Ipswich man spends decades repairing a bargain car, only to realise it’s a rare collector’s find
One former repair shop owner from Ipswich has recently opened up in a popular blog about his decades-long partnership with his unique car.
The Hillman Avenger Tiger wasn’t John Bull’s first choice for a car, but, after 40 years together, he doesn’t see himself parting with his retro ride.
In 1984, Mr Bull was running his garage when, by chance, a customer came in with a broken Mini.
“I opened up the points, and that cured it,” he revealed to Forever Cars.
“And then he said ‘I’ve also got this Hillman Avenger, it’s got a little bit of accident damage at the front, nothing too serious’.”
Mr Bull would assess the Tiger and offer just £200 for it, hoping to fix it up and sell it for a profit.
“He said ‘I’ll need more than that’, so I said ‘well, it’s been nice meeting you’ and off I went to get in my van,” the 76-year-old laughed.
“Then he came over, put his hand out and said ‘OK, £200, it’s yours’.”
The car fanatic wasn’t expecting it but, not only did the Tiger take 30 years to fully repair while he found the right parts and juggled work, but he would end up developing a soft spot for it, deciding to keep it for himself.
At first, he didn’t even realise that the car he had held onto for decades had become a rare find.
“A chap walked in one day and said ‘What have you got under there?’ I said ‘a Hillman Avenger’, so he lifted it up and said ‘bugger me mate, it’s a Tiger, that’s worth a lot of money now’,” he remembered.
Four decades after taking a chance on the Avenger Tiger, Mr Bull and his wife, Lynda enjoy showing it off at car shows all over East Anglia.
“I’m quite proud of how it’s turned out, and there are now only 20 on the road, so it is a little bit special,” he remarked.
“I’ll keep it until it comes to the point where I can’t drive it anymore, then perhaps I will put it up for sale, but it will be a wrench.”