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| Period: | August 1965 - March 1970 |
| Firm: | Bond Cars Ltd., Preston, Lancs. |
| Production: | 3,400 (Mk I, Mk II, Ranger Van/Estate) |
| Weight: | <400 kgs; 8cwt |
| Top speed: | nearly 95 mph |
| Acceleration 0-60 mph: | 16 secs (Bond 875); 14 secs (Ranger) |
The prototype Bond 875 was announced
shortly after the 1963 Motor Show. A complete 875cc Imp engine was used in
a lightweight 3-wheeler with a fibreglass bodyshell. The car's lightweight
(less than 400 kgs) enabled the low-compression (8:1) commercial version
of the engine to be used. (2 star petrol)
Rootes slowed things down with
their concern over high running temperatures, but the car was publicly announced
in August 1965. Public attention was caught when racing driver John Surtees unofficially broke the equivalent saloon car lap record at Branch Hatch, attaining 100mph.
Bond (1949-1974)
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Bond had never made anything like it, and it was quite unlike other 3-wheelers, too.
The shell consists of three mouldings:
two bonded together for the main compartment and one is the bold on nose-section.
The bonnet, engine lid, read panel and dash panel are also glassfibre; the
doors are aluminium.
It has a motorcycle fork in the front with leading arm, coil spring
suspension and a telescopic shock absorber. A Burman steering box connects
this to the steering wheel. It suffers a bit from bump-steer and a lot from
side-winds.
It left the factory on radial tyres: Michelin X.
The production Bond 875 claimed an
impressive 16 seconds for the 0-60 dash together with a top speed of 80mph
and 50mpg. A 55mpg allied to a 50mph average was easily attainable. It sold
for £500 (windscreen washers and a spare wheel were optional extras). For
this price one had the excellent Imp engine, transaxle and instruments in
a comfortable car that was good to drive. Performance-wise, it was able to
surprise owners of cars more obviously sporty.
It was a very innovative car. However not all the little Bonds left
the factory with a quality finish: water leaks, rattles, seat mountings tearing
away, windows popping out...
Later a 'roof boot' was introduced, a padded lockable fibreglass case
that clipped to the roof, using clamps fitted to the rain guttering. Again,
lack of quality meant the 'roof boot' was never attached very securely to
some cars. Few other accessories were available from Bond, who never seemed
to 'push' the car.
A firm called 'Two Strokes' of Stanmore, Middlesex offered through-flow
ventilation, alloy bumpers and even a radiator grille plus an improved air
intake system for the heater (no blower was fitted).
It really was very lightweight. With a 998 cc Fraser racing engine, the Bond would have a power to weight ratio of around 300bhp/ton.
A van version followed in 1966 (or April 1967 ?), known as the Ranger. 0-60 mph 14 secs; topspeed 95 mph.
The Mark 2 version was brought out in March 1968, accompanied by the
slogan "How can you improve on perfection ?". The original 875 had opening
glass side windows - these were soon deleted to save weight (and cost). 3-wheelers
manufacturers had great difficulty keeping the weight down to 8cwt., which
enabled the cars to qualify for motorcycle road tax rates, and be driven
on a motorcycle licence.
Production slowed when Reliant took the company over and eventually
ceased in March 1970. (Some 3,400 had been produced.) This also saw the scrapping
of Bond's own Apex project, a 4-wheel competition version, looking almost
Davrianlike.
Bond Owners' Club
42 Beaufort Avenue, Hodge Hill, Birmingham B34 6AE. Tel: 0121 784 4626
The Imp Club
Bond 875 Model Registrar: Jim Fraser (Fife, Scotland)
Reports in Impressions by Anthony
Shelton, who used to be the club's registrar for the Bond 875: January 1988
and Feb./March 1984
His JKL 281E runs on lowered suspension, Spax adjustables all around.
It has a G15 rear and altered steering head angle. Nikki T/choke carburators.
Janspeed 4-22 exhaust. Front radiator. Electric fuel pump.
As the recommended tyres (Michelin X) are not readily available now
(and the ZX is not suitable), he uses UniRoyal "Rallye" 280 with great succes.
Rear 145 x 12; front 135 x 12 (It helps to go downhill). At 50 mpg he says
he can afford to drive it with enthusiasm (best: 74 mpg).
 | These pictures were published in an Italian car magazine in 1965, when the Bond 875 made its appearance on the market. |
| A road test of the Bond 875 by Bob Currie was published in Motor Cycling, 1965 or 1966 A comparison of the three wheeler to other cars. Popular Motoring, again 1965 or 1966 |  |
To: imps@onelist.com
Date: Sat, 22 Jan 2000 20:19:19 -0000
From: Cam Johnson
Subject: [imps] Tim bond 875
The bloke with the Bond 875 three-wheeler actually has three in his front garden. Go from Colchester town centre up the hill past the barracks. 1 mile on right is a house with the Bonds. Len Healey 01206 ******. I don't think any have been used for a few years, but he might have new spares you're interested in.
Cam
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