I find it surprising that operations as simple as dog hauling or grocery shopping or school busing these days require huge cars in the minds of many. I have always found this massive lumps uninteresting to drive and I expect I am not alone as so often their operators can be found behind the wheel doing anything but driving. The relaxed way of life that allows transportation to be reduced to a magnificent pair of suspenders and bulging saddlebags has to to be not only admired but envied. The gent in the picture below reminds me why my Bonneville commutes are an indulgence.
I probably put many more miles on the Triumph motorbike than does the impeccably turned out heffalump above, and the House of Saud thanks me. But here below is the true Key West Buggy, and I don't mean the exhausted Cheyenne. 
The old moggie (Morris Minor) was built between 1948 and 1971 as one of those post World War Two means to get Europeans mobile, much as the Fiat 500 did in Italy. A Morris Minor was in fact the first car I ever drove at a friend's farm round a rather bumpy field when I was young enough that seeing over the steering wheel and reaching the clutch pedal simultaneously was a bit of a problem. I envied him enormously a father who would buy my friend an old banger to romp around the farm in.
This curiously eccentric old car with steering on the wrong side and still respectable fuel mileage today really does represent in my mind the perfect Key West Buggy. Scooters are always respectable even if renters frequently fail to use them correctly. Like this lot at Garrison Bight Marina Friday.
4 comments:
The RHD Morris has had minor changes, amber turn signals on the left rear mudguard for example. A basic BMC 4 cylinder carburated
propulsion system, mechanical brakes and the ability to sqeexe
many miles out of a gallon of petrol. Any idea when it arrived in Key West and maybe from the license tag its history?
It had a new zealand bumper sticker but beyond that IO know nothing...
There was a shooting brake Moggie on Frances for several years - belonged to John McIntosh (Tosh). He sold it to a gift shop owner on BPK - it's often seen out front of his shop as a mini-attraction.
all manner of odd vehicles find their way to Key West - eccentric cars for eccentric owners. There's even a mudguardless and windscreenles MGTD on Fleming.
An then there's the nutter with the BSA...
The Morris Traveller is at the sandal shop on Summerland and is painted pink. Imagine my disappointment when they told me they don't carry pink Crocs- all colors but pink.
The MG used to be on Baker's Lane, I photgraphed it there, before it moved around the corner.
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