I know little of Kate's motoring habits before I met her. A Mini for sure. A Renault 5 by the name of Kevin (remember the "What's your's called?" advertising campaign? - she grew up next door to Kevin Carr...) a Citreon BX bought with her credit card fiend ex, and the yellow Metro she drove when I met her.
Which was stolen one night from outside my house...
From there began an automobile adventure for Kate based entirely on the funds of our little family beginnings. A succession of Renault 4's including a left hand drive 750cc import were an early favourite. Heavily beyond due pregnant she could still manoeuvre around, waggling the dash mounted gear "wand" in the thinking man's 2CV. A dreadful Opel that lasted a day. Borrowed Mini Clubman estate from my sister. A Mini of our own for £100, including 11 months car tax - fitted with a Metro engine and sold years later for £500. A £50 matt black Capri with heavy, heavy steering that the poor lass had to manoeuvre painfully around Norwich hospital during her radiotherapy. Feel bad about that. But - she was so proud to see it meet it's demise at Swaffham with a caravan attached...
The gearbox from the Capri resurrected the first of our fleet of dull, capable Sierra estates. White ones, grey ones, red ones. The last car she ever had was a Subaru Legacy estate. Lovely, comfy, high revving, barge. That I nearly stuffed into a ditch the winter after she died.
My own motoring habits? Oh dear. Lets start a list from the age of 7...
Ford 100E
Ford Anglia 105E x 2
Austin Devon pickup
Austin A50 pickup
Vespa SS180
Honda CB175 x 3
Vespa 152L2
Mini - the first...
Ford Consul
Mini pickup x 3
Mini Phoenix kit-car
Lambretta SX225
Lambretta Li150
Some more Lambrettas... (10-ish...?)
Mini Scamp kit-car
Some more Minis (20-ish... maybe many more?)
Mini Minus kit-car
Fiat 900E van
Capri(olet...)
Triumph Herald convertible
VW Type 2 Camper x 2
Saab 96 x 4
Renault 4
Cortina Mk3 estate
Fiat 850E camper
Renault 4 van
Another Capri
Peugeot 405 estates x 2
Mini Trifid three wheeler
Renault Trafic
Ford Transit Mk2
Ford Transit Mk1 transporter
Saab 99
Jincheng monkeybike
Honda ST70
Mazda B2200 pickup
Transit Mk 3 minibus
Ford 107E Prefect
Peugeot 406 estates x 3
Royal Enfield
Model T Ford x 4
Model A Ford
Bedford 4x4 bus
and.... some others, no doubt that I can't recall.
