substitute (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
substitute) wrote2006-03-10 09:10 pm
substitute) wrote2006-03-10 09:10 pm
Entry tags:
- autos,
- carculture,
- cars,
- dad,
- familyhistory,
- lists
The cars he used to drive
My father was a true Southern California, born in Pasadena in 1921. Like everyone else he was car-crazy. Later in life after living in Europe he became crazy for tiny little European sports cars.
He made this list for a piece he wrote in the Los Angeles Times late in life in which he talked about the cars he'd owned. He was astonished at how many there were, and especially at how many enjoyable sports cars he had as a graduate student. I personally got to drive the '67 MG (he says it's a '68 which I think is a mistake), which was a delight; he didn't get rid of it until the 1980s sometime. The 1990 Volvo my mother still has. I inherited both T-Birds in series.
The Fiat station wagon famously died by dumping its engine on Irvine Avenue with a uniquely Italian flair. I wish he'd kept any of the cars before that. Wow, what a list! The Renaults were, of course, purchased in France and all the Italian cars when he was living in Italy.
He made this list for a piece he wrote in the Los Angeles Times late in life in which he talked about the cars he'd owned. He was astonished at how many there were, and especially at how many enjoyable sports cars he had as a graduate student. I personally got to drive the '67 MG (he says it's a '68 which I think is a mistake), which was a delight; he didn't get rid of it until the 1980s sometime. The 1990 Volvo my mother still has. I inherited both T-Birds in series.
The Fiat station wagon famously died by dumping its engine on Irvine Avenue with a uniquely Italian flair. I wish he'd kept any of the cars before that. Wow, what a list! The Renaults were, of course, purchased in France and all the Italian cars when he was living in Italy.
- '30 Ford Model A phaeton
- '30 Ford Model A 2-door touring car
- '36 Ford V-8 coupé
- '30 Olds coupé
- '47 Crosley
- '38 Lincoln touring convertible
- '40 Chevrolet coupé
- '47 MG-TC
- '51 Sunbeam Talbot
- '48 Morris Minor convertible
- '51 Morris Minor sedan
- '52 MG-TD
- '55 Austin Healey
- '56 MG Magnette
- '60 Chevrolet Corvair
- '58 Chevrolet station wagon
- '59 Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint coupé
- '62 Fiat 600
- '60 Fiat 1800 station wagon
- '70 Opel Kadett statio wagon
- '73 Volvo 144
- '67 MGB-GT
- '77 Renault 6TL
- '70 Jaguar XJ
- '84 Ford Thunderbird
- '87 Renault II
- '90 Volvo 740 sedan
- '91 Renault 19 Chamade
- '93 Ford Thunderbird LX
What a list
I think my father lived through the heyday of the white male.
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That would be so cool to have. ;_;
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