VSCC looks to a younger generation

It’s all too easy to look at a set-up like the Vintage Sports-Car Club and immediately think tweed, pipes and slippers – writing it off as not being a scene for younger people – but you’d be totally wrong. Within the VSCC, there’s an ever-growing community of younger enthusiasts, with myself included at the age of 28. I first got involved with the club through my father Steve Smith, who has always had an interest in motor sport.

I remember attending many Prescott hillclimbs with my dad, and it became a tradition to grab a tent and head off to enjoy a weekend there with friends. Dad decided to take the leap himself and buy a 1930 Ford Model A to have a go at trialling. He flew to Detroit to buy the car and had it shipped back to the UK by boat. It arrived in Southampton months later, with a display card from the States saying “Please do not touch”. If only they could see her now! She was named ‘Bess’ after my late grandmother, and so our VSCC adventures began.

At the time I was only 13, but as soon as I passed my driving test I was keen to compete. You can take part in some VSCC events from as young as 14, and it’s great to see more and more youngsters getting involved – James Blakeney-Edwards and Isobel Carvell-Crook to name just two others!

I don’t think you can understand the pull of vintage cars and the VSCC until you experience it first-hand. From the first trial we attended, I was hooked. We turned up to our first event, The Exmoor Trial, five-up in the Model A with a dog… Luckily it was cancelled due to snow because there’s no way we’d have got round like that! It’s funny to look back at how little we knew but everyone was always so welcoming and encouraging.

“This year I plan to take part in trials, driving tests, hillclimbs and races”

From starting out trialling I got the chance to try some speed events, thanks to the generosity of some kind members. William Hildyard first lent me his Riley Brooklands for a summer before entering Prescott as my first speed event. I was then introduced to Alisdaire Lockhart, who went on to lend myself and another (now very successful) youth member Jack Bond his Vauxhall A/D Type, which sparked my love of Edwardian cars.

This year I have a plan to take part in a variety of events in our own cars, including trials, driving tests, hillclimbs, sprints and races. I couldn’t do it without the support and expertise of my father, who prepares our cars. I do get involved and help where I can and am keen to learn more about fettling them. Later on in the year I’ll be out again in our Morris Minor Special. Engineered and created by my father, we named it ‘Mord’ as it sits on a Morris Minor chassis but has a Model A engine under the bonnet. Small but mighty.

Our first event will be the Exmoor Trial, and we’ve got a bit of maintenance to do before then – namely replace some tyre inner tubes to cure a few slow punctures – and then it’ll be onwards and upwards. The VSCC offers half-price entry fees to under 30s, which always helps with budgets. I would encourage anyone interested in vintage motoring to come to any event, meet some of the people and see what’s so special about it all.

Next month: Kicking off 2023 at the Exmoor Trial