Independent confirmation

RB Lakin points out that it was he, then Sub Lt Lakin, RN, who owned the IFS Bugatti which Dick Seaman drove at Brooklands in 1936; Leslie Ballamy had entered the car and had made the IFS suspension. Seaman, who failed to complete a lap, was not impressed and immediately drove away from the Track in his Ford V8.

Lakin, who had a distinguished career in the Submarine Service, points out also that this was a T37A. In fact, it had been converted to A-specification from a T37 when TP Cholmondeley-Tapper fitted the s/c from Ken Kirton’s T37A.

The car was extensively raced, here and abroad, before it was sold to Lakin, Tapper having bought Lord Howe’s 3-litre Maserati.

Lt Lakin’s first motor car was a 1924 Armstrong-Siddeley bought from Rowland Smith’s of Hampstead for £10, which included their getting licence and insurance for it while he waited! (This firm used to sell motorcycles from a few pounds; a friend and I once bought a Zenith Gradua for £3, which took us three evenings after work to push home to West Norwood). After a few months Lakin changed to a Model-A Ford saloon, then he had a Ford 10 which was LMB supercharged and later an LMB Ford V8, both the last-named used for sprints and trials. Then came the Bugatti, which Lakin was able to recover after the LMB business had closed down. It is now in Australia.

Later cars included a Lagonda Rapier, the ex-Yarborough-Bateson AC and the Buddy Featherstonehaugh s/c 2.3-litre Alfa Romeo Farina coupe, used on his honeymoon.