FINGLE MAKES ITS "MARQUE"

FINGLE MAKES ITS ” MARQUE “

ALTHOUGH the M.C.C. Exeter Trial is now past history, the following observations of a MOTOR SPORT tepresentative are of interest, as a complete record of what happened on Fingle Bridge, the compilation of which involved an all night drive of 200 miles and nine and a half hours at the hill-side. These notes refer to the upper bends of the second observed section !— M.G. A. 14. Baker’s Magnette was very rapid, with fierce spin, Biddle’s F-type was excellent, likewise. Hartnett’s, with more spin, while Milnes’s N-type was very good. R. D. Harris’s T-type had no difficulty, Cornish’s T-type made a fine showing, but Scobey’s ‘F-type failed high up after a good effort. Weight’s ‘F-type had rear-axle judder and failed at the last bend. Sharp’s P13: with ” comps ” on the front wheels, was slow, failing before the middle bend, and Smithies’s blown PB stopped by the last bend. Walters’s T-type with oversize rear covers was very good. C. A. N. May was excellent, likewise F. ‘H. Goodenough. C. H. Richardson was too slow to succeed, but Delingpole’s blown 13-13 with cut-away wings got up. Bayles, Fielding and R. A. Macdermid were very good, but Ainley failed. A. B. Langley made a very quick ascent and Toulmin, Crawford, and Jones were outstanding. Escyn-Jones was .good, the crew in awful hats, and Weatherhead very good, and Wilkes had no bother, while Kendrick’s ‘F-type made a wonderful recovery. Grove’s successful T-type appeared to have a short-silencerless external exhaust system. A. R. Kendrick blipped up well and Hall, whose Magnette had metallic external exhaust, was good. E. J. Haesendonck’s blown PB was misfiring but made a truly fine climb. Cook’s J2 lost revs, and failed, and Payne did likewise in spite of bouncing on his seat. Bennett’s ‘F-type was unworried, lady passenger calmly smoking a cigarette. Moss (blown Magnette) blipped up nicely, by Varley failed. Frey, another who favoured flexible exhaust, could not make It, but Wvidart’s s/c P Midget, also with exposed gas-pipes, did a splendid ascent, stones flung away behind. Potter’s blown P13 was extremely fast but a cracked sump gave rise to bearing fail

ure before the summit. Richardson’s ‘F-type just got up, F. N. Crane’s passenger bounced vigorously, but in spite of light wings and ” comps” on the front wheels, a failure was recorded.. Shattock’s ancient 14/44), with fair passenger isolated in a single-seater dickey, stopped at the middle bend, but C. M. Davis was excellent in a ‘F-type, in spite of axle judder. Clare’s P.A. stopped, but D. E. Harris’s T-type, with oversize rear covers, was praiseworthy, whereas Kirkman’s ‘F-type failed early. P,ushbrook was clapped for an excellent climb, his T-type using oversize rear tyres, and W. J. Lanes (blown T) put up a simply terrific fight, making best use of throttle and clutch, a splendid show. In contrast, Paul’s ‘F-type failed, also Turnill’s ‘F-type, and Mobbs’s sister

car. Montgomery’s ‘F-type was vely rapid, but both Cruudwell and Goodwin stopped low down. Morgan 4/4. Huxhain make a wonderful recovery at the last bend and got slowly up. Coney was successful, but

Lilley stopped on the middle bend with spin. W. A. Goodall made a very nice ascent, likewise G. H. Goodall, but Tomkinson failed. Thomas stopped low down, amid oil-smoke, and Bindle d.d not reach the upper bends unaided.

Aston-Martin. Hitchens broke his rear axle in restarting between sections. Anthony’s 2-litre sent back a barrage of boulders and did a typical climb, almost stopping and then pulling away. Stapleton’s T.T. job failed by the first bend of the ” S.” H.R.G. J. E. West blipped up, and spin slowed Uglo-w, but did not stop him. Perkins was O.K., and Curtis fought the whole way up in a very fine ascent. Peter Clark used revs, in plenty, getting immense spin, and Und.ery was just as sure,

but slower. Hadley stopped between corners, but Panting got up, rather slowly, steam showing at the radiator and Miss Redfern bouncing and smiling as passenger in her own car. Singer. Slade was extremely polished, but Sturgess failed, and then Whitting dale showed us how. N. Miller failed at the last bend of the “S.” F. S. Barnes took his 11-litre up nicely, throwing back stones, with plenty of power in spite of

