The Inventor and his Beetle - 46 Beetle fond in OZ

'G,day Louis,

Time for a story about the '46

It was back in 1987 that I was watching a 'current affairs program' called ''Terry Willesee Tonight '' here in Sydney, Australia.

They were interviewing Captain Maurice Seddon about his low cost heated clothes that he had designed and made. The interviewer, Andrea Kear, was being shown around the Captain's Back yard and in a short passing glance, I caught site of a "split" sitting in the garden under a tree.

I had no idea where this program was filmed and had wrongly thought that it was probably in Australia somewhere. (please remember that although we are thought to be a small island down here, we are roughly the size of the America).

Within minutes, I had "TWT's" switchboard on the phone asking them where the interview had taken place. Crikey, it was recorded in Dachet, England. That put the plans of driving there the next day to bed! Not to be put off, I was next pleading with International Directory Assistance to find the phone number of Captain Seddon.

After first declaring 'can't do', she weakened and phoned the English Directory Assistance. Yes! I finally had the number. (remember this is all pre internet etc. for directories) Captain Seddon sounded very surprised to here from me. His scepticism soon gave way to negotiations.

Captain Maurice Seddon's original 46 beetle now owned by Graham Lees

I think he had owned the car for over 25 years and had travelled through Europe in it as a camper, with a gas conversion on the old engine. A close friend of mine, Iain Murray (of Americas Cup Fame) was sailing in the Admiral's Cup at the time and as he was closer than I was, he went to see it.

Still as he left it

I think the car had been freshly ''detailed'' the day before by roughly hand painting straight over everything, dirt and all. Months later the car was finally loaded into a container and on its way.

The first show I took it to in Australia, it won the "Dog of the Day'' award. That about sums up it's condition, but nevertheless... it is a '46 split! The car still stands, as found condition, in our storage shed along with about 100 of its relatives.

Kind regards

Graham Lees

Brookvale Spares, Sydney Australia

 The full article on Captain Maurice Seddon