Avanti Foden...
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Our man in the north recently noticed an advertisement in a contemporary motoring journal which read: "For sale, 1935 500K Mercedes Cabriolet, fitted with 180bhp Mk 6 Foder two-stroke diesel engine." It was offered by a Trowbridge garage as "late of Foden Motor Co."
He remembered the car and rang J. E. (Ted) Foden who has owned a few interesting cars in his time.
For starters, he had a Bentley No. 2, 1922 three-litre and a Bentley No 175, 1 923 /4 three-litre with Van den Plas tourer body.
There was also a Buick Dynaflow Ted bought when he landed in San Francisco in 1950. He drove this to Canada Niagra Falls, Detroit and then New York, disposing of his huge dollar-grin wagon before sailing home. He still has his favoured 1947 Studebaker of course, but perhaps the best known car is his Avanti. Only two were delivered to this country. The other Avanti was delivered to the late tan Fleming of 007 fame. Perhaps it is a fitting end to the story to say that Ted has been made an honorary member of the Avanti Society Inc, of Tonawanda, New York.
• hy The Hawk