‘Every tank of fuel has been documented’ Dave Crewe, Isle of Wight
There can’t be many classics with this much documented history. Dave Crewe’s father bought this Morris Oxford Farina Traveller, affectionately known as ‘Bessie’, new in 1967. From that day, he kept meticulous records. Over several notebooks, mileage is noted at every fill up of petrol, every service, tyre, accessory and repair. Sadly, just five years later, Dave’s father passed away, which is when he inherited the car. ‘I was a student teacher at the time. The Oxford really didn’t look like a student’s car, so I regularly got away with parking it in the teacher’s car park without anyone giving it a second glance,’ smiles Dave.
‘I’ve kept up Dad’s record keeping, and have increased the mileage from just 59,000 in 1972 to 325,000 today. It’s never broken down on me or failed an MOT test, and has never been completely restored. That said, I have done a fair bit of work on her over the years. I’ve replaced the sills three times and I replaced the front wings in 1975 when Leyland was selling panels off at just £12.50 apiece.’ ‘I’ve got every piece of paper relating to the car throughout its life, from the original bill of sale to the first service receipt’ After the first service, Dave’s father taught him to carry out maintenance work himself, which he has done every 3000 miles since – with the paperwork and reliability record to prove it. It’s Dave’s only car, and he has subtly updated it over the years: ‘When I was a student, I fitted a set of Rover P6 front seats for comfort, a Simca chrome roof rack and Riley dashboard. All of these things are part of the car’s history and I love them’. As Dave lives on the Isle of Wight, he doesn’t see any point in owning a faster or more modern car ‘By the time you get up to speed on the island, it’s time to slow down again. The Morris is perfectly suited for the pace of life. I hope that the next 325,000 miles are as good as the last.’ DO YOU HAVE A HIGHMILER Want to join the High Mile Club? Email danny. hopkins@ practical classics.
co.uk with your story and some pics. Make sure it is over 180k miles and you have done the lion’s share of them.