Triumph Herald 12/50

I passed my driving test in 1976 but instead of buying a car I borrowed £80 of my Nana and bought a Lambretta. After a couple of years I swapped it for a 1963 Triumph Herald 12/50 there was no money involved in the transaction. Unfortunately I don't have any photographs of the car.

Ford Escort MK 1 Estate

I ran the Herald for about 3 years couple of years and then when if failed the MOT with with a large split in the chassis I went to the bank and borrowed £400 and bought a Ford Escort MK 1 Estate. After about a year I wrote the car off in the snow. I hit a milk float. I didn't even break any bottles of milk there was a large pile of rust left when I moved the car.

MG Midget MK 3

I needed a car quickly as I was commuting from York to Harrogate at the time so I bought my self an MG Midget. It was in reasonable condition for the £250 I paid and had a years MOT. I ran the Midget for a couple of years whilst saving for a Mini. The main thing I remember about it was that the 1275 engine had the same crank journal size as the Mini Cooper S as when I needed a new con rod everyone wanted to supply the later rods the same as the Austin 1300 engines.

MG Midget MK 3 with my Nana and sister in the background

Austin Mini 1000

I finally settled on a Mini that was bought on condition and not colour one of my friends at the time christened it the Mushy Pea. I ran it for a while with the 1000cc engine to which I fitted a Mini Sport Stage 1 Kit and gas flowed cylinder head and a free flow exhaust with LCB. I then replaced the engine with an MG 1100 engine from a club rally car it had been bored to slightly over 1200 and had a fully balanced bottom end with a lightened flywheel. It had a 997 Cooper Cam with twin SUs. The car was fitted with 5" Wolfrace Slot alloys which were ever so slightly illegal as I didn't fit arches. I sold the car when I went to work in Munich. I put an add in the back window the first person to drive it bought it.

Mini 1000 note Triple C (Cars and Car Conversions) stickers on sun strip

Ford Escort XR3i

After a year in Munich I decided to buy a car I was working in a NATO organisation so I could buy tax free I decided I wanted an RS1600i there was one advertised at a tax free supplier but when I called they had sold it. As the RS had gone and there was no chance on another tax free I decided to buy an XR3i I ordered one fitted with every every option Ford offered at the time from Black paint to opening rear windows. I ran it for a couple of years before selling it to a colleague. It was bought from a dealer in Holland so was imported to Germany and registered in Munich.


XR3i on Munich plates Ben Nevis 1984

XR3i somewhere in Bavaria 1984

Ford Escort RS Turbo MK 2

I had decided that I would run the XR3i until a year before I came back to the UK when I would buy an RS Turbo to import to the UK tax free my contract was extended past the white MK 1s so later when the MK 2s were announced I placed an order. I went for the metallic grey colour (the dealer couldn't confirm the exact colour at the time, possibly Moonstone) which turned out to be Mercury Grey. I bought it in the UK tax free took it back to Germany. I ran it on UK plates whilst I had it there. It was imported back into to the UK tax free when I came back just over a year later. It was terrific having an RS Turbo to use on the unrestricted autobahns.

RS Turbo home on holiday from Munich. Note red edged export plates and German lights with blank for UK use

RS Turbo outside our house in Mattishall Norfolk

Austin Mini 1000

When we came back from Germany Kate learnt to drive so we bought a Mini unfortunately she didn't like the mini experience so I drove it for about a year until I sold it to one of the guys at work. Whilst owning it it changed from blue to Tartan Red with a white roof.

VUB 719R as before

VUB 719R after

Ford Escort RS Turbo MK 2

On my return to the UK I ran the Mercury Grey RS for a few more years and then in 1991 I traded it in for a newer model this time in white. I ran this RS until 1997.

RS Turbo York 1993

RS Turbo Beverley 1995

Ford Escort RS 2000 4x4

I had decided that after my RS Turbos I would buy an RS 2000 but I wanted the 4x4 version. As there were only 500 of them I kept an eye out for a suitable car. I was in no real rush as the RS Turbo was still a pleasure to drive. Eventually a Low mileage example turned up at the main Ford (and RS) Dealer in York. I bought it and ran it until 2010 when I was going to sell it but my son decided he wanted instead of the Rover BRM he was running at the time.

RS 2000 4x4 on Ramps at DST workshop 60 Ton Kalmar RTCH in background 2008

Porsche Carrera 4S

I had always been a fan of the 911 since nearly buying an old one in Germany instead of my XR3i. I had my ideal car in mind so I started looking for the car a 996 Carrera 4S manual in black with black interior. I found the car I wanted in April 2010.

Porsche Carrera 4S Hotel zur schönen Aussicht Bad Münder Germany 2010