VINTAGE VEERINGS

VINTAGE VEERINGS

131 11( El Y. vintage happenings having eased up a bit in contrast to the almost weekly Festival parades of the vet eranti, we can afford to refer back briefly to the Second V.S.C.C. Silverstone Meeting of June 23rd. These meetings always produce a most interesting variety of ears, and this one was no exception ; ” 30/98 ‘• Vauxhalls were entered by Quartermaine, Plowman, Neve, Webb, Whiteway, KelloW, BMus and Aldridge, of which Whiteway’s and Kellow’s were 1922 E-typcs. However, to add fire to an age-old controversy, WilmshursCs 1929 4A-litre Bentley led I

ei,. agaile Plowman’s 1924 OE in the Vintage tier:Itch 11.10:e. Clutterbuek ran a 1929 Avon Standard, McGowan masqueraded a ” 7.5 ” Citroiti with non-standard screen 811(1 wire wIteels,which in sonic races had a capacity of 748 c.c., in another 747 e.c., but which is actually 855 c.c. It MS SO Slow we imagine the handicappers (5811(1.111 ItaVe Cared less had it. been declared as 650 c.c.! R. E. Hardy had an interesting drille(i-chassis s.v. Riley of Redwing persuasion, a genuine 1924 sand-racing car, said to weigh 10 cwt.

Hem’s Amilear Six, a raring car this time, after some preliminary troubles, won the G.P. Itala Trophy R:wc very ably at. 73.62 m.p.h. from Sant Clutton•s big 11.)clage which ambles along at 100 m.p.h. doing a mere 2,5(8) r.p.m. It. WIC; a pity that only seven vintage racing ears, two of which are really sports ears, ran in this classic vintage contest. Unless PVC are mistaken, ,l. W. Broad drove the famous Maelachlan Austin Seven, but had t rot : Ede . Just when we were elated that Clievell’s “

43” Alvis, which we had written-up for the current, issue Of this journal, had won the only non-vintage race. Chevell told the organisers he really couldn’t have, gone so fast . so they decided he had been started 20 seconds too early and gave the prise to Goodhew’s lowered ” Le Mans ” I Agonda, which the Alvis had passed like a flying bomb averaging 75.66 to the Lagonda’s 70.2 m.p.h.

Complaint ! The idea of having an historic racing car section in the V.S.C.C. for pre-1936 racing ears is excellent but surely this should be for truly historic ears ? The I Candle:if ) for vintage anti I istoric ears On June 231:41 was awardeil to F. C. Davis’ blown 1934 M.G. Is it really what, t he V .S .C.0 . Conunit tet regards as an historic raving (•ar, having in mind that. Lionel Leonard created it. post-war front a normal N-type M.G. Magnette four-seater and even after re-bodying it and hanging on a belt driven blower, sometimes ran it in sports car events ? It seethed a little hard that Webb’s genuine vintage ” 30,198 Vauxhall, which started from the sane handicap mark, had to be content with second phwe !

For I lie record, here is who won what :Y0UR-1.AP HANDICAP. VINTAGE CARS : IL Spence (1)130 11-litre Lea-Frain:ix), 00.0:1 m.p.h.

FOI:R•LAP HANDICAP, FRAZER-NA-91ES: G. Crowther 11(130 1.1-litw). 01.10 m.p.h. FOLOC• LAP SCRATCH RACE, VINTAGE SPORTS (!ARS :

11. .1. WilD1S11111A (192(1 llentley). (13.0)4 11)41.11. POOR-LAP HANDICAP, VINTAGE AND 111$TORW Cum : F. C. Davis (1934 sic. MO.),

0.05 m.p.h. Ei(arr-LAr 1908 0.1′. TULA TROPHY SCRATCH RACE : V. J. Hera (102(1 sir. 1,100 Anillear). 73.02 m.p.h. FOUR-LAP HANDICAP, DRIVING MKMBERS : MioOdhew (HUM 41 litre LogondO), 70.20 Forum-LAP 11.Astnea1′, Bow AROIANS : Ii. D. Firkius

1191-1 3.0 1)arrae(0, t7.60 in,11.ti.

FOUR-LAP HANDICAP, HISTORIC AND VINTACE CARS : L;(iibbS MIURIO 1,100 Oily), 00.04 m.p.h.

