Craig's post from Sunday made me think about past cars that I'd owned. My uncle, who used to buy and sell cars, gave me an old Morris 10 when I was 16 that I used to drive around the field opposite where we lived.
That's pretty much how I learnt to drive. My friend and I used to drive it like lunatics around the field in a figure of eight. I remember that one day we hit an apple tree head on, with the sunroof open, and then being hit on the head by loads of falling apples.
Another way of learning, was driving with my uncle to the south of Italy in a Standard Vanguard. I seem to remember that it had a bench seat so that I could steer whilst he changed gears. Bear in mind that it was a long way with motorways only in Italy and used to take us a couple of days non-stop, but I know that's no excuse.
Anyway I passed my test one month after my 17th birthday and never looked back.
I remember getting a couple of hundred quid for my 21st and popped out to buy a well looked after black 1948 MG TC. Registration number FAK 57.
I learnt a lot about cars trying to keep the damn thing on the road. Thank god for Naylor Brothers in Shipley. After a few years, when I got my first company car, I sold the MG to an American, from Menwith Hill, for a few quid more than I paid for it and he said he was going to race it. God knows where, because it wasn't in race trim when it left me.
What would the registration plate be worth now, never mind the car?
You have that right Alex. I would imagine the combination of car and plate would be worth a fair few quid now! Lucky you having an MG TC when you were young enough to enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteYoung enough and patient enough to keep working on it as it fell to bits around me. I remember one time when I was coming back from holiday in Cornwall when it burst into flames from dodgy wiring. Hey ho, fun times?
ReplyDeleteWe have had some fun cars too. However one of the most memorable was our Ford Capri. It had a broken spring in the drivers seat which, if you were not careful when lowering yourself in, used to rip a big hole in the drivers trousers. One friend borrowed the car to go to The Scilly Isles and another used it for a fortnight whilst we were on holiday. Needless to say their memory failed them a few times.
ReplyDeleteIf my memory serves me right I had a Capri after the MG. I guess that I'd become tired of constantly working on the MG.
ReplyDeleteNow for something really spooky - a 1947 MGTC was my first car .........
ReplyDeleteThat's two cool dudes! In the days when you didn't look like a prat driving an open topped car. I remember once the brakes failing just before I shot through traffic lights on red. With a very steep hill coming up it was a question of which hedge I was going to drive into to stop it. Anyway, I just managed to stop the car at the top of the hill by scrubbing the wheels along the kerb. Bloody scary.
ReplyDeleteMG Midget in college, husband, ex-husband and brother all had MGBs and my baby brother bought my ex-husband's MGB. I still have nightmares about Lucas electric. Am on my second Mazda Miata. Amazing cars. Very fun...like having an MG that runs.
ReplyDeleteAlex, FAK57 is in my garage! Couldn't believe it when I found this post. I'd love to hear more if you have time. Steve. 01865600251
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