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Friday, 7 December 2012

Snow fun with Heinz Hornets

What the hell? What is this joker doing walking over the roofs of all these snowy Wolseley Hornets? And why is this odd picture posted here? Well, yes, there's a story attached to it. The cars you see here are in fact parked at Crayford Engineering in Westerham, Kent, probably in early 1966. That year, the Crayford company signed a deal with Heinz (which famously made their sauces in 57 varieties) for one cool competition. To promote Heinz soups they gave away no less then 57 Wolseley Hornet MK2's in 'The Greatest Glow on Earth Competition'. All the cars were specially converted into convertibles by Crayford's, and I reckon it must have helped putting the Kent company on the map, too. I understand that 41 of these 'Heinz Hornets' survive to this day. That's quite a lot.
Anyway: there's no need to worry. This picture was taken just before the roofs were cut off. Thanks Mike Corbett for sending it over. And enjoy the snow this weekend (when you are in this part of the world)!

UPDATE 10 December 2012: Heinz Hornet owner Bill Bell knows more about this particular picture: "That's David McMullan on the roofs, (one of the two Crayford owners) at Tatsfield nudist camp tennis court where they stored the cars over the winter of '65/'66."

Never mind the roofs. These Wolseley Hornets are waiting to be converted
Picture via Mike Corbett

And that's what a Heinz Hornet looked like once finished by Crayford Engineering
Picture courtesy flickr.com

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