Club News, April 1951

WE HEAR

We hear that a well-preserved 1923 Gwynne Eight witli spare engine was for sale in Leeds recently and that a 1919 Royal Enfield combination with three new tyres, acetylene lamps, etc., Nvas looking for its next owner up in Forfar, the price being under £20. According to N. P. Waring, who has ” covered ” every Indianapolis 500 since 1927, the car Clark Gable drives in “To Please IL Lady ” isn’t Faulkner’s Grant Piston Ring Spaced but Joie Chitwood’s Special. Apparently it was driven for the cameras by Rose and tinisled lath in the actual race. Powell Duffryn (Air),

Ltd., 59, St. Mary Axe, can fly solo motor-cycles across the Channel in Bristol Freighters for .£3 in each direction. plus £2 for the rider, so if you motorcycle, have £10 to spare and want to eseape from this Austerity Isle you mut do so in 20 minutes I If yon decide not to return, you need only £5. In Australia, John Ihunilton has a 1911 15.9-1t,p. Thames two-seater. It. has front. brakes, a top-gear ratio of 4 to 1 and does 3,600 r.p.m. although Hamilton says he suspects wheel-spin, as this would equal 72 m.p.h. ! His other car is an old Sunbeam tourer and he would like to know if any other Thames ears exist.

Referring back to the article on vintage aeroplanes in the January issue, R. J. Wieksteed points out that the Comper Swift, G-ALHIS and the ” 12/50 ” Alvis we illustrated some time earlier, are actually the property of A. J. Linnell, but on loan, respectively, to Tony Cole and NVieksteed. A 1920 Wolseley Fifteen. tourer, with good tyres and of very low mileage, a 1023 Morris Cowley tourer and a 1914 Royal Ruby motor-cycle are the latest ” discoveries,” seeking new homes —they are in a shed in Lancashire. .1. C. Thompson has installed a diesel engine in a 1934 Raillon. When we listed dub Magazines in the February issue we knew we should inadvertently overlook some. The Cemian M.C. has accordingly sent us a copy of its nicely-produced, duplicated Oil Rog, which now gets ” honourable mention.” An e.lt.e. Wolseley Ten luts turned up in Kent and the overhaul in process includes a re-east alloy inlet manifold, N.F.S. carburetter, modified valve gear (in the original the valves work in holes in the head, son.:4 guides !), and a 1938 Flying Standard gearbox installed ahead of the normal back-axle gearbox, which is to be locked in top gear. Also, new radiator and body, Rotollow shock-absorbees and modern easy-clean wheels. Later, rotary valves and petrol injection are envisaged, reminiscent of the rotary-valve Inman Hunter ” 10/23 ” Talbot. But what interests us partiettlarly is that this is another instatIM of an old car corning to light, under it hedge in .this ease ; it had been bought. by a farmer for 15s. and he sold it for ten bolt ! Before this the gallant Wolscley towed it in’ over, at first on a cricket-pitch, later on a golf-course. The Morgan now-Wheeler Club has struck the happy idea of stating how new members have been enrolled ‘Men it lists them in its magazine. We see that Moron Smarr has been responsible for quite a few recruits. This club has at last managed to settle its oft-postponed speed trial The date is April 15th, at

Madresfield Ccatrt, Worcs. praelice to begirt at 11.30 amt. Those of you who want to see ” Mogs ” at speed, taake note of it.

A turbine motor-cycle leis apparently been oUrunitting rapid foppery of Monza track. The Editor of Moron Stuart’ feels he owes it to the book-reading publie, the book trade and himself to explain that his book ” The World’s Land Speed Record ” was written during the winter of 1046/7, at the request. of Motor Racing Puldications, Ltd., who chose the subject-matter. Proofs were passed by the author in March, 1947, and the publishers declared themselves well satisfied. The book has

not appeared at the tinte of writing ; but Bodily hopes you will find it worth thC long wait when it does olipear ! Kent seems a good haunt for old ears. Although a Jaguar NK120 moves pretty Swiftly, when we took one that. Way during a recent test we had time to spot a very smart ” 10.8 ” Clyno, (unveiled into a light lorry, in Maidstone, told a fiat-radiator Morris-Oxford saloon and FIAT Eight two-seater between there and Iliddenden. Congratulations to the ilugatti D.C. for publitettion early. in

