A long, long time ago..........................

bigcol

Well-Known Member
Nov 22, 2012
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Swan Valley Perth
A long, long time ago
I can still remember how that music used to make me smile
(Don McLean - 1971)

way back when I first left School, all of my mates were into hot cars and Vans 1978.....(yep,I'm that old)
2 of my mates & myself brought a V6 Capri for "hooning" around in, it was them sort of days.....
you could pickup a '72 charger (VH770) for $800 or the Capri for $400,
one of my mates was the "major shareholder" he put in $200, so he picked the car
one of his brothers had just built a show Van - HQ, Seabreeze it was called - what a car

anyway, at the time,I wanted a car, but wasn't into the hot hot cars as such - I would have loved one, but thought they were too much money for what they were
I was an Army Brat, just started my apprenticeship and loved camping so wanted something different to the GTS's & GT's my mates had.....
being an Army Brat, I grew up with Series Landrovers, and a love of War Movies.......
one day, I was at a mates Uncles wrecking yard and found what I wanted
a CJ5
it was trashed, but I fell in love with it, all them dreams growing up wishing I was driving a Jeep in WWII
man what a breast
man it was junk,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
but I wanted it
6 months of every weekend going and helping around the wrecking yard paid off, instead of $3k for the heap, I got it for around $1200
unlicensed
un-roadworthy
lots of bits missing off it
and a seized transfer case
but it was MINE
I parked it at a mates Panel beating yard and started to work on it
in them days (no internet) if you wanted parts Ex USA, you could pretty much only get them from one place in Perth - and he was a tosser.........and he didnt deal in Jeep gear
at the same time (and I didnt know) another mate was rebuilding a 1956 Jeep Wagon, once I found out,a whole new world of parts availability was opened to me through him and people he knew in the USA and family he had in Philippines
anyway, 3 years & umpteen million dollars later, I resurrected that thing
YAY me - I had the car I always wanted
except
while it was un stoppable off road - it was a pain on road
literally a pain, spine, neck, hips, ears you name it, it hurt after 20 mins on road
last time I ever had a "convertible" either
 

DRW

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May 29, 2013
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Beautiful Burrum Heads QLD
mmmmmm memories, try a 500cc Matchless and a '38 Hudson to name a few (neither ever got completed, I left home in 72)
The one regret is the family "57 Chev, my dad told me i could have, I was in my second year apprenticeship and went home to collect it, all that was left was the dead grass where it had been parked for a year or so. Dad owed a brickie $100 and he came around to collect it, he asked the old man how much he wanted for the Chev and he said take it and we will call it quits, I never did get over that :-(
 
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bigcol

Well-Known Member
Nov 22, 2012
6,814
10,164
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Swan Valley Perth
yeppers, I know how you feel about the Chev
when I was 12, my Grandfather brought a smashed '67 Mustang for me and my cousin to rebuild when we stayed
when my Grandfather died in 75, my father sold it off, when he cleaned out the shed
oh well..............
 
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Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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1969 left school, was years before I got my landy, too busy driving ships.....bloke had a Matchless for sale , told him to hold and I will buy it when I get back into port. Mongrel sold it to a fella who wrapped it round a post a week later...still pi ssd 46 yes later.
 
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