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MEBEA MIA ! – Reliant Fox

The story of today’s pickup starts in 1960 when two Greek motorcycle assembly operations merged to form Μεσογειακαί Επιχειρήσεις Βιομηχανίας, Εμπορίου και Αντιπροσωπειών which translates to Mediterranean Enterprises for Industry, Commerce and Representations, known as MEBEA. MEBEA manufactured a variety of vehicles using mostly Zundapp motorcycle engines.

MEBEA Fox

Copyright holder unknown image will be removed or credited upon request.

During the 1970’s MEBEA also manufactured glass fiber bodied Reliant vehicles under license. In 1979 the company developed its own pick up the Fox based on the Reliant Kitten chassis and running gear. In order to get the vehicle type approved for the Greek market it was deemed easier and possibly cheaper for Reliant to get the Fox type approved in the United Kingdom first.

Reliant Fox, Oulton Park

It is thought around 3000 MEBEA Foxes were manufactured between 1979 and 1983 when changes in Greek laws stopped favoring vehicles like the Fox.

Reliant Fox, Oulton Park

However that was not the end of Fox production, no sooner had MEBEA ceased production of the Fox in Greece than Reliant started to produce the Fox, powered by an all aluminium 848 cc / 52 cui 4 cylinder motor, for the British market.

Reliant Fox

This 1984 Fox, seen above at Oulton Park, is one of around 600 built between 1983 and 1990.

My thanks to L.S. Skartsis and G.A. Avramidis who’s excellent book “Made in Greece” Typorama, Patras, 2003 proved an invaluable reference source.

Thanks for joining me on this Greek odyssey edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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