Hey mate,Quote:
Originally Posted by Pickles2
I do agree there were a lot more performance mods easily available for the 186 not disputing or comparing this aspect. The HR was a great handling car and why HR front ends are utilised to this day on modified cars. There were so many HRs and variants of them in our family, as a kid I remember 5/6 of my Aunties and us having one all at the same time.
I am talking mid 70s to 82 not when a lot of these cars were new. There were quite a few modified Valiants around, mainly 6s, did not see too many 8s around.
Now I am not sure of whether I am talking the AP6 or Pacer as the old man had both when I was young probably around 10. I do remember clearly having a run against my Uncles XY 302 and the Valiant left the 302 for dead in a straight line and around corners and it was only a six so was either the AP6 225 slant or the 245 Pacer either. I am thinking maybe the Pacer. I will have to ask my Dad next time we speak.Wont go into the reasons why, but lets just say my Uncle was hot headed and always expected to get his own way.
He also had a 770 6 Pack Charger E37 I think, now that could go, triple side draught webbers. Spent our summer holiday touring in this charger, sad to say after he sold it in 78 some of our indigenous brothers bought it and trashed it completely. One of the saddest days as a kid was to see this. We were lucky as kids my Dad and Uncles knew all the dealers so got to sit in a lot of performance cars at the dealers and even some race cars namely Brocks 79 A9X, VC and VH Commodores (not the show cars but the race cars). Only wish cameras were more prevalent.
To put some context in those days the old man changed cars fairly frequently and as a kid have memories of so many cars. The few he did own that stuck out were Charger 770 6 pack, The Valiant Pacer and AP6, Prince Gloria (also had one recently, fairly rare car), Cortina MkII, EH Holden, EKs, HQ Holden only 202 but memorable for some reason, Volswagon Beetles (several), Volkswagon Wagon, Volkswagon Kaemen Ghia, Mini Cooper, Mini Standard, Mini Panelvan, SLR 5000, HQ 1 Tonner 308, Austin 1800, Morris 1100, Ford Prefect, Vauxhal Wyvern, TE Cortina, HR Holden sedan and wagon, 56 Chev, XM, XY and XF(outside the above mentioned time frame being 90) Falcons, HB, LC and LJ Toranas. Vauxhal Cresta and Victor. Mitsubishi Colt fastback late 60s model
And they are the ones I remember off the top of my head that I can remember as a kid from around 74-81 and usually not expensive big dollar cars. I do also vaguely remember a HK or HT monaro V8.
Prior to that were a lot more that I am sure my mum would probablly remember more than him, but I know there was also a 48-215 (FX) an EK with a Supercharged Chev (rare in the 60s), Mini Coopers a lot more earlier Holdens and Fords. He slowed up when we moved to WA in the early 80s.
He also rubs in a drive I dont remember in Adelaide when I was 2, My other Uncle was a salesman for a US car importer in Adelaide and my Dad and brother were in a new 70 Mercedes and myself and my Uncle in a big block Corvette Stingray, Hindley street drag and the vette ran 1/2 block with the front wheels off the ground. Different days.
My other Uncle referred to earlier was much worse and has had many more cars mainly Fords and just about every car Ford produced from Model As & Ts through to Tickford XR8s and everything in between including GTs GTHOs, Goss Falcons, XA GTs, Landaus, Mustangs including a DT Fastback he built from ground up. And every base model between.
The DJR truck was a regular at his house and he sent me photos of The 2 DJR EL and I think EB Falcons on his front lawn. He also had Allan Moffats XYGTHO at his house and at the time was actually up for sale, in the early 80s and even asked me if I wanted to buy it, as an apprentice at the time I could not afford it at $65K, imagine that. Same year got offered the Malboro Promo A9X at $19k but same as I already had the SS could not afford the A9X.
The other car that used to go quick was my other Uncle (No3) who was a Federal Police Inspector - he bought an XC fairmont 351 new and it was immediately customized, not sure if it was by Ford or a performance shop, but the Federal Police paid for the mods, but I doubt they would admit to it. That car was quick and in those days had hidden lights and I can account for it at full noise under lights and sirens. He has been gone for 17 years now so can probably talk about it.
