They were a bit rubbish

[Kalahari]

And often I was that "special tool"

 

David.

[islandgun]

i had a veteran austin A30 and a potential buyer wanted to cover the inside with pink play fur, i wouldn't sell it to her (probably my first step into entrepreneurship)

[Imperfection]

First car was a 1300 Vauxhall Chevette. I fitted the obligatory chrome pancake air filter which the sound alone was worth 20bhp(!),but the carb would freeze during the winter of 1987 and everytime you came to a junction-the engine stopped. I added the rubber dangley things which hung from the rear bumper, 'Special' stickers to the sides and that was as far as i got as i wrote it off.

 

I seem to remember they had a button under the steering column which released the ignition key.

[jam1e]

Halfords....

How many of us in the 70' and 80's had to go and buy the obligatory 'Spot lights'

 

Was it Tetraseal that was bitumen like substance that covered many a rotten Sill

I think that Tetraseal was the only thing holding my Fiat Strada together!

[Vince Green]

Vinyl roofs, the dog's danglies!!

The vinyl roof! now that's a memory from the past.

 

Don't forget the stripe up the bonnet. (its come back I've noticed)

Edited October 27, 2016 by Vince Green

[UKPoacher]

In 88 I was working for a Rover dealership and wings and front x-members were the norm. Awful cars and wasn't until the 'k series' arrived with the new models that I wasn't so embarrassed to say who I worked for

 

I had the dubious pleasure of working for an Austin Rover dealership in the early 1980's. I remember going down to the NEC to see the new Morris Ital being unveiled. The stage was in darkness then a spot light came on illuminating a car under a cover masked by dry ice smoke. As the smoke cleared to the sound of Fanfare for the Common Man the veil was lifted, and to a man and woman 3,000 car dealers uttered in dismay: "They've given us another ******g Marina!"

 

Two years later we were all done again when the smoke cleared to reveal an Austin Princess, squared off and called an Ambassador.

 

I was there for three years and never had an enquiry for an Allegro, Maxi or Princess. If it hadn't been for the Metro we might as well have shut down. Then they brought out the Triumph Acclaim, basically a re-badged Honda, and we could finally hold our heads up high.

[Glenlivet]

First car was a 1300 Vauxhall Chevette. I fitted the obligatory chrome pancake air filter which the sound alone was worth 20bhp(!),but the carb would freeze during the winter of 1987 and everytime you came to a junction-the engine stopped. I added the rubber dangley things which hung from the rear bumper, 'Special' stickers to the sides and that was as far as i got as i wrote it off.

 

I seem to remember they had a button under the steering column which released the ignition key.

I had a 1976 Viva with the same key release - and vinyl roof 👍

[digger]

my first car was a mk 2 escort Mexico. I was lucky enough to upgrade to a lotus sunbeam then a dog of a metro turbo. V fast and very rubbish.

[Jaymo]

 

I had the dubious pleasure of working for an Austin Rover dealership in the early 1980's. I remember going down to the NEC to see the new Morris Ital being unveiled. The stage was in darkness then a spot light came on illuminating a car under a cover masked by dry ice smoke. As the smoke cleared to the sound of Fanfare for the Common Man the veil was lifted, and to a man and woman 3,000 car dealers uttered in dismay: "They've given us another ******g Marina!"

 

Two years later we were all done again when the smoke cleared to reveal an Austin Princess, squared off and called an Ambassador.

 

I was there for three years and never had an enquiry for an Allegro, Maxi or Princess. If it hadn't been for the Metro we might as well have shut down. Then they brought out the Triumph Acclaim, basically a re-badged Honda, and we could finally hold our heads up high.

We were a bit like that at the NEC in 89 when the 200/400 series was launched.

Smoke n mirrors along with 'love lift us up' song by Joe cocker and Jenifer Warnes.

Prior to that the only 200's we liked were the Honda engined ones.

Our 'loan' car was a chocolate brown Allegro that had been shunted and repaired, only one day I remember being told off for giving it to a guy who had just purchased a Rover 827 Sterling- I know I shouldn't have given it to him but he had been a bit of a pain in the neck and my inner chimp made me do it........

[vampire]

My father still has the philosophy that if a car has more than 30,000 on the clock then it's past its best.....

 

Adage has got me thinking---- windscreen tints ( even with the names of your loved one on), traffic light air freshener, seat covers, giant whip aerials, CB radio installs.

What's your memory of 'Sunday morning' car add-on's

 

What he said

+ tunnel consol,spot lights and a go faster stripe and the chrome exhaust cover

[vampire]

First car was a 1300 Vauxhall Chevette. I fitted the obligatory chrome pancake air filter which the sound alone was worth 20bhp(!),but the carb would freeze during the winter of 1987 and everytime you came to a junction-the engine stopped. I added the rubber dangley things which hung from the rear bumper, 'Special' stickers to the sides and that was as far as i got as i wrote it off.

 

I seem to remember they had a button under the steering column which released the ignition key.

 

That's so similar to what we did with the capri great at drifting,well ahead of our time.

