Vintage Postbag - Historic Car Racing, March 1964

Sir,

Your caption “Curious what the V. S.C.C. accepts as Historic Racing Cars” is most apt in this case. I purchased this Salmson from a dealer in London as a result of an advert, of his which read “Historic Salmson single-seater.” He assured me that the car was eligible for Historic Racing Car events and I bought the car for £190. Shortly after buying the car, late 1962, I joined the Salmson Register, whose Secretary expressed some doubt as to the eligibility of the car as Historic. In view of this I wrote to Tim Carson of the V.S.C.C. enclosing photos. He replied to the effect that the car did not qualify as an Historic Racing Car and would only be eligible for P.V.T. events. The dealer refused to take the car back and return my money, so legal action was taken. This was eventually settled out of court but I lost £100, including legal costs.

I was therefore greatly surprised to see the car competing as an Historic Racing Car. I never did locate any previous owners of this car. Can any readers help ?

This experience has put me against vintage racing and last season’s Lotus XI has been replaced by a Cooper single-seater. I am sure that many readers besides myself would appreciate you publishing a list of requirements for :

(1). An Historic Racing Car.

(2) Vintage Sports Car.

(3) Post-Vintage Thoroughbred.

It would appear, from what one sees of some of the cars competing under categories 2 and 3,. that as long as some small part of the car is original, then what makes up the rest of the car and its appearance are unimportant.

C. D. WATTS.

Burnham-on-Sea.