Editing Sharp's Commercials

{{Short description|British automobile manufacturer}}
{{Redirect|Bond Cars| a list of vehicles used in James Bond films and novels|List of James Bond vehicles}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2017}}
'''Sharps Commercials Ltd''' was a [[Automotive industry in the United Kingdom|British car maker]] based in [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], Lancashire. It was founded in 1922 by Paul Sharp.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wotherspoon|first=Nick|title=Microcar Man|year=2017|publisher=Pen & Sword|location=Barnsley|isbn=1473858682|page=117|chapter=5}}</ref> It changed its name to '''Bond Cars Ltd''' in 1963. The company was taken over by the [[Reliant Motors|Reliant Motor Co Ltd]] of [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]], Staffordshire in February 1969, who eventually closed the Preston factory at the end of July 1970, transferring the spare parts business for the Bond Minicar, 875 saloon, 875 Ranger van and Equipe models to a firm called Bob Joyner & Son in [[Oldbury, West Midlands|Oldbury]] in [[Worcestershire|the English Midlands]].<ref name=Autocar197101>{{cite magazine| authorlink = Peter Garnier (Ed)|title = News and views: Bond spares|magazine=[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] | volume =  134 (nbr 3905)|page=31|date = 28 January 1971 }}</ref>   Reliant nevertheless continued to use the Bond name until 1974 on [[Bond Bug]] models made at their own Tamworth plant.<ref name=AtoZ>{{cite book |last=Robson |first=Graham |title=A to Z of British Cars 1945–1980 |year=2000 |publisher=Herridge |location=Devon, UK |isbn=0-9541063-9-3 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/azbritishcars1940000robs }}</ref>

==Bond Minicar 1949–1966==
{{main|Bond Minicar}}
[[File:Bond Minicar red 1959.jpg|thumb|1959 [[Bond Minicar]] Mark F Family Saloon]]
[[File:Bond beim Ausparken.webm|thumb|Parking out with Bond Minicar]]
Sharp's Commercials began production of an economical three-wheeled car early in 1949. Based on a design by [[Lawrie Bond]], it was called the "Bond Minicar" (retrospectively to be called the Mark A) and was powered by a single-[[Cylinder (engine)|cylinder]] [[Two-stroke cycle|two-stroke]] [[Villiers Engineering|Villiers]] engine of 122 or 197 [[Cubic metre#Multiples and submultiples|cc]]. Bodywork was mostly [[aluminium]], though some later models used [[fibreglass]] for parts of the car. It proved very popular at the time owing to post-war economies. 
[[File:Bond minicar engine bay 1959.jpg|thumb|left|The engine bay of a 1959 [[Bond Minicar]]. (Note the unmodified kick-starter on the right of the Villiers unit.)]]
The Minicar moved on through several different incarnations, culminating in the "Mark G" in 1961. [[Convertible (car)|Convertible]]s were offered, as were [[van]] and [[Station wagon|estate]] versions. The engine was upgraded, first to a single-cylinder 250 cc and then to a 250 cc twin-cylinder Villiers 4T (optional only on the Mark G). The engines were essentially a Villiers motorcycle-type unit and therefore had no reverse gear. However, this was a minimal inconvenience, because the engine, gearbox and front wheel were mounted as a single unit and could be turned by the steering wheel up to 90 degrees either side of the straight-ahead position, enabling the car to turn within its own length.

Reverse gear of a sort was offered on later models, but using this involved stopping the engine and starting it backwards. This was achieved by reversing the Siba [[Dynastart]] unit, a device which doubled as both starter and generator. It operated as a starter motor when the starter button was pressed but when the engine was running it generated power instead and recharged the battery.

The last Bond Minicar, a Mark G, was made in November 1966.

