Veteran Edwardian Vintage, September 1960

On the day that “Bluebird,” which may soon become the World’s fastest car, first ran, the Editor was returning from watching it unleashed at Goodwood when, in Petersfield, what should he encounter, as if to emphasise extremes in speed, but a 91/2-ton Ransome, Sims and Jefferies traction engine with a heavy solid-tyred trailer on tow, sizzling gently to itself. This engine, on straked steel wheels, was on its way from Halstead to Fareham and had paused for repairs to its smoke stack. A little further on the homeward journey a well-preserved V8 Lincoln saloon was seen being towed by a lorry. This particular luxury product of Ford was first licensed in Lancashire, Where it could well have been the proud possession of a cotton tycoon.

From Christophoris, the Porsche journal, we learn that on the Occasion Of their recent wedding, Ferdinand and Gigi Porsche drove to the church in a 1923/4 ADM Austro-Daimler tourer owned by Ferdinand Piech.

In the current issue of Bugantics, the beautifully-produced magazine of the Bugatti Owners Club, will be found an article on the 1914 Bugatti light car, reprinted from a contemporary issue of The Auto, and a similar Article on the Burlington car, reprinted from a 1904 issue of The Autocar.

A picture in a recent issue of Winapey News depicts an ancient chain-drive Fiat lorry which is in regular use in Majorca, while a reader on holiday in Barcelona encountered a 1922 Hispano-Suiza lorry with T-head engine on acive service.

Forthcoming publications of interest to historians are a list of all known cars in this country with competition histories. which Philip Mann is compiling and a history of Handley Page Ltd. which the famous aeroplane Company has in hand. 

The things one comes upon by chance ! — such as a very well reconditioned model-B Ford saloon on a Hampshire, farm, a Fiat 509 two-seater restored and in use by a partner of a Surrey garage, and that Morgan three-wheeler still derelict in a pub-yard near Hook, while we were pleased to see the vintage 11/22 ohc Wolseley fabric saloon which broke its crankshaft in Surrey some two years ago out and about again recently. 

Following a suggestion by the Editor of Motor Sport, the Early Standard Car Register, now in its second year, is holding a rally for Edwardian and vintage Standard cars in conjunction with the Annual Gala Day of the Standard Motors’ Branch of the British Legion, on September 3rd. Cars will assemble at the Fletchamstead factory, on the Coventry By-Pass, at 9.30 am and then undertake a processional drive through Coventry City Centre. They will then return to the factory for driving tests, a show-ring parade and Concours d’Elegance, period dress being encouraged. 

Wanted ! A reader has requested a be 720 x 120 tyre for his otherwise very sound 1922 Citroen 7.5, while a 1923/4 11.4 Standard is laid up because its bronze back axle worm gear has broken. If anyone can help, letters will be forwarded.

Still they turn up. Recent “finds” include a vintage Daimler shooting-brake lying beside A5 near Atherstone, two Sunbeam saloons and an early Rolls-Royce chassis at a Hampshire breaker’s yard, and a 1924 Morris-Oxford chassis, a 1926 Morris-Cowley chassis and a complete 1926 Austin Twelve tourer in a Truro scrapyard, while at Branscombe, Devon, a garage recently scrapped a vintage Austin Seven and a bull-nose Morris. In a Middlesex timber yard there is, or was, a 1925 Bean with platform-lorry body for sale in running order. There is also a 1926 40/50 Rolls-Royce, once owned by a potentate, which has languished in a barn since 1939, but is not for sale. 

Two Vintage Commercial Vehicle Fixtures. On September 11th the 5th Annual Rally of Old Lorries will be held by the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club in the grounds of Harold Wood & Sons, Cranes Close, Basildon, Essex, commencing at 2.30 pm, following a run from South Benfleet (Essex Carriers Ltd.), starting at 1 pm. Then, on September 25th the Vintage Passenger Vehicle Society will stage a meeting of Old Motorbuses at the Red Lion Hotel, Hatfield, from 2.30 pm onwards.

Restoration. A reader is working on a circa 1916 Maxwell tourer thought to have been World War One Staff Car. It has been in a heated garage since 1926, has run 13,000 miles and was complete even to a set of new tyres in their original wrappers, alas too perished to use. The car was apparently laid up when the back axle failed. 

Those who like to see historic racing cars in action and those who enjoy racing them should note that a 10-lap scratch race for such cars will be included in the Darlington & Dist MC Thornaby Race Meeting on September 11th.

Other September fixtures include the Ringwood Carnival on September 17th, the Beaulieu model-T Ford Rally on September 25th, while there is a VSCC class at the Smith Wales AC Castel Hill-Climb on September 25th. Cars built up to the end of 1929 are eligible for the Dutch Pioneer Rally on October 9th but must be in Concours d’Elegance condition. Details from Jhr. JV van Iddekinge, Keizersgracht 484, Amsterdam C, who requires photographs of prospective entries. 

The Veteran Car Club has been invited by the Newbury and District Agricultural Society to include a rally, parade and driving test with veteran and Edwardian cars at the Newbury Show on September 17th. The cars will be at Elcot Park from 12 noon to 5:30 pm. 

Following a meeting held at Wiesbaden on May 29th, 1960, at which representatives of the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain and other Veteran Car Clubs were present, it was announced that an International Federation of Veteran Car Clubs had been formed. Founder Member Clubs at the time of formation were :— The VCC of Belgium, The Allgemeiner Schnauferl-Club of Germany, The VCC of Great Britain, The Pioneer Automobielen Club of Holland, The Norsk Veteranvogn Klubb of Norway, The Schweizer Motor-Veteranen Club of Switzerland, The objects of the Association are : —

(a) To ensure that the Veteran Car Movement should be run in each country in the best possible way for all member countries of the Fereration and on the same lines generally.

(b) To sponsor annually an International Event and to choose the country which is to organise and run it. Officers of the Federation were elected as follows.:—

President of the Federation, 1960-63 : Herr HG Schoof (President of the Allgemeiner Schnauferl-Club). Chairman of the Conference, 1960 : Dr. JWE Fellows (Chairman of the Executive Committee of the VCC of Great Britain). Secretary : Captain DC Morrison, RN. (Secretary of the VCC of Great Britain).

It was decided that the Headquarters of the Federation should he located at the Headquarters of The Veteran Car Club of Great Britain, 14, Fitzhardinge Street, London, W1, and that the first officially sponsored Rally of the Federation would be the Pioneer Automobielen Club’s Fifth Anniversary Rally from October 6th to 8th, 1961, at Utrecht.

Further details of the Federation and its activities may be obtained from the Press Officer of the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain.