Where does your enthusiasm for cars/driving originate.....

[Onliest Smeg David]

My DAD! & Dad's Dad was a car enthusiast too.

A few years ago Dad's first car was a sporty Jowett convertible.

He drives every day and for last 6+ years he's been driving an MX5 mk3

- with 2 speeding tickets and no bumps!

Not unusual you think!

 

 

 

But he is now in his mid 90's

 

 

 

and has just completed a power upgrade.....

So proud of him.

& so wish to be as sprightly and able to burn up the highways when I reach his age. (and be able to afford to)

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Lovely looking car. love the colour.

[BigSkyBrad]

I grew up around motors. Back in NZ, my family were into four-wheel driving in the 70's and 80's, and my dad and mum finished third in their class in the NZ 4wd trials champs in the mid-eighties in their 3.0 V6 powered '42 Willys.

So I guess it was inevitable the petrol fever rubbed off on my brother and I. My brother got into 4WD driving, jet-boating, and then got really into motorcycle enduro riding, topping his class in the NZ champs, and now his son is an NZ enduro class champion. Me - I've now owned 44 cars and 28 motorbikes, all of them I've modified in some way big or small, and dabbled in motorsport. If it has an engine, I'm interested in it!

[pistonbroke]

My 3 Brothers and me  used to take turns driving Dads EX US Army  Dodge van up and down the beach at Southport

Was about 7 or 8 yr old at the time 

[BigSkyBrad]

57 minutes ago, pistonbroke said:

My 3 Brothers and me  used to take turns driving Dads EX US Army  Dodge van up and down the beach at Southport

Was about 7 or 8 yr old at the time 

Dodge WC11? - I'd snap your arm off for it now! Restored with a Cummins BT4 conversion and modern running gear, bliss!

[Simon Marks - North Oxfordshire AO]

My Dad and Mum used to go on bus trips from Manchester to Silverstone to watch the early Silverstone Grands Prix before I was born.  I was taken to Croft and Rufforth circuits in Yorkshire (we then lived at Harrogate) to watch club motor racing as a pre-teen.  We went to Harewood House in the snow to watch the 1971 RAC rally (I remember helping to push Dad's Humber Sceptre Mk2out of the car park (field) along with hundreds of other cars.  We also went to Harewood Hillclimb and, once I got my bike (age 15), I didn't need lifts anymore so didn't miss too many of the local events.

We moved to Oxford and within a month I cycled to Silverstone for the 1977 British Grand Prix (getting home before a couple of neighbours who had driven there and were stuck in massive queues to get out of the car parks.  Dad had never competed in any motor sport but my first car was a rally prepared Sunbeam Imp Sport and I joined Oxford Motor Club and the downhill slope properly got underway.

Forty years plus later, I have had a great life long hobby and am out at rallies, shows and classic car runs probably three weekends out of four throughout the year.  I went marshalling on the 2000  London to Sydney Rally and the 2002 Land of the Midnight Sun to the Red Sea Rally with Trans World Events, as well as many of the MSA Euroclassic Runs, all of which were subsidised trips.  My wife gets travel sick on the way to Sainsburys so I wouldn't have had those opportunities otherwise!

Simon

[Robin Parker (Red Spider) - Yorkshire AO]

22 hours ago, Dave (OnliestSmeg) - Manchester AO said:

 

A few years ago Dad's first car was a sporty Jowett convertible.

 

My dad went to look at 2 Jowett Jupiter's when they were new. Saw the first one, test drive and everything then went on to see the next. Had to wait as it was on a test drive. When it arrived, it was the same one. He didn't buy it, but did have a Morgan 3 wheeler he bought to restore. Me and my brother played in it, it never was restored and had to sell it after being told to "move that thing from under my kitchen window ". Wish he hadn't. 

[cast iron]

Dad took me to Croft when I was 5, and I was always too bone idle to do field sports, letting an engine do the work is far more fun

[Steve (sdh2903)]

Spent the whole of my childhood school holidays riding shotgun with my dad who was a long distance lorry driver. Visited all corners of the UK from thurso to penzance and also into Europe. Then once old enough had a Saturday job at his work working in the workshop working on hgvs, trailers, cranes forklifts etc doing servicing and repairs. Since then been hooked on driving and tinkering. Even ended up as a aircraft mechanic/technician then onto a licensed engineer for my day job. All down to my old man I reckon.  

Although he wasn't too impressed when I was 17 and he came home to 2 stripped fiestas on the drive as I was using a donor to provide a new engine for my 1.0 fiesta. Was hoping to have it all done before he got home!

[GaryD1971]

I'd love to say it was my Dad, but I can't really say that he was much of a petrol head to be honest. I think it must be down to my uncle who has had a fast car fetish for as long as I can remember, the first of which was a 3 litre capri which I will always remember as being incredibly fast and with a growl from under the bonnet which scared my younger brother half to death! By todays standards, the performance was probably pedestrian at best, but it was this that got me into fast Fords at first, then anything else after that. Would still love a 3 litre capri for old times sake but the cost of a good one is astronomical these days. 

[Jude - The Mad Widow]

My father taught me how to ride a motorcycle when I was 13, I rode a bike all year round until about 15 years ago when following a slide down a wet road on my knees my family bought me driving lessons for Christmas... So I was over 50 when I passed my test, my first car was an Alfa Romeo Spider which I adored... it was followed by a variety of cars but I always had a love of Alfas.  Makes me smile that I had trouble getting insured for my Spider, Saga and Sheila's wheels.. not interested!

Almost 4 years ago the Alfa Romeo I loved was hit by a KTM Superduke doing 120 mph, head on.  The ensuing fire ended the life of the biker at the scene and my husband 3 days later.

I inherited his Westfield and although it was built by him on a shoestring almost 20 years ago I am so proud to drive it and drive it I do - constantly.   

[neptune]

Jude so sorry to hear of the loss of your husband. Such a sobering reminder of how our actions can have such dramatic and long lasting impacts on others. 

Looking forward to meeting you and hearing more stories of your biking days!

[Jude - The Mad Widow]

thank you, I have lots of stories.... I am sure we are going to have a ball with the others.  

 

I hope to meet up with Ali and Gail before falling into convoy with the others,  I suggested Geoffrey start us a WhatsApp group so we can share our plans, will remind him.

I hope your car is coming along, I am hoping a friend will do a few jobs on mine!

Jude

[SootySport]

I lived on Silverstone cct. for few years in the 50’s & 60’s in the house next to what was Abbey Curve, it’s still there.

Dad was a farmer on the cct. area so I had free access to all the race meetings. I was between 5 and 10 and knew all the top drivers of the era. Dad made a few quid towing the race team trucks out of the muddy paddock at the end of the meets and myself and the boy next door collected beer bottles for the deposits, 1p a pint bottle and 2p a quart bottle.

My first trackdays were on a tricycle, bike, roller skates and dads tractor. The last time was in dads Ford Consul mk1.which must have been about 1962, doubt if any of you have been round the Grand Prix cct. Before me.

I been a keen driver and car tinkerer (and tractor) ever since then.