Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms When did you first realise that you were a car nut

So you're more of a car washer than a car nut?

Certainly not - just the car choosing you, with maybe a bit of "auto-suggestion" thrown in...

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!

What a fantastic thread!

My dad was a car nut. Not a mechanical genius by any means, but he had en eye for the eclectic. Family transport included a Renault 4, a couple of Simca 1100s, a Fiat 500, a 2CV, along with some more prosaic transport. I was fascinated by the engines from a very young age: my mother reminded me a while back that my very favourite book was the Ladybird "How It Works: The Motor Car." I could probably still re-draw most of the graphics in that from memory! I suspect that had a strong subconscious influence on my decision to take my undergrad degree in mechanical engineering.

While waiting for delivery of his Morgan (ordered in 1978 and delivered in 1985) he acquired a 1930 Austin 7 Chummy in the early 80s. That was a convenient (for him) few years before I was able to drive, so I became the co-driver/mechanic on several lengthy journeys, mastering such old-fashioned techniques as soaking a rag in a nearby stream and wrapping it round the carburettor to prevent fuel from evaporating on a hot day, or posting a small quantity of fullers' earth in through the access hole in the top of the clutch housing to soak up the oil that had leaked past the seals...

Once I was able to drive (passed my test in a BSM Metro), dad thought it would be very good for my road sense and powers of observation/anticipation to learn to drive the Austin. Advance & retard on a steering wheel quadrant, uncoupled cable-operated brakes (footbrake=rear, handbrake=front), no synchromesh on the three-speed box, no indicators, very "approximate" steering: turning right across traffic going downhill required three feet and five arms to get everything completely smooth, unless it was all planned a long way in advance. He was right, too: I believe I'm much more road-aware as a result of that eye-opening experience!

After that my own vehicular history was boring by comparison: a Herald (sadly scrapped after a catastrophic MOT failure report), a Hillman Hunter, Mk I Golf, Peugeot 106, Polo, another Golf, a pair of Citroen Picassos, then over the pond for a Honda Odyssey minivan and a Hyundai Accent for a daily commute. Plus, of course, the Morgan that I had first ridden in as a spotty teenager. That's parked outside the office right now. Dad died a month ago; it was very touching that a few members of New Forest branch MSCC turned out in their Morgans for his funeral, and that my nephews (on car park duty to keep them busy!) arranged for them to be parked in pride of place outside the church. My mother was really very moved by that gesture.

So, thanks, Ladybird. It's all your fault...

My Dad started off in the mines then moved onto Smithying up in the NE then after national service ended up in Brum where as far as motoring goes - made BSA Bantam Kick starts (probably including the one on my D7 - my first bike)

Striked on various British marques for BL (yes he was associated with the HedgePig)

Did the Cylinders for Heskeths

And the Vector nozzles for Harriers.

He never drove himself ( as a family coaches and trains were the way we got about the country)

My start into motoring was helping a friend while in sixth form rebuild a BSA Goldstar 250

I then got a BSA Bantam D7, a Benelli 250 and a Triumph TSS - cars only came as a necessity once our second son was on the way.

Cars have been nothing of yearning until I got the smart Roadster in 2003 (just passed its 9th MOT today)

The Morgan obsession started in my Sixth form years.

And finally I have fulfilled that dream.

I am however probably more now than ever very appreciative of cars and there design and do stop and admire the various nice toys that roll past my field of view.

I was only 8 at the time! Don't think my Dad would have let me replace the king pins at that age!

not sure that I am a car nut. More of a petrol head or maybe a mchinery nut. certainly my early experiences were more about taking things to bits ( fathers villers engined mower in particular) than day dreams about cars and driving. And even now I am more attached to my bike than the cars. And I just love industrial history and old working sites like the crucible steel works in sheffield.

Says it all, doesn't it... but why do they call 'us' petrol heads


The picture above is my fathers SAAB 92 (not 9-2) from 1952 and me checking the petrol level...

One of my first Dinky toys car was a Jaguar XK120 and I still have it. I remember admiring the loooong bonnet...

My father also started early, I have a picture where my father rides a car 1906 as a child not yet borne. His mother's brother was a car enthusiast and imported his own car (at least one of them) by driving it from the factory in France - quite an adventure at that time. I guess I have some of his genes

I was very lucky to be the youngest of four children when my father had to make a business journey to the Italy 1954 and brought the whole family. I had to sit between him and my mother on a specially made seat with a four point racing harness - I think that's when I learned how to drive. To me that was heaven

My father was a motorbike nut followed by 3 wheeler and 4 wheelers changing cars every couple of years.
I had a Mini followed by a Cooper.
But I only became a nut when I rebuilt a Series 2 in an upstairs flat bedroom.
The main ash frame will go through a doorway on end!
The Ford Pop engine can be carried by two guys and straps, slid upstairs on a metal kitchen tray.

Been a car NUT-ER from a early age. my dad would take me to watch the bike racing on PENDINE sands.in my teens lost a bit of interest,as like Dave became interested in flying and wanted to join the RAF as a pilot.when in the air cadets met another car nut who talked me into joining a local motor club. this changed my life, motor sport was now the thing.spent20 years and a lot of money competing hillclimbes sprints autocross +rallying. good days.car wise always wanted a MORGAN . my father came home one day saying he had found one nearby,sadly it turned out to be singer 4ab.it was almost one ,so i bought it.moved on to own many sports cars bug eyed sprite,mga,260Z,finally a 4/4 MORGAN in1972 bought from MORRIS STAPLTON in reece mews London. since owned six more still love all types they have made. thanks for reading. Ray