V-E-V miscellany, May 1979, May 1979

The Rover Sports Register, which caters for Rovers of all ages and types, is holding another Rally organised by its East Midlands Section, at Belvoir Castle, between Nottingham and Grantham, on June 24th. Entry forms from: T. Couldry, 5 Holme Lane, Radcliffe Road, Bassingfields, Radcliffeon-Trent, near Nottingham. A six-cylinder sidevalve Citroen saloon, thought to be a 1929 C6F model, has been bought by someone in Essex. A rare 1933 Type 380K Mercedes-Benz drophead coupe which arrived in Canada from America about four years ago is now in very sound condition; its wiring-loom was replaced after help from the Daimler-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. The car was illustrated in “The Mighty Mercedes” and its present owner, who is enjoying using it, would like to know more of its history. Its UK Reg. No. is thought to have been LLD 5. A Unic chassis, possibly the only surviving one of its type, thought to be a 1913 16/24 h.p. model, is to be restored in Oxford and the reader who bought it seeks information to assist in the work, and needs a radiator, scuttle petrol tank, dashboard oil tank, propeller shaft and a handbrake lever for it. Letters can be forwarded. To finance this rebuild the Unic owner’s 1934 Morris Isis has been sold and he is using a 1924 BSA 350 c.c. motorcycle and his wife’s 1929 Austin Seven as regular transport.

We have seen a note somewhere that the remains of the grandstand built at Kilrush in Ireland for the 1903 Gordon Bennett race still exist; does anyone know about this? The date of the Royal College of Arts’ exhibition “The Amazing Bugattis”, which is being sponsored by The Observer and Moet & Chandon, will be from October 9th to November 18th, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., including Sundays, but pre-booked parties and school-children only on Mondays. A reader has three two-gallon petrol tins for sale, two Pratts, one Shell, in good condition, if anyone is interested.

Bob Peacey of Cheltenham writes to say he had a letter from one of our readers in Tunbridge Wells, about a year ago, asking for further information about his father’s steam-cars but he has been confined to bed until recently and has mislaid this enquiry; if the correspondent will write again he would like to reply. From the Bullnose Morris Club magazine we learn that there are now 529 flatnose Morrises in the Club, including new members, one with a part-restored 1929 Cowley saloon in Fife, another with a 1928 Cowley in Australia which has Holden two-door saloon bodywork, bought from its original owner in 1968, but only recently restored. The same magazine carries some notes on running costs for a 1925 Morris Oxford tourer, which was bought in 1925 for £285 and sold in 1932 for £75, and which cost 5.54 pence per mile to run during that time, inclusive of depreciation on purchase price; the petrol consumption fell from a best of 26.26 m.p.g. in 1925 to 20.47 m.p.g. in 1932, with a decoke in 1928, but oil consumption remained between 764 m.p.g. and 529 m.p.g. The car’s Reg. No. is given as NT 6317, which might ring a bell with a reader somewhere.

International Alvis Day is on May 13th, at Knebworth, commencing at 11 a.m. In the voting to establish whether the Vintage Motor Cycle Club should abide by its present ruling of not accepting machines made after 1952 or extend its membership to owners of motorcycles that are 25 years or more of age, 2,503 out of a membership of over 5,000 voted and the result was 62.5% in favour of the existing ruling, 34% in favour of introducing more recent machines, 3.5% of the votes being spoiled or void.

Incidentally, the Dutch National Club for old motorcycles stops at the 1940 limit. The VMCC’s fifth International Assembly will take place at Harrogate from July 27th-29th and will include a trial, a Concours d’Elegance, civic reception, dance and prize-giving. Entries close by June 2nd. The Veteran Car Club celebrates its 50th anniversary next year and special events are being organised, including, if sufficient support is received, a Golden Jubilee Rally from June 2nd to June 7th, which H. R. Owen have agreed to under-write, with organisation in the hands of Cecil Bendall and Tony Bourne. The VCC has now resolved its magazine problems and Veteran Car is in the capable editorship of Michael Worthington-Williams. VCC membership stands at 1,208.