Dear Hasbeen,

Thanks for the advice about the Morgan.
What a life you've led.

I imagine the stories
you could tell and all your life's experiences would
make for great reading. Ever thought of putting any of them in
writing? For your children and grandkids? I for one
would buy your book. You've led an interesting life.

As for me being a "goody two shoes?"
Well I was a very shy young girl.
In some ways I am hyper, and like to make things move,
but there is a spot of calm deep within me, from which
I don't stray too far. I love tenderness. But it is the
rarest emotion one encounters.

Hi onthebeach,

Your MG may have been sold some time ago
but I bet you'd still go for an Orchard
Grower's Apple Pie (with or without cinnamon). ;-)

My first car was a 1958 FC Holden:

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=1958+holden&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=8a2NUdygCOzxiAeJmIG4Dg&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1666&bih=954

(If any car manufacturer wanted to stop making a new model every year, and just make nothing but 1958 FC Holdens, they would be on a winner.)

However by the time I got it, it was a bit declined in years and rather decrepit. It was not improved when I sprayed fish oil on all the rusty bits, thus making it both very ugly and smelly. But it was my car, and I was happy with it. Very roomy, big bench seats, you kind of bounced around inside.

Also when buying it, I forgot to check whether I had enough money to run it. I didn’t. So one day I set out when the brakes were dodgy as usual, and returned when they were non-existent. Luckily I glided to a park near my home. At that time I thought mechanical repairs were optional, but it turned out the car didn’t go without ‘em; which happened all the time.

I must have got it going somehow because it was parked in a No Standing zone when I decided at last to disown it. Not having much understanding of the world, caused by attending university, I thought that was the end of the matter. I was proved wrong by the accumulation of penal fines.

But at that time, I also thought the payment of fines was optional. So they went on accumulating until I got a girlfriend who understood the true extent of my folly. She had a friend who was a naughty boy in the sense that he would lead police on high speed car chases, and then duck down a driveway to thwart pursuit. When you’re 20, this is thought to be very clever.

He also engaged in car re-birthing, by which cars would disappear from one place, and re-appear with incriminating details changed in another place. He bought my car, for the amount of the accumulated fines; and without a backward glance I considered myself well quit of the noble beast that had served me so unwell.

Hi there CHRISGAFF1000...

You are going well back in time there matey ! A Parramatta 'outfit' with a fat ol' 3rd class sergeant in the sidecar, both rider and passenger wearing their leather caps ! That would be well before the 'first fleet' sailed into Sydney Cove ?! :-)

REHCTUB...Yes indeed, a 'tricycle' might well be included in the definition of a vehicle, for these purposes ? LOL.

HASBEEN...I've heard of the famous plus 4 and plus 8 in the legendary Morgan, though I've never had the joy of driving one regrettably. Did thousands of miles up 'n down the Hume Hwy. in the veritable Cooper S all at departmental expense.

Hi there LEXI...I don't for a moment believe HASBEEN when he described you as being less than a very quiet, demure young, gentle lady in your days of study in big, 'brassy' Los Angles ! I know you would've avoided at all costs, those hedonistic activities of your peers !

I would agree with you, HASBEEN could write an excellent account of his formative years, the only problem is, he'd probably end up in the clink for breaking all those ladies hearts that would've actively pursued him, attired in his brilliant Naval Aviators Uniform !

Far be it for me to engage in gossip. But it was said during his days at Uranquinty, he enjoyed the epithet, 'passion pants' amongst all those eligible young (rich pastoral) ladies in Wagga ?

In fact if my memory serves me correctly, whilst we were trying to hitch a ride into town from Kapooka, there was many a time we saw this '36 Morris 8-40, coming from Uranquinty's direction, scream past us in a cloud of exhaust and dust. With this handsome Navy type at the wheel, with a stunning young girl in the front, and two beauties seated in the back...? One can only conclude who that might have been eh LEXI ? Far be it for HASBEEN to cast aspersions about your earlier days in LA...? They say these Navy Officers are always 'Bounders' amongst the fairer sex !

G'day BELLY...

I'm delighted to hear that your Medico has cleared you of the 'Big C' ! Still at our age we need to watch ourselves very carefully at times.

You inferred your Austin A40 was a bit of a jalopy, true ? Notwithstanding, there were many of them around and proved pretty reliable for an old side valve four cylinder. Like many of the old Rootes and BMC M/V's they were remarkably tough for their small engines and heavy bodies. Similar to the old Vanguard, another heavy body with a small motor. As well as the old Morris Oxford, lacked power significantly, so overtaking proved most dangerous unless you had a very clear road ahead.

Another nice old English saloon was the Humber Super Snipe. If I recall, the government often used them for VIP's, because of their long, sleek lines, and back seat comfort and room.

Hi INDIVIDUAL...

Not so funny when it happens to you, but extremely funny when you look back ! Apart from girls, I don't reckon there was anything that worried a young bloke more, than problems with his 'wheels' ? A young fella's car was everything to him. Independence, freedom, coming of age, in fact everything I believe ?

And g'day to you, COSSOMBY...I reckon your VW is probably still going strong, ferrying students out and about reliably ! They're bullet proof the old Bettle, as long as you use good oil, and give it a bit of a service now and then ! The only gripe I had with them, was their extraordinarily direct steering - watch out, or you'd put it on it's roof !

Thank you all very much for you brilliant contributions, I really appreciate them.

Hi there JARDINE K JARDINE...

What a fantastic account, on your first Car, the indubitable, 1958 FC Holden, an icon of it's time ! There's something about your first set of wheels. As I said earlier, for a young bloke next to girls, a car was the next most important thing in your life ! It doesn't matter what it looked like, drove like, even smelt like, it was yours, a statement of your independence, a coming of age almost.

On my 18th birthday, my girlfriend and myself were returning home from a night out. I got stopped for allegedly going through a Red.
Which I acceded too. The copper booked me even though the traffic lights were very confusing, (later removed entirely!) and an absence of any traffic due to the hour of the night. My girlfriend was in tears, telling him it was my birthday, nevertheless I was breached and I was in my military uniform. It didn't make a shred of difference to the copper.

There was no 'on the spot' penalty notice, so a trip to court ensured and I was fined equivalent to almost a weeks wage. Did it dampen my love of driving the old Wolseley, not for a moment. But I was forever careful NOT to disobey 'traffic signals' again, you can be sure of that.

A fantastic account, thank you JARDINE K JARDINE.