Veteran to Classic

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The ex-Brooklands EHP which has appeared in a few VSCC events since the war, powered by a replacement Alfa Romeo engine, is now given a more appropriate CIME engine. This is the mahogany-bodied, staggered-seat EHP which AW Haynes drove at the Track in 1927, the entrant being de Reuer. It was never as successful as the similar aluminium-bodied EHP racer by GW Olive (who had a garage near Guildford and later drove Standard cars in competitions) being less reliable and almost 13mph down on lap-speed in relation to Olive’s car, which won the 1926 President’s Gold Plate handicap by over a mile, at just over 89mph, and proved capable of lapping at 96.33mph, gaining also two second places, the last in 1933.

Nevertheless, it is good to know that another ex-Brooklands’ car had survived. When I went to look at it at Ernie Allen’s establishment, where the new engine will be overhauled, I was impressed with this typically-French racing car, its two-bearing overhead-camshaft power-unit having the Cozette supercharger and carburettor bolted directly to the front of the block with an aperture in the radiator to accommodate the nose of the blower. The body was clearly the work of a skilled boat-builder and the mahogany theme is used for the bonnet, which is reinforced with aluminium on the undersides. The chassis sits on long, flat half-elliptic springs, the tyres for the moment are 500 x 18s, and there is a four-branch exhaust manifold. The radiator cowl, with EHP of Paris badge, has survived, as has the unexpectedly large petrol tank, accommodated in the long bulbous tail. Both these EHPs had 68 x 103mm (1495 cc) four-cylinder engines.

After looking at this EHP I had a satisfying ride in an absolutely immaculate and original Type 43 Bugatti, which made all the right noises, music to an enthusiast’s ears, and is one of the quickest of its kind remaining, a car over from America for engine balancing. Ernie Allen was also restoring a 1930 A7 with fabric GE Cup Model body, no doubt with his daughter’s motoring baptism in mind. WB

Burney

In last month’s description of the Burney Streamline car I inadvertently stated that Sir Barnes Wallace, inventer of the wartime “bouncing bomb” and the Vickers Wellington bomber, etc, had designed the ill-fated R101 airship. In fact, he was responsible for the successful private-venture R100. WB