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Lawrie Bond, Microcar Man: An Illustrated History of Bond Cars Kindle Edition

by Nick Wotherspoon (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 27 ratings
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Once a common sight on Britain's roads, few people today seem to have heard of the Bond Minicar not a diminutive, gadget laden conveyance for the fictional 007 character, but a popular, practical, motorcycle-engined, three-wheeler that in the post-war austerity period, gave tens of thousands of people affordable personal transport at a time when conventional vehicles were beyond the reach of the average household. Yet whilst the later, mostly imported, 'Bubble cars' have remained in the public eye, it is largely forgotten that the first of the postwar 'Microcars' to go into significant production was the British designed and built Bond. Equally enigmatic seems to be the designer of this vehicle, Lawrence 'Lawrie' Bond a prolific automotive design genius, with a penchant for weight-saving construction techniques. He was responsible for a wide range of two, three and four wheel vehicles; from ultra-lightweight motorcycles and scooters, such as the Minibyke, Lilliput and Gazelle, as well as his other Microcars the stylish Berkeley and perhaps less-than-pretty Opperman Unicar and finally to his later work, including the innovative, but troubled Bond 875 and styling the Equipe GT sportscar.Here the story is told in full, covering all Lawrie's innovative designs and the various vehicles that bore his name, all in prolifically illustrated detail, together with his passion for motor racing, which resulted in a number of technically acclaimed racing cars, some of which can still be seen competing is historic racing events today.
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  1. Print length
    458 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Pen & Sword Transport
  5. Publication date
    June 30, 2017
  6. File size
    39304 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A truly inspirational story of a pioneer in the automotive industry = Bond was responsible for a number of amazing car designs – I’ve never been that fond of three-wheeled vehicles personally, but this history of Lawrie Bond’s amazing designs is inspirational and fascinating, almost larger than life!”
Books Monthly

About the Author

Nick Wotherspoon BA (Hons) has been actively involved with vintage and classic vehicles for most of his life, owning several Bond vehicles over the years, including two currently, one of which is under restoration. He has maintained an strong interest in the Bond story, since researching the subject for a final year dissertation at university. This evolved into an earlier, now long out of print, work on Bond cars (1993) and a television documentary (Inside Out, BBC 2009), as well as more recently being commissioned to write the entry on Lawrie Bond for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. A former librarian, he currently works for Lancashire County Council Cultural Services and lives in the Ribble Valley.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0711CGC71
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Transport (June 30, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 30, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 39304 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 458 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 27 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
27 global ratings

Top review from the United States

Thomas Reimel
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding history of a forgotten automotive innovator
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
This is simply an outstanding treatment of the innovative and quirky designer and automotive entrepreneur Lawrie Bond.
I already knew Bond's work with the super-light and "cheap and cheerful" three-wheel minicars, and I iknew Bond was also the fertile mind behind such classics as the Triumph Herald-based "Equipe." However, even as a student of obscure English cars, I had no idea Bond was involved with so many fascinating products and projects. Unsurprisingly, he was involved in various race car designs for Britain's 500 CC racing classes, but I certainly didn't know he made some innovative motor boat designs!
This book is an invaluable treatment of a true pioneer of small British car design. Recommended.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Matthias
5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you want to know about Bond and his work
Reviewed in Germany on January 20, 2021
Verified Purchase
Great book about the life of Lawrie Bond and his cars and bikes. It's not only limited to the 3-wheelers that bore his name.
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MikeT
5.0 out of 5 stars A wealth of fascinating information
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 8, 2020
Verified Purchase
I expected this book to be interesting and was not disappointed. The author has presented the story of this innovative thinker and the many projects with which he was involved in a totally engaging way. His book provides in-depth information covering not just Lawrie Bond’s original microcar and how it evolved, but also the many other vehicles with which he was associated. Each chapter is a complete story in itself, so as not to confuse the time lines, but together they provide a fascinating insight into how some aspects of the car industry developed over a period of several decades. Highly recommended!
One person found this helpful
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richard.r
4.0 out of 5 stars une aventure automobile
Reviewed in France on March 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
un inventeur sortant de l ordinaire et une aventure dans les 3 roues et .les voitures originales à l epoque des petits constructeurs
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David
5.0 out of 5 stars Great history
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 26, 2021
Verified Purchase
Well written and excellent illustrations of this specialist manufacturer.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars a must for a bond owner
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
great book with lots of good info.
One person found this helpful
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