First "hot rod"

[the coppersmith]

Just came across this, we think it was in 69 and we were going to Wales to compete in a surf contest. Noticed we tuned it up with stickers and then went further by removing the hub caps  Really good days. Think the van bit the dust way back when, the surfboards were Bilbo customs. They were worth more then the van........just.

[morrag]

Yeah, but what would the number plate be worth?..................

[Manky Monkey]

Always thought they were great looking little vans. Loved the recessed panels on the rear quarters.

[the coppersmith]

I never noticed them 

[Tony oily bike]

Wallace & Gromit like ‘em too, Top Bun!

[Manky Monkey]

 

[BikerGran]

Had one of those, way back when - how many of us HAVN'T had one at some time, I wonder?

[Manky Monkey]

Never had an Austin, but had a Moggy Minor van.

[JayJay]

My Grandad had a green Mini Van. What I mainly remember about it was the smell of the cigars he smoked. They say smells can create strong memories.

I wasn't sure of all the details so I asked my older Brother. He said in 1964 my Grandad swapped it for a blue Mini Countryman. I wondered if I had only remembered the van and not a later bigger car because I couldn't understand how all the kit and caboodle of our camping trips (my Grandmother would cook full English breakfasts for us plus all the other meals except for perhaps one visit to the chip shop) and Grandparents and ourselves were transported from Smethwick to Modbury in Devon in a Mini! It turns out my Grandad had a tow-bar fitted and he made a little trailer from angle iron that was small enough to go down the alleyway in the middle of the terrace. All the camping gear went in the trailer and we sat in the back of the Countryman with all the sleeping bags and bedding packed around us. Definitely no seat belts. If he and I wanted to get out the car they had to remove all the bedding to let us out.

My Brother added that my Grandad never took a driving test as they gave him a licence in the RAF. He also reminded me that my Grandad used to put a duster in front of the speedometer so that our Grandmother couldn’t see how fast he was going! I can still hear her saying "Len, slow down, you're going too fast!" He was probably only doing 40 mph. 

[paulywombats]

Your grandparents had great foresight using bedding and sleeping bags as an early version of air bags.

[JayJay]

 

My Brother knows a lot more family history than me and after I posted about the van I asked him if our Grandad flew planes in the RAF or was more engineering (he was very clever when it came to building things so I suspected the latter). It turns out he was an engineer working on the hydraulic landing gear, which was brand new technology. To ensure quality control, the pilots insisted that the engineers went up with them to test the landing gear. My Grandad was awarded a medal and was mentioned in dispatches for his work on the planes that took part in the Dam Buster raid.

We can love out grandparents to bits, but often only see them in relation to ourselves. I expect most of us know only snippets of their history.

[stinkey]

Oh how I envy people who knew their grandfather ..heck I didn't even know my father ? but I can remember my first hotrod

[JayJay]

Oh how I envy people who knew their grandfather ..heck I didn't even know my father ? but I can remember my first hotrod

Yes, I was very fortunate in that I had four grandparents and a greatgrandmother until I was in my teens then four grandparents until I was in my twenties. It's weird but every loss of a grandparent coincided with the birth of a great/grandchild right up to 17 years ago when my Grandson was born and then my Dad died. Both my Grandsons have little to do with their Dads (they are different) but I made sure in the case of my eldest, that he knows where his Dad is if he wants to meet him.

You are right Stinkey, this started as a thread on hot rods so I'm glad you at least had one of those. 

[spanners]

Well I remember my grand parents well as one set lived with us ,, well next door,, and the other set were around six miles away ,,
And without counting my reliant,,,,lol,,,,  my first hotrod was a souped up mk1 escort reg, number MMA 737H  which I actually won trophies with at leek automania  show  many moons ago

[Iceman]

Never had an Austin, but had a Moggy Minor van.

So did I, 2ltr Twin Cam, Sierra discs, Marina van torsion bars - all the usual stuff of that time. Sold it to a fella in Reading who owned a building restoration company. I wonder if its still around? Wish I still had it!