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The year is 1966 and families from Southampton to Croydon are avidly taking part in Heinz’s “Greatest Glow On Earth” competition. Entrants were asked to pair eight soups with a tempting array of main courses and to complete the phrase ‘I like to take Heinz soup on a picnic because…’. And the 57 (of course) winner would be granted the keys to a Wolseley Hornet with drophead coachwork by Crayford, and a specification that would cause mass-fainting un outer suburbia.

Yes, not only did the “Heinz Hornet” feature rear storage compartments transformed into insulated “cool boxes” and a push-button radio. There were also seat belts fore and aft and even a makeup tray containing Max Factor cosmetics. The colour choices were “Toga White” and “Birch Grey”, and best of all, the accessories even included an electric kettle powered from a socket in the boot. After all, who could resist a nice cup of tea to complement the fully-stocked Breton picnic hamper (complete with a vacuum flask) and tartan rug?

Heinz received over a million entrants before the names of the victors were announced in May. All the Wolseleys bore an “LLD D” plate, and 809 belongs to the Wolseley aficionado John Worth. He learned of the Hornet via ‘a tip-off from a Heinz owner I met at the annual car show in the quadrangle at Sherborne School It was the daily driver of a chap in deepest Monmouthshire who realised that it had just failed one too many MOTs’. 

And so, the Hornet joined the Worth collection in 2009. ‘I paid £1,000 for the car’s original picnic hamper; which was unused and very well preserved’. The reason behind this slightly unorthodox transaction was ‘the car had been very much used and was completely broken - so that came free with the hamper!’.

 Today, Wolseley looks utterly prize-worthy – as well as a tribute to Crayford Engineering. When Heinz approached the Westerham firm, it was on the understanding they would not make a Hornet Convertible for any other client. The sales promotion emphasised ‘‘you can’t buy anywhere!’, prompting an image of a Leonard Rossiter-style next-door neighbour fainting in envy.

Such a large order inevitably resulted in storage issues for, as the owners’ club notes, the directors David McMullan and Jeff Smith ‘were still running Crayford from their home garages’. The solution was to store the Wolseleys in an out-of-season nudist camp over the winter of 1965/1966. Cue the following theme tune…

Most importantly, the Hornet’s showcased Crayford’s, ingenuity, craftsmanship and attention to detail. John especially appreciated the Pye “Two-in-One” radio and the seat belts. The Irvin Parachute Company made the latter. ‘I spent years searching for them until I found a set of four still new-in-the-box found on eBay - for a multiple of the cost of the hamper’.

The Heinz Hornet remains one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of the Mini and John reports ‘everyone loves it’. Back in 1966, the lucky Wolseley owner could have their initials painted on the driver’s door. Mr. Worth decided to paint “ G.I.W” in honour of his daughter. ‘It was supposed to be for her 18th birthday - but took so long to build, it ended up being her 21st birthday present’. And it is the ideal finishing touch to the ‘perfect car for holiday travel’.

WITH THANKS TO: JOHN WORTH

THE CRAYFORD CONVERTIBLE CAR CLUB- https://www.crayfordconvertibleclub.com/

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