Miniatures news, March 1965

Two new Corgis this time, of special interest. The first is a F.1 Lotus Climax, claimed to be the most perfect die-cast model racing car ever produced. The front and rear suspension details are faithfully reproduced, the fuel-injection ports and exhaust system, roll-bar, screen and steering wheel are beautifully detailed, as are the rear-view mirrors, and the driver looks like J. Clark. All this in a correctly-coloured model 3-1/2-in. long. It is No. 155 in the range and is likely to be in great demand.

The other miniature, which Corgi had on sale less than rwo weeks after Timo Makinen had won the Monte Carlo Rally, is this winning Mini-Cooper, with sump-guard, rally seats, ropes, tools, competition plaques, four head and three yellow spotlamps, all jewelled to give a flashing effect—in fact, the lot, for the U.K. price of 4s. 9d. retail. If Corgi repeat this performance every year, collectors will be abe to build up a line history of the Rally, so make sure of the 1965 winner now. The multiplication of Minis No. 52 will not be so contrary to real practice—while the actual winning car was at the Racing Car Show we kept on encountering “winning Minis,” all bearing No. 52, in the showroom windows of provincial B.M.C. dealers! — W. B.
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Film review
“The Spirit of Brooklands” (The Rank Organisation, “Look at Life” series).

An invitation to a preview of this film seemed a great treat, in view of my nostalgia for Brooklands Track. It was a bitter disappointment. Running for only about 10 minutes, the history of Brooklands is confined to haphazard, rapidly-changed shots of miscellaneous car racing, starting with a record-attempt by K. Don in the Sunbeam “Cub,” the commentator saying Don got round at 104-1/2 m.p.h.—in fact, he was lapping at over 127 m.p.h. Apart from a view of the public enclosure showing vintage cars, including a Salmson, brief glimpses of Pole’s giant Mercedes and a Bentley during the 1929 500-Mile Race, a line-up circa 1928 with Spero’s B.C. Austin Seven in the foreground, and Segrave immediately after winning the 1926 J.C.C. 200-Mile Race in the Talbot, camera and commentator dismiss Brooklands’ illustrious past.

The flying history of Brooklands is disposed of after a brief shot of a Sopwith Pup in the air over modern Farnborough and the bulk of the film is devoted to glorifying the Vickers’ Super VC10 air-liner and how it is made. Even then, a test flight is filmed from Wisley, not Brooklands! As a means of reminding members of the aircraft industry of the fine British aeroplanes they might have made but for the change of government, this “Look at Life” may have some purpose. But this commercialism was not the spirit of Brooklands, but its desolation. As a tribute to Brooklands car enthusiasts will regard the film as a rank achievement. — W.B.
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Stolen

Sir,

Between January 29th and 31st, 1965, the factory and store of the Ford Development Projects on the Slough Trading Estate was broken into and three racing-car wheels, complete with tyres and tubes, were stolen. The tyres are marked 550L-15 Dunlop Racing CR48WT and the hubs are stamped 15 x 6-1/2 L-RW 3860 Record Record Route Borrani, Milano. These wheels are specially made for the new Ford GT racing cars and are of no use to anyone outside the trade. They will not fit the ordinary production-type cars. If any of your readers have information concerning them, will they please get in touch with this office or any police station.

H. Bowker (D./Supt.). – Bucks County Constabulary,

Chief Constable’s Office, Aylesbury.

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The “Smalls”

Again with regard to the “smalls” census in your November and January issues, Mr. Madge and Mr. Bruce have omitted these fairly obvious ones.

“Drophead coupé”: cylinder head tends to drop off at over 40 m.p.h.

“Best in the country”: Tibet?

“Metallic green”: green with the odd patch of metal.

John R. Hughes – Preston.

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Bristol O.C. started

At the Annual General Meeting of the B.M.W. Car Club, membership of which has hitherto been open to owners of Bristol cars, it was decided to form a separate Bristol Owners’ Club which, whilst continuing to be run by the Committee of the B.M.W. Car Club, will have a separate identity and, eventually, its own badge and regular publications. Particulars of membership can be obtained from the Hon. Membership Secretary, G. C. Oxley-Sidey, 32, The Avenue, Cheam, Surrey. Tel.: Vigilant 3912.