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It is the morning of the 25^th December, and you are handing a carefully wrapped package. What could be the wonders contained inside? At worst, it could be the box-set of every edition of Take The High Road -the soap opera where nothing seemed to happen bar the theft of a jar of raspberry jam from the local shop. But, the gift could equally be the accessory you had long craved to enhance your car of choice.

The message from various manufacturers was that by installing their many and various products, not only would your Ford Anglia 105E De Luxe magically achieve 0-60 in 0.25 seconds, your charisma levels would reach the stratosphere. Just take a look at this chap on the front of the 1959 Halfords Catalogue.  Either he is in mortal fear of being mugged by those Ton Up Boys, or he is so thrilled at his customised Morris Eight he has forgotten the “Ten to Two” steering wheel rule. And so here are ten items that in times gone by would have brightened your classic:

1. The Cig-O-Matic cigarette dispenser - https://www.classicandsportscar.com/gallery/car-accessories-you-dont-see-any-more. Yes, you too could have lit Woodbines dropped onto the carpet of your Hillman Minx.

2. Steering wheel and seat covers. For only 27/6, why not convert your Ford Cortina 1300 De Luxe Mk. II into a car fit for Simon Dee or any other groovy 1967 television personality?  Furthermore, ‘the de luxe glove in stylish poodle shades; also in leopard jaguar or ocelot’ will also cause your neighbours hours of amusement.

3. The “Motorway Cap”. To complement your Leslie Phillips/Terry-Thomas moustache - headwear for speeding along the Preston by-pass that costs a mere 23 shillings.

4. The “Brexton Mini Table”. No self-respecting day out in the Morris Mini-Minor would be complete without a clip-on tray to accommodate a thermos flask of Heinz’s Cream of Tomato.

5. An inflatable garage for your Standard Ten. This actually looks like a rather good idea -

6. A roof-mounted tent for your E-Series Vauxhall Velox, for what promises to be the most uncomfortable holiday of the year -

7. The Sparkrite Voyager. In the early 1980s, a “computer” of any description was a must-have item for the dashboard of your Morris Ital. The LED display informed the driver of mpg, distance and speed. The Voyager employed magnetic pickup sensors mounted on the prop shaft to detect how fast you were travelling.

8. The Redi-Spare tyre kit. Never again would a puncture impede the progress of your Austin A60 Cambridge.

9. At a time when winters meant Sherlock Holmes-style fogs, a Lucas “Pathfinder” was a genuinely useful present.

10. Eight and a half guineas worth of a Venetian Blind would add distinction to any Triumph Herald.

Incidentally - re. Take The High Road. At least it is more entertaining than a box-set of The Sullivans.

Why choose Lancaster Insurance?

Here at Lancaster, we love classic cars as much as you do and we understand what it takes to protect them for future generations.

We have links with some of the top classic car clubs around the country and some of our policies even offer discounts of up to 25% for club members.

Other benefits of classic car insurance through Lancaster can include:

• Historic rally cover
• Static show cover
• Limited mileage discounts
• Choice of repairer
• 24-hour claims helpline

Give your classic the protection it deserves and get a quote for your classic today.