V-to-C miscellany, February 1993, February 1993

A well restored Mercedes-Benz 500K 5-litre, straight-eight supercharged roadster, thought to have been the car owned by Sir Ronald Gunter, Bt, who raced Bentley, Bugatti, Bora and other cars at Brooklands, is in a Mercedes dealers in Germany and confirmation of its history is sought. It seems likely that it was a 1934 Olympia Show exhibit and that Gunter drove it in the 1935 Monte Carlo Rally, in which it finished 97th out of 103 survivors, after starting from John O’Groats. The car in Germany is left-hand drive, but Gunter may have chosen this as better suited to driving on the Continental roads in the Rally?The car has been in America. its reg no should be BLN 246. If anyone can add anything, the German enquirer would be most grateful.

The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu has been presented with a new Perkins Phaser-engined 18-ton six-wheel ERF transporter with KL Commercials body, by the two companies concerned. The new vehicle, which replaces the Museum’s ex-AA Relay lorry, covered nearly 10,000 in its first four months service, which included taking a Museum Bugatti to Aberdeen for the Grampian sprint meeting and a 4.5-litre Bentley to Budapest for the FIVA Rallye Monte Carlo des Voitures Anciennes.

1993 Historic Car Rallies include the Monte Carlo Challenge (February 14/20), the Mille Miglia Retrospective (May 13/16), England’s Classic Marathon (June 6/11), the Coppa Delle Dolomiti (September 3/5), the GP Nuvolari (September 17/19) and the FIVA World Rally in Australia (March 13/28), We can supply the organisers’ addresses. WB

Twelve Morgan three-wheelers finished in the Club’s 1992 Night Trial; the winner was a 1960 F-Super (S Lister/R Parsons) but the following places were very close. They went to a 1934 MX Sports (N Shirley/J Walters), a 1938 MX2 SS (W Tuer/C Morton) and a 1933 MX2 SS (T Rotyin/T Skilbeck). Oldest to finish was a 1928 LTOW Aero and there was only one retirement, a 1932 LTOWZ SS with suspected carburettor icing, from this tough trial. Good show!

The Shuttleworth Collection has already announced the date of its Great British Picnic as being on June 6th. Believed to have been the first collective motor picnic when organised nine years ago, the event should appeal to those who just like somewhere to drive to and see other historic vehicles, without any competitive events. Anyone arriving in a pre-1956 vehicle will have access to the Old Warden picnic area at Biggleswade. If weather conditions permit, an air display of the Trust’s aeroplanes from 1912 onwards will take place. Those planning to arrive by air will presumably have to obtain landing permission. Details from A G Peacock, 69 Walton Rd, Sidcup, Kent DA 14 4LL, or from K G Anderson, 341 Reigate Rd, Epsom Downs, Surrey KT I 7 3LT.

Those who drive their veteran cars to Brighton each November should be well aware that the difficult marshalling of the start in Hyde Park is done largely by volunteers from the 750 Motor Club. So it is good to hear that, after this task last year, 19 members of the N London A7 Group, with their A7s and a Morris, partook of breakfast at the Covent Garden Piazza and then took advantage of reduced admission to the London Transport Museum.

Having run the 65th Exeter Trial last month, for which it had a total of 321 entries, the MCC will organise its Lands End trial, first held in 1908, at Easter and the End-To-End Run from June 13, starting at Lands End and finishing at John O’Groats. Its magazine Triple, edited by Tom Threlfall, has expanded notably, the December 1992 issue going to 68 pages. Those car or motorcycle readers who wish to learn more of this pioneer Club should note that its Secretary is G Margetts, Havenbank, 21 Madresfield Road, Malvern, Worcs WR14 2AS.