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Hardcover Top Gear: My Dad Had One of Those Book

ISBN: 0563539194

ISBN13: 9780563539193

Top Gear: My Dad Had One of Those

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Recommended

Format: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

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Book Overview

Good old Dad and his good old Dad's car. As solid and dependable as the man himself, if a little less balding, Dad's car was almost a member of the family, whisking you to exciting days out, or just to visit boring relatives in distant parts of the country to the chant of 'are we nearly there yet?' Like the man behind the wheel, Dad's car made you feel safe and secure, because it was as reassuring and sensible as he was. Maybe in an idle moment Dad dreamt of driving something rakish and fast, just like in idle moments he dreamt that your Mum was Twiggy, but the demands of family life meant soft tops, hard suspension and anything even remotely sporty were off the cards. Even anything less than four doors would have been wildly hedonistic. But although the family car may not have been the very essence of rock 'n' roll, Dad was proud of it.

Spanning the 1950s to the '80s, this is a celebration of the heyday of the Dad car. From much loved family workhorses like the Ford Cortina and Vauxhall Viva to the rakish excitement and playground kudos of the Rover 3500 and Citroen CX, all the great Dad cars are here. Reflecting a time before people carriers and lifestyle off roaders, when the nearest thing to an airbag was hiding behind your fat brother, this is a celebration of simple, honest cars that were as flawed and as loveable as your Dad himself.

Customer Reviews

2 ratings

Hugely nostalgic for those of a certain generation

This could be the perfect book to have in the smallest room of the house - assuming you're male, British, and at least 38 or so. If you have memories of family driving in the '70s and 80's then you'll find much to remind and delight in this slim volume. A very well researched and produced collection of motoring memories.

Enjoyable Read...

All in all, an enjoyable book. It is always interesting to view something from someone else's perspective; in this case, how the Brits view their father's mundane "daily drivers". Interesting to note how Ford products are viewed as somewhat boring, yet popular because products such as the Cortina and the Gran-Dad, er sorry, Granada, were reliable, durable, and stylish in that they copied their larger American cousins. I found the Austin 1100 article to be of interest; that car was sold in Canada as the Austin America; in retrospect, it was far ahead of it's time; the current Nissan Versa seems to be an update of the Austin !! It you buy this book, check out the Hillman Hunter photograph; the car is interesting but you'll see what I am referring to when you buy the book !!
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