Veteran to Classic
Jointly organised by the Jaguar Car Club and the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, the Jaguar Spares Day will be held at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire on Sunday, October 28th. Gates open at 9.30am and admission costs £1.50 with children under 14 free.
The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club is also involved in a “Meet the Motoring Press” at 8.00pm on Thursday, November 22nd. The venue is the “Packhorse and Talbot”, 145 Chiswick High Road, London W4. Further information from Keith Trotter on 081-743 3627.
The Morris Bullnose Club had a scoop story in its magazine for August/September, about a journey made in 1930 from Cape Town to Cowley, England in a 1934 Morris Oxford tourer bought for £20, and crewed by Margaret Belcher and her lady companion. The Club hoped to have the companion’s daughter at a show of the lantern slides made of the epic journey, at one of their Oxford meetings. A much more recent Morris marathon is that to Russia by a member of the club, in his bullnose Morris.
Those who believe that historic motor industry buildings should be preserved will be distressed to learn that the great ex-Argyll factory and office buildings in Alexandria, Glasgow is now in a sorry condition. However, according to the local newspapers, it may yet be saved.
The annual turn-out of the 12/50 Alvis Register at Hartley Wintney last June had the support of 34 Alvis cars, all 12/50s or 12/60s apart from seven Silver Eagles and two 12/40s.
The Vintage SCC went to Kent for its October 16th rally which started from the Great Danes Hotel near Maidstone. 60 had entered, but a Chrysler 70, a Swift Ten, L Wickham’s 12/50 Alvis, a 3-litre Bentley, a 2-litre Lagonda, an Alvis Silver Eagle and a Riley Lynx did not start and those which failed to finish were an 18/80 MG, an Alvis Speed 20 and a replica C-type MG. D March’s Brescia Bugatti was penalised for riding on a trailer to the scene of operations.
Results. 1st Class Awards: J Potter (Lea-Francis), P Weston (A7), K Burnett (12/50 Alvis), R Fayter (Riley 9). 2nd Class Awards: G Toms (Fiat 505B), C Hanna (A7), G Glover (12/50 Alvis), J Creed-Miles (A7), C Newby (Alvis SE), P Riley (4 1/4 Bentley), R Keyworth (A7), B Ducker (Riley 9). 3rd Class Awards: C Marsh (A7), A Jones (30/98), P Longden (3-litre Bentley), A Ducker (12/60 Alvis), J Harris (Lagonda Rapide). Of course, the navigators deserve some, sometimes all, of the credit. WB
Nathan’s Studio, the emporium for all things Ferrari in literature, models and gifts, is holding its fourth annual exhibition of Ferrari Art. The address is Nathan’s Studio, College Farm, High Street, Pulloxhill, Beds. For further information contact Nathan Beehl on 0525 718508.
The ERA name lives on, apart from the very regular and highly successful appearances of these cars at historic car race meetings, because ERA is now a part of the Jack Knight Group of Companies, and ERA Specialist Cars has been formed to make the ERA Mini Turbo. The original ERA concern was moved from Bourne to Dunstable, Beds in 1946 but the racing project faded out and in 1953 was sold to Bristol Cars, who campaigned the successful Bristol 450 Le Mans cars, etc. The Zenith Carburettor Company then took over, and later became part of Solex, the company name changing to Engineering Research and Development — but ERA retained a motor sporting connection with the preparation of competition cars for the Rootes Group, driven by Stirling Moss and Sheila van Damm among others. Pioneering work was done on emission control etc at the former ERA works at Dunstable. Then in 1986 Fuel Tech PLC took over and the title was later changed to the Jack Knight Group PLC, now with a turnover of some £4 million and employing 55 people. WB