Car you vowed to buy as a lad

[hashluck]

Motorbikes were always what I spent my money on as a yoof as I could never really afford the cars I wanted .... and I still have that passion now and have now owned almost every one of my childhood dreams (except for a Britten and the Norton rotary).

For cars, the first time I really remember thinking "I want that one" was seeing one of these:

View attachment 77341

My dad had one of these new. I took it for granted at the time. He replaced it with a 200SX and Silvia Turbo but they were nowhere near as good.

 

[GeoffCapes]

Motorbikes were always what I spent my money on as a yoof as I could never really afford the cars I wanted .... and I still have that passion now and have now owned almost every one of my childhood dreams (except for a Britten and the Norton rotary).

For cars, the first time I really remember thinking "I want that one" was seeing one of these:

View attachment 77341

There was a house on my evening paper round that had three of these on the driveway.

They had three sons who had one each, a black on, a blue one and a silver one. They also had an earlier one which I guess was a 240 under a tarpaulin.

 

[safrane]

If truly 'as a lad', then the following.

When at junior school,


Then when in my mid teens,



Followed at late teens with,



Instead I ended up with a 950 pop+ Fiesta in Sahara Beige... but I was the only lad in my group who had a car... which increased my popularity 100 fold.

 

[lifes2short]

If truly 'as a lad', then the following.

When at junior school,
View attachment 77343

Then when in my mid teens,

View attachment 77344

Followed at late teens with,

View attachment 77345

Instead I ended up with a 950 pop+ Fiesta in Sahara Beige... but I was the only lad in my group who had a car... which increased my popularity 100 fold.

good choice with the rs1600i and the RST1, was the fiesta a good bird puller then

 

[safrane]

good choice with the rs1600i and the RST1, was the fiesta a good bird puller then

Ahhhh Sharon Smalley from Oswaldtwistle... what memories... yes

 

[lifes2short]

Ahhhh Sharon Smalley from Oswaldtwistle... what memories... yes

cant beat memories of first sh4g/bj in your first motor, my blue mini clubman for moi

 

[Vampyrebat]

After seeing 'You Only Live Twice' with the one and only Sean Connery I hankered after one of these 'Beauties'!!............Still do!

 

[Andyk]

If truly 'as a lad', then the following.

When at junior school,
View attachment 77343

Then when in my mid teens,

View attachment 77344

Followed at late teens with,

View attachment 77345

Instead I ended up with a 950 pop+ Fiesta in Sahara Beige... but I was the only lad in my group who had a car... which increased my popularity 100 fold.

So wanted an RS Turbo as well Pete......I had to make do with a white XR3 with body kit....

 

[zagatoes30]

After seeing 'You Only Live Twice' with the one and only Sean Connery I hankered after one of these 'Beauties'!!............Still do!
View attachment 77348

View attachment 77349

They only made 2 convertibles / roadsters just for the film and they didn't have a roof just a cover making it look like they did. They only made 351 Coupes and prices for these have rocketed they peaked at close the £1m but now seem to be around £700k when they come up

 

[Oneball]

If truly 'as a lad', then the following.

When at junior school,
View attachment 77343

Then when in my mid teens,

View attachment 77344

Followed at late teens with,

View attachment 77345

Instead I ended up with a 950 pop+ Fiesta in Sahara Beige... but I was the only lad in my group who had a car... which increased my popularity 100 fold.

Later gen but this was up for Auction at the weekend.

1988 Opel Manta GTE Exclusive Coupe

1988 Opel Manta GTE Exclusive Coupe available in Anglia Car Auctions November classic sale

angliacarauctions.co.uk

 

[Andyk]

Later gen but this was up for Auction at the weekend.

1988 Opel Manta GTE Exclusive Coupe

1988 Opel Manta GTE Exclusive Coupe available in Anglia Car Auctions November classic sale

angliacarauctions.co.uk

I had an Opel Manta.....It wasn't an exclusive. Always thought it was a good looking car....

 

[Andyk]

Gorgeous in that colour

It is isn't it. I remember Paul Matty having one in his showroom in this colour and me falling in love with it.

Mine was blue but midnight blue so not as stand out. Your V8 was just stunning......I never get tired of the Esprit shape.

 

[Ebenezer]

If truly 'as a lad', then the following.

When at junior school,
View attachment 77343

My frst car was a Opel Kadett coupe!
Eb

 

[Andyk]

I had an Opel Manta.....It wasn't an exclusive. Always thought it was a good looking car....View attachment 77356View attachment 77357

Wasn't wheels tiny back then.....Only notice it these days.

 

[zagatoes30]

My frst car was a Opel Kadett coupe!
Eb

I had one of those lovely little thing, always fancied a 2.0 GTE version still look at them when they come to today

 

[mjheathcote]

First car I really wanted was the Alfa GTV I saw in a barn in Italy in the 80s. I can still remember it now. Then for a while in the 90s my Dad was really into Vauxhalls (I know, mad, he brought me home from being born in a Alfa Giulia Super) so I really wanted a Cavalier GSI like the touring cars. Then I persuaded him to buy a 75 Twin Spark LE and things got back on track.

In college my mates Dad had a Lotus Excel, I’ve quite fancied one since.

My Dad bought a new Excel in 84.
Was actually on the insurance at 17, and my Dad took me out on L plates before I passed by test!!

 

[Zep]

I had an Opel Manta.....It wasn't an exclusive. Always thought it was a good looking car....View attachment 77356View attachment 77357

There was a chap who lived near us when I was a kid who had a Manta GT/E. I could never work out, knowing Opel and Vauxhall were merged, why it existed, but I liked it better than our Cavalier Coupe.

 

[P5Nij]

The son of one of our neighbours had quite a few exotics in quick succession in the '70s, but the one which started the ball rolling for me was his blue Bora, like this one but without the US spec bumpers....



Around the same time my uncle brought one of these home from the Airfix factory where he worked at the time, it kickstarted a lifelong love for the Indy....



Exotic but in a different way, the Lotus Europa always looked to me like a Matchbox toy in waiting and I loved the 'Gerry Anderson' style looks of the rear end. I still want one and have got my beedy eye on a S2 at the moment but the non standard pale mint green colour is putting me off, besides which, I'm more determined to bag my first Maser before I get too much older....



Being of a certain age (see Gerry Anderson remark above!) I really, really thought that one day we'd all be driving cars like this and wanted one big time....







Still hoping....!

 

[lifes2short]

So wanted an RS Turbo as well Pete......I had to make do with a white XR3 with body kit....View attachment 77350

you must remember the warrior kits with the X pack type front/rear wings, they did look great on the Mk3's



and the rare road going Gartrac rear wheel drive conversions with the ford for V6 lump, promised myself that will own one before i kick the bucket but not seen one for sale for a fair while now

 

[safrane]

I had an Opel Manta.....It wasn't an exclusive. Always thought it was a good looking car....View attachment 77356View attachment 77357

My Sience teacher Miss Raw had one in white... boy was she hot,!