I'm going to be coming back & forward to this post to add historic and current info as it comes to mind, from purchasing the muzzy in 2004 onward......
The idea
Cars are just a means of transport for some people but I can remember (I think) every car I've ever driven, my parents have owned and my friends have owned. I never realised that until starting writing this. The first car I have memories of was the parents white Vauxhall Viva, followed by a fern green Skoda, a cacky sort of cream Toyota Corona, a poo brown Triumph (the V6 negated the shit colour, and this was the car I learned to drive and sat my drivers licence in). The old man must have had something going on with poo coloured cars, cause this was followed by the same colour Toyota Cressida. Mum went through a few cars too - a Morris 1100 (who didn't have one of these?) - this was a brilliant car for a young teenager with restrictions on where you were meant to go (or not go) in it. We found out pretty quickly how to disconnect the speedo to make trips further afield, and also that if you drive a car in reverse the speedo does not record the mileage. Yes my children, I bet you didn't know that and now for you, it's TOO LATE. She also had a Chevette, a Datsun Sunny (not Nissans yet) and a Ford (finally!) Laser. They're all the cars they owned while I still lived at home, and pop-up camper trailers don't count as a vehicle.....
Before I moved out of home, my first car was a Hillman Avenger (with vinyl roof & twin carbs I might add!) and before long I moved up to a company car - a brand new orangy/red Nissan Pulsar. This was traded in for an amazing metallic blue Mazda 323i 1600cc. What a hot hatch this was - I remember the time spent cleaning it and getting it just right, and the first car I managed the ton in (Driving that is - I think Dirk's old ladies RX2 on Shakespeare Rd was the first time I experienced the ton in the passenger side). Moving on was a Ford Telstar, then an EA Ford Falcon. A rough patch at work meant a trade down to a used Toyota stationwagon, before sliding behind the wheel of the smoking new EB XR6 (white) - I loved that car - the best of the XR's I owned. The 3 year trade in meant a new EF XR6 (dark metallic green), followed by a black AU XR8. Finally the V8 love affair had begun. However, it must have been around 2000 when the new ford range just wasn't doing it for me, despite them bringing in the new mustang in a RHD version. That muzzy was a bit of a dog. So I went to a Subaru B4. Not a bad car, handled well, but I missed the V8 badly. Finally the lease expired on the sube, I'd had the go ahead from the missus to get myself an old mustang - "get it now before it becomes a mid-life crisis" - good call Rose.....
I'm going to go through my archives and find what pictures I may have of these vehicles.
2004
October - A Fistful of Dollars
SOLD - Mustang # 194 - where it all began -
http://www.nzmustang.com/Buysell/Soldstangs10.htm
A phone call, a one way ticket to Napier and a fistful of dollars, and we're on the road for 450km back to Auckland to test how this baby handles. Heavy rain. Yes, mustangs were made for a dry American climate. Gumboots would have been handy. Nevertheless, an awesome drive back. All the attention a classic car attracts takes some getting used to, but all good for somebody who isn't naturally outgoing.
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
