V-E-V Odds & Ends., March 1974

Portsmouth City Airport closed at the end of last year. The Portsmouth Evening News published an interesting summary of its stormy history, together with a picture of the opening day air-display in 1932, with crowds round the Westland-Hill Pterodactyl monoplane with “painted face”, from the Cobham Circus, and Rover 16 and flat-nose Morris-Cowley saloons in the foreground—the reader who thoughtfully sent us the newspaper cutting wonders whether the picture was printed the wrong way round, as he says the tool-box is on the o/s running-board on his 1929 Morris-Cowley! Our recent reference to Lancia armoured-cars brings news that there is still a complete and restorable one in Ireland. The Austin Ulster Register has published its first Newsletter and is operating a spares service for these cars, including parts for Cozette superchargers. It lists 25 known complete cars. Details from: D. Howe, 10b Sheen Road, Richmond, Surrey. A sorry-looking 1937 Austin 10/4 was found by a reader in Cornwall at Christmas and driven back to Derby. In fairness to Jackie Stewart, we learnt that he did not accept the offer to drive that bogus veteran car to the Earls Court Show. Someone queries why Mumm, the champagne people, should want to build a replica “Cordon Rouge” Brescia Bugatti when the original car still exists? Peter Dalton, “Roseleigh”, Epping Road, Epping, Essex is anxious to form a post-vintage Humber Club and asks those interested to write to him. We gather that the existing Humber Register, which sagely confines its attentions to pre-1931 Humbers, is not opposed to the idea. We hear that the engine from the late Duke of Sutherland’s 1911 Lancia Delta tourer, which had been used to drive a sawmill, is still in existence and runs well. It is the 4-litre power unit, with the water pump in a front engine bearer.

The ERA Club dinner takes place at the Saddle and Sirloin Grill, EC3, on March 4th, The MGCC is celebrating the 50th anniversary of MG with a series of Golden Jubilee events running from next month until March 1975. The focus of these will he the two-day Silverstone Meeting, on May 25/26th. There have been recent replica activities in connection with such Brooklands cars as Austin 7, AC Anzani, and Wolseley “Moth”, and of the Montlhkry recordbreaking Delage, and now a reader intends to build a copy of the 1926/27 16/50 Brooklands Rover, as he has a number of 14/45 Rover parts. He would appreciate any photographs or any other data about this car. The Daimler/Lanchester OC is shortly to issue its excellent magazine in printed form. Miss Betty Haig has relinquished her long-standing Secretaryship of the Historic Sports Car Club. In future, membership enquiries should be sent to D. G. Boston, 5 Ellis Drive, Leicester Forest East, Leicester, LE5 3LT. Miss Haig has accepted the invitation of the Committee to remain at Registrar for the historic cars, which to this organisation means cars of the period 1940 to 1959.