Bing Boast tells of the first in his line of 37 cars – a 1938 Morris 8 – in the days when you could do DIY maintenance and repairs.

This is a picture of me in Leiston, Suffolk, with my first car which was a 1938 Morris 8 Series II in 1959.

Note the blue and white Ipswich Town mascot on top of the windscreen.

I bought the car for £35 and sold it for £28 to buy a 1935 Morris Eight with spoke wheels.

These were the start of long procession of cars – 37 to date. Among them were Morris Minors, including a 1951 split screen, and Ford Anglias and Escorts. I have never been able to buy new, but my list also includes all Ford Cortinas, Triumph Heralds, Ford Sierras, a Wolesley 444 and a Volkswagen Caravanette.

In the early days, we did daily oil and water checks, tyres weekly and DIY repairs – even stripping and reconditioning our own engines, rubbing down and respaying. Having done a motor engineering apprenticeship helped me.

For my first ever holiday, at the aged of 21, I went through the car with a fine toothcomb, checking engine, brakes, gearbox and transmission, Now, with specialist tools and computer programmes etc, any attempt at DIY and you are in trouble.

But my big gripe about today's motoring is the lack of a spare wheel.

Tell us about your first car and the adventures and scrapes you had – email your motoring memories with a picture of the car to motoring@archant.co.uk or post it to Andy Russell, motoring editor, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE.