The Ex-Fontes' Squire

The only track racing version of the twin-cam Squire sports car was that ordered by Luis Fontes (winner of the 1935 JCC International Trophy race in a Monza Alfa Romeo and Le Mans with Hindmarsh in a Lagonda in 1935 etc), the body for which was made by Markham’s of Reading. Fontes first drove his car in the BRDC British Empire Trophy race at Brooklands in 1935 but after nine laps the crankshaft broke. He raced again that year in the BRDC 500-mile race, leading the 1-1/2-litre class until the underslung chassis broke up, fracturing the fuel tank, at 54 laps.

However, a third place was obtained in a BARC Mountain Handicap at the October Brooklands Meeting. After that parts of this one-off Squire were used for the sports cars and finally the Vanden Plas body from the Hon Sherman Stonor’s Squire was put on the Fontes chassis, which was later dismantled, in about 1948. Now if sufficient original parts can be traced, which most apparently have been, the car is to be rebuilt by the Squire SCC, and a body made for it by the Renaissance Classic Car Co of Hednesford. W B