Motoring began for me at sixteen (about 1959) when I bought an old Norman motorcycle for £5 from a garage in Redruth. It was a non running wreck so I pushed it the three miles to Camborne and spent the summer rebuilding it. Only this old photo survives of the 197cc Villiers engined machine


To see more about my motorbikes over the years CLICK HERE

Then came cars!

 
HMY 362

This was my first car...a two seater 1937 Austin Seven tourer. It was an unusual in that it was built for the MOD in the "pre Ruby" style. Originally it had special wheels with little "bollards" projecting from the centre of the hubs.You can just about make one out on the spare wheel; the others I had swapped. Apparently these were intended as attachment points for chains if recovery was required.
She was "written off" by a Morris Oxford estate that failed to make a bend while I was on a journey to an Austin Seven Rally.
PS .That's me on the right of the left picture (more than forty years ago!!)

The 1925 pram hood Chummy (HU 2227) below was my next car..about 1963. I have been told that it still exists but has been shipped to the Channel Isles and has a new reg. Pictured here during an unscheduled stop in Sussex after meeting an almost identical model on the road to a channel port! The registration can be clearly read and I wonder if that one is still around. Of course we stopped, chatted and I went back to theirs for a summery outdoor lunch. There was camaraderie even then. Later I continued my journey and had a ten day camping holiday through France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Rhine Valley.

 

  
 

YW 6916 & HU 2227

Also owned around this time was this green box saloon chummy. Pictured here in a subterranean lock-up, it was a project that never got anywhere!
I have no idea what happened to it or what it's registration number was.

But in Feburary 2006 I bought another Austin seven - a 1933 two seat tourer very very similar to HMY 362 pictured above!

Austin 7's on the net

For enthusiasts in Cornwall

After the 7's came a succession of modern cars of no great interest. I am looking out photos and will eventually post them here for my own amusement.

Plain grey Minivan 1964 - 1968 (New)

Green 1000cc Minivan 1968 - 1972 (New)

Interesting warranty problems with this one were not resolved until a letter was written to Lord Stokes, Chairman of BMC

Green Austin 1300 (s/h), 1972 - 1973

White Hillman Hunter Estate (New) 1973 -1974

White 2 Litre Ford Cortina Mk3 (New) 1974 - 1976

Bronze Vauxhall Victor 2.3 litre (s/h auction) 1976 - 1986

Yellow Vauxhall Victor Estate 2.3 litre Estate(s/h) 1986 -1988

This one had extensive work done on it before being put to use. The old Victor was scrapped and its engine, which had not long been rebuilt, put in. The doors were changed over and quite a lot of rust was welded up. Then it was resprayed. No picture of the finished car can be found.

White Vauxhall Cavalier (new)1988 -1990

White Vauxhall Petrol Frontera Estate (s/h) 1990 -1995

Silver Vauxhall Turbo Diesel Frontera Estate (s/h) 1995- 2005

Green Suzuki Grand Vitara 2 litre Turbo Diesel 2005 -

Yes, that's a Grey Fergie tractor behind - owned briefly but sold again when the Austin 7 was aquired.

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