Our first car was an Austin mini which lasted for years until we could see the road beneath our feet and even I realised that it was an unsafe rusting wreck that needed to be replaced. I suppose we were a bit thinner in those days but my wife and I managed to motor all over the UK with our two sons, our dog, Max, which was the size of an Alsatian, and our luggage.
My days of driving that Mini were brought to mind by the report of a New Zealander, Lester Atherfold, who owns a large AEC Reliance Coach motorhome which he and his wife use to tour New Zealand. Recognising that he couldn’t take the motorhome everywhere, Mr Atherfold, who is a retired mechanic, looked to see if he could find a car small enough to go into the boot of his motorhome.
Finding none, he converted a cherry-red 1964 Mini 850 that he bought for £203 in 1988 and, over three months and at a total cost of £95, shortened the ten foot long car by two feet and shrinking its width by a few inches. Now he can drive his ‘Mini-Mini’ up a ramp into the Reliance Coach’s boot and park it beneath his bed where it sits safely until he wants to explore places the motorhome would not easily access.
When I lived in the States, I was quite used to seeing these humungous motorhomes on the freeways. Usually the racks at the back carried motorbikes or cycles but quite often there was a small car being towed behind that could be used on occasions such as shopping expeditions or go to places where it would be difficult to take the motorhome.
But Mr Atherfold takes the prize for originality, especially as I thought we did quite well all those years ago cramming everyone and everything into our first car!
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My days of driving that Mini were brought to mind by the report of a New Zealander, Lester Atherfold, who owns a large AEC Reliance Coach motorhome which he and his wife use to tour New Zealand. Recognising that he couldn’t take the motorhome everywhere, Mr Atherfold, who is a retired mechanic, looked to see if he could find a car small enough to go into the boot of his motorhome.
Finding none, he converted a cherry-red 1964 Mini 850 that he bought for £203 in 1988 and, over three months and at a total cost of £95, shortened the ten foot long car by two feet and shrinking its width by a few inches. Now he can drive his ‘Mini-Mini’ up a ramp into the Reliance Coach’s boot and park it beneath his bed where it sits safely until he wants to explore places the motorhome would not easily access.
When I lived in the States, I was quite used to seeing these humungous motorhomes on the freeways. Usually the racks at the back carried motorbikes or cycles but quite often there was a small car being towed behind that could be used on occasions such as shopping expeditions or go to places where it would be difficult to take the motorhome.
But Mr Atherfold takes the prize for originality, especially as I thought we did quite well all those years ago cramming everyone and everything into our first car!
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