I think we're the last generation to have had proper fun with cars and bikes (without spending Bezos/Musk levels of cash)
The Herald had reverse camber wheels on the back. They angled outwards at the bottom, to create a wider patch on the road. The more weight you put in the back, the wider they spread. Supposedly, to make it handle better. What i didn't know, was, when you jacked them up, and took the weight off, the wheels cambered inwards. I discovered this one night, pissed up, with 4 of us in it, when i got one airborn on a local humpback bridge. That car landed, like 3 leged camel, and just fucked off across the forest. Christ knows how many times it rolled, but every panel on it was totally destroyed. Apart from minor cuts & bruises all round, and a few lost cans of beer, we were all good.
Apparently alcohol was the forerunner of airbags?Apart from minor cuts & bruises all round, and a few lost cans of beer, we were all good.
Fantastic. *that* anecdote proves my point. We've all got similar ones. I managed a 360 spin in a Spit in traffic on a ring road then just drove on like 'nothing to see there'The Herald had reverse camber wheels on the back. They angled outwards at the bottom, to create a wider patch on the road. The more weight you put in the back, the wider they spread. Supposedly, to make it handle better. What i didn't know, was, when you jacked them up, and took the weight off, the wheels cambered inwards. I discovered this one night, pissed up, with 4 of us in it, when i got one airborn on a local humpback bridge. That car landed, like 3 leged camel, and just fucked off across the forest. Christ knows how many times it rolled, but every panel on it was totally destroyed. Apart from minor cuts & bruises all round, and a few lost cans of beer, we were all good.
I had my first car at 12. An Austin A30, that i paid £8 for. I had many more in my youth. Including MK 2,3 and 4 Zodiac's, Austin Westminster's, and Jags. I don't think i sold any of them. They all ended up wrecked. This is my 3.8 S type, that i paid £140 for. I rolled it on a tight downhill bend, and all 6 of us, climbed out of it, unhurt. While it was still on it's side,, about about 20ft from the pub door. I was a snappy dresser back then, let me tell you.Fantastic. *that* anecdote proves my point. We've all got similar ones. I managed a 360 spin in a Spit in traffic on a ring road then just drove on like 'nothing to see there'
Dunno if we're all lucky or clever to still be here but here we are.
And i reckon i must have tested it as much as anyone. Very lucky to be alive really. When i look back, it amazes me how i got away with so much. I have broken every bone in my body, several times, but still here. I have never really hurt myself on a bike though. Just some ribs, a couple of broken legs and a collar bone.Apparently alcohol was the forerunner of airbags?
Is that a still from 'The Sweeney' ?I had my first car at 12. An Austin A30, that i paid £8 for. I had many more in my youth. Including MK 2,3 and 4 Zodiac's, Austin Westminster's, and Jags. I don't think i sold any of them. They all ended up wrecked. This is my 3.8 S type, that i paid £140 for. I rolled it on a tight downhill bend, and all 6 of us, climbed out of it, unhurt. While it was still on it's side,, about about 20ft from the pub door. I was a snappy dresser back then, let me tell you.
My first road legal car, was a 1953 split screen Minor. I was 16, and paid £20 for it. It had an 803cc side valve engine, and struggled to make 60mph..I drove it from Southampton to Bristol and back, one day. Then about 2 miles from home, doing 30mph, the front passenger side dropped to the ground, and i went into the ditch, while the wheel carried on down the road.
The split pin had come out of the crown nut, holding the hub on. Just as well it never did that earlier, while i was flat out, on main roads all day.
We look like a couple of right lively blokes don't we.Is that a still from 'The Sweeney' ?
I can remember in the late 70s you couldn't 'give' MKII Jags away, that's why they were the favourite crims car in a Sweeney car chase, always ended up in a '@MICK56 arriving at the pub' state
My brother is still embarrassed by his hair back then.. It was 1973, i was 17, and just bought the Jag at auction, . It was an F reg, 1968 S type,, and immaculate. I still remember the first time i filled it up. It took 22 gallons, and knocked a fucking great hole in my wage packet. There was an oil crisis at the time, as the Arab's held the world to ransom, and the price of petrol went through the roof. As you said, big cars were almost being given away. at the time. Which was good for me, because i loved them. Still do actually. I had a MK1, and MK 2 (Sweeney ) Granada too. They were both well capable of catching villains in Jag's. while staying on 4 wheels too
Pair of wide boys mateWe look like a couple of right lively blokes don't we.
