Chic

Sir,

Having recently been transferred by my employers from Sydney to Adelaide I was particularly interested in your “Fragments on Forgotten Makes” dealing with the Chic in your August 1969 issue. I am sure you would be interested to know that there are at least two examples of this rare make still in existence. One is owned by a local member of the Vintage Sports Car Club of South Australia and I have been encouraging this body to write to you regarding details of this car.

The second one I have found is in the Birdwood Museum situated some 30 miles out of Adelaide, and is a chassis complete with four-cylinder Henry Meadows engine, which in fact has never been put on the road. It has only been a display chassis all these years. Talking to the Curator, he told me that some years ago Mr. Chick paid a visit to the Museum, not knowing the chassis was on display. One can imagine his surprise and pleasure. It is not known whether Mr. Chick is still alive but apparently he was a man of considerable abilities. He made one comment that he always felt his company should have gone into production with the six-cylinder rather than the four-cylinder with which they launched the project and which made up practically their entire output. In fact, I understand, only some half-dozen or so sixes were ever put on the market and the public’s response to them was more enthusiastic. The project died soon after the introduction of the sixes owing to fierce competition from the mass production coming from the big names of the time.

John L. Phillips – Glen Osmond, S. Australia

[This correspondent has since confirmed that Mr. Chick, at 73, is alive and well in Sydney.—Ed.]