Veteran-Edwardian-Vintage, February 1965

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A section devoted to old-car matters

V.S.C.C. Measham Trial (Jan. 2nd/3rd)
Results:
The Measham Trophy: J. E. Barraclough (1927 3-litre Bentley).

Light Car Award: D. Hodgson (1929 Austin Seven).

Frazer Nash Award: L. J. Stretton (1929 Boulogne F.N.).

Best Performances:
Class 1 (Standard Sports Cars): J. E. Barraclough (1927 Bentley).

Class 2 (Vintage Sports Cars): W. B. G. Fletcher (1927 Alvis).

Class 3 (Vintage Touring Cars): D. Hodgson (1929 Austin Seven).

Class 4 (Post-Vintage Thoroughbred Cars): D. P. Harris (1934 Frazer Nash).

First Class Awards: L. J. Stretton (1929 Frazer Nash), R. L. Heath (1929 Alvis), J.F. Organ (1935 Lagonda), M. Bromley-Johnson (1930 Jowett), P. G. Cole (1934 Bentley).

Second Class Awards: N. Arnold-Forster (1925 Frazer Nash), L. J. Wickham (1929 Alvis), R. Hill (1930 A.J.S.), P. W. Abbott (1934 Bentley), H. Jarrett (1937 Riley).

Third Class Awards: C. R. Pack (1926 Bentley), C. A. Winder (1928 Austin Seven), A. J. Merrick (1930 Riley), S. Scott (1934 Riley).

Team Award: Midland Team.

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Vintage miscellany.—Another 1923 Bean has been discovered, in Sussex, where it lies in the open, with tourer body converted into a farm lorry, like the Editor’s 1924 Cluley. It is not for sale. A 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost chassis, which was once an armoured-car, was bought “for a song” in Farnham last year. Hugh Conway has acquired authentic sales documents for Bugatti cars from 1919 onwards, which throws fresh light on serial numbers and clashes with the Bugatti Register—no doubt his erudite findings will appear soon in Bugantics, the Bugatti O.C. magazine.

There is a growing tendency for one-make Clubs and Registers to run appropriate lorries or vans as support vehicles. The latest Register to do this is the Vintage Austin Register, which has been given a 1934 Austin 12 truck. This is not truly an authentic vintage commercial, because it began life as a type-LL taxi chassis, was used during the war as a NAAFI van, and converted into a truck and used for conveying headstones to cemeteries until the end of 1963. But as 1919 coal-scuttle-bonneted twin prop.-shaft Austin lorries do not grow on trees, this converted 12/4 is unquestionably the next best thing. Other one-make organisations please copy! Incidentally, the Vintage Austin Register has held its annual subscription to the modest fee of 12s. 6d.

A 1929 Austin 16/6 Burnham saloon is languishing in an outhouse in Surrey since its lady owner ceased to use it. A 1904 Quadrant forecar which was used until 1910, after which it was put away in a shed in Basingstoke, has come to light and has been so well restored, the work occupying its new owner since 1959, that it gained its M.O.T. Certificate with no trouble at all. It is thought to be the only three-wheeled example still in existence. A 1928 Sunbeam 20.9 chassis was sold cheaply in Hampshire recently. According to Pur Sang, journal of the American Bugatti Club, Miss l’Ebee Bugatti has finished work on her biography, which deals with the life of her famous father. The Star Register has issued its second list of existing Star cars and commercial vehicles, which includes over twenty newcomers in a list of 106, from 1898 to 1932, a 1906 Stuart and five Britons. Spare parts are also listed and the Register has sent out a questionnaire on which its third census will be based. It has also sent to members a reproduction of an article from The Field on Star history to 1924. Those interested should contact D. E. A. Evans, 3, Blackacre Road, Dudley, Worcs. The 1924 200-Mile Race Alvis, the discovery of which we referred to in this column last year, was found in the Manchester area, where it had been laid up since breaking a con.-rod at Oulton Park in 1957. It is now stripped down in a Middlesex garage by its young owner, who has repainted the tapering, drilled chassis frame. It is car no. 2931, which finished sixth, driven by Halford, in the “200.” When discovered, it was original except for front-wheel brakes, a small aero-screen, no radiator cowl and altered instruments. Not far away the Newton Ceirano, also thought to be a 200-Mile Race car, is stripped down but should be rebuilt by next year, when its owner, who has a touring Ceirano and a 2-speed Scott, looks forward to driving it on the road (it has road-equipment) and perhaps at Prescott. The complex 6-pump dry sump lubrication system has been sorted out but the crankshaft of the twin-cam 1,100-c.c. engine is in rather a sorry state.

A curious advertisement in The London Property Letter offered £2-3/4-million for purchase of early Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost— and first-class shop investments! Apologies to B. G. Fordham whose 1923 Salmson formed the subject of last month’s front cover picture, for confusing it in the report of the V.S.C.C. Driving Tests with M. D. White’s 1927 Salmson. Vintage cars, both contemporary and otherwise, figure frequently in advertising these days. There is that rather sickening Esso TV film, using a Bentley, and Borg & Beck have been featuring old cars in their copy, unfortunately confusing a Standard Nine with a Triumph Super Seven in one of their layouts, while Castrol compare a vintage Austin Seven with a modern Austin.

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The Bullnose Morris Club retains this title although catering for flat-radiator 11.9 and 13.9-h.p. models and Empire Oxfords, etc. Its December 1964 Newsletter contained an amusing article by Margaret Thomas, explaining why a vintage car is essential to an artist and her Morris-Cowley coupé is ideal.

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It is splendid news that a feature of this year’s V.S.C.C. Oulton Park Race Meeting will be a 5-lap handicap race for Morgan 3-wheelers, under the aegis of the Morgan Three-Wheeler Club. From this it must be evident that the difference of opinion between this organisation and the V.S.C.C. as to whether vintage Morgan 3-wheelers should be admitted to the latter’s sphere of activities has been amicably solved.

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A Rose National engine built in 1902 and installed in a Rose car, was transferred in 1912 to the works fire-engine. This was in service until 1942 and in 1947 this ‘T’-head side-valve engine was salvaged and is now an exhibit at one of the Baker Perkins factories. [The car is rumoured to have been raced at Brooklands in 1908 but I can find no record of this.—Ed.]