Of what car do you have the fondest memories?

ZIELSZIEK · Mar 22, 2020

For me that would be my father's 1993 Audi 80. It was metallic gray with competition bumpers and interior. The car had the 2.3 inline 5, it was nothing special but from that car stemmed my current love of older Audis. One day I'll get an S2 or an Ur-Quattro. Or maybe a manual V8, who knows. I remember learning how to drive on that thing.
A Certina Audi Design would complement my love for Audi nicely 😉

Here's a "souvenir" I kept from the car. I'd love to hear your stories.

Canuck · Mar 22, 2020

My first car. A 1949 Mercury with suicide rear doors. But my current “fave” I still have. Have had it since new. What is it?

gatorcpa · Mar 22, 2020

Canuck
But my current “fave” I still have. Have had it since new. What is it?

My only question is, “why”?
gatorcpa

Canuck · Mar 22, 2020

gatorcpa
View attachment 952790
My only question is, “why”?
gatorcpa

Mine is not a Spirit! “Why” what? Why do I still have it after 42 years? I am not obliged to answer that question!

Vercingetorix · Mar 22, 2020

I was going to guess AMC Concord. Didn't some of those use the Audi 1.8 inline 4?

Fritz · Mar 22, 2020

Canuck
My first car. A 1949 Mercury with suicide rear doors. But my current “fave” I still have. Have had it since new. What is it?

gatorcpa
View attachment 952790
My only question is, “why”?
gatorcpa

falling in love with any old car, be it a Cord or some Russian made shitbox is easy. They all have their charms. Something like a Hornet or a Spirit or whatever they were calling them that week is easy. Its simple honest fun driving. And unlike more exotic classics, parts are pretty readily available, often new, and usually cheap!

ya gotta love the plebeian stuff!

gatorcpa · Mar 22, 2020

My question of why had to do with my own bad memories of AMC from that era. There was a Hornet as a driver’s ed car. Only one that kept breaking down. This was among such American automotive luminaries as a Chevrolet Vega and Dodge Aspen. The mid-1970’s was not our finest era for cars.

Found a Concord ad to replace the Spirit above.

My favorite car was this one:

I had a rare one with a 5-speed and cloth seats. Only way I could afford it at the time. Big car for the era, but the smoothest manual made.
gatorcpa

allwoundup · Mar 22, 2020

Canuck
My first car. A 1949 Mercury with suicide rear doors. But my current “fave” I still have. Have had it since new. What is it?

Love it! Is that one of the all wheel drive models....in the U.S. they were branded "Eagles", I believe. I have been tempted to buy one from time to time.

Canuck · Mar 22, 2020

Vercingetorix
I was going to guess AMC Concord. Didn't some of those use the Audi 1.8 inline 4?

AMC Concord, (1978), is right! The engine options were 232 IL 6, 258 IL 6, 304 V-8, and a 2.0 litre 4 cyl. Mine has the 258 cu. in. IL 6 (4.2 litre). Much disdain is often exhibited for AMC cars (witness previous post), but after Chrysler bought AMC, they continued to produce the 4.2 litre engine (down sized to a 4.0 litre) engine. They made more that 5 million of them. Only 2,500 of that fast back model were produced. I know of only one other like it Western Canada, today. By the way, I have heard the Audi 4 cylinder was not a great engine.

Vercingetorix · Mar 22, 2020

Canuck
By the way, I have heard the Audi 4 cylinder was not a great engine.

Porsche used it.

Vercingetorix · Mar 22, 2020

My high school physics teacher, Doug Foster was the navigator for the AMC Eagle rally team. From Wikipedia:

1984 ProRally series[edit]
There were two AMC Eagle SX/4 entries in the 1984 Press-on-Regardless rally with Gene Henderson and Mike VanLoo's car finishing in third place.[94] At the next event, the Oregon Trail rally in Beaverton, Oregon, also had two AMC Eagles with the SX/4 driven by Gene Henderson and Doug Foster finishing in tenth position.[95]

His physics problems often involved Fearless Foster. How fast would Fearless Foster need to go in order to jump the Grand Canyon?

Norfolk · Mar 22, 2020

First car love. And still in the family after 40 years. 1974 MG Midget....and I’m 6ft 7 ins!!!
I’ve owned more than 100 cars since that glorious sunny day in June 1980 when I bought her but this is the one that’s stayed. That exultation of top down driving to uni, freedom and independence can’t be ever surpassed.

