The Racing Car Show

Ian Smith, a member of the committee of the B.R.S.C.C. had the idea of a Racing Car Show when the furore was created last year over the non-appearance of the Vanwall at the Earls Court Motor Show. He put the idea to the B.R.S.C.C. who agreed to stage the show at the Royal Horticultural Hall, Vincent Square, Westminster, S.W.1. from January 2nd-9th.   

On a central turntable will be the 1959 Formula 1 Manufacturers Championship car which we already know will be the Cooper. The car displayed at Earls Court was Jack Brabham’s own car which competed at Sebring so another team car will appear at the Horticultural Hall. Grouped round the central turntable will be four stands; the first, to the left of the main entrance will show Grand Prix contenders. On this stand will be a Vanwall, B.R.M., Lotus, Maserati 250F, and one of Rob Walker’s F.1, Coopers; the notable absentee being the Dino 246 Ferrari.

To the right of the main entrance will be two stands devoted to the cars of the 1959 Champions. On this stand will be seen a DBR1/300 Aston Martin, the Worlds Sports Car Champion; Den Parker’s Cooper 500, the National 500 Champion; J. M. Uren’s Ford Zephyr, the B.R.S.C.C. Saloon Car Champion; Peter Ashdown’s 1,100-c.c. Lola, the B.R.S.C.C. Sports Car Champion; Bob Gerard’s Turner, the Autosport Series Production Sports Car Champion; Peter Emery’s Emeryson 250, the 250-c.c. Champion; Jem Marsh’s Speedex 750, the 750 Formula Champion; David Boshier Jones’ Cooper 1100, the R.A.C. National Hill Climb Champion; the John Sprinzel/Stuart Turner Austin Healey Sprite, the National Rally Champion and Brian Hart’s 1172 Terrier, the 1172 Formula Champion.

Another Stand is called Past, Present and Future, showing old and new competition cars. To represent the past a V-16 B.R.M. and A. F. Rivers-Fletcher’s HWM-Jaguar will be shown while a Lotus Elite and Alexander modified Austin A40 represent the present, with a Formula Junior Elva showing the cars of the future. Miscellaneous exhibits include a 2½-litre Coventry-Climax engine, an A.J.B. 1½-litre Flat Four engine, a Go Kart and the tyres used by Stirling-Moss on the Argentine G.P. winning Rob Walker Cooper in 1958.

In addition to these static exhibits a number of stands have been let to various manufacturers and accessory companies. Actual manufacturers who have stands at the Show are Lotus, Cooper, Lola, Elva and the Chequered Flag who will probably show the Gemini Formula Junior car. Most of the other stands are taken up by the engine tuning companies and the glass fibre body manufacturers.

Naturally there are a number of interesting cars which British enthusiasts would like to see which are not at the Show but until the first show has been held and the number of visitors checked the organisers have wisely kept down their financial commitments. If the first show is a success then they hope to expand in 1961.

The Show will be open from January 2nd to 9th except for Sunday 3rd. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, admission will be 3s. for adults and 2s. for children except on the opening day and Wednesday January 6th when the charges will be 5s. and 3s. respectively.