I drove from Land’s End to John O’Groats in a 101-year-old Austin

A farmer from Dorset has raised more than £7,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association charity by driving his 101-year-old Austin 12 from Land’s End to John O’Groats in eight days.

Ralph Messenger, from Dorchester, battled against the elements – including snow and torrential rain – to raise money for the charity, following his cousin being diagnosed with the disease.

“It’s not a disease I knew a lot about before I found out he had it around a year ago,” says Messenger. “If you want to raise money you’ve got to do something you’re interested in and I thought this would catch the attention of people and raise awareness of the charity in the hope we can defeat it eventually.

“All along the route people would stop me and ask about the charity, promising to make a donation to the cause. Having stickers all over the car helped to draw attention towards the challenge,” he says.

The route (mapped below) was planned meticulously in advance so the venerable Austin would not get in the way of modern-day traffic: “I drove along smaller roads: the last thing I wanted to do is annoy other road users, so if I had more than two or three cars behind me, I’d pull in and let them through. The car will hold 40mph really nicely and it will cruise at that speed,” he says, while adding that he diverted via the Isle of Skye (see full route details below) specifically so he could enjoy the stunning Scottish scenery.

About 88,000 Austin 12s, featuring a 1,660cc straight-four-cylinder engine, were produced between 1921 and 1939. The 12 in its name refers to its fiscal horsepower (an early type of vehicle taxation) rather than its brake horsepower, which stands at 20. Messenger’s example was delivered new to New Zealand and spent the first 51 years of its life there before returning to the UK. Its current owner purchased it for £6,000 at auction a year and a half ago.

“It is sad that vintage vehicles are decreasing in value and I probably wouldn’t get what I paid for it now. It’s a shame because it has a really nice Art Deco look,” the farmer mused. Messenger is something of an enthusiast of the marque, having previously owned a 1930 Austin 10.

Unlike earlier versions of the Austin 12, Messenger’s car is fitted with front brakes: “My model is from 1924 and that was the year front brakes were added. A lot of vintage cars are able to get up to a decent speed easily enough but stopping them is the issue as they can be heavy, but this car feels quite safe,” he says. “If someone in front has to make an emergency stop, I can do the same and pull up in time.”

While Messenger tackled the journey alone, he mostly stayed overnight with friends and family and also had the backing of a group of like-minded enthusiasts to ensure man and machine weren’t stranded by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

“I’m part of the Vintage Austin Register and the group is really supportive: you leave your name and number and where you are in the country so if anyone breaks down there is a community of people willing and able to help – or at the least offer a cup of tea and a chat. It’s like an AA service but a very specialist offering,” he says.

This network of contacts came in handy, as a member of the group was able to talk Messenger through changing a fanbelt over the phone near the finish at John O’Groats, while the car also suffered from a minor oil leak near Carlisle.

Taking on the challenge during the winter months meant that Messenger – and his car – were exposed to the elements. “It’s like being in a colander when you’re in the car,” he joked. “The window wiper isn’t very good. Water runs straight off the windscreen and there’s a bit of rubber that connects the split windscreen together, so the water ran down that and then bounced inside – so I found myself driving in shorts whenever it rained. However, the engine wasn’t affected and indeed it thrived on a wet day.”

Another hurdle was keeping the 101-year-old machine topped with high-quality fuel: “Finding enough super unleaded for the trip was difficult at times as I didn’t want to put E10 [standard grade unleaded petrol] in the car. Sometimes I’d have to go out the way a little bit,” he says.

Reflecting on the journey from Britain’s southernmost point to the northernmost tip, he says: “I’m amazed this 101-year-old car managed to take the journey in its stride with a few basic tools and only a couple of minor breakdowns along the way, in sometimes some quite rough weather. I have huge confidence in the car and it reinforces how well cars were built in that era. It shows how engineers must have thought about how what they were building should be used and how the car can potentially last forever.”

As for the legacy of his undertaking, Messenger says that he is hopeful the money he raised will help boost awareness of MND. “You hear little titbits of news about it and how sometimes some cases are slowed thanks to research. Hopefully eventually we’ll get it cured.”

[Source: Daily Telegraph]