Just something random to read

[ZA Perana]

I thought I would write this and maybe some will enjoy reading it.

I come a "car" household, my dad is mad about cars, his dad was mad about cars (he owned a Studebaker Starliner for a time and various Chev's) and way back when my dad used to race his friends around Cape Town, he marque of choice: Alfa Romeo and a modified Cooper S, he had various Alfa's.. He also really wanted a Capri Perana back in the day.

Growing up my mother drove a Opel Kadett GTE and he my dad has a Monza CD 16. From a young age I started to collect CAR magazines, through these I got an understanding of the "golden era" and back in 2001 when the GTE was sold and replaced by the Perana I took even more of an interest. I have been lucky enough to see legends like Fairmont GT's and even a Can Am being driven enthusiastically. I wont ever forget the sight of smoke pouring of the tyres of a GT as the crowd cheered on. I can only imagine what it was like to see these cars in their day and its always great to talk to those who did see them in their day.

These stories are as special as the cars themselves. When I drive the Capri again its driving something special and I often wonder if the car could talk what it might tell me, the things its seen...

I look at Rassie's pictures and for many of us it would be amazing to seen a Mustang spinning up the tyres down the road.

Getting into my supercharged Lumina today it dawned on me why I like this brute as much as I do, in many respects its a modern equivalent of the GT, unsophisticated, brute power and it has a big heart. Many of todays cars are great but they miss that character, competence seems to have replaced character.

Opening this months Classic Car Africa really was special, the famous GT HO Phase three which spent some of its life living fairly anonymously in Africa, an incredible story that and then there is the Sorenson Can Am, a period car. I wonder how many of the current generation cars will be classics in 30 years time...

[mdzgiovanni]

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. It's really a great life to have parents who can influence your passion for things.