My favourite two cars for their shape & style are the MK2 Jag & the AC CobraWe look like a couple of right lively blokes don't we.
I rolled my first car (Mk4 Cortina) due to driving it like a bellend.Fantastic. *that* anecdote proves my point. We've all got similar ones. I managed a 360 spin in a Spit in traffic on a ring road then just drove on like 'nothing to see there'
Dunno if we're all lucky or clever to still be here but here we are.
Moggies were famous for front suspension collapse. Usually ungreased top/bottom swivels on the king pins. Should be greased every 1000 miles. Often I used to see them with a front wheel rammed up against the underside of the wing!My first road legal car, was a 1953 split screen Minor. I was 16, and paid £20 for it. It had an 803cc side valve engine, and struggled to make 60mph..I drove it from Southampton to Bristol and back, one day. Then about 2 miles from home, doing 30mph, the front passenger side dropped to the ground, and i went into the ditch, while the wheel carried on down the road.
I was, knocking out a fair bit of acid, and NFG ( New Forest Grass ), at the time. Old habit's die hard. So they say. Well it is Saturday nightPair of wide boys mate
FUUUCK!!. That would have been scary.. I had to kick the windscreen out of an upturned Wolseley 6/110, to get out,. It's amazing how much effort that needs. Trying to get in a position, where you can get at it, with any real force, is not easy. when you are pissed.I rolled my first car (Mk4 Cortina) due to driving it like a bellend.
Like most teenagers, nobody could teach me anything about driving. And also like many teenagers I had to learn by my costly mistakes
The roll itself was bad enough but it caught fire when it finally came to rest upside down!
Some thieving b@stard had siphoned the fuel out of it a few weeks prior. In doing so they'd buggered up the filler neck whilst smashing the locking fuel cap off.
I'd temporarily replaced it with one of those push in types.
With the force of the impact the temporary filler cap fell out. As the car skidded up the road on it's roof, sparks were generated!
The roof was crushed down onto the tops of the doors, so they wouldn't open via the door handles.
Muggings was hanging upside down in his seatbelt watching flames licking all over the outside of the car!
It's true what folk say about developing almost superhuman strength when your back is really against the wall.
I released the seatbelt & shuffled around on the inside of the roof until I could kick the doors.
The Cops, a fire engine & an ambulance turned up just in time to see me scrambling out. And trying (but failing) to look cool about the situation
No harm done apart from the money I lost during that particular learning curve. I'd spent a fortune on the car, but only got £75 back for the Wolfrace slot mag wheels
Unfortunately my roll can't be attributed to alcohol Mick.FUUUCK!!. That would have been scary.. I had to kick the windscreen out of an upturned Wolseley 6/110, to get out,. It's amazing how much effort that needs. Trying to get in a position, where you can get at it, with any real force, is not easy. when you are pissed.
)
And you don't drive anything that is prone to the 'Cortina Shuffle' as we used to know itFortunately, I am now a genuine "drifting God" (probably?
I used to do Banger racing at Matchams park, Alington lane, and Horton heath, So i got pretty good at that myself.. Looking back at some of classic cars i destroyed, it almost feels criminal. A mate had, ( and still does ) a scrapyard, So any big old tools that came in, i raced. I was the first, to weld 2 wheels together, back to back. Horton was grass, and on a pretty good slope, too . So having the passenger side with twin wheels on, gave me a big advantage on the lower bend :Unfortunately my roll can't be attributed to alcohol Mick.
It was down to a case of pure, unadulterated lack of talent. Coupled with the belief that I was a drifting God.
Two "new" remoulds on the back & an extremely wet road, could be used as a lame excuse? But in reality it was a simple case of an extremely enthusiastic teenage bellend V's the laws of physics
Fortunately, I now am a genuine "drifting God" (probably?
First outing, i won every race, and pissed off, so many of the trophy hunters. That they got all the drivers, and officials, together, to try and ban me. So i asked them to show me, where it was mentioned in the rule book. Which they couldn't. Next meeting, every cunt and his dog turned up with their cars like it,