My dad showed me how to do it so as not to damage myself - still did kick back now and again though. Still, I was young and didn't give a shit!

...as in folding back the thumb (not putting the thumb over the handle)?

Yeah, I learned that one the hard way, too!

Ping, I used to have a Ducati 900ss, and you had to kick that thing like you meant it. Didn't have any cold-start device; just a tickler on each 40mm Dellorto to prime them. But each carb did have an accelerator pump so you had to get the kick-and-twist just right and you were in business. Otherwise, it would bite you like a bugger.

I learned to drive in Melbs, on a 125cc BSA Bantam, great lil bike.

Remember going for my licence, at Exhibition Buildings basement, those days.

Did the oral, half a dozen questions, eye test, colour test, red, amber and green..

Out on to the bike and drove nervously down the street, cop on me tail, about 300 yards away, bike conked out, outta gas.

It was sooooooo demeaning.

Cop said, "Don't worry, go fill up and come back to the office."

Once done, back I went, embarrassingly entering the office, the cop handed me the pink piece of paper.

I was overjoyed, my license after such a debacle.

Noway that these days and times.

Phewwwww.

My dad showed me how to do it so as not to damage myself - still did kick back now and again though. Still, I was young and didn't give a shit!

...as in folding back the thumb (not putting the thumb over the handle)?

Correctamundo! That and not beeing too quick with the turn...

My dad showed me how to do it so as not to damage myself - still did kick back now and again though. Still, I was young and didn't give a shit!

...as in folding back the thumb (not putting the thumb over the handle)?

Yeah, I learned that one the hard way, too!

Ping, I used to have a Ducati 900ss, and you had to kick that thing like you meant it. Didn't have any cold-start device; just a tickler on each 40mm Dellorto to prime them. But each carb did have an accelerator pump so you had to get the kick-and-twist just right and you were in business. Otherwise, it would bite you like a bugger.

Wow, a 900 Ducati! In those far off days you had to know how to kick - or start it down a hill if available...

I learned to drive in Melbs, on a 125cc BSA Bantam, great lil bike.

Remember going for my licence, at Exhibition Buildings basement, those days.

Did the oral, half a dozen questions, eye test, colour test, red, amber and green..

Out on to the bike and drove nervously down the street, cop on me tail, about 300 yards away, bike conked out, outta gas.

It was sooooooo demeaning.

Cop said, "Don't worry, go fill up and come back to the office."

Once done, back I went, embarrassingly entering the office, the cop handed me the pink piece of paper.

I was overjoyed, my license after such a debacle.

Noway that these days and times.

Phewwwww.

Ah the memories. I passed my test by being a nice guy! I charmed the examiner (he was from the same town as my parents). Oooh, I'm cheap I am!

OK I'll come clean

Yes I owned one of these machines in my youth, though not the one pictured.

One didn't get a lot for one's money in those days !

.and when it went, one went cheaply..

Ken your photo of the BSA reminds me of a friend had an old single banger Indian 500. If that kicked back, I reckon it'd throw you over the handlebars...

OK I'll come clean

Yes I owned one of these machines in my youth, though not the one pictured.

One didn't get a lot for one's money in those days !

.and when it went, one went cheaply..

Really beautiful in it's simplicity.

Ken your photo of the BSA reminds me of a friend had an old single banger Indian 500. If that kicked back, I reckon it'd throw you over the handlebars...

Another visual image. Was it properly caled a 'Red Indian'? Or was that just something we made up?

Found this...

Whilst we are on this nostalgia trip, what about our first cars.

I had one like "Googled" image pasted here - I bought it 2nd hand in 1964 for about 90 pounds (Aust) one of only 3 in South Australia and was British Racing Green in colour and came equipped with twin SU Carb's.

It looked great but I blew 3 head gaskets in less than 1 year. After I'd had the head planed a couple times I discovered the block was warped !!

Like a silly barsteward I traded it in on a VW. - It is probably worth a bit today.

Anybody recognise it ?

Hi Ken.

My first car, 1961 Simca Aronde P60..... mine white.

Purchased from Continental Motors in Melbs.

We used to have races around Fishermans Bend airstrip, great fun.

Great little car, this model once held all 24 hr distance and endurance recoerds.

In 1963 I took it home to NZ with me.

Ken, a friend of mine had an Austin A90, was a fab car.

I think it is an A40.

Very swish Pete ! Have you still got it ?

I can't believe it held endurance records though, were they made in the old Czechoslavakia ?

and if you were in Oz in the early 60's do you remember these ?

made by a washing machine company !!!

As a car they ran like an old spindryer .

I'm sure they made a sports model if you can believe it

(Oh and ps - yes mine was an A40 Sports)

First car was an Anglia. After a couple of months, I put a Cortina GT engine in and then gradually transformed it into quite a mean old thing. Coo, the fun you could have with RWD, hanging the tail out around roundabouts, haring down Keysham bypass, one eye glued to the speedo, the other keeping an eye out for the plod. Footprints on the headlining, too...

Whilst we are on this nostalgia trip, what about our first cars.

I had one like "Googled" image pasted here - I bought it 2nd hand in 1964 for about 90 pounds (Aust) one of only 3 in South Australia and was British Racing Green in colour and came equipped with twin SU Carb's.

