V-E-V Odds & Ends., January 1982

Those who have been following our serialisation of the early motoring adventures of the late Lt.-Comdr, Grahame-White may be interested to know that in more recent times he became a President of the Veteran Car Club and that he drove the Blake brothers’ MCC in the 1935 Brighton Run in which Charles Jarrott was at the wheel of a Panhard and the Harmsworth Mercedes took part. And in conjunction with the article in this issue about the Sixty Mercedes, it may be pertinent to state that a fine photograph of Ronald Barker on Francis Hutton-Stott’s 1899 24 h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler which he drove in the 1957 Brighton Run, standing alongside Chitty-Bang-Bang II, is reproduced in the VCC’s beautiful commemoration book (which we reviewed last month), even if Chitty II is wrongly described having a Maybach engine. The current issue of the RREC Bulletin contains some memory-stretching photographs of unusual Rolls-Royce cars, including one of a modified 1926 Twenty with later drop-head two-seater body and bonnet (DV 6228?) should anyone recall it. There is also much about the Silver Ghost carburetter, including its history, and other articles helpful to those restoring or maintaining the older Rolls-Royce and Derby-built Bentley cars, making it well worth joining for that service alone. The Membership Secretary is to be found at the Club’s Headquarters, The Hunt House, High Street, Paulerspury, Northamptonshire.

The MCC Exeter Trial takes place on January 8th/9th and the big entry list will include a number of pre-war cars, including Tom Threlfall’s Model-A Ford, Terance Barnes ex-TT Singer Six described in MOTOR SPORT last September, and Mr Barnes’ 1925 30/98 Vauxhall which we hope to drive. Drivers of cars 105 and 160 on the 1981 London to Brighton run would appreciate any photograph taken of these cars — letters will be forwarded. — W.B.