Big Car is a Land Rover 110 (110 inches long that is!) She was built in 1985 and entered military service with the British Army soon after.

She probably saw action all across the globe, possibly being dropped out of Chinook helicopters and perhaps being used to bring troops to the front line. Though no bullet holes or blast damage can be seen on Big Car’s bodywork, this is probably because she is lucky rather than cowardly. As old army equipment came to be replaced by new, Big Car was sold in August 2003 at a blind auction in Grantham to a young man named Simon.

Mel remembers how it all happened:

An ordinary August morning … I was informed “we’re going on a road trip, bring your toothbrush!“ Ideas of luxury hotels, champagne and oysters filled my mind….

We arrived at the auction courtyard near Grantham that afternoon…. (!)

It was filled to breaking point with land rovers, tanks, police cars, fire engines… Si looked like Christmas had come early! The search commenced.

Land rovers were sat in, explored and many disregarded due to bullet holes and major crash wounds! Then we saw lot 57. Perfectly happy sitting in the middle of two very expensive looking beasts. Big car looked a bit worn, but affordable! We both got in the front. She was perfick.

We eventually left and found a place to lay our heads in Grantham… We ate Italian food and drank a bottle of red wine in the most expensive wine bar in town. Si recounted his tales of land rovers to the bar man who only had us as customers…

The next morning, heads a bit sore from the wine the night before, we headed back to the auction. We spoke to a man who said that lot 57 would definitely start, it just wouldn’t that day due to some very plausible reasons… Hindsight is a great thing.

The boys were called for their opinions. There was no talking him out of it, we were going home that day, and big car would be following…

A price was agreed. I added a fiver to it… (Just in case some one else put in the same bid)…. Si took my money.

Forms were filled out.

Bid was placed.

The rest is history.

Big car was born.

Big Car was duly delivered to Simon’s city of residence, Southampton, aboard a 60ft military low loader, which brought the entire city to a stand still. Having been prevented from starting Big Car up at the auction, Simon inserted her keys into her ignition with a feeling of great anticipation. Slowly the keys turned and the excitement grew. With every further degree of rotation Simon came closer to driving Big Car for the first time. Until finally, at long last, the ignition engaged and… clunk! Turns out Big Car was knackered. Thus, a journey of much blood sweet and tears was begun.

Simon vowed to return Big Car to her former glory. The next 3 years saw many a weekend of tinkering, fiddling and swearing. Today the mantle has passed and the tradition of tinkering, fiddling and swearing (mainly swearing) continues in the hands of Simon’s friends.