What Was Your Father's Old Car?

[REDTIGER]

? Happy Father’s Day from Redtiger!

Father’s old car often holds a lot of memories — maybe it wasn’t the newest or the most stylish, but it was part of many family moments.
Whether it was used for weekend trips, late-night drives, or just running errands, that car played a role in shaping those experiences. It’s a reminder of time spent together, the little adventures, and the simple moments.

What was your dad’s old car??

Do you have any photos of it you’d like to share? ?

Are there any stories or memories tied to that car that you’d like to tell? ?️

We’d love to hear from you — feel free to share in the comments below. ?

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[tigerbalm]

A third hand Opel Kadett. Nobody in 80s Ireland had any money!

 

[Murph7355]

Various that stick in the memory...

Original Honda Accord - because you could see from the dash if the doors were open, and which door on a picture of the car. Wizardry.

1972 MGB GT - super cool. He even let me drive it as a 17yr old.

Rover SD1 3500S - V8s in the UK weren't that common. Sounded great!

Mk2 Ford Granada 2.8 Ghia X. Gangster luxo barge.

They went downhill after that, as cars we own tend to as we get older. (Am trying to buck the trend, but relatively failing).

 

[bn8959]

My Dad had an MGB GT too (my mother wrapped it round a lamp post)

Then it was a silver Jag XJS v12. Loved that car. It spent half its life having the engine taken apart and put back together!

 

[Gru]

(pics from Internet, not much digital at that time...)

from early 70's :

Jeep Wagoneer

Simca 1100 Ti

to early 80's :

BMW 323 i

only 2 doors car...

 

[bn8959]

My Dad had an MGB GT too (my mother wrapped it round a lamp post)

Then it was a silver Jag XJS v12. Loved that car. It spent half its life having the engine taken apart and put back together!

My dad with the XJS. Mid 80s.

 

[Fish Fingers]

My Dad loved cars, but we didn't have much money.. ..

Ones I can remember were 3 Austin Maxi's (white, green and red.....he used to make us memorise the number plates in case we ever needed to tell the Police etc ?. SVM 848K was the green one).

And a Triumph Dolomite 1850HL (KTB 500P) He wanted the 'Dolly Sprint' but it was too expensive.

Later on he bought my Scirocco Storm off me (I had put a GTI badge on it ?).

 

[CaliPorsche]

The earliest I remember was a 1965 Austin Princess …. The one that for some reason that sticks in my memory the most was a VAUXHALL Viva Firenza …… I guess at my impressionable six year old age it seemed like a cool sports car

 

[WuffvonTrips]

The one I like best- in which I learned to drive- was his Alfasud (GTJ 586N), the only car he bought new.
Here's his first car, mid 1920's-

The most impressive car was his grandfather's- a Vauxhall D type (25hp!), early 1920s- blurred Dad in the Dickie seat-

I only discovered that photo when Dad died, so don't know if my Grandmother actually drove or was just posing. Her dad was the only well-to-do person in my family tree, having sold his pub which was right opposite the main gates of the Vickers Armstrong shipyard in Newcastle- he seems to have spent most of his wealth on horses, dogs and this car, but my Dad did at least inherit enough of it to afford the Alfa.

 

[CaliPorsche]

……. Her dad was the only well-to-do person in my family tree, having sold his pub which was right opposite the main gates of the Vickers Armstrong shipyard in Newcastle- he seems to have spent most of his wealth on horses, dogs and this car, but my Dad did at least inherit enough of it to afford the Alfa.

Man … from what I know about northeast shipbuilders …..both my grand fathers, ……. one Vickers and the other Austin and Pickersgill …… and how much Newcy Brown they consumed …. I would be digging up his garden to see where he buried the rest of the gold from the pub sale

 

[Valerian]

? Happy Father’s Day from Redtiger!

Father’s old car often holds a lot of memories — maybe it wasn’t the newest or the most stylish, but it was part of many family moments.
Whether it was used for weekend trips, late-night drives, or just running errands, that car played a role in shaping those experiences. It’s a reminder of time spent together, the little adventures, and the simple moments.

What was your dad’s old car??

Do you have any photos of it you’d like to share? ?

Are there any stories or memories tied to that car that you’d like to tell? ?

We’d love to hear from you — feel free to share in the comments below. ?

My dad have several Citroen DS models which as kids we loved. A beautiful car 50 years ahead of its time.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

My dad have several Citroen DS models which as kids we loved. A beautiful car 50 years ahead of its time.

Nobody batted an eyelid in those days when an overflow of smaller children had to be transported on a roof rack.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

Man … from what I know about northeast shipbuilders …..both my grand fathers, ……. one Vickers and the other Austin and Pickersgill …… and how much Newcy Brown they consumed …. I would be digging up his garden to see where he buried the rest of the gold from the pub sale

He was previously listed in Census records as "steam engine fitter and iron turner" so I'm guessing he started out in the shipyards himself and noted a more lucrative opportunity with a captive and thirsty customer base.
What a small world- 2 random forum members with distant connections to shipbuilding on the Tyne (then again, I suppose that's the case for the majority of people with ancestors from thereabouts, given the historical scale of the industry).

 

[Fish Fingers]

Great thread this.....

We should have more like it, bring a bit of 'soul' to the forum, rather than just discussing kwh and degradation statistics.

 

[PNWTaycan4S]

My dad was a Packard fan.

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