My first car was an Isetta bubble car. I can only have had it for a short time, but I did have it MoT tested where I was working evenings and weekends at the time. I remember the boss saying he wouldn’t get in it .
Does it go? Does it stop? I’ll write the certificate.
(Library picture)
This was a time when I was dabbling with motor bikes the first one of which was a Norman Cyclemate.
I remember riding it into school when I was in the sixth form. I was passing the practical block when the old woodwork master passed the comment, “Even I don’t remember those”.
It was a “Gaunte” Jawa.
Three years at college saw me change cars numerous times.
I went up there in an A35 van. I bought a Mini van from one of the lecturers and took the engine out to replace the gearbox in a barn at my digs.
Rochdale GT
Vauxhall Victor
This is the first car I bought when I started teaching..
On a camping holiday to Scotland reverse gear ‘went’ at Scotch Corner and rather than turn back, we ploughed on covering 1200miles . It was a relief that the ferry over to Skye was drive on and off, but not so good with single track roads with passing places!
On another occasion, a mess dinner in Darlington, which happened to be Chris’s 21st, we had an intermittent lighting fault and a blocked jet which meant tucking in behind a wagon until the engine died. No amusing on the A1. We got home at dawn!
Sunbeam Alpine
This Mk1 Cortina was 4 door cream and green, but there was also a 2door in grey.
This is a Vanden Plas (library picture) also a Wolsely 1100 above.
I had three Renaults. Two 16s and a 12 estate. the first 16 was a TS, bought as a write-off following a fire in the engine bay. I extracted the melted plasic parts of the air filter, had the bonnet resprayed and put it back on the road . (Library picture)
This is the Triumph 2000, which I passed on to Steve. As I recall it had a bad diff. whine.
I had this Morris Ital while I was building one of the cars. The girls refused to get into it . Lack of street cred..
A Citroen G Special was a short-lived visitor to the stable.
A tatty MGB, a 997 Mini Cooper and a Mk2 Cortina were with me at the second house we owned. As we stayed there only one year, I must have changed transport a lot in those days. Hopefully more photographs to follow.
Below is an MGB. A library picture.
Mine was distinctly tatty!