A city mechanic who has had a car for 50 years is celebrating its gold anniversary with a special event. 

Keith Morgan bought the bright orange Volvo 145 estate car from the former Holden Motors in Westwick Street, Norwich, on August 1, 1974, to share with his dad, Terry. 

Costing £2,650 - equivalent to £24,350 today - Keith immediately drove it to John O'Groats, the UK's most northerly point. 

Keith Morgan bought the bright orange estate car from the former Holden Motors in Westwick Street, Norwich Keith Morgan bought the bright orange estate car from the former Holden Motors in Westwick Street, Norwich (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest)

"We piled the boot high with gear and set off," he said. 

"But on only the fourth day of the trip, when we were near Lancashire, I noticed the water coolant was full of oil so we had to have it recovered back to Norwich."

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Keith took it back to Holden Motors and asked for a refund but they said no, and just two weeks later the Volvo 240 was released, an updated version of his car, which he said was "ironic". 

The Volvo 145 has 105,000 miles on its clock The Volvo 145 has 105,000 miles on its clock (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest) Keith Morgan bought the Volvo 145 in 1974 to share with his dad Keith Morgan bought the Volvo 145 in 1974 to share with his dad (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest)

"Even though it had a bumpy start, it's been nothing but a hard worker since," Keith added. 

"It's had concrete beams in the back and been through all sorts of abuse in its long life but it still looks like a tidy car."

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Despite being on the road for half a century, the Volvo only has 105,000 miles on the clock. 

The Volvo 145's log book The Volvo 145's log book (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest) The 140 series of Volvos were produced between 1967 and 1974, making Keith's one of the last to roll off the line The 140 series of Volvos were produced between 1967 and 1974, making Keith's one of the last to roll off the line (Image: Sonya Duncan/Newsquest)

And for its anniversary, Keith will be taking it back to the site where he bought it, which is now home to a property management company, to photograph it. 

The Volvo 145 was produced between 1967 and 1974, with the 140 series evolving into the 240 series for the 1975 model year, making Keith's one of the last off the line. 

As well as his Volvo, Keith - the owner of Morgan's Motor Engineers in Drayton - owns a 1966 Vauxhall Cresta and opened the NDR in a Bentley Continental in 2017.