Vintage postbag, August 1974

Vauxhall Staff Car

Sir,

Your piece in the June issue about the Vauxhall D-type Staff-car was most interesting. Last year, quite by chance, I acquired two old War Department photographs showing a D-type Staff-car bearing the WD serial LC^0721. I recently sent them to Vauxhall Motors Ltd. suggesting that their car, serialized IC^0721, may in fact be the very car pictured, and should therefore read LC^0721.

As your article relates, when Alan Garland restored their vehicle the WD serial was only faintly discernible , and this could account for the initial letter of the serial. I can understand the Imperial War Museum not being able to answer the query regarding the dating of this vehicle, as they do not have the staff available to deal with such detail enquiries.

Personally, I feel that the cars are one and the same, LC^0721, as the chance of two such closely-serialized D-types is perhaps unlikely. What a splendid picture the car makes, with its collection of Staff Officers seemingly observing a flypast of aeroplanes. By the wicker-work and cane chairs, it could have been sited in the Middle East ? Who was that General and his lady ? Who was the A.D.C. ? Who was the Driver-Orderly ? Where and when were the photos taken ? If IC^0721 should be LC^0721 does this assist Dennis Field to date the car more precisely ?

Finally, I am at present doing some research on WWI, WD and RFC vehicle serials, especially the impressment of civilian vehicles into military service, and I would be glad to hear from anyone who has a like interest.

Freeland — PETER WRIGHT

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Thermo-Syphonic Jowetts

Sir

I was interested in the piece about the two 1926 Jowetts being driven across Africa, and particularly the statement that they used only a quart of water between them. Having owned a 1924 Jowett with about 180,000 miles to its credit (bought for fifty bob in 1938), and one of the post-war Bradford vans, I can well believe this; and it proves again, if proof were needed, that properly-designed natural circulation cooling answers perfectly. For the Jowetts, you will recall, do not even have fans – and don’t need them. The radiator on my pre-war Jowett leaked slightly, and I daresay the circulation was not all it should have been because of the mustard, Hudson’s soap and what have you, used over the years to stop it weeping, but it only reached boiling point after a really long stint of ticking over in traffic. I was held up for nearly fifteen minutes once and it just began to steam, but went off the boil again in a very few yards after moving off again.

How ludicrous is Hendry’s attack on Rolls-Royce ! By all means criticise, and strongly, but for goodness sake intelligently. I suspect Hendry does not know what a sarcophagus looks like and he obviously does not know that the R-R radiator shells are not chromium-plated.

Potbridge — A. BIRD

[ The 12/50 Alvis was another engine that did very nicely thank you without the complication of water-pump or fan — ED]

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Memories

Sir,

I was most interested in Anthony Blight’s letter as I, too, was at the 1948 Grand Prix Du Salon on Oct. 9th of that year, together with Rhona, my wife, and the well-known Bugatti driver R. M. (“Blom”) Blomfield.

I met Pat Garland previously at the Grand Prix des Nations in Geneva, together with the Delage and travelling bag and in addition at least five spare tyres lashed like a huge tower on the rear “deck” of the Delage. I enclose a picture I took of Pat with Rhona and “Blom” at Montlhery on the previous practice day. I also enclose negatives of other cars and people on the same day, and you will see that one shows Georges Grignard (who also drove later at Prescott in T.A.S.O. Mathiesen’s Maserati) climbing into his Talbot. “Blom” and I had in fact gone to the Salon in the endeavour to buy a Talbot for our friend John James, but we were received in almost disinterested manner, and after some months were quoted a price of £5000 delivered to Calais Docks without tyres ! I think by that time John James had lost interest and was involved with the big Sunbeam Tiger. I also enclose a post card of an early car, apparently made in Salford in 1907. I wonder if anyone can identify it. I can find no reference to a “Filde” car in Georgano.

Market Drayton– L. ROY TAYLOR

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More Memories

Sir,

Mr. Robbin’s letter about the Leyland 8 in Wolseley’s Petty France Garage made me sit up, for I too, remember it well. I was then in the employ of Lord Donegall whose cars were also kept there. I was on talking terms with the Hon. David Tennant’s driver and used to hang about this wonderful vehicle when he was ministering to it. The tappet adjustment was an unusual arrangement with an internal screw inside the thick valve stem, with the leaf springs which were employed to close them. I remember that he also had at this time a beautiful Isotta-Fraschini with a 2-seater body and streamlined wings. The process of matching the two carburetters on this car consisted of opening the compression taps one at a time and comparing the flames that spat out at each firing stroke, a fascinating procedure.

There were other interesting cars in this garage. H.O.D. Segrave kept his monster 45 Renault and an Hispano-Suiza there. These were usually placed in a strategic position near the entrance, as he always seemed to be in a tearing hurry. I recall one dramatic moment when he rushed in, leapt into the Renault, and roared out of the “in” side of the entrance at the same instant that an Austin 7 turned in. Fortunately for the Austin owner, the Renault had a conductor of instantaneous reactions, for it practically stood on its nose and no damage was done.

I was taken for a ride in the Hispano one day — it had a Weymann 2-seater body covered with black patent leather — and was most impressed with its acceleration. Other exotic machinery I remember was a 16-cylinder Cadillac and an Excelsior belonging (I think) to the King of Egypt. It resembled a blown-up Invicta — polished aluminium bonnet and a huge searchlight on the running board. Another visitor was the Cummins diesel-engine racing car from America. The Bugattis rested here when the shows were on, complete with a team of mechanics who carefully warmed them up every morning, feeling various parts of the engine with the backs of their hands until the required warmth was achieved — then switching off and letting them get stone cold again. Jack Dunfee had his Talbot there, which was plug-troublesome and the exhaust pipes had to be spat on to find out which one was missing.

I could go on about this garage — known as the Westminster Garage when it was declared unsafe and unfortunately closed — for hours, but I had better stop.

Ryde, IoWE — T.P. CHIVERTON

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Alfa Romeo Tipo 33

Sir,

While agreeing with Mr. Clark’s comments about the use of transporters to get so-called “road cars” to competitions, surely no harm is done unless an unfair advantage is gained in order to win. If, however, someone wishes to enter an entirely unsuitable sports/racing car in an event consisting in the main of driving tests, I can only wonder where Mr. Clark’s sense of humour is if he finds this objectionable. I was assured by most people concerned that the entry of my Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 in the Pomeroy Trophy was accepted in the spirit intended, and, of course, it in no way prevented pre-war cars quite deservedly winning the major awards. (Incidentally, I do drive it occasionally on the Devon roads and lanes but have never had any “slicks” as Mr. Clark seems to think; surely these would be illegal for road use? !) [He mulls your very wide back tyres, sir!— ED.] I feel that the correspondence columns of a National motoring magazine, however excellent, is not the correct place to suggest to the Vintage Sports Car Club what their policy should be, and there are surely channels within Clubs for protests to be made. [The freedom of the Press, sir!—ED.]

It was interesting to be criticised for my entry by the entrant of a Lola T70 which did not even turn up.

Totnes — RICHARD PILKINGTON (Totnes Motor Museum)

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A Mysterious Alfa Romeo

Sir,