CLUB NEWS, September 1944

WE HEAR

Py h us, we hear, runs a 3-litre Bentley, has a McEvoy Hornet in store, and also possesses a Frazer-Nash with the chains replaced by a high-ratio Ford V8 crown and pinion on the solid axle, and a closeratio M.G. Magna gearbox, the engine being a blown M.G. Magnette unit. Cars continue to change hands and well-known drivers to acquire new mounts. noddy has sold his Frazer-Nash to a Farnborough enthusiast, who also owns a s.v. AstonMartin Anzani, and Biggs is replacing his Fiat “500 ” with a late-model Austin Seven saloon. Then Fisher was seeking a Fiat ” 500 ” to replace his faithful Raleigh 3-wheeler, while Robson has taken unto himself a curious ” 12/50 ” Alvis 4-seater believed to have been a ” 12/40″ originally, and now possessed of a T.G. “12/50 engine converted to coil ignition. He wishes to dispose of his overhauled 8th Series Lancia Lambda,” the coupe body of which needs replacing ere it flies away. Peter Monkhouse has sold his 3i-litre S.S. Jaguar saloon and bought two ” 38/250 ” Mercedes-Benz cars—the open 2-seater owned by Rothchild and a fabric coupe. Macdermid has disposed of his rear-engined “Aprilia” “Special “to Joe Fry (who intends to put a bigger engine into it), and his Lancia “Aprilia” to Jennings—the Centric blower and carburetter from the former are available if anyone needs them.

Williams has been juggling with Austins, buying the Jarvis car back from Ken Gilling and putting a “works ” s.v. engine into it, the blown ” Ulster ” engine from this car going into a single-seater which Willis bought from Derrington. Down at Godstone the Le Mans Austin Seven once owned by Mrs.. Petre, and now the property of Clarkson, and the supercharged ” Grasshopper ” Austin Seven owned by Gibson, are undergoing overhaul at the hands of Leslie Ballamy’s brother.

James Woolley seeks an interesting vintage car and has for possible disposal a Type 40 Bugatti with rather cut-about body, and an overhauled 13.9 Lancia “Lambda ” engine which just about goes into it—an interesting combination. Inman-Hunter is busy reconditioning a 1930 ” International ‘ Aston-Martin which, by a coincidence, left the works on the very day he started his apprenticeship there. He also hopes to complete a book on ” The History and Development of the Aston-Martin Car,” not necessarily for publication. The veteran Panhard at Whitstable has been rescued by A. W. F. Smith, of Orpington, a member of the Veteran Car Club. The FrazerNash fanatics who, as announced last month, are compiling a register of these cars and spares, are very anxious to know what has become of the supercharged Blackburn-engined Frazer-Nash, last heard of in the hands of Stear, who was then a sergeant in the R.A.F. Wads

worth, of Isleworth, has for sale the Full Brescia Bugatti described last month by Sqdn.-Ldr. Boothby in his ” Cars ” article. An airgraph from G. Sandford-Morgan, of Australia, tells us that his “life was saved” by the receipt of some recent copies of MOTOR SPORT; he has a much modified “14/40″ Vauxhall and a ” 14/40 ” Delage. The Vauxhall has a lowered chassis and a light 2-seater body, being a converted model LM, while the Delage appears to be mostly DIS, the engine number being 1554, in case anyone can definitely identify it. Then J. Macy Willets, Junr., of New York, has acquired a 3-litre straight-eight Alfa-Romeo and a V8 Maserati, the former apparently the car built for Raymond Sommer, which was driven by Chet Miller at Indianapolis in 1940, and the Maserati the car brought to America and driven by Wilbur Shaw at Roosevelt speedway. VVillets hopes to run both cars at future Indianapolis ” 500s ” and would like to hear from anyone who knows the cars or has spares for them. A young enthusiast has acquired what appears to be a Vernon Derby with Ruby engine, and altogether interesting cars seem to be happening on

all fronts. Flt.-Lt. Cowell, R.A.F., intends to supercharge an S.S. ” 100 ” after the war, probably using a BugattiRoots blower, of which he claims to be collecting numbers in France. Farnborough, in Hampshire, is a good place to be in ; not only have several

motor-cycle trials and scrambles happened near there of late, but the local motorcycle boys hold regular meetings in one of the local pubs., and another bicycle trial was staged by them last month. The 1924 Swift Ten recently advertised in the weekly Press is just the sort of car

the Editor had in mind when he put in a word recently for early small cars, and he hopes it went to a good home. Boddy was married in London on July 31st by special licence, just before he left for the north. Joe Lowrey, now a qualified civilian test pilot, spent his holiday in the West Country and climbed

Porlock, Lynton and Countisbury on his bog-wheel—Porlock, he says, took 45 mins. to climb, and the descent completely wore out the brakes. Denys Axel-Berg has purchased a Full Brescia Bugatti engine and a long-chassis 2-seater in pieces, and hopes to get it

rebuilt quite soon, although a large frostaperture in the block is not going to help. This is the car which Bill Shortt had for a time. Axel-Berg hopes to dispose of his partially rebuilt and well-shod 1925 “Red Label” Van den Plas Bentley and ” 14/40 ” Delage, and an ” Ulster ” Austin Seven is reported near Southampton. On his exile journey north in the Alvis the Editor encountered a fine 2-litre open Lagonda, a straight-eight Delage saloon having its slipping fan adjusted at

a garage, and a 2-litre Alta travelling south in a hurry. The Scuderia Chemvamo still issues an interesting news-letter at intervals.

DIFFICULT SITUATION

Just as the Editor of MOTOR SPORT thought he was about to acquire a wellarranged office in which to work (after years of scrabbling at the. job under war conditions in limited spare time) he has been posted north. Consequently, he apologises for any errors of omission and commission which may occur, and assures his readers that he will do his very best under the prevailing circumstances. Any deficiencies in this number should be excused on the grounds thatait was hurriedly prepared before leaving. Letters from readers on all topics of motoring interest will be as welcome as ever, and he hopes opportunities will be granted him to visit northern enthusiasts’ Stables and sciiderias. The Library Of Instruction Books will have to be discontinued, and certainly reference books will not be readily available, as they have been put in safe storage. Will readers therefore only submit essential queries and generally endeavour to assist by keeping editorial correspondence _to a minimum ? After the war you can let him have it, but until then . . Voluntary contributions, especially experiences of individual makes, and competition reminiscences will be very welcome. These, and letters of editorial moment, can be addressed to W. Boddy, 123i Bilton Lane,. Harrogate, Yorks. All other correspondence to 15-17, City Road, E.C.1, please. New instruction books for Library use after the war are tillwelcome.

TRUST THEM!

One of the evening papers gave quite prominent mention of Le Mans motorracing associations on August 9th, when the good news of our penetration into the city came through. But, while congratulating them on this timely publicity we must chide them for calling Le Mans the “French Brooklands “—clearly they confused the place with Montlhery.

M.M.E.C.

The next meeting will be held at the “Crown,” Corporation St., Birmingham, on Wednesday, 6th September, at 7.30 p.m. The August meeting was a quiet affair due to holidays and lack of ale.

REMBRANDT

See you at the ” Rembrandt ” on September 17th?