Any of you guys into your old cars/trucks

[caplock]

Any of you restore, drive, or plain enjoy the older vehicles?

Always had old cars, in the early days out of neccesity due to lack of funds and ran most of the older British everyday marques on a shoestring. No electronics, simple toolbox and socket set required, coupled with a pich of luck and inginuity kept me running.

During my service days with the airforce used to have close working and social (drinking!) ties with our USAF cousins down at Mildenhall in Suffolk England early 1980's.
Did a straight trade with an oposite number who was due rotation back to the states for his Ford F100 1965 pickup against my 1975 Triumph Spitfire. I both think we had the best deal!. His eyes popping out at the two seat stick shift sports config, mine at the sheer size and noise of the truck. Did many a mile around the uk in the 100 until neglect and the great Brtish winters took their toll on the chasis and body work. Hope Glenn (Devoy?) had a similar experiance stateside, but can only feel it must have been like driving a car from toytown compared to the monsters on the roads over there.!!
Straight swop no cash.

Recently restored and sold a British Reliant Scimitar of 1976 vintage. Real road rocket 3 litre ford V6 powered 4 speed and overdrive. 2+2 seating layout, body made entirely from glass reinforced fibre so no rot or rust. Due to its power to weight ratio take off was frighteningly fast and would keep pace with all but the best modern machinery. 110 MPH was fun and bloody scary in equal measure! No power stearing and disc and drum brake setup. Old school!!

Ahh the joys of setting up carburettors and rotor arm spark gaps again!

Hmmm what to get next :emoticon:

[Truman]

Can't beat the old triumphs, I had a craving for the Herald! I ended up with 3 of them, a little coupe, a 947cc hard top and a 1967, 1147cc convertible, all started with the convertible!  I was underneath changing the exhaust and pulled the rear over-rider off with my bear hands! So I needed a second donor car, hence the coupe! Well when I got that one, it drove so well, I just kept it and looked for another donor car which is where the 947 hard top came in! I enjoyed that one too! Finally I found a company that made over-riders and restored the convertible! A few weeks later, I had the famous Lucas wiring loom flame out behind the dash which eventually spread to the whole car! I was gutted, so sold the lot and got a series 2 short wheel-based Landrover instead! After that, I went sporty with an old Mazda RX7! lasted a few months then the brushes on the rotary engine screwed up! Never really been into new cars! My dream car would be a Sunbeam Alpine Tiger or a Lotus Elan 2+2!! One day, maybe one day!!!

[North Pack]

Not really, - but back in the Stone Age, in the early '60's, a friend "loaned me" his Triumph TR-3 while he went away with his girlfriend for the weekend, using her sedan. - I'm here to tell you, that TR-3 got a work out, and it was a really GREAT weekend. - Heck, I "might" have had as good a weekend as he did. ... BTW, - that's one very nice looking car.
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http://jmorgan.com/DSC00020.JPG

[SDale]

I love old cars. I always wanted a MK3 Spitfire. But the closest I got was a '76 MG Midget. Fun little car! But Datsun Z's are my passion. My last one was a Metallic Midnight Blue '74 260Z. I swapped in an L28 Turbo motor, 5 speed and lots of "Can't find this in the states!" Japanese body and suspension parts.  I had to sell her when my daughter was born. I loved that car. Last I heard, the new owner pushed a little too hard and crushed the rear half pretty good.

It looked allot like this one aside from the color.

[Toolmaker]

Yep, I enjoy my 1971 Jeep CJ5 and my 1970 Harley Sportster XLCH.

[caplock]

Nice keep 'em coming guys. Lets see some stateside autos that were put on the roads before the advent of computer control and design!
Love the look of that Jeep, real shooting truck!

[bbice58]

46 Chevy ,We do have the rear fenders on now , Bought new by my Great Grandfather

[caplock]

Fantastic, and with so much family history as well. Not only looks good but still a practical choice should it need to move anything!
Very nice. Straight 6 or V8??

Few pics ( culled from the web, I'd have to hunt the loft for any old film pics and scan them) of previous ventures in older cars

Triumph Herald
Triumph Vitesse
Triumph Spitfire
Rover P5b (b for buick V 8 ) A very successful engine that still has a major following in the U.K. A tuners dream!

[bbice58]

straight 6 with 6volt system, everything as close as we could get to like it rolled off the showroom floor.

[triry]

mornin john ,...genuine pleasure to make your aquaintence !!
my other "bad habit" is older bmw's..................had six at one time, now im down to four...lol.

[caplock]

Hiya Triry, top of the morning!
Nice looking autobahn stormers you have there!
Man I thought the U.K was a high speed island, until I took a cab in Frankfurt whilst over there on business.
Cabby was happily yapping away as we flew down the autobahn at a leisurely 120 MPH ( just shy of the european 200KM/h) with me sat in the back of a late 80's BMW 7 series as if we were popping down the road for milk and a pack of ciggarettes! Those things would fly if you opened the doors!

Glad I'm not alone in these time consuming addictions. You like me have the most important factor in these diversions, a good woman! Boys will be boys!

[North Pack]

Nice looking car Dale, ... here's one I always wanted to own, but never did. - I believe in some way the Midget and this are related, - probably "common parts" etc.
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http://www.sportscarmarket.com/Profiles/2007/April/English

[SDale]

That one isn't mine...It just looks pretty close.

Now that Sprite is a fun lookin car!!! The ORIGINAL Miata!

North Pack - 4/1/2010  5:08 PM

Nice looking car Dale, ... here's one I always wanted to own, but never did. - I believe in some way the Midget and this are related, - probably "common parts" etc.
.
http://www.sportscarmarket.com/Profiles/2007/April/English

[RedFeather]

One of my good friends from school and later was into Brit sportscars. He had (and, to my knowledge, still retains) a Series One Alpine. I remember bar hopping on cold winter nights during the 70's in his clapped out but still faster than hell Sunbeam Tiger. Like sitting inside a Roman Candle. When I see today's sports cars (BMW's, etc), I just shake my head and smile. If the seats aren't thin and your head doesn't snap back, it ain't the same.

Prefer Studebaker Commanders (Starlight Coupes) myself. Sadly, they go for big bucks these days.

[Magnum]

Some pics of my child 75 pontiac granville. For me its had to beat the sound and feel of a big Ol' 455 chevy while cruising around , even when its to the food lion