Club News, May 1985

Several items of interest to Mercedes owners have been received this month. First, the M-B Drivers Club will be holding a Fast Driving Certificate Course at Castle Combe on June 15th, when members will have expert tuition before tackling the circuit. Full details from M-B DC, The Old Mill, Borrow Hall, Dereham, Norfolk. Tel: 0362 4459. The M-B Club of America, in its high quality hi-monthly The Star, discusses the question of just when the first car actually ran. True to the marque, the conclusion is that since the date accepted by the German car industry (1886) can be verified, then that is the safest route to follow. However, spreading the celebrations over three years probably has some advantages in any case. Still in America, the 17th annual convention of 300SL Mercedes is to be held in Dallas, September 27th-29th at the Fairmont Hotel. The organisers point out that Dallas is sunny and hot at that time of the year, which should tempt British owners. The Gull Wing Group International are the people to contact, through Will Samples, 3401 St Johns Drive, Dallas, Texas 75205.

A long way from the fine road cars mentioned above are the fine racing cars of the Brabham stable. Over 600 have been built, and Ted Walker, owner of the ex-Derek Bell BT30 F2 car, aims to document each of them through a Brabham Register, as well as putting owners in touch. His address is The Old Bull, S Woodmancote, Dursley,Glos.

Lotuses of the Mk 6 and 7 variety are welcomed at a Goodwood Test Day (what would we do without Goodwood?) run by the West Sussex Lotus Club on Saturday June 8th. Some 30 cars are expected, but Nick Marchant-Lane will no doubt be delighted if even more owners than that telephone him on Liphook 723990.

Rovers next: the 3 / 3 1/2 Litre Club has a useful little leaflet for prospective members, which lists the wide range of parts that it handles or, indeed, has manufactured. It has even opened a showroom at the Club HQ, something I have not heard of any other club doing so far, and the address is Roseland House, 107 Water Lane, Leeds 11. Coincidentally, Leeds Castle, near Maidstone in Kent, is the venue for the Rover Rally organised jointly by the Rover Sports Register and the P4 Drivers Guild on Sunday June 23rd. The event is open to all types of Rovers, send an SAE to Richard Bryant, 8 Quebec Mansions, 102 Filsham Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex.

Having watched Colborne’s Maserati 6CM do so well at VSCC Silverstone. I see from the Newsletter of the Maserati Club that there will be an all-Maserati race at VSCC Silverstone on July 6th, and that the Autumn meeting will be an International one, based at Arundel, on the South Coast. The dates will be September 19th-22nd, but final information will be available nearer the time from Michael Miles, The Paddock, Old Salisbury Road, Abbotts Ann, Andover, Hampshire. Tel: 0264 710 312.