Club news, December 1985

Motor Sport enthusiasts who are students now have a Championship event of their own, the Endsleigh National Student Motorsport Championship. This two-day event on December 14th/15th combines an autotest, a table-top rally, and a 170 mile road rally, and is open to any crew with at least one student member. Organised by Manchester and Salford Students AC, the entry fee is £20 per crew; further details from Brian Quinn, University House, Salford University, The Crescent, Salford.

Combining the AGM with the Annual Dinner Dance, at which Mr and Mrs Peter Morgan were Guests of Honour, seems to have pleased the members of the Morgan Three-Wheeler Club: the meeting voted in favour of reducing the membership fees for next year – a mere 50p, but it makes a pleasant change to hear of a club which is financially secure. The Membership secretary is Mr K. Robinson, Correction Farm, Middlewood, Poynton, Cheshire.

Slanted not surprisingly at MGs, the Spares and Services Directory just published by the MG Car Club could well be of use to owners of other makes as well, listing as it does all sorts of specialists in all aspects of restoring and maintaining vintage and classic machinery. It is free to members of the club, but is available to non-members by sending £1.50 and a large 22p SAE to MG Car Club, PO Box 251, Studley, Warwickshire.

With the very pleasant Thema (whose range will eventually include a Ferrari V8-engined variant) joining the hairy Y10 Turbo in the Lancia range, there may soon be new converts to the cause, in which case they will want to know of the Lancia Motor Club, whose Hon Sec is Mrs Betty Rees, The Old Shire House, Aylton, Ledbury, Herefordshire. The Club has a library of Lanciana, which can be inspected by prior arrangement, and in addition has just reprinted “The Fulvia Journal”, -which. First appeared some ten years ago. This is a volume of re-prints of contemporary roadtests, including one from Motor Sport in which W.B. enthused about .the 1.2 Coupe, plus some fresh advice about buying and maintaining one of these delightful little cars. It makes interesting reading, and has reawakened in me a long-standing desire to’ to be tempted, it is available from the above address at a cost, including postage, of £5.50 UK, or £6 overseas.

Brighton Run Postscript

The Veteran Car Run is reported on and illustrated elsewhere. It is not a race, as even the BBC now realises, and the driver of the Daimler-Benz Museum’s 28 hp 1902 Mercedes was disqualified for excessive speeding, but at least he got himself on the front page of The Times for his pains (and of course they said he was on a Mercedes-Benz!). First official arrival was Chris Thomas on an 1898 Rochet tricycle. Next in was Mrs Loder’s 1902 Mors. Third was Pilmore-Bedford on a 1901 Lanchester, But 10 competitors, apart from the Mercedes driver, were severely reprimanded by the RAC for infringing the regulations, which mostly meant going too quickly, which seems rather hard considering that before the war drivers were awarded certificates quoting their average speed – although one can see how desirable it is that accidents do not happen on this event, with its large entry.

Another thing that has changed is dressing-up in period costume. The VCC used to discourage this, as liable to detract from the veterans themselves and perhaps introduce a comic touch. But among those the crew of the “Blue Peter” Daimler from the NMM, and in the subsequent BBC film it was shown on a picnic in a deserted field – and did we see the girl passenger screwing down a chassis greaser when asked to see to the engine oil?! Prince Michael of Kent’s 1901 Mors was in soon after 12.30, the Chairman of the RAC’s 1902 Wolseley by 1pm. – W.B.