Those tax concessions

Sir,

Being born just after the event, I was totally ignorant of the matters referred to in the article headed “Those Tax Concessions” in your October 1977 issue. However, I read it and found it of interest, as I do most of the articles in the wide spectrum of motoring matters you cover.

Accordingly, when I was later shown a part of the Grimsby Evening Telegraph for June 18th 1947 on a totally unrelated topic, a story about the Grimsby firm of Lloyd Cars Ltd. and the effect of the Tax changes was doubly interesting as I knew the background to the story.

The firm of I.loyd Cars Ltd. is still in existence in the same premises but is now concerned with engineering and plating rather than the construction of cars, although I believe it was involved with some Formula One work some years ago. The firm is now run by Michael Dolly, who is, I believe, the nephew of Roland Lloyd, this gentleman used to be involved in 750 MC racing and in 1972 was driving a Rover 14. At that time he was also interested in Fairground Organs, though I have not spoken to him since.

There was still a Lloyd van in this area in regular use until about ten years ago and there are one or two examples of the cars but they are not often seen. I understand the firm is very helpful to current Lloyd car owners.

As owner of a 1937 Austin Seven Opel and a Mk.I1 Ford Cortina-Lotus I enjoy your Magazine for the diversity of matters it covers (reading also Motoring News for its coverage of Rallies and Autotests). However I was disappointed to see no mention of the fabulous Austin Seven Club’s Association Jubilee Rally to the Isle of Man this summer. I realize Sevens are not Rolls-Royces but this was a truly sporting event, encompassing as it did a reliability run (around the TT course), a hillclimb (Tholt-y-Will) a cross-country run, a driving test and a Concours D’Elegance, with some 100 Austins taking part. It even had sponsorship, (fortunately low-key) by “7 up”! Perhaps you could mention it, if only to thank the organisers for an excellent do.

New Waltham NORMAN GREEN

(The then Chancellor of Exchequer, Mr. Dalton, had just introduced the £10 flat-rate tax in 1947, when Roland Lloyd was announcing his 650 c.c. two-stroke car. “What difference is an additional spread over 12 months, going to make to the cost of running a car that will do 50 to 60 m.p.g.?” he asked. In fact, his new model qualified for the 25/. concession, making the tax on it £8.151-, had he realised it! See page 1236 of MOTOR SPORT for November 1977 -concessions still in force. -Ed.)