Your Cars

[Djetset]

I'm more dismayed to hear that the Triumph Toledo was even worse than the Austin Allegro.  It must have been really bad!

Now, the real question Carnut is which of the cars that you've owned do you think was the best?

[DeAutogids]

If anybody interested... I haven't been driving for so long and there was a gap. I don't tend to have cars very long, as you can see.

- Subaru Justy.
My first car, I believe a 3-cylinder 1 litre engine mated to a CVT automatic gearbox.
- Ford Escort
I crashed the first one after little over a year on an icy road. This was intended to be a stop-gap car, but had it for almost a year, when I moved to Ireland. 1.6 '93-gen Euro version.
- Suzuki Swift
After moving, I had no motor for some time. I literally got this car on my birthday, but it was degraded from a decent motor to a piece of junk when I got it. I only had it for a month or so.
- BMW 518i
I bought this car for little money and despite that I did through in some money to fix it, decided after a couple of months it was better to stop mending the unmendable. I was surprised to get money for it as a trade-in.
- Ford Mondeo 2.0 SLX
This was anice car, with a relatively common engine in Ireland. sun roof, so was pretty happy for more then a year with it. Then I had a broken waterpump, which in turn damaged the radiator. After that it was standing for a good year, growing moss and others, before selling it to a local junk yard.
- Ford Mondeo 2.0 GLX
I got my second Mondeo, a bit newer, with aircon. I decided to trade it in after more then a year for my present car
- Seat Leon

Nothing special, as you can see. Except for the Suzuki have picture of all of them.

[Carnut]

I'm more dismayed to hear that the Triumph Toledo was even worse than the Austin Allegro.  It must have been really bad!

Now, the real question Carnut is which of the cars that you've owned do you think was the best?

That's a particularly difficult question to answer Djetset, because there are so many different definitions of 'best'.

There was the best-made, the best-handling etc etc, but if I were to choose on the basis of most fun per Pound (at the time) I'd probably say the Mini-Cooper.  Of course it was nowhere near as good a car as the BMW 320 for instance, but was that as much fun?  No!

Also I say the Triumph Toledo was the worst because it's the one I least enjoyed, so it's very subjective, but it was actually a better car than some others - the Trident Venturer, for instance, which really was absolutely horrible - but I enjoyed it!  Perverse!  And the Allegro wasn't nearly as bad as history would have you believe, but it wasn't actually my choice - it was foisted on to me!

[Carnut]

A Dino 246 GT ?   
Wow!!!

Yes - it really was a fabulous car to own.
Everything written about it is absolutely true (including its susceptibility to tin-worm!).
But that was in a different life - pre-kids!

[Vincent Vell Vet]

Here's a fun vid my buddy made of my Filthy Fury. A '68 with a mildly built 440 w/390 grears
and lotsa other tricks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_RoiLvollY

[Vincent Vell Vet]

Another '68 Fury..."El Rauncho" I converted into a truck.
Was a Sedan, not a wagon.
I have had a small auto sheet metal shop for many moons, this is the shop truck for the non-snowy months.

[Otto Puzzell]

Cool!

[Arthur Dent]

I love that Fury truck!


I've owned a few cars since I last replied to this topic - my latest is a 1973 Mazda 808 Coupe

[roger]

Hi
New on here just thought you'd like a peek at my little toy

It's the yellow one on the right, had to add a trailer as luggage space is just enough for an overnight wash bag.



On the driveway

[barrett]

Hi Roger and welcome to Autopuzzles,
Your car has actually featured here as a puzzle before - check this page
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=14448.25

Any other information and photos you can add to that topic would be great! Meanwhile, congratulations on having such a cool, eye catching and unique ride!

[Arthur Dent]

I love that yellow car? What is it?

[Otto Puzzell]

I love that yellow car? What is it?

DLM 1 hybrid special by Derek Lawrence Masters - 1959 

Roger tells us a bit more about the car here:

http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=14448.msg127633#msg127633

[Wendax]

I find it very hard to give all my affection (and part of my money) to one single classic car. So I don't have one. I owned just two cars so far, having the possibility to use family cars before. My first own one stayed for ten years and was an Opel Astra 1.6 Caravan Cool Dream (that beautiful name just pointed out that it had an air condition). After the costs to pass the TÜV (the German analogon to the MOT) were higher than what it was worth, I decided to buy a newer car instead. This time it turned out to be another no-frills-no-thrills practical car: a Volkswagen Touran 1.6, which I still have in use.

