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You Will Never Be The Driver Of Your Father

  • 09-10-2011 1:58pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 468 ✭✭


    Well Gents
    Just thought Id share yesterdays mission with yous ! I went to Westport to meet with Donegal Vintage and Classic Car Club for their Autumn Run. I came up with all good intentions of going for a nice run of County Mayo/Galway in my beloved 944. My mothers first cousin is 73 and has a 1959 Vauxhall Victor... He was along with his 69 year old sister plus Rover the dog.... Don wasnt feeling up to the drive so I was comandeered as a driver...

    The car has no belts, a bench seat, drum brakes and a 3 speed gearbox with column change.. All foreign to me ! Find the choke.. Pull the choke.. Wheres the key..? Wheres the wipers ...? Wheres the lights ...? You get in sit down and drive.. Nothing to adjust - no toys to play with......!

    Off we set .. out into Wesport traffic... Brakes are unassisted drums all round... You have to stand on them by levering against the steering wheel !
    You really have to hang on to keep youself from falling into the passenger side.... ! You have to time your gearchange correctly and think all the time... oh yes and find the gear you want.... I had a few junctions where I was looking for first and found third... Blind panic sets in.....Going down hill and you have to take it nice and steady, use the gears and feed her into the corners.. Situations you would see as normal all of a sudden become a real challenge...

    This is how much gets cleared by the one speed wipers
    6226351326_d50a7d0e73.jpg

    Outside Ashford Castle with the Victor..!
    6226361842_5151cefdce.jpg

    I must say I have to take my hat off to drivers of the past... I have experienced all sorts of various cars but this one was definately a challenge... Todays drivers (me included) have very little skill at all - this lack of driving craft is largely compensated by modern technology. Fare enough we can go around roundabouts, change lanes and use box junctions but this isnt skill....
    I drove about 75 miles in total and I was shattered at the end. Fun ? definately.. Tiring .. definately

    It is true we will never be the drivers that our fathers are !

    I didnt get an oppertunity to take many pics - Too busy thinking of the next section I had to negotiate !
    6226358818_1cda9f414d.jpg

    6226354490_7ae73aba63.jpg

    6225828143_59c7dfb0f9.jpg

    Left alone all day
    6226341098_7ee3f92165.jpg


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,191 ✭✭✭_Conrad_


    My father is a useless driver compared to me. I'm not exactly saying i'm on par with legandary motoring demi-gods like walter rohrl or anything, but my father doesn't pay attention half as much as i do, is always missing turns, brakes too late, can't drive anything even remotely old or complicated without giving out constantly about how it's so unruly or so much hassle and has gone soft from years of driving modern saabs and mercs. He's never had a serious accident, but he does have 6 points, all for speeding and despite him always giving out to me telling me i drive too fast or too hard i don't have any points at all.

    If you put him back in the cars he had in the 70s he'd end up calling me going on about how it "won't go into gear" or "has no power" or "the brakes aren't right on this". He's done serious amounts of driving, at one stage 70-80k per year but whereas i'd like to have the cars he used to drive, and actually drive them, he' dlike to have them to just look at, and get me to drive them.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,808 ✭✭✭Stained Class


    A couple of years ago I was drafted in to drive a '50s Ford Popular back from a Classic show.

    3 speed box. Reverse where First usually is. Took a bit of grinding to figure it out!:D

    On the open road, anything over 40 seemed lethal. It pitched & rolled like an old Galleon in a Force 10 gale!

    I'd hate to have been at the helm on a dark rainy night.:eek:

    Still, I spose it would have better than a Pony & Trap, which would the most common alternative of the day.:)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,318 ✭✭✭✭carchaeologist


    Outside Ashford Castle with the Victor..!
    6226361842_5151cefdce.jpg
    Thgat Victor is a beaut. It has that great condensed American styling to it.

    Great story VanHireBoys.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,863 ✭✭✭RobAMerc


    my Dad had a Victor at one point - he said it had the worst brakes of any car he ever owned ( and he built many of his own 'specials' to go hill climbing in ) and was one of the worst handling he ever remembers ! So maybe they are not all as bad as you experienced. As to your admiration for their ability, well not only were the drivers of the past far more skilful they had a far superior technical ability ( ie they understood and could fix things mechanical ). My dad also has a press full of trophies for winning races in cars I would be afraid to go as far as the shop in, built from tin, gum and pure hope with near an airbag in sight !


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 281 ✭✭ep71


    hey i saw you guys pulled in at cosgraves filling station on the westport road out of castlebar this morning! i was passing in my gold 85 charmant


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,191 ✭✭✭_Conrad_


    ep71 wrote: »
    hey i saw you guys pulled in at cosgraves filling station on the westport road out of castlebar this morning! i was passing in my gold 85 charmant

    Ooh nice.... charmant. Cool motors. I bet you know a friend of mine who has a red one down this (limerick) part of the world. If you don't you should.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,318 ✭✭✭✭carchaeologist


    _Conrad_ wrote: »
    Ooh nice.... charmant. Cool motors. I bet you know a friend of mine who has a red one down this (limerick) part of the world. If you don't you should.

    That the one on the ZX plate?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,191 ✭✭✭_Conrad_


    That the one on the ZX plate?


    PM for you


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 281 ✭✭ep71


    indeed i do know jack!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 468 ✭✭VanhireBoys


    Thanks for the replies lads - We had a Charmant years ago.. It was a really nice car and well finished ... !

    I started to look at stuff now like Rovers and Austins ! This is strange for me to be looking at pre 80 cars.... :D


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 768 ✭✭✭Victor Meldrew


    Funny, have a fair bit of experience years back with the original mini, and whilst the drums all round were brutal and would fade, the rest of the car was easy to drive..... BADLY...

    Only remember being intimidated by a 1972 Chevy Impala (brakes, weight, tyres, no feel from the steering)

    The Mini was really incredible, the Vauhall victor was pre-historic compared to the mini to be fair...

    But, I stopped driving old cars years ago, and now anything designed in the early 90's feels pre-historic.

    Passive safety has made us all false driving gods..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,748 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    Hi Donal - glad the spin went well.

    What I want to know is........how did you drive your 944 AND the Victor.........that is yours in the pics, above........ ?? :confused:

    Ode To The Motorist

    “And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, generates funds to the exchequer. You don't want to acknowledge that as truth because, deep down in places you don't talk about at the Green Party, you want me on that road, you need me on that road. We use words like freedom, enjoyment, sport and community. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent instilling those values in our families and loved ones. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the tax revenue and the very freedom to spend it that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you pick up a bus pass and get the ********* ********* off the road” 



  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,563 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    Enjoyed that post!

    Looked like a rewarding day out. :)


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 536 ✭✭✭ahal


    That's a very interesting perspective Donal.

    Nice selection of cars there, though as you'll appreciate I'm disappointed not to see my favourite classic among them ;):pac:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 468 ✭✭VanhireBoys


    ahal wrote: »
    That's a very interesting perspective Donal.

    Nice selection of cars there, though as you'll appreciate I'm disappointed not to see my favourite classic among them ;):pac:

    Just for you Tony - Hughies 77 Volvo 244DL !
    6226359610_0bbeac8f57.jpg

    I know you like the SAAB as well.. Michaels 96V4 Estate
    6225822477_cd3ae0e144.jpg
    galwaytt wrote: »
    Hi Donal - glad the spin went well.

    What I want to know is........how did you drive your 944 AND the Victor.........that is yours in the pics, above........ ?? :confused:

    I had to leave the 944 in Westport for the day John unfortunately


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    You have to time your gearchange correctly and think all the time... oh yes and find the gear you want.... I had a few junctions where I was looking for first and found third... Blind panic sets in.....Going down hill and you have to take it nice and steady, use the gears and feed her into the corners.. Situations you would see as normal all of a sudden become a real challenge...

    Reminds me of the time when this was among my daily drivers

    470967725_0c58b42042_z.jpg?zz=1

    add non-syncromesh gears and a few extra tons to your described scenario and you get an idea :D


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 536 ✭✭✭ahal


    Ooh, liking that Saab Donal ... even more so than the Volvo (don't tell the lads :D)

    No ... um ... Lanos? You know me and my love of the Daewoo Lanos :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,555 ✭✭✭✭Marlow


    I think, the thing is, that cars also were driven at a slower pace, than today.

    Everything has to match. The roads, your driving skills, the car you're driving (engine / brakes ) etc.

    Even with a "modern" car like my '89 Audi 200, I feel the brakes are not up to par compared to the newer cars I have.

    The Victor then seems to have the worst brakes compared to other cars from the same era.

    /M


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