Classic cars and the happy childhood
Discussion
Here's a thought? Is there any correlation between an interest in classic cars and having a happy childhood? I was born in 1962, and my childhood in a leafy suburb, as the second of four boys, with fun parents, and a very high quality State education, was very happy. The cars that I love best are those from the late sixties to the late seventies. Quite apart from questions of whether cars were objectively more beautiful then than now, and quite apart also from my interest in the history of design and of technological change, I assume that my interest is at least partly born of nostalgia for happy times in my early life. My father and uncles rarely if ever had cool cars, as they had little money, but I saw many cool cars in the streets. One groovy young auntie had Mini Coopers, and also mini skirts.
I am not suggesting for one moment that those drivers who are not interested in classic cars did not have happy childhoods, but I wonder if there are many of us who do like classics who did not enjoy our early lives.
Also, just as you tend to choose your Doctor (I mean The Doctor, not a doctor) based on who was playing the part when you were aged about ten (so for me Jon Pertwee is THE Doctor), do we choose our favourite era for cars by reference to the same approximate era in our lives?
At a hotel over the Easter weekend, I gave the keys to my 1990 Excel to a stylish young French woman, one of the receptionists, who drove it very happily to the car park. She was delighted by the car, and I inferred that she was born in the 1980s.
I am not suggesting for one moment that those drivers who are not interested in classic cars did not have happy childhoods, but I wonder if there are many of us who do like classics who did not enjoy our early lives.
Also, just as you tend to choose your Doctor (I mean The Doctor, not a doctor) based on who was playing the part when you were aged about ten (so for me Jon Pertwee is THE Doctor), do we choose our favourite era for cars by reference to the same approximate era in our lives?
At a hotel over the Easter weekend, I gave the keys to my 1990 Excel to a stylish young French woman, one of the receptionists, who drove it very happily to the car park. She was delighted by the car, and I inferred that she was born in the 1980s.
I've always believed that people who hoard and never use cars are hiding some kind of deep seated mental issue. I don't mean people with a weekend or fair weather toy, I mean the guys who buy an interesting and/or expensive motor and hide it away in a warehouse, never to be used.
I'm normal of course which is why I'm currently in Le Touquet in a fantastic hotel after beasting the living bejeesus out of the DS for 400 miles yesterday. Better go and check the oil and water now it has cooled down...
I'm normal of course which is why I'm currently in Le Touquet in a fantastic hotel after beasting the living bejeesus out of the DS for 400 miles yesterday. Better go and check the oil and water now it has cooled down...
Benji, well chapped, that chap. Hotel Westminster, I hope? Hoon over to one of the coastal Casinos (and not the hypermarche variety), and put the whole shebang on red.
I can recall people who kept the plastic covers on the seats of their cars from new. Does that still happen?
Some of the mainstream PHers go insane with rage and despair if their dull Eurobox gets the slightest scratch or ding. Maybe we all have our own private madness.
I can recall people who kept the plastic covers on the seats of their cars from new. Does that still happen?
Some of the mainstream PHers go insane with rage and despair if their dull Eurobox gets the slightest scratch or ding. Maybe we all have our own private madness.
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 13th April 14:56
Absolutely. Remember the smell of leaded petrol coming from the exhaust, not many cars on the road, going to the '71/'72 motor shows and getting all the stickers/brochures/badges/balloons and sitting in all those cars.
Ah, happy days as a nipper in London.
Pertwee was THE Doctor and I was born in '66.
Ah, happy days as a nipper in London.
Pertwee was THE Doctor and I was born in '66.
Edited by vixen1700 on Friday 13th April 14:51
I've always believed that people who hoard and never use cars are hiding some kind of deep seated mental issue. I don't mean people with a weekend or fair weather toy, I mean the guys who buy an interesting and/or expensive motor and hide it away in a warehouse, never to be used.
I'm normal of course which is why I'm currently in Le Touquet in a fantastic hotel after beasting the living bejeesus out of the DS for 400 miles yesterday. Better go and check the oil and water now it has cooled down...
I'm normal of course which is why I'm currently in Le Touquet in a fantastic hotel after beasting the living bejeesus out of the DS for 400 miles yesterday. Better go and check the oil and water now it has cooled down...
It's just the nostalgia thing. I was a kid in the 50s, and I like cars and motor racing from those times.
You always think it was better then. The truth is probably different. Rationing, TB, polio etc..
The best smell in the world is an old car - real leather seats and full leaded petrol, being warmed by the sun. The only thing that comes close is the stuff they clean typewriters with.
You always think it was better then. The truth is probably different. Rationing, TB, polio etc..
The best smell in the world is an old car - real leather seats and full leaded petrol, being warmed by the sun. The only thing that comes close is the stuff they clean typewriters with.
I do not think that things were better in the past. In general, I think that we live in the best of all times, for all of our problems, and I can't stand the good old days bring back flogging and rickets nostalgia purveyed by the Mail and such like. I freely admit that old cars are often quite terrible. I do, however, love their aesthetics, and clearly are looking for blue remembered hills to at least some extent.
You softies !!!! 
Cars in your child hood? As a wee nipper in London I had to put up with being cramped with mum and big brother in a sidecar strapped to an Ariel Square Four. Holidays were always in Weymouth (Royal Blue Coach from Victoria Station) and we didn't get our first car until I was 9 - a Standard 10 Companion (Estate car).
