The one that started it.......

[jagnut66]

Hi, 

Thought I'd change tack with this post........

We all have our reasons, be they cars you remember from when you were young, a car you once owned that you wish you'd been able to keep or just a sudden whim that led to a more long term association.

I thought it might be interesting for people on here to indulge in a personal trip down memory lane.......

Mine is a sentimental attachment to a car that will be forever associated with my childhood, that was sadly sold and written off before I was old enough to drive / express an interest in keeping it in the family.

It goes a bit deeper than that, in that it's a car that I will forever associate with my parents also.....

So here she is: 99 EMO with my mum at the wheel, my dad would have been behind the camera. I believe this was taken before I came along: 

 

Best wishes,

Mike.

Edited February 17 by jagnut66

[Graham C]

1981 Spitfire purchased in 1984, first car I owned/ purchased. I still own it having restored it twice.

Told my wife when we married I would not sell it, two children later (now 30 plus) the car is part of the family.

Graham

[Casper]

It must have been 1959 when I'd regularly see a signal red and white (948) coupe, lady driver, when I was waiting at the bus stop on the way home from school.  I was blown away by the style and colour compared to all the black and grey 50s cars on the road.  Over the next few years I became a bit of a Herald spotter but it was a long time after that that I bought my first Herald, a 13/60 estate.

C.

[Iain T]

We had a vicar who visited our school trying to teach us RE. He had a blue Vitesse convertible which I thought looked and sounded great. It would have been around 1966-7 and it must have influenced me as I've had three Triumphs a Spitfire, TR3A and Vitesse.

My chemistry teacher had a Vauxhall Ventura that he used to bomb around in.

Iain 

Edited February 18 by Iain T

[PeteH]

My first "dinky toy" was the Riley RMA, bought for me by my grandad. I always lusted after full size one. But never achieved it. Now of course they make Silly money. Dad, had mostly Ford`s. My asociation with Triumphs, started when I bought a Vitesse, for Maureen in the 1980`s which served as her commuter for several years, When I was looking for a "toy" this 13/60 AKA "kit of parts" came up, which is now residing under cover having been usurped by "plum". Probably to be under offer in the near future. If I was to list all the vehicles that have passed through our hand`s It must run well into double figures. I had 7 Escorts alone in 10 years, most "lost" to "tree hugging".🤣

Pete

[thescrapman]

My English teacher at secondary school was really cool, he drove a Vitesse (well actually 3 different ones)

guess they were cheap disposable cars in the late 70’s.

[PeteH]

45 minutes ago, thescrapman said:

guess they were cheap disposable cars in the late 70’s.

£150 for a sound rear C-V tub, with hood,frame and seats, in a scrappy, circa 1982, I was tempted, to do a conversion on Maureens Saloon. She decided the Webasto was enough.

Pete

[Gary Flinn]

This car started it all off for me way back in 1981, that was the then owner a guy called John Gregory, we are still close friends

I still keep in touch with the present custodian now, these cars can get under your skin🤔

Gary   

Edited February 19 by Gary Flinn

[Richeee]

First classic and it was a classic then was A Volvo 122s. Purchased from the local garage on the day it was closing down. Grand  sum of £100 in 1985. Just finished Uni and was off to work for Wimpey as an engineer.     

Great car. Wish i had it now.   Twin su's 1800. Superb.  Never needed any choke. Only had to touch the ignition key and it started. Always got looks even then.

But rust was in it and so had for 1 year only.  

This was followed a year later by a tr7.   With weird headlight conversion.   This was a very early 76 model. 4 speed and with black cloth seats. Not check.

Cost just under  grand if i remember correctly but broke down so much and and cost a bomb.    I was advised by my employers to get something more reliable.   Hint taken, and that was replaced by a 2 year Ford Capri 1.6LS. That did exactly what it said on the tin. Super reliable and tbh good to drive.  ( I was actually looking at an Alfa Romeo Arna at the same time.   Head won over heart. Probably in retrospect the right decision.)

 

 

 

[mark powell]

Mum had a Ford Anglia 105E in canary yellow and white when I started driving in 1965,  changed to a Herald 1200 estate later that year. She would let me loose on the local disused airfield while she took the dogs for a walk.  Passed my test in 1966 and solo memories were in the Herald.  I had two cars of my own when I started owning them, a 1956 Reliant Regent gown van and a 1959 Fiat 600 Transformable (sunshine roof).

Heralds, however, kept appearing on a regular basis (I've lost count..), and now I have my Herald pickup and JC Midge.

Mum's estate in a rather arty picture..   and a small selection including my Vitesse 1600 with daughters godfathers Dino.

.

[dougbgt6]

The one that started it all in 1978, still here in 2024

And another one that started it all. 

Doug

 

 

Edited February 20 by dougbgt6

[fungus]

For me it was a yellow and white Coupe owned by my an Auntie of mine. probably would have been about 1964 or 5 I was very very young.

This picture is from one of Uncle Barrys home movies I have, so have no Idea of the year but it started me off wanting one. I had the corgi models as you did back then even made a scalextric version ( don't know what happened to that) Mum and Dad had several Triunphs, heralds, vitesses, gt6, PI, 2000, so when I laernt to drive in 1978 my first car was a Herald. bought from my brother because he had bought a Vitesse, it was a vilencia blue convertable. I rebuilt it and painted it Yellow and White (who'd a thought it)

But I still wanted a Coupe, so bought a basket case for £100 and still have it, and am still rebuiling it, it's never been on the road since I bought it in 1980 but I live in hope. It's not going to be Yellow and White  ( i've done that) so It's the origanal colour black and white.

this is when I got it home.

and this is it now 43 years later. I have done everything myself and enjoyed very minute.

Edited February 20 by fungus

[ahebron]

Still got my first one.
1965 Vitesse 6, when I was 18 I took it off the road to replace the chassis and told my mum it would be 6 weeks. I am 59 and it still isnt finished. But is still only 6 weeks away from being done.

Then I bought the Mk2 Vitesse Convertible which was the first Vitesse I looked at buying but the seller kept upping the price. It was a goer back then but in need of a major rebuild when I bought it and still is.

And here is a photo of completed Vitesse that gets driven by its owner who most of you should recognise

[CarlM]

Here is a picture of my 1360, my first car way back in 1979. Looking resplendent under the Humber Bridge after it opened in 1982.

I remembered a story in the Times, in that the first car over the Humber Bridge was a 1972 reg Triumph Herald estate, as the chairman of the commission bought it new in 1972 when the decision to build the bridge was confirmed and it took 10 years to build. 
I took the Herald all over, including a trip to Holland, I have a picture parked next to a left hand drive 1200 in Nijmegen somewhere. Anyway on my fifth one about 50 years later!