STEVE HOLE tells the story of Bond Bug replicas, plus a convertible and also a four-wheeled version, which came from a short-lived Hampshire-based company called the WEBSTER MOTOR COMPANY.
Brothers Michael and Gary Webster were the men behind the WMC Bug and were based in Braishfield, Hampshire. They were diehard Bond Bug enthusiasts.
Webster Motor Company stand at Stoneleigh in 1991 with a Convertible Sports bug and a four-wheeler in what they called ‘Normal’ trim specification.
When Reliant bought Bond Cars in 1969 they inherited the Dr Tom Karen-designed Bug development project. They made a few tweaks and launched it in June 1970.
Indeed, Gary owned Bond Bug number 38 plus the remains of a rolled example, while they also acquired a set of original moulds and tooling for the project. Incidentally, Reliant never registered the Bug name.
Initially the duo produced a four-wheeled version and excellent it was, too. Reliant never produced a four-wheeler except a protest ‘two-halves’ car for the British Motor Show in 1971 when three-wheelers were banned. The Websters created a new take on the Bug’s roof. They called this kit the ‘Normal’.
Due to public demand they went on to also offer the traditional three-wheeler in kit form for a while and this was heavily revised with a stronger ladderframe chassis and 20cm added to the wheelbase to help improve stability.
A convertible Sports version remained a one-off. The Sports model had a canopy with doors. The Vario version was a standard version with a conventional Bond Bug roof AND the Websters’ revised canaopy affair.
The ‘new’ Bug with 850cc Reliant engine produced 41bhp, 8bhp more than the Mini 848cc engine, plus it was 12in shorter than the Mini. Websters’ Bug had a five-link rear suspension, incorporated a Panhard rod which had the rod stretching the full track width rather than halfway.
The main tub was a one-piece with an integral steel rollcage with integral seat belt anchorage points attached to the cage. This was type-approved.
The WMC four-wheeler used a Classic Mini subframe at the front to enable four-wheel configuration, although all Websters ran on 10in front wheels with 12in at the rear (with 13s an option). Other parts came from Reliant Robin and Rialto. A 2+2 was on the cards, featuring a second row of seats, adding 8in to the length.
There’s a Chinese Whisper myth which says that the original Bug used elements of the Reliant Regal, particularly the chassis. This is totally untrue. It actually featured a bespoke chassis, plus it was also the only Reliant three-wheeler not to feature leaf springs.
Mike Webster was later quoted as saying that they produced more three-wheeled ‘Normals’ than the four-wheeler but I’ve heard what I considered reliable claims that the actual figures were thus – Normals (kit price from £1963) five, Sport (kit from £1758) one and four-wheelers sixteen. Vario kits cost from £2402.
Original Bond Bug 750ES from 1970, one of about 2270 built
Webster Motor Company 1990-91
Approx 22 made – all types.
One of the original Bond Bugs in limited edition Roses marmalade-specification