Cars your dad had when you were a young un'

[Dave Cawley]

4 litre Vanden Plas with a Rolls Royce engine.

RESPECT!

Dave

[Jason P]

My dad had a series if these when I was young...



They were the mutt's nuts. Semi-auto gearboxes, hydraulic suspension that lifted up when you started the car (and could be lifted/lowered via a lever in the interior - how cool was that to play with?) and lights that tracked the steering. Oh, and they looked like something out of Logans Run. Still do now.

Cost a fortune if they went wrong though, but they were pretty reliable IIRC.

It had an eight-track stereo system that sounded great, but we only had about a dozen cartriges to play on it. Fond memories of listening to the Polovtsian Dances as we drove to Cornwall on holiday, falling asleep on the back seat and you're mum & dads conversation drifting further and further away...

Jason

[StanleyB]

4 litre Vanden Plas with a Rolls Royce engine.

I thought the Vanden Plas was a 4.2 litre block, whilst the Rolls Royce engine was a 6.7 litre chevy block. But I stand corrected.

[StanleyB]

My dad had one of these Ford Capri Mk.I, 3000E, was a 3.0 litre V6 engine..

The Cosworth 2.8 version was probably the best of the bunch.

[Alex_UK]

I thought the Vanden Plas was a 4.2 litre block, whilst the Rolls Royce engine was a 6.7 litre chevy block. But I stand corrected.

All you could ever want on Wikipedia (must be true then...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Princess I believe the Rolls Royce engine was also used in the Austin Gipsy military vehicle?

[Alex_UK]

The Cosworth 2.8 version was probably the best of the bunch.

I've never heard of a 2.8 Cosworth Capri - was this a special, Stan? What Mark was it based on?

I always lusted after a Tickford Turbo Capri - the 2.8i V6 engine turbocharged - a massive 205 BHP!

[spendorman]

Talking of Vanden Plas, I have one of these, same colour, unfortunately bodywork is not as good, however mechanically it's perfect. The engine (as standard) is very close to Mini Cooper 1275S spec. The car is no slouch and handles really well.

http://www.aronline.co.uk/index.htm?bouckevpf.htm

[Alex_UK]

My dad had a series if these when I was young..

Ah, the Citroen DS. Lovely - and still many survivors - Citroen made proper cars back then - how many Saxos will there be left in 40 years!?

The cremé de la cremé of the range would have been this:



The Citroen SM - the sport variation of the DS with a Maserati V6 engine - stunning!

[StanleyB]

I've never heard of a 2.8 Cosworth Capri - was this a special, Stan? What Mark was it based on?

I don't think they built many of them. You can still buy the cooler kit on ebay though.

[StanleyB]

All you could ever want on Wikipedia (must be true then...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Princess I believe the Rolls Royce engine was also used in the Austin Gipsy military vehicle?

I was thinking of the Jaguar Vanden Plas...