Bugatti O.C. Prescott Members' Meeting (June 26th)
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Prescott hill-climb venue was looking its best two days after Midsummer’s day, on the occasion of the B.O.C. Members’ Meeting, and with an excellent entry of 101, the Paddock was a hive of activity. Donald Monro presided, as ever, over the Invictas, of which Loxton’s was a furled-head coupé and Shutler was getting phenomenal speed from his 4 ½-litre, aided by an Alvis pre-selector gearbox. Sydney Allard was making a welcome return to the sprint scene in to 5.4-litre V8 Cadillac-engined Allard with attractive radiator cowl, streamlined head-rest for the driver and four of the new double downdraught Solex carburetters. Forbes Clerk drove the ex-Scragg Alta-Jaguar and L. S. Richards his short 2 ½-litre Riley Special with ½-elliptic front suspension. Doc. Taylor was rushing madly about instructing the lovely Patricia White (who also drove a TR2) in the art of making the A.C.-powered Caesar Special motor fast and Tooley made the Steyr-Allard, which was amongst the cars using twin rear wheels, motor faster than its owner, Wilcocks.
Naturally, many beautiful Bugattis were present, including J. M. Perkins’ re-bodied blown 2.3, which has strut-type front shock-absorbers and an ON TOW notice permanently painted on its tail. A Continental air was lent by the noisy, wheel-spinning T.A.S.D. Mathieson Maserati driven by the owner’s mechanic, R. Patrick. Of Specials, G. D. Pick was having a go in his three-carburetter Bedford-engine 3 ½-litre Pick Special with modified 1933 Morris Twelve chassis and Vauxhall gearbox and A. W. Francis had the H.R.G.-Mercury motoring well, while Mansell drove an H.W.M.-Jaguar.
James Berry’s E.R.A. Special slid about as it accelerated from the line. Stubberfield had that vast rev-counter on the Bugatti under control after his wife had hand-cranked the engine, and J. Broad’s E.R.A. “Remus,” which came in a very open-air van following an argument with one of the over-bridges at Chilton Park a week earlier, was on twin-rear tyres. Very comic was the take-off of Brian Povey’s blown Austin Seven single-seater which was thrust over against torque in a series of sideways jerks.
It was a very slickly run meeting, as usual, yet the atmosphere was delightfully informal. Tommy Sopwith was a star performer in his Cooper-Climax, breaking the 1,100-c.c. sports-car Class record and A. E. Marsh made f.t.d. in his Cooper 1,100; when the results were issued the cl ass winners were seen to be: