Briantspuddle man's love of his MG Midget Mk3 1973 known as 'Little Syd'

Derek Ralls calls his ‘pretty little car’ Little Syd.

Little Syd is better known as an MG Midget Mk3 1973, which Derek has owned since 2015.

Why did you decide to buy this particular vehicle?

I had one of these for a short while back in 1986. This one came up for sale in Sidmouth, just at the time we thought we would like another. Right colour. Right spec. Right year. Such a pretty little car. What was there not to like!

Taking Little Syd the Midget for a ride in the Spring on a sunny but chilly day

What do you mainly use it for, and do you take it to shows or events?

Yes we use it for shows and events, but it is a great little ride as well.

Dorset is a beautiful county, what better way of seeing it. Little Syd, as it is known, is not a museum piece. It is a “user”, so we use it.

What does your family think about your passion for vehicles?

My wife joins me on many of the runs and events, and of course our rides around Dorset. Though she is purely a passenger. I’m afraid she doesn’t really understand the Classic Car passion.

Derek says: “My wife likes this car, and it is red!”

Of my three sons, only one has a real interest. Of my grandsons, two of them live locally and when they visit they always want a ride in the MG.

What was your first vehicle and why did you buy it?

My first vehicle was a 1938 Ford 10.

Purchased from a policeman friend in about 1964 for the princely sum of £5. It cost another £13 to insure it, 3rd party only. I had a motorcycle at the time, but it was a bit cold and dangerous in the winter. So a car seemed to be a good bet for a 20 year old out to impress. I will hasten to add I only kept it about six months, and sold it on again for, yes, a fiver.

What is your dream vehicle and why?

I really would like a Morgan plus 8. They have just about everything a Classic Car Petrol Head could want.

That very special classic style coupled with the sound and exhilaration that the ride gives is the dream. Probably, and sadly, only a dream.

Would you ever go electric and why?

Of course, electric is going to be the future. I can see, maybe before the decade is out, most new car sales will be electric, and the order of the day.

Hybrids will be very popular until the battery endurance, recharging, and pricing issues, of the all electric vehicles have been sorted. As for why, we have to sort our emission problems out. Not just the car driver in the UK. but everyone globally.

What do you think a car says about its driver?

For the ordinary guy in the street, he drives whatever he likes that falls within his budget. The person that drives a big expensive car has either “made it”, or plays football (well).

Most of us want a nice car, whatever that is, but all the relevant costs are usually the deciding factor. What others perceive from your car choice should be neither here nor there.

What’s your favourite road to drive on and why?

Locally, one of my favourite roads, is the B3157. From about Abbotsbury to West Bay. Travel from East to West you get the most spectacular views right across to Devon. Get your fix of Fish and Chips from West Bay and do the return journey from West to East, and it appears like a completely different road. Stop in the layby (for your ice-cream) overlooking The Fleet and Portland, absolutely stunning.

If you're a vehicle enthusiast and would like to tell us all about the love of your motor, - be it a car, motorbike or even a bus - fill out our simple Q & A form here, where you can attach photos and see it appear in this section, which appears every Friday in the Dorset Echo