The Tiger Avon: Why This Car Still Matters to Me

In the realm of open-top driving, few vehicles capture the spirit of motoring purity quite like the Tiger Avon. Paying homage to the iconic Lotus Seven roadster, this well-built and carefully designed car carries on the legacy of the legendary Colin Chapman. 

For me, this isn’t just about performance or specifications. It’s about the experience of driving something simple, mechanical, and completely connected to the road.

The Tiger Avon and the Lotus Seven Legacy

From its exhilarating performance to its agile handling, the Tiger Avon encapsulates the essence of the classic roadster while infusing it with modern engineering. Join us as we delve into the heart of this remarkable machine, exploring its power, design, and the unforgettable experiences it delivers.

What It’s Like to Drive

At the core of the Tiger Avon lies a spirited powerplant, paying homage to Chapman's engineering brilliance: a Toyota-sourced 1.6-liter 4-AGE engine with 16 valves. Complete with Jenvey throttle bodies and Omex engine management, this mighty motor generates an impressive 122 horsepower. With a power-to-weight ratio that leaves many sports cars in its wake, the Avon propels itself from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 7 seconds. Its featherlight construction, weighing approximately 750 kilograms, ensures an agile and responsive ride. The Avon's go-kart-like handling imparts a sense of control that embodies Chapman's design philosophy, making every drive an immersive and thrilling experience.

Simplicity and Design

The Tiger Avon's design pays homage to the timeless Lotus Seven, capturing the classic charm while incorporating contemporary aesthetics. Its sleek silhouette, defined by clean lines and an open cockpit, remains true to the spirit of its predecessor. The Avon's compact dimensions allow it to navigate city streets with ease, while its 15-inch alloy wheels add a touch of elegance and poise.

Stepping into the Avon, you'll find a driver-centric cabin designed to enhance the driving experience. Immerse yourself in a lightweight cockpit that places you squarely in command. The convertible roof, although challenging to access when raised, offers the versatility to embrace the open air or seek refuge as required. It is the perfect companion for sun-drenched summer days or embarking on memorable road trips.

The Tiger Avon's true prowess reveals itself on winding roads. Its rear-wheel-drive configuration, complemented by independent double wishbone suspension and Gaz coil-over shock absorbers, delivers exceptional road-holding capabilities. This meticulously tuned suspension system provides precise handling, allowing the Avon to carve through corners with confidence. The responsive steering further amplifies the connection between driver and machine, creating an immersive and intuitive driving experience that echoes the thrill of piloting a go-kart.

A Trip to Applecross

The Tiger Avon is not just a car meant to be admired from afar; it is a machine that yearns to be driven. One remarkable adventure took me to the awe-inspiring landscapes of Applecross in the west of Scotland. Equipped with camping gear and a sense of wanderlust, the Avon showcased its mettle on the open road. Its impressive power-to-weight ratio, combined with its nimble nature, allowed me to conquer twists and turns effortlessly. This journey united driver and machine, forging indelible memories along the way.

It’s in moments like this that the car makes sense. Not in specifications or numbers, but in how it feels on the road.

Why This Car Matters

The Tiger Avon faithfully carries on Colin Chapman's legacy by harmonizing classic design cues with modern performance. It presents an invigorating driving experience that stimulates the senses. It's agile handling, thrilling acceleration, and open-top freedom combine to create a masterpiece of motoring. Whether you seek an adrenaline-fueled weekend drive or embark on an epic road trip, the Avon's allure is irresistible. With each twist of the throttle and every bend in the road, the Tiger Avon pays homage to Colin Chapman's visionary spirit, reminding us of the pure joy and liberating freedom that driving enthusiasts yearn for.

From an engineering perspective, cars like this are a reminder that simplicity often leads to better outcomes. There’s very little between the driver and the road, and that clarity creates a more direct and reliable experience.

It’s a principle that applies just as much to software and systems as it does to cars.

Simple, well-designed systems—whether in cars or software—tend to work better and last longer.

I spend a lot of time helping simplify systems and make them behave in a more predictable way.

You can take a look at my TechFix service if that resonates.

LEGO Technic: Where My Engineering Journey Began

Looking back, LEGO Technic wasn’t just a toy—it was where my interest in engineering really started.

Growing up in the late 70s and early 80s, it introduced me to gears, mechanisms, and the satisfaction of building something that actually worked.

