V-to-C Miscellany, June 1996, June 1996

The Humber Register is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first Humber on June 30, with a run from Humber Bridge (the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge) to the National Museum of Army Transport at Beverley, on Humberside, where a very large assembly of Humbers will be on view to the public. The last such Humber Register rally was held in 1983. Details of this one, by s a e to Reg Marshall, 78 Inglemire Lane, Hull HU6 7TP.

A reader in Queensland, Australia is trying to trace the early history of his Type 23 Bugatti tourer, reg no YO 4627, chassis/engine nos 2493/ 901, which he imported from Canada. There is no body-plate but the coachwork is thought to have been made by Cadogan in England. First registered in London in June 1926, the car was at one time in evidence among Oxford undergraduates, having been owned by Archibald Colquhoun of Christ Church in 1931, and then in 1933 it went apparently to a garage in Headington owned by a Mark Jones, who sold the Bugatti to Adrian Liddell, who sold it on to a Dr Sultan Karim in Singapore in 1981. From this owner the present owner bought it, from Vancover, in October 1994. He would like to trace the wife or daughter of the late Mr Colquhoun, to ascertain if he was the first owner of this Type 23, which has its original red and black body, re the Log Book.

The Bugatti’s owner also possesses a pile of parts sufficient to build up another Type 23 and the same type of body bought in Sydney, which has beading of wood, not aluminium, as on the other car, and was probably made by Comptons in England. Identifications is sought, however. With the 30-98 Vauxhall more than ever in mind, following the publication of Nic Portway’s book, it can be added that the owner of these Bugattis also runs a 1924 Velox (0E66/65) which it has taken him more than 50 years to rebuild. He says the gearchange is a contrast to that of the Bugatti, which has very close ratios, and that the Vauxhall brakes have to be applied just a little sooner than is necessary with the Bugatti, the Vauxhall’s transmission brake having been disconnected in deference to preservation of the 3.3-to-1 back axle. Letters can be forwarded.

A reader has enquired whether the 1938 Triumph Vitesse he has acquired previously owned by a person in Ormskirk, has a post-war replica body — see accompanying photograph. Letters can be forwarded.

Congratulations to C E (“Titch”) Allen MBE, who has been awarded the prestigious Prince Henry Trophy of the National Motor Museum, for his work on behalf of the VMCC of which he is the Founder and which attains its 50th birthday this year. The Trophy is a fine model of a Prince Henry Vauxhall, and was presented to “Titch” by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.