LIVING WITH A CAR ENTHUSIAST

I first met Michael in 1961 he was driving a 1948 Chev and I thought "What a hoon".

I didn’t know then but he also was part owner of a 1928 Model A Ford.

I should have guessed his love of cars when he would write to me (I lived at Temora and he at Cootamundra). saying "How are you the cars going fine".

We married in 1966 and we collected a few Model A parts. Then he was told the car he partly owned had been sold without his knowledge. In 1970 The International Car Rally came though Cootamundra and Michaels love of vintage cars was really ignited. With plans from USA of a Model A 'Woody Station Wagon" and our neighbours brother telling us about one near Moss Vale. Our son Patrick was born in 1970 and we acquired the wooden section not long after.

From then on it was tripping here and there after Model A Parts. At one stage we had about four A Model bodies in the back yard. Not good with little children. So one day I got to one with screw driver and rachet and pulled it apart. After that the other bodies were pulled apart and put in the shed.

One Model A Ute we acquired from Temora was used to feed pigs out of the back. That back just had to go, so Michael was hitting it with a crow bar and discovered detonators . These were soon passed on to the appropriate authorities as they were in very bad condition.

Patrick decided to help his Father and with a panel beating hammer, flattened every flute on a A Model radiator.

Our daughter Sharon arrived in 1972. We acquired a 1938 Dodge the day before she was born. When I was to go to the hospital Michael said "I’ll take you in the Dodge" "Not likely " I said.

We also had a Model A Ford Coupe which it was getting hard to put the kids in.

1974 Amanda arrived. I learnt to drive on the coupe. Michael put the hand throttle on and I didn’t know how to get it off, hit a big bump, kids hit their heads, NEVER DRIVING WITH MUM AGAIN. The coupe was now too small.

We now purchased a Fordor Sedan and the family went to everything.

We were now really into vintaging and so were the kids. At " Lauriana" Muttama it was out with all the Ford signs to put on all the Chev’s.

The Woody now came on the road and we also bought the A Model racer.

The kids fitted into the racer for a while, but soon grew up.

In 1990 we purchased the Fire Engine after a trip to America. Michael said he would bring me back a red convertible. He bought back the Fire Engine. and took my last $10.00 US as deposit. His comment. "Well it is red and is sorta convertible." Not what I had in mind.

In about 1993 The Today Show came through Cootamundra. Michael appeared on it with our Woody. Steve Leberman asked his "What car do you think you would like to buy in the future" Michael replied a "Leyland P76". He was not home five minutes and I had a call from the television station with people wanting to sell him P76’s. I think we had about eighteen calls.

Seven and a half years ago we purchased our first P76 from Sydney Oh Fudge,with the number plate P76, on April Fools Day and that says it all.

Our daughter Amanda (For Father’s Day) had Michael a hat embroidered "Don’t laugh my other car is a P76" Surprising how many leads have come from wearing the hat. We now have seven of P76's.

We also have a FJ Holden panel van which my parents bought new and that has been restored in our fleet NOT FOR SALE and a 1915 Model T Ford a good friend and fellow member Terry Cook has in Sydney on loan .

Also an X19 Fiat which was part of a swap for a 1966 Thunderbird we owned. For Sale

I have just taught Michael to surf the net, and buy on ebay. In twelve months he has bought sixty four items.

I think this might be worse then chasing cars.

He bought every book with P76’s the first week, well at least the one’s he did not already have.

Now he is buying Ford Cuff Links and all the P76 memorabilia he can get.

In Tasmania on our Club tour with the Wagga Club two years ago ,( we drove our A Model Ford Woody) In Hobart we went into a book shop to try and find (P76 story) "A Boot Full of Right Arms". They did not have it but gave us a number to ring. We arranged to meet the gentleman at a shopping centre and took a taxi to meet him. We came away with a shopping trolley full of books relating to P76’s and had to buy the shopping trolley to carry them. It was fun on the bus to get them back to our Motel and then try and fit them in the Woody with limited room.

Michael is President of our Car Club and Rally Director of our Wattle Time Rally.

Since I started writing this story we have purchased a Green Targa Florio and an original Bold as Brass 6cylinder Super four on the floor.

The green targa and Super 6ylinder came from Lismore. We went up to buy one and came home with three.

We had to sell the blue targa as the bank balance would not let us have them all.

The Green targa was bought with a new paint job and rolling chassis. All new old stock that we have been able to find has been put into it.

It is just about to go on the road. It has taken twelve months but it has been well worth all the time and money to make it as original as possible.

The Bold as brass is all original and also came from Lismore. All that is needed is a polish when it is ready to go onto club plates.

Oh Fudge is still our long distance car for vintage car rallies, and Michael just loves to get in it and give it a blast.

I always thought it didn’t like me as it would always stall when driving it, a good tune up and the plugs set properly. Now it goes really well for me.

I keep on tormenting Michael that the Green Targa will be my shopping car. Imagine it in a Woollies car park? Not !!!!!!!.likely I am told.

We have four grandchildren, three grandsons and a grandaughter. The eldist grandson (who is nearlly five) says "Da's fast car is the P6"

So all wives just think of what I have to put up with and don’t go crook if your husband has only one or two cars.( We have ten plus) you could have a car enthusiast like I have.