[Carnut]

You know so much about them but don't yearn to own/drive them?
I just can't live without cars; reading about them is one thing but actually being in and amongst them is something else..

I see your cars are Hamburg-registered (at least the Astra was so I assume the VW has the same number).  I spent part of my formative years there, living in Othmarschen!  Wonderful city (in certain parts anyway...)

[barrett]

You know so much about them but don't yearn to own/drive them?
I just can't live without cars; reading about them is one thing but actually being in and amongst them is something else.

I don't even have a driving license..... 

[Carnut]

I don't even have a driving license..... 

Never?  Have you tried?

[barrett]

I don't even have a driving license..... 

Never?  Have you tried?

Not really.... I can just about drive, but I haven't driven a car for about 7 years. Hopefully this year I'll get around to it (I've been saying that for a while though)

[Carnut]

I don't even have a driving license..... 

Never?  Have you tried?

Not really.... I can just about drive, but I haven't driven a car for about 7 years. Hopefully this year I'll get around to it (I've been saying that for a while though)

I have to say I find that vaguely odd for a car enthusiast!
How do you get around?  Bus?  Bike?!

[Wendax]

I have to say I find that vaguely odd for a car enthusiast!

You can be a plane enthusiast without being a pilot, you can be a trainspotter without being an engineer. Why not be a car enthusiast without driving license? 

[Wendax]

I see your cars are Hamburg-registered (at least the Astra was so I assume the VW has the same number).  I spent part of my formative years there, living in Othmarschen!  Wonderful city (in certain parts anyway...)

I used to live in Hamburg-Rahlstedt, but now I live just outside of Hamburg in Ahrensburg, so no HH any more on the number plate, but an OD.
I agree with you: Hamburg is a wonderful city 

[barrett]

You can be a plane enthusiast without being a pilot, you can be a trainspotter without being an engineer. Why not be a car enthusiast without driving license? 

I use what I call the 'architecture argument'. I love architecture, but there is no way I could design or build my own house. Doesn't stop me appreciating it though.

It IS odd though! When I reached legal driving age I had fallen out of love with cars a little, and spent most of my time doing the typical teenage stuff - chasing girls, getting drunk etc. I had lessons but I wasn't too bothered about it and never took my test. In the meantime I got distracted with other hobbies which took up most of my time & money (I'm a music nerd and record collector too. And I was still chasing girls) and it's only in the last 3 years or so I have rediscovered my passion for cars, mostly due to websites such as this one that allow me to talk to other people that share my interests. I turn 26 in a couple of weeks and I am determined to get behind the wheel this year.
Motivation and ambition are not exactly my strong points though... so don't hold your breath

[Carnut]

I have to say I find that vaguely odd for a car enthusiast!

You can be a plane enthusiast without being a pilot, you can be a trainspotter without being an engineer. Why not be a car enthusiast without driving license? 

OK, but your examples are somewhat less accessible though whilst cars are an everyday thing available to just about anyone.  I would liken it more to being a music-lover without a radio, record- or CD-player...!

Good luck then barrett and I think once you have taken the plunge you will find out what you've been missing and take to it like a duck to water!

[JonathanPoll]

Here are my vehicles!

1st picture: My 1958 Nobel 200. Picture was took in 1994, before I was born! My dad gave this project to me when I was about 7 (just as a joke I asked my dad if I could ahve the Nobel if I had my hair cut, and to my suprise he said yes!). I have started the restoration myself, updating progress on my site (see http://www.nobel200.com/ )

2nd picture: My 1963 Messerschmitt KR200. Although just a bodyshell, they were built with a Monocoque construction, so the main tubes are the chassis. We have all the spare parts I need to make it complete (My dads been dealing with those cars for over 30 years!). I discovered this bodyshell myself, and the owner wanted only a couple of parts in exchange! It's ashame he kept the window!

3rd picture: My Racing Mower. I called it Evil-Tron (just look at him, you'll understand!). I based it off a Murray mower, but recently I decided to change the engine. Its going to have a good old Villiers 9E motor (same as Bond Minicar).

4th picture: Mower next to my 2 mopeds: Red one is a Puch Maxi, blue one is a Yamaha QT-50. Nothing too fancy, just fun in the fields!

[Otto Puzzell]

I'm diggin' that tractor

[JonathanPoll]

I'm diggin' that tractor

Hehe I got my brother to suprise me with a paintjob... It's awesome!

It was fast when it worked Thats why I'm swapping engine... Also, the original briggs is prone to seizing when going in high revs.