The "not its finest moment" thread

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:46 pm

We've all seen each others prides and joys looking smart....but what about the other end of the scale? What happened when you let your guard down?

When I did, the 16v grew mould:

The estate ended up in a barn with a stoved in front end:

And the mk1 "rat look" 16TRS I owned was covered in gaffa tape! I removed the swastika before taking this picture:

capri · Post by **capri** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:19 pm

This is about the worst pic I have of the Capri. This was on the drive back from the South of France halfway through 2004. She was already dusty from the dry, sandy air down there, and 400 miles of cross-continental driving didn't help matters! We still had about 200 miles left to drive before we even got to Boulogne for the ferry home!

As for the BX... I think it'd have to be this one...

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:21 pm

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:41 pm

I don't have any pics, but my BX got unlucky again yesterday.

One month-or-so on from its octopus failure, the demon struck again...

Driving to my house to change into my suit for an interview, I suddenly got a lot of vibration from the front... banging, judder... all too familiar sounds. Flat tyre.

In any other (non-hydraulic) car, in a busy town centre, I would have been in real trouble. But being in a BX, I was able to go (slowly) right at a roundabout and left at the next lights with only slight loss of control (!)

Only five minutes drive from home, I had to take refuge in a 2 hour parking bay in a layby. I wish I'd had my camera with me to show you the state of the tyre! But more importantly, I wish I'd had my wheelwrench with me!! (D'oh) Where was it? In the GSA, sitting on the drive at home....

So I abandoned the BX and walked home (15 mins)... at which point I was due at my interview in 1 1/2 hours. Got changed, phoned ahead to explain I'd be a bit late, jumped into the GSA, drove it back to where the BX was, changed the wheel for the spare, parked it in a side road, then drove to the interview in the GSA. All in all I was only 1/2 hour late. but you can imagine the stress I was in!! After all that, I was absolutely shattered.

Turns out the tyre I think got a slow puncture because I regularly park with 2 wheels on a high pavement and it was the offside front where I mount the kerb to park...

So glad I had the GSA to get me out of trouble... and I've rewarded it by driving it to Sheffield today, to stay with my dad: after that experience I didn't want to chance the BX with no spare tyre. Also the spare, now on the right front, is a very old unused Michelin, probably 1991 vintage!

Mark.

Jezzie 16v · Post by **Jezzie 16v** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:59 pm

It dont matter how dirty a Capri is, they still look great.

Jez

capri · Post by **capri** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 6:17 pm

Not wrong there mate.

Thank you!

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:14 pm

Agreed, I've always had a soft spot for them... my grandad used to have an A reg Laser in metallic green. Loved that car, and how often did we drive around 6-up in that car?? (Mum and the three of us kids in the back)

When he sold it, I wanted it!!!! How crap was it when like my dad sold cars and I wasn't old enough to drive so couldn't have them....

Mark.

capri · Post by **capri** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 12:45 am

This is one of my favourite things about driving a Capri. I genuinely love the fact it evokes those sorts of memories for people. I love hearing all these stories about when friends or relatives used to have one - I swear everyone knows someone who's owned a Capri!

Such a pisser, isn't it, when you think back over your parents' car history and spot a few lovely examples you'd love to have been able to get your hands on, if only you were old enough!

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:39 am

capri wrote:Such a pisser, isn't it, when you think back over your parents' car history and spot a few lovely examples you'd love to have been able to get your hands on, if only you were old enough!

1983 BX 16TRS in Red

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:53 am

Kitch wrote:
capri wrote:Such a pisser, isn't it, when you think back over your parents' car history and spot a few lovely examples you'd love to have been able to get your hands on, if only you were old enough!
1983 BX 16TRS in Red

Well, mine aren't quite so glamorous but I still miss them and wish I'd have been old enough:

W reg Renault 5TL in metallic green

Y reg Volvo 343 DL in white with horrid orange seats. Actually I wouldn't have wanted this car as it was a heap of crap, but thought I'd mention it.

B reg Ford Escort 1.3 base spec in light pastel blue with red stripes and black&white check seats, that we owned from new. Funnily enough, this is the car I miss the most and still have dreams about!

