VanhireBoys
Member
Yesterday I met up with Donegal Vintage and Classic Car Club in Wesport..
I came up with all good intentions of going for a nice run of County Mayo/Galway in my beloved 944. My mothers first cousin is 73 and has a 1959 Vauxhall Victor... He was along with his 69 year old sister plus Rover the dog.... Don wasnt feeling up to the drive so I was comandeered as a driver...
The car has no belts, a bench seat, unassisted drum brakes and a 3 speed gearbox with column change.. All foreign to me ! Find the choke.. Pull the choke.. Wheres the key..? Wheres the wipers ...? Wheres the lights ...? You get in, sit down and drive.. Nothing to adjust - no toys to play with......!
Off we set .. out into Wesport traffic... Brakes are unassisted drums all round... You have to stand on them by levering against the steering wheel !
You really have to hang on to keep youself from falling into the passenger side.... ! You have to time your gearchange correctly and think all the time... oh yes and find the gear you want.... I had a few junctions where I was looking for first and found third... Blind panic sets in.....Going down hill and you have to take it nice and steady, use the gears and feed her into the corners.. Situations you would see as normal all of a sudden become a real challenge...[
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This is how much gets cleared by the one speed wipers
Outside Ashford Castle with the Victor..! This will be one if teh Ireland Tour stops []
I must say I have to take my hat off to drivers of the past... I have experienced all sorts of various cars but this one was definately a challenge...
I drove about 75 miles in total and I was shattered at the end. Fun ? definately.. Tiring .. definately... 40mph in the 944 is only tipping along.. 40mph in the Vitor and you have to be on your game _ you start to get mini panic attacks.. Everthing starts to slow down and you really have to stand on the anchors !
I was glad to get back in the 944 again
I came up with all good intentions of going for a nice run of County Mayo/Galway in my beloved 944. My mothers first cousin is 73 and has a 1959 Vauxhall Victor... He was along with his 69 year old sister plus Rover the dog.... Don wasnt feeling up to the drive so I was comandeered as a driver...
The car has no belts, a bench seat, unassisted drum brakes and a 3 speed gearbox with column change.. All foreign to me ! Find the choke.. Pull the choke.. Wheres the key..? Wheres the wipers ...? Wheres the lights ...? You get in, sit down and drive.. Nothing to adjust - no toys to play with......!
Off we set .. out into Wesport traffic... Brakes are unassisted drums all round... You have to stand on them by levering against the steering wheel !
You really have to hang on to keep youself from falling into the passenger side.... ! You have to time your gearchange correctly and think all the time... oh yes and find the gear you want.... I had a few junctions where I was looking for first and found third... Blind panic sets in.....Going down hill and you have to take it nice and steady, use the gears and feed her into the corners.. Situations you would see as normal all of a sudden become a real challenge...[
]This is how much gets cleared by the one speed wipers
Outside Ashford Castle with the Victor..! This will be one if teh Ireland Tour stops [
]
I must say I have to take my hat off to drivers of the past... I have experienced all sorts of various cars but this one was definately a challenge...
I drove about 75 miles in total and I was shattered at the end. Fun ? definately.. Tiring .. definately... 40mph in the 944 is only tipping along.. 40mph in the Vitor and you have to be on your game _ you start to get mini panic attacks.. Everthing starts to slow down and you really have to stand on the anchors !
I was glad to get back in the 944 again