It looked great but I blew 3 head gaskets in less than 1 year. After I'd had the head planed a couple times I discovered the block was warped !!

Like a silly barsteward I traded it in on a VW. - It is probably worth a bit today.

Anybody recognise it ?

Very nice motor!

My first car was a citroen gs, though mine was light blue. Lovely car. hydropnumatic suspension, went like stink, broke down every day...

My first car was a citroen gs, though mine was light blue. Lovely car. hydropnumatic suspension, went like stink, broke down every day...

I think you were supposed to talk to it in French Tigs .....

....a friend of mine had an Austin A90, was a fab car.

I think it is an A40.

There is an Austin A40 in Pattaya I have seen being repaired, farang owner perhaps?

I can't challenge you guys for class with my first car, it was an Austin 1300 like the picture below but white and in better nick (when I bought it anyway) and the two door version. These cars didn't light up the sky but were, mine was at least, dependable old workhorses. Considering the almost total lack of maintenance mine old rustbucket got it was a great performer. Sadly the rear subframe rotted through and that was the end of the road for ACG 971J.

Lifted this of the web and if I'm not mistaken this one has Thai plates.

1967 VW Beetle, 1500. Drove it until the doors fell off...........Lovely.

My first car was a citroen gs, though mine was light blue. Lovely car. hydropnumatic suspension, went like stink, broke down every day...

I think you were supposed to talk to it in French Tigs .....

Trust me, I spoke to it in French without asking for pardon!!!

I did love that car though...

Zephy Mark 1. Pristine. Bought it for $35(!) and it had ONE DAY of registration left. Owner was buying a new car and felt there was no value in trading it. I used it for a paddock bomb (I was only a kid) until I broke one of the rear leaf springs.

My first on-road car, of course (being an Aussie), was a Holden. I used to take it into the Whipstick National Park (very large, beautiful park country) regularly, but the tracks were quite rough. It ultimately started to structurally crack up.

E: Nice snap of the Indian, Tiggs - thanks.

My alzheimers is in full throttle.

Anybody remember a second hand car dealer in Melbs, 50s - 60s.

Name was sumfin like, Manfred, Mansell, M sumfin.

It will come........... to me

I bought a Ford Pilot for 10 quid, ran it into the ground, went and bought a 39 Chev coupé, same price.....ditto.

Those 2 cars be worth a mint now..... so saaaad.

Hey are you a Bendigo boy Ping ?

You'd remember the trams then - now I wonder if I can Google that

My first car was a citroen gs, though mine was light blue. Lovely car. hydropnumatic suspension, went like stink, broke down every day...

Hey Tiggs, I had one of those for about a year! Great car; I used to love the dashboard and the "satellite" swithgear. We used to take it over to Roscoff and then down to Southern Brittany whenever we could. The great thing was that the suspension system allowed us to bring back an absolute shed full of cheap plonk without the headlamps pointing into the trees. Great car.

Oh yes boys, thanks for the memories.

I also think it's a man/woman thing, you never (seldom) hear women reminise(sp) about past cars and stuff. When my wife and I sold a car that we'd had for 5 years and 111,000 miles I was sad to see it drive away - my wife thaought I was mad! I said "that car's been good to us, over 100k, never missed a beat or let us down and now it drives away with a new owner who won't appreciate it as much as I do." My wife just said, "so what?" She was right of course!

Ken

Incredible - I mention the Whipstick and you've picked my old home town! Small world. I was raised in Bendigo but left there in the early 70s.

I remember the trams very well. Almost everyone objected when they took out the Eaglehawk - Quarry Hill one and shortened the Epsom - Golden Square one. Bar stewards! Talk about short-sightedness! Also, it doesn't help the cause by the fact that the buses stop running at 6 pm (whereas the last trams used to leave Charing Cross at 11 pm).

You wouldn't want to know it, but Bendigo City Council recently commissioned a feasibility study for having the original tram lines returned. Of course, it would be prohibitively expensive, so end of story.

So, you're not going to tell me that you're also a Bendigo boy then, Ken?

My alzheimers is in full throttle.

Anybody remember a second hand car dealer in Melbs, 50s - 60s.

Name was sumfin like, Manfred, Mansell, M sumfin.

It will come........... to me

I bought a Ford Pilot for 10 quid, ran it into the ground, went and bought a 39 Chev coupé, same price.....ditto.

Those 2 cars be worth a mint now..... so saaaad.

My alzheimers slowed down.......LOL

Emmanuels Car yard, I was trying to remember.

Advertised cars so cheap, no need to look after them.

Just buy another.

Cheap cars. It reminds me of a mob that was (may still be) here in Melbourne called Arthur Daley's (as opposed to Daly of Minder) that sold cheap used cars with all sorts of claims about quality. (Just found another one in the Northern Terriotory, as well.) It's a nice touch, but would you invest a bucket of money in a business trading on the novelty of (taking the p1ss out of) a television series about a shoddy car/goods dealer? Why take the risk?

Then again, there are (Google) pages of Faulty Towers and even a handful of Fawlty Towers. Ah well... baaahh.

For the Bedlam Old Motors Appreciation Association see this coincidental thread.

:- http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=184455

That's a good linkLK, I think I'll go post there!