Tell us about your first fast car experiences

[Bobby Dazzler]

The secret is to enter the car within your garage. Go for a blast. Exit the car within you garage.

You’ve got the moves Ant!

Top tip, get a soft top and get in and out of the car when the good’s down

 

[Swotty]

Took my test in my father's Wolsely 6/110. Argued with the examiner whether one should approach a T Junction in 1st or 2nd gear. I said, you know it's a 3 speed box? Anyway, passed after 6 lessons and 8 weeks after my 17th birthday.
So, the speed thing. A few weeks later, by myself out on the derestricted M1, where drivers had not yet discovered lane discipline. Running down the fast lane at 110mph with all the ****-off lights on.
Amazed that I survived my teenage years.



https://car-from-uk.com/ebay/carphotos/full/ebay692630.jpg

I have one of these, currently being renovated. Straight 6 twin carb version of the Healey triple carb motor. Drove it back from Holland after purchasing and never went above 130 kph (80 mph in old money) but she was stable and solid at that speed and capable of more. Sadly only the 4 speed manual.

Looking forward to getting her back after the lockdown.

 

[Ted]

Somewhere around 1978,me returning a 450 SEL 6.9.
Amazing car. The mechanics said it would do 160 (150 in reality but legends are allowed a little poetic licence)
Somewhere in Birmingham a souped up Vauxhall pulled up next to me at the lights - clearly up for a bit of a race.
lights turned to green, I put my foot to the floor with a knowing smile, and he left me for dead with the tyres just spinning in a cloud of smoke.
Around the same time I had the use of a Laverda Jota for a while. Fastest production bike in the world at the time, and they had just come out.
My brother kept on at me to take him on the back as he had never done ‘the ton’, so early one Sunday morning we took a leisurely ride over to Rugby, and I pulled onto junction 1 of the M6.
I can still remember it as if it were yesterday. Beautiful clear day, hardly any traffic, so I gunned it down the on ramp and gave it its head, tucking right down behind the little sports fairing.
I hit an indicated 127 on the calibrated Honda clocks before coming off at J2 and pulled into a lay by to see what he thought, only to see his helmet totally askew, him as white as a sheet, and almost crying. It seems that with me tucked down, he had caught the full blast of the wind and had almost been blown off the bike - he had only been holding on to the seat, and by the time he had realised he should have held on to me it was too late.
I took it much easier on the way home

 

[ringway]

That’s quite a car history Paul. Sounds like you’ve had more fast Audi’s than Audi UK! The RS6 is a sensational car.

I forgot the black 4.2 Q7. Lovely thing. Handled superbly.

 

[Swotty]

Had a Calibra 4x4 turbo in '94 as a company car and had her chipped, showing 250 bhp on the dyno. The boss at the time had a 911 (don't ask me which model!) and swore the VX was faster than his. For '94, it was a pretty rapid car, but today's machines just show how far engineering and technology has come.

My 2001 Jaguar XKR cab. is running around 450 bhp, is polybushed and feels quite sprightly but, although the CL600 is a heavy hector, once on the move the torque is just incredible and would see off the Jag easily.

The Corvette only has around 250 bhp but over 350 ft lbs of torque in a light body ....... the problem is getting that down properly, as she will fishtail quite badly ... I blame the "young" driver! I wouldn't want to push her too enthusiastically through the twisty bits though - do they have bends in the US?

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Had a Calibra 4x4 turbo in '94 as a company car and had her chipped, showing 250 bhp on the dyno. The boss at the time had a 911 (don't ask me which model!) and swore the VX was faster than his. For '94, it was a pretty rapid car, but today's machines just show how far engineering and technology has come.

My 2001 Jaguar XKR cab. is running around 450 bhp, is polybushed and feels quite sprightly but, although the CL600 is a heavy hector, once on the move the torque is just incredible and would see off the Jag easily.

The Corvette only has around 250 bhp but over 350 ft lbs of torque in a light body ....... the problem is getting that down properly, as she will fishtail quite badly ... I blame the "young" driver! I wouldn't want to push her too enthusiastically through the twisty bits though - do they have bends in the US?

Oh wow. Calibra 4x4 turbo??? I totally adored them. The owner of our local Hardware store had one in red. Awesome look in the 90’s.

 

[gaz_l]

My old man was a mechanic when I was a wee nipper, and he used to trade a bit a well.. we used to have all sorts of cars around the house. Sadly, he had champagne taste and beer money, so hot stuff didn't make an appearance much.

But one time a mate of his turned up in a Jag of some kind (I think a Mk2).. I must have only been about 6 or 7, so it's a bit vague. But I do remember we took it out and hit "the ton" - something notable in those those days, when an Austin 1100 was de rigeur.

When we got home, I ratted him out to my mum (unintentionally, I thought it was cool).. "Mum, guess what, we did a ton!". So Dad got a bollocking - "Pete, what you doing going that fast with the kid in the car", or words to that effect. Oops.

