A friend of mine has a passion for old, pre-war cars. To that end, he purchased an old Austin and spent many hours restoring it to a roadworthy condition. He also wanted to do something for charity and decided to drive this car around the United Kingdom, from Land's End to John O'Groats. This he did and raised many thousands of pounds for research into cot death. These words were dedicated to Peter and his Austin. NOSTALGIA A modern car is full of curves, so pleasing to the eye, the paintwork gleams, reflecting light right back up to the sky, it hugs the road with tyres wide, suspension no concern, with steering rack, a state of art, you feel the slightest turn. The engine purrs, no sounds of stress, reserves of power there, and gentle revs cause those around to stop, with envy stare, the glass is raked with angle fine, so clean and tinted dark, with glinting chrome reflecting all, a mirror without mark. Within it's walls the air is fresh, no stale air here is found, reclining there on leather chair, hear nothing, not a sound, controls, the dials and switches all, turn on, light up the night, controlling such a dream as this, a technophobes delight. Now if you really "drive" a car and a car of pedigree, then maybe you can understand what drives a man like me, a body shape more like a shed, a streamlined nightmare true, the only curves are on the wings, the only colour blue. The windscreen's flat and rather small, it also hinges out, the winter wind can enter here to blow you all about, the steering's hardly positive, as vague as vague could be, you wander all across the road, it's worn, look out, that tree. When junction's loom not far ahead, then foot on brakes is laid, then you find to your suprise what's meant by drum brake fade, suspension roll is not a joke and can give you quite a fright, to even hit a hedgehog flat can throw you left or right. Now syncromesh is pie in sky, gears drive you round the bend, you stir the stick and find a lump, that's second gear my friend, twelve horses pull this car along, six pistons rise and fall, it may not be the fastest but get's looks from one and all. So if you crave technology, for you that may be fine, but you'll never know the sheer delight to drive a car like mine.