Those about to turn 18 also want to own a car. That’s how I felt at the time, anyway. So I promptly registered at the driving school in Waldorf for a driving licence for cars and motorbikes. Six weeks later I had both documents in my pocket. It was June, lovely weather outside so my first thoughts were of a motorbike. I had my eye on a Honda 500 four, a modern classic. The trouble was it cost the princely sum of 4,400 marks. With a lot of hope I approached my Grandpa to ask him if he could lend me the money. He thought it over for three days and said he would lend me the money if I paid him back within a year. We shook on it, even at that time the repaying of debts was a matter of honour.

 

Winter came, as always, quicker than expected, so I needed a car to get me through the winter months. I bought a Simca 1000 for 300 marks and stored the motorbike in the garage. The next few months I was on four wheels instead of two, and I discovered that driving a car was a whole lot of fun. The next year I searched around for a new set of wheels and finally bought a yellow rally edition Opel Kadett.

On reaching 23 I was able to realize another dream. Through my successful visits to casinos I had managed to save a considerable sum. I decided to invest a portion of it in mobility and acquired a black 350 SL! A magnificent car. From then on I just wanted to travel.

Cars still fascinate me, especially old timers, and have built up a small fleet and now own amongst others a 1957 white Mercedes 190 sl convertible, a 1963 red Renault Caravelle convertible and a Harley Davidson 190.