Minx

Clubman – also known in original guise as the Traveller, Estate, Austin ‘Shooting Brake’. People loved Sir Alec Issigonis’ diminutive Mini but needed a slightly larger carrier. Hence the longer wheelbase. 

Quarter Mile

Burnin’ Rubber – classic Ed “Ratfink” Roth pen & ink illustration of a screaming Triumph drag shooting off for a sub ten second run at the strip. Great dimensional logo in speedy perspective and nice smoke detail around the fat rear tire.

Jee Tee Eye

Gertie – this was the indefatigable little blue Volkswagen we had for a decade. She did a grand job in toting us for many miles and a plethora of stuff about. A proper little workhorse. Sporty hearted, reliable when needed, and City & Highway proven. Sad to see her go…

Minx

Clubman – we brought home this little nipper yesterday. Champagne grey Mini Cooper in station wagon trim. Gertie the VW GTI was getting a bit incontinent, wobbly on her pins and was probably going to be an economical hole… so a replacement was contemplated. It had to be city manageable, greyhound transportable, cool and fun. The Mini checked all the boxes… 

Fidel

¡Viva la Revolución! – love him or loathe him, but you must agree that Comrade Castro believed in his country and its population for more than half a century. From coming ashore with his band of revolutionaries headed by Che Guevara on their clapped out cruiser Granma; to the overthrow of Batista; multiple asassination attempts; and hardships after the collapse of the Soviet Union; as well as crippling trade embargoes with the US. He stood by his socialist ideals for good or ill, only time will tell if his words of defense may come true: “History will absolve me!”

Number Four

Dirt Track Doll – hittin’ the corner of an earthen oval. Big sixties Brit twin shod in rugged tires, ground clearing pipes, and wide tracker bars. 

Howay like!

Geordie Babel Fish – a few choice words used by Geordies when explaining things with colloquial passion. 

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Duck Soup and 128 candles

Honky Birthday Harpo – the silent harp playing Marx was born on this day in 1888. Arthur was an essential sight gag goofy foil against the pun laden high jinx of his brothers: Groucho & Chico. 

Kong

He is the Law! And you’d better believe it! Judge Dredd takes on a towering simian who is wreaking havoc on Mega City One. From the saddle of his Lawmaster he’s reading the riot-act and probably sentencing this hominid perp to time. Comic artist Brian Bolland’s artwork for the cover of this rerelease is stunning in intricate detail of contrasting scales.

The original story in 200AD Prog 5 back in March 1977 was about a rampaging movie-prop robot perp. The story climax has Joe Dredd riding his bike into the fanged maw of the gorilla.

Rover

Dog Rider – this is Douglas and his owner Andrew Ditton. They live the simple life in an Airstream trailer. They get around on a silver Triumph Bonneville. Not bad.

Clarty

Sunday Worship – damp field and muddy tyres. I need to find some open ground to get the little Cub out to stretch its legs.

Paul Newman

Dragline:   “He was smiling…That’s right. You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end. Hell, if they didn’t know it ‘fore, they could tell right then that they weren’t a-gonna beat him. That old Luke smile. Old Luke, he was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he’s a natural-born world-shaker.”

Redhead Ready

Racing Trim – fiery tress’d lass aboard a slim trim Triumph racer. She just needs some snug boots, soft gloves and a sporting daubed helmet to reign in the carmine locks.

The Purr-fect Ride

Du-Cat-i    Poise, balance, independence, soft, sharp-claw’d. Felines would ride motorcycles if they could. Whether Italian or British…

Car Story

Car Shopping – we need to replace Gertie with a new vehicle. Easier said than done! Trying to tick all the boxes of desirable qualities for our transport for an anticipated decade of use… These old Triumphs look fun, but each is quite specialized. Sporty, practical, small, fun…