V to C miscellany, March 1989

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Centenary celebrations for the city of Birmingham in January included a montage of the Calthorpe family, on whose land road cars, racing cars and motorcycles were made in that city. Standing before it was a 1913 Kynoch motorcycle representing a make produced in Birmingham from 1903 until that year.

The VSCC party at the Verzons wasn’t the only such New Year event. Another took place at the Old Thatched Inn at Adstock in Buckinghamshire, where the original Light Car Section Rally was once held, attracting amonst others three 30/98s, three WO Bentleys, including Ann Shoosmith’s team car, three Model A Fords, two Sunbeams and a couple of GNs. Over 50 attended in all, the distance award going to Portway and Woollard, who came 115 miles from Stowmarket in their 30/98.

Austin 7s scored strongly in last year’s Bwlchgwyn Trial, JP Proctor’s winning outright, Ann Shoosmith’s taking the Ladies’ Award, and Miss Strangward’s the Novices’ prize, with others netting third and fourth-class awards. In the long-chassis class the winner was David Hescroff (1935 AC), a Riley 9 taking a second-class award, a Morris Cowley a third-class, and a 12/50 Alvis a fourth-class award.

Congratulations to Roger Collings and his famous 1903 Mercedes who won the 1988 VSCC Lycett Memorial Trophy — the first such victory by a veteran car.

A Glasgow reader who is restoring a 31/2 Bentley Mulliner saloon requires an original wheel-nut hammer and Dunlop jack and handle. Letters can he forwarded.

Next June the Isle of Man Tourist Board hopes to be involved in the 75th Anniversary of the 1914 TT race. It is hoped that all three surviving Sunbeams, one of which won the race, will attend the celebrations together with Kenneth Neve’s Humber. WB