My Cars

[CarolsHusband]

My biggest passion since being 15 has been cars. I've always driven something old and didn't buy a modern daily until last year, and that's a 6 year old van.

First up, my 88 Hilux. I've had this since about 1996, it's earned it's keep, been my daily and taken some abuse but regular oil changes have seen it through to 300,000 miles and it still starts first crank. This is its latest incarnation after a Spring 2020 lock-down tidy up.





Next my Beetle. I had one when I was 16 and swore never again, but this one came up in 2015 and I thought Id give it a bash, Yep, they're noisy, slow and full of fumes but I like it.

It's stock as a rock. I just dropped the front, painted it and did a bit of flake & lace on the roof. It may yet turn into a Baja Bug though.





Another air-cooled wind bag, but this time a far off future project, a 70's beach buggy I bought in boxes which may never happen.



Last but not least, my 1972 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT. I imported this about 10 years ago having wanted one since 2004. Did the whole process myself and bought it just at the right time as the prices gone potty since. I thought I'd never sell it but I'm seriously thinking about buying something WW2-ish, either GMC or Chevy. We shall see...



I'm Dan & that is my story.

 

[therapy]

Nice collection Dan. I'm more of a two-wheels fan myself, but it's always good seeing stuff like this. My wife had a couple of Beetles before we had kids and my Dad was into his Jap cars....

Nick

 

[therapy]

Ended up double-posting. Again.

Nick

 

[Si Benson]

Nice cars Dan
That skyline looks cool. I had a classic 93’ Subaru WRX imported from Japan. It was 13yrs old when I got it, I drove it for 11 yrs and sold it for £500 back in 2017. the guy wanted the running gear to put in a camper!

Very reliable car but a bit juicy. The grip on her was unbelievable and for a 2 litre engine it didn’t half shift!!

 

[BattleshipBob]

Very nice Dan

I love Alfa's, on my 11th, do not listen to the rubbish about reliabilty etc!

Did have a 64 moggie convertable and was restoring, but my lovely dad passed and after that i lost interest and sold it. Might get a restored one some time

 

[CarolsHusband]

Very nice Dan

I love Alfa's, on my 11th, do not listen to the rubbish about reliabilty etc!

Alfas, you say ? I try to explain why they're addictive to people but mostly get blank stares,

I had these two beauties many moons ago, paid 100 quid for the 2 litre and 450 for the GTV6. All they did was break down and rust but were so much fun when they worked.

 

[PaulTRose]

that beach buggy looks like a short wheel base GP........definate classic.......in fact if its not a GP its still a classic!........i might be wrong cos its been a long time since i was into kit cars

the Skyline is really nice, id never part with that

sell the bug to fund the ww2 vehicle,,,,,,,,dont baja it cos its worth more as it is.......even though i like bajas

 

[Si Benson]

Alfas, you say ? I try to explain why they're addictive to people but mostly get blank stares,

I had these two beauties many moons ago, paid 100 quid for the 2 litre and 450 for the GTV6. All they did was break down and rust but were so much fun when they worked.

View attachment 414669

You do realise, Bob’s love of everything Alfa is second only to his love for the mighty StuG..... I think you may have a new friend for life Dan!

 

[Defiant911]

