Having been driving for 35 years now, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to own a variety of automotive wonderment, some of which I’d love to drive again and some I’d much rather not be reminded of. The list begins with a 1959 Austin A40. It was my first purchase, costing me $475 in 1976.
The little English wagon with its sliding windows and tiny 4-banger soon gave way to a newer wagon from Japan powered by a revolutionary engine – or should that read “rotary” engine? I quickly developed a fascination with Mazda’s Wankel rotary powerplant, and in grade 12 found myself buying a 1973 Mazda RX-3 wagon for $2,200.
The RX-3 was tremendous fun. It could carry a lot of friends, and for the era, it delivered outstanding performance. As if those two early rides weren’t quirky enough, I soon got my hands on a black 1974 Gremlin X with a modified V8 beneath its hood that easily out-muscled a friend’s Mustang with a 351 Cleveland doing the pulling.
Next on the list was something more luxurious than quirky, a car that I wish could come back to me. It was a triple black, 1975 Grand Prix LJ 400 with 5-spoke chrome wheels. I actually had people on the street ask to buy this car from me! I paid $4,400 for it and was offered $5,500 “on the spot” by one such impromptu encounter.
With college done and a regular pay cheque, I decided to buy my first new car – the English wedge – a 1980 Triumph TR7 convertible. My payment of $9,975 netted me a white edition with a blue plaid interior, sport wheels and an Alpine stereo. This was living the dream at 21 years old.
The need to twice replace a CV joint converted the dream to a nightmare, and I sold the TR7 before its warranty expired but not before meeting a young lady. Without knowing what I drove, she told me that her favourite car was a white TR7 convertible with a blue plaid interior; she became my wife. Check-in again next week for the remaining chapter in, ‘Quirky Cars I’ve Owned.’
The little English wagon with its sliding windows and tiny 4-banger soon gave way to a newer wagon from Japan powered by a revolutionary engine – or should that read “rotary” engine? I quickly developed a fascination with Mazda’s Wankel rotary powerplant, and in grade 12 found myself buying a 1973 Mazda RX-3 wagon for $2,200.
The RX-3 was tremendous fun. It could carry a lot of friends, and for the era, it delivered outstanding performance. As if those two early rides weren’t quirky enough, I soon got my hands on a black 1974 Gremlin X with a modified V8 beneath its hood that easily out-muscled a friend’s Mustang with a 351 Cleveland doing the pulling.
Next on the list was something more luxurious than quirky, a car that I wish could come back to me. It was a triple black, 1975 Grand Prix LJ 400 with 5-spoke chrome wheels. I actually had people on the street ask to buy this car from me! I paid $4,400 for it and was offered $5,500 “on the spot” by one such impromptu encounter.
With college done and a regular pay cheque, I decided to buy my first new car – the English wedge – a 1980 Triumph TR7 convertible. My payment of $9,975 netted me a white edition with a blue plaid interior, sport wheels and an Alpine stereo. This was living the dream at 21 years old.
The need to twice replace a CV joint converted the dream to a nightmare, and I sold the TR7 before its warranty expired but not before meeting a young lady. Without knowing what I drove, she told me that her favourite car was a white TR7 convertible with a blue plaid interior; she became my wife. Check-in again next week for the remaining chapter in, ‘Quirky Cars I’ve Owned.’