What Vehicular Concept Did You Struggle To Grasp As A Child?

"TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut" (twincharged) 04/17/2014 at 12:13 • Filed to: memories

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For me, it was replicas.

The first replica I ever saw was in an Auto Trader magazine when I was 9 years old. It was a Toyota MR2-based Ferrari F355 replica, not unlike the one pictured above. At the time, I didn't understand the concept of replicas at all. I didn't understand the reason for their existence.

I remember I kept asking my father how it was possible - how could a Toyota MR2 look like a Ferrari? A Toyota is Japanese, a Ferrari is Italian, how was that possible? Dad, it's on sale for such a cheap price, does the word "replica" have something to do with it? What is a replica Dad?

It bugged me for a week until I finally understood. Now whenever I see a replica, I'm forced to remember that slightly embarrassing childhood memory.

What about you, fellow Opponauts? Have you ever struggled to understand anything vehicular related as a child? Electric windows? Windscreen washers? Brakes? Do tell!

Diesel > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:15

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Why I wasn't allowed to drive. It seemed so easy. I found out how exhausting it was when they finally let me try out go karts.

Brian Silvestro > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:16

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Front wheel drive. I couldn't understand how the front wheels could do both the power and the steering, and after I realized almost all cars that way, nothing is the same...

jkm7680 > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:18

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The crank windows in an older Mercedes, The cranks in the back were both missing. I thought that they were supposed to be like that.

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:22

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ABS. I thought they were Air Bag System.

yamahog > Brian Silvestro 04/17/2014 at 12:23

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Alternately, I thought rear wheel drive meant the back tires did the steering too and I was confused because I could never seem to find any RWD cars on the road. /facepalm

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:24

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When I was really young I got confused at how people could rev up their engine and not accelerate forwards.

McMike > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:24

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One of the things I didn't understand is why expensive cars weren't any more reliable/better/quality, etc..

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:28

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Mid-engined vehicles. I still don't understand how automatic transmissions work.

nafsucof > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:30

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I thought tilt steering was something the tires did.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Brian Silvestro 04/17/2014 at 12:32

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IT'S WITCHCRAFT.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > McMike 04/17/2014 at 12:34

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I just had to pause and ponder that myself for a few seconds...

thebigbossyboss > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 04/17/2014 at 12:35

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Similarly, I didn't understand how people could put gas in their (carbourated at that time) engines to start it without damaging the car. Also didn't understand the difference between park and neutral in automatics.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > thebigbossyboss 04/17/2014 at 12:37

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I never even knew there was such a thing as an automatic gearbox til I was 12, no one I know had one then or even had one since.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > yamahog 04/17/2014 at 12:40

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OH GOD TANKSLAPPER

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > nafsucof 04/17/2014 at 12:41

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Wahey!

Agrajag > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:41

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That the number of exhaust tips was not indicative of horsepower. "But it has 4. It has to be the most powerful car."

AthomSfere > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:42

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Turn signals. I thought the enabled turning through some physical assembly, otherwise you could only sort of curve.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Agrajag 04/17/2014 at 12:45

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I too thought that more exhausts = more power. But I very quickly realised this wasn't true when I saw this.

MentalJuggernaut > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:45

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Why they couldn't make cars as strong and quick and agile as rc cars (respective to size). Come to think of it...

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > MentalJuggernaut 04/17/2014 at 12:48

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...if manufacturers could size up R/C cars, they'd be able to smash into a giant skirting board at 400mph with no problems whatsoever!

I have an awesome Subaru Impreza R/C car stuck somewhere in my drawer - I haven't driven it for 5 years. Tyres were completely bald when my parent's friend gave it to me. The speeds it managed were insane. Maybe I'll pull it out someday...

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 04/17/2014 at 12:49

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shhhhhhhh.

Like FWD, it's also witchcraft...

jariten1781 > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:53

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I was totally confused with how on TV the car wheels would turn backwards but the car would keep going forward. Same with helicopter blades seeming to turn really slowly.

YSI-what can brown do for you > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 12:58

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Why people didn't drive supercars everyday!

MentalJuggernaut > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 13:01

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Yeah I used to custom build them, had a few build that got up into the 80s (which back then was the RC equivalent of 220mph). Still have a few left over, but now into quadcopters more...

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 13:19

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Hydraulic lifters.

theburnerformerlyknowasthestigfarmer > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 13:25

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Clutches.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 15:25

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I didn't understand that not all cars had a V6 or V8, because that's all I was exposed to as a child.

Manuél Ferrari > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 15:43

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Turbos. I didn't understand them as a child and I still don't as a 35 year old adult.

Turbos still seem like selling an engine's soul to Satan to get more power and better fuel economy at the expense of noise, revs, throttle response and engine life.

DoubleDragon > Diesel 04/17/2014 at 16:16

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I think I can solve that one, I know why. I was around 10 and got into a professional world class competition go kart. I took it a little easy for like 20 seconds then just absolutely floored it. car just spinned out a couple of times really quickly just off the power of the kart. And I had the balls to keep the foot down.

When we left the track, my dad was probably in shock I did that. It wasn't embarrassing but more of wow, did that just happen? I thought I was going to control it...

I actually grasped a lot of the vehicular concepts as a kid. Now to think of it, the only thing I thought of was "where the hell did they keep the petrol in the car? is it in the hollow recesses of the car bodyframe? where does it go and how much is it really when they fill it up?

Axial > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 18:48

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Shifting lanes. It was like the wheels turn sideways and you can just go left and right.

Eazy-O > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/17/2014 at 20:24

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I don't remember having problems with any mechanicals, I'd read up on them (loved hanging out in the libraries) and sorta grasp the idea, even if not completely, then moved on.

The bit that bugged me was the marketing and public perception and the like. Still does. I remember having a big fight in elementary school, musta been 7 or 8 years old. We were talking smack about cars and I mention an Alpina B6. However, there's a local company with the same name, producing these:

... and these:

Good shoes too.

Unfortunately, the smack talkers that were my classmates turned on me and called me all manner of things. It was possibly one of the first times I realised that even being completely and utterly correct on a subject might not count in a situation where this knowledge supposedly comes into play. And the first shades of contempt for humanity started to set in...

Excuse the rant. Lovely replica though, I do like the proportions, even if it's not much of a Ferrari.

thebigbossyboss > Agrajag 04/17/2014 at 20:54

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Me too. I thought a car with 12 exhausts would be awesome....for some reason.

4age20vsilvertop > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 04/18/2014 at 06:20

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Why people buy SUVs. I mean, just because of the occaisonal rain and offspring, you don't need a lifted Truck with portal axles and 9 diff locks, or should I rather say a FWD Minivan on stilts? The popularity of these is still a mystery to me. Why can't everyone just buy Roadmasters and Volvo Wagons?

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > McMike 04/23/2014 at 21:05

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I remember when I was around 10, I wished to one day have a BMW because they were expensive and therefore must last much longer. Silly me!