V-C Miscellany, August 1993

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On the subject of the demolition of historic buildings with a motor industry past, we have been tipped off, as the journalists say, that the works where the victorious British Vanwall GP cars were made is to be destroyed and replaced by an office block or a supermarket (Vandervell has moved to Scotland and the former site is now called Vanwall Business Park), and that the famous, or infamous, “Jam Factory” at Maidenhead, where Marendaz Special, GWK, Burney Streamline and other cars were once built, before being taken over by Brillo, has since been demolished and replaced by offices; the marketing suite is named Marendaz House and other buildings include Burney Court, which is some consolation! Cluley Register reports nine surviving cars of this rare make, of which at least three are restored and running.

All are 10.5 hp models ranging from 1921 to 1925, including a 1923 version with fixed cylinder head and other differences. The Registrar, Roger Armstrong, who owns a 1924 two-seater, would be glad to hear of any other Cluley cars, or memories of them, etc. His address is: 18, The Woodlands, Esher, Surrey KT10 8DB. He reckons that Clarke Cluley Ltd made probably 750 to 800 cars between 1920 and 1927, over 200 of these sold in 1924, when they reduced their prices. One untraced, possibly surviving, car was illustrated in Motor Sport in July 1957 — any clues? Pull-out folder depicting 18 Amilcars and Salmsons reminds us that the rally of Les Amis d’Amilcar will take place at Waterloo, Belgium, on August 28/29. Apart from these well-known French sports-cars, Fiat, D’Yrsan, SimaViolet, GN, Bignan, BNC, Morgan, Darmont, Benjamin and d’Aoust small cars and cyclecars are welcome. Details from E de Dedellwaerder, Rue d’Eau 5, B-1420, Braine, Belgium. W B