I have always loved old cars, whenever I see an old MG, Mini or Triumph it takes me back to my youth. I passed my driving test first time at age 17. My first car a white Triumph Herald 12/50 with sunroof. They were fantastic cars, way ahead of their time, but they were built to rust, the chassis and floor a tangle of box sections and channels. I used to spend hours trying to stop the rust, but always lost the battle. I stayed mainly with Triumphs through my younger days. One day I saw a car I’d never seen before in a school car park, it turned out to be a Bond Equipe 1300 based on a Triumph Herald but with a fibre glass body. I had to have one, and eventually did, I later converted it a convertible and owned it eleven years or so. I ran the owners club for a while, someone phoned to ask about advertising a Bond 2 Litre convertible in the magazine. I bought that car and totally restored it, I still have it today it’s 53 years old and I’ve owed it 42 years. See main photo.

Cars, Cars and more cars.

There were Vauxhalls, Austin’s and Fords,
Some with, and Some without running boards,
In the Uk we had hundreds of models,
So many the mind just boggles

E Type Jaguars prowled the streets,
Land Rovers did amazing feats.
I hear Skodas sometimes didn’t rust,
But In a Jowet a Yorkshireman would trust.

Morgans two or four seated,
Some Triumph Stags overheated,
Front wheels fell off Morris Minors,
Rolls Royce had room for six or more diners.

Have you heard of a Keeble, its mascot a turtle,
I knew of a Scimitar owned by someone called Myrtle.
Wolsey’s were nice a light up badge in the grill,
Or you could buy an Austin Healey if you wanted a thrill.

Hillmans were popular, in several sizes shapes,
Russian cars also held together with tapes,
A Ford called Zephyr if you were a rogue,
Singers were nice they were always in vogue.

My first car a Herald, white with a sunroof,
It would be a lie though if I said it was rustproof,
It steered from the front, it steered from the back,
When part of the chassis I found it did lack.

I’ve had Forty years now a 2 litre Bond,
Some hate it but of it we’re fond,
When you ride you won’t be shaken, but you may be stirred,
Six cylinder engine, with overdrive on fourth gear and third.

A big Rover for some animal vetting,
In a Cortina maybe some heavy petting
But Bubble cars Messerschmitt, and Isseta,
Hadn’t room for even posting a letter.

TC stood for twin carburettors,
Lux meant owned by your betters.
Humber were massive big barges,
MG stood for Morris Garages.

All words Meadowhead Bard.