Last day of the trip.

[barryd]

Do you remember the Austin Princess? or "The Wedge"?

You could bounce them in the air (yes really) by pumping it in reverse working the handbrake. Christ we made some sh!t cars.

 

[Robmac]

The guy that did the Montego advert on two wheels was my best mates brother in law. Russ Swift. We used to baby sit for his son Paul who also got into racing etc. Both were regulars on Top Gear. I went round a circuit with Russ once, Amazing. The best was getting a ride out in his E Type at full chat when I Was about 13 I think.

This one Barry?

 

[Robmac]

Do you remember the Austin Princess? or "The Wedge"?

You could bounce them in the air (yes really) by pumping it in reverse working the handbrake. Christ we made some sh!t cars.

Yes that's the Princess I was referring to that my brother had Barry.

Never saw him do that though, he looked enough of a tw@ just driving it normally!

 

[Robmac]

By the way, what was this thread about?

 

[Robmac]

Do you remember the Austin Princess? or "The Wedge"?

You could bounce them in the air (yes really) by pumping it in reverse working the handbrake. Christ we made some sh!t cars.

We made some good cars as well Barry. I loved my first car (Mk3 Spitfire), my second car (Triumph 2.5 PI) my 3rd car (Mini clubman Estate) and my 4th (Daimler Sovereign XJ6 4.2).

Then I went all furrin.

 

[wildebus]

Do you remember the Austin Princess? or "The Wedge"?

The Ambassador (which was the replacement for the Princess) was a surpremely comfortable car though. I drove from Berkshire to Northern Germany non-stop (except Ferry of course) and got out without the slightest ache.
Unfortunately it was also supremely unreliable and I lost track of how many Ford Serrias I had on hire while it was in the garage being repaired.

You could bounce them in the air (yes really) by pumping it in reverse working the handbrake. Christ we made some sh!t cars.

I imagine you could do lots of daft things with lots of different cars if you did stupid things with them? I doubt very much BL was the only maker like that.

 

[barryd]

This one Barry?

Yep that's it. I remember Russ doing a circuit of Silverstone on two wheels before the British Grand Prix in 1987. Fantastic day that was.

He was world auto testing champion back then. His car was an original cooper s. We got a lift into school in it a few times and it had what was known as a Spaz knob on the wheel (that really was what they called it). Basically a door knob on the wheel for fast one handed turning.

 

[barryd]

The Ambassador (which was the replacement for the Princess) was a surpremely comfortable car though. I drove from Berkshire to Northern Germany non-stop (except Ferry of course) and got out without the slightest ache.
Unfortunately it was also supremely unreliable and I lost track of how many Ford Serrias I had on hire while it was in the garage being repaired.


I imagine you could do lots of daft things with lots of different cars if you did stupid things with them? I doubt very much BL was the only maker like that.

Yeah they were never my cars. We used to take all the junk to auction for my pals dad who had the nissan dealership. So we "played" with them a bit. That was a great job that. Three or four of us would set off to Bradford or sometimes further afield with various cars for auction with a backup car to bring us back. There would always be a fight over who got the fastest one and it would be a proper race to the auction. I suppose it was a good test really. If it was still going after we had thrashed it all the way there it was probably a good car.

 

[alcam]

Yes that's the Princess I was referring to that my brother had Barry.

Never saw him do that though, he looked enough of a tw@ just driving it normally!

Just incredibly ugly motors

 

[Neckender]

The cars I owned in my youth were Mk11 cortina’s and I had a Sweeney car a Consul 3000GT and then a Granada 3000GXLR, then a Granada 2.8 Mk 11 which I thought wasn’t as good as the Mk1.

 

[Robmac]

The cars I owned in my youth were Mk11 cortina’s and I had a Sweeney car a Consul 3000GT and then a Granada 3000GXLR, then a Granada 2.8 Mk 11 which I thought wasn’t as good as the Mk1.

I learned to drive in my dad's 1600E John. he always had fords up until the day he died apart from 1 Bedford van when we were small kids.

 

[barryd]

My Dad always had Vauxhalls well apart from the obligatory Ford Angle Box. (without the Carlos Vandango extra wide wheels) but I only just remember that. The first brand new car he got was an Opel Kadett. We had two of those in the 70s. A Mustard coloured one and a bright pea green one. He tried a MK3 Escort when they first came out but went back to Vauxhall when the Astra came out which was around the time I started driving. It was a bit of a game changer. A really quick car back then and a fantastic stereo.

The coolest of all though in the 70s was my mums ex police Mini Van. Us kids loved that and it would fit dozens of us in the back. Thats the one I nicked and crashed into my sisters new bike when I was about 8.

 

[alcam]

I learned to drive in my dad's 1600E John. he always had fords up until the day he died apart from 1 Bedford van when we were small kids.

I built Cortinas .
Well I fitted the heaters

 

[trevskoda]

Worse still, my brother bought a fekkin Allegro, then a Princess then a Marina.

How he ever got a girlfriend I'll never know!

Could have been worse.

 

[wildebus]

Spanish for "doesn't go", is " No va"
Nobody told Vauxhall.... Or my dozy Brother in law.

But it was right.

Vauxhall didn't sell cars in Spanish speaking markets so it didn't matter really, did it I had no problems with my Vauxhall Nova, btw

A more amusing name for a car sold in Spanish speaking territories would probably be the Mitsubushi Pajero

 

[Robmac]

Vauxhall didn't sell cars in Spanish speaking markets so it didn't matter really, did it I had no problems with my Vauxhall Nova, btw

A more amusing name for a car sold in Spanish speaking territories would probably be the Mitsubushi Pajero

Had to Google it but...

 

[wildebus]

Had to Google it but...

Called the Shogun here of course, but actually sold as the Pajero in Spain I believe.

 

[Nabsim]

Vauxhall didn't sell cars in Spanish speaking markets so it didn't matter really, did it I had no problems with my Vauxhall Nova, btw

A more amusing name for a car sold in Spanish speaking territories would probably be the Mitsubushi Pajero

Wasn’t it named Shogun for Eoropean market? Had a short wheelbase 2.8 Pajero that was a Jap import in late 90’s. Old shape before they rounded them off, was a brilliant motor

 

[zzr1400tim]

Could have been worse.View attachment 135220

OMG his fizzog has turned up again

 

[zzr1400tim]

this thread has gone off right off topic..
it was originally about mate Pudsey Kevs last day of his hols and now its degenerated into discussing all the old shite cars that we have owned
thats why I like this forum