This article appeared last year in our local paper and with him winning Bathurst again, prompted me to write it up for the club.
My First Car, Greg Murphy.
My first car was fantastic. I was about 17 and it was a Datsun 1200 SSS. It cost $2900, which I had to beg, borrow and steal.
It was teal blue and had mags and everything on it. It had a hotted up 1200cc engine with twin carbs, a rev counter in the middle of the console, sporty steering wheel and high backed seats. It had a big exhaust on it and it sounded really cool.
My Mum called it the Dachshund, because it sounded like Datsun.
I bought it from a friend of my sister's so it had a bit of a reputation around Havelock North even before I owned it and I don't think I improved it's reputation!
I used to go to Palmerston North and back in it quite often. I remember my mates passed me on the Takapau Plains and turfed some eggs at me. It took about a week to get off the car, it was that cooked on.
I probably was fortunate that I had been racing karts for some time so at least I had a few more skills than a lot of guys that age, but young boys and cars can still be a problem.
I owned it for about two years, and I don't think I have owned a car since. I haven't really needed to buy my own.
So there is definately a sentimental attachment there for the Dachshund.
For those who are wondering the car still exists and it's current owner knows it's history. I believe Greg has 1st option to buy it back so one day Aussie may get a SSS 1200.