a tendency to mis-fire. J. D. Barnes tried hard, but stopped, but Booth managed it, although slowed by. the ” S.” Bunn made a well judged, slowish climb and Hawkes failed. W. A. V. Davis picked a rapid course, instructed by his passenger, but Walker, fair passenger in the tonneau, stopped. Bacon revved strongly but eased up to fail on the last bend, with spin. Hall f ailed in spite of bouncing. Christmas made an excellent climb right at the end, but Goodman stopped. Riley. Roe failed, but Hague gave a fine display of driving skill in his Sprite. Clough was excellent and a stone thrower. Frazer stopped with spin, but although Beetson lost revs, through the ” S” he just got up. Fishleigh, with an old Nine saloon, almost failed but pulled away, deservedly clapped for a fine effort,

in which his passengers shared. Both Clare and Acres stopped before the “S.” Hill on a Nine got up fast with no pother at all. Frazer-Nash-B.M. W. King had rearaxle judder and was slowish, but Mills’s climb was a good effort, while Frost’s 1 flitre made a great ascent. Dargue, attired, with his passenger, in a bowler hat, was extremely good with a Type 55, and Hunter and navigator, in fur headpieces, gave a demonstration of a Type 328’s b.h.p. Johnson’s Type 55 made a very rapid spirited climb, well clapped, and Biggs three-up in a 2-litre,

made a beautifully steady climb. Fitt had plenty of horses and made excellent showing in his Type 55, the brake light shining the while to the amusement of the towing-gang, who appreciated this added compliment to the ability of the famous marq ue.

Wo/se/ey. Mason was good, but Collier slid sideways in the ruts and stopped and Hall failed low down.

Frazer-Nash. Mortyn, his right arm protected by a big metal shield, failed before the ” S,” likewise Ackery, who favoured a visor.

Bentley. Elgood got up by sheer healthy horses, and Walker, with twin rear wheels, fought his 44-litre manfully to the top. Austin. Scriven blipped up, Langley slowed but recovered, and Buckley changed to bottom momentarily, beyond the ” S.” Cole’s blown Seven had ample power in spite of an occasional miss. Goodacre also used his gearbox, and climbed really well, and Hadley seemed to oil a plug but climbed quite undis turbed. Holdsworth lost revs, and tailed, but Smith, a bunch of turnips in his Chummy’s radiator, was remark

ably good. Highland’s Chummy got as far as the last corner of the “S.”

A.C. Day, looking very stern, just failed beyond the bends, rocking to a standstill.

Triumph. Ferguson climbed slowly and Mills made a steady, altogether excellent ascent.

Ford. Soames was notably clean, but Dryden touched the bank at the top bend of the ” S,” failing with severe spin. Burton stopped at the first bend, brother Burton smilingly vacating the dickey at the request of the towing gang. Crutch was excellent and Scroggs’s Ten just did it. Denton was another “just,” and Cleland was good. McEvoy and Whalley failed on the middle bend, likewise Koppenhagen, after sliding broadside. Norton almost slid into the bank on his successful climb and Loader’s ” Jabberwock ” coupe was spirited. Blaw was clapped tor a model ascent. Abecassis failed, Tapley’s Ten stopped low down and Wisdom got almost round the ” S.” MeGillivray’s Eight failed and Laing went in for bank hitting, failing above the “S.’ Standard. Rhodes failed with spin. Morris. Mantle failed very early. Fiat. Stothert did very nicely after

initial spin.

Lammas. Poore was outstanding, slinging boulders in a very fast climb.

Talbot. Birritt’s saloon stopped between bends but restarted, only to fail again. Wooding had power in hand and roared up.

Symmons wuffied up quite effortlessly and slowly. L. M. Ballatny’s Nine stopped before the ” S ” and failed to restart in spite of immense spin. Scutts in a V8 taxi stopped before the ” S ” after a slow run.

Lea-Francis. Burman’s 1927 1:Ourer failed between bends. Denyer made a wild very rapid ascent, beautiful to behold.

R.W.J. Special. Jaggard made a steady, excellent climb at low revs., after nearly hitting the bank.

Jensen. Whiddington, wheels spinning furiously, just did it.

Batten. Inclerwick failed low down. The bearded Murray-West’s coupe was excellent, but Batten slid broadside and failed.

Bayliss-Thomas. Haward’s neat veteran stopped at the middle of the “S.”

Rapier. Zwick stopped before the ” S ” and had trouble higher up.

Rover. Twigg’s old 2-litre was good as far AS the ” S ” but needed two extra horses thereafter.

S.S. 100. Such failed low down, but Truett nearly reached the middle of the” S.”