Afterthoughts
The entire entry came unscathed through the 768-mile run from Edinburgh to Chichester, with the exception of the unfortunate 1906 Stanley steamer. Average speed had to be maintained between 25 and 35 m.p.h.
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To enable him to do this after a late start from Darlington, Deane had a very efficient police escort for his 1913 12/16 Sunbeam.
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To whose inspiration do we owe the presence at Goodwood of a vintage Packard breakdown truck?
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Amongst the spectators at South Harting was a gentleman who remembers the speed hill-climbs there dating from 1913 and who has a scrap-book relating to them. * * *
Breen’s Bentley was examined in Scotland by a knowledgeable person who, when asked why he was so interested, said he was “W.O.” Breen thereupon asked if his Bentley could be said to have been decently restored. “Why,” replied WO., “we never turned out the new ones as well as that!”
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How often did Austin Clark slide his three spare covers on and off the Pierce-Arrow’s tyre drum?
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Whose dog, sans collar, did the bending test at Goodwood in company with the Stutz Bearcat? And which member of the cheerful Sussex constabulary ran fastest in chasing it?
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How do the Americans contrive to keep so clean-looking when riding in such exposed cars in English weather? Mrs. Buckley deserves special credit for occupying the bucket-seat of her husband’s 1914 Mercer Raceabout.
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In defiance of the writings of a certain Dr. Kinsey six of the ten American competitors brought their wives with them and the Kissel pair were celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary. The British? The number of wife-passengers was the same!
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The following makes of cars entered for the V.S.C.C. Concours d’Elegance : A.C., A.B.C., Alfa-Romeo, Alvis, Austin, Autocrat, Ballot, Bentley, Belsize-Bradshaw, Bugatti, Calthorpe, Clement-Talbot, Crossley, Deemster, Delage, Essex, Fiat, Frazer-Nash, Gwynne, Hampton, Hispano-Suiza, Humber, Invicta, Jowett, Lagonda, Lancia, Lea-Francis, Le Zebre, Lincoln, Marmon, Mercédès-Benz, M.G., Morris-Cowley, Morris-Oxford, Napier, O.M., Peugeot, Riley, Rolls-Royce, Rover, Sunbeam, Talbot, Vauxhall, Voisin, Wolseley, Wolseiey-Siddeley — and that doesn’t include the V.C.C. entries, which contained Benz, Panhard, de Dion, Renault, Sunbeam-Mabley, Beaufort, Cadillac (driven fast by F. S. Bennett), Gladiator, Humberette Darracq Oldsmobile Wolseley, Albion, Cupelle, Lanchester, Napier, Rover, Mercédès, Clement-Talbot, Zedal (driven by Mrs. Mawer), Adler, Ford, Maudsley, Metallurgique, Daimler, Th. Schneider, Sunbeam, A.C., Delage, Enfield, Unic, Perry, Rolls-Royce, Star and Swift. Nor the vintage and veteran motorcycles, numbering Slinger, Quadrant, Motosacoche, B.S.A., Rover, Singer, Zenith, Premier, Sunbeam, James, Harley-Davidson, Triumph, N.U.T., Indian, Douglas, Norton, Scott, A.J.S., Coventry-Eagle (a fine big-twin), Ariel and Brough-Superior.
Nostalgic? And these were only the cars officially entered in the Concours d’Elegance and do not embrace the many other old cars which were present on this notable occasion.
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Accompanying the American team was T. McKelvie’s 1929 Model-J Duesenberg roadster, said to develop 265 b.h.p.