I guess that was the beginning of my love affair with speed - which continues to this day. I've been lucky enough to drive and own some decent cars over the years - I won't bother you with the details. Mum's been gone a long time time now, but I wonder what sort of bollocking I'd had got if she'd have known I did 160 in my SLK55. My ears are burning just thinking about it..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Swotty]

Oh wow. Calibra 4x4 turbo??? I totally adored them. The owner of our local Hardware store had one in red. Awesome look in the 90’s.

Thanks - in Forest Green replete with "pimp" pale beige leather, aircon and sunroof. Also had the car debadged during my use (had to replace them when the car was returned) and showed "2.0i" on the bootlid. Had some occasional fun.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Thanks - in Forest Green replete with "pimp" pale beige leather, aircon and sunroof. Also had the car debadged during my use (had to replace them when the car was returned) and showed "2.0i" on the bootlid. Had some occasional fun.

it was a genuine competitor to the Sapphire 4x4 Cosworth. Looked better too IMO.

 

[gaz_l]

It’s been ages seen I’ve seen a Calibra on the road. They were a handsome thing back in the day, and although they’ve aged they’ve done so gracefully. Still a good looking car.

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Now that’s a claim to fame, to be driven by The Stig! A money can’t buy experience. Sounds like a great job too.

It was a great job. I often used to tell myself how lucky I was to be able to drive so many fabulous cars and get paid for the privilege. Admittedly the pay was just peanuts, but I didn’t care. I got to meet quite a few celebrities, mostly footballers, when delivering cars to them. Most of the time I had one of the cars for travelling to and from work because there was rarely enough room on site for all of them. Turning up at home in a Rolls Royce or brand new 911 got the neighbours’ curtains twitching. When I pitched up in this one day a fellow petrolhead neighbour walked over and simply said “Bastard” before walking away

 

[Deleted member 65149]

SLK55 is on my must-do list. I came close a year or so ago, there was a very high mileage example in a beautiful colour which caught my eye.

I had a fairly new (at the time) SLK55 from work for a few days. Don’t tell anyone here, but it was the only AMG I really liked.

 

[SpoonJar]

My first drive in a fast car was my mates dads MG Maestro Turbo when I was 19. 150 bhp but 60 in 6.5, so no slouch.

The first fast car I owned was a Capri 2.8i. First time I also went over a ton in. 125 on the M40.

 

[Mattns]

My first experience of something fast was probably late 60's crouched in or on the back of an Alpha Spider that was pushed to the ton, a friend of my brothers fitted car radios as a side line back then so with three up he gave it full beans to see if we could still hear Jimmy Young! More recently my car was a Boxster S, this being replaced by a more sedate S class but for real speed I also have a VFR800, now that's fast, but no radio

 

[ToeKnee]

I've nearly always had big engined big cars, not necessarily fast in today's world but good for their day including rover sd1's, granada's, rover 827's, jags etc and I fully agree with the advice comments about the driver being very important. I did a full day on track at Spa a few years ago in the cobra, 6.3l, just shy of 500bhp. Now we "hired" a race car driver to show us the course for first few laps just to get some instructing which was very useful and quite cheap. Anyway, I'm not a race driver so although I could catch most cars on the straights I lost most on the corners due to my lack of skill, but this race driver from earlier came over towards the end of the day and asked if he could do a few fast laps in my car with me as a passenger. After a few laps to get used to the car he did some hot laps and I was amazed at how capable the car was in a professionals hands. I wish he'd have done it earlier as I would have driven the car harder if I had realised how well it handled. Probably would have killed myself though, with no driver aids at all except servo brakes!

 

[Mactech]

My first and only time in a really fast car was about 13 years ago. We'd just moved up here from Manchester and a good friend and his wife came to visit for a few nights. They pulled up on the drive in this bright silver 911 turbo, mahooooosive drilled brake discs and red callipers. it was not even a year old and as clean as could be. Now, my mate was/is a plumber, he employs a few men, and is VERY good at his job. I assumed he'd treated himself but no. Apparently he was working at a house in Hale Barns (quite an affluent area of MancLand) and his client had asked him what he was up to at the weekend. Lee told him he was going to Scotland to visit a mate and the guy turned round and said: "Really, why don't you take the Porsche?"

What is the hold plumbers have over people?
Last summer my mate Don had promised his plumber who is doing work on both his house and business premises that he would provide a special car to take his son to the school Prom. On the day, he found he was supposed to be somewhere else and so asked me to be chauffeur for him.
I duly took the lad to the venue and managed to let the car off the lead very briefly on the Crewe southern bypass on the way.
We really scored top trumps on arrival machinery and left a lucky young man deeply impressed in front of all his peers. Plumb crazy!



...and what have I got to chauffeur it?

