Dedication That’s What You Need ! Francis Mena, a Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association member, can surely be classed as belonging to the rare group of people who are determined to achieve their objectives, often focusing on ideals and principles and ignoring what common sense should dictate and what other people think. In the spring of 1997 he came across a car at a local scrap yard and that was the beginning of what can only be classed as a love affair. “I became the proud owner of a heap of rust, classic rust that is! A car in the condition I found it would most probably be scrapped in the UK as the final value of the car could not justify the restoration costs, but the fact that it was the last Morris Minor in Gibraltar and it had an original Gibraltar plate were decisive factors driving my impulse acquisition. “I had spent the latter part of the ’80s restoring a Triumph Spitfire. I was an apprentice then and I was learning all the time. I loved classic cars, and understanding how to repair them was an essential part of ownership. At one point I was restoring anything that came my way especially motorbikes, although I admit that a major restoration project such as the work carried out on the Minor, involving thousands of hours and pounds, can leave you drained and make you think it over a couple of times the next time you visit the scrap yard. However, I am sure I would take the plunge again if I found an interesting car in need of salvation.” The car which of course is the star of this article belonged to the late Ralph Torilla, one of Gibraltar’s local personalities, well known for his poetry, his fine dressing and honourable gentlemanly manner. He lovingly cared for his car, which he owned for 27 years, and used it on a regular basis even driving it all the way to Madrid on several occasions. Ralph was certainly proud of his vehicle and it is not common nowadays to own the same car for as long as he did. I met Ralph shortly after returning from the UK in 1993 when daughter Sonia Golt was producing an event I have now forgotten… but the time I spent with Ralph then was memorable, and it led to many other conversations and encounters where I was totally drawn to the words of a most wise and inspiring man. So obviously when I saw the car at a recent classic car rally, nostalgia set in. I had to find out more. Francis has documented every stage of the process and put together an album with as much attention to detail as he put into the restoration of the Morris Minor. Photographs of Ralph, a copy of the original log book, the motor vehicle licence, articles, and every single identifiable piece of the dismantled car. “I had to photograph every section of the car to use it as reference as I dismantled the sections. I pulled the engine out by hand and I am still asking my back for forgiveness. The condition of the upholstery was not too bad and most of it could be saved but the rust had eaten away at many parts of the car. Believe it or not even in this state the engine fired and started and I was able to move the car in and out of the garage before I dismantled it.” Francis carried out the more basic repairs himself with the help of a friend but once the car was completely stripped down, Automotive Enterprises carried out all the major body work repairs, fitting new chassis rails, the cross member and door pillars. After the car was painted, he took it back to his garage where he completely reassembled it and with the help of his father in law, Albert Vinales, Francis put together all the mechanical bits. His nephew was also close at hand to help too and they worked on the electrics, the interior, the brakes, the petrol tank, which was covered in holes, and other accessories. They also completely stripped down and overhauled the engine. “One of the hardest parts to find was the horn push button at the centre of the steering wheel which was missing when I bought the car. I sourced one from UK. This must have been one of the last remaining unused old parts in stock. This was before I discovered eBay of course which has made sourcing parts much more accessible. The only modification to the vehicle we carried out was the installation of the cylinder head to allow the car to run on unleaded petrol. All of the car’s original features have been retained including its characteristic green colour.” Once it was ready it passed its MOT with flying colours. “I worked all through the night and drove proudly straight to my first rally in 2003. I take this opportunity now to say a big thank you to everyone who in any way helped with this project.” And indeed it seems like a worthwhile project to me. We have become a society of serious consumers with little thought to what can be repaired, recycled and restored to its former glory and people like Francis have an important role to play in our community.

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