THE OLD CAR

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Jeff Thorpe
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 3:54 pm

THE OLD CAR

Post by Jeff Thorpe » Fri Apr 08, 2016 4:09 pm

THE OLD CAR

It was a special moment, like I’d wished upon a star,
after years of Shank’s Pony I was owner of a car,
emptied out the bank book was precisely what I did,
now I had a set of wheels, but down five fifty quid.

A fifty-seven Holden was this cherished acquisition
that really looked the goods by any definition,
two tone green and white with chrome wheel trims and spats
Cinderella at the ball, no parlour maid in flats.

The girlfriend learned to drive in this car, years lost off my life
however, no hard feelings, she went on to be my wife,
bench seat good for snogging, prime canoodling catwalk,
not only did the engine demonstrate some torque.

My first speeding ticket was earned in the Holden
‘tween Bundaberg and Gin Gin, the place that cops patrolled in
sixty-seven miles per hour, I was left aghast,
didn’t have an inkling the old girl could go that fast.

Alas, the Holden’s gloss didn’t last for very long,
a knocking in the motor was the start of its swansong,
plus, jumping out of gear at speed was surely not endearing,
repair bills saw the pay packet swiftly disappearing.

So, in 1967, again I took the plunge and bought a new Cortina,
near two thousand dollars to be taken to the cleaner,
this car would be an accurate description of a lemon,
the motoring industry’s account of Armageddon.

A holiday to Coffs Harbour, a trip I’ll not forget,
saw the white flag hoisted, much to my regret,
Cortina’s engine packed it in, needing to be traded
with one from a wreckers, bank once again was raided.

The camel’s back was broken, no more Holden or Ford
many other makes of cars came on the drawing board
I’ve since owned Renault, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Subaru,
compared to Ford and Holden, these are cordon bleu.

But, I’ve digressed, this tale’s about the Holden, my first car,
admittedly, it took me further than a Malvern Star
and truth be told it holds a special place in my heart,
like a first kiss, the remembrance stands apart.

Jeff Thorpe © 02 April 2016.

r.magnay
Posts: 1402
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:41 pm
Location: Port Lincoln SA

Re: THE OLD CAR

Post by r.magnay » Sat Apr 09, 2016 8:52 am

G'day Jeff,
My second car was an FC Holden. ...great car it was too. Like you I have tried a few...still a bit of a Holden man though.
Good read mate.
Ross

Jeff Thorpe
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 3:54 pm

Re: THE OLD CAR

Post by Jeff Thorpe » Sat Apr 09, 2016 8:21 pm

Thanks Ross.
I'm now on my second Subaru after having had a Mazda 323 for sixteen years. Still, as I mentioned in the poem, the old FC Holden is something special as my first set of wheels.

Cheers, Jeff

r.magnay
Posts: 1402
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:41 pm
Location: Port Lincoln SA

Re: THE OLD CAR

Post by r.magnay » Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:38 am

When my next brother and I were still at school, we used to work on the farm weekends and school holidays, Dads boss used to make quite a few things happen when we were available to help, like mulesing, marking and tailing lambs, often we worked in the shearing shed as rousys or mustered sheep, then we picked stumps, drove tractors and did all sorts of work for no pay. We didn't mind though and we often did a mans days work even though we were only kids. Dads boss had a cow paddock that hadn't been cropped for ten years or so and being a pasture for cows all that time made it very fertile, it was only thirteen acres but he said if we cleaned up the sticks and stuff off it we could crop it. We did that and it was a good year that year so we made a lot of money off of it, Dad was clearing up a scrub block of his own at the time and needed a Landrover to help make the job a bit easier, my brother and I used to do a lot of shooting so he suggested we buy a Landrover for him to use and for us to use for shooting, trapping and ferreting. We did, so that was my first car really, we then got the FC.....a lot better for pulling chicks than an old short wheelbase landy!
Ross

Terry
Posts: 3287
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:53 pm

Re: THE OLD CAR

Post by Terry » Sun Apr 10, 2016 8:37 pm

That brings back memories Jeff – Thanks mate.

Like you and Ross I’ve had a few myself, including like Ross, a short wheelbase Land Rover while opal mining at Coober Pedy; Also had numerous old bombs of various pedigrees.
My first new car was an X2 Holden premier bought in a moment of misguided extravagance after finding a decent pocket of opal, I used to leave it in Adelaide as a town car.

But for many years now it’s been Toyota Landcruisers both PC’c and station wagons mainly because they were the best vehicles available to handle the hard country when prospecting.
Not new ones of course and I still have an old one now.

Cheers Mate

Terry

Jeff Thorpe
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 3:54 pm

Re: THE OLD CAR

Post by Jeff Thorpe » Sun Apr 10, 2016 9:05 pm

G'day Terry

I'm surprised at the interest that's been shown over this poem. I emailed it to some 40 friends and have had numerous replies, similar to you and Ross, describing the many cars they've owned over the years. Not needing to cover the rough territory you and Ross have driven over, I'm sticking to my Subaru Impreza for the moment.

Thanks for your comment.

Regards, Jeff

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