Bond: Special Agent<\/strong><\/p>\n Figure 1. Recent biography<\/p>\n Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n The editors have considerable respect for Laurie Bond and are pleased to offer this article which examines his work and designs.<\/p>\n He was a capable engineer, amateur racing driver, entrepreneur; reading demand, marrying product with defined client.<\/p>\n He capitalised on skills, diversified when it seemed opportune.<\/p>\n He contributed to Britain’s growth, change and improvement through the Austerity to Affluence era of post war Britain<\/p>\n He ought to be given credit for his manufacturing capacity, the sustainability of his products and the fact he extrapolated 2nd<\/sup> World War technologies into his products and may have influenced Chapman.<\/p>\n Laurie Bond is a very significant Industrial Designer.<\/p>\n He is not as famous as Chapman but both men had much in common.<\/p>\n We shall explore the commonality in this article.<\/p>\n Bond did much to motorise and mobilsed Britain in the post war era and perhaps deserves more credit than has been given.<\/p>\n It’s also possible that he helped inform Chapmans ideas for the Elite and Type 25.<\/p>\n Laurie Bond 1907-1974 was mature person in the important post war era as the summary indicates<\/p>\n 1945-age 38<\/p>\n 1947-age 40<\/p>\n 1957-age 50<\/p>\n 1974- died at age 67<\/p>\n Economic context to 1950\u2019s <\/strong><\/p>\n Subscribers might like to see our dedicated articles on the 1950\u2019s in which we offer statistics relating to income in order to better understand customer affordability and the financial discipline; the design \/ entrepreneurs faced bringing them the products they required.<\/p>\n Subscribers might like also to explore major socio-economic events impinging on the 1950\u2019s which include The Suez Crisis, the development of the motor cycle and sidecar for family transport, demographics, mass production, the impact of credit \/deferred terms \/Hire purchase<\/p>\n The following statistics from the net are useful: –<\/p>\n \u201cIn 1950, the UK standard of living was higher than in any EEC country apart from Belgium. It was 50% higher than the West German standard of living, and twice as high as the Italian standard of living. By the earlier Seventies, however, the UK standard of living was lower than all EEC countries apart from Italy (which, according to one calculation, was roughly equal to Britain). In 1951, the average weekly earnings of men over the age of 21 stood at \u00a38 6s 0d, and nearly doubled a decade later to \u00a315 7s 0d. By 1966, average weekly earnings stood at \u00a320 6s 0d.[201]<\/sup><\/a> Between 1964 and 1968, the percentage of households with a television set rose from 80.5% to 85.5%, a washing machine from 54% to 63%, a refrigerator from 35% to 55%, a car from 38% to 49%, a telephone from 21.5% to 28%, and central heating from 13% to 23%.[202]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Between 1951 and 1963, wages rose by 72% while prices rose by 45%, enabling people to afford more consumer goods than ever before.[203]<\/sup><\/a> Between 1955 and 1967, the average earnings of weekly-paid workers increased by 96% and those of salaried workers by 95%, while prices rose by about 45% in the same period.[204]<\/sup><\/a> The rising affluence of the Fifties and Sixties was underpinned by sustained full employment and a dramatic rise in workers’ wages. In 1950, the average weekly wage stood at \u00a36.8s, compared with \u00a311.2s.6d in 1959. As a result of wage rises, consumer spending also increased by about 20% during this same period, while economic growth remained at about 3%. In addition, food rations were lifted in 1954 while hire-purchase controls were relaxed in the same year. As a result of these changes, large numbers of the working classes were able to participate in the consumer market for the first time.<\/p>\n The significant real wage increases in the 1950s and 1960s contributed to a rapid increase in working-class consumerism, with British consumer spending rising by 45% between 1952 and 1964.[207]<\/sup><\/a> In addition, entitlement to various fringe benefits was improved. In 1955, 96% of manual labourers were entitled to two weeks\u2019 holiday with pay, compared with 61% in 1951. By the end of the 1950s, Britain had become one of the world’s most affluent countries, and by the early Sixties, most Britons enjoyed a level of prosperity that had previously been known only to a small minority of the population.