Vauxhall 30/98

Rather pompously, in its issue of July 1st, Motor stated that it was “privileged to become the only people outside Vauxhall to drive this particular car” , referring to the 1926 OE 30/98 owned and restored by Vauxhall Motors, Luton, registration number NT 7797, a car which Motor called “one of their historic gems”. Not so! W.B. drove this car 13 years ago ( In Motor Sport, August, 1965) and other motoring writers, including John Taylor, have also done so. Dog, they say, shouldn’t eat dog, but as we were involved it seems permissible to bring Motor’s Peter Dron to heel.

Vauxhall Motors are proud of this particular 30/98 Velox fast tourer as it is to original specification. How unfortunate, therefore, that Motor says it has a cast aluminium cylinder block which 30/98S never had. They also seem uncertain of the car’s engine capacity, quoting it as both 4,526 c.c. and 4,224 c.c. Dron admits that when his grandfather drove a 30/98, that gentleman took a special course to learn how to change gear properly and then wrecked the gearbox, so the casualness towards the 30/98 is perhaps hereditary?