Lawrie Bond Microcar Man by Nick Wotherspoon

Author:Nick Wotherspoon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2017-04-11T04:00:00+00:00

Another ambitious Continental trip in a Mk C Minicar that caught the imagination of many enthusiastic owners of these little vehicles took place as late as 1963. The car was a 1955 Mk C model, in which David Orchard and his fiancée made a 2,000-mile journey behind the ‘Iron Curtain’, visiting Hungary and Czechoslovakia, and taking in the cities of Ulm, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Nuremberg. Clearly, considering the political climate of the time, this was a very unusual tour for any car to make and Sharp’s were not slow to capitalise on the interest generated. On his return, Mr Orchard and his companion, by now his wife, were presented with a silver trophy by Tom Gratrix, who had now become the Managing Director of the recently re-named Bond Cars Limited. The vehicle used was slightly modified by fitment of various extras including a spot lamp, twin horns, windscreen washers and a chain oiler. Overall the journey was reported as being relatively trouble free, despite the age of the vehicle, and the only serious repair carried out was the replacement of the cylinder head gasket, which cured a recurrent starting problem. An average fuel consumption of 70mpg was apparently maintained despite the poor condition of many of the roads covered. Clearly it is not possible to include details of all such expeditions undertaken and those selected merely provide a flavour of the sense of adventure that many Minicar owners seemed to exhibit. By the late 1950s, the quarterly magazine of the Bond Minicar Owners’ Club was publishing such accounts in almost every issue. In addition similar articles appeared in the motoring and motorcycling journals of the time almost as frequently.

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