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New, unregistered Irish-bought car from 1976 - where do I start?
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Been busy over the last few weeks but things have come to a bit of a halt now with all this coronavirus stuff. Which means I can actually start locking myself away in the shed and uncovering the cars - and other vehicles - with a view to either selling (for fundraising purposes) or arranging restoration.
The easiest one to start with (being nearest the doors) is the little Daihatsu HiJet van. It's 35 years old (the newest four wheeled vehicle in that shed) and it was parked up for good in 1990. It was used by my old man on his trips to wholesalers in Dublin such as Hector Grey, Noel McCabes, Centro Bicycles etc.
I used to go with him when he'd buy/order stock. I'd have been 12 in 1985. My mother would make a big blast of 'hang-sangidges' and we'd fill up a flask and hit the road at dawn .... no M9 back then ... and no stopping off at fancy restaurants such as McDonalds!! God, it was an epic journey in those days, Dungarvan, Carrick-on-suir, Kilkenny, Castlecomer, Athy, Nass and eventually the big shmoke itself.
As a young fella I loved it. Loved going around to the different wholesalers, especially the bicycle people - Centro sold Peugeot bikes. I remember spotting a blue BMX with yellow tyres and Mag spokes. Saved my arse off for that bike and when I eventually had enough to buy it, the parents threw an extra few quid in for two-finger brake levers and pegs. I was made!!!!
Hector Greys was great too. There were always little gizmos and gadgets and gifts in that place. Mostly imported from China (a country that seemed to specialize in the cheapest and cheerfulest back then).
By the end of the day big stuff would have been ordered for delivery and the small stuff would have been packed into the little van, the sandwich tin and the flask would be empty and the journey home would begin. It still amazes me how much the old man managed to fit into that little van. It was like a big 3D game of tetris with him!!
Anyway, I know it's not that old and it's not really a sought after classic, but it is a quirky little thing. It sports a 843cc engine (!!) and has three cylinders, which I find a curious configuration. But hey, it worked! It was actually very reliable as far as I remember. And it was brilliant for delivering in small residential streets coz you could literally fit the little thing anywhere!!
Here it is in all its Japanese Mid Eighties Glory:
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Been busy over the last few weeks but things have come to a bit of a halt now with all this coronavirus stuff. Which means I can actually start locking myself away in the shed and uncovering the cars - and other vehicles - with a view to either selling (for fundraising purposes) or arranging restoration.
The easiest one to start with (being nearest the doors) is the little Daihatsu HiJet van. It's 35 years old (the newest four wheeled vehicle in that shed) and it was parked up for good in 1990. It was used by my old man on his trips to wholesalers in Dublin such as Hector Grey, Noel McCabes, Centro Bicycles etc.
I used to go with him when he'd buy/order stock. I'd have been 12 in 1985. My mother would make a big blast of 'hang-sangidges' and we'd fill up a flask and hit the road at dawn .... no M9 back then ... and no stopping off at fancy restaurants such as McDonalds!! God, it was an epic journey in those days, Dungarvan, Carrick-on-suir, Kilkenny, Castlecomer, Athy, Nass and eventually the big shmoke itself.
As a young fella I loved it. Loved going around to the different wholesalers, especially the bicycle people - Centro sold Peugeot bikes. I remember spotting a blue BMX with yellow tyres and Mag spokes. Saved my arse off for that bike and when I eventually had enough to buy it, the parents threw an extra few quid in for two-finger brake levers and pegs. I was made!!!!
Hector Greys was great too. There were always little gizmos and gadgets and gifts in that place. Mostly imported from China (a country that seemed to specialize in the cheapest and cheerfulest back then).
By the end of the day big stuff would have been ordered for delivery and the small stuff would have been packed into the little van, the sandwich tin and the flask would be empty and the journey home would begin. It still amazes me how much the old man managed to fit into that little van. It was like a big 3D game of tetris with him!!
Anyway, I know it's not that old and it's not really a sought after classic, but it is a quirky little thing. It sports a 843cc engine (!!) and has three cylinders, which I find a curious configuration. But hey, it worked! It was actually very reliable as far as I remember. And it was brilliant for delivering in small residential streets coz you could literally fit the little thing anywhere!!
Here it is in all its Japanese Mid Eighties Glory:
Pm sentDon't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.
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I think there be just enough room in the van for myself and the engagement ring that will be thrown back at me to sleep in if I bought it. :pac:
I'd love to see it restored, just cant be by me unfortunately.
Rubbish... she knew what you were before she accepted the ring. She'll understand.
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Really enjoying this thread.
Love seeing all the treasure you are unearthing and sharing with us,
but most of all I'm enjoying the stories,these are more than just old pieces of metal,they are time machines.
That's a great little van,I reckon if you chucked a charged battery into it and a splash of fresh fuel it would most likely start.
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The Red Ace wrote: »Alfa Beta like more I am really enjoying the thread, I too like your father was a regular at Noel McCabes which I believe is long gone
Must be gone over 20 years now I'd say ... they were out in Bluebell Industrial Estate, weren't they? I might well have walked right past you in there when I was a kid
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Found a little time during the week to delve into the tractor side of things. A messy part of the shed, so the photos are seriously cluttered. There's a 1970's little Zetor, two Fergusons (don't know what year - assume 50's) and a Ford 3000 (didn't manage to get a photo.) I also uncovered a lovely old Pony Trap which I thought I'd pop a picture of up here .... okay it's not exactly a classic car, but it does get you from a to b under horsepower (that's close enough!!)
First the Zetor. This was a remarkable vehicle. Dad bought it new in the mid seventies and it spent the next 40 years on the little farm he and my mum ran alongside his shop. It was uber reliable and a really rugged little machine. It was also what I learnt to drive in. My specialty was filling up the transport box on the back a bit too much which meant I could do wheelies up the field lol!! (Don't tell him!!)
You can see from the photo that he'd been in the process of giving the engine a serious overhall and had it all stripped down and rebuilt. Unfortunately he passed away before getting the little machine going again.
I don't know much about the two Fergusons (only one is pictured but they look the same). All I know is that one runs TVO and one on diesel and that we never really used them on the farm. I think Dad just liked them from an engineering perspective and bought them because of that.
(The Ford 3000 is totally undercover at the moment but I'll try and clear a space to take a pic soon.)
Finally, the Pony Trap. I really have no idea how this came into the old man's ownership. He never owned a pony nor did he ever consider owning one. What can I say, he just bought things that he liked ... and kept em!!
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