Disco fever that made me so proud

On MY grandson’s 14th birthday, his dad gave him a salvaged land Rover discovery he had lost interest in restoring and had neglected for two years. Simon was born with a spanner in his hand. He did not learn to speak until he was four, when grommets were fitted in his ears. undetected deafness had robbed him of important learning years. Throughout most of his school years he was classed as a child with learning difficulties. Simon had watched his dad work on cars, so he knew his way around an engine, and he set to work on his vehicle. In a short time, he had the engine working. until he started work at the Jaguar land Rover engine manufacturing centre, he did what he could on the car with the little money he had and, after six years of work, he was able to buy what was needed. By his 20th birthday, the land Rover discovery was insured and on the road. The land Rover magazine heard about Simon and his discovery and contacted him, asking if he would write up the history. He keeps meticulous records and photographs, so had plenty of data to work from. To the layman, flitches, Td5 lumps and manifolds mean nothing, but the magazine crew knew they would interest their readers and took Simon’s pride and joy for an off-road trial. He was worried. His precious disco was to go through such a nerve-racking, rigorous task. But he need not have worried: it went up and down hills, round trees, through mud and disappeared into a crater and crawled out at the other side still intact — a credit to the excellent workmanship. A four-page article telling Simon’s story appeared in the land Rover magazine. Simon’s sister, who teaches children who have been excluded from school, made a display of the article and put it on her classroom wall to inspire her students and show that, even with a difficult start in life, they can be achievers. who’s a proud grandma? Sylvia rowley,

Manchester.