01/04/2026
So here is our first feature car thats coming to Dubford. The story behind it is not only heart warming but very sentimental. The beautiful mk1 fiesta belongs to Jordan Fenton and here is his story. Please share this as people need know this heart warming and touching story.
Its a 1983 Mk1 Ford Fiesta 1.1L know as 'Lil Avvy'! It is a incredibly sentimental car and one that holds plenty of memories, Duxford being amongst those. I have only in recent months finished fully nut and bolt restoring this car in memory of my mum, Julie Fenton with one goal in mind. To make it one of the best examples out there as a representation of the mother she was to me. The restoration is completely dedicated to my mum. It was a no expense spared restoration using tons of NOS parts, refurbing the original parts and also upgrading it in ways of keeping it period looking and reliable. It will be 9 years I have owned the car, I bought it shortly after turning 19! The car become like a grandchild to mum the moment it joined the family and as a whole was really special for us, we took it everywhere and gave us a lot of joy. It was used for a good few years in a very honest and original condition! And then I took it off the road to restore so me and mum could take it to the Isle of wight, a place she wanted to revisit. It was getting a bit tired at that point! Shortly after I stripped it to a bare shell, mum fell ill with Stage 4 Mantel cell Lymphoma and she became my number one priority to care for her. After a courageous but cruel battle, I lost mum in 2022 and I felt completely lost. Nearly a year later I resumed the restoration which gave me something to focus on and kept me so busy through that difficult time, I was so determined to get it right. But I needed some help of which a local firm 'Lee Scott Classic Cars' knew the importance and went above and beyond removing old repairs and getting the shell absolutely pristine for me to a better than factory finish. I then took the shell home and built it from the ground up myself which has been one my proudest achievements and meant the world to me to do. Lots of late nights, blood, sweat and tears went into it and took me just under 2 years to do and I unveiled it July 2025 around my mum's birthday for a chosen charity. And yes, its driven even in this condition! For me that keeps those memories alive and my mums legacy alive....I now spend many hours cleaning it after every use.
My mum always had our best interests to heart and growing up she certainly encouraged them. Old Fords and aircraft are my two biggest passions so when I first started driving and acquired Lil Avvy we would take it everywhere and Duxford was one of our favourite places to visit on a spontaneous Sunday every so often if there wasn't another event on where we would be with the car.
The last time I visited Duxford with that very car along with my mum was in 2019 for the Daks over Duxford event which was also the 75th anniversary of DDAY. My grandad flew home once on a Dakota during his time in the army so it was a aircraft that we connected with and had such a great day! I am really looking forward to taking the car back there for the first time since the restoration.
www.vwlovers.co.uk/dubford