Coca-LAI, um-rotor, ItisTotae, VINTAGE 11lnvis0 Cnas: C. M. Sears (103.1 11-litre Frazer-Nash), 417.35 M.p.h.

1:2,LAP RELAY %ker.: MCSSruu. Webb (Vaux1m11), Marsh (Jamela Lambda) and PO:worth (FrazerNash). Our caption-writer, like Horner, nods. The capacity of a vintage Morris Cowley is 1,550 c.c., not 1,500 c.c., as captioned under a picture on page 341 last month I

” The true magnet which draws us to the road is t he charm, not only of the road itself but of its surroundings and all that they mean, and the full enjoyment of all tIi is is not to be found try t hose who shut themselves up in stuffy limousines and are driven at break-neck speed by paid servants, whose only idea in life is to get: tI eir job done quickly. It is to the man of the open touring car that the call of the road Nimes strongest.. It iS he to whose cars float softly the sighing of the winds.— (lie music of the spheres—whose lungs inhale the invigorating ozone, who scents the aroma of the pines, the freshness of the earl It after rain and the smell of the lowitn, herd at eventide . . . “–the late (teary St itriney, writing in t he Motor in 19(19, before Portal dwellings, council hottses, tin village nanuldates and endless white kerb stones had cometo mar rural beauty awl, incidentally, when many hoods were newer than they are now !

” Never mind that 3d. per gallon tax on petrol. Buy a 15-h.p. White Steam Car and use 1811.411in I ‘—advert in a (18)9 issue or II contemporary.

From the Vintage Postbag

Sir,

If, with your usua1 courtesy, you do not feel that my name has appeared too frequently of late in your correspondence columns, I should like to assist Mr. L. I,. Jones–writing in your July issue–in so far as I can. I do so as a part owner of both an “8/18″ Talbot two-seater de lime, and immediately subsequently of a I, 10, two-seater, both bought, direct from the sales staff at Barlby Road in 1925. This may .801111(111 bit odd, but so it was. Answer ? ‘Vorks demonstrators, and both thereby in good fettle. My approximate mileage ill each car was 20,000, with no serious complaints. Previously (probably late 1923) I sometimes used—but did not own—a Humber Eight, and a GWynne Eight (” hip-bath ” variety). Now as to comparison, which should always; in my opinion, be made on a new price basis, observing the fairly sound principle that, fanciful taxation apart, you only get what, you pity for in this imperfect world. Yes I True also of those halcyon early twenties. List prices then : 950 c.c. ‘(55 by 100 nun.) Gwyrtne Eight, £218 Ss. with C.A.V. starter; and, of partieular interest, semielliptics fore and aft. An officially tested 46 m.p.g., and, quite outstandingly. 52.18 m.p.h. over a measured mile, Probably 45 m.p.h. was a good average with anything like it ” 950 those (lays. General set up, quite notieeably spartan. Humber Eight 985 ex. (59 by 100 inm.) Chturany £275. ” Cart springs ” (yes ?). lacking the snap of the Gwynne, but streets ahead in finish and general appointment. indeed in every vi-ay a credit to that famous Old Coventry firm ; 970-c.c. (57 by 95 mm.) Talbot Eight. two/threeseater de luxe, t.:320 (coupe, £39.5 I). Cart springs (certainly I), no differential and, sotnewhat of a small car innovation at that date, ” Remy ” coil ignition. In outstandingly good time. probably close up to the Gwynne’s ” 52 ” but appreciably

below the “45 “‘on petrol. A quality job in most respects ; 1,074-c.e. (60 by 95 mm.) Talbot Ten four-seater, £375, which though exceptionally high, a select and discerning coterie was prepared to pay. Cart springs again, coil ignition, but on this chassis a full differential. Built by a firm of international repute, well appointed, and of sound engineering practice. Probably quite a bit faster than the Gwynne but petrol average approximately 34. I recall also that the price of spares from the old Talbot (‘o. was well nigh prohibitive—a wealthy clientele perhaps ? Well. I here they are, Mr. Joneseach highly respectable ;oat respected in their product ion days, The ” great divide ” is that then a factory was anxious and delighted to accept your order. Toda,y none could care less. ! But let it not be thought for one moment that the public appeal of ally of these four ears was, by any measure, man enough to subdue the whirring of those wheels at Cowley and Longbridge. One plea, may I ? Pray, Gentles all, who may perchance own such cars in this 1951. DON’T mutilate. them beyond recognition, and re-name ” Smith Minor Special.”

