Silverstone Shorts

Apart from the opening fly-past by the Griffon-engined Spitfire, there was anotner tribute to Pat Lindsay: his own Spitfire was parked at the end of the Paddock, flanked by his Rolls-Royce tourer and Monza Alfa Romeo and at the end of the Meeting Tony Bianchi did some more low-level fly-pasts with it. It was very much a Maserati day, and D.S.J is dealing with these cars, but it can be said that Dron drove the ox Howe 8CM, Grist the ex-Tongue 4CL resurrected some years ago by Rodney Felton, and Dan Margulies, who has raced Masers for 25 years, was using his 4CL with a later 4CLT engine. Very genuine cars included Chris Mann’s ex-Salvadori 250F, Elmgren’s 6CM, which non started due to fuel-feed problems, and Mayman’s no Millar 250F for Willie Green, which also non started Colborne ‘s 6CM with 4C engine was smoking badly and Danahar had yet to get his 1,100 cc 4CM (reconstructed from the remains of an original car and thought to be exRevere, as indicated by the flashing on the radiator cowl that I remember from pre-war days) sorted out on its first re-appearance. Drake’s 8C sports Maserati broke a front spring on the Friday.

Congratulations to Bob Roberts on a fine win with Midland Motor Museum’s Sunbeam “Tiger”, not an easy car to handle particularly as he was experiencing brake judder — but it has been said that these, and thick-lensed glasses probably help a driver to go fast… Bob’s drive was a model of how to do it. Everyone seemed to be trying especially hard in the Lindsay Historic Race… !

Felton ‘s beautiful copy of a Tipo-B Alfa Romeo obviously was not quite a match for Black’s highly-developed ex-Martin Tipo-B with a virtually brand-new 3.2 engine, low-ratio axle with Hewland limited slip cliff, and small tyres on wide rims etc, but it was a great race. Another impeccable copy was Merrick’s B-type ERA. defined as AJM1, his initials, to show it is not an original car: but so long as the VSCC is satisfied… ! Similarly, Knight has recreated the ERA-Riley, with Richardson ‘s help; the original car was broken up. The twin cam head on Sweet’s MG was made by R-R, before the war. Nice to see Corner going so well in the ERA-Delage, and Andrew Smith driving his late father’s MG.

The mild shunt in race six was caused by two cars spinning at Wood cote and Thurgood in Ross Alvis Speed 20-powered Frazer Nash. bought at last year’s Motor Fair auction hitting one of them and snapping off the ois of its front axle. There was a brand new Barry Peerless Frazer Nash Special with s’c Meadows engine and a singleseater with a big pushrod one-twin engine in the Paddock (which reminds us that the three ex-Miss Wilby •Nashes, in rusty and decayed condition, went at auction recently for £74,0001. It will all happen again at Silverstone on June 28th. when there will be a special Bugatti race.— W.B.