Going back further in time to when I was way too long anyway:

2 x Simca 1100s. I came home from the hospital from where I was born in a maroon one of these (photo, Nov 77). The other was white, apparantly.

Citroen GS Series 1 Estate in light pastel bluey/green (maybe Bleu Petrel). The seat of my Citroen passions. I don't remember the car at all but there are pics of me sitting in it - Christmas 1979 - and this is the car my sister came home from hospital in, in a picture taken in August 1980. Otherwise all I have is the Haynes manual I scribbled in and later read, like the BIBLE of holy Citroen-ness....

2 x Fiesta Mk1s: one white, one brown. My brother came home from hospital in the white one (pic, December 82)

Y reg Escort 1.1L in hearing aid beige.

You know what's sad - I had two Corgi Escort models.... which I repainted using the proper Ford touch-up paints (beige, pastel blue) that I found in the garage and I even wrote the correct numberplates on each one. Ahh bless.

Mark.

capri · Post by **capri** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:48 am

There are only two cars from my Dad's history that I'd like to own; fortunately, although I don't have pictures of the actual cars, I have pictures of two cars identical to the ones he owned:

The first was this - a 1981 Ford Fiesta Mk1 1.3 Ghia in gold. I thought this was a cracking looking little car and would really love one for myself (although I might be tempted to dump a silly engine in it and leave it standard on the outside!)

The second was this - a 1983 Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 CD in black. This is the only Cavalier I've ever seen that actually managed to look rather classy. With all the chrome bits, the front foglights and the cross-spoke alloys, it was a very handsome car, and I've always had a soft spot for Mk2 Cavvys since this one. One day, I'd love a 2.0 CD or even an SRi.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:29 am

You know what Capri? I`m warming to you mate, nice choice of cars there!
You`ve made a slight faux pas though as ALL Cavaliers look classy, especially SRi130, Calibre, GSi and SRi versions. Everyone knows that the Cavalier is the best car ever made.
Back to Capri`s I`ve owned a Mk2 1.3 (with a 1.6 crossflow engine fitted), a Mk2 1.6GL OHC and a Mk3 3.0S which was a wreck but such a laugh to drive and probably worth a fortune now. The interior had been on fire but the fishnet headrests were intact and I got offered a ridiculous amount of wonga for the seats but sold the car complete in the end.

capri · Post by **capri** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:22 pm

cavmad wrote:You know what Capri? I`m warming to you mate, nice choice of cars there!

Thanks chap!

cavmad wrote:You`ve made a slight faux pas though as ALL Cavaliers look classy, especially SRi130, Calibre, GSi and SRi versions. Everyone knows that the Cavalier is the best car ever made.

Guuuuys... help... what do I do when he starts talking like this to me?

Only kidding mate. I do actually have a reasonable affection for some Cavaliers. Definitely more enjoyable to drive than the Vectra. I used to work at a Vauxhall dealer, and I always preferred driving the Cavvys to the Vectras! Got sorely tempted by an immaculate met blue 2.0 Diplomat with a manual box, which I saw on eBay recently. Lovely car!

cavmad wrote:Back to Capri`s I`ve owned a Mk2 1.3 (with a 1.6 crossflow engine fitted), a Mk2 1.6GL OHC and a Mk3 3.0S which was a wreck but such a laugh to drive and probably worth a fortune now. The interior had been on fire but the fishnet headrests were intact and I got offered a ridiculous amount of wonga for the seats but sold the car complete in the end.

Ahhh cracking! Can't beat a V6 Capri for a bit of cheap RWD fun! Even the 1.6's were probably reasonably tailhappy, with their skinny little tyres, I bet!

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:48 pm

The cross flow one was a good laugh, just about right for a good blatting around but not much top end speed.
Never really took to the 16 OHC engine, found the 2 litre to be much better and capable of more abuse too!

capri · Post by **capri** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:59 pm

Ahh yes! I owned a 2.0 Laser for 5 months a while back and it was huge fun, despite being underpowered compared to the 2.8. Stuck an Ashley exhaust and the 2.8 Injection 7-spokes on it and it was one of the most fun cars I've ever owned. Excellent engine with a lot of low-down grunt going for it!