|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coronet / Powerdrive
Owners Memories.
My thanks go to Dick Goodall for the following memories of a Powerdrive.
Roger's Powerdrive
As far as I remember it was in 1962 that Roger, a fellow apprentice at a local toolmaking firm, bought a Powerdrive 3-wheeler. The paint was a maroon colour and it looked in decent nick. It had been owned by a mechanic at a small, local motorcycle dealer. He had rescued the car from an enforced rest after its Anzani engine gave up and to get it mobile again he had fitted a 500cc BSA twin engine and gearbox. This conversion had one or two interesting side effects. Starting was by a kick start sticking out of the driver's side of the car just behind the entrance. It wasn't too dodgy, the kick start did fold away. The Beezer engine was of course rather larger than the original and it was necessary to cut away part of the trough into which the hood should have been stowed and the rocker cover was evident both by sight and by a clatter whilst moving.
Although there was only a tonneau cover, this did not stop Roger from using it daily. After all, he had bought the car as a first step from a motorbike as part of his courting. It was quite amusing to see him standing at the side of the car and pumping away at the kick start. Then he would hop in and drive off with quite an impressive exhaust note. I only once had a shotgun ride with him. The Powerdrive might not have been luxurious, though the ride wasn't bad, I believe the front suspension was from an A35. The bench seat was roomy and the ride was certainly 'wind in the hair'! On the open road the power of the BSA engine meant that it would fly past the generally slow cars of the day, accelerating well without even changing down.
Perhaps the most vivid memory I have is from a spectator's point of view. We had spent the day at the local Technical College. With a crowd of others I sat on the bus trundling away from the stop when Roger happily passed us, giving a casual wave. Is it not written that pride comes before a fall? To our surprise, and immense amusement and delight, the forward opening Powerdrive bonnet came open, completely obscuring the driver's view. That alone would have been great crack, but then came the best bit. The bonnet was, like the car, made of aluminium alloy and was not braced at all well. It folded over the top of the windscreen and down in front of Roger, seemingly just missing his nose. You can imagine how we all opened the bus windows and howled our approval of this event!
To Roger's credit he had the car repaired by next day and came to work as if nothing had happened. Not that he got away without jocular comment.
I imagine the car would have soldiered on for some time but for the next happening. Luckily at low speed, the rear stub axle broke on a bend in town and the car was towed home. In no time the broken part was removed but no parts seemed available. Well of course we worked at an engineering factory and a replacement was soon made from a good quality tool steel. In no time the Powerdrive was roaming the roads again. But the lass was not amused and insisted that the car was sold. As we all know, a swain can be persuaded by his lass and so the car was disposed of, I never did find out where it went.
Dick Goodall.