Helga and favorite cars

Celia has her dear Helga and it is in sickbay for awhile.

While I don't name inanimate things, like cars, I did have a favorite.

It was a 1989 Merkur XR4Ti, German made that I bought used. The first owner worked as a parts manager for a large Mercury car dealership that sold Merkurs and spent a lot of money upgrading the car, including blueprinting the engine. I bought the car from him in 1997.

What sold me on the car was it was the first car that ever put me in the back of the driver's seat when I floored the engine. Not only was it really fast, it handled - wow! did it handle.

But the Merkur line went out of business and there were few spare parts around. A little piece on the distributor failed and while the car still ran, it had lost about 25% of its power. I searched and searched and searched in the U.S. and Europe for a new distributor - no joy.

I finally sold the car for more than I paid for it to someone who did not notice the lack of power.

I really hope Helga gets well soon.

Hi Miki!!!!

No news yet, I'm hoping it's today..... anyway I looked up your ex super dooper car and it looks very sporty! I post a pic below, was your one white?, I saw some red ones too! It's not easy getting parts for old cars, some bits have to be ordered from Sweden for Helga, her kind is still common there!



Celia xx

Having never driven, or had a car, I guess I'm stuck with just saying I have a great bike.

It's worth 1000 bucks (thanks dad). So it isn't 'just a bike' I guess

Every vehicle I have ever owned has been a careful study of oxidization processes and wear tests.

I don't love things. That's my brother's gig. I have owned various Hondas and Toyotas over the years mostly the smaller ones. Though my first was a 1963 VW Beetle. A rattle trap to be sure. Nothing like a unreliable gas gauge, brakes, and headlights so dim it would be better to hold a flashlight out the window.

Though I do have a growing handmade Japanese chef knife collection.

Celia Eriksson wrote:...was your one white?, I saw some red ones too!
Celia xx

Mine was something like champagne with a brown leather interior. The only thing I didn't like about the car was the seats - very wide seating area. The Germans must have very wide asses as I found the MBs for that era had a similar problem with wide seats.

CarolynAH wrote:...my first was a 1963 VW Beetle.

The first VW Beetles to hit the States was in 1953 (two split rear windows - worth a lot today).

That was a short 7 years after the defeat of Germany in WWII and a lot people simply didn't want anything to do with German imports.

My older Sister's husband's father was in the automobile business right after the war and was offered the U.S. distributorship for the VW Beetles in 1952. His investment would have been minimal ($100-200,000 which he had). He turned down the offer thinking no one would really want to buy a funny looking, underpowered German made car. Sigh!!!

My first Beetle was a 1964 which I bought used in 1969. I had fun with the car. I later bought a 1973 new Beetle. I added a tow hitch and once towed my Hobie 16 catamaran to Lake Tahoe from the Bay Area. It was another fun car to drive.

Oh but, but, but, Miki, Miki, Miki! ….

Miki... Miki.... Miki! You never identified the most famous Beetle of them all!!!!! Rememberer????

Here's a liccle remindyer….. oh so sorry in advance my sweet Miki..... oh dear, I am feeling rather naughtical just now... but I just cant help it!!!!!!! Hold that bus! Gonna grab some popcorn......

20th of August 2018

CeliaEriksson wrote:So I will dumb down a liccle and make it a bit easy peasy lemon squeezier for our next number.....

we was up to number 53 in the number game!

20th of August 2018

Miki wrote:The image is that of a '53 Volkswagen, the first year it was imported into the United States. I can't tell from the image but does it have the split rear window?

21st of August 2018 13:33

Celia Eriksson wrote:Well, here is another clue. So that is not the particular car in question, sorry I will punish myself for misleading you by showing that pic, by not having a sip of my coffee for one whole minute...………………………………  Schluuuurp    Oh dear, I will think of something else.... anyway, the original was a 1963 Volkswagen Bug/Beetle deluxe ragtop/softtop sedan/saloon in Pearl Ivory and was very famous when I was a child and would have been so when you were driving the second model around in '72!

3rd of October 2018 13:33

Celia Eriksson wrote:Well, it is very clear that Miki is not very good at this!!!! So I will reveal all as she has been working on this for months, night and day and I must put my dear friend out of her misery and give the answer!

It is, of course...…..

HERBIE!!!!!!!

 I wish I hadn't writ this somehow. Sorry!!!!!

MichaelaSJ wrote:Celia has her dear Helga and it is in sickbay for awhile.

While I don't name inanimate things, like cars, I did have a favorite.

It was a 1989 Merkur XR4Ti, German made that I bought used. The first owner worked as a parts manager for a large Mercury car dealership that sold Merkurs and spent a lot of money upgrading the car, including blueprinting the engine. I bought the car from him in 1997.

What sold me on the car was it was the first car that ever put me in the back of the driver's seat when I floored the engine. Not only was it really fast, it handled - wow! did it handle.

But the Merkur line went out of business and there were few spare parts around. A little piece on the distributor failed and while the car still ran, it had lost about 25% of its power. I searched and searched and searched in the U.S. and Europe for a new distributor - no joy.

I finally sold the car for more than I paid for it to someone who did not notice the lack of power.

I really hope Helga gets well soon.

Speaking of handling I plan on buying a Miata or MX5 next year. An older one. Probably not the best thing to do in Milwaukee where you have this epidemic of reckless drivers but you only live once. It should give me an Inkling if I wanted a nicer sports car.

Hi!

Well Michi, I think the MX5 is a very nice car with a cute front, I love the lashes on this one!



Helga is well again and she is driving better than ever! I was told this is because the servo takes air from the vacuum when it is broken. It is so good to have her back!

Celia xx

My Helga was a red 2000 VW Passat. Aside from some very forgettable company cars years ago, I've always named my cars. Or my kids did, in some cases. My previous car was a grey 2003 BMW named Matilda. My current one is a gold 2011 BMW named Brunhilda. I've had cars named, amongst others, Sally, Jane, Shiro*, and Helga.

* a white Nissan, 'shiro' being Japanese for white.

Celia Eriksson wrote:Hi!

Well Michi, I think the MX5 is a very nice car with a cute front, I love the lashes on this one!



Helga is well again and she is driving better than ever! I was told this is because the servo takes air from the vacuum when it is broken. It is so good to have her back!

Celia xx

I love the yellow and I think that's a 2002. The next yellow was in 2009 which could be an option but they didn't make a whole lot of them. I've always liked yellow cars, I had a yellow 1973 Javelin when I was 19.

A Javelin, I'll have to look that up! Can't picture it just now. I think colour of a car is important and have been toying with having Helga resprayed once my rhinoplasty has been done. She just drives so well, I was at Whist night tonight and driving her home was a pleasure. 25 years old, but her heat came on real quick, her heated seat warmed my botty and she glides down the street. Sooooo comfortable, her seats are like armchairs for my little frame.

But, I'm torn between turning her deep blue to white.... hard and costly, with brown wood sidestripe, or a bluer blue, (easier), or even a gold metallic, again with wood side stripe panel. It will happen, once I know she 'aint gonna play up anymore. So many things going wrong over the last two years!!!! If she behaves once I've got my turny up nose, I shall invest in a nice paint job!

Celia xx