Motors & Me: Adrian Kelleher
I’m currently driving a 1975 Chevrolet El Camino pick up. Wish it was my daily driver but the V8 is a bit thirsty. It’s a great cruiser. Took me a while to get used to the width and it’s my first left hand drive. Nerve wrecking driving it up the country roads where I live, but once it’s back on the main roads it’s a dream to drive.
Definitely love at first sight. Went up to Dublin just before Christmas to look at the El Camino. I’ve always loved strange/different cars. Always wanted a V8. So anyway, I was hoping the car was a lemon as it was a lot of money I could have spent elsewhere at the time but the second I saw it I knew I wasn’t going home empty handed. Couldn’t get over how clean and immaculate she was.
Under the bonnet is a 5.7L chevy V8. It’s a 350 small block. Wouldn’t say she has crazy horses but the torque is something else. Pretty standard, except for aftermarket headers, exhaust system, aluminium radiator and air cleaner. I’m hoping to upgrade the intake manifold and carbs over the winter to give her a little bit more power.
Definitely a petrol head. When I was 14, I remember visiting a friend’s house after school and he was after getting a Subaru Impreza. We spent three years in his garage waiting until he was 17 and could drive. Since that day I’ve always loved cars, the smell of petrol and everything automotive.
My first car was a 1.4 litre Ford Escort. It was red, so like most Fords it was going pink. I polished and it cut it within an inch of its life to make it bright red again
After the Escort I bought a Mitsubishi Galant. Then I bought a 2.5 litre twin turbo Ralliart VR4 Legnum. That thing was crazy fast, bought it from a tuning shop in Newcastle. I sold that to go to New Zealand. When I came home I bough an E46 BMW, a lancer then a completely original Toyota Corolla AE86. It was a saloon rather than a hatchback. It even had some of the dealer plastic still on it. Sold that for the deposit for a house last year. So now I’ve the El Camino, a Passat and the Transporter. Not bad for 10 years of driving.
That’s an easy one, Route 66. Hoping to go to Texas next year with the girlfriend. So even if I get to just see Texas and drive a modern muscle car I’ll be happy. Dream would be a Dodge SRT Hellcat.
Obvious answer is Jeremy Clarkson, not cause he’s a petrol head but he is so controversial. He could say or do anything. Bit like myself. Speak/act first then think later. How could that not be fun. Less obvious answer is 2FM’s Will Leahy. Really enjoyed his More Music Drive programme on the way home from work. He’s very funny and giddy and knows a lot of random stuff so I’d say he’d be great craic
The character Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang. Great character but he would drive me crazy in a car. So dry and self centred. I’d probably kill him.
Absolutely anything. ’80s music is my guilty pleasure, especially power ballads. But I’d listen to anything. I’m loving Kygo at the moment. I don’t listen to the radio in the car. I prefer to roll the window down and listen to the V8 rumble.