 

[mikez328]

Had a Calibra 4x4 turbo in '94 as a company car and had her chipped, showing 250 bhp on the dyno. The boss at the time had a 911 (don't ask me which model!) and swore the VX was faster than his. For '94, it was a pretty rapid car, but today's machines just show how far engineering and technology has come.

My 2001 Jaguar XKR cab. is running around 450 bhp, is polybushed and feels quite sprightly but, although the CL600 is a heavy hector, once on the move the torque is just incredible and would see off the Jag easily.

The Corvette only has around 250 bhp but over 350 ft lbs of torque in a light body ....... the problem is getting that down properly, as she will fishtail quite badly ... I blame the "young" driver! I wouldn't want to push her too enthusiastically through the twisty bits though - do they have bends in the US?

I think I live very close to you. Is your Vette white & did you used to play golf with Tony M******L of Les Encabanes?

 

[Londonscottish]

My own first 'faster than usual' car was an Alfasud 1.3ti, followed by an Alfetta 1800. Then there were friends' cars. One had a TR7, another had a Mini 1275 GT, and yet another had an MGB 1800 Roadster. Later another friend had a Lancia Delta 1600 HF.

My mate's dad was seriously into his Alfa's and we followed after early experiences in Sud 1.3 and an Alfetta GT 1.8 - which had a heady 120bhp back in 1982. The first car I drove which could seriously crack the ton. Of course, with those cars, it was also about the steering, handling, the damping, the brakes. And the noise

I subsequently abandoned the Stage 2 Mini I'd built (thanks to Dave Vizard's book Modify Yout Mini) and moved into Suds and Sprints.

Between us, me and my mates owned loads graduating through the ranks of 85bhp, 95 bhp and 105 bhp Suds, 2.0 GTV's and so on (plus Beta HPE's + Volumex's and various Fiat twincams).

These weren't garage queens/poseur cars. They were all about driving and they were driven hard. All over the Scottish Highlands and Borders and down to France and Italy via France. We all grew up reading Car. What else were we supposed to do?

The next step change was the arrival of a mate's GTV6. Big jump in performance. First car to max over 130. Don't try this at home.

There followed a few years in rep-mobiles until I could choose my own car and it was a 200SX. Another jump in performance and sophistication. My first proper 150mph car, trick rear suspension, big brakes. Did a couple of epic trips to Spain in that one including an ...erm.... interesting drive from the Spanish border to Le Mans not a lot of time. At all.

Meanwhile my mates had moved on Prelude V Tech's, Corrado VR6's and Fiat Coupe 5 pot Turbo's.

Then the family came along and I needed something "sensible" which kickstarted a series of V8 Mercs. Each generation more capable than the last. Numbers aren't as important as the way these cars deliver. Especially the E's and especially the current one. It sometimes feels like it's attached to the horizon by a bungee cord. And that's 4 up with a bootful of luggage and four bikes on the roof. It's heavy and not a back road scratcher but imperious on long A road and motorway sweepers. And round town it's pure business class.

Still doing the blasts down through France. Still redlining it from every peage. But travelling a more sedate cruising speed, which is fine. I just arrive even more relaxed than ever.

So that's my journey from hot hatches to RWD coupe's to V8 cruisers (GT's?). It's been a lot of fun. Plenty more to come.

 

[Darrell]

It was a great job. I often used to tell myself how lucky I was to be able to drive so many fabulous cars and get paid for the privilege. Admittedly the pay was just peanuts, but I didn’t care. I got to meet quite a few celebrities, mostly footballers, when delivering cars to them. Most of the time I had one of the cars for travelling to and from work because there was rarely enough room on site for all of them. Turning up at home in a Rolls Royce or brand new 911 got the neighbours’ curtains twitching. When I pitched up in this one day a fellow petrolhead neighbour walked over and simply said “Bastard” before walking away

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Love a 355.
My business partner momentarily thought of buying one back in about 2005 but bottled out and bought a 911 cabrio.

 

[anglaslt]

The Cougar V6 was a lovely thing. I had a test driver in a silver one having gone in to drive a Puma - I had a go on both but bought neither. I believe the Cougar is used as the basis for some kit cars these days.

The Cougar was almost certainly underrated as the Puma got the headlines, and it was launched just as the large car and coupe market was moving to over Mercedes, BMW and Audi. The Peugeot and Vauxhall coupes were great cars too.

Talk of the Cougar reminds me of another Ford coupe that was similarly underrated, the Ford Probe. I think it looked better than the Cougar that succeeded it. I had a Probe for a while about 20 years ago and I thought its looks were quite stunning. The 2.6 V6 engine was not bad either but the build quality was maybe not up to European standards.

I sold it to a couple of guys from Belarus. We met at the vehicle registration office at 9.30 in the morning and they were so drunk they kept falling over. They bought the car and I had to deliver them and the car back to their hotel .