Lawrie Bond — The man & the marque

by Nick Wotherspoon. Bookmarque Publishing, £18.95.

Here is something rather special — a copiously illustrated history of the remarkable Lawrie Bond and his numerous products: wonderful for Bond-starved historians and restorers. The Bond three-wheeler minicar was something of a disaster –– I had my troubles with road-test ones and the factory mechanic who came to sort them out was giving in his notice, unable to stand travelling in even the latest version! But that’s all water under the Ribbleton bridge now and it is good to be able to read the full story of Bond and his products minicar, minibike, rotary-valve engines, Bond Equipe, and of the Reliant takeover.

Wotherspoon has done a good job, and Bookmarque has located the only remaining two or three photographs of Bond himself. A pity Wotherspoon seems not to have read Motor Sport’s road-tests of the Bond cars. . .

The four related clubs/registers should be grateful, as should you if you care about unusual vehicles and their history. W B