Classic cars are not subjective, they are pure emotion. Modern cars just do not cut it for many people, sure they may be fuel efficient,have long warranties and be better for the planet in many peoples eyes, but, and it is a big but, they have no soul, no charisma and arguably may not be saving the planet. If you drive a 60’s classic, it has been around for a while, and you are probably doing more for the planet than the guy buying a new car every couple of years. Who smiles when they drive a Falcon or a BMW, an Accord or a Camry,an F150? please, do me a favor. I was suffering from severe humour bypass when I decided, that’s it, I need some fun back in my driving life. Living in the Netherlands at the time and fed up with the choice on offer by the leasing companies I cashed in the company car option and bought a 1967 Volvo Amazon 123GT in need of complete restoration. At the time it was 36 years old. The main criteria was, it must be reliable, usable every day transport, which was going to put a smile on my face when I drove it. Wim, the restorer, a lovable rogue who promised lots and delivered slowly, was my choice of restorer. I’d seen his work and it looked pretty good. His enthusiasm was infectious, his promises extravagant,his timetable lousy. The three month rebuild stretched to six, I was very fed up with my Mondeo estate by the time the big day came. Gleaming British Racing Green, new chrome, tuned engine (150 bhp) big exhaust, it looked really good. The overdrive worked, the modern bits I had asked for, like inertia reel belts and a cd player, added to the practicality. This coupled with an in insurance valuation of some euros 20K; no road tax and classic car insurance sure made me feel good ( I am Scottish after all ). I loved this car. Every time I drove it, and I drove it every day for the three years I was in the Netherlands, I had at some point a smile on my face. Whether it was from the look of surprise on the boy racer’s face as I left him for dead at the lights, or the fun of flashing my lights at the slow BMW driver in the fast lane on the motorway or the many many admiring looks I received in it, the smile was never far away. People relate to old cars, they see that they’re different, that they’re loved and that you want to put your middle finger up to boring normality. Maybe its middle age, maybe its re-living your youth, maybe its the need to be different, to stand out from the crowd, I’m really not sure.My 17 year old daughter initially called me crazy, refused to go with me in it?Then she realized the attention I received, hmmm, Dad, can you take me to school in the Amazon please? became the mantra.It put the smile back on her face too, big time! The downside? Steamed up windows in the winter, teething troubles after the rebuild, like timing belts breaking, dodgy electrics and on one memorable occasion a broken shock absorber after a particularly exciting race on a back road with an old Triumph TR4, I left him for dead by the way. The shocker was easily fixed, my ego knew no bounds. I left The Netherlands for Singapore and gave the Amazon to my son, back in the UK. His verdict? I will never buy a new car, this is just so cool. Category:Home › Home • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 2 • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 1 • Should the crew of the Sea Shepherd board whaling ships? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 13 • Grandparents: Can blogging chronicle your genealogy? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 12 • Are teachers unions the cause of public school problems today? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 11
