V-E-V Miseellany

Nice to encounter a Trojan tourer making its way towards Oxford, along the A40 road and to see it easily overtake a farm tractor. But one wonders why it was decked out in such a waspish, non-original finish? The Mulliner Austin 7 Register now lists a remarkable total of 25. Mulliner-bodied Sevens. Its Registrar, M. Tebbett, who is always pleased to hear of any more such cars, tells us that his 1930 Mulliner Saloon is off the road at the moment but that a 1932 Monaco saloon provides a Substitute which is in virtually everyday use, supplemented by a (trouble-free) Triumph Dolomite Sprint—an ideal pair, comments the Registrar. Hugh Torrens who compiles that erudite FWD Alvis history, is anxious to learn More about RAC scrutineering of prewar races of the calibre of the TT, Le Mans, etc. Someone who was responsible: or who did the work must, he thinks, still be about and he would be most grateful if they would Contact him, c/o Motor Sport, to fill in gaps which the present-day RAC knows nothing about. A 90 mm. camera view-finder has been found by a reader at a vintage-car meeting and will be returned if the owner can he traced—letters can be forwarded.

Among the many awards presented at the National Austin Seven Rally at Beaulieu were the Austin Cup to Phillip Ruff for his 1924 Chummy and the Montagu Cup to the same owner’s 1937 Ruby saloon. Mrs. Dorothy Gordon England presented the GE Trophy to John Wilcock for his Gordon England Austin and Mrs. Miggie Bruce won the Leyland Cars Trophy with her 1930 tourer. Esso and Leyland helped with the event and Pat Driscoll and Lord Montagu helped with the prize presentation. We were indeed sorry to hear that Edward Sawers died recently, at the age of 87; he attended both the first and the last meetings at Brooklands and most of those in between, apart from having raced a flat-twin Douglas light-car there in the early I920s, and before that, in 1903, he shared a 1903 Mercedes with his elder brother, in Scotland. We are also sorry to hear that Mr. Lea, of the old Lea-Francis concerts, is seriously ill.

The 750 MC has a rally at Donington Park on September 26th, with live classes for pre-1939 cars. Details from: P Bradfield, 118, East Road, Langford, Beds. The 12/50 Alvis Register Bulletins have recently contained Eric Banfield’s illustrated history of the 1924 Alvis racing ears, a 200-Mile Race model of which he has splendidly rebuilt and is racing, and Hugh Torrens’ erudite sorting-out of FWD Alvis racing history. A Continental Touring Guide published in 19117 by Lord Montagu’s father can be seen at the I lolielar Motoring Exhibition which will be based at Beaulieu’s National Motor Museum until September 5th and then visit other museums. Various items Out of camping history are included in this exhibition, and we are reminded that the first British motel opened at Boroughbridge in 1934. There is a picture depicting a light plywood-covered caravan towed by a 12/24 Lagonda light car. The Austin 7 Clubs’ Association has issued another of its magazines, which contains a number of articles about vintage Sevens. A Type 51 Bugatti has apparently been rebuilt in Australia where an ex-Brooklands Frazer Nash with new body and radiator is for sale. In Japan a Honda designer is rebuilding a Lagonda Rapier. Myreton Motor Museum threw a party last month to celebrate its 10th Anniversary. The bare remains of a wooden-wheeled early Renault chassis, less engine. have been salvaged from beneath a chicken-shed in Lincolnshire and information is the number on the diff-casing being 81221-17708-C. The chassis has a frame and and steeply Cambered 1/2-elliptic back springs. Scottish Alvis Day takes place at Bush House, Milton Bridge, near Penicuik, Midlothian, on September 5th, Beauty at 11.30 a.m tests at 2 p.m. From Joseph Bolingham Ltd., of Bewdley, come some old photographs of the “Jay-Bee Easyfix” non-skid chains they made before and for a time after the war. These were twin or triple chains easily .strapped to a wheel in three places; the pictures show them being fitted to a fabric Saloon Austin 12 with dummy hood-irons and screen and side-window vizors, to a later Austin saloon, and to a two-seater which is probably a Morris-;Cowley; also fitted to wire wheels shod with Dunlop 90 tyres and to wheels for Ford VS and SS cars. Rolls-Royce Ltd. used their famous 1906 Silver Ghost to “recce” the route for next year’s proposed Windsor-Ascot Silver Jubilee Rally recently.