A VINTAGE 1927 Talbot 14/45 has been a constant presence in John Parsons' life.

A VINTAGE 1927 Talbot 14/45 has been a constant presence in John Parsons' life.

'My earliest memory is my mother driving me across Harlow Common in it, she was a dab-hand at double de-clutching. I think I was two-and-a-half at the time,' he said.

That was in the 1930s. More than half a century later and after 12 years of painstaking restoration, the vintage classic is now the oldest known Talbot in existence.

As a tribute to his mother, John, from High Laver, near Harlow, has renamed the car Molly. It has been shipped to Australia for the first leg of a journey that will take John and his wife Margaret around the world.

'Technically we won't be driving around the world but we'll be driving over quite a chunk of it' said John.

'We'll be taking part in the Bay to Birdwood rally in Australia.

'We should be there for about two months before going on to Tasmania. Then we'll be going back to Melbourne, and driving from there to Canberra.

'After that we'll put the car in a garage and come home for a rest ? but we'll have to be back in Australia to collect it in under a year, otherwise we'll have to pay duty on it.

'Then it's off to New Zealand for six to eight weeks. We'll be leaving the car in Dunedin with my cousin while we explore the islands and then it's across to the United States.

'I'm really looking forward to that, petrol is a quarter of the price over there and the Talbot only does 20 miles to the gallon.

'We're going to drive from the west coast across to the east and then up into Canada and then home. The whole trip will take about two-and-a-half years.'

The car was originally bought by John's father in 1930. Just before the war, it was converted into a flat-bed truck.

According to John, the Talbot coped well with its new role.

'The way the chassis is cross-braced, it's extremely strong and can carry very heavy loads. It carried fuel and spares and towed ploughs and cultivators that weighed up to two tons.'

Not surprisingly however, by 1948 the car was a wreck.

The remains were parked in a building 'to be worked on at a later date', John said.

In 1986, 38 years later, the renovation work began.

Where possible, the restoration stayed true to the original form, but some changes had to be made. For comfort's sake the old bench seat in the front was swapped for a pair of seats from a Saab 9000.

The car's cooling system also needed to be improved, the high octane petrol that runs modern cars would make the Talbot overheat.

And now, after 12 years and £20,000, the work is finished.

John has no doubts about Molly's readiness for what lies ahead.

'She's a sturdy thing and she's been totally reconditioned from top to bottom, but we'll be taking a couple of basic spares with us anyway.

'Failing that, there are Talbot owners all over the world who would be only too happy to lend a hand if we get stuck.

'Having spent the last 12 years working on the car I feel as though I know every last nut and bolt. Wherever we are, if I can find a lathe I'm sure I can turn something out.'

But what makes someone want to drive around the world in a vintage car at the age of 64?

John answered: 'I had my own plant hire business which I had intended to pass on to my son, but when he showed no interest in following me into the business I sold up and retired. I was 59 then.

'But I want to do something big before I retire properly and put the slippers on.'