The Potting Shed

Becki · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:53 pm Post subject: What was the first car you owned?

Pinched this from Over the gate but seeing as they pinched one of ours I thought thewy wouldn't mind Laughing

Mine was a Datsun Sunny. Red.

Best one was a Mk11 Ford Escort Harrier complete with go faster blue stripe down the side. Beautiful beautiful car. Crying or Very sad

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Daisy Bell · Star Dust Club Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 108

mine was a two year old vauxal astra sallon 1.8 petrol.

janowl · Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:29 pm Post subject:

White Rover 25.

Beadgarden · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:52 pm Post subject:

Fiat Uno 60
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Bovey Belle · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:51 am Post subject:

A little Daf, in daffodil yellow, which went just as fast backwards as it did forwards (being a Rubber Band Car!) and which nearly got blown off the side of the Severn Bridge when I drove across it once.
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lottie · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:54 am Post subject:

This makes me cringe Smile

seeing all your replies.

About 10 years ago - no actually it was before I married OH so must be well over 12 years ago I visited the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu - and there were quite a number of our 'first' and very old cars on display there. It did make me feel so incredibly old.

Mine was a little Austin A40
But not as grand as the one in the photo link below- that is a Somerset - mine was the absolute basic

It was really old when I bought it off a neighbour. I had just passed my driving test.

It cost £25 which included a full tank of petrol (about £3-£5 in those days) and taxed. The second gear did not work so I had to hold it in second and double de-clutch to get it into third!

My father in law borrowed it once for a week or two and didn't fill up the brake fluid. (The old bangers in those days needed regular topping up with different fluids and oil for the clutch, brakes, and engine!)

One day I went out shopping in it, got to the end of the road (which was unmade and full of potholes) and the brakes did not work. I panicked and my brain seized up.

I wasn't going fast - you couldn't because of the old car and the potholed road, but I was coming up to the junction of the 'main' road.

I changed down through the gears to slow me down - but it was still going - so I opened the drivers door and stuck my leg out and put my down to slow it down (I used to have a bicycle before the car with out brakes).

I almost broke my ankle - and naturally it didn't work. I just gritted my teeth and coasted around the corner without stopping praying that nothing was coming with my leg still hanging out the door!

Fortunately there wasn't - so I lived to tell the tale!

It was the days before seat belts, radios, etc

I can't remember if it was that car or the old Morris (or both) that had those little flick up 'wings' at the side by the doors for indicators - anyone remember those?

And when you took your test you had to do hand signals - which you then had to do when you were driving - and there was one for turning left whereby you had to put your hand out of your window and do a circling motion. And if you were at a junction with a car or policeman controlling the traffic - you had to signal with your right arm across your chest with a flat hand point left!

And there were AA and RAC telephone boxes - like Dr Who Tardis (which wasn't invented then) along the roads - and if you were a member of either you were saluted!

Of course the then OH thought it was hilarious when I told him when he got home that night and came to tow it back home. - And had great fun telling all and sundry about it for years!
Embarassed

I was left with a very bad ankle - and was shaken up for days. Rolling Eyes

That was around 1970!
http://www.beaulieu.co.uk

Oh they have an error on the site so I will change the link

You can look it up on the site under 'Motor Collection' on the left hand side and then under 'Mass Motoring' - there is a drop down list of cars there.

You might even find your own first car there - they have 'modern' ones like Anglias and Minis Laughing

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Kathy · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:46 am Post subject:

Wonderful story Lottie! I remember when Jimmy Savile was in all those seatbelt safety adverts
"Clunk, click every trip" Laughing

lottie · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:22 am Post subject:

Me too. We actually fitted seat belts to one of our old cars ourselves - before you had too.

It was a Hillman Minx - it saved my life and that of the baby I was carrying a couple year or so later - when a car hit us overtaking another car! We would have got right though the windscreen otherwise they said !

No need to tell me to clunk click - I wanted seat belts before it was compulsory Very Happy

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Lottie the Allotment Lady