Faz · Mar 22, 2020

Unfortunately, no digital camera in those days, but for me, it was a pair of used BMWs 2002, both 1973s purchased in 1982 and 1983 respectively. These gems where the first sports sedans (1966-1976)

Our first one was this (like this) agave green beauty with the venerable and competent 2.0 L marvel of an engine. At 113 bhp, by today's standards, not immensely powerful, but back then it was a free revving jewel capable of decent performances. Handled like on rails. The huge steering wheel with worm and roller steering box, the turn signals on the right side of the steering column and spartan but extremely well finished interior where some of the features. And what can be said of those sexy tail lights and the cavernous trunk?

After a year, a fuel injected version came up for sale. A Malaga red 2002 tii of the same year. Just add 30 bhp! I wish I could drive one of those again!

Canuck · Mar 22, 2020

allwoundup
Love it! Is that one of the all wheel drive models....in the U.S. they were branded "Eagles", I believe. I have been tempted to buy one from time to time.

Mine is not an Eagle. Mine is two-wheel drive Concord. The Eagle came after AMC was bought by Renault in about 1982. Renault saw an opportunity to market their cars in North America. So the dealerships had such great French cars (snigger, snigger) as the Alliance and Encore to replace AMC cars. Concord was still available in 1983, and the Eagle was introduced that year as a 4-wheel drive Concord. Concord was gone in 1984, replaced by the only actual AMC car, the Eagle which was essentially a 4-wheel drive Concord. AMC continued with Jeep until the Chrysler buyout. In 1988, came the lamentable Eagle Medallion (2-wheel drive), another re-badged Renault which continued for one year after Chrysler bought AMC/Renault. Then there was the Renault Fuego which was marketed in North America during the 1980s as an Eagle model. AMC died, but how much longer will the Big Three last, things being how they are?

AMC foretold the market for down-sized 4-wd sport utility vehicles, and full-size 4-wheel drive cars. Surprise, surprise! Lots of us like AMC just like lots like their Camaros, Mustangs, and Mopars. As to parts? AMC used Ford ignition, GM steering, they out sourced transmissions and differentials. But the scrap yard is your friend if you need sheet metal or trim.

Canuck · Mar 22, 2020

Vercingetorix
Porsche used it.

Another example of a “great” car using a belt-drive camshaft! Convince me!

Vercingetorix · Mar 22, 2020

All of my cars use chains.

noelekal · Mar 22, 2020

We kept this '69 Chrysler 300 Convertible for 30 years. Wife and I dated in it, went on our honeymoon in it, brought our two newborn sons home from the hospital in it. Sold it for college funds for them after it had gone from being just a used car to being a "collectible." Still miss it.

1969-1971-chrysler-300-2d-hardtop-and-convertible-1.jpg

Still have the license plates.

It was a large and heavy car, yet could surprise many so-called performance cars from a stop light with its acceleration performance because it had a large engine with lots of torque. Punching it was like getting kicked in the seat of the pants by Thor.

Larry S · Mar 22, 2020

My first car ....1966 Valiant Signet 200. Mine was off white. Wasn’t much left of it when I gave it to my little brother. He killed it. I still dream about it. I’m always tempted to buy a vintage one like this. without the sheet aluminum fenders. Bondo and dents!

noelekal · Mar 22, 2020

gatorcpa
My question of why had to do with my own bad memories of AMC from that era. There was a Hornet as a driver’s ed car. Only one that kept breaking down. This was among such American automotive luminaries as a Chevrolet Vega and Dodge Aspen. The mid-1970’s was not our finest era for cars.

Found a Concord ad to replace the Spirit above.

My favorite car was this one:

I had a rare one with a 5-speed and cloth seats. Only way I could afford it at the time. Big car for the era, but the smoothest manual made.
gatorcpa

As a young loan officer and collection manager for a bank in the late 1970s and early 1980s I repossessed a boatload of the mid-1970s to early 1980s finest. Granadas and Zephyrs, Aspens and Volares , Citations, Skylarks, K-cars, Mustang IIs. They were all a special flavor of "yuck." None of 'em have ever made the collectible car calendars to date.

noelekal · Mar 22, 2020

Larry S
My first car ....1966 Valiant Signet 200. Mine was off white. Wasn’t much left of it when I gave it to my little brother. He killed it. I still dream about it. I’m always tempted to buy a vintage one like this. without the sheet aluminum fenders. Bondo and dents!

I'm guessing yours had the 170 C. I. D. slant six. One of those Valiants like that with the 273 V8 could still be quite nippy to drive around and would go easy on the gas.