First Car

[PutneyO]

A Messerschmitt

[AckneyAwks]

1963 Vauxhall Victor. Leather seats and a Walnut dash.

Not a bad car that, looked nice as well. The first Victor, eg the ''F Series Victor'' was made from 1957 to 1961 and typical of its era, its styling was based on American cars of that time. Problem was that it was a real rust bucket and its replacement the ''FB Series Victor and VX4/90 1960 to 1964'' was a far better car, nice looking as well and Vauxhall engines were quite good for that period in time. I really liked the VX4/90 model, a sporty version of the standard Victor. Externally the car was distinguished from the standard car by a coloured stripe down the side, revised grille and larger tail-light clusters and was capable of 90 MPH, wow ! Problem for nearly all makes of cars of those times was the demon rust that ate away the bodies of the cars, especially underneath the car, sills and under the wings. Now rust in modern cars is thankfully something that rarely happens.

Sid...did Vauxhall not have a bad reputation for bodywork on all models. I worked for a local council and they bought HA110 Viva vans for M.O.W and had big problems with rust etc.

[i8ubutler]

1956 Morris Minor complete with split windscreen and trafficators.

[Admin]

1982 Talbot Alpine. Only 7 years old and already dying of terminal rust. Concrete trainers needed to get the clutch all the way down, 1st gear was somewhere over by the window with 4th (no 5th in those days) somewhere around the groin area.

Thankfully this sh*t-piece acquired by my father whilst on a pissed up night out ("You'll never guess what I've bought you son") caught fire due to a failed fuel pipe pissing 4 star all over the exhaust. More alarmingly was the fact I was driving it at that point which is why the tree in my parents road is still at a slant due to me baling out whilst still in motion.

6 Weeks later I went a bought a MK5 Cortina in which the previous owner had died. f*cking loved that motor.

[stage3]

Ford cortina est 1969 g reg.

[Bluecap]

I have never driven a car.

[DuvB]

An Izetta bubble car

[Top of the JES]

MK2 Ford Cortina 1600 with a fluffy dashboard and dice,lovely car in great condition but was nicked after three days and found written off in the catr park at Whipps Cross Hospital.

[Orient Punxx]

Hillman Avenger - 1970
3 speed auto / yellow with black vinyl roof.

[Delamod]

1973 Triumph Toledo- drove it to school (sixth form).

[Fisch]

1949 side valve Morris Minor. The block was made of iron and one night the water hose sprung a leak, by the time I'd realised, I stopped
and raised the bonnet and the engine was glowing. Waited for a couple of hours for it to cool down, refilled the radiator and drove home.
No damage to the engine whatsoever.

803 cc of naked aggression!

[Sid Bishop]

1963 Vauxhall Victor. Leather seats and a Walnut dash.

Not a bad car that, looked nice as well. The first Victor, eg the ''F Series Victor'' was made from 1957 to 1961 and typical of its era, its styling was based on American cars of that time. Problem was that it was a real rust bucket and its replacement the ''FB Series Victor and VX4/90 1960 to 1964'' was a far better car, nice looking as well and Vauxhall engines were quite good for that period in time. I really liked the VX4/90 model, a sporty version of the standard Victor. Externally the car was distinguished from the standard car by a coloured stripe down the side, revised grille and larger tail-light clusters and was capable of 90 MPH, wow ! Problem for nearly all makes of cars of those times was the demon rust that ate away the bodies of the cars, especially underneath the car, sills and under the wings. Now rust in modern cars is thankfully something that rarely happens.

Sid...did Vauxhall not have a bad reputation for bodywork on all models. I worked for a local council and they bought HA110 Viva vans for M.O.W and had big problems with rust etc.