Discovering LEGO Technic

Like many children, I started my LEGO journey with the classic sets, constructing buildings and vehicles from a mishmash of colorful bricks. But it was when I reached double digits that my fascination with LEGO took a new turn—enter LEGO Technic. This advanced LEGO system introduced me to a world of gears, suspension, rivets, and axles, paving the way for countless hours of building mechanical marvels.

My initial foray into LEGO Technic was marked by two special Christmas presents. The first was a small go-kart set that could be transformed into two distinct vehicles. It was a taste of the versatility and ingenuity that LEGO Technic offered. The second was a red tractor with massive wheels and a functioning Power Take Off (PTO). As I delved into the world of LEGO Technic, my imagination soared, and the possibilities seemed limitless.

With each passing year, LEGO released new catalogs, and my eyes were immediately drawn to the the one I really wanted—the LEGO Technic car chassis 8860. This kit was the epitome of engineering brilliance. It featured a working engine, gearbox, differential, steering mechanism, and even independent rear suspension. It became the ultimate must-have for any LEGO Technic enthusiast, igniting my desire to create intricate mechanical structures.

Learning How Things Work

LEGO Technic became my teacher, offering valuable lessons in construction and visualization. I began to understand the fundamentals of gears, learning how the combination of small and large cogs could alter speed and torque. Building and experimenting with various mechanisms fostered a deep appreciation for the intricate workings of machines. Little did I know then that my childhood LEGO sets were quietly shaping my future as an engineer.

It wasn’t just about building models—it was about understanding how things worked and why.

Then vs Now: LEGO Has Changed

As time passed, I observed the evolution of LEGO Technic. The kits became increasingly intricate, featuring specialized parts designed for specific purposes. While these modern sets are undeniably impressive, they often follow predetermined instructions and leave little room for open-ended creativity. Assembling a modern kit can feel like solving a Tetris puzzle, with pieces meticulously designed using CAD and simulations. Once assembled, the kits are often admired as intended, leaving little incentive to disassemble and build something entirely new—a far cry from the limitless exploration of my childhood LEGO Technic.

Modern kits are impressive, but they often feel more like assembling a finished design than exploring how things work. The creativity and experimentation that came naturally with older sets feels less central.

What It Taught Me

Looking back, LEGO Technic taught me more than I realised at the time. It built the foundation for how I think about systems today—breaking problems down, understanding how parts connect, and keeping things as simple as possible.

That way of thinking still shows up in the work I do now.

Conclusion

LEGO Technic holds a special place in my heart as the catalyst that fueled my passion for engineering. Those seemingly simple interlocking bricks laid the foundation for a lifelong fascination with mechanical devices. While modern LEGO Technic sets offer remarkable complexity, there is something nostalgic about the simplicity and versatility of the kits from my childhood. As I gaze upon my well-worn LEGO collection, I am reminded of the countless shapes and forms it has taken over the years—a testament to the enduring power of LEGO and the impact it had on my journey to becoming an

Simple building blocks—whether physical or digital—often lead to the best systems.

I spend a lot of time helping simplify systems and make them easier to understand and maintain.

You can take a look at my TechFix service if that resonates.

How I Became a Chartered Engineer (CEng)

For years, becoming a Chartered Engineer was something I kept meaning to do but never quite started.

I had the qualifications, the experience, and the professional membership. What I really lacked was momentum.

I just lacked the personal motivation to get my finger out. I was "comfortable" in my job I didn't need to be chartered. It would be nice but not a must-have.

Why I Put It Off for So Long

The biggest blocker was compiling my experience in chronological order on the application form. I had been working for 20 years so remembering and cramming it all into a few pages was daunting.

I think a lot of experienced engineers fall into the same trap. The more experience you have, the harder it feels to summarise it all into a few pages.

What Finally Changed

The shove I needed was when I looked to move up a grade at work. My "boss" blocked me with a job description. Basically, a badly written list of must-haves to perform the upgrade in position. Lots of airy-fairy statements plucked out of thin air that the person must meet to perform the job. I was doing the job already but had to prove it.

So I set about formulating a case that showed and was backed with evidence of my experience that I could meet the must-haves. I spent a few weeks with a text document open on the side of my desktop, quickly adding experience when I remembered..., reliving my past 20 years.

The document grew and grew and gradually I recounted all the projects I had worked on. I had ticked off all the job requirements (must-haves) and provided real evidence of how I met them.

