SAVED BY THE BELL
“I found it buried underneath tractor tyres and stood on a blue tarpaulin,” recalls Chris Bell, concerning the day in 2012 when he was having his 1987 Mini Mayfair’s electrics fixed. A mechanic had commented that there was some sort of abandoned Mini in the yard and it turned out to be the 1964 Riley Elf Mk2 seen here.
“After a long conversation with the owner of the car he informed me of its life in his ownership, including members of his family learning to drive in it and, later, how he used it for autotests and navigational rallies. It had been off the road since 1993 which was, coincidentally, the same year I was born, so it was as if it had been sat waiting for me.”
At the time, the owner was reluctant to sell the Elf but Chris left his telephone number with him, just in case he changed his mind. “About a week later the phone rang and he said I could have it for £600 as long as I promised to look after it.” Chris didn’t have all the money to buy the Elf so he borrowed a little from his parents and, to this day, his father still claims he has a share in
