Your Driving Test Car??

[otherclive]

I think that was the Cresta, this is the Velox.

View attachment 1424
John

The first Velox appeared in 1948 and two successive models had the pre war front to back bonnets scoops. After that Vauxhalls became more Americanised. But the name continued. The link has pictures of each model release. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_Velox

 

[Buckman]

I think one had 4 cylinders and the other 6. Possibly a straight six engine?

 

[Lutz]

My driving instruction was on a Vauxhall Victor with 4-speed floor change, but for the test they gave me one with 3-speed steering column gear change. That got me in a real mess, but somehow I passed.

 

[otherclive]

I think one had 4 cylinders and the other 6. Possibly a straight six engine?

I had a Ford Zephyr six at university, followed by a Humber Hawk, and then a Minivan in my final year. The we went without a car when I was away for a couple of years. My wife and son moved in with my parents and Dad was chauffeur in chief.

 

[Sam Vimes]

When we went to live in Canada in the '90s we had to take a driving test. There were three parts; Eye Test, Written Test, Actual Driving Test.

We passed all three but there were teenagers in with us who couldn't pass the written test first time. But never mind you can just take it again and again until you get it right.

On the actual driving test, which was just around the block because we already had UK licenses, my wife drove on the wrong side of the road when she got back to the Test Centre. The examiner still passed her and said she'd have to watch out for that in future.

 

[Lutz]

I think one had 4 cylinders and the other 6. Possibly a straight six engine?

No, the Velox and the Cresta both had a 6 cylinder inline engine. Only the more upmarket Cresta was available in a two-tone colour scheme. The one pictured above was a post 1960 PA facelift Cresta with a wrap around rear window instead of the earlier three piece design.

 

[Lutz]

Vauxhall Viva HA like this one.

First car I ever bought was a Triumph Herald with the 948cc engine, white with black stripe. I think next it was a Vauxhall Viva HB in two tone, white and rust.


View attachment 1414

Strange HA Viva that. It has the bonnet emblem and the grille of an SL but it's without the SL side swipes.

 

[GeorgeandAde]

My mums HB Viva in '76.

 

[otherclive]

When we went to live in Canada in the '90s we had to take a driving test. There were three parts; Eye Test, Written Test, Actual Driving Test.

We passed all three but there were teenagers in with us who couldn't pass the written test first time. But never mind you can just take it again and again until you get it right.

On the actual driving test, which was just around the block because we already had UK licenses, my wife drove on the wrong side of the road when she got back to the Test Centre. The examiner still passed her and said she'd have to watch out for that in future.

Friends of mine over in Canada with me their wives had similar experiences with Canadian driving tests. I was there 12 months in 1985 but wasn’t required to take one. But I did have to take a test to skipper a Cheverton launch based on Dow’s Lake.

 

[Lutz]

I think that was the Cresta, this is the Velox.

View attachment 1424
John

That's a pre-facelift 1962-1964 PB Velox. The other car was a 1959-1962 PA Cresta.

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Passed my bike test (I think 61) on my dads bike, 197cc Francis Barnet Falcon. Still got a couple of bikes, but Father Time's preventing riding at the moment Honda VFR 800, & Honda X11, (Naked Blackbird)

 

[Dustydog]

Bike test passed on a Raleigh Runabout 50 cc. Test lasted 10 minutes! For the pink ticket. I did have a James 200 with the old Villiers 2 stroke. Considering the number of bikes that were made with Villiers and their derivatives yo7 would have thought Villiers would have got it right. Even their swan song 250 4T was below par.

 

[Beehpee]

Passed my test in a Victor 101 estate, can’t remember age but it would certainly be getting on, I had failed test with the instructors car and he wasn’t free for the next test I had booked, I had bought this around 6 months previously and drove it all the time regardless of no license, when the instructor got in the car I pre warned him that if we went anywhere that required a speed above 40 mph he would notice a vibration which was the prop shaft vibrating because needed balancing, the examiner said he wasn’t bothered as long as it was legal, with MOT and insurance, when I got to the end of the test he said to me “you can take this as an early Christmas present, I was puzzled until he told me his sir name was Christmas.

BP

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Bike test passed on a Raleigh Runabout 50 cc. Test lasted 10 minutes! For the pink ticket. I did have a James 200 with the old Villiers 2 stroke. Considering the number of bikes that were made with Villiers and their derivatives yo7 would have thought Villiers would have got it right. Even their swan song 250 4T was below par.

2T Dusty, brother had one which I used quite a bit.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Strange HA Viva that. It has the bonnet emblem and the grille of an SL but it's without the SL side swipes.

Its just one I lifted of the Internet as an example.

 

[Dustydog]

Gabs, The 4T was fitted to my Bond Mk G estate. The barrels and heads were more square than the 2T. It came with a Ciba dynastart too. Never felt a free revving engine like my Hondas and Suzukis. No wonder British bike engineering failed, sadly.

 

[Guzzilazz]

Bike test on Honda C100 step thru, car test 8 years later mk 1 1100 Escort

 

[Buckman]

I had a Ford Zephyr six at university, followed by a Humber Hawk, and then a Minivan in my final year. The we went without a car when I was away for a couple of years. My wife and son moved in with my parents and Dad was chauffeur in chief.

My first car was a Zephyr MkII. Powerful car for an 18 year old.

 

[Jcloughie]

In 196? A girlfriend mum, a nurse, took her scooter test. Part way round she stopped to help in an accident. Arrived back at the centre half hour late. When she explained, she was passed.

My brother thought he must have failed his test as the Triumph Herald kept on stalling. The examiner said that as it was an engine issue and he handled it correctly, he passed.

John

 

[Jcloughie]

My first car was a Zephyr MkII. Powerful car for an 18 year old.

I had the mark 3 Zephyr 4, loved that, later a mark 4 Zodiac (Dagenham Dilemma). Awful.

John

 

[Dustydog]

Bike test on Honda C100 step thru, car test 8 years later mk 1 1100 Escort

I had a C100 Honda after the Raleigh. A fantastic ohv 4 stroke of 50 ccs, two seater , and three semi auto gears. Loved that little bike, I was only 16!

 

[Beachball]

My wife had a Honda 125 Scooter 2 seater she love going to work and back it was a 2 Stroke and 55 mph Top Speed similar to one in the photo

 

[Gagakev]

Failed mine first time around in a mates Hillman Hunter, only failed cos he said I hugged the white line in the middle of the road too close!!!
Then I decided to take four lessons, never had any the first time except out and about with my mate.
This time the instructors car was the classic mini and I passed.

 

[Thingy]

Didnt you explain that you were only following the instructions written on your licence........

Tear along dotted line.

 

[Buckman]

I had the mark 3 Zephyr 4, loved that, later a mark 4 Zodiac (Dagenham Dilemma). Awful.

John

My Dad had the Mk3 Zephyr with the floor gear shift. Apparently they were quite rare.