This Chummy is lucky to find Millie

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Today is Friday 13th, considered by many to be unlucky in Western superstition, and because we are firm believers in making your own luck, we share with you a story to remind us how lucky we are to enjoy our cars the way we do.

The picture shows a lovely occasion when a 1926 Austin 7 Chummy found a new owner. Her name is Millie and the L plates tell us she is still gaining experience before taking her driving test. She will have no trouble because Millie drove the Chummy home from the previous owner’s house – a distance of 100 miles - having never before driven a car of this sort. Especially an Austin 7 with in-or-out clutch and crash gearbox!
The deal was more than fair. If the car got her home with no need of a breakdown service, the owner would charge the full price. If it let them down, there would be a substantial discount. You begin to see how good fun always accompanies their vintage car activities and to ensure there was fun and fair play, the owner sat in the back with Millie driving and her father beside her. ( Is she adjusting the rear view mirror, or taking a 'selfie' ?)

Off they go in the early morning and, to avoid motorways, they chose a route straight through central London. The owner is a keen horologist so he insisted they drive to The Great Clock in Westminster where he would climb out and catch a train home but London traffic dictated a slow average speed which meant a lack of cooling air through the radiator and as the temperature rose, water found a way out of a hole. Millie found a place to park where they offered bacon sandwiches and coffee and the owner , being a clever ingenious fellow, went off in search of araldite. A straightforward repair and a valuable lesson for young Millie in using whatever can be found nearby to get you going again. The hot engine ensured the araldite cured whilst our intrepid trio enjoyed breakfast. The little Austin 7 gave them a trouble-free run the rest of the way home and I feel it will bring her luck if she uses it on her driving test. One day, I shall enjoy introducing her to ‘The Chummy Ladies’.

(Text Robin Batchelor, pictures courtesy Mollie's Dad and previous owner.)

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