[208]<\/sup><\/a> For the young and unattached, there was, for the first time in decades, spare cash for leisure, clothes, and luxuries. In 1959, Queen<\/em><\/a> magazine declared that “Britain has launched into an age of unparalleled lavish living.” Average wages were high while jobs were plentiful, and people saw their personal prosperity climb even higher. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan<\/a> claimed that “the luxuries of the rich have become the necessities of the poor.” Levels of disposable income rose steadily,[209]<\/sup><\/a> with the spending power of the average family rising by 50% between 1951 and 1979, and by the end of the Seventies, 6 out of 10 families had come to own a car.[210]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Car ownership rose by 250% between 1951 and 1961, and between 1955 and 1960 average weekly earnings rose by 34%, while the cost of most technological consumer items fell in real terms. In the 1950s consumers had more money to spend on goods, and more goods from which to choose.\u201d<\/p>\n The Contemporaries Series has been written to achieve the following objectives: –<\/strong><\/p>\n The British specialist car market has been extremely vulnerable to economic downturn and its history is littered with casualties. Those that have survived are worthy of examination.<\/p>\n Please note the editors have striven to achieve objectivity and consistency of comparison throughout however it will be appreciated with many conflicting sources, references and specifications this is not an easy task and some inaccuracies may occur. We are happy to correct these presented with reliable alternatives.<\/p>\n Subscribers might like to see further complementary and structured A&R articles: –<\/p>\n Bond Biography from wiki and net: –<\/strong><\/p>\n “Lawrie” Bond Lawrence <\/strong> (2 August 1907 \u2013 September 1974) was a British engineer<\/a> and designer<\/a> noted for designing several economical and lightweight vehicles, amongst which were the Bond Minicar<\/a>, the Berkeley<\/a> and the Bond Equipe GT<\/a>[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Bond was born in Preston, Lancashire<\/a> on 2 August 1907.[1]<\/sup><\/a> His father was Frederick Charles Bond, a local historian and artist.[1]<\/sup><\/a> After attending Preston Grammar School<\/a>, Bond worked for a variety of engineering firms, notably the Blackburn Aircraft Company<\/a> during the second world war.[1]<\/sup><\/a> He then went on to enjoy modest success as an amateur racing driver and racing car designer utilising knowledge he had gained in the aircraft industry in lightweight, stressed skin<\/a> construction. In 1948 he designed a small three-wheeled car<\/a> for road use and the attention this gained in the media highlighted the design’s commercial potential and provided the basis for the Bond Minicar<\/a>.[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n In later life Bond ran a pub near Bowes in North Yorkshire<\/a> where he combined the role of freelance designer with that of publican. Later, ill health resulted in a return to Lancashire, to Ansdell<\/a>, where he died in September 1974, aged 67.[2]<\/sup><\/p>\n Figure 2. Early motorcycle\/scooter<\/p>\n Bond Bikes<\/strong><\/p>\n Bond designed a series of motor bikes and scooters .It’s possible these were influenced by the success of the Italian Vespa [see A&R dedicated article]<\/p>\n Minibyke of 1949, this was quite a radical concept and specification included: –<\/p>\n Bond Type C racing car<\/strong><\/p>\n Wotherspoon:-<\/p>\n Bond weighed less than 400 lb.<\/p>\n 500cc F500 car.Retailed at \u00a3585 +3163\/5s PT<\/p>\n Bond Cars<\/strong><\/p>\n Bond from Jenkinson: –<\/p>\n \u201cLaurie Bond is a fanatic for small lightweight vechicles , his production three wheelers being well \u2013known .Occasionally he made sorties into the racing world , mostly hill climbs , and invariably proved certain ways not to build racing cars \u2026….another front wheel drive effort that came to nothing was his formula junior car \u201c<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a small beginning for the innovative Bond Company, and became something of a modest success, despite possessing what many people today would consider to be a sub-entry level specification. Between the appearance of the first prototype in 1948, and the end of its production run in 1966, a not insubstantial total of 26,500 were produced \u2013 and it was this success that paved the way for enough profitability to create the Equipe.