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1905 -1970

7 (29.2%)

1970-1980

4 (16.7%)

1980-1990

7 (29.2%)

1990-2000

5 (20.8%)

2000 and onwards

1 (4.2%)

Total Members Voted: 23

[Varche]

We were talking about this in the boozer last night. We concluded that it was (for us as we are all a similar age) the 70's.

Powerful cars(but not a patch on todays cars for speed, handling, gadgets), cheap fuel, nothing on the roads and not much in the way of speed cameras and regulation. I could do Leicester to Scarborough in 2 hours 20 as opposed to 3.30 yesterday. Everywhere is limited speed wise and lorries doing 56 overtaking lorries that are doing 50.

When was /is your golden age of motoring.?

[Diamond Black Geezer]

The common one is considered the 30s, though I've always thought that's a bit rose-tinted, perhaps, as the Bentleys, Bugattis, Delages, Talbot-Lagos, Lagondas and Rollers isn't really the fair cross-section of the working man's motoring life, which was a motorbike and sidecar, if that. Golden age for those that could afford it, perhaps, but that applies then, to anything. 'Golden age of Britain'-the early Victorian era - not if you're a slave or a chimneysweep. 'Golden age of France' - pre-revolutionary/republic France - not if you're someone starving to death and cholera-ridden while Versailles are vomiting with the vast amounts of food they're gorging themselves on etc etc...

I like your thoughs, with the 70s. Personally I like the 50s as an era, as a whole. Not only were the car designs fresh, but new, bold, American-influenced designs (as they were in the 70s of course) but The RAF was like a brand new Force with Jets, we had the finest car industry, aero industry, brand new nuclear powerplants, off the ration, fresh new art, colours, architectural styles, the NHS was fresh, exciting, and new, the brown of WW2 was being painted over with what must have felt like the future to every home.

Imagine seeing a PA Cresta, a Vulcan bomber, a High-rise block of flats, TV, technicolor Films for the first time... and then going to the doctors, and being treat using brand new equipment, for free, when the likelihood was your grandparents died because they couldnt afford the medicine. Must have felt incredible.

[05omegav6]

It's clearly an weighted question to which the only answer is the year you passed your test/got your first car...
Halcyon days ne'er to be repeated

[Kevin Wood]

Imagine seeing a PA Cresta, a Vulcan bomber, a High-rise block of flats, TV, technicolor Films for the first time... and then going to the doctors, and being treat using brand new equipment, for free, when the likelihood was your grandparents died because they couldnt afford the medicine. Must have felt incredible.

Yes, and when we needed a new jet aircraft/nuclear power station/noteveninventedyet we just got on a built it, instead of trying to bribe Chinese / Indians / French companies to come and do it for us.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Harris is of course correct. It will be influenced by when you started driving. Young, carefree, the freedom of getting in your car to go where you want when you want etc.
So for me it was the 70,s. There are the added factors mentioned by Varche - petrol at 70p per gallon, very light traffic by todays standards, lack of speed cameras etc. Cars weren't as quick as they are now, but plenty quick enough to have fun in. It wasnt difficult to have a car weighing less than a ton, with over 100bhp and rear wheel drive and skinny plastic tyres. That's where all us old geezers learnt to drive cars sideways and steer them on the throttle.
A modern 170bhp 1400kg hatchback with all kinds of "safety" systems just isn't the same, even if you could use its performance without being detected by big brother.

[Viral_Jim]

1950' - 60's for me, just so many cars from that time that I love and designs I think today's modern cars just cant come close to.

- Mk2 Jag
- E-type
- 250 GTO
- Original fiat 500
- Original Mini
- AC Cobra & Daytona

This is despite passing my test in 2001 I hasten to add  .

[EMD]

80's for me  Cheap petrol and 2 stroke 250/350's 

[TheBoy]

I'm thinking back seat activity, rather than anything to do with motoring. Hence the 80s.

[biggriffin]

Every era, had a special meaning,  1960's would be the mini, 1970's dtv cars, works escorts, then came the 80's grbB  wtc, these extended into the 90's again wrc, and wtc then gtc cars, and some mad road cars lotus Carlton for a start. That's just cars.
 most of us as previously have said we will pick the era when we were about 18-25, single pocket full of cash etc.

[STEMO]

1960's and 70's, possibly 80's. When the average lad could have a good go at 'fixing' cars. Just an engine, with plugs and points, and various bits that bolted on. You could even fiddle with the carburettor jets and it still ran, if somewhat rough.

[BazaJT]

Mid fifties to mid sixties because of riding round with my dad in the family Super Snipe-new one every couple of years to '67 when they stopped making them.

[05omegav6]

1960's and 70's, possibly 80's. When the average lad could have a good go at 'fixing' cars. Just an engine, with plugs and points, and various bits that bolted on. You could even fiddle with the carburettor jets and it still ran, if somewhat rough.

Never had a Solex fuelled V6 Ford with autochoke then...

Quickest way to sort it out was to pull another one from a running car

[Nick W]

1960's and 70's, possibly 80's. When the average lad could have a good go at 'fixing' cars. Just an engine, with plugs and points, and various bits that bolted on. You could even fiddle with the carburettor jets and it still ran, if somewhat rough.

Never had a Solex fuelled V6 Ford with autochoke then...

Quickest way to sort it out was to pull another one from a running car

Or a 1.6 Pinto inflicted with a VV carb. Which you removed complete with the manifold and replaced with 32/36DGAV off a 2.0l.


My vote is very late 80s, as we spent many of our evenings racing around Maidstone's oneway system. Going down the bridge after the pub was the end of a good evening.

[Rods2]

To me the 1990's as cars were getting much more reliable with higher power-to-weight rations, much better engineering tolerances, so they lasted longer and the scourge of the anti-motorist taliban was in its infancy until 1997+.

[terry paget]

I reckon it's the present day. I pased my test in 1956, and cars were rubbish then. Now I can buy a car for a few hundred pounds that would knock any 1960 car into a cocked hat. I have cruised round Europe in the 130s in Senators and Omegas, and touched 160mph. Modern cars are fast, cheap and reliable. And they last so long! I have owned engines that had covered 200,000 miles, still going as good as new. The internet provides advice and camaraderie from owners of similar cars, and access to cheap spares and used parts.