==Bond Equipe 1963–1970==
{{main|Bond Equipe}}
[[File:Bond Equipe GT.jpg|thumb|Bond Equipe 2 litre saloon Mk 2]]
The Equipe GT was Bond's first four-wheel car, a [[sports car]], with fibreglass two door body. Essentially it was a [[Triumph Herald]] [[chassis]], complete with bulkhead, windscreen and doors, with the [[Triumph Spitfire]] 1147&nbsp;cc engine. The doors had slightly revised glass, to accommodate the fibreglass fastback roof and rear assembly. The Herald's forward hingeing bonnet was replaced with a revised version giving an excellent, clean sportscar-like appearance. This was replaced by the GT4S model in 1964, offering 4 seats, and an opening boot lid. In front, the beautiful Italianate bonnet styling was somewhat compromised by the addition of the  quad headlights from the Triumph 2000, flanking a cut-down version of the original Herald grille. A bonnet scoop was also added.  A 1296cc engine was introduced in 1967.
During the life of this car, it was not uncommon to see Triumph Heralds modified by the fitting of a Bond Equipe bonnet, as all the side body lines matched perfectly. Less common were Bond Equipes, bizarrely fitted with Herald front ends.

In August 1967, 19 months before the take-over by Reliant in February 1969, the new Equipe 2 Litre was introduced. Based partly on styling proposals by Trevor Fiore but mainly designed by Bond's own in-house designer, Alan Pounder, the doors had new skins and all external traces of the Triumph Herald were gone, with the exception of the windscreen surround and the bonnet catches. The Triumph 2000 headlamps were retained, but were now incorporated into a more stylish, full width grille. At the rear, the Lucas triple-bullet tail-lamps were replaced and this version of the car began to resemble the later Reliant Scimitar SS1, which would not in fact appear for another twenty years. This model had the six-cylinder 2-litre [[Triumph Vitesse]] chassis and engine, uprated to the Mk 2 version in 1968, at which time a convertible version was also offered.<ref>Lawrie Bond – The Man & The Marque  Nick Wotherspoon  Bookmarque Publishing 1993 {{ISBN|1-870519-16-7}}</ref>

==Bond 875 1965–1970==
{{main|Bond 875}}
[[File:Bond 1968.jpg|thumb|[[Bond 875]] Mark 1 saloon]]
The Bond 875 was a three-wheeler with a [[RR layout|rear-mounted]] four-cylinder 875&nbsp;cc four-stroke, [[Hillman Imp]] engine. It was discontinued in 1970 after Reliant took over Bond.

==Bond Bug 1970–1974==
{{main|Bond Bug}}
[[File:Bond Bug vr orange.jpg|thumb|[[Bond Bug]] 700 ES]]
The Bond Bug, based on a Reliant Regal, became a fashion statement in the 1970s.  The Bug was a three-wheeler with a Reliant 700&nbsp;cc (later increased to 750&nbsp;cc) four-cylinder engine and a top speed of {{convert|75|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. Finished in a lurid orange, the Bug had a "wedge" body styled by [[Tom Karen]] of [[Ogle Design]].  Lacking conventional doors, entry was gained by swinging the roof upwards on a pair of hinges.

==Other products==
Other products produced by the company included [[Motorscooter]]s, a power ski, [[Trailer (vehicle)|trailer]] [[tent]]s, suitcases, etc.
<!--''Note from contributing writer (who wrote the text above): would a member of the Bond Owners' Club have any images they would care to upload for this article? I do not wish to "pinch" any photos from your website!''-->

==See also==
* [[List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bond Cars Ltd|Bond vehicles}}
* [http://www.bondownersclub.co.uk Bond Owners' Club]
* [http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/bond-mk-a.html Bond Minicars]
* [http://www.imps4ever.info/specials/bond.html The Bond 875]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041029051013/http://amicale.com/spitfire/images/specials/bond1.htm The Bond Equipe]

{{British Car Industry}}
{{Automotive industry in the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1949]]
[[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of England]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Preston]]
[[Category:1949 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1974]]
[[Category:1974 disestablishments in England]]