Nice to see

Sir,

I believe you may be interested in my Lea-Francis.

Purchased some three months ago, she has now covered over 3,000 miles in my hands and has done all that has been asked of her.

This car was originally registered in 1928 and was built as a supercharged model rated at 12/70 h.p.

If any of your readers have any details or a handbook on this type I should be very happy to make connection.

                                                                             I am, Yours, etc.,

Orpington.                                                                                 R. H. GRIEVE.

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PIONEERS —From a recent Press release by Aston-Martin, Ltd. : ” Originally designed by the eminent sporting motorist, Lionel Martin, in 1918, the fast Martin cars were hot-rods . . . “

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A very interesting car has been acquired by John Walker, in the form of the single o.h.c., straight-eight, open Stutz “Black Hawk” with clutch-controlled supercharger which was driven at Le Mans in 1929 by Gordon Watney. MOTOR SPORT published a road test of this intriguing vintage American sports car in January, 1930. Walker acquired it from Arthur Wellesley who shared a four-wheel-drive Shelsley Special composed largely of two front-drive B.S.A.s. Our road test spoke of about 70 in 3rd and a timed 1/4 mile at 98 m.p.h.

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The Daily Telegraph of June 5th, commenting on the crowded roads, stated : “The A.A. reported numerous cases of trouble with vintage cars.” No doubt these so-called vintage cars were worn out little vehicles of the very period when car design deteriorated so seriously as to force the fastidious develop the vintage cult!

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From a recent advertisement: “The new 1950 medal-winning Renault pictured alongside its 1914 ancestor—and still going strong.” Of course we know what they mean, or, as staunch vintage enthusiasts, do we?

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And we will conclude this month with this extract front a concessionaires catalogue for a modern Italian car S: “An interesting and quite new feature is the big opening placed in the rear of the car for the engine outlet and for several draughts coming in from the front. In this manner are avoided, in the rear of the car, dangerous passive pressures and numerous whirlwinds, to the advantages of good penetration.”