Comrades,
My car from the past hardly fits the 'fantasy' category but it had its good points and its moments.
My second car at the age of about 26 was a Hillman Hunter. It was slapped together in the worst traditions of Australian made in 1970. I think that a lot of the components came from Britain in packing cases and were thrown together at Rootes in Port Melbourne.
I inherited the almost new car in late 1970 and drove it for 30 years until 2000.
Having got all the loose screws and rattles out of it using what seemed like a 44 gallon drum of Loktite it became a fabulous little car. It was almost totally reliable with the exception of one clutch slave cylinder which died in the middle of a major intersection (of course). The YMs and I drove it everywhere across rivers, along gibber roads and through sand in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia largely thanks to it being a manual as well as many miles on bitumen.
If nothing else the car was totally predictable and as driver one almost became part of the machinery.
I got great pleasure in stirring its detractors when Andrew Cowan won London to Sydney in a Hunter.
I've still got it in Mother-in-Law's garage but it hasn't turned wheel since about 2001. I still dream of driving it again one day...............
Solid, simple and reliable even though not a fantasy machine.
Geoff (YM)