March of another very excellent issue of flugattlies (price to non-members, 2s. 6d.). Front it we learn that the 2-litre Bugatti which Count Zborowski drove at Indianapolis in 192;1 has cone to light, again, now as a two-seater, and is owned by John Horridge. When we were younger we used to hang about for hours in the hope of seeing someone start-up a fast. car (or a steam-roller). These days the young are better catered for, for they are likely to eneounter Bentleys at. almost. any time, the B.D.C. holds so many gatherings. A word in their ears—if they feel like ad

miring Aston-Martins. they should glance at the car park of ” The Plough,” Ruislip, cm the second Tuesday evening each month ; Intl, remember, you didn’t read this in Moroit Scoter ! B. S. Cothant is overhauling a 1911 66 by 120 nun. fonr-eylinder Type CR

de Dion Houton and craves a handbook. Peter Waring is disposing of his special Alvis Speed Twenty; which has been placed in nine ottt of fourteen events since the war and should be a quick car for someone. A 1913 model-T Ford completed a 3,000-mile holiday tour to Rome and back from Norwich last summer. A London reader seeks ‘an experienced rally driver to partner him in the ILA .C. Rally int a 3/-litre Jaguar. An air-cooled V-twin Stow:160i has come 1.0 light in Yorkshire. Ernest Newton & Co., Ltd., Holt. Street, Birmingham, 7, have again issued the R.A.C. National Calendar in booklet form, available free to anyone who writes to them, mentioning Mo’r’on Semen% John Cobb’s Land Speed

Record Mahon Mobil, a Cooper 500, a racing Norton, a 1910 omnibus and a 11101 LatiChCster car will form part of the Road Transport Section of the Festival or Britain Exhibition.

MEMBERS’ DAY RACE MEETINGS

As Winter gives way to Spring the boys’ and girls’ thoughts turn to long days spent racing or watching the race rather than to the hours of preparation and planning, and the day itself could hardly be more stimulating ! The gum-boots. sou’westers. British warms and charcoal stoves of the trials season eat, be pat away although, Is English sun tuners, mitt-coats and umbrellas should continue in He race-going equipment ! The smaller elulatten’s race nteetittgs provide truly excel knit sport and a fine grounding for greater things to come. Many of these meetings are confined to members of the organising clubs, but usually someone run be found to take you in as a guest, or by jointing a club that gets a majority of invitations t.o other events, the V.S.C.C. for instance, admission charges assume negligible proportions. This .Year’s remaining dates are : maat,c. c10,5ed members’ Meetings (sports cars only) at Goodwood, counting towards the Moron Sewer Brooklands Memorial Challenge Trophy and £50 cash prize, at present, held by J. C. C. Mayers (Lester-M.G.) :–

April 21st.

June 100.

August 15th. Clubmen’s meetings at. Silverstone, including those counting towards the Munon Sroirr Silverstone Challenge Cup anal £50 cash prize may toth: 26th : .1 ’tile 2inl : „ 111th: „ 23rd: tilt h : July 21st: „ Aug. 11th: „ 25111: Sept. 1st : „ Silt: Other eltibmen’s race meetings :— May bah: Bristol ‘. ‘t

1211i : W. 1.-:aes M “., I iorelei lit C.

„ 11th : Slietlield li flallain 311’1%, t :ant:Mon.

„ 211th : Aberdeen it, D. MA’„ long-side. C./.

Intl. tutu : west Essex MA Berelcon. r’.1 Ulster AC., Newtownarilii.

holy I Darlington & D. 51.C., croft.

„ stti : Aberdeen it. ti M.c., 14nerside. C.f.

„ 141.11*. Ntiddleshrougll 1./. 111:(1mr. i’d.

„ 14th : S110114+1 Si Hallam Damston. C. Aug. nth : Nottingham FAc.C., Gionston. 500 MA:. of Ireland, Miillaglatiore. „I 11:11: W. Nssex SIC., f3orehain. Meld, P111: Aberlleen ik 1/. Longside, „ 8t11: Yorkshire S.C.C., t’rott. r.’. 15th : W. t:sitrix M1!„ Dorehafft

l’eterliortatgli M.C., Coninet on. 7.

Oct.. nth lierwiek D. M.C. and Lothian C.C., W infield .

„ nth : Nottingham CA:., Datitston. C.

Closed Thyar. C./. rfo:ved Ineilatiotx Event.

En addition. Ilte HalfLitre (‘Ittb has a ‘mother of club meetings at Brands Ilatch, besides more important fixtures at this venue, while Ca-st be Comb(‘ and Cantston saNV laccl itis last T11.011111.

Vintage S.C.C. C. Maidstone &Mid-gout M.A% C./ Eight Clubs. .1 . 14tOtti 0.c, Vinitatan S.C.C. C.1. Midlands Et

Bentley D.C. C.1. A.Aon-Martin o.c., MG. C.C. C.

7510 SIC. C

M.1!.1:.

ONE-MAKE REGISTERS to

One-make registers mattinue to flourish. That. for Wolverhampton-born Snnfreamsnote lens aearly 200 members :nod plans a number of events, social and otherwise, this season—Registrar, Mrs. NV. ” Cantel,” Wood Lane, Fleet, I hints. Tie Vintage Minder Register is also coming along well, mem: ItersItip last. month shuttling tit nearly 40—Registrar. Lt. A. B. Demans, R.N.,