Reports of Recent Events, August 1947
N.W. London M.C. Lawrence Cup Trial
Those who expected this oft-postponed event to flop because of summer conditions got the surprise of their lives at Bagshot Heath on the day selected. Torrential rain fell much of the time and between sections Potter’s passenger wisely erected her umbrella above the AlIard. Red Roads wasn’t too difficult, but failed some of the smaller cars. Len Parker used the lowest tyre pressures we have ever seen. Ken Wharton once again carried the day with his astonishingly effective Ford Ten-engined Austin Seven Special.
Results
Lawrence Cup: K. ‘Wharton (1,081-c.c. Wharton).
Ripley Cup: K. E. O. Burgess (4,000-c.c. Allard, S). Runner up, L. Parker (4,000. c.c. Allard).
Team Prize: K. Wharton, G. W. Best (939-c.c. M.G., S.) and L. Parker.
First-Class Awards: L. Parker, G. W. Best and J.H. Appleton (4,000-c.c. Allard, S.).
Second-Class Awards: D. S. Wood-Dow (1,074c.c. H.R.G.), D. W. Price (3,922-c.c. Price Special) and N. Wick (3,917-c.c. Allard).
Third-Class Awards: V. S. A. Biggs (1,496-c.c. H.R.G.) and S. Tett (939-c.e. M.G., S.).
Angouleme Race
Martin’s “328” B.M.W. won at 41.1 m.p.h. from Manzon’s Cisitalia, and Sommer’s Cisitalia. Manzon set the fastest lap, at 41.11 m.p.h. In the heats, Manzon won the first. Oscar Moore (B.M.W.) was 7th in the final in spite of trouble, but Ian Connell’s M.G. after going very well, retired with a split fuel tank.
An Allard wins
J.C.C. Eastbourne Rally
The Junior Car Club received an excellent entry for its Eastbourne Rally – Eastbourne is truly motor-conscious – which spread over two days, the Saturday devoted to driving tests, the Sunday to a Concours, with social jollifications in between. A combined stop and restart and sprint test up a long hill outside the town saw Burgess make best time in his well-known Allard. In the Quick-Starting Test notable “step-offs” were those of John Whalley’s Ford “Prefect,” neat in its white finish, and C. M. Anthony’s “4/4” Morgan. Robins was very expert with his “Aerodynamic” H.R.G. in the Parking Test, while Anthony scored best time in the wiggle-woggle. Burgess (Allard) took the trophy for best performance in the entire rally and the winners of the other awards are shown below. In the Concours, the class winners were W. M. Couper’s Mk. VI BentIey with Young coachwork, R. James (Riley), Russell (Hillman Minx), Miss Schwedler (Alvis), Sabey (“V12” Lagonda), Tyzack (Mercédès Benz) and Maidens (Austin Ten). The last-named won the pre-1934 prize, in which class was Abbott’s Mercédès, which, we believe, ran at Brooklands thirty-seven or so years ago.
Results Best Times in Tests :Test l (stop and restart on hill): J. H. Appleton (4-litre Allard) 15.8 secs. Chester M.C. Speed Trial S.S.C.C. Bo’Ness Club Hill Climb Results Middlesborough & D.M.C. Sand Races Maloja Hill Climb Yorkshire S.C.C. Sporting Trial V.C.C. Kelvedon Rally Healey, Jaguar and Allard Card Placed in Alpine Trial This event is a vital one from the prestige point of view, and the high placing of British cars cannot fail to do much good. Unfortunately, Guy Robins, who had hoped to send bulletins to Motor Sport, crashed his H.R.G., while a new Riley retired with greasy brakes, and Wick’s Allard with big-end maladies. Results
Test II (timed run): D. Parker (SS 100) 29 secs.
Test III (quick-starting test): S. C.. Moss (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W. Type 328) 12.8 secs.
Test IV (bay-parking test): D. Parker (SS 100) 16 secs.
Test V (“wiggle-woggle” between barriers): C. M. Anthony (Morgan 4/4) 18.4 secs.
The Following Drivers Lost No Marks: E. E. Warne (Standard), T. E. R. Hazeldine (Sunbeam-Talbot), C. M. Anthony (Morgan). E. Ainsworth (Triumph), V. S. A. Biggs (H.R.G.). Mrs. K. M. Hague (Riley), K. E. O. Burgess (Allard).