All of that being said I had the happiest of childhoods - thanks to the best mum and dad in the world, sadly passed these many years but I still miss them.
Cars in your child hood? As a wee nipper in London I had to put up with being cramped with mum and big brother in a sidecar strapped to an Ariel Square Four. Holidays were always in Weymouth (Royal Blue Coach from Victoria Station) and we didn't get our first car until I was 9 - a Standard 10 Companion (Estate car).
All of that being said I had the happiest of childhoods - thanks to the best mum and dad in the world, sadly passed these many years but I still miss them.
nicanary said:
My dad had a Panther single-cylinder with sidecar; he reckoned it the firing sequence was once at every lamppost.
Your user name rings a bell - times must be hard now the Aston DBS has gone - perhaps you're back to modelling for littewoods catalogue.
I've still got an Aston but Lady S won't let me out in crimplene suits these days Your user name rings a bell - times must be hard now the Aston DBS has gone - perhaps you're back to modelling for littewoods catalogue.
Breadvan72 said:
Benji, well chapped, that chap. Hotel Westminster, I hope? Hoon over to one of the coastal Casinos (and not the hypermarche variety), and put the whole shebang on red.
Yes, at The Westminster. First time in 8 years since I've been here. I must say having a 3 year old and a 2 month old in our room kind of puts paid to any gymnastiques de chambre.I'm banned from casinos when with wife. Last time in Deauville I dropped a grand on chemin and she won five thousand euros on some weird French roulette game. She kept the cash too the chien.
I was back at my parents' place at the weekend and mum wanted to show a load of old slides to my gf. Many including my dad's MGA and then MGB in the early to mid 60s. The number of other interesting cars in the background of the pictures was great. Real period pieces.
My mum piped up with a story about having to go and buy a travel cot thing- to very specific dimensions - because it had to fit behind the seats in the B! It did, and that car only got sold when second son (me) came along.
My Doctor was Tom Baker because we were living abroad when J Pertwee was The Doctor. And he was rude to my mum once so he was never going to go far!
G.
My mum piped up with a story about having to go and buy a travel cot thing- to very specific dimensions - because it had to fit behind the seats in the B! It did, and that car only got sold when second son (me) came along.
My Doctor was Tom Baker because we were living abroad when J Pertwee was The Doctor. And he was rude to my mum once so he was never going to go far!
G.
gforceg said:
I was back at my parents' place at the weekend and mum wanted to show a load of old slides to my gf. Many including my dad's MGA and then MGB in the early to mid 60s. The number of other interesting cars in the background of the pictures was great. Real period pieces.
Next time you're there get 'em scanned and up on this here thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...vixen1700 said:
Next time you're there get 'em scanned and up on this here thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I should. There are some great ones with planes in the background too. Mission accepted.
I grew up in a petrolhead family. Born mid 58 with elder brothers & sister. Learned to "drive" at 8 in mums Austin Devon on farm tracks and not much later rode my brothers Ducati 49cc that was purchased from Kings.
Father [a lorry driver] always had Jag's, his last being a 2yr old Mk8 in 1960 or so. Fantastic thing that we kept until about 1968 or so. I too had a nifty auntie who ran a Rover 2000 P6 with the spare on the boot and took skiing holidays in France and Switzerland. We lived in central Scotland in a mining village so such things were deemed for the rich only.
I love certain older cars, having experienced such horrors as :
Austin 10 & 14
Vauxhall 14
Standard Vanguards
FA Victors
FB Viva's
Lanchesters
etc
Dad took up buying & selling in the mid 60's so we always had such things as Heralds, Chamois, Triumph Renowns, Armstrong Siddelets, Cambridges, Oxfords etc around. Either for repair or sale.
I love that smell but could not own one today with all that greasing and fettling required. I like my keyless go, 50 mpg at 75 mph and never experiencing a breakdown in 90,000 miles etc.
Hats off to those that preserve and use these old girls.
A
Father [a lorry driver] always had Jag's, his last being a 2yr old Mk8 in 1960 or so. Fantastic thing that we kept until about 1968 or so. I too had a nifty auntie who ran a Rover 2000 P6 with the spare on the boot and took skiing holidays in France and Switzerland. We lived in central Scotland in a mining village so such things were deemed for the rich only.
I love certain older cars, having experienced such horrors as :
Austin 10 & 14
Vauxhall 14
Standard Vanguards
FA Victors
FB Viva's
Lanchesters
etc
Dad took up buying & selling in the mid 60's so we always had such things as Heralds, Chamois, Triumph Renowns, Armstrong Siddelets, Cambridges, Oxfords etc around. Either for repair or sale.
I love that smell but could not own one today with all that greasing and fettling required. I like my keyless go, 50 mpg at 75 mph and never experiencing a breakdown in 90,000 miles etc.
Hats off to those that preserve and use these old girls.
A
It could be genetic. My Dad had an SS100 as a young man, and went on to own various Mercedes. My two boys are car fanatics (21, 16), with the eldest competing in this years Porsche Championship (924). I suppose their sons will get excited about some bloody electric powered contraption.
I've thought about this alot over the years. I just love things with big noisy, smokey engines, and blame Gerry Anderson. I also love making things. Building up a TR6 from a pile of bits is just like building a big Airfix kit, no difference at all really, except scale in every respect.
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