I polished it a bit adding in real must-haves the job holder should have and forwarded it to my "boss" and was moved up a grade. The bonus was I now had a full career review down on paper (or digitally). The dreaded application form for chartered engineer would be easy now.

What initially felt overwhelming suddenly became manageable once I realised I already had most of the evidence—I just needed to organise and present it properly.

I sought out 2 sponsors as a reference, added all my details, did some more polishing to my career history, and sent it off and waited...

I was invited for an interview shortly after. A time and date were set for me to be at a hotel in Altens to be "grilled".

I had a few weeks to prepare for my interview. The format would be for me to present for 15 minutes and then answer questions for an hour.

The application pack I had downloaded from the IET website had a guide to what was expected in the presentation and what the interview would cover.

Preparing for the Interview

I prepared a pack of 5 slides covering projects (maximum allowed) I have worked on and ticked off all the skills I needed to have. I then printed 3 packs with my slides, my application, training evidence, work evidence, and my CV and presented them neatly in a clear plastic folder.

I also added a couple of pics of my Tiger, the kit car I built. I felt like a software engineer I wanted to be able to show I also have electrical and mechanical hands-on skills too.

A few weeks later, I donned my suit and tie and headed for my interview. Confident I had prepared well it was time to be a shining example of a potential chartered engineer.

I met with a panel of 3 interviewers. The IET guide said there would be 2! Oh well, the more the merrier.

We introduced each other and I sat at one side of the table and they at the other. I did my presentation and quickly talked through all my slides.

The Interview Wasn’t What I Expected

The next part I was dreading, what if I couldn't answer the questions? What if I wasn't qualified? It didn't matter. What happened was a good conversation about my experience. One interviewer was leading the conversation and another was checking off where I met the skills required as I gave my answers.

What surprised me most was that it didn’t feel like an interrogation. It felt more like an experienced conversation about projects, decisions, and engineering work I had already done.

The main point I had to quickly adapt to was to say I rather than we. Working as a team for so long I am accustomed to saying 'we' rather than 'I'd, which caught me out a couple of times. I had said we had created some procedure and had to correct myself and said I, one interviewer said are you sure, while the other chipped in with the front page of the procedure showing my name on the front cover as the author. Thankfully I had put a copy In the interview pack.

The rest is a bit of a blur but an enjoyable blur. It was a great opportunity to talk about what you have been doing for the last 20 years.

In the end, the interviewers came across the pictures of my Tiger and probably had just as many questions about it and how I had built it, an easy subject to talk about without any prep.

So that was it, it was about 1hr 45min when we finished, and I left confident I had done my best. My interviewers couldn't give me any indication of whether I had passed or failed. I would be contacted in due course.

6 weeks later I received an email. My application must have been good, my presentation and interview must have been good. I was invited to join the engineering council as a chartered engineer.

What I Learned From the Process

Go me! Why didn't I do that a long time ago? With a bit of effort and lots of preparation, the whole process is very straightforward and not as daunting as first thought.

Looking back, the process was far less intimidating than I had built it up to be in my head.

Most of the challenge was simply taking the time to reflect properly on years of experience and organise it into evidence.

If you’re considering becoming chartered but keep putting it off, my advice would simply be to start gathering your experience together. Once you begin, it becomes much more manageable.

This also connects closely to my reflections on career change and professional growth.

A lot of the practical engineering mindset behind chartership also appears in my posts about making and problem solving.

Professional development often feels more intimidating before you start than it does once you begin.

I know how intimidating the process can feel at the start, so if you're stuck or procrastinating on chartership, you can drop me a message here.

The Bus Conversation That Introduced Me to Gold Nanowires

So this week I met someone on the bus. I have met her before and this time we started chatting. She is a chemistry teacher in a high school.

Looking back, this wasn’t really about chemistry. It was about curiosity, engineering, and how fascinating ideas can appear in unexpected conversations.

Why Chemistry Never Clicked for Me

I liked the idea of learning chemistry when I went to secondary school. It sounded exciting, mixing and burning things.

I was however completely put off by my chemistry teacher. "Dr. Pockets", he wore a tweed jacket and a black gown. He wasn't very good but worst of all would come up behind you and poke you in the sides with two fingers. I didn't like that or him so I completely switched off from chemistry and dropped it as soon as I could. Perhaps that is why I became an engineer.

