My Cars

My first motor vehicle was not a car, but a 350cc B.S.A. motorcycle.It belonged to my elder brother who was working away from home. I was still a learner when I wrote it off under a lorry,and nearly wrote myself off as well.

My first car was a Series E morris which I shared with my younger brother. It was my Fathers car but he did not drive. I learned to drive in this car

                                                                   SERIES E MORRIS EIGHT

My Uncle was buying a new car and made me a present of his old one, a series M Morris. By this time I was married and had two children and the car was a very welcome gift. It was in quite good condition but could not travel very fast. I soon discovered why, the accelerator pedal was being restricted by the thick rubber mat.

When this was cleared the top speed rose from thirty odds to sixty odd miles per hour, quite fast in those days, too fast in fact as at that speed the old car proved very hard to control.This car although easy to maintain was prone to get broken leafs in the back springs and the exhaust kept rusting through. Eventually I kept a spare of each in my garage and did my own repairs .Ministry Of Transport certificates were now the law and one year the old car failed the test and had to be scrapped

                                                                      SERIES M MORRIS 8                                              

My next car was much bigger and more expensive to run and maintain, it was finally scrapped when the engine seized. I discovered it had a cracked engine block which had been well camouflaged but had leaked the cooling water.

                                                                                   STANDARD VANGUARD

My Wife's cousin had a garage business and I bought a Morris Oxford from him, it was a very smart car pale green and very neat inside, cream leather seats etc. However in the end it proved to have been very expertly faked up and rusted to pieces very quickly

picture to be added later

A change of make next , a HILLMAN MINX , white in colour a good car. My son had a smash with this car and the insurers paid me the money plus the salvaged car. In my job I had the facilities for welding and spray painting so within a few weeks I had the Minx back on the road as good as new. In fact so good that I was stopped by the traffic police who had to be convinced the car was not new, stolen with old registration plates fitted.

HILL MINX

My next car was a silver coloured Vauxhall Chevette Estate I bought from a dealer who only bought and sold cars as they stood.The only thing I had to do was to replace a wiper blade.This car lasted me for many years.

                                                          My Grandson Stephen beside the Chevette in 1983

   The Vauxhall in the picture below was a very good runner although it made a peculiar sound when taking off.My daughter Kay had a loan of this car for a time and it never gave her any trouble. It lasted me for a good few years

VAUXHALL

While looking at cars at a local showroom the salesman talked my Wife and I into buying the little Lancia shown below. It was a grand little car and the only one of its type in the district. A very nice dependable little car.

LANCIA

Part exchanged the lancia for my present car a Vauxhall Corsa, again a good runner which I have had for seven years.see below.

In all my driving years from about 1949 to now 2006 a period of 57 years I have had nine cars and a motorcycle.I have never owned a brand new one but I have had good service from the secondhand ones.