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Old 25-01-2008, 07:51   #10
entwisi
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Re: How many and what ?

Ooo,

I have always had bikes as well but heres my list of cars covering the last 18 years I've driven them

1976 escort Mk2 1.6 Ghia - written off bottom of lonsdale street
1975 Mk2 escort 1.1 pop (£40) autotested to death and scrapped
1974 Mk1 Escort 1300GT Rally prep'd and driven like a lunatic
1963 Ford Zephyr4. Sold to a plod who nicked my private number plate
1975 MGB GT sold to a bloke who cancelled the cheque, got money through small claims
1968 Triumph Vitesse Mk1 2 litre ( one of my favourite cars with the Zephyr ) bought for 400 quid and absolutely loved it, a proper Q car.
1981 Fiesta 1 litre ( swapped vitesse for it as they wouldn't insure Julie to learn in the Vit) written off on boxing day at huncoat on black ice at 15 mph
1988 Citroen BX - non descript but reliable old bus
1959 Austin A40 - written off when kids smashed window and let handbrake off on Westwood street.
1968 Moss Malvern ( Herald 13/60 based kit car like a morgan - was cursed! - given to friend to just get shut of.)
1995 Rover 418 SLD - written off at J19 by a 3.5 tonne vito 40mph rear shunt)
1986 VW golf - given to friend after standing unsed for 12 months as I'd bought..
1993 Alfa 155 Twin spark - converted to lpg in 2000
1994 Saab 9000 - gain LPG'd
1997 Volvo V70 2.5 turbo - yep, LPG'd

Not too bad I guess. Soem intersting and varied machines.

The vit was a hoot. grandad looks in a car with a 2 litre straight six, sod all weight and such low gear it beats a Sierra cossie top gear 40-80 time. OK it only did ~110 top end but boy how it got there. Handling was for teh brave. The rear suspension was teh most basic independant you could get with a single leaf spring transvervly across the rear. problem was if you went in a corner a bit too quick and lifted off the gas 'the car would decide' if it was going to either spin off backwards into a hedge or flip over and show its belly to teh world. Basically the rear wheels would both 'tuck underneath' teh car leaving you no grip whatsoever. The way to drive it was if you were going too fast to accelerate more and get the back end to slide round. Fun if you know what you're doing but not for new drivers!

I was sad to see that car go as I was the Zephyr. The Mk 1 escort was a lovely car and I'd love another but at the time I was young and stupid and drove like a complete lune everywhere. I sold it as I realised I'd lose my license if I carried on.
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