Today I got a surprise present from my girlfiend, a new pair of overalls to replace my very old and tatty ones.
This got my thinking about all the great cars those old overalls have rubbed against and so in no particular order.......
A Ford Zodiac MK3 with a Raymond Mays conversion, the then girlfriend put the autobox into reverse at about 50mph, never the same after that.
Ford Anglia Estate with a 1500GT pre Xflow and classic struts, went on honeymoon in that.
2 Alfasuds, one brought new (only time I've been rich!) and a Sprint, both fantastic, esp. the Sprint.
3 Bertone Coupes, none of which I managed to get road worthy, all scrapped including a step front!
3 BMW 2002's great cars, esp. the one with twin 40's and lowered
.
A pre-airflow Lotus Cortina with 3 kiddie seats, it was the family car!
Avenger Estate, called the revenger after the front got re-arranged, other road users would avoid me in fear.
Ginetta G15 restored and raced by me, still racing now, with it's present owner.
BMW E12 with tuned CSL engine and very cold aircon, wife did Dagenham to Felixstow in an hour on a Saturday morning with the kids in it. I took the keys from her!
BMW E28 525 which I loved, but lent it to a friend with the inevitable results!
Yamaha R1 engined Sylva Phoenix, built it myself and went all over France in it.
2 MGB GT, one with a tuned 4 pot, brought from a Renault dealer on my credit card and then when I found out how good they are with a few mods, a V8 one, in which I broke my back when I had a head on!
Porsche 944 that I rolled down an embankment.
Renault 21 Diesel estate, that towed the Sylva to the track and served as a bed on night shifts.
A Mini Cooper S which was fun and a Mini Clubman Estate which had it's wipers stolen by chimps and a Maxi that I brought for £55 and sold for £50 15.000 miles a year later!
An E30 Touring with a M50, a great Audi chaser.
Little Blue, the Austin Healey Sprite that took us camping over the Alps and is now the girlfiends daily drive.
3 Triumph 2000s including the present one.
The Ossa MAR I restored, then divorce sold. Found out later that it's a ex Team bike and worth 3 times what I sold it for!
The 1967 Diesel Land Rover Station Wagon that kept dropping all it's oil.
The Rover P6 V8 that I drove back from Wales with a Fred Flintstone floor.
And all the cars of family and friends, some of whom are still around and while others are gone, they're not forgotten.
A motoring life in a pair of overalls, think I'll frame them.
This got my thinking about all the great cars those old overalls have rubbed against and so in no particular order.......
A Ford Zodiac MK3 with a Raymond Mays conversion, the then girlfriend put the autobox into reverse at about 50mph, never the same after that.
Ford Anglia Estate with a 1500GT pre Xflow and classic struts, went on honeymoon in that.
2 Alfasuds, one brought new (only time I've been rich!) and a Sprint, both fantastic, esp. the Sprint.
3 Bertone Coupes, none of which I managed to get road worthy, all scrapped including a step front!
3 BMW 2002's great cars, esp. the one with twin 40's and lowered
.
A pre-airflow Lotus Cortina with 3 kiddie seats, it was the family car!
Avenger Estate, called the revenger after the front got re-arranged, other road users would avoid me in fear.
Ginetta G15 restored and raced by me, still racing now, with it's present owner.
BMW E12 with tuned CSL engine and very cold aircon, wife did Dagenham to Felixstow in an hour on a Saturday morning with the kids in it. I took the keys from her!
BMW E28 525 which I loved, but lent it to a friend with the inevitable results!
Yamaha R1 engined Sylva Phoenix, built it myself and went all over France in it.
2 MGB GT, one with a tuned 4 pot, brought from a Renault dealer on my credit card and then when I found out how good they are with a few mods, a V8 one, in which I broke my back when I had a head on!
Porsche 944 that I rolled down an embankment.
Renault 21 Diesel estate, that towed the Sylva to the track and served as a bed on night shifts.
A Mini Cooper S which was fun and a Mini Clubman Estate which had it's wipers stolen by chimps and a Maxi that I brought for £55 and sold for £50 15.000 miles a year later!
An E30 Touring with a M50, a great Audi chaser.
Little Blue, the Austin Healey Sprite that took us camping over the Alps and is now the girlfiends daily drive.
3 Triumph 2000s including the present one.
The Ossa MAR I restored, then divorce sold. Found out later that it's a ex Team bike and worth 3 times what I sold it for!
The 1967 Diesel Land Rover Station Wagon that kept dropping all it's oil.
The Rover P6 V8 that I drove back from Wales with a Fred Flintstone floor.
And all the cars of family and friends, some of whom are still around and while others are gone, they're not forgotten.
A motoring life in a pair of overalls, think I'll frame them.
