russellw

Standard disclaimer... and if you can't be bothered reading long posts ... don't.

After almost 30 years and more than a million kilometres of driving I got to thinking today about the cars that have made so many great memories. Some of them have been for the right reason whilst others have been memorable for all the wrong reasons .... indulge me while I share a couple with you.

Leyland P76 V8 Executive

It may come as a surprise to many but this (the second of two P76's) ranks as one of my all time favourites. It was roomy, comfortable, handled far better than anything from the big three at the time and was pretty quick as well. That it had panel fit the Russians would be ashamed of and the styling grace of a Wheat-Bix box became totally irrelevant the moment the key was turned. Bits fell off it in some kind of random lemming act but it had a proper V8 note and mid range grunt to burn. Pity that the car arrived at a time in Leyland Australias history when the Company could barely afford the milk money, let alone development dollars; and it faded into obscurity before the teething issues could be resolved.

Jaguar XJ12L

I've had a couple of Jags. Slow learner really. I have always likened them to a mistress: sweet for short periods of time, expensive to maintain but not a long term ownership proposition.
But they have an allure all of their own and that applies doubly so to the silky smooth V12. That such a large, heavy car can eat kilometres the way these things do is a tribute to the engineering behind them. Sadly it is the only trubute to the engineering. With more built in gremlins than all three movies you are guaranteed three things:

1. Getting on first name terms with your local Jag mechanic. You can always pick these guys as they have really tiny hands and double joints. They are also inevitably enthusiasts as no one could ever really charge for all the hours it takes to change the spark plugs.

2. Helping to support your local public transport system on a regular basis.

3. Wishing that WW2 had never happened so that the British motor industry could have adopted Bosch electrics like everyone else instead of sticking with good old Lucas (inventor of the sparkless ignition system and disappearing electricity amongst other notables).

All this pain was forgiven on any fine Sunday morning on your favourite piece of road. The power, ride, handling and braking were (and still are) absolutely awesome.

Ford 3.0 GT Capri

Another personal (if flawed) favourite. The whole concept of stuffing 3 litres of V6 into a chassis designed for a V4 was utter madness but these things went like a cut cat and didn't handle too badly if you were prepared to overlook the body roll.
That they were small, cramped and flimsy were minor complaints next to the fact that they had the braking ability of a bus pushed over a cliff. Of all the vehicles that have graced my garage(s) this one undoubtedly caused the most "interesting" moments - usually when I needed to slow down. But it was fun with a capital F and my only regret was that we never saw bigger numbers of the injected versions of this classic. It's a design that still looks good thirty years later and with the later ones equipped with decent brakes most of the issues had been addressed.

Cheers for now
Russ

laminge

Ok Russ

Too much red cordial at Strapps BBQ today?

esky

Your showing your age now. But anyway, i'll give it a go also.

Ford Escort MK2 Pinto 2L
What a beasty 2L two door. I paid $1800 for it and it already had extractors and a complete exhaust. I re-jetted the Webber with bigger jets and fitted a nice aftermarket air filter. I just loved to hear the induction of that Webber sucking in the air. Rust was the enemy! I cut out almost half the firewall behind the airbox and welded in a new one that I picked up from one of the many local wreckers. In fact I almost changed the whole car, piece by piece, to the point where I knew the wreckers so well I got on a few of the their Christmas card lists. I ended up rebuilding that motor with my dad and it would have run for another 10 years if that pedestrian didn’t run the red don’t walk on Parra road. I ended up selling it to one of those wreckers for $200 and went and bought me some new shoes with the $$$


Holden HG Premier 308 V8
I was never one for blind brand loyalty. If it had the goods and did the job, then I liked it. This one wasn’t the case. I got it because it was stock as a rock, original owner and had been sitting under a tarp in a paddock out Windsor way for 20 years. The engine had never been cracked open and it had only done 40 000km. I had plans of restoring it, but I grew old of the ‘G’ as she became known and sold her to my old man, who did end up restoring it. By this stage imports were staring to come in, and a friend was starting his import business. So it was time to toss out the old carbs, push rods and embrace turbos, multiple cams and injection.


Nissan 180SX
I saw the light, and it was forced induction. The 180Sx was the first of a long line of turbo imports to live in my garage. The 180SX arrived before the AU hit aussie roads and when they were selling for $25000 and boy did it cop some punishment. It was my daily driver to work in the city and also completed circuit and drag strip duties. I managed to run a mid 13sec pass and 1:14 around the old Wakefield circuit. I did replace one motor, fitted a BB turbo and tweaked the ECU; the lesson was ‘technology is your friend’.


