Custom Car subs offer

Above left: An ad on the Rods’n’Sods forum turned up the steel wheels, Morris Minor 14” diameter on the front and banded 7” wide Hillman Minx 15” diameter at the back. Tyres are Michelin 145R14 and Hercules H/P 4000 225/70R15 front and back respectively Top right: An array of LED gauges and a GPS speedo are mounted in a steel panel set into the Prefect Bakelite dash. Hanging underneath the parcel shelf is a refurbished heater along with a DAB radio. Below that are the 3 pedals, indicating the gearbox needs to be stirred by hand Above right: Mel sourced the MGF front seats through eBay, the beige and cream upholstery being the perfect combination for his chosen paint colours. He then set about trimming the rest of the interior himself in plain cream and diamond-stitched dark beige vinyl with polished ali accents

eft he boot plays home to the under- oor mounted custom fabricated high capacity ali fuel tank. Ideal for those long-haul interstate cruises Pic: Mel Garrard

Top: The ex-Geoff Cousins louvred bonnet was picked up at the Supernats Above: The Lucas rear lights have been upgraded to LED, as has the not-soinsigni cant number plate light he rear lights have also been modi ed to incorporate orange lens indicators. Not being a fan of the Boudicea chariot, skin-ripper original Pop bumper, Mel narrowed it 12” and got KZ Kustoms to coat it in silver paint

Mel is breaking the car in for an impending US road trip

Since it appeared on the road in early 2022, the Pop has been well received, graced the Custom Car stand at the National Hot Rod and Custom Show in Peterborough and garnered the Popstalgia Pick and Pop Festival awards at the NSRA Fun Run. So far, driving duties have in the main been handled by Mel’s son Elliott, as they tend to travel to rod runs together with Mel behind the wheel of Plum Crazy. At the time of writing, around 1200 miles have been clocked up in Coco Pop, a good start for breaking the car in for that impending US road trip in two or three years’ time.

Mel will be in the driving seat for that adventure, although Elliott may be joining him for part of it. We look forward to seeing the holiday snaps from that particular trip.

Left: Spot the difference? Mel couldn’t live with the A-suffi x registration number and has changed it since our photoshoot Pic: Mel Garrard

Thanks

‘Kevin House at KZ Kustomz for the awesome chop and paint, RF Welding for the fuel tank, Collin Rey for the radiator, Adrian Fish for selling me the solid project, my son Elliott for being my right arm and my wife Mandy and daughter Melanie for being my number one fans’