Austin A70 Pick Up / W.J. Wells of Woodford

[neutral 3]

I had the huge misfortune to work @ this long gone Austin / BMC / BL, then finally Peugeot dealers, of Woodford Green, Essex, but by the time I started there, the breakdown wagon was a LWB Land Rover.
Anyone recall their A.70 ?

Edited by neutral 3 on Thursday 11th April 01:23

[Cwe2021]

Hi I worked at W J Wells from 1963 to 1973. It was a fantastic place to start life in the Motor Industry as an apprentice, I was learning from day one and learned from some very good motor engineers. None less then Tony Wells who unfortunately left the company around 1971/72. He competed in rallies, autocross and rallycross including the TV series from Lydden Hill. His friends and fellow competitors brought in their road cars in for service, all manor of Austin Healeys, E Type Jaguars and various Aston Martins. He actually owned the most beautiful DB6 which he still had when he departed for pastures new in Minehead, Devon. It was not all wonderful though I remember negotiating with his brother Keith the then MD to have time off to go to block release college at what was then West Essex Technical College to study MV City & Guilds and having to pay a high price including taking half my normal weekly wage. I am however eternally grateful for the opportunity of starting my Motor Industry career there and working with some real characters who had no doubt long departed by the the time Peugeot came along.
I believe the pick up pictured was not an A70 but an A40 pickup 130 AVX , a vehicle I was well acquainted with, drove many miles in which could easily be put into an exaggerated sideways power slide in the slightest of slippery conditions usually around the bottom of the car park behind W J Wells much to the amusement and encouragement of my work colleagues. Halcyon days indeed and much missed. Sorry your W J Wells experiences were not the same.
Happy to exchange memories any time.
Best regards
Colin Every

[neutral 3]

Omg. Do you remember Tin Head ? or Dick Walker ? Mike Hughes ? Old Harry, the cleaner ?
The rest are unmentionable.

Edited by neutral 3 on Monday 22 February 14:09

[threespires]