Dad’s Cars

[sapto]

First one I remember was a "station wagon" back in 1986 in the U.S. The thing I remember is that there were back facing seats in the trunk/booth.

The second car I remember is a Pontiac firebird Trans Am (sorry I mix the names):

My parents shipped it back to CH and it is still here.

 

[Bellcrew]

No, very unlikely that Ford and Austin shared major parts, although of course things like electrical components etc would have common - mainly Lucas ("Prince of Darkness" ).

In the thirties, new car development was incredibly swift, with progress made every year both technically and in terms of styling. If you compare models from 1929 and 1939 most marques had evolved considerably. The number of cars on British roads doubled in that decade, and production expended still further to feed export markets. Britain was the world's largest car manufacturer with output by the late thirties of more than 500,000 units a year.

Of course a lot of those pre-war cars survived into the post war years and become what our fathers learnt to drive on (if they hadn't already been taught to drive during National Service).

The same manufacturers went on to produce spitfires etc during the 40s at a rate the opposition could never equal. Very different times.

 

[66tim99]

First one I remember was a "station wagon" back in 1986 in the U.S. The thing I remember is that there were back facing seats in the trunk/booth.

The second car I remember is a Pontiac firebird Trans Am (sorry I mix the names):

My parents shipped it back to CH and it is still here.

“Eastbound and down, eighteen wheels a rollin...” starts playing in my head when I see that. Even though it’s red...

 

[andrew bazeley]

Just watched last night’s episode of Top Gear (told you I was bored) and the feature on what was your dad’s car brought back loads of memories for me. Not the ones after you had left home, but the one(s) where you have memories of being picked up from the scouts or guides (etc.). Mine was a Wolseley 1500 in two tone green and I can still remember the registration number - 480 DTJ. what was yours?

This shows my age! A 1938 Hillman Minx (it was admittedly very old when he got it!), then a "modern" 1950 Austin Devon. But my fondest memory is of the very early Ford Cortina.

Funny coincidence; I was yesterday trying to recall my own cars ( as well as my Dad's) over my 70 years. After my initial 1960 Mini Countryman and a gorgeous Peugeot 504, they were nearly all "Company Cars": starting with a Mark 4 Cortina, and ending with a revolutionary (for Ford) Focus Estate.

 

[Velma's Dad]

and a gorgeous Peugeot 504

Never had one on my side of the family but my father in law did, as a company car. He chose it over more glamorous German metal (to my mother in law's chagrin), on the basis that the Pug had a nice flat dash top to put his flask on when he went birdwatching.

The 504 was extremely successful, especially for export to Africa due to its survivability on poor roads and they continued to be sold there well into the mid-2000s.

 

[Borris]

Never had one on my side of the family but my father in law did, as a company car. He chose it over more glamorous German metal (to my mother in law's chagrin), on the basis that the Pug had a nice flat dash top to put his flask on when he went birdwatching.

The 504 was extremely successful, especially for export to Africa due to its survivability on poor roads and they continued to be sold there well into the mid-2000s.

I owned three Peugeot 505 seven seater estates one after the other. The 505 was the successor to the 504 which carried on the same rugged dependability that it's predecessor had. They were very roomy and had very comfortable seats. Never had a thing go wrong with any of them.

 

[Hamish S]

We had a 7 seater 505, took me a while to work out why people kept waving. My twins used to sit in the back and as they were facing backwords used to wave to everyone who duly waved back.

 

[soulstyledevon]

First one I remember was a "station wagon" back in 1986 in the U.S. The thing I remember is that there were back facing seats in the trunk/booth.

The second car I remember is a Pontiac firebird Trans Am (sorry I mix the names):

My parents shipped it back to CH and it is still here.

Proper cool....