Meet Gidges

"Gidges" (gijs571)
02/14/2019 at 13:27 • Filed to: None

Goodevening everyone! My name is Gijs, but my English friends call me Gidges (hence this username). I’m a Dutch 21 year old mechanic student, about to graduate (if everything goes right at least) and currently working at a Opel garage. So onto the most important thing here: cars. I currently own 3 cars. One daily driver and two project cars. I will make a short summary of them:

Daily driver: ‘03 BMW 320d E46 Touring

So this is the daily commuter I’m using nowadays. After finding out my old Honda Accord started to have some issues and that diesel is a better alternative for me, I found this Bimmer for sale on the complete other side of the country. Traded in the Accord and payed €3800 for this lovely estate which had ran 279k kilometers back then. A bit much for a 15 year old diesel that has run that much kilometers, but when I took the keys it sure felt right as it’s a magnificent car. Yes, there are some issues with this car, for example the left headlight’s xenon is having some issues and it’s leaking some oil, but it is in a brilliant condition for it’s age and mileage! It’s running close to 300k now and it still feels like a new car.

Project car #1: ‘99 Hyundai Excel 1.3 LS

“Wait, did I read that right? A Excel?” Yes, it is. My very first car, and I just can’t get rid of it. You might think I’m crazy, a lot of people do, but despite being a near worthless car, this car is the one that I’m most attached to. My mother handed the keys after about 7 years of owership to me nearly 3 years ago, and it has taken me everywhere since. It has taken me to school, to my friends and family, my first dates, through out the entire country and I visited Belgium and Germany in it. Even the almighty Nordschleife couldn’t stop this thing, and boy, I enjoyed every second of it. This car keeps going and laughs at anyone that says she shouldn’t have lasted this long. I have big plans for this car, as I want to swap in the G4GF engine from a ‘97 Hyundai Coupe/Tiburon. Anyway, since I now work quite a long way from home and use the Bimmer for the trip there and back I’m not using it as much anymore. That doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about it, my mother is using it again as long as she’s still APK worthy (Dutch for MOT, TUV or whatever it is in your country) and the plans are still there.

Project #2: ‘86 Toyota Supra 3.0i TC Automatic

I can finally say, “Yes, I own a Supra”. Okay, it’s N/A and automatic, but it’s still a classic Supra. This is also sort of a barn find, and here’s the story of it; during lunch break at work we were discussing some things, when my colleague came in with “I think I’m selling the Supra, it’s been stuck in our shed and it’s just standing there.” He nearly instantly asked if I wanted to buy it, and despite having to think about it first, I decided I wanted to take the gamble and picked up the Supra, which has been sitting in that shed for 15-20 years. He and his father initially wanted to restore this car themselves, but after a start they just left it in the corner of a shed collecting dust. So plans for this one? Not very big. All I’m thinking of doing is getting it running, get a new set of wheels and give it a modest drop. I’ll ofcourse keep you updated on the build progress

Oh, I also like to do some car photography as my hobby:

So I might drop a event or meet coverage every now and then :P

DISCUSSION (20)

Matt Nichelson > Gidges
02/14/2019 at 14:55

Oh great, another BMW owner. Oh wait......

Welcome to Oppo and enjoy your stay!

BeaterGT > Gidges
02/14/2019 at 15:00

Welcome to Oppo! That’s quite an eclectic stable you have , you’ll fit right in here.

KnowsAboutCars > Gidges
02/14/2019 at 15:23

Welcome ! Dutch are the most well represented country on the old continent on Oppo I think.

Also, [the mandatory stay out of the basement comment goes here.]

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Gidges
02/14/2019 at 15:36

Welcome! That Excel looks very nice

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Gidges
02/14/2019 at 15:59

Very cool! Welcome! :D

Glad to see another Hyundai Excel owner! Here in Canada where I am, your generation of Excel was the first generation of Hyundai Accent! I have a third-generation Accent (the ‘MC’ generation, mine is a 2009 - I don’t think you ever got that generation in Europe?) and, like you, I love it! It’s my only car / DD at the moment, but for all it’s basic-ness and ecobox-ness, it’s a genuinely good and reliable car...and fun in a ‘slow car fast’ sort of way! Here’s ‘ Humdrum’ in all her glory!

Kinja'd!!!

Hoping to import a FIAT 126p from Poland in the next year or two!

duurtlang > Gidges
02/14/2019 at 17:08

Welkom! Slight hint: https://oppositelock.kinja.com/tag/europpomeet

pip bip - choose Corrour > Gidges
02/15/2019 at 02:17

welcome victim, i mean friend

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Gidges
02/15/2019 at 12:16

Welcome! Looking forward to more stories & photos.

Here’s a resource you might not know about (a curated grouping of “ the best of OPPO” ):

https://oppositeblog.kinja.com/

Gidges > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
02/16/2019 at 03:19

We did get those over here, except they weren’t sold in big numbers.

Cool Accent!

Gidges > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
02/16/2019 at 03:21

Thanks! D idn’t know that resource indeed, looks interesting

Gidges > KnowsAboutCars
02/16/2019 at 03:22

Huehuehue, we’re everywhere

Gidges > BeaterGT
02/16/2019 at 03:22

Thanks!

Gidges > duurtlang
02/16/2019 at 03:24

Looks interesting, however I’m pretty cramped on time and money. I’d love to join if there’s a meet up closer to home though!

Gidges > Matt Nichelson
02/16/2019 at 03:26

I’m using my turning signals and not tailgating everyone I see, so you could call me the worst BMW driver in existence

Gidges > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford
02/16/2019 at 03:26

Cheers!

Gidges > pip bip - choose Corrour
02/16/2019 at 03:27

Totally didn’t read victim, so totally not freaky ._.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Gidges
02/16/2019 at 07:18

Thanks! I knew they had them in the UK as the Accent Atlantic, wasn’t sure if you got them in the Netherlands! They were sold as sortof a stopgap between the previous-gen Accent and the new i20 and i30 so I knew there weren’t many sold in Europe!

Gidges > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
02/17/2019 at 08:09

There are a fair few for sale now: https://www.autoscout24.nl/lst/hyundai/accent?sort=standard&desc=0&ustate=N%2CU&size=20&page=1&cy=NL&fregto=2010&fregfrom=2006&atype=C&

DutchieDC2R > Gidges
02/17/2019 at 09:05

Hi there fellow country man!

Welkom! Je komt ook uit Assen? (Zag je vorige post) Volgens mij hebben we hier iemand ‘rondlopen’ die daar ook woont. :)

Gidges > DutchieDC2R
02/17/2019 at 09:15

Nope, kom uit het altijd gezellige Brabant, maar ik ben wel eens op TT Assen te vinden bij evenementen.