1982 JB Holden Camira SL/E sedan

1.6 litre, 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual

Purchased via private sale in 1988. 115,000Kms.

Engine Specs : 64Kw @ xxxRPM, 125Nm @ xxxRPM

I had this car for several years. Fuel economy was good. I regularly achieved over 600Kms from the 60litre fuel tank.

Sold vehicle in 1992 with 195,000Kms

Problems encountered :

• Rust. Bottom of drivers doors, rear three quarter panel near windscreen, along leading edge of bonnet underneath chrome trim.
• Engine was getting tired towards end of life. Blowing a little smoke on overrun. This led me to pull the motor to bits and get the heads reconditioned, fit new gaskets etc. I learnt lots about engines during this stripdown.
• Would leak water in from top of rear windscreen
• Front seats pretty badly worn by the time I sold it
• Had problems with one of the starter motor relays which would prevent the starter operating when the engine was hot. Took a while for the fault to be tracked down and fixed.
• Nearly drove off the end of a cliff at Bells Beach, after I pulled off the road to park, but got onto some clay that was wet from rain the car then wouldn't stop or steer as we slid downhill towards the cliff. Finally stopped near the edge and nearly couldn't get out back to the road due to lack of traction.
• Later that same day, I was driving home to Torquay after dark at it was still raining very heavily. Came to a slot that had been dug across the highway to allow a drain to be installed, and had then been filled in with gravel - and I guess eventually asphalted over. The only problem was the rain had washed all the gravel out and it was just left as a slot with sharp edges where the saw had cut through the road. No roadwork signs up and I drove across it at 60K/hr. Made an huge bang and scared me enough to pull over. Got out and noticed the centre trims had popped off the front wheels and rolled away into the darkness, otherwise the car looked OK. I a couple of days time I noticed my new Yokahama front tyres had "bulges" poking out the sides and so I went back to the tyre installer. They agreed that the tyres had got pinched between the road and the rims when I hit the ditch and they now needed to be replaced. $300+ of tyres stuffed.

Happy memories :

• Rebuilding engine when I should have been studying for my last 3rd year uni exam
• SL/E had lots of good options - like electric boot release, power antenna, tacho + extra dash gauges, 5 speed, plush carpets, alloy wheels, 4 speaker stereo, aircon
• Hella driving lights that could turn night into day
• Airhorn which would scare the begeezers out of anyone rude enough to cut me off
• Heading off down the Great Ocean Road with my mates on a surfing trip - with our surfboards on the roof racks and car stuffed with people and luggage

Car was traded for a VP Wagon

Saw the car driving around in Geelong in 2000. It is now looking a bit worse for wear!!  It had 280,000Ks on the clock