 

In 1978 my father bought a spare car for the family, initially for my brother to get to college because his Ford Anglia 1200 Super needed a fair bit of welding. A local farm mech where he worked part time said he would do it, but not until after the harvest. The car was a 1965 Cortina Super fitted with a 1340cc Classic engine, hand painted in blue it looked tidy. I borrowed it now and then and liked it specially the airflow vents. Unfortunately a few months later my brother was driving it and a car turned across him from the other direction and that was that!

 

Enter my father’s BXs, First was a graphite A reg 16RS with alloy wheels followed by a white C reg GT, E reg red GTi and a red K reg GTi. Again these were run two at a time, GSA-BX16RS, BX16RS-BX19GT, BX19GT-BXGTi and 2 times BXGTi. Unfortunately my father passed away only 66 years old in 1995, my mother sold the E reg GTi and kept the K reg GTi.

Yes the K reg GTi is the one I now have as my mother gave up driving and passed on.

 

Here is a selection of photos I have.

Kieth Smith 1st car 2.jpg

Morris 1100 01 a.jpg

Austin Cambridge a.jpg

Vauxhall Victor 101 Estate a.jpg

Vauxhall Victor 2000SL saloon a.jpg

Mercedes 220Sb a.jpg

Jaguar MkII ph2.jpg

Jaguar S Type ph 4 crop.jpg

Citroen GS 1220 Club green b.jpg

GS 1220 Pallas PLO 385R o-s front broad.jpg

Citroen GS white RKX 229L.jpg

Citroen GS X2 brown ph3 v2.jpg

Citroen GSA white ph2 a.jpg

Citroen BX 16RS a.jpg

Citroen BX GT white a.jpg

Citroen BX GTi red E reg a.jpg

IMG_20190803_113942 broad v2.jpg

Lovely memories. How come GS(A)s keep popping up? I do love them.

My only experience of a GS was a mate's dad giving us a lift somewhere and getting stressed out because it was overheating, I think it was the air cooled one. He was a Franglophile and a Morris dancer too, for shame.

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First one I remember was a black mk2 popular it had red seat belts, his previous car was a bull nose Morris. but I do not remember it. next was a cream and green wolseley 1500.

next was a blue Morris 1800 land crab and then a silver 1600 cortina mk2. that was replaced by a 2000e mk3 cortina and next his first new car a gold 1700 Marina which had amazing spotlights in the grill as standard. his second new car was a 1300 lada riva saloon in hearing aid beige and finally a dark green 3 door 1300 hyundia accent. 

Autoshite is in the blood 

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