The Conversation That Changed My Perspective

Anyway, my new friend the chemistry teacher was telling me about what she did her Ph.D. in.

I may get some of the terms wrong but she was researching making mirrors by dissolving silver in a solution. This would form a thin atom-thick layer of silver that she would bounce lasers off. (How cool!)

She described how her lab would be dark as she set up a beam that was split and would go on different paths. One beam would take a longer path than the other to reach a detector and the difference in time would be measured along with their intensity. It would give interesting facts about the mirror, some of the light would be lost or absorbed.

Discovering Gold Nanowires

The standard practice was to use silver and she pondered what would happen if you were to use gold? So she mixed up a solution of gold to find out. Under an electron microscope, the gold behaved differently. No longer an atom-thick layer or sheet of silver, the gold had formed into atom chains. Like tiny little snakes or wires. Bizarre! She didn't do anything with these wires and just put them down as a cool anomaly.

Moving on a few years later, what she had created were gold nanowires. I've googled it and it's a real thing. Gold conducts electricity and the nanowires made from it can also conduct electricity.

At the moment they are being used in medical procedures. They are grown much like a snowflake, in an additive process building out from an electrode spike.

To give them some scale and put them into perspective they are 1,000 times smaller than human hair. That's tiny. Smaller than human cells.

In my googling I also came across the cost and if I were to buy some gold nanowires. I wasn't expecting them to be cheap but a handful (literal) of wires 30nm wide by 6000nm long delivered in a 10ml tub is £384.50. (June 2017)

I guess the bulk of the cost is in the manufacture rather than the raw material. They make gold more expensive than gold!

I have been pondering where else gold nanowires could be used, more googling found them used in flexible solar panels and batteries. Being so thin lots of them can give a larger surface area.

The Scale Is Hard to Imagine

I still can't fathom the scale and how you manipulate things so small. It’s difficult to visualise something thousands of times smaller than a human hair actually being engineered, measured, and deliberately created in a lab. 

As an engineer, I’m used to physical things you can hold, machine, weld, or bolt together. Nanotechnology feels like a completely different world where physics, chemistry, and materials behave in ways that almost seem unreal. 

What fascinated me most was the idea that structures this tiny can still have useful electrical, optical, and mechanical properties that can be used in real-world technology. It also made me realise how much innovation happens quietly in research labs long before most people ever hear about it.

What This Made Me Think About

I always remember a story my dad told me. I think it was pre-war, and the Germans in a show of engineering skill took a sewing needle drilled a hole down its center, and sent it to the British. The British, not to be outdone took a cast of the hole in the needle drilled a hole down its center, and sent it back to the Germans. Many facts here may also be wrong but it was a good story about something tiny, and as a kid, I could imagine the tiny drills doing the job.

So that's my new friend the chemistry teacher. Have to say much better than 'Dr. Pockets' and I actually learned something interesting.

What stayed with me wasn’t really the chemistry itself — it was the reminder that there are entire worlds of science, engineering, and discovery happening far beyond what we normally see.

Sometimes all it takes is one interesting conversation to completely change how you think about something.

A lot of this also connects to how I process and visualise complex ideas in my post about visual thinking.

It also reminded me of my reflections on seeing the hidden simplicity inside complex engineering systems during a space shuttle launch.

The same fascination with how things work also appears in my reflections on LEGO Technic and engineering mindset.

I’ve always been fascinated by how systems, engineering, and technology work beneath the surface.

A lot of the same curiosity now shapes the technical and problem-solving work I still enjoy today.

You can find out more here.

Back in 2017, I Thought Petrol Cars Might Disappear by 2025

So I'm on a train on my way down to Cumbernauld for the weekend. I have Jamie (age 9) with me, and he is delighted to be on a train. It's diesel-electric. Onboarding, I pointed out the massive turbo on the side of the train just below the level of the platform. (I'm an engineer, I notice these things...)

The Diesel engine powers a generator to make electric energy to turn a massive induction motor that makes it move, I tell Jamie.

It's quiet, but you can just hear the engine's dull drone as we fly through the countryside. I'm guessing being diesel-electric, it is more efficient than pure diesel and also cleaner.

Travelling Through a Changing World

I was also on a bus this morning on the way to work. It was one of Aberdeen's new hydrogen-powered fleet. Diesel buses have been abandoned in favour of turning hydrogen into electricity, which again powers a motor to make the bus move. This bus is almost silent apart from some transmission noise on the move. When stopped, there is no noise at all. Great for commuters like me tapping on my iPhone and writing my blog.