Most of my cars were not that exotic as I past my test in 1990 and started of with a Ford escort mkiii which I slowly modified to look like an xr3i which was my dream car at the time. My second car was a Ford Orion E which was a limited edition calaboration beteeen Jaguar and Ford so had special wheels and full leather interior with wood inserts plus it had the xr3i engine so was quick for the time. I then jumped to Vauxhall and bought a few Carltons, a CD and a CDX model which I made look like a lotus Carlton, well I stuck a Lotus Carlton Spoiler on anyway. I then bought a Carlton 3.0 24v GSI which sounded awesome.
after that I went Rover and had a few 200’s and 400’s before buying a coupe 220 Turbo which at the time was the faster production rover ever built and did 0-60 in 6.1seconds and 150mph. Being one of the original boy racers it wasn’t long before more power was need so after chipping and blowing up two engines I decided to go all out and replace everything but the shell with updates components. Back then there was nothing off the shelf really so I had to have everything bespoke which cost me about £25,000 just under the bonnet. The end result was a 420bhp monster that would see Porsche 911’s of. Like all modified cars they cost a lot for continual upkeep so I eventually decided to buy something standard but fast and reliable and purchased a Supra Twin turbo mkiii, 320bhp out of the box and looks way ahead of its time. Quick BPU(basic performance upgrade) saw it up to 400bhp and rock solid reliable. My only regret was selling that one as the go for loads of money now in good shape.
After that I bought several BMW,s but found them mostly unreliable and frankly boring to look at from an interior point of view so I decided to go down the LEXUS route.
I’ve now on my sixth one having had several IS,s , a CT , two RX450’s.
I still currently drive around in my Rx450 which is just rock solid reliable and always a please to be in.
Deep down I have thought about a GSF with a 5lt V8 but my sensible mind attends to overrule my heart these days.
For now I’ll stick with my daily driver RX.

 

[BattleshipBob]

My first Alfa was a 2L GTV Alfetta, rusty but a hoot to drive, a few yrs passed and bought a damaged 156, that was it, hooked.

Now on my 2nd Giuila, fab car next up is either the new Tonale or another Giulia which is due a major face lift.

 

[CarolsHusband]

that beach buggy looks like a short wheel base GP........definate classic.......in fact if its not a GP its still a classic!........i might be wrong cos its been a long time since i was into kit cars

the Skyline is really nice, id never part with that

sell the bug to fund the ww2 vehicle,,,,,,,,dont baja it cos its worth more as it is.......even though i like bajas

Yep, pretty sure it is a GP, The floorpan is an early one with a late front welded on. It's done well, but it's a bit meh.

The Beetle's worth about ten quid. The floorpan's a '63 1200 & the body is about a '70 and not in the best nick with quite a lot of fibreglass bodgery. to the lower levels !

We've just moved to the coast so I'm a little worried the Skyline will "do a Datsun" and turn to a pile of oxide in a about 3 months.....

 

[PaulTRose]

Yep, pretty sure it is a GP, The floorpan is an early one with a late front welded on. It's done well, but it's a bit meh.

do you not have any info on it?.....old reg docs? or anything?

cos the more i look at it. the more it looks like a Manx.......now it might be one by east coast buggies.............they have been going years and years, and did thier own take on the classic manx, just been looking at them on thier site and the way the wings blend to the nose looks right (to me any way)

however, if its a genuine Meyers Manx you are quids in!......especially since Bruce Meyers only died in the last week........the various buggy clubs would be able to id it better

 

[CarolsHusband]

Oh, I didn't hear he'd died. He seemed like a good ol boy from what I'd seen of him on that internet. Must have been in 90's eh ?

I will look into it at some point. No docs or anything, if I wanted to get all legal for the road I guess I'd have to do an IVA or some skullduggery.

I already have the paint job in my head though.

 

[PaulTRose]

Must have been in 90's eh ?

If I wanted to get all legal for the road I guess I'd have to do an IVA or some skullduggery.

he was 94

yes if its a short wheel base cos the chassis pan has been altered, no if its a long wheel base cos its just a body swop

 

[PaulTRose]

last kit car i owned..............Jago Geep....on the beach at weston super mere, early/mid 90s i think

 

[Mikerf]

Here's what has been occupying my time for the last God knows how many years and keeping me away from modeling.

Anyone care to try and identify it?

 

[spanner570]

Daimler Dart?

 

[Mikerf]

Same body material but wrong. Sorry.

 

[Mikerf]

I might donate something from my stash to the first correct answer.

If that's allowed under forum rules?

 

[CarolsHusband]

Peerless GT ?

/bit of a cheat as there was one up the road when I was a kid.