"Dreamy" by Andrew Pill

Dreamy, an Austin 10/4 Lichfield, was registered on 28 May 1936 to Saunders' of Golders' Green, London. Saunders operated a hire car service, and Dreamy must have spent the first few years of her life in active service around the capital. The trail then goes cold, and I have no idea how or where she spent World War II; I do, however, know, that prior to 1959 (and I think 1953) she was registered to one T. J. Rowland in Faversham, Kent, from whom my uncle bought it as a non-runner and in unroadworthy condition for £4 19s 9d.


I acquired Dreamy, by now an absolute shambles, in 1980 for £4.97p from my uncle's family, and, incredibly, with fresh petrol, a fresh battery and fresh points and plugs, she fired at the fifth attempt. Between 1984 and 1989, Dreamy enjoyed a new interior (apart from the back seats, which Kentish mice hadn't eaten through: they'd gone through everything else!!), a respray, a rewire and absolutely NO structural welding whatsoever!! The chrome stayed put (apart from the bumpers, which really were awful) and, as a result, Dreamy looks and feels refurbished from original rather than restored. She has her cosmetic imperfections, but, at 71, she's entitled!!

"Who could I entrust with such a dear and special car as Dreamy?.."

Dreamy completed the LEJOGLE (Land's End to John O'Groats and back) for charity in 2000 to celebrate the millennium, driving 1863.7 miles without mishap in seven days at 33 mpg. She follwed it up in 2002 with a run from the Lizard, Cornwall (Britain's most southerly point) to Lowestoft, Suffolk (it's most easterly point), and back over four days, covering 955 miles without mishap at 35 mpg. 20000 Dreamy miles in my ownership came up in 2005 and she's full of running.

Dreamy was always cared for by one excellent and skilled man when I lived in Cornwall; when, nearly twenty years' later, my wife and I moved to Sussex, one of my major concerns was "Who could I entrust with such a dear and special car as Dreamy?" Andrew, Caroline and the team at Motorline not only have the experience but actually CARE about classics; they believe in them and love them as I do. When a small electrical problem prevented Dreamy being collected from a repair on the agreed day, they actually apologised, fixed the problem and trailered Dreamy back to me later that same day. It's that sort of quality of service and care that allows me to give Motorline my complete recommendation. 
 

 This page was last modified on Thursday, October 30, 2008 08:43:21 AM