My dad was a coach builder.
I used to go into the workshops with him from a VERY early age....my grandad worked there sometimes too and they taught me to straighten and hammer nails into a wooden block!
This progressed to hands on cars etc there, with holiday jobs.
He trained as a wheelwright as part of his apprenticeship, and was behind the scenes at several military tattoos - Earls Court etc. due to his skills with carts.
He was once featured in a news report for restoring a Hansom Cab too.
Over the years I got to see many great cars come and go through the workshops.
A Morgan was restored at one point and he brought me in to see it as he thought it was a "proper"car not a tin box.
He looked after a Bristol for a local dentist.
I declined going into coach building as I wanted
to be a Metallurgist which is the route I took.
However, the pull of cars remained, albeit mainly classic/vintage, tin tops being more and more soulless as the years and trends moved on.
Not many modern cars appeal to me apart from a small number that retained a certain air or charisma.
Motorsport?
Post war F1 up to the 60's early 70's, with makes like Ferrari/Masserati/Lancia/lotus/Brm/Cooper/Connaught/Vanwall/Elva etc.
Silverstone Classic was a dream, especially being able to walk in the pits/garages right up to these cars and see them race for real outside.
Over the years work/ family meant cars to own were for function.
I eventually got a Morgan after remembering the comments about the "proper" car and it's been awesome.
Even
has loved the experience...even a lap full of water on a run when a puddle enveloped the car causing a scream then howls of laughter!
