
Originally Posted by
PhilipA
I have a few that stood out to me .
I drove a 179 manual EH ten years later in about 74. I couldn't believe how crude it was. Crap gearbox with no synchro on first, brakes that needed sumo wrester legs to use. Although in 64 or so I thought my dad's 149 manual was OK but I still remember learning to double declutch. The gearbox did rear bearings every Tuesday even before I got to it, and the axle tramp was unbelievable.
I guess my worst owned car was a 1974 FJ40 . Noisy , gutless, seats impossible after 100Km, rusted as you looked at it, fuel tank rotted out, brakes needed sumo strength, heat from engine and exhaust burned passenger feet even with truck mudflaps on the floor, terrible highway handling.
A couple of other old stinkers were a Jowett Javelin and a Renault 750 .
But its not really valid to look back at old cars from todays perspective as they got so much better although even at the time Holdens were crap compared to such things as a Renault 16TS I had that would wind out to 102MPH (165kmh for the youngies) every afternoon on the way home from 1600Ccs , had a ride to die for, but still had terrible front end tramp. Funnily this and a Renault 12 are the ****boxes I owned that I remember with most affection.
Most memorable?
Press test XY GT that was"massaged" before given to press. Blueprinted by Fred Gibson and did 0-100 in 6.5 secs with redline FR70 tyres traction limited. Man that thing went. faster than Phase 2 and Phase 3 HOs I drove although they were brand new.
Biggest disappointment?
Porshe 928 manual with clunky gearchange and heavy clutch, or later 928s auto that just felt old fashioned and heavy.
Regards Philip A
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