A Most Modified Fox

About twenty years ago I met Jim Lugsden, Fox owner extraordinaire. Jim was a master craftsman in GRP and paint, and would spend countless hours getting something perfect. When it came to servicing or mechanical work though he hated to waste time trying to get awkward access to the half-hidden mechanicals. He decided to cut off the front of his Fox so he could remove it for easy access. Needlessly he did it and refashioned it flawlessly.

The inner console got the same 'lift-off' treatment giving access to the rear of the engine, gearbox etc.

Next came the roof. He wanted to lift it off and clip it to the hard top to let the air in. It looked like an original part of the design, as did all his modifications.

A subtle one was the spare wheel: with a modification to the outer skin of the tailgate he fashioned a wheel-well for the spare to be mounted on the rear, where it looked far more at home than cluttering up the inside.

Sadly I lost touch with Jim - and his amazing vehicle. The Fox did surface briefly a few years ago, for sale, but looking at the sale pictures it had been badly mistreated, hacked about then neglected. I wonder if anyone rescued it.

The 'progress' pictures below don't do justice to the finished vehicle in real life. Every part of it had that showroom shine that Reliant themselves never achieved