The Vauxhall ''F Series Victor'' made from 1957 to 1961 was a real shocker for going rusty, This era of Vauxhall was famed for rusting away, particularly in the British climate. The truth was that indeed they were on the leading edge of body construction but had yet to learn about rust proofing voids and avoiding excessive overlaying of unpainted metal to metal surfaces. This affected their sales and reputation for years afterwards - even several models down the line, when they had got the problem licked. Well, as licked as any other manufacturer. Then there was the styling, which despite the popularity of the Ford Zyphyr range, was a little too much for the reserved British tastes at the time. But mostly, everyone just thought they were rust buckets. Now the sight of a survivor at a classic rally makes us all misty eyed. Most all makes of cars of this era had rust problems, but the first Victor was the worst of the lot.

[TeeCee]

Ford MK 2 Cortina E reg 1967

[Jeanluc]

Got my first car when I was a student in 1972 – it was a 1964 Ford Anglia 105E – the one with the backward-slanted rear window. It was starting to rust so I decided to give it a new paint job. Went to Woolworths and bought a 5 litre tin of Winfield blue gloss paint. Because I spent all my money on the paint, I couldn’t afford the better Harris paint brushes so I bought Winfield ones. Big mistake. All was going well until I noticed that the bristles were coming out and were stuck to the bodywork. Impossible to remove so I just carried on and had the hairiest Ford Anglia in Walthamstow. Mechanically, it served me well until some buckeejit rammed me while I was stationary at traffic lights and the car was written off. Happy days

[BoniO]

Got my first car when I was a student in 1972 – it was a 1964 Ford Anglia 105E – the one with the backward-slanted rear window. It was starting to rust so I decided to give it a new paint job. Went to Woolworths and bought a 5 litre tin of Winfield blue gloss paint. Because I spent all my money on the paint, I couldn’t afford the better Harris paint brushes so I bought Winfield ones. Big mistake. All was going well until I noticed that the bristles were coming out and were stuck to the bodywork. Impossible to remove so I just carried on and had the hairiest Ford Anglia in Walthamstow. Mechanically, it served me well until some buckeejit rammed me while I was stationary at traffic lights and the car was written off. Happy days

I had a 105E about the same time as you. I decided it would look better without the silver trim down the sides. Removed said trim but then didn't get round to filling & painting round the fitting holes. Hence about a dozen small rust areas down each side over the next year. I wrote it off by driving into the back of a car that stopped for a crossing. I didn't see it as I was busy ogling 2 girls on the pavement, so it was their fault really.

[ComeOnYouOs]

1956 Austin A35 in sky blue.
Tough as old boots. Had a head on, 3 weeks after passing my test. A modern car would have been totally wrecked, and me with it, but this car had a dented wing!
The A35 was replaced by the mini, in 1959

[MassiveForehead]

Suzuki Swift 1.5 GLX. In Orange...
Literally bought last week.

Figure its about time to start driving in my 30s.

[Mr Wu]

1959 Ford Anglia 100E.When it was raining the faster you went the slower the windscreen wipers went.

[o-no]

P-reg Mk 1 VW Polo - NBJ413P
Bright Blue (apart from the rusty bits) 895cc

I've had more powerful lawnmowers. Loved that car.

[Thor]

1600e cortina worth money now!

[cymruO]

1965 HB Vauxhall Viva. Loved that car.

[Sid Bishop]

1600e cortina worth money now!

That was a really nice car !

[Sid Bishop]

1965 HB Vauxhall Viva. Loved that car.

Reliable car, my dad had one that I repaired and renovated.

[Sid Bishop]

1959 Ford Anglia 100E.When it was raining the faster you went the slower the windscreen wipers went.

My mum had the 4 door Prefect version, sidevalve engine with I think 3 forward gears, I still have the owners handbook for that model somewhere .

[Sid Bishop]

1956 Austin A35 in sky blue.
Tough as old boots. Had a head on, 3 weeks after passing my test. A modern car would have been totally wrecked, and me with it, but this car had a dented wing!
The A35 was replaced by the mini, in 1959

Solid steel chrome bumpers in those days stopped much of the damage you get nowadays with those plastic crumple zone bumpers.
From what I can remember, those old Austins had really solid and strong wings,