This freezing cold weather reminds me of years ago when I had a very old Triumph Herlad 1250. I completely re-built the engine/gearbox and suspension but never got around to sorting out the bodywork. The window seals had gone and the heater was working but useless. In the winter I had to spray de-icer inside as well as outside, put on 2 coats, gloves, balaclava with a bobble hat on top as well and a rug around my legs. Went really well but freezing cold so had to stop 2 miles up the road from home to spray more de-icer on the inside and outside of the windsreen Would get to work feeling 8issed as I'd been breathing in de-icer for 20 miles! Didn't miss it too much when I got rid of it!

Years before that I had a Hilman Avenger (you'll need to be old to remember these) which was rusting out everywhere and had a knackered engine, torn seats, the lot, but it only cost me £80. Was driving out of Glasgow on the Kingston Bridge and the front bumper fell off (they were big heavy steel chrome jobbies on those days) I heard the crashing sound but didn't know it was the bumper and drove straight over it. Problem was made worse as when I went over it it punctured a front tyre and ripped off my entire exhust system and the guy behind me drove over the lot
Admitted afterwards to the Polis that "no, it wasn't so damn funny" and got a 60 quid fine, got towed off the bridge and they left me and the car in Kingston (not a great area down by the Clyde). Went back for the car the following day and someone had obviously had a great evening jumping all over the bonnet and roof. Sold the car to a scrappie for £10 and vowed never to go into car sales for a living. Fortunately I kept to my promise.

Getting older isn't that bad after all - I'd go beserk if I saw that happening today but when you're young and daft .......................................................

Hmmm .... passed my car test in Dec '82, first solo drive was in the family spare car - a £50 Escort Mk1 (1100?), chassis contained more welding rods than factory steel, electrics had a mind of their own, engine was fine, pity about the brakes ......

Then came the Fiat 124 Special T - a hend-me-down from my (then prospective) father-in-law. Brilliant 1600 DOHC engine with enough poke to embarrass XR3i Johnnies who thought it was a Lada. Shame the engine leaked more oil than the Torrey Canyon (meant it never needed an oil change I s'pose), the lights (held in by brown packing tape) struggled to illuminate the glass and with the engine's performance it was an even bigger pity about the brakes .....

Last of the truly bad cars was the Austin Allergy estate:



Nothing went too badly wrong with it - OK, so the fuel guage sender leaked (araldite to the rescue), and the driver's wing had a hole you could put your arm in up to the shoulder (gaffa tape and white gloss), then the Hydrastatic suspension blew all it's pipes, and the heater never worked worth a damn - BUT, it was an estate and with the back seats down you could get an awful lot of back seat 'manouverability' up a quiet forest track in the middle of nowhere .....

hi had a 124 special t as well engine was sweet as a nut but seemedto spend more time stopping to pick upthe bits that dropped off than driving it....but worse car vandy definately my R reg morris marina estate 1300cc wallowed in corners needed a new suspension arm every mot never did find the leak that would let 3" of water into the passenger foot well so i drilled a hole to let it back out final straw came when a tooth broke on steering box when on my way up the A1 every time i turned it to the right it took the strength of samson to get it straight again, took it straight in and part exed an a brand new skoda 120L speaks volumes that it made the skoda seem like pure reliable luxury

Nice All-agro kirriepete.
I almost bought a saloon version once - they had square steering wheels that you used to get your thighs stuck under, although it sounds as if in your case it wasn't the steering wheel that was getting stuck .........yea, well anyway

I remember them......... and I had a Morris Ital. not the worst car I've had though......

Another Austin Allegro I'm afraid, though not one as nice as that estate. 1.3 in Cinnabar red OGN813P. Managed to sell it on. Most unreliable ? Escort Mk3 1.3GL. Most rusty? also the most loved a Ford Corsair 1963 1500 deluxe in Aqua blue. CHM442C.

My goodness.... Morris, Austin, BMC, Wolsley, Triumph, Armstrong Siddely, Hillman, Vauxhall, brings on memories. And not the best... It was in those days, the Unions were the boss in the factories and the workers "did not give a damnn" building good cars... It was in those days that mrs Thatcher said: No more strikes or I will close down all the factories and sell 'm to Japan. And they dit. (Remember that a Brittish worker build 3 cars a week, and a Jap 7...! Wow..)
But to be honest, the most beautifull cars come from England. E-type, Astons DB series, Healey's. Watering my mouth!
But my worst car was a Fiat 128 (1970). Man... what a super, ultimate super bad car that was. I bought it for 3000 guilders (1300 €) and the car was showing it. A dent here and there. I was 19... knew all about cars (Of course... not) Engine run after 3 minutes starting, but it ran. Ahhh. blinded by the thought: my first car, yeah!! I bought it from te son of a Marquis (so I noticed later)
Very proud I showed it to almost everybody. An it drove well... didn't look too hard to the blue clouds behind the car though....
It was in those days, I stood before a traffic light. Just before I heard a ticking noise at the front.
Well, putting the pedal to the metal, but nothing happened. Yeah, the engine ran, I let the clutch go, but no moving at all. Just a sound of a machine-gun. Killed the engine, took a look and what happened? The drive axel was loose from the wheel and smashing around in the motor space. Hit some things here and there (Mostly here...) and broke the dynamo, wires and some more parts. End of story. But the story did not end there; only the car did. Me, not a fool, went back withe the car with a friend, putting it in a tow and drove to his majesties castle. Big house, big cars (Jag) at the front. Rung the bell and there he was: the seller. Told him the story. No money back. Father (The Marquis) came along. Are you mad, you do not become your money back. It is a very good and reliable car... I looked to my friend, to him and to the Jag. Told the man I knew that FIAT jacks are very handy to rebuild Jags. To make a long story short, he catched my drift and payed my back. All of it...
After that disaster I promised myself one thing: From this moment on,
A. I will only buy new cars.
B. Never trust Marquis' sons
C. Check a car before you buy
And I did. Drove moped for three years after and buyed my first new car in (as I remember) in 1972. A Datsun Cherry, Lemon yellow. Had lots, lots of fun with this car. Was well build and all you needed was on it. Rest of my cars you can see in my gallery.
Never had a sh*tty car after that (ehhh, the Focus was not the most reliable car to be honest... Ooops, that was a confession)

wifes recent car

a 56 plate vw passatt (new style)

driving it home from garage wife hit a deer-2 weeks in bodyshop
electric handbrake started playing up-repaired under warranty
airbag fault on front passanger seat-repaired under warranty
6 mnths later someone rear ended her- 2 weeks in bodyshop

you would think by now.
a,not a lot left to go wrong with it or
b, get rid it is a pup.
we thought a.

5 months ago it brokedown on side of road. aa towed her back to local garage who diagnosed ECU fault and £2500 to fix it . got another local garage to pick it up and do their magic. ECU out and sent off to repair. parts took forever to arrive when they finally did it started to work £1200 2 year warranty on ECU. 1 day later an injector fault. VW recommend replacing all 4 at wait for it £600 each. went to local magician he said replace 1 which he did

kept car for a couple of weeks then put it in as part ex on a cheap run around for wife to see her through winter. car dealer rang up 3 weeks later to say car faulty and we part exed a car that didn't work and could we help them because local VW garage couldn't find out what was wrong with it.

local magician said injector timings they said no. i said i can't help anymore they are not happy.

beat that

Without doubt an Austin All agro. What a load of c--p. Followed closely by a Mark 3 Cortina

Tommo

Ford Orion. Nuff Sed!!!

Never another Ford.