My first Car was a 1946-48 Wolseley Mod. 18/85, 6 Cyl with twin SU Carbs on her ! She was capable of doing nought to 60 MPH in a little under half an hour, and she was the exact model 'motor' you often saw on early B/W English TV Police Shows, particularly 'Gideon of Scotland Yard' (c. 1950-53). Always with a large Bell mounted on the front, near side, guard, which rang with a loud shrill, whenever they were in pursuit of some miscreants.

She cost me the princely sum of 125 Pounds, and I purchased her in early 1959. After I joined the Army. I urgently needed transport in those days, and she filled the bill very adequately too ! She was upholstered fully in Leather, and was a joy to ride around in, with this enormous, extremely comfortable back seat, also in full leather too.

Her only real problem was most evident in summer months. She had an electric fuel pump, which often failed in hot weather. Though easily rectified by giving it a light tap with a spanner until you heard it 'ticking' away happily again !

Naturally she was equipped with massive running boards, and a full wood dash which set it off very nicely indeed. My several (old) girlfriends loved the 'beast' as I lovingly called her, because of her room and comfort in all the seats. The Wolseley emblem, fixed to the top of the magnificent radiator use to light up at night, and looked a real sight driving about town ! Another instance in summer, she tended to boil quite easily, which proved a real nuisance. One needed to add water very slowly while the engine ran, lest you cracked the head ?

Gentlemen, the car was most definitely built for comfort, if you get my drift ? C'mon Ladies, you're an integral part of this discussion ? Please, provide us all with your memories of your first Car ?

MG A 1600 Roadster, 1960 in red. I wanted British racing green, but red was available. The mechanical engineering faculty provided the engine port and polish, extra fruity exhaust and a warm camshaft - unheard of in an almost new car in those days.

Next purchases were the tweedy jackets to go with it LOL

The passenger seat never got cold :) The joys of university life.

Hi o sung, glad to see you back on the air. It does look as if you've been ferreting in my memories again.

My father had one of those, but had to change when he moved to Sydney, & had to do the peak hour run. Although beautiful, they were too leisurely for the peak hour battle. The TV show Foyle's War featured a prewar version of them.

My first was a 1936 Morris 840. A small tourer with a little side valve engine, naught to 60MPH did not exist, as it could not make 60MPH, except down hill, with a strong tail wind.

If you had your Wolseley at Kapooka in 59, we may have passed each other no the road. I had my little Morris at Uranquinty, No 1 RAAF flying training school, for some of 59.

I was the only navy type with a car there, so although designed only for mum, dad, & a couple of kids, all six of us navy types doing our flying training there used to pile into her to go to Wagga on Saturday nights. I well remember how, overloaded, she used to wallow across the tight railway bridge outside the Kapooka entrance.

She unfortunately died one night in Wagga. We had had a few at Romano's hotel, & decided it was safer to stay the night, rather than drive back to base. The next morning, after a heavy frost, the pool of dirty water under her testified to the freezing having cracked her radiator & block.

As we were about to ship to Perth for jet training, I gave her to a RAAF type as she stood. Never did hear her ultimate fate.

O Sung, you brought back memories of learning to drive on my father's pre-war Wolseley.

However my first car was an MG VA which many people have not heard of. A one and a half litre 4 seat tourer with twin SUs. I wanted a two seater TC but couldn't afford one in the 1950s but the back seat in the tourer proved to be of great benefit in my misspent youthful courting days. In those times it was one of the few places the twin considerations of persuasion and location that were available !

I later pulled the whole engine out and reconditioned it and remember carrying a new crank shaft home on the bus and then installing new shell bearings. Nowadays I wouldn't have a clue about electronic ignition and fuel injection. Those were the days when many owners did these things for themselves due to lack of money. Nowadays people expect to go out and buy new cars.

Dear o sung wu,

My first car was a rather tired '54 Vauhall Velox done in a particularly unattractive washed out canary yellow.

I reckon I use to walk in circles because my right leg looked like it belonged to a horse due to the number of times I use to have to pump the brakes as I came up to an intersection. Hills were even more interesting. Gears for brakes was the order of the day. There was no syncro in first and bugger all power to pull you through on second if you chose that option when nearly stopped. Still it was a veteran class when I owned it and once I even polished up the chrome and took it to a car show one weekend. Got an encouragement/sympathy award.

My girlfriend hated it.

Don't see too many on the roads nowadays but watching the World's Fastest Indian sure brought back memories.
http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_36729-Vauxhall-Velox-E-1953.html

When I read Morris 840 I imagined you meant A40 (as in Austin). It was only after I found a photo of an 840 that I realised I may have seen one in a movie some time.

Did the windscreen hinge forward? Neat.