Born in the early 60s, Mark’s curiosity with cars started before his teenage years.

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At weekends he’d go to work with his dad and wash tankers to earn pocket money. On the same site was a garage where a modified RS Mexico was being repaired – a car which fascinated him.

 

The car belonged to Jim Mensley, and Mark would use every opportunity to help with the work and learn about the car. Jim and Mark became, and still are, great friends.

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Mark’s first car, though, was a Ford Popular – he was 12 years old when he bought it, for £5. He stripped it down to see how it all worked and then re-built it, before selling it a year later for £15.

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He started driving at the same age – one of his dad’s friends gave him a Ford Thames van to drive around in the yard. And so it began!