As a teenager I lived next door (4 Baronsmede Court was a downstairs maisonette, I lived in an upstairs maisonette, number 5, in the next block) to Tony Levy in Ealing 1961 to 1964 and spent many, many happy hours helping maintain 10BXK - I especially remember painting the floor with red oxide paint and many happy hours driving around in 10BXK including to VW meets on the then Bovingdon Aerodrome and at USAF Bent**ters. At the time he worked for American Express and also drove around in a Morris or Austin mini bus reg 40BEW.
Tony was very kind to me but contrary to future claims he did definitely do maintenance on 10 BXK himself-nothing that required a workshop though as we worked on the road outside where he lived.
We lost contact when I moved away but I did see him around West London in 10BXK, quite a bit and as life long motoring enthusiast followed the history including buying the Autumn 1987 Classic Car Mechanics where 10 BXK is featured on the front cover (which I still have and I see has been reproduced on the net in discussions about when the car was made).
I have to say that I did always understand from Tony that 10BXK was a 1953 car BUT now I have thought about this off and on over many years I think what he meant when he told me this was that he fully acquired the car in 1953.
I say fully acquired because the story told to me by Tony was that the car was originally acquired by a group of national servicemen including Tony and that after a couple of years Tony bought the others out - this would tie in with the car being originally being bought in February 1951.
I am fairly certain that Anthony E Levy was born in 1930 or 1932 and either of these dates would tie in with him being on or just left National Service in 1951 and also relate to the story that the car was one of 100 offered to service personnel.
Tony is quoted as paying 780 dollars or £325 for the car when new but I do not see how a 19 or 21 year old ordinary bloke would have had £325 (which was a lot of money in 1951) to spend on a car and I think this figure is what the group of men paid for the car.
Even back in 1961 there was talk of 10BXK being the highest proveable mileage Beetle, proveable because Tony had worked for American Express in Germany and the UK and had to submit expenses claims including mileage and fuel receipts.
I have not seen anything on the net about where all the old papers are about the car are now but wonder if his wife, Jackie, is still alive and if she has them or perhaps one of his children,(Joanne was born whilst I knew Tony)? all of whom may be traceable.
This is just background info but I hope it is of interest and/or use to someone.
Edited by user
13 years ago
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Reason: Not specified