I Liked Driving In My Cars
I love cars, always have. And driving. I would describe myself as a petrolhead although maybe not in the accepted sense of the word. I'm not into supercars or Formula 1, probably because I'm not remotely competetive. What I like is normality, attainablity, but it's got to be right. Being a Virgo it's all in the details. Walking back to my own car after a stint in the studio is something of a guilty pleasure for me as I nosily peer into the parked cars I pass. I play a little game with myself - which of these cars would I most like to own? Considering the amount of new cars on the road you might expect me to hypotheically drive off in the late plate BMW 3 Series, the gleaming Golf GTI or Range Rover Sport. But typically I take the late 1990's Volvo V70 as long as it had the five cylinder engine - petrol or diesel, I don't mind in this particular scenario. It just looks the most inviting that day.
On last week's Cheese & Biscuits I decided you'd all benefit from knowing my car history, well, a fraction of it. I intended to give a run-down of the first nine cars I owned but predictably only got as far as number seven - it's a busy show. So for anyone who's interested I've listed them below.
Next week - Star Wars! As I'm still pre-recording the show please contribute anything in a retro Star Warsy theme in advance via [email protected] or comment below. Be as nerdy as you like, you're amongst friends!
Here's the 'Big Nine'.
1) Morris Marina 1.3 Super 4dr Saloon 1974 - First car I ever owned. Sticky seats when hot (due to 'vinylite' material, no other reason)
2) Fiat Uno 1.1 60 S 4dr 1985 - Interesting switchgear!
3) Rover SD1 3.5 V8 SE 1983 - Executive, loud and in gold! Handy 'Ice Compartment' in glovebox thanks to water getting in over winter. Fun while it lasted, which wasn't long.
4) Ford Cortina Mk III (Square Headlight facelift) 1.6 XL 4dr Saloon 1973 - Motoring simplicity in 'Olympic Blue' (after the Rover). One of my favouritest cars EVER!
5) Ford Cortina MK V 1.6 Crusader 4dr Saloon 1981 - Blue with one brown door. Scrapped after driveshaft fell off on M1 complete with Chinese takeaway in boot. Awful.
6) Volvo 360 2.0 GLT 3dr 1983 - This one goes in my favourites list too, quite fast, comfortable and very safe. It even had windscreen wipers on the headlights - the left one worked! Really don't know why I've never bought another Volvo since.
7) Ford Sierra 2.0 Ghia Injection Hatchback Auto 1988 - Was great while it ran well but transmission fluid leak forces sale hence £500. Learned later that buyer gave fake details when the police turned up on my doorstep to inform me car was found burnt out on a roundabout. Hope it was nothing to do with transmission fluid leak which I didn't actually mention at time of sale. I sleep better at night imagining it was used in a bank job.
8) Alfa Romeo 33 1.5 Boxer 1990 - When I bought this car there was a fault warning light on the dash. When I sold it there were six. I didn't even know what they all meant. When it was in a good mood this car was awesome to drive, sadly this was seldom the case.
9) VW Golf MKII 1.6 GL 1988 - There is really nothing to say about this one, the fact that I traded my Alfa in for it speaks for itself!
Them's was the days when you'd go and see a car on the basis of a lineage ad in the local paper, wasn't it exciting!
Thanks for reading and happy retro motoring!
BT