Club News, August 1952

We Hear

An 11.1-h.p. Lagonda of about 1914 vintage has been found at a Welsh farm by B. Randell and duly saved; Randell owns the 1919 Sunbeam Sixteen tourer at present in the Science Museum. According to East African Speedway and Motor Sports Special five 1,750-c.c. Alfa-Romeos are being prepared in Nairobi for the next Langa-Langa meeting.

We know of a 1921 E-type 30/98 Vauxhall chassis (touring body available) which has been largely restored to a very high standard and for which all the unfinished parts are available. The owner is going abroad and is contemplating disposing of the car for about £100, but applicants would have to prove themselves genuine enthusiasts, able to complete the good work, and with no trade associations. Letters can be forwarded. A 1920 flat-twin Rover has come to light in Caernarvonshire. The Pye PTC 113 radio installation used successfully in his DB2 Aston-Martin by Peter Clark during the Le Mans race was carried out by Imhof’s, 112/116, New Oxford Street, W.1. who can assist in equipping other cars in this manner.

Shell have produced a well-illustrated booklet of their 1951 racing successes, obtainable free of charge from Shell main depots, or direct from Shell-Mex House, London, W.C.2, on mentioning Motor Sport. Another link has been severed with the good old days of Brooklands by the death, at the age of 64, of Percy Bradley, who was Clerk of the Course at Weybridge from 1929 to 1939. Another Brooklands personality who passed away recently was W. C. Deveraux of High Duty Alloys Ltd., who used to enter the Multi-Union, a car which so nearly broke the lap-record in the hands of the late Chris Staniland.

The ex-Geoffrey Frank 1903 six-cylinder Panhard has reached a London vendor’s. A Ford utility at a Hampshire garage has the original strip-metal ignition contacts which were a feature of the Model-A. We wonder on how many of these cars these remain unreplaced by h.t. wires?

Amendment to Competition Rules

At a Competitions Committee meeting of the Royal Automobile Club held on June 11th it was decided that the following wording be deleted from Rule 24 of the General Competition Rules: “Members who have during the current or previous year finished in one of the first five places in any international race are not eligible to take part in any race run as a closed competition.” By this amendment Rule 24 of the General Competition Rules is brought into line with the International Sporting Code.

Club Affairs

A meeting of the Northern Centre of the Allard Owners Club was held at the Parkway Hotel, Bramhope, near Leeds on Wednesday, July 2nd. The Chairman Jack Reiss who has recently returned from the Annecy Trial in France gave a report on the event. It was decided to hold a dinner at Ilkley on September 17th for members and friends. 

Following last year’s success the M.G. C.C.’s (Midland Centre) Weston Rally will be run this year as a whole-club event, on October 10-11th, with two starting points, Stratford-on-Avon and Manchester. The route of 450 miles approx., will include a tight night section in Wales, breakfast in the South Midlands, a timed-climb of Prescott, observed navigation sections on Cotswold by-roads and a final invasion of Weston-super-Mare for sea front eliminating tests. A supper dance will round off proceedings at a closed-to-competitors restaurant. Regulations and list of invited clubs at a later date.

The Gymkhana held on the 30th June at Rhoose Head, Baddy, was rather poorly supported but we were pleased to receive members of the Baddy Car Club as guests.

Six tests were arranged, varying from dropping very bouncy rubber balls into buckets to bursting balloons with the near-side front wheel of the car.

There were some very fine performances made, the best of which was by Doug Lane in his Riley, who only lost 16 marks, he was followed home by C. F. Paul in a Triumph Roadster and Mr. Holmes in an Austin Seven who tied for second place, fourth was David Boshier-Jones in an Austin A 40 Somerset.

The Alvis Owner Club (Midland Section) is holding what it is hoped will be a National Rally at Hawkstone Park Hotel on August 24th. Members from all sections are invited to attend, and all particulars may be obtained from: The Hon. Secretary, 98, Glyn Farm Road, Quinton, Birmingham 32.

Major H. J. Nicholls and a friend are anxious to form an M.G. Magnette Register and would welcome details and photographs of such cars. Address: 5, Ludlow Way, Hampstead Garden Suburb, N.2. 

The Northern Centre of the Allard Owners’ Club is holding a dinner at Ilkley on September 17th. 

The Nottingham S.C.C. reports increased membership and hopes soon to organise racing events at a suitable airfield. Three cornmittees look after racing, trials and speed events and Mike Andrew, whose address is c/o Leen Valley Dye Works, Bulwell, Notts., has taken over the Secretaryship. Jeff. Holt, the late Secretary, will act in an advisory capacity in connection with racing and speed events.

E. A. Ferguson would like to form a club to preserve “bull-nose” Morris cars and to organise reliability trials and rallies. Will any owners of “bull-nose” Oxfords and Cowleys please communicate with him at 14/15, Magdalen Street, Oxford.

The Veteran C.C. has two events scheduled for August. The first is the Holiday Rally to Plymouth, cars being required to arrive at Plymouth (Guildhall Square) not later than 11 a.m. on August 2nd. At 1.30 p.m. the Mayor will start the veterans and Edwardians on a Safety-Drive through Plymouth and driving tests will follow on the Hoe, commencing at 5 p.m. Late team entries can be accepted up to noon on August 2nd, but the entry list has closed. On August 9th there will be a rally to Yeovil, cars due at the Paddock behind Hendford Manor by noon, followed by a timed trial from Yeovil to Montacute House. Entries have closed. 

It is proposed that a British Salmson Owners Club be formed with a primary function of recording all British Salmson cars still on the road, and of locating as many new and second-hand spares as possible. A club badge, and club meetings may be arranged later if demand is found to exist. Details from: Mr. J. L. Cope, 62, Westover Road, London, S.W.18. 

For several years, now, the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club (organisers of the Pioneer Run from Epsom to Brighton) have held a Pioneer Rally in the Guildford area. In the past, the event has been restricted to motorcycles, but for this year’s rally a veteran car class is being introduced—open to any vehicle manufactured before 1915.

Briefly, the rally will involve motoring to Newlands Corner during the morning of September 7th, points being awarded on a basis of 1 per mile, plus 1 per two years of vehicle’s age, plus 1 per four years of driver’s age. A 20-mile run which will occur during the afternoon. In this, 1914 vehicles will be penalised 1 mark per minute if they take more than an hour, 1913 vehicles will be allowed to take 61 minutes, 1912 can take 62 minutes, and so on.

Regulations are now available from R. A. Little, “Les Cotils,” Holdfast Lane, Haslemere, Surrey. Entry fee is 7s. 6d., and a further 7s. 6d. will bring competitors a fortnight’s Third Party Insurance Cover for their veteran vehicles.