If you own a larger pickup, there’s a chance that this 1953 Bond Mark C could be the ultimate accessory for your pride and joy. Its diminutive size means that it will actually fit into the bed of many of those vehicles. In the event of an unexpected breakdown, you could lift out this Bond and continue on your merry way. If that sounds tempting, or you are attracted by the idea of a quirky project build, you will find the Bond listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Yorba Linda, California, and the bidding remains short of the reserve at $2,950. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for referring this rare classic to us.

Many areas of Europe suffered greatly during World War II, and the recovery process took many years to be completed. Three-wheeled microcars became a staple of the automotive industry during those earlier years. It was a market that flourished in Britain, and by exploiting a loophole in government legislation, three-wheeled cars under a specific size and engine capacity were classified as motorcycles if they didn’t feature a reverse gear. The Bond met those requirements, meaning that it attracted lower sales and road tax levels than a conventional car. This loophole also meant that they could be operated by anyone in possession of a motorcycle license. These types of vehicles were usually cheap and were seen by their builders as an affordable way of boosting the British economy by getting the population mobile once again. The Mark C was the third iteration of the Bond microcar and remained in production from 1952 until 1956. Because steel was in short supply at the time, most of the material used in their construction was aluminum. That brought with it two advantages. The first was that these cars were extraordinarily light. The lack of steel also meant that rust was not a huge problem for owners to consider. This car features all of its original panels, and apart from some dings in the rear fenders, it appears to be in good condition. There is no evidence of what color the car was when new, but the owner floats the idea of polishing the aluminum in the same manner as was seen on vintage Airstream trailers. I find that idea to be pretty intriguing, and if this car didn’t command attention when restored to its original appearance, a polished aluminum body should seal the deal. The Mark C features a single door on the driver’s side, so passengers would have to slide across the seat to exit. Interestingly, this car is a rare left-hand-drive version, so the door would have been on the passenger side in its home country. The frame for the soft-top is present, although the buyer will need to hunt for a new top. They may struggle to find one in the US, but British companies can supply them and are willing to ship them internationally. The windshield is present, but the buyer will probably need to look to the UK for a replacement seal.

At a weight of 461lbs, the Mark C could never be classed as a heavy car. That meant that it didn’t need a powerful engine to get it up and moving. In this case, we find a 197cc single-cylinder two-stroke Villiers powerhouse that produced 8hp and 10 ft/lbs of torque when it was new. The power found its way to the single front wheel via a 3-speed manual transmission. The lack of reverse gear could be seen as a hindrance, but Bond offered a couple of novel solutions to this issue. The first and most crude was that being so light, climbing out, and pushing the vehicle backward was not a difficult assignment. The other solution was derived from the unique drivetrain configuration of the Mark C. With the engine, transmission, and front wheel all mounted on a sub-frame, Bond designed the steering system to turn a full 90° in either direction from the center. This allowed the car to pivot around its rear wheels and to be able to execute a u-turn within its own length. This Bond doesn’t currently run, and it may be some years since it has done so. The state of the drivetrain is unknown, but given its simple design, rebuilding the entire system may not be complicated or expensive.

This Mark C is not a family car because it is capable of seating two adults. You could potentially also squeeze a small child between the adults on the bench seat, but the emphasis here would be on the word “small.” Because these vehicles were designed to be affordable, they lacked anything that remotely resembled luxury features. The seat was upholstered in Vynide, which was a type of vinyl. The cockpit sides and kick panels featured the same material, while the floor received a rubber mat, and the dash was painted. This interior will need some work, but most of the vinyl surfaces could be recreated by a competent upholsterer. The biggest issue will be locating a replacement wheel, so the buyer might need to contact an owner’s club in the UK to find a good one.

Because Bond manufactured the Mark C in left-hand-drive form for various European markets, they had high hopes of selling these little cars in significant numbers in the US. A company based in New York accepted the distribution contract in 1953, but imports over the following year were a mere trickle. It was determined that the vehicle didn’t meet the market’s needs, so imports ceased with a mere handful of cars making it onto American roads. Precise numbers are unknown, but the estimates put the figure at no more than a few hundred cars. That makes this a rare classic that would attract plenty of attention once restored. It has whetted the imagination of many people because there have been forty bids submitted at the time of writing. Are you tempted to tackle this one?