Rotary
Big power + light car = lots of fun. A simple equation led to a weird hybrid that has gone through two engines and still lives in the back of my garage. The body is a mk1 escort and the engine is a 13B with a T04 turbo, completely engineered and road registered. This one has been built for big turbo boost and delivered a flat 12 second pass. The only disappointment came from the response from other escort owners with blind brand loyalty. Being told to, ‘get rid of that fcuking engine’ by a wrecker. It’s a shame really, with an escort with years of R&D, including a front-rear brake bias with in cabin adjustment, 9inch diff cut and tuck, altered driving position to give a 48:52 weight split for circuit racing and so on; the other escort owners could never see past the rotary. But :wgaf: it’s really at home on the track or traffic light grad prix which ever comes first.


whos next,

esky

Mother Nature

Well we all know my number 1.....

The 93 ED XR8 SPRINT....for obvious reasons

72 Capri......not sure of all the details on this one but Mum & Dad owned it....it was that loverly purple colour with gold stripes ......I wanted that little car sooooo bad but alas Dad in his paternal ways sold it 1 week before I got my licence......something about power poles, a V6 & a 'p' plate driver wouldn't mix .....still can't understand his reasoning ....heheheheh

1964 850 Mini......Light powdery blue colour, press button start, Sliding windows......NO radio/stereo of any description.......
She was my 1st baby & I loved her dearly, she ran on the smell of an oily rag, could out do most at traffic lights (even got a torrie one time .....laughed myself silly for next few k's ....he was shaking his head as if to say what happened there)
The only time I had a problem with her was when the muffler decided to part company whilst going thru the Cahill expressway at about 11pm.....I had to get her to Milsons Point over the bridge cause I promised Dad I wouldnt take her into the city.....heheheheh the things we do.....the memories we have ......I could go on about this little car for hours & what we got up to ......if Daddy only knew .....but I wont because if you think Russells posts are long this would be a doosy ...hehehehehe

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94 ED XR8 Sprint


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FF Lynch Mob BITCH
O.F.R #65

subsbligh35

ill have to say this is a sweet thread

I'd have to say that after my short 3 years of driving the most memorable car (i'll grab the flame repellant off my utility belt) was undoubtly:

A MY98 WRX i only drove for an hour but it was love at first sight. If you haven't driven/thrashed one then you truly haven't lived.

I rate it over my one night stand with my mate's VX SS in second and my folks old EF V8 fairmont in thrid for the pure 5.0L Windsor loyalty factor.

My EFI XF pales in comparison. Ford please never ever drop the V8. No matter how good a forced 6 is, IT IS NEVER EVER GOING TO BE A V8.

and im spent

EXECJIM

the capri would have to be 1 of my favourite cars of all time, it was quick, and very unbreakable and still to this day a very good looking car.
i have a very good cam grind for a v6 if anybody wants a sick grind, and some other cheap mods to help you go quicker with the mighty v6.

as for the handleing, a cleveland, top loader and 9 inch fixed that problem.

jim

newxr8

I assume we are talking cars owned/drived not cars thought about so I'll give it a go:

Ranked first in my list has to be the xd 4.9 Fairmont ghia - cost me a grand drove it for three years spending not a dime on it! This vehicle just had something special - it was a great cruiser for a young bloke.

The next great memory would have to be the week long partnership I had with a fully worked group three replica. The power in this thing was pure horn. Just gas it in second and light up those tyres!! Loved those red lights when driving this baby!

Finally the EFXR8 is still providing me with great joy - but I'm starting to feel the need for more power!

tickford2001

im another capri fan - probably due to the fact that I was conceived in the back seat of one!

my old man had a 1600GT capri as his first car, which he later dropped a 302W into and cranked out some pretty healthy HP figures...and quite low times when he finally managed to get the power to the ground thru a pair of 12" slicks!

I see you mentioned that you had a cleveland in yours jim - must have been a bloody tight fit!

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CDAA

Gee, too many to choose from (I've owned over 20 cars so far in my 17 year (legal) driving history. I guess this would have to be my favourite.

XC GS, 351 Magnum Panel Van
Motor built by MickWebb - Magnum. Thew motor was too strong for the body and drivetrain and due to my age (17-18) at the time, it got mainly used and abused. I had installed red lights under the bonnet behind the bonnet air flutes, which look menacing at night (illegal however). There is something special about XC's to me, but boy this one was fast and would have to be my all time favourite machine.

With a standard borg diff and 4 speed, she still pulled a 13.1 for the 400m!!

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EXECJIM

the capri was made for a cleveland

i could get every spark plug out with a 6 inch extension on the spark plug socket, try that with any falcon:dead:
but it was tight in the tunnel where the belhousing and gear box sat.

sorry i havent a scanner, other wise i would post some photos.
i fitted the cleveland back in 1980, and it did lots of reliable kms,
and when i sold it, it changed hands a couple of times and if you can remember a big block chev powered capri winning the burnout comp at the summernats many years ago, well that was my old capri after a couple of owners and with a running gear change as well as a different paint job

jim