 

What he said

+ tunnel consol,spot lights and a go faster stripe and the chrome exhaust cover

[Vince Green]

My third car was a 1967 Mustang which I bought for £70. How I wish I still had it. In those days they were valueless, just considered American junk. Mind you my one was pretty much junk

[gustaff]

Remember the tiger tail you hung from your filler cap "I,VE GOT A TIGER IN MY TANK "?

esso

[oowee]

I had an Imp Stiletto. I used to run it with the air filter off the carbs. Took the hub caps off and painted the wheels yellow. It was all of maybe 50hp when it started 0-60 in under ten

What a pile of doodoo that was. It used to shred the doughnuts every 3000 miles, overheat if you went over 50, not start if it was hot or if the weather was cold.

[gustaff]

my mate had a scrap yard. a haven for parts ford anglia we put a lotus cortina twin cam in next car hb viva 2.3 victor engine both went like sh-- off a shovel both still had drum brakes and 500 x 12 crossply tyres great in a srait line anglia kept falling over viva loughed straight on thankfuly roads werent busy nobody hurt just good dangerous fun.next on agenda dord p100 pick up 2.8 ford v6 conversion what a good truck pull ahouse down accelrate better than tr7 and more ecomical than a standard p100 then ralling days started.could fill this forum with tales

[Glenlivet]

Ahhh, the days before elf and safety when you could climb over mountains of wrecks to rip that precious part you desperately needed on a Sunday morning.....

[Lord O War]

First car was a 1300 Vauxhall Chevette. I fitted the obligatory chrome pancake air filter which the sound alone was worth 20bhp(!),but the carb would freeze during the winter of 1987 and everytime you came to a junction-the engine stopped. I added the rubber dangley things which hung from the rear bumper, 'Special' stickers to the sides and that was as far as i got as i wrote it off.

 

I seem to remember they had a button under the steering column which released the ignition key.

Yes they bloody did, I remember a mate had a party at his mum and dads house and one of the "guests " had a shoveit and asked me if I could move it for him, I was the only non ****** up person there. So out I went and moved it around the drive, it was a BIG drive, only I couldn't get the ********* keys out again. Stupid idea, why do you need keys you cannot get out?

[Walker570]

.....rallying days... ? Don't you wish you could bottle the sound of forty or fifty souped up motors roaring around the Welsh Marches and creeping around the car park at Bengry's garage in Leominster before the start to see what the opposition had got fixed to their motors ..... happy days and even happier nights

Edited October 27, 2016 by Walker570

[wascal]

 

 

When I was left my aunts old Morris 1000 my mates and I stripped it down, put some carpets in, walnut dash ( hand made) new diff, back axle and brakes and slipped a V6 Cortina engine in. You wouldn't know to look at it but away from the lights used to leave everything for dead.

 

 

+1

 

My mate Wayne fitted a 2.0 litre miafiori engine to his Moggy . It was very quick but He couldn't afford to upgrade the brakes so stopping was optional

[amateur]

I remember when the plastic "James Bond" bullet holes came out - clear vinyl printed to look like a bullet hole through glass, which you stuck on your rear or front screen - and the sheer delight at watching a copper checking out a parked car with a set on the back window and shaking his head at the stupidity

[loriusgarrulus]

My first car was a mini clubman estate in Inca yellow. It had moss in the window slides and you had to bale it out after a rain storm when the wind was blowing from the side. The floor in the front drive well was waterproof, but the window wasn't. Eventually solved the problem by drilling a drain hole.

Remember having to fasten the exhaust up with a coat hanger on the way back from a trip as it looked like a firework display out the back in the dark as the rear hanger broke away over a bump.

[Chris Bb]

 

Then they brought out the Triumph Acclaim,

 

Allegedly not sold in Germany as it translates as "Seig Heil!"

 

I had a Triumph Spitfire, its radiator was obviously a little small as on a hot summer's day I had to put the heater on full to cool the engine sufficiently. A good job it was a convertible!

[Adge Cutler]

Pumps manned by human attendants and green shield stamps.

 

My old dad always used to say "4 and 4 shots please" ...to the young attendant, when he fuelled his viva

Edited October 28, 2016 by Adge Cutler

[Del T]

Pumps manned by human attendants and green shield stamps.

 

My old dad always used to say "4 and 4 shots please" ...to the young attendant, when he fuelled his viva

LOL. We have pump attendants at the shell garages round here at certain times. They are always on the hard sell though "are you sure you just want normal diesel in your work van,as the diesel super is much better ", etc etc

[UKPoacher]

 

Allegedly not sold in Germany as it translates as "Seig Heil!"

 

I had a Triumph Spitfire, its radiator was obviously a little small as on a hot summer's day I had to put the heater on full to cool the engine sufficiently. A good job it was a convertible!

 

The Acclaim was brought over in kit form and assembled in the Midlands. At the same time it was available as a Honda Ballade. The local Honda dealer used to come into our showroom and take the pee by wiping oil leaks up from under the Allegros and Maxis. He said that he wouldn't have to do it on the Acclaim, but picked fault with the way the sides of the car were joined to the central panels. On his Honda version these joins were smoothed over with filler and paint. On the Triumph there was a visible seam.

 

I had a Spitfire for a short time. Not to my liking though. I also had three MGBs and a Triumph Stag, plus a Triumph 2000 and a 2500TC. The Stag overheated whenever the sun came out from behind a cloud. I understand that they have sorted the problem now with three core radiators and high boiling point coolant, but back then they were a nightmare.