

when I was 17 I had a reliant regal 109E. I saw it advertised in Hotcar Magazine for £70. In fact there were two, one with a good body and one with a good engine.
We switched engines and (remember it was the end of the 70s!!!!!) my mum kitted out the inside with fake black fur



The car did not need a heater since you could wrap your legs around the engine almost and the heat through the thin plastic was lovely in winter and in summer it was nice (Iguess) to have a free sauna.
At that stage I did not realise I was short sighted and so did not wear glasses. I kept mis-judging distances and driving into the back of other cars. Of course this was never a problem as there was never any damage to the other cars, the regal would just fall onto its side and the front bumper would drop off.
People would rush over and push me upright, I would collect the bumper up and my dad and I would glue it back on.
If that sounds made up the next story definately will. On one occassion I was driving around a long bend just outside Ongar and I suddenly realised the Ford Cortina that was coming towards me was in the middle of the road, probably looking to wipe me out!!
I swerved to the left and my car went over at 50mph ( top speed with a tail wind), it slid along on its right side whilst I threw all my weight to the left and like a boat it went back on to 4 / I mean 3 wheels and I carried on. It had slid for long enough for the cortina and 2 other cars to have pulled over and the occupants to have got out and be stood outside their cars. I looked into the mirror and saw their mouths drop open as I carried on.
When I got home my dad and I filled in the hole at the top of the right wing where the road had burned it away.
I turned up to photograph my first proper wedding in the reliant. Again it was in Ongar and I was shooting for National Weddings. The wedding was a high affair and I parked up next to the Porsches and mercedes



All the above seems very far fetched but is 100% true...............
stew