Norwegian gearheads on the right Way

Back in the early 2000s, I used to see a Volkswagen Coach cruisin’ around my neighborhood, right about the time my dad’s old Ford started actin’ up and was about to head for the scrapyard. Now, my dad pointed out that the plates on that VW were older than his Ford, which was registered way off from where we lived. I reckon it wasn’t often my dad could show me cars older than his own, but I never missed a chance to complain ‘bout that crappy ol’ Ford Sierra. We even started callin’ it 'sideways Sierra' since it was so light in the rear with that rear-wheel drive. Heck, it coulda been called 'Siddis Sierra,' too, on account of my dad bein’ from Stavanger. That VW must’ve been an early ‘80s model in two-tone paint. Those Coaches were way tougher and longer-lasting than those old Japanese rice cookers like the Toyota Hiace MK2 and MK3, which had engines up front and were real nose-heavy. Then there was the Nissan Vanette, which was a rust bucket, and the Mazda Bongo, whic...

Pontiac Firebir d and  Chevrolet Camaro  are two dang fine muscle cars with V8 engines that sure know how to light up them tires. Back in the day, I knew this fella from up north named Bror—bit of an odd name, reckon, but he acted like a real cool brother to me. He’s the only person ever who’s been kind and cool enough to take me for a spin in a bona fide sports car with a V8 engine. And lemme tell ya, that ride was worth every minute, ‘cause I could feel the raw power under the hood. Now, Bror, he’d apparently driven that car clear down to Turkey right before I got to know him, just to get it fixed up. Bet it was a good trip, too—he probably got himself some vacation time, maybe hit the beach while the car was gettin' all fixed up. Back in the ‘90s, you’d see a few of these beasts rollin’ through the countryside, especially around Drammen and along the coastline all the way down to Lindesnes.

Mazda pickups and Ford Raiders : These trucks were sold in Norway until 1991. Back in elementary school, one of my teachers owned two Mazda pickups. He used them to haul horses. The first one, which was white and looked completely worn out, he only kept for a couple of months. The second one, though, was in much better shape, and he held onto it for years. These trucks are perfect for customizing—throw on some big ol’ wheels, extra ground clearance, a bull bar, roof lights, a winch, you name it. But here’s the catch: if you want the latest and greatest models, you’ll have to import them from Thailand. As for the Ford Raider, it’s based on the Mazda pickups and was sold in Southeast Asia and Oceania well into the 1990s, all the way up to 2002.