Rumblings, August 2006

* I was amused to see that in my story on the less expensive vintage Italian sportscars the Bianchi was quoted as being equipped with ‘rakes’. (My copy named only ‘brakes’.) I know that some very early cars had sprags which could be lowered onto the road if the brakes did not hold on a, and no doubt rakes would be even more effective in preventing runaways on Alpine passes.

* An identification snippet: the Type 44 Bugatti formerly owned by Alex Moore, son of T G Moore who was Motor Sport’s proprietor before Teesdale took it over, is now owned by Geoff Doray. An intervening owner replaced the saloon body with a Grand Sport one. Mr Doray also has the Frazer Nash which Eric and S J Burt drove in the 1929 JCC Double 12-Hour race until it lost its oil pressure.

* It is interesting that the Brocklebank, made in Birmingham from 1927-29 and usually regarded as a ‘Forgotten Make’, is not defunct. Sir Aubrey Brocklebank has possibly the only driveable example of this six-cylinder car, which he describes as slow but perfectly driveable.

* The Austin Seven Chummy has always been an outstanding, dependable little car, well appreciated by vintage-car folk. So it was pleasing to read recently in Aeroplane how in 1937 E J Riding and a friend used a £5 A7 (BU 5575) for a 1700-mile tour of Britain’s aerodromes and cathedrals. Save oiled-up plugs and 16 punctures the likeable baby car gave them no trouble.