Veteran-Edwardian-vintage, April 1971

A Section Devoted to Old-Car Matters

VSCC Pomeroy Trophy Contest (March 13th)
Devised by the late Laurence Pomeroy, this event comprises a series of tests at Silverstone to determine the best all-round over-2-litre touring car among the entrants. It is the only VSCC event in which the pre-1940 cars pit their attributes against the moderns and although simplified in recent times it is still an instructive happening. Moreover, VSCC members own some very covetable modern cars, the sight and sound of which enliven the Pomeroy paddock—cars like Corner’s D-type Jaguar and his lightweight E-type (driven by Merrick), Wall’s Ferrari 250 GT, Crabbe’s Monza Ferrari, Wood’s Maserati Mistrale, Hilton’s AC Cobra, Dodds’ quick Deep Sanderson 203, etc.

The results are based on aggregate performance in swerving, acceleration/braking, s.s. 1/4-mile and f.s. 1/4-mile tests and a one-hour high-speed trial round the Club circuit. Many valuable marks could be lost by overshooting the stop-line in the second test, held on the pits straight. The oldest competitor, Mann’s 1918 Straker-Squire, had its hood up, to capture some additional marks, as had Glutton’s tyre-squealing Type 43 Bugatti. R. J. Clark’s 328 BMW took it fast, Stephens’ Lancia Aurelia overshot, Liddell’s 1929 4 1/2-litre Bentley fabric saloon stopped on locked back wheels, Meek’s Porsche 911 was quiet and neat, Bowler’s Frazer Nash Sebring of the tatty hood very good, using jabs on the brakes. Edwards was OK in an Aston Martin DB2 with unusual Spanish body with one aero-screen, which he had rebuilt after a previous owner had had it over a ravine, and Shaw’s Frazer Nash Sebring was neat.

Scott’s Triumph Vitesse pulled up just in time, very much snout-down, Nutter’s splendid open Speed Six Bentley with aero-screen in use was a borderline stopper but McCall’s Daimler SP250 slid too far, on smoking tyres. Gilbert-Smith’s AC Ace was border-line, Davies’ AC Ace indulged in fearful skids, Wall’s Ferrari was very neat, Hutchings’ 3-litre Marcos-Volvo very good, and Crabbe anchored adequately, amid much exhaust noise. Flintoff’s AC Ace went sideways, beyond the finish (no reversing allowed). Corner snaked slightly, to an effective stop, but Merrick went much too far, as did Beer’s MG-C GT. Martin Morris was OK but stalled his Aston Martin DB4 GT’s engine, the Hon. A. Clark in a Mercedes-Benz 600 slid just over the line but Welch’s very fast if rusty Triumph TR3 was excellent. Malamatenios’ Aston Martin DB6 went beyond the line on locked wheels, Douglas Hull’s Jaguar XK150S “bread van” even more so, while Wood’s Maserati was even worse. Miller’s Sunbeam and Wilson-Kitchen’s Shelsley Frazer Nash slid over, but Vessey, after replacing a broken rocker on his Lancia Lambda, stopped very well, and Hilton’s AC and Saunders’ Jensen CV8 had no trouble.

Rogers in his 16/80 AC Special came in very fast but knew exactly how to stop, Bowler’s vintage 4 1/2-litre Bentley on locked back wheels did it properly, relieving itself as it did so, Terry’s Rover 2000TC and Cole’s shortened 1935 open 3 1/2-litre Bentley used gentle braking tactics, whereas Morton’s 1928 3/4 /12-litre Bentley treated us to the best overshoot so far until Dodds actually spun the Deep Sanderson. Bailey, leading the Bentley Cut-and-Shuts, over-ran, but Black was extremely good in his magnificent Monza Alfa Romeo, which he then tickled up to make it recommence, having stalled, to depart in clouds of black smoke. Russ-Turner’s Bentley Special slid, stopping one back wheel in, one over the line. Thompson’s Crewe-cut cut-out too early and re-accelerated, to vanish on locked back wheels, Ann Shoosmith in her crew cut showed how it should be done. Hutton’s Cooper-Jaguar was too fast to pull up, Grist’s immaculate C-type Jaguar failed and Harper’s Jaguar XK120 with wide-rim wheels and skeleton coupé hotly ran too far. The Martin V8-engined Deep Sanderson did best to every test except braking.

In the Paddock Blight was seen to be using his 1934 Alpine Trial Talbot 105 BGH 22, still wearing a Pass & Joyce badge, to support two of his GO team-Talbots driven by Riley and Stevens. Liddell was curing a bout of mis-firing on the Bentley and the Cooper-Jaguar had got over a still starter motor which had previously troubled it.

In the high-speed dices the Mercedes-Benz 600 had a brake go on fire, Hull’s Jaguar shed its coil lead, the Deep Sanderson spun at Woodcote and Malamatenio’s Aston Martin retired with engine trouble. In the final result, Cecil Clutton triumphed, aided by a Type 43 Bugatti, which is already established as a very fine all-round tourer!—W.B.

Results:
Pomeroy Trophy: C. Clutton (1928 Type 43 Bugatti), 400 1/2 points.
Runner-up: E. N. Corner (1955 D-type Jaguar), 395 points.
Third place: W. D. A. Black (1931 Monza Alfa Romeo), 358 points.