CLUB NEWS, December 1984

CLUB NEWS

IN THE WAKE of the arrival of Ford’s new rally contender, the RS200, it is interesting to see the latest issue of Havoc, the magazine of the Ford AVO OC, a reprint of MOTOR SPORT’s first report on the RS1600 from 1970. 1,000 examples were necessary for homologation, which meant that many were sold to the general public, something not so likely with the RS200. Another fact gleaned from the magazine — RS3100 Capris were produced for one month only, November 1973, which makes the 44 on the Register’s books seem a lot.

Just published is the 1984 Yearbook of the MG Car Club’s Triple-M Register. Its 56 pages include contributions from D.S.J. and Rivers Fletcher, and a profile of “Wilkie” Wilkinson, and numerous articles of interest to more than just MG fans. Some of the photos are in colour, and the book is obtainable from the Librarian, MG Car Club — MMM Register, c/o Kimberly House, 3 Kenmore Close, Kew. It cost £3 inc postage in UK, or £4 overseas. A new front cover design graces Recent History, the twice-yearly magazine of the Historic Sports Car Club. Inside are an interesting article on OSCA and one on the Marcos Mantis (illustrated from MOTOR SPORT / LAT files). But the Editorial bemoans the difficulty of raising membership levels in the face of the current obsession with one-marque clubs, which is very obvious from the various magazines which come to this office. Nevertheless, the Club’s various Championship and meetings are thriving, with a new Pre-65 Fl series on the way which should provide some very exciting racing. General enquiries to Brian Cocks, West Lodge, Norton, Wiltshire SN16 OJS. Back to one-make clubs: the Austin-Healey Club is another which is becoming more and more active in competition; an article in Rev Counter proudly points out that the Healeys beat the Porsches in the JDC Donington FourHour Relay Race this year. The next race meeting will be an AHC members race at

Brands on March 31st next year. The Club secretary is Mrs Carolyn Waters, The Laurels, Blind Lane, Tanworth-in-Arden, Solihull, West Midlands.

The Inter-Register competition for 1984 was won by the STD Register, with 24 points, in a contest in which each competing one-make club tries to include a contest of its own devising. It was nicely balanced this time, the Humber Register coming second, three points in arrears, third place going to the Austin Ten DC, with 18 points. The remaining places were occupied by the Alvis 12/50, Fiat and Amilcar Registers, in that order, and the Lanchester Register had a go this time. The ERA Club Dinner was held at Bourne on October 27th, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the ERA. Rivers Fletcher was in the chair, and the Guest of Honour was the Hon Patrick Lindsay, who made an amusing and entertaining speech. Some seventy members and friends attended, including seven present-day ERA owners — Patrick Marsh, Nick Mason, Peter Mann, Brace Spollon, Donald Day, Martin Morris and Tony Stephens. Willie Green, intrepid driver of R4D, was there, together with Anthony Brooke, of VauxhallVilliers fame, Rodney Felton, and William Cook, son of Humphrey Cook, one of the founders of ERA. Pierre Aumonier represented the BRDC, and brought along the original ERA Trophy, now one of the principal awards of the BRDC. A splendid evening — conversation, inevitably, went on well into the night! A filmshow will be given by the Club on Thursday December 13th at the Vickers House Cinema, Millbank, London. Starting at 7.30 pm, the films to be shown will of course feature ERAs, but much else too, and they will be introduced by Rivers Fletcher and Dudley Gahagan. Tickets, costing £1.30, can be bought at the door.

Trojan OC

THE Trojan OC’s Syon Park Rally seems to have been a very good event. Sixteen Trojans turned up, the President’s Shield for the car coming the longest distance going to W. Roan, who had two-stroked all the way from Bury in Lancashire in his inunaculate Trojan. The Rose Bowl for the best effort went to Bill Brown, who brought his smart Trojan van from Ross-on-Wye,

and the British Heritage Motor Museum tankard for the best Trojan present was won by Eric Rance, whose Trojan had been driven down from Ilkley in Yorkshire.

TV Film

A DOCUMENTARY on the History of Grand Prix Racing between the wars, produced by Brian Johnston, will be shown in the “Horizon” series on BBC2 at 9.30 pm on Monday, December 17th. It includes early Shell films and other historic material, interspersed with shots of well-known GP cars filmed recently, and interviews with a number of authorities, the Editor of MOTOR SPORT giving his recollections of Brooklands at the old track itself. This is a new 50 minute documentary, unlike the old Grand Prix film which ITV foisted on us during its recent strike which was a Jackie Stewart benefit in the time of the Matra Fords. It included, with a complete disregard for decency, the accident in which Schlesser was burned to death at Rouen. TV producers apparently look on crashes as essential for emphasising the bravery of racing drivers and even Brian Johnson in the forthcoming BBC film could not resist using a shot of Clive Dunfee going over the Brooklands banking to his death in the Bentley. —W.B.

New Swiss Hill Climb Venue

THE ORGANISERS of a new Swiss hill climb, located 35 miles south-east of Montreux, have asked us to extend an invitation to British competitors to compete in 1985. In particular, they would like to attract some ERAs, describing their course as “three or four Prescons placed end to end”.

Interested parties should contaet Hans Berends, rue des Perce-Neige, CH-1893 Muraz, Switzerland.

The Things they Say …

The Times recently commented that the Monte Carlo Rally is the oldest established main road motoring competition, whereas the MCC Land’s End and Exeter Trials predated it respectively by three years and one year and originally ran over main roads. — W.B.