SWSMcar – by Ottilie Von Henning
A man randomly spotted the first car he ever drove at a vintage car show – 25 years after his mother sold it.
Fred Warner, 46, was visiting a car show with his wife when he spotted a familiar vehicle from across the field.
Fred soon realised it was his family car, which he hadn’t seen in 25 years.
Fred’s father had initially purchased the Citroen 2cv Charleston in 1983 for £4K and it stayed with the family until Fred was 20 years old, which is when his mother sold it.
The car, now worth upwards of £10,000, was on show with its current owner at a Loughborough car show, the same city where Fred grew up.
Fred, a business investor from Loughborough, Leicestershire, said: “I just couldn’t believe it.
“That car is so full of memories for me, from sitting in the back as a kid to driving it as hard as I could as a young lad.
“I knew I could spot it a mile off.
“I just wasn’t expecting to see it so many years later!”
The Citroen 2cv Charleston was the first car Fred drove as a young man.
And despite not having seen the car in over two decades, he was able to identify it immediately by recognising the license plate.
Fred approached the car and its new owner, who had received the car as a gift from her family, and was allowed to sit in the car one more time.
Fred said: “It felt really strange but special sitting in the car again.
“The interior had all been changed, but the exterior looked totally original, with the full convertible roof and everything!
“The owner was really nice and clearly treats this car like it’s her baby, so it’s nice it’s with someone who cares.
“People have been telling me I should have bought it off her, but I have no real need for the car and after seeing it and sitting in it, I felt I’d gotten the nostalgia I needed.”
ENDS
