Practically Classics Forum

Here is my dream classic car..........

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/granada-mk-1- ... 500wt_1287

My late Father had a 3.0 ghia Granada Mk1 and Im a sucker for a V8

Saab 96, two stroke, or a Citroen DS, or....this could go on a while

With no smugness intended, I like what I have and I wouldn't sell them if I "Won the Lottery". However, I would buy some kind of pre war sports car. If it was a double rollover, maybe I'd go for a Bugatti, given that the Bugatti Owners Club isn't that far away and they provide spares for them. I don't like all Bugattis but the T35/37/51 style cars are very nice. I had a ride up Prescott in a T37 and was very impressed at how well it handled.

I must admit to a liking for British pre war sports cars, whether they be Austin 7 Ulsters/Nippys, Frazer Nash, HRG, MG Midget/Magnette/Magnas (I would like an M Type), Morgan 4/4, Riley 9 or MPH, Singer Le Mans or Triumph Gloria Southern Cross. I've never owned a Morgan, so maybe I'd look out for a pre war 4/4, that would be eligible for VSCC events.

I also like things as diverse as Riley RMs (2 1/2 litre), MG Magnette (ZA/ZB), AC Cobra, Lotus Elan (The original style), Mini Cooper/S Rover P4,5,6, Vanden Plas 1300 or Princess 3 or 4 Litre R, Jaguar XK or E Type, or even a Series Land Rover. There are of course the racing cars (Although they can be driven on the road, Bugatti T51s were really racing cars but in those days, you carried a riding mechanic, so they had two seats). I like the ERA cars, Cooper Nortons/Japs and FJs, besides Lotus racing cars. I expect a 25, 49 or 79 would be in the realms of double rollover, so a FJ would be more realistic and a lot more within my abilities However, if we are narrowing it down to just one, it's the pre war whatever.

MidgetSaab wrote:Saab 96, two stroke, or a Citroen DS, or....this could go on a while

My Dad had a 96 two-stroke. It was white and the reg started RAW, wish I knew where it was now. My Dad lent it to an insurance rep to get home after his car got stuck in snow near our farm in the 70s, that was the last we saw of it

A Gordon Keeble, a Shamrock or a nice 1956 Chevy Nomad for me please.
Meanwhile, in the real world; a late, Farina-shaped Riley 4/72 auto or an example of pretty much anything with Newtondrive or Manumatic "clutchless" transmission would do the job just as well.

Like Martin, If I suddently came into heaps of money, I'd keep what I have and merely add a few to the collection:
- 60's Karmann Cabriolet Beetle.
- 66 Mustang GT Convertible.
- W111 Mercedes Convertible or maybe a 190SL?
- 1971-72 "Export" spec Moke, restored to original.
- Austin Mini Mk1, preferably in black with red interior.
- Rover Mini "British Open Classic".
- Maybe a split-window Beetle.
- Toyota Corona or Crown Ute for hauling duties.

Can you tell I like open-topped motoring?

OOOH! A Facel Vega please.

Or one of those Bugatti Royales (preferably the 2 tone green one) from the Schlumf Collection in Mullhouses.

I would keep the Herald Coupe but add a early 948 Herald Coupe with twin carbs and the smooth instead of ribbed roof.

Early E Type coupe.
Ferrari 246 Dino
Mini Cooper S
Early Series 1 Land Rover

Think that would be sufficient.

bnicho wrote:Can you tell I like open-topped motoring?

I expect you have just a tad more opportunity for it in Australia . I know it's a big place and has dessert areas and some more temparate zones but I think it's fair to say you get better weather than us in Britain. In 1980, a school friend spent the summer holidays over there and had better "Winter" weather than we had during the so called "Summer". I keep hoping for another 1976 Summer but I think that's limited to one per lifetime We have had a few good ones since but '76 started early and just when on and on and on

This year has been a continuation of the Winter of 2006 - , though from the end of September - end of November has been remarkably mild. During October, I took the Midget for a drive, to the Dean Forest Railway (http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/) and having stopped for lunch, we drove back through the forest with the top down, in glorious weather, with the Autumn colours just starting to show. My father's first car was an MGA (He now has a 1275 Midget, also in red, which he says is the last) and he often used to say (Despite the Summer of 1958 being another "Winter") that on a fine day, he wouldn't have swapped it for any fixed head Aston Martin. I've never forgotten that and as I drove along that afternoon, I had much the same feeling

Some of the other posts have reminded me of other nice cars (The Dino 246 is my favourite "Ferrari") and the Facel Vega reminds me that I like Jenson Interceptors (The 7 litre ones).

nissan micra..
if i could afford it id have one of everything...