On the same day as the last Shelsley-Walsh meeting the Chester M.C. held a closed speed trial along an excellent half-mile course at Queensferry, running the cars in pairs. F.t.d. was made by Tyrer’s sports B.M.W. in 28.4 sec. and the class winners were Wright (Austin Seven), Gee (Riley) and Tyrer.
In this event Chassels’. Frazer-Nash made ftd. in 41.9 sec., the runner up being Thorne’s blown 1,088 c.c. Alexander-Special, in 43.6 sec.
750 to 1,100 c.c. Unsupercharged and not Exceeding 750 c.c. Supercharged: J. Brown (972 c.c. Singer) 48.6 sec.
1,101 to 1,500 c.c. Unsupercharged and 751 to 1,100 c.c.Supercharged: M. R. Chassels (1,496 c.c. Frazer-Nash) 41.9 sec.
1,501 to 3,000 Unsupercharged and 1,101 to 1,500 c.c. Supercharged: F. S. Mort (1,250 c.c. M.G.) 47.7 sec.
Over 3,000 c.c. Unsupercharged and 1,501 to 3,000 c.c. Supercharged: N. A. Bean (3,845 c.c. Jaguar) 45.3 sec.
Over 3,000 c.c. Supercharged: W. R. L. Thorne (3,622 c.c. Alexander Special) 46.1 sec.
Quite like old times; sand racing took place on Redcar Sands on July 12th. Proceedings opened with the traditional straight-mile races. The 1 1/2-litre race was won by Reynolds’ blown 747-c.c. M.G. from Lafone’s blown M.G. of this size, with Hewitson’s Riley Nine 3rd. The up-to-2 1/2-litres race saw Tyrer’s B.M.W. win by 300 yards from Reynolds’ M.G. and the aforementioned Riley. The B.M.W. averaged 71.42 m.p.h. The sprint for cars up to 5 litres resulted in another victory for the B.M.W., with the placings as before. A 20-mile Handicap followed, in which a Ford Eight “Special” driven by T. Johnson led for 15 miles, when Melly’s Riley “Sprite” went ahead to win. Before the finish Johnson was also caught and passed by Hewitson, now driving a 3 1/2-litre Jaguar, and they finished in that order.
Hurzeler’s 1 1/2-litre Maserati scored f.t.d. at the classic St. Moritz speed event in 8m. 27.2 sec. The Maseratis of Mayer and Ruggeri were runners-up in the class for racing cars up to 1 1/2 litres and both were faster than Vanini’s 2-litre Maserati which won the big racing-car class. The sports-car classes were as interesting as any and produced a sweeping British victory, for A. G. Imhof’s blown 3.6litre Allard made fastest time of them all, in 8 m. 57.2 sec., also faster than Vanini’s racing Maserati. This fine performance of Imhof’s beat a blown “2.3” Alfa-Romeo driven into 2nd place in the class by Bergles, by 13.2 sec., while third man, Aebbi, in a B.M.W., took 9 m. 16.4 sec. Imhof displayed commendable consistency over this very difficult course, which is seven miles long and climbs some 2,000 feet via about 20 hairpins and other corners, the difference between his two runs being but 1/5th of a second. This cannot but have appreciably increased Allard prestige abroad. Of the under-1 1/2-litre sports cars, Biono’s Fiat 500 with 1,100-c.c. engine won in 9 m. 30.8 sec. from Ranzini’s 1 1/2-litre Lancia, with Iznarff’s Fiat 3rd. The Ladies’ Prize went to Mrs. Elsie Wisdom, who ascended in a Healey in 10 min. 23.2 sec.
Best performance was made by Guy Warburton’s Ford V8, his best “opposite-nmber” being Hankins’ Ford. Best Y.S.C.C. member was Rhodes (B.M.W.), best Sheffield & Hallamshire C.C. member Phillips (Fairley-Special) and best Lancashire & Cheshire C.C. member Hunt (Jeep). The Team Prize went to Messrs. Warburton, Clakson and Phillips.