Looking back now, this post captures how quickly the shift towards electric vehicles felt like it was happening in 2017.

Some of these predictions clearly didn’t happen as fast as expected, but the transition away from traditional engines still felt inevitable at the time.

Why I Still Loved Petrol Engines

I like both these forms of transport in terms of where we are with the tech. I am, however, a massive car fan… a petrolhead at heart, and I feel a sense of gloom coming.

I like my petrol and Diesel engines. I have a few cars. All of them are older. A big 4x4 with a Diesel engine in it. I love the torque and the feeling of going anywhere it gives, and it's 500 miles or so range. I have a Lotus Seven kit car with a revvy 16v Toyota engine that makes it fly. I also have an Abarth 500, which has a little 1.4-litre turbocharged engine. It's got twin intercoolers and one of my favourite exhaust notes of any car I have owned.

I have promised the Abarth to Jamie when he is old enough to drive.

Jamie is 9, and he will not be able to drive till he is 17. That's in 8 years' time. With care and regular servicing, little Abarth should still be in good health when he is ready. It's quite easy. I have had many cars that were over 10 years old and had higher miles on them. The Abarth is a modern car, and the build quality and corrosion protection are really good.

The big problem, as I see it, is whether petrol and diesel cars will still be on the road in 2025. In only eight years' time.

The Fear That Petrol Cars Might Vanish

I read an article while having my lunch today, which was a report by Stanford University that is predicting that fossil fuel cars will vanish in less than EIGHT years time! The report suggests that as electric cars become cheaper, 'Big Oil' and the petroleum industry will collapse. People will have no choice but to invest in electric cars. Electric cars will become cheaper, more reliable and travel further.

It painted a picture of petrol and diesel cars being abandoned. No longer being economical to run. Petrol stations would close and become increasingly difficult to find. Spare parts would stop being made. Garages will no longer repair the current generation of cars. The falling oil price is predicted to fall further.

So it may be game over for the little Abarth and my 4x4. Eight years does not seem that far away. What's their fate in years to come, abandoned, in the 2025 fuel crisis?

Imagining an Electric Future

For my Lotus Seven kit car, I'm not so worried. I built it after all. As technology changed, I could even imagine replacing the petrol engine with a large electric motor and modern battery systems. Possibly both were donated by a crash-damaged modern electric car. The performance could be better than the current petrol engine.

My kit car has a simple 12-volt electric system with a separate wire harness for the engine. So, to remove the petrol engine and its ECU would be easy. It would leave big holes where the engine, gearbox and petrol tank lived. These can be replaced by the motor's ECU, batteries or fuel cell. Who knows, I may be able to put a motor per wheel and make it four-wheel drive. That would be fun.

All the other electric systems would remain unchanged. There are no antilock brakes or traction control. It's really only lights and a horn left when the engines are gone.

It should be lighter too, if I could get a range of 200 or so miles, that would be ideal. It doesn't go much further on a tank of petrol at the moment. It's not very comfortable for long distances, so the majority of driving I do is just a quick blast in evenings and weekends.

Would Classic Cars Survive?

So 2025, here's hoping Jamie gets some use out of the Abarth before we need to abandon it at the side of the road.

I also need to get my finger out as I have dreams and promises of building a hot rod project with the boys when they get older. Nothing fancy. Something rat-looking with old black faded paint, a small noisy engine, no mod cons, and flames up the side. Fingers crossed.

(edited, The Abarth may have some reprieve, found this great article on an electric rally car... Hmmm 460 bhp?)

Looking Back at Those Predictions

It’s interesting reading this back now that we’ve actually reached 2025.

Petrol and diesel cars clearly didn’t disappear overnight, but electric vehicles, hybrid systems, and alternative fuels have become far more normal than they felt in 2017.

What I still find fascinating is how quickly technology transitions can feel inevitable, even when reality turns out to be slower and messier.

Looking back, this post says as much about engineering optimism and uncertainty as it does about cars.

A lot of the same engineering mindset also appears in my reflections on building and maintaining my Tiger kit car projects.

The same fascination with understanding and rebuilding systems also connects closely to my post about why I like fixing things.

Looking back, a lot of this engineering curiosity probably started with things like LEGO Technic.