Frank Ashley

Browse pages
Current page

1

Current page

2

Current page

3

Current page

4

Current page

5

Current page

6

Current page

7

Current page

8

Current page

9

Current page

10

Current page

11

Current page

12

Current page

13

Current page

14

Current page

15

Current page

16

Current page

17

Current page

18

Current page

19

Current page

20

Current page

21

Current page

22

Current page

23

Current page

24

Current page

25

Current page

26

Current page

27

Current page

28

Current page

29

Current page

30

Current page

31

Current page

32

Current page

33

Current page

34

Current page

35

Current page

36

Current page

37

Current page

38

Current page

39

Current page

40

Current page

41

Current page

42

Current page

43

Current page

44

Current page

45

Current page

46

Current page

47

Current page

48

Current page

49

Current page

50

Current page

51

Current page

52

Current page

53

Current page

54

Current page

55

Current page

56

Current page

57

Current page

58

Current page

59

Current page

60

Current page

61

Current page

62

Current page

63

Current page

64

Current page

65

Current page

66

Current page

67

Current page

68

Current page

69

Current page

70

Current page

71

Current page

72

Current page

73

Current page

74

Current page

75

Current page

76

Current page

77

Current page

78

Current page

79

Current page

80

Current page

81

Current page

82

Current page

83

Current page

84

Current page

85

Current page

86

Current page

87

Current page

88

Current page

89

Current page

90

Current page

91

Current page

92

Current page

93

Current page

94

Current page

95

Current page

96

Current page

97

Current page

98

Current page

99

Current page

100

Sir, I am sorry to have to inform your reader Mr. Michael Elmer that his car is not one of the two surviving Morris Ten-Six Cunard Specials, since the photograph on p. 1289 clearly shows his car to be a Morris-bodied version of which some eight other examples are known. The enclosed photograph of Ian Harris driving his Cunard Special in the Endurance Run shows up the differences between the Morris and Cunard bodies and, if published, may serve to remove some of the confusion which has recently existed over these cars in the literature and advertisements.

“The Morris Ten-Six Special International Type by Cunard” CO give it its full, if rather verbose, title consisted of a 4-seater aluminimum on ash tourer body, designed and built by the Cunard Coachbuilding Company (later part of Stewart and Ardern) on a Morris Ten-Six Special chassis, and selling for £249 10s 0d, some £19 10s 0d dearer than the Morris-bodied version. While having a sporting appearance, its performance figures were not terribly impressive, although contemporary road testers wrote enthusiastically about its qualities. It was at one time described, perhaps rather unkindly, as “the ideal car for gay daughters of rich men”, certainly an advertisement for the car by Stewart and Ardern in the July 1934 issue of the Morris Owner uses head and shoulder photographs of six of the film lovelies of the thirties to promote the car.

Until last year, I owned the other surviving “Cunard Special” when domestic considerations caused it to take up residence with its fellow survivor in the Ian Harris stable, to await restoration to its former glory.

To close, Mr. Elmer is correct in saying that these cars were produced in 1934-35; the 1936 figure being a PR error. Also the statement sent out at the time omitted to say that we received very generous sponsorship from Morris Garages Ltd., David Groom Ltd. and Mrs. Rosemary Burke, as well as British Leyland.

FRANK ASHLEY

Competitions Secretary, Morris Register. [We thank the wide-awake Morris Register for these letters which close this correspondence—ED].