19 May 2008

Henry The Hornet

This is me on my 18th birthday....
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Don't I look seriously underwhelmed? (Not to mention thin)
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My mum and dad got me a 21-year old Wolseley Hornet Mark II and I named him Henry.
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He was the same size as a Mini, only Henry had a boot. ("Trunk" for those of you in America). He also had a walnut dashboard, smelt all musty and leathery and needed his spark-plugs spraying with WD40 whenever it rained. And after it had rained, his interior would be damp and the windows would be covered in condensation.
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A new Wolesley Hornet
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I still hadn't passed my driving test by my birthday - it took me over a year to pass. I failed at my first two attempts, so I had to drive him with 'L' plates on and Mr Jelly would sit in the passenger seat, or take over the driving when he couldn't take it any more. (And yes, I've known Mr Jelly a long time!).
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Being 21 years old, Henry was considered a "classic" or "vintage" car and he was fun to drive. He even had a button on the floor to dip the headlights.
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.I don't think he'd be legal to drive in the present "health-and-safety" society we live in as the seatbelts were not the self-tightening ones we have now ... plus, he drank leaded petrol!
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5 comments:

Tine said...

Henry is too cute for words! What a great great gift to get for your birthday....
I think it sounds really nice, that you've known Mr Jelly for a really long time.
My sweetie and I are just the opposite... We shared our first kiss February 2004, and by December that same year, we had a daugther :-)

Sal said...

Fabulous car!! And a walnut dashboard...wow! ;-)Sal

Lindsey said...

How fab is Henry?! Memories of first cars are flooding back now. Mine was a Mini and had exactly the same probs in the rain and damp. When we sold him it was for £60 and the floorpan was held in by the Evostik sticking the carpet down :0)

cara lou said...

Oh be still my beating heart! I'm in love with that little car!! That is just the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

Tip Top said...

Fantastic!! I never had a car to call my own (passed second time) as had to share with the future Mr Tip Top...... got my own now though heheheheheh!!!