The cars he used to drive

My father was a true Southern California, born in Pasadena in 1921. Like everyone else he was car-crazy. Later in life after living in Europe he became crazy for tiny little European sports cars.

He made this list for a piece he wrote in the Los Angeles Times late in life in which he talked about the cars he’d owned. He was astonished at how many there were, and especially at how many enjoyable sports cars he had as a graduate student. I personally got to drive the ’67 MG (he says it’s a ’68 which I think is a mistake), which was a delight; he didn’t get rid of it until the 1980s sometime. The 1990 Volvo my mother still has. I inherited both T-Birds in series.

The Fiat station wagon famously died by dumping its engine on Irvine Avenue with a uniquely Italian flair. I wish he’d kept any of the cars before that. Wow, what a list! The Renaults were, of course, purchased in France and all the Italian cars when he was living in Italy.

1. ’30 Ford Model A phaeton
2. ’30 Ford Model A 2-door touring car
3. ’36 Ford V-8 coupé
4. ’30 Olds coupé
5. ’47 Crosley
6. ’38 Lincoln touring convertible
7. ’40 Chevrolet coupé
8. ’47 MG-TC
9. ’51 Sunbeam Talbot
10. ’48 Morris Minor convertible
11. ’51 Morris Minor sedan
12. ’52 MG-TD
13. ’55 Austin Healey
14. ’56 MG Magnette
15. ’60 Chevrolet Corvair
16. ’58 Chevrolet station wagon
17. ’59 Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint coupé
18. ’62 Fiat 600
19. ’60 Fiat 1800 station wagon
20. ’70 Opel Kadett statio wagon
21. ’73 Volvo 144
22. ’67 MGB-GT
23. ’77 Renault 6TL
24. ’70 Jaguar XJ
25. ’84 Ford Thunderbird
26. ’87 Renault II
27. ’90 Volvo 740 sedan
28. ’91 Renault 19 Chamade
29. ’93 Ford Thunderbird LX

If you’re interested in the document we found in the files, a scan is behind the cut