Bond Trailer Tent info, new member

[ROCKandROLLATOR]

Hi to you All,

Lets introduce myself.
My name is Marc and I live in Amsterdam. I drive a 1971 Reliant Regal 3/30 original NL registred LHD. I know this is not an unusual micro car but this is not the reason I joined this forum.
I bought a Bond Trailer Tent last year and I'm looking for some info.
Does one of you own such a Trailer Tent? I'm searching for detailed photo's to restore mine the correct way. I contacted the Bond Owners Club but nobody could show me any photo's. I'm especially interested in the color schemes of the fabric Bond used for the tent.
I also on the look out for some original sales brochures.

Marc.

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

Hi Marc

Not many of those about. I presume you've seen the photos posted on the bond club website?

http://www.bondownersclub.co.uk/types/others/trailertent.html

Otherwise there's one that's been advertised for sale since 2012 on this site.

http://www.sussexsportscars.co.uk/cars/1963-bond-bug-trailer-tent/

Possibly worth asking if they'd let you take some photos as it looks in good condition. Is this the same trailer tent that was mentioned attending the 1998 national microcar rally?

One web page says the tent part was made by Bukta, who were based in Stockport - sounds quite probable - the Bukta brand still exists making sports clothing, but whether they could tell you anything about camping stuff from 50 years ago - who knows. Might be worth looking out for old copies of The campning club's Camping & Outdoor life magazine from around the time of the Motorcycle show to see if the trailer tent got any coverage in there, it isn't mentioned in the motorcycle magazines I have that cover the 1963 show.

[richard]

nick wotherspoons book " Lawrie Bond " does have a page on this but nothing really to add to that on the above link - this lists frame numbers 62/11/101 - 63/10/245 similar to the Bond car practice listing year / month/chassis . therefore your own was built in 1963 March and was number *191 of 245  made - all were silver or white .

oops the book must be wrong on production figures or chassis numbers 101 being the first and 245 being the last does not add up to 245 built does it ! anyway thats when this one was made march '63

[richard]

just look at the trailer tent chassis plate , obviously made out from the top and bottom of another plate - now that is mean isn't it 

[ROCKandROLLATOR]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the info. Yes these are the only sites I could find about the Trailer Tent. It's not much!
The Bond Bug club helped me identifying the lights Bond used on the Trailer Tent. They used any surplus parts they had in their store rooms. Mine are Lucas L471 but they also used Lucas L549 back lights. Both used on the Mini Car.

I've send an e-mail to Bukta. Hope they got the archives and can tell me some more about the fabric.
Fingers crossed.

Cheers Marc.

[richard]

marc i really think you will have trouble on this one ! if they are the same company whats the chance of ANY records for 200 odd covers they made 50 years ago ! crikey even if they had any details of spec the chance of replacing to the same spec would be tiny . dont you already have the cover ? or is that a replacement ? i do know of another survivor though and there must be a few at least .
The Bond Bug Club would have no experience really as the Bond Bug is actually a Reliant vehicle made years after the 1963 tents By 1963 Bonds would not have been using Lucas L471 or L549 on any new cars -  but they may have had a few in stores or more likely had to order them in especially , if they were then still being made by Lucas at all in particular the earlier one .

[Grant Kearney]

oops the book must be wrong on production figures or chassis numbers 101 being the first and 245 being the last does not add up to 245 built does it ! anyway thats when this one was made march '63

Total production run was 145 units.  Rob Hadley (of Leicester Bond Club fame) use to tow his to Morcambe years ago with his G Twin Estate.  Another regular Bonder use to do the same.

[ROCKandROLLATOR]

Hi,

Yes it's realy a long shot to contact them. But as the Dutch say, "If you don't shoot you'll always miss".
I know the Bug was made by Reliant and much later than my Trailer Tent.  The story I was told is the same you're telling which is these lights where old stock from early mini car production. I don't realy know what was used in those days because at the time I was only 3 years old living down under.
What I do know is in those days people where reluctant to trow good useable goods in the bin like us right now.
The cover on the picture is full of mould but I will use it as a template to make a new one.
The only thing I'm after is the same material (fabric design) Bond used originaly. I'm after the (orange?) striped fabric as in the brochure on the Bond Owners Club website.
I like to thank you all for your input.

Kind regards,
 Marc.

[richard]

hi marc
it's more than likely the orange/white material was only used at the show anyway - all the pics show a plain cover with a white or silver base ( apart from that one photograph ) , i think you have probably got the original canvas as ex- factory . good luck anyway and by the way i like your Reliant too , it looks a bonzer little car