Historic Motosport Show [ Race Retro] - Stoneleigh 14/16th March 2008

The wet and stormy weather sweeping Britain did little to encourage the sporting enthusiasts to leave the comfort of their living rooms, as weekend TV blasted a full sporting programme of “Six Nations” rugby, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and the opening Formula One Grand Prix at Melbourne, Australia.

 Attendances were notably down this year in the main halls, although out in Halls 3 and 4, where most of the memorabilia and autojumble stands were situated, there seemed to be good crowds, and on Friday, Ted Walker [Ferrett Photographics] reported his best trading day ever, as he continues to acquire black and white negatives, including the recent purchase of the Robert Le Rive Box collection: a great discovery in his FJ folder was the first known picture of the front engined Dynatec FJ – now to try and find it! By contrast, in Hall 1, Barry Pook doubted if he had even covered his stand cost.

FJHRA were in their usual location, organised by Grant Wilson, with Duncan back from Australia, and Sarah there too on Friday, busy collecting forms and subs, and selling the Jubilee caps and sweaters [Have you got yours yet , while stocks last!?]. “Millers Oils” stickers were prominently displayed and a brand new “GOLDEN JUBILEE” sign topped the backdrop.  ”BJ” Colaric was helping out, while the ever enthusiastic Peter Jackson, staying the weekend with Simon and Catherine Armer,  doubled up for FJHRA and “Woody” [ Richard Neale]’s Cooper Car Club who sharing a corner of the stand. Our three prime exhibits, Jan Biekens’ FIA Lurani class winning Stanguellini, from the Jim Stokes workshops, and Mark Woodhouse’s Dolphin International FJ and his ex-Brian Berrow-Johnson Martin 500, recently restored by Reg Hargrave, and fitted with a new FIA approved Charlie Smith Norton drew the crowds. Elsewhere, Roy Wright’s Dastle Mk 1 500 graced the 750 MC stand, and he was about, with son Stuart.

It was a very busy stand on Friday for FJ, a bit less frenetic on Saturday, with Sunday, as before, quiet indeed. The regular foreign visitors were to be seen, Peter Kumlin; already entered for Brands Hatch in the Condor S III, and we hope to see him and the fellow Swedes at Goodwood for their customary “herring” party too, Swedish 500 regulars included Olle Linde, Per Hageman [with whom Duncan was busy talking about Swedish information for the new Historic FJ and 500 Record Books], and Lars Hageman, Rickard With and Kent Persson, hoping that there might be an entry at Goodwood for Pente to show his true pace in the Kiehn special 500. The Italian contingent seemed a little smaller; bearded Milanese lawyer, Carlo Maria Del Conte was looking forward to his Monaco drive in the red Taraschi, Lorenzo Prandina seemed loaded with purchases, while “ Millers Oils” Italian representative, Marco Milanese promised to help encourage some of our Italian Stanguellini drivers through the language barrier for the Monza Golden Jubilee races.  Jason Wright brought up-to-date news about those festivities, whilst also looking forward to Monaco and a full FIA Lurani season in his ex Sergei Leone Stanguellini, while his friends Jo Colasacco and Laurence Auriana plan to bring out the rear engined “Delfino” Stanguellini again, but now to be with correct Collotti gearbox; Fausto Zanetti was updating me on the various Lancia-Dagradas.

From near Hamburg, Germany VWs Claus Myhr , with son, Bossa, who is working permanently in the London fashion industry , was deep in conversation with Peter Jackson on T56 matters. The Envoy Mk 2 will shortly be for sale, and for those looking for a great Class D car with Goodwood potential , there may be a queue heading for Halstenbek. Following its major Ford engine blow up at the OldTimer GP in 06, it will be for sale without motor, but comes with a spare gearbox as well. This, chassis 210, appears to be the only Mk 2 produced by King and Sewell in Chelmsford, while from Switzerland came Urban Fassler, ready for a full season with all his Bliss Racing FJs , and a smiling Erwin Van Gelder, starting a new business as minority shareholder based from their newly refurbished home near Troyes, and no longer working in Paris. We are sorry that Mogens Christensen has sold the Alfa Dana , but both he and our Copenhagen GP friends were down from Denmark, and the entry forms are already out for the usual Formula Junior race round the familiar [long] street circuit, with funding now enlarged and secured , under new management structures.  Åke Axelsson was keen to buy the only copy of the Formula Junior Record Book on show, and we thanked him and Leif Norberg again for the great FJ rescue of Duncan and Mair (and trailer) in Sweden last year; while Peter Collins, Ed McDonnagh and VRJ colleagues bought a copy of the 500 F3 record to help research for the new Trevor Taylor book.

Stoneleigh usually represents the “ beginning of Term” for FJ, but with Mallory Park last weekend, and 40 or more drivers gathered there, this was no longer so, and UK drivers were less plentiful…Paul and Susan Smeeth, with Paul, belatedly, receiving his “ Chairman’s Cup”, and Michael Waller showing photographs of another superb restoration well in hand, the ex-Howard Banaszack PM-Poggi 001 ,which he has recently acquired from Dr Mark Green, and he already has his eye on another front engined Ford powered FJ, although he would dearly love to be back in contact with Lou Pavesi, and acquire the original Hillwood FJ body for a total reconstruction. Brian Urlwin brought news of Norman Hillwood himself, while Mark Green was having a very busy show, with a non-stop succession of drivers taking their MSA  licence medicals. He will be taking the truck to Pau, Monza, Spa and Copenhagen and has room for more Juniors on all these trips.  Denis Welch is also looking for another Junior to share his transporter to Monza.

Tim Bishop is expecting the US Zetter FJ to dock within a week , and Bob Birrell, hero of our Australian trip, was down from the North with Professor John Monson, and reporting that Stuart Garmey has shipped the UK container due to arrive back after Easter . John Monson has joined a sub group on medico safety matters put together by HMSC Chairman John Hughes [absent from Stoneleigh, at the Melbourne GP] and was advocating extreme caution on the roller coaster HANS device movement, so far as Historics are concerned. Fed up, finally, by the lack of quality standards in the NHS, John is relocating with his family to Rochester, NY State in August, and plans to take many of the cars with him , including the BMC Mk 1 FJ, while leaving the rest, including the ex-Costin Lotus 20, with the Lyons family in East Anglia. Good news from the Lyons house is that they have secured an invitation for all THREE family members, Frank, Judy and 17-year old Michael in the FI race at Monaco – even though Michael can not yet drive on the road.  Also good news for Jack Woodhouse, who passed his ARDS test just before the Show, and will be out in the family Elva 100 in the first “ Junior Junior” race at Snetterton. Although you do NOT have to be an CSCC member to race in that series, you DO have to be a member of an MSA recognised club, so CSCC is a VERY cost effective option: however, FJHRA has, thanks to Vern Williamson [standing outside the Vatican, with Copper, at the time Duncan called him from the Show] already lodged application for FJHRA to be formally MSA registered, so that should solve the problem in time for the VSCC meetings at Donington Park “ See Red” and Oulton Park.

Several people asked why the front engined BRSCC race at Silverstone seems so expensive…well, Silverstone IS expensive on a Fee per minute basis (more than Anglesey!!), but what has escaped notice is that this is a REAL 25 minute race, not a 15 m sprint, and, if last year’s race, won by the amazing and intrepid [ now 79 year old ] David Stevenson is anything to go by, will be a real cracker . Duncan also sat down with VSCC’s Mike Stripe