The Veteran Car Club held another of those excellent rallies on July 5th, which constitute such an admirable excuse for taking the road in veteran or Edwardian vehicles. Graham Oliver won the prize for pre-1904 cars with a run from Blandford in his 1903 Panhard, a distance of 160 miles. Sam Wright was runner-up in a 1903 Humber, from Coventry. Of the Edwardians, Wilcock thoroughly deserved his first prize, for he came up from Land’s End in his 1912 16-h.p. Clement-Talbot, covering 360 miles in the time allowed. Taylor’s 1911 Stanley steamer, from Portishead, was second. The prize for the oldest car to attend was Wood’s 1896 Leon Bollee, which covered 70 miles. A Concours followed the Rally and W. Browning’s 1899 Orleans was judged to be the best-kept veteran, Mrs. Woods’ 1900 Pieper being second in this category. C. R. Abbott’s 1904 24.8-11.p. racing Mercédès, which ran at Brooklands in 1908, won the award for the most attractive (renovated) veteran from Pierpont’s 1904 Mors, while Skinner’s 1913 13.9-h.p. Rover was considered the best-kept Edwardian, Kingham’s 1912 25.8-h.p. Hudson being runner-up – both were coupés. The most attractive Edwardian prize was awarded to John Hampton’s 1912 Sunbeam, with H. Burman’s Perry second. In all, there were 52 entries, and some veterans not seen before were present. The judges of the Concours were such a mixed bag as Messrs. Walter Boyle, Douglas Clease, Lt.-Col. Defries, Eric Findon and Gerald Rose.
Although only Descolla’s blown “2.3” Bugatti (presumably a Type 55, which went astoundingly well for what is a 1931 design) and Clermont’s Lancia “Aprilia” retained” clean sheets” in this year’s very strenuous Alpine Rally, Appleyard’s Jaguar came in 3rd, behind a Delahaye and a Ford in the over-3-litres class. Better still, T. H. Wisdom’s Healey, penalised only for lateness at a control, won the 2-3-litre class with a loss of 20 marks, easily beating the two small Studebakers which were runners-up. Leonard Potter and Godfrey Imhof went very well until near the end in their Allards, but Potter suffered from weak brakes on his early model, while Imhof lost second gear during the kilometre acceleration test. In this test Descollas was fastest, but the Jaguar and Healey won their classes, although Wisdom’s cylinder head gasket was passing water. Potter came in 5th in the over 3-litre class, in spite of his troubles. In the Comforts Contest, Mrs. Wisdom won the ladies’ prize for Healey, while Clease’s Sunbeam-Talbot and Reichmann’s Bentley won the men’s section.
Coupes des Alpes (no marks lost): Descollas (2.3-litre Bugatti, S.), Clermont (1.5-litre Lancia).
Over 3-Litre Class: 1 Burgerhout (Delahaye), 10 marks; 2, Van Strien (Ford), 20 marks; 3, Appleyard (Jaguar), 50 marks; 4, Huget (Hotchkiss), 110 marks; 5, Potter (Allard), 240 marks.
2-3-Litre Class: 1, Wisdom (Healey), 20 marks; 2, Gatsonides (Studebaker), 100 marks; 3, Mutsaerts (Studebaker), 230 marks.
1 1/2-2-Litre Class: 1, Sanot (Citroen), 40 marks; 2, Masalon-Real (Citroen), 310 marks; 3, Maman (Peugeot), 370 marks.
1,100-500-c.c. Class: 1, Clermont (Lancia) 0 marks; 2, Mme. Descollas (Lancia), 70 marks; 3, Claude (Lancia), 750 marks.
750-1,100-c.c. Class: 1, Gay (Simca), 30 marks; 2, Signoret (Simca), 110 marks; 3, Trouis (Simca), 175 marks.
500-750-c.c. Class: 1, Mme. Angelvin (Simca), 60 marks; 2, Landon (Simca), 90 marks.
Supercharged Class: 1, Descollas (Bugatti 2.3-litre), 0 marks (also best performance in Rally),
Coupe Feminin: Mme. Angelvin (Simca).
Team Prize: M. Gay, Mine. Angelvin, M. Landon, on Simcas.
Confort Contest — Touring Cars: Ladies: Mme. Descollas (Lancia). Men: Mutsaerts (Studebaker). Sports Car: Ladies: Mrs. Wisdom (Healey). Men: Clease (Sunbeam-Talbot) and Reichmann (Bentley).