Far better that breaker’s yard and thus a potential reinforcement to the’ pool of available spares. I am, Yours, etc.,

Arundel. L. H. MusKETr. Sir,

May I be permitted to add a word in support of the vintage Morris brigade.

My transport is an 11.9-h.p. Cowley tourer, first registered in March, 1929; this year is the finst in its life upon which it has been licensed for the full twelve months.

In full original condition, everything works, including the clock. When taken over, the horn and suction windscreen wiper only worked intermittently, due to old gummy oil, but dismantling and a thorough cleaning soon rectified this.

The proofing of the original hood has disappeared, but a good coating of Wesowax has remedied this. I baYe also had to have three of the sidesereens redone.

I have no idea of the total mileage, but I do know that the engine has had a rebore. Petrol consumption works out at 29 m.p.g. when driven at an average of

30 m.p.h. An interesting point is tlatt find that I rarely need to exceed 35 m.p.h. and never exceed 4(1 m.p.h. in order to Average 30 imp,h. For touring in the vicinity I like to travel at 25-30 m.p.h., but when in a hurry (which is usually on overnight trips on AS and Al ), I find she’ll move on quite rapidly for her age and weight.

On One occasion I crossed Prees Heath late at night behind a large Lagonda; we were bah doing fiftyisb, and although my foot was well down it vas not ” all t he way.” I have grown to like the steering, which I thought at first was heavy, but which is very accurate; combined with the advantage of seeing both sidelights I find that it is a simple matter to negotiate narrow gateways and traffic gaps

which more bulbous-bodied vehicles shy at.

My greatest delight is the lighting system, the side lights throwing sufficient light for unhurried night driving, the headlights transforming night into day. I use jewellers’ rouge and a lightlydamped cloth to clean the reflectors.

The big drawback of the lights is that oncoming drivers viciously flash big searchlights when faced with my sidelights. I refuse to match their ill-manners by treating them to a short course in real road-lighting.

Mechanical troubles whilst in my • possession have been electrical; the high tension leads were perished, that I settled myself; on another occasion the field cores of the dynamotor burnt out, inspection revealed that this was the result of old age of the cores themselves more than anything else and was rectified by one of the local electric service stations.

ant not the only vintage Morris owner in this area; a Cowley saloon of 1930 or 1931 is also in daily use and I have seen an identical car to my own in Preston and a green bull-nosed tourer in Newton-in-Makerfield.

I would be very pleased to hear front local vintage Morris enthusiasts. I am, Yours, etc.,

Chester. NORMAN B. Towl.mt. Sir,

I have been a reader of your excellent periodical for some time, and take a particular delight in Vintage Veerings. I have been hoping to see a reference made in that article to one of the most excellent ears of its day. I refer to the 2-litre Lagonda. •

I am the fortunate owner of one of these tine vehicles and never cease to be delighted by its good qualities. Although its performance figures are not remarkable, it will still put up quite high averages on long runs. In fact it scents Capable of getting from A to B rather quicker than Most Modern cars of comparable capacity. And it does this with an absence of fuss and in a style which make travelling a pleasure. Although it has a larger body than altruist any modern 2-litre sports car (being a 1931 2-litre speed model fitted with one of the old coachbuilt barrel bodies), it is reasonably economical to run, being able to average 24 m.p.g. on long runs and 20 m.p.g. around London.

It still has its original paint, chromium and upholstery and the condition of these always excites favourable comment.

Its roadholding and springing (the latter provided one is doing more than 40 m.p.h.) are excellent.

Add to this one of the most beautifullooking and accessible engines fitted to any car and one has a most. remarkable vehicle.

I hope you can find room to publish Some words of praise of these very fine ears (they have their faults if course, but these are outweighed by their virtues) preferably from is More able pen than mine. I am, Yours, etc., N. F. ARMITAGE, Carshalton Beeches. (Major Ret.) Sir,

I agree with Mr. Arnott that Lagonda 2-litre four-cylinder engines were Lagondamade, and the 4f -litres were Meadows, but I think I am right in stating that the other six-cylinder, namely ” 16/80 ” (65 by 100), 3-litre (75 by 120) and 3i-litre (80 by 120), were all built by Crossley. I am, Yours, etc.,

Heronsgate. H. P. 13owt.ca.