One For Classic Car Fans.....

[Ian H]

And another one.

 

[presta]

 

[Drago]

The Maxi was derided at the time, but history has been a little kinder to it.

Its drove well enough, did a cracking job on the practicality front with the hatch and interior packaging.

The early HL with 90 odd BHP, subtle trim tweaks, different springs, posh wheels and red badges pre dated the Golf GTi as a hot hatch by over half a decade.

Sure, early models in particular had reliability issues, but little that came outmof a British factory back then was liable to be in any way reliable.

The only downmer was the looks. Why did it have to be so dowdy? Even the last minute facelift to graft a cortina mk2 style front on the car (by Roy Axe, who'd been poached from Ford) wasn't enough to liven up the appearance.

Id happily have one as a weekend show toy.

 

[figbat]

Lens says Laurin & Klement Voiturette A from 1905-07

Now relegated to a Škoda sub-brand.

 

[DRM]

Spent a very pleasant afternoon at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon today. Last time I visited was about 10 years ago when it was one building and mainly cars from the BMC group. It’s really changed for the better, the new Jaguar building is really good and the upstairs holds the overflow from their collection which I actually found the most interesting. It was nice to see so many mundane cars which are now completely absent on today’s roads. Also nice to see some fast Vauxhalls, plus a 3.3 Litre Viscount which must now be super-rare.

Here are some random photos of stuff I quite liked.

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I believe that's a Brabham Viva parked next to the Firenza

 

[Gunk]

I believe that's a Brabham Viva parked next to the Firenza

It was just a humble GT

 

[biggs682]

Spotted this morning

I can't see what the fuss was about these MK1 Golfs back in the day and still can't. But I know they have a good following.

 

[Drago]

Indeed. They rusted like everything else, they drove tidily but weren't dynamically remarkable, and the packaging was far from being unique by then. I've no issue with them, but dont see why people get moist over what was, aside from the GTi, a fairly humdrum machine in its day.

 

[Gunk]

Indeed. They rusted like everything else, they drove tidily but weren't dynamically remarkable, and the packaging was far from being unique by then. I've no issue with them, but dont see why people get moist over what was, aside from the GTi, a fairly humdrum machine in its day.

I have loved Golf’s since I owned my first 1975 Mk 1 Golf N back in 1983, since then we’ve owned 16 of them, mainly fast versions, but you’re right they’re nothing remarkable, not unique, not the fastest and not the best handling, but they just do everything very well.

There have been three cars that have featured constantly through my life, 911’s, BMW 3 series tourings and Golf’s.

 

[Reynard]

I have loved Golf’s since I owned my first 1975 Mk 1 Golf N back in 1983, since then we’ve owned 16 of them, mainly fast versions, but you’re right they’re nothing remarkable, not unique, not the fastest and not the best handling, but they just do everything very well.

They're a bit of a Ronseal car - does exactly what it says on the tin.

I think when you stack them up against your typical 70s UK-made small family car, then yeah, they might have been a little bit better. But the Japanese were equally good at "Ronseal Cars".

 

[Drago]

I have loved Golf’s since I owned my first 1975 Mk 1 Golf N back in 1983, since then we’ve owned 16 of them, mainly fast versions, but you’re right they’re nothing remarkable, not unique, not the fastest and not the best handling, but they just do everything very well.

There have been three cars that have featured constantly through my life, 911’s, BMW 3 series tourings and Golf’s.

Ive only owned one Golf, a new MkVI GiT, and it rewarded me by catching fire. It went up so quickly, smoke and flames licking out the dashboard within seconds, that I had to ram on the brakes and roll out the drivers door like Lewis Collins about to double tap some terrorists.

Since then I've always been a bit cool on Golfs, and that night the people of MK weren't terribly keen either (it was at the roundabout outside Tesco and the incident brought Wolverton, and hence that side of MK, to a halt...

VW were a bit difficult about replacing it, necessitating solicitors letters and legal threats to get them to do what they should have done. They were refusing to pay until the local dealer determined what the fault was, and the local dealer couldn't do that besause the car was totally immolated and all the evidence had been destroyed in the inferno, leaving me in the middle.

My experience of the importer was so bad I seriously considered not getting a Transporter, but the only real alternative was the Tran*hit so it was with great trepidation I bought a T6.1.

 

[Jameshow]

Indeed. They rusted like everything else, they drove tidily but weren't dynamically remarkable, and the packaging was far from being unique by then. I've no issue with them, but dont see why people get moist over what was, aside from the GTi, a fairly humdrum machine in its day.

Ive only owned one Golf, a new MkVI GiT, and it rewarded me by catching fire. It went up so quickly, smoke and flames licking out the dashboard within seconds, that I had to ram on the brakes and roll out the drivers door like Lewis Collins about to double tap some terrorists.

Since then I've always been a bit cool on Golfs, and that night the people of MK weren't terribly keen either (it was at the roundabout outside Tesco and the incident brought Wolverton, and hence that side of MK, to a halt...

VW were a bit difficult about replacing it, necessitating solicitors letters and legal threats to get them to do what they should have done. They were refusing to pay until the local dealer determined what the fault was, and the local dealer couldn't do that besause the car was totally immolated and all the evidence had been destroyed in the inferno, leaving me in the middle.

My experience of the importer was so bad I seriously considered not getting a Transporter, but the only real alternative was the Tran*hit so it was with great trepidation I bought a T6.1.

T6.1 were good T7 is a transit!! 😥🤣

 

[mistyoptic]

Seen today at Cotswold Sculpture Park

 

[biggs682]

I have loved Golf’s since I owned my first 1975 Mk 1 Golf N back in 1983, since then we’ve owned 16 of them, mainly fast versions, but you’re right they’re nothing remarkable, not unique, not the fastest and not the best handling, but they just do everything very well.

There have been three cars that have featured constantly through my life, 911’s, BMW 3 series tourings and Golf’s.

Only ever had one Gold it was an SDI model and a company car that was mine from new and it was one of three on the fleet that replaced Fiat Bravo's , the Golf's were diabolical from day 1 alway's a different fault that eventually would appear on each one at around the same mileage and ranged from faulty speedo's ie loosing illumination along with the trip meter zeroing itself but then would come back to life as quick as it died , engines cutting out as going along then once you coasted to a halt would restart which proved to be faulty fuel control boxes/relays but took numerous trips to various dealers to fix as it often occured away from our local dealership area as we covered from Birmingham across to Great Yarmouth and the welsh borders and we were doing 3k+ miles a month on average , various bits of internal trim fell off , they all ate tyres like sweets and i could go on , Eventually they were replaced by Hyundai's and boy did we notice a difference.

I am just glad i didn't pay for it with my own hard earnt cash

 

[raleighnut]

They're a bit of a Ronseal car - does exactly what it says on the tin.

I think when you stack them up against your typical 70s UK-made small family car, then yeah, they might have been a little bit better. But the Japanese were equally good at "Ronseal Cars".

The 205 was a far better car, my ex had the five door GR with the 1360cc engine and that was a spritely thing.