Veteran to classic

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Welsh lightweights

The annual Light Car Weekend of the VSCC in Wales, enhanced by sunshine, was especially successful this year. With six tests to a novel formula, Seymour Price devised a fine scenic route consisting of nine exacting hills, eight of them new, and a drive along a disused railway.

The 68 competing cars were mostly regulars, including four GNs each with a different type of engine: Barry Clarke relied on his “four-pot” Ruby, Edward Riddle on four push-rod-prodded vertical valves, John Blake on a Vitesse ohc vee-twin and Mike Bullett on an ioe vee-twin. Note that the lowest-powered, Bullett’s, won the trophy for best overall performance!

Robin Batchelor had found yet another Morris-Cowley, a rare 1916 two-seater. Other “Edwardians” were Harris’ big Renault, Knight’s Hillman light-car, Teeder’s vee-twin Riley, a 5CV Citroen, Dowell’s Sunbeam, the Buick Type 28 roadster with high-set gear-gate, and Stanton’s Rochet-Schneider saloon with one-time gas-fed searchlight. Beaded-edge tyres were also on Thomas’ “new” 1924 A7 replica sports-model, one of the 8/18 Humbers and Ian Walker’s Gwynne 8.

Tony Carlisle was back in his smart Type KJ1 Renault (its starting handle wearing a nose-bag) and Sir John Venables-Llewelyn used his A7; his daughter Georgina, in her A7, did well in her first trial. Rosoman in his 9/20 Humber was in friendly rivalry with his wife’s A7.

King’s CGSS Amilcar broke a gear-selector and Clark’s GN appeared to have rear-end pains on the run home – otherwise troubles were few.
WB