Cars that make you smile

[Puggers]

In the late-80's and early 90's, I had two Opel Manta GTE Coupe's, and always coveted the Irmscher but pennies could never stretch.

The earlier 82 plate, in black, was treated to a respray that even at the time I probably knew was costing me close to the value of the car and during it's ownership I had to replace three radiators without ever really finding the root cause but it was the car that made everything OK when I fired it up, heard the burble of the engine and just enjoyed the fun of using it.

Shortly after getting the respray, I was pulled over by the law and firmly believing I was well within the limit and ready for a 'debate', the younger of the two told me he owned one too and just wanted to take a closer look at it's shininess

 

[Scruples]

1961 Ford Classic

 

[spanner48]

Mk 1 Land rover.

Agreed! I had a 1950 Series 1 80". Primitive beyond belief; but great fun, and everybody - particularly girlfriends - loved riding in it.

For short drives . . .

It had the original Worm-&-Peg 1930's steering box from Burman Douglas, with a bronze nut sliding along the steering column worm. Which had worn, and developed huge play. So I asked about reconditioning. Turned out that spares were unavailable. So the 'official' fix was to take the bronze nut off, put it in a vice, and squeeze it horizontally until it gripped the column again !

Bought it in 1972 for ±£600. Sold it in 1974 {I was moving abroad to work] for ±£500. Seen mint 1950 80" ones go at auction recently for close on £80,000 . . . . .

 

[spanner48]

Who needs a car?
View attachment 181776

 

[spanner48]

Definition of a Harley-Davidson: "A complicated electro-mechanical device to convert petroleum spirit into noise"

 

[MF1000]

Definition of a Harley-Davidson: "A complicated electro-mechanical device to convert petroleum spirit into noise"

Agricultural compared to a Vincent, but always bear in mind a Harley might look like a V Twin but it’s actually a twin single cylinder in a V format.

 

[GuitardoctorW7]

As a younger man I had an MR2 Mk1, two tone, Jade over gold, really miss that car. Had a 225 BHP Audi TT when it first came out, (just a golf in a party frock). Had a 2.0 TDI Mk5 Golf, fantastic car, never let me down but ULEZ killed it.
Hired a Skoda Koraq Sportline last weekend to go to a funeral, that put a smile on my face for all the right reasons

I completely forgot my Citroen CX2200 Pallas, gorgeous car, b@st@rd to stop in the rain abruptly, my one and (hopefully) only serious accident as a youngster was in that car, in the wet!!. Totally changed my way (understanding) of driving.

 

[cerro]

Ford Consul RNW351 1953 Drove up from Deal to Yorkshire though the middle of London no problems in them days, M1 fairley new, over took just two cars all the way up. Been driving 74 years

 

[Jonm]

Before I got my car license I had a couple of Bond Bugs. One was a tuned 750 with a top speed over 100mph. More recently a Smart Brabus Roadster. What a fun drive that was. And of course my favourite of all time my Defender 110. Always have a smile on my face driving that. It’s gone for nine months having a complete chassis up rebuild.

100mph in a bond bug! Terrifying.

 

[stuart little]

My Dad had an Austin Princess just after I passed my test which I loved driving but it didn’t fit through the garage door so he only kept it a few weeks. I was gutted to see it go.

That reminds me, last night I watched an episode of 'Vera', whereby the police recovered a high-top Tranny from a pool. When Vera & Aiden found the owner, they were told it was in the garage around the corner. The garage turned out to be the everyday family car type with common up-&-over door, & as Aiden was only a few inches short of the roof, how in the name of ----------- could a standard Tranny fit in, much less a hi-top?!!! Earlier, the Tranny was used to rear-end a car off the road into trees. When the car was found, the front end was smashed up, but no visible damage to the rear! OOOPS!

 

[stuart little]

Cars that made me smile?
My brother-in-law's Frogeye. A bit older than me, and when I was a teenager, I thought it was brilliant.
He got rid, and instead rode around in a Daimler Dart, an SP250. That also impressed me at the time!
Fast? Frighteningly so.

My favourite vehicle was my Rover 75. A beautiful car, but went off it following two head gasket failures!

That sounds about right - Rover head gasket chobblers!

 

[MF1000]

100mph in a bond bug! Terrifying.

A guy in a motor club I was a member of in the 80’s had an A40 with a 2.4 jag straight six in it …..that was terrifying

 

[stuart little]

A guy in a motor club I was a member of in the 80’s had an A40 with a 2.4 jag straight six in it …..that was terrifying

I knew of a farmer who put a Morris Oxford engine in a Jag 2.4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[paulrbarnard]

100mph in a bond bug! Terrifying.

It was remarkable stable in a straight line. Completely different story in the curves.

 

[paulrbarnard]

That reminds me, last night I watched an episode of 'Vera', whereby the police recovered a high-top Tranny from a pool. When Vera & Aiden found the owner, they were told it was in the garage around the corner. The garage turned out to be the everyday family car type with common up-&-over door, & as Aiden was only a few inches short of the roof, how in the name of ----------- could a standard Tranny fit in, much less a hi-top?!!! Earlier, the Tranny was used to rear-end a car off the road into trees. When the car was found, the front end was smashed up, but no visible damage to the rear! OOOPS!

You know it’s fiction don’t you.

 

[stuart little]

It was remarkable stable in a straight line. Completely different story in the curves.

Have a look at Richard Hammond's Workshop TV series ep1 + another further thru the series.

 

[MikeJhn]

My Lotus Elan S3 always brought a smile especially when exiting the M2 at Maidstone, the 270 deg bend was such a pleasure going around the outside of everyone on the inside lane.

The one I regret selling was my 2.7 Carrera, would be worth a fortune now, but then I sold it for four times more than it owed me.

As I am older now I have a BMW 3lt 530 and its faster than both the above, in acceleration and top speed, yes still a petrol head at 76.

 

[artie]

You know it’s fiction don’t you.

Ah come on. Tell me you don't enjoy pointing out continuity and factual errors in movies and TV shows.

 

[akirk]

Too many lovely cars from an e39 m5 and f-type to a couple of xj-s - a series 1 / 2 / 2a landrover and several classic range rovers and a 69 mgb roadster… now left with a Mini Cooper s convertible - lots of fun and a last of the line 30yr old LWB soft-dash Range Rover - the Range Rover gets lots of comments - and people are surprised (looking at the flaking lacquer on the paintwork) to know that it is fully restored underneath… fab car with a superb v8 under the bonnet

 

[nickds1]

Thinking about other cars I've had that have given loads of fun, I had an RS1600i (PRP 244Y) back in the early '80s which was a bonkers vehicle - one of the first and very best "hot hatch"s. Then there was my desert jeep, Stoffel, which I had for three years in Oman and the UAE. My current Landrover project is named "ibn Stoffel", i.e. "son of Stoffel".