Kenneth Wilfred Bear, whose ex-Abecassis "3.3" Grand Prix Bugatti (running un-supercharged) overturned during practice for the Jersey race, was 43 years of age and leaves a widow and two daughters, to whom the sympathy of the entire sporting world will be extended. No one was more steady or safer-looking in a racing car's cockpit than Bear, and brake failure is thought to have caused the tragedy...
Times are hard, but racing memorabilia is still selling
Even in these troubled times, auction records are still broken on a weekly basis. In fact, an auction hardly passes without a press release containing the words ‘record price achieved’ or ‘new world record set’. But when a car registration number sells for £397,500 at the Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale, setting a new record (the previous was...
The Story of the "Spider" and other G.N. Matters
After the Gold Cup Meeting at Oulton Park, I met Basil Davenport, creator of the immortal "Spider" which held the Shelsley Walsh Hill-Climb record in 1926, 1927 and 1928, and spent the rest of the weekend with him at his charming house in Macclesfield, to glean the true story of his remarkable G.N.
Basil Davenport took to motoring at art early age...
With the continuing uncertainty over the future of Brooklands, the words "Prohibited Area" hung heavily over the 17th Annual Reunion in July. Most of the activity centred on the post-war runway in the middle of the complex, with access being denied, during building operations at least, to any of the Members Banking, Clubhouse area, or Finishing Straight. Some of the Byfleet Banking was however...
An interview with Stafford East
One of the articles which excited me very much when I was a small boy, reading avidly all the motoring papers I could lay my hands on, was that headed "The Fastest Cyclecar in The World!" which appeared, with nine enticing illustrations, in The Light Car & Cyclecar on June 16th, 1920. It was a description of Captain A.G. Frazer-Nash's famous GN "Kim", which the...
For many people the Type 59 is the best-looking of all the racing cars built by Ettore Bugatti, the whole car exuding a slender elegance, set off by the finely spoked wire wheels. Like so many racing cars, the Type 59 Bugatti was late in being completed and suffered by being technically obsolete by the time it appeared. The project was started in 1932 to try to combat the "monoposto" Alfa Romeo...
The stop-press which Motor Sport published last month of the Jersey Race covered the outstanding features of that rather dismal event and not much remains to be said. The fatal accident to K. W. Bear was most unfortunate. A policeman and a race official also died and two other persons were badly injured. Such accidents are liable to happen in many sports, and it will be a thousand pities if, in...
We Hear
F. P. Thornpson is getting good service from a 1925 Austin "Heavy Twelve-Four" and considers that the more stolid vintage cars should receive their meed of praise. He would exchange a rather rusty model T Ford for Austin spares and knows of bits and pieces for 1913 G.W.K., Overland, Chrysler, Buick and other cars. A 2-cylinder Renault in reasonable condition is apparently for disposal...
WE HEAR
Incredible as it may seem, yet another side-valve Bamford and Martin Aston has come to light, A. T. Brook, of Lincolnshire, reporting ownership of a 2-seater, with 8 ft. 9 in. wheelbase. It is car number 1,931, registration number XR49, and he Would be pleased to hear from other owners of these cars, or of this one in particular. Lieut. J. P. Shenton, R.N., who has an elderly Anzani...
Club News
WE HEAR
Apart from the Horstman and A.B.C. mentioned elsewhere in this issue, another early small car, but of rather different conception, exists in Amersham, in the form of Stafford East's touring V-twin G.N. He is assembling it from a large collection of G.N. parts, making up the body from data obtained from memory and photographs, so that it will be virtually a new car. He has also...