<\/p>\n The industrial powerhouse behind the Bond name was based in Ribbleton Lane, Preston. Overseen by Sharp\u2019s Commercials, the producer of Lawrie Bond\u2019s Minicar, was a part of the Loxhams and Bradshaw industrial conglomerate. Although the company\u2019s core business was a long way removed from the day-to-day business of building these micro-cars, it remained very much in charge, right up to the 1964, when Lawrie\u2019s company became the much more important-sounding Bond Cars Limited.<\/p>\n However, come 1968\u2019s take-over of Loxhams & Bradshaw by dealer group Dutton-Forshaw, Bond Cars ended up being sold to Tamworth-based Reliant.<\/a>”<\/p>\n Bond from wiki edit<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe basic concept for the minicar was derived from a prototype built by Lawrence “Lawrie” Bond<\/a>, an engineer from Preston.[3]<\/sup><\/a> During the war, Bond had worked as an aeronautical designer for the Blackburn Aircraft Company<\/a>[4]<\/sup><\/a> before setting up a small engineering business in Blackpool, manufacturing aircraft and vehicle components for the government. After the war he moved his company to Longridge<\/a> where he built a series of small, innovative racing cars, which raced with a modest amount of success.[3]<\/sup><\/a> In the early part of 1948, he revealed the prototype of what was described as a new minicar to the press.[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Described as a “short radius runabout, for the purpose of shopping and calls within a 20-30-mile radius”, the prototype was demonstrated climbing a 25 per cent gradient with driver and passenger on board. It was reported to have a 125\u00a0cc (8\u00a0cu\u00a0in) Villiers<\/a> two-stroke<\/a> engine with a three-speed gearbox, a dry weight<\/a> of 195 pounds (88\u00a0kg)[6]<\/sup><\/a> and a cruising speed of around 30\u00a0mph (48\u00a0km\/h). At the time of the report (May 1948), it was stated that production was “expected to start in three months’ time”.[7]<\/sup><\/a> The prototype was built at Bond’s premises in Berry Lane, Longridge<\/a> where it is now commemorated with a blue plaque<\/a>.[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Sharp’s Commercials was a company contracted by the Ministry of Supply<\/a> to rebuild military vehicles.[9]<\/sup><\/a> Knowing that the Ministry were ending their contract in 1948, and recognising the limitations of his existing works as a base for mass production<\/a>, Bond approached the Managing Director of Sharp’s, Lt. Col. Charles Reginald ‘Reg’ Gray, to ask if he could rent the factory to build his car. Gray refused, but said that instead, Sharp’s could manufacture the car for Bond and the two entered into an agreement on this basis.[10]<\/sup><\/a> Bond carried out some further development work on the Minicar, but once mass production was underway, left the project and sold the design and manufacturing rights to Sharp’s.[11]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n The engine bay of a 1959 Minicar Mark F. The kick start<\/a> on the right hand side of the engine was fitted for emergency use; all Minicars were started from the driver’s seat.[12]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n The prototype and early cars utilised stressed skin<\/a> aluminium<\/a> bodywork, though later models incorporated chassis members of steel.[12]<\/sup><\/a> The Minicar was amongst the first British cars to use fibreglass<\/a> body panels.[13]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Though retaining much of Lawrie Bond’s original concept of a simple, lightweight, economical vehicle, the Minicar was gradually developed by Sharp’s through several different incarnations. The majority of cars were convertibles<\/a>, though later, hardtop<\/a> models were offered, along with van<\/a> and estate<\/a> versions. Minicars were generally available either in standard or deluxe form, though the distinction between the two was largely one of mechanical detail rather than luxury. The cars were powered initially by a single-cylinder<\/a> two-stroke<\/a> Villiers<\/a> engine of 122\u00a0cc (7\u00a0cu\u00a0in). In December 1949 [14]<\/sup><\/a> this was upgraded to a 197\u00a0cc (12\u00a0cu\u00a0in) unit. The engine was further upgraded in 1958, first to a single-cylinder 247\u00a0cc (15\u00a0cu\u00a0in) and then to a 247\u00a0cc (15\u00a0cu\u00a0in) twin-cylinder Villiers 4T. These air-cooled<\/a> engines were developed principally as motorcycle units and therefore had no reverse gear. However, this was a minimal inconvenience, because the engine, gearbox and front wheel were mounted as a single unit and could be turned by the steering wheel up to 90 degrees either side of the straight-ahead position, enabling the car to turn within its own length.<\/p>\n A method of reversing the car was offered on later models via a reversible Dynastart<\/a> unit. The Dynastart unit, which doubled as both starter motor<\/a> and dynamo<\/a> on these models incorporated a built-in reversing solenoid switch. After stopping the engine and operating this switch the Dynastart, and consequently the engine, would rotate in the opposite direction.[15]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Tax position <\/strong><\/p>\n Tax advantage edit<\/a><\/strong>The car proved popular in the UK market, where its three-wheel configuration meant that it qualified for a lower rate of purchase tax<\/a>, lower vehicle excise duty<\/a> and cheaper insurance than comparable four-wheel cars. The three-wheel configuration, low weight and lack of a reverse gear also meant that it could be driven on a motor cycle licence.<\/p>\n Tax changes[edit<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n In April 1962 the purchase tax rate of 55 percent, which had been applied to all four-wheeled cars sold in the UK since the war was reduced to 45 per cent.[16]<\/sup><\/a> In November 1962, it was reduced by another 20 per cent to 25 per cent \u2013 the same rate as that applied to three-wheelers. This rapid change meant that at the point of sale, some three-wheelers became more expensive than four-wheeled cars like the Mini<\/a>. In response, Tom Gratrix, head of Sharp’s sent a telegram<\/a> to the Chancellor<\/a> warning that unless a similar tax cut were given to the purchase tax rate for three-wheelers, there would be 300 redundancies and possibly the closure of the Sharp’s factory.[17]<\/sup><\/a> No cut was forthcoming, sales of Minicars declined rapidly from this point and the final Minicar was produced in 1966.[18]<\/sup><\/a> At the end of production 24,482 had been made.[19]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Minicar 1949\u201351[<\/strong>edit<\/strong><\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n Sold as the Bond Minicar (the Mark A suffix being added only after the Mark B was introduced),[20]<\/a><\/sup> the car was advertised as the world’s most economical car.[21]<\/sup><\/a> It was austere and simple in design, without luxuries.[12]<\/sup><\/a> Production began in January 1949,[14]<\/a><\/sup> although 90 per cent of the initial production was said to have been allocated to the overseas market.[22]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n As with the prototype, a large proportion of the Minicar was made from different aluminium alloys<\/a>. The main body was a very simple construction of 18\u00a0swg<\/a> sheet with a 14\u00a0swg main bulkhead.[23]<\/sup><\/a> The integrity of the main stressed skin<\/a> structure was enhanced by the absence of doors, the bodysides being deemed low enough to be stepped over without major inconvenience (unless you were wearing a skirt<\/a>).[24]<\/sup><\/a> Most of the bodywork panels were flat or fairly simple curves whilst the compound curves of the bonnet and rear mudguard arches were pressed out as separate panels. The windscreen was made from Perspex<\/a>.[14]<\/sup><\/a> The car was alleged to weigh only 308 pounds (140\u00a0kg) \u201call-in\u201d[23]<\/sup><\/a> or 285 pounds (129\u00a0kg) dry<\/a>[25]<\/sup><\/a> and its light weight was regularly demonstrated by one person lifting the entire rear end of the car off the ground unaided.[26]<\/sup><\/a>[27]<\/sup><\/a> A test run between Preston and London at an average speed of 22.8\u00a0mph (36.7\u00a0km\/h) gave an average fuel consumption of 97\u00a0mpg\u2011imp<\/sub> (2.9\u00a0L\/100\u00a0km; 81\u00a0mpg\u2011US<\/sub>) for the journey.[25]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n The car had a single bench seat<\/a> with a small open compartment behind suitable for luggage. There was also a fold-down hood<\/a> with detachable side screens.[24]<\/sup><\/a> The headlights were separate units mounted on the side of the car,[28]<\/a><\/sup> though of such low output, they have been described as providing “more of a glimmer than a beam”.[29]<\/sup><\/a> At the rear there was a tiny, single, centrally-mounted lamp.[30]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n The air-cooled Villiers 10D 122\u00a0cc (7\u00a0cu\u00a0in) engine had a unit construction three-speed manual gearbox<\/a> without reverse.[14]<\/sup><\/a> This had an output of 5\u00a0bhp (4\u00a0kW; 5\u00a0PS) at 4,400\u00a0rpm which the manufacturers claimed gave a power-to-weight ratio of 49\u00a0bhp (37\u00a0kW; 50\u00a0PS) per ton<\/a> unladen.[30]<\/sup><\/a> The engine unit sat in an alloy cradle ahead of the front wheel, together forming part of its support. Both front wheel and engine were sprung as part of the trailing link<\/a> front suspension system, which was fitted with a single coil spring and an Andre Hartford friction damper<\/a>.[23]<\/sup><\/a> The rear wheels were rigidly mounted to the body on stub axles with suspension provided by low pressure “balloon” type tyres.[12]<\/sup><\/a> Starting was achieved by using a pull handle mounted under the dash panel and connected by cable to a modified kick-start lever on the engine.[14]<\/sup><\/a> The steering comprised a system of pulleys<\/a> and a cable usually referred to as “bobbin and cable”,[12]<\/a><\/sup> connecting a conventional steering wheel<\/a> to the front steering unit. The bobbin and cable steering arrangement was replaced by a rack and pinion<\/a> system in October 1950.[14]<\/sup><\/a> Brakes were provided on only the rear wheels; they were conventional drum brakes<\/a> operated by a system of cables and rods.[23]<\/sup><\/a> Early on, Sharp’s adopted a policy of continual gradual upgrading of the Minicars, either to simplify or reduce maintenance, to redress noted failings or to improve some aspect of performance. Such changes were usually made available as kits to enable existing owners to upgrade their own cars retrospectively.[30]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n In December 1949, a Deluxe version was added to the range. This has a Villiers 6E 197\u00a0cc (12\u00a0cu\u00a0in) engine, which had an increased output to 8\u00a0bhp (6\u00a0kW; 8\u00a0PS) and a power-to-weight ratio of 51\u00a0bhp (38\u00a0kW; 52\u00a0PS) per ton<\/a>.[31]<\/sup><\/a> There were also a number of modest refinements including a spare wheel and a single wing mirror<\/a>.[14]<\/sup><\/a> The manually operated windscreen wiper fitted on the standard car was upgraded to an electric Lucas type. Although this was found to damage the original Perspex windscreen,[30]<\/a><\/sup> it was not replaced by a Triplex Safety Glass screen until the introduction of the Mark B in 1951.[14]<\/sup><\/a>[32]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n A Bond Minicar Deluxe tested by The Motor<\/a> magazine in 1949 and carrying only the driver had a top speed of 43.3\u00a0mph (69.7\u00a0km\/h) and could accelerate from 0-30\u00a0mph (48\u00a0km\/h) in 13.6\u00a0seconds. A fuel consumption of 72\u00a0mpgimp<\/sub> (3.9\u00a0L\/100\u00a0km; 60\u00a0mpgUS<\/sub>) was recorded. The test car cost \u00a3262 including taxes.[24]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Towards the end of 1949 (as unveiled and demonstrated in October at the Motor Cycle Show at Earls Court, London) an optional mechanical reversing device became available which comprised a long lever with a ratchet and a hexagonal socket on the end which fitted onto the centre of the driver’s side rear wheel hub. This device could then be operated from the driving seat and allowed the car to be cranked backwards by hand to assist with maneuvering.[30]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n![\"Book%20cover%20lge\"](\"http:\/\/www.colinchapmanmuseum.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/book20cover20lge.jpeg\")
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