by Ross Finlay (11 Dec 99)

Eighty-six years in the same family, and only one keeper's name in the logbook. That's the amazing record of the Meek family's 12hp Darracq TT13.

Although the name's the same, there have been three generations of Andrew Meek involved. The first Dr Andrew Meek bought the car in 1913 from George & Jobling in Glasgow. It was in stock at the firm's Newcastle branch, and G&J said they'd bring it north, but he'd have to pay for it first.

Dr Meek used it daily until 1926, when anti-motorist feeling during the General Strike - his surgery was in the east end of Glasgow, a hotbed of strike activity - decided him to change to public transport. The Darracq was laid up, but it was taxed every year during the 1930s, and trundled out each summer to take the family on holiday.

Parents, children and luggage would be loaded on board, the car would potter down the Meeks' driveway, and come to a halt because of a previously unnoticed puncture or some mechanical hiccup. Passengers and their cases would be unloaded while the problem was sorted out, and it's no wonder that Mrs Meek grew to detest the car.

Dr Meek's driving technique was also questionable. He had a habit of lumbering up a steep hill in fourth, the engine labouring close to stalling speed. When pleaded with, to drop a gear or two, he would reply, "No, I'll change down when I get over the hill."

The Darracq was stored during the 1940s, and eventually the next-generation Dr Andrew Meek took it over. In the 1960s, when it was beginning to look rather dowdy, he set about a major restoration. The car was re-upholstered, the wheels were taken back to the natural wood, and a rather jazzy colour scheme was applied. But the body wasn't taken off - in fact, in nearly 90 years it still hasn't been.

Resplendent in its new colours, it was an award winner in several veteran and vintage runs, featuring in one of them, with on-board commentator, as a mobile BBC outside broadcast unit.

Andrew Meek the second died in 1992. Only then did his six sons find out that, 23 years before, he had transferred ownership of the Darracq to them. Andrew Meek the third is the registered keeper. It's his brother Roderick, though, who drives it on most of its public outings.

The Darracq will cruise easily at 25-30mph, doing about 28mpg. It can be persuaded up to 40mph, but anything above that feels a strain. At the age of 80-odd it managed to win the regularity run on one Biggar Rally, not bad going for a car with no speedometer. It also suffered its first mechanical failure in modern times, at zero miles per hour. Roderick made to move away from a Give Way sign, and broke a half-shaft in the process.

Two new half-shafts were built quickly, but it took the family another couple of years to reassemble things. They know their rebuild is OK, because "the back axle's making the same graunches and grinding noises it did before."

The Meeks are beginning to wonder about doing some more refurbishing work on the Darracq, which might result in the 1965 livery being toned down a little. They have a car whose one-family ownership over its whole life is astonishing. It displays plenty of original details like the ingeniously designed jack, the handpump, and a brass plaque on the dash recalling George & Jobling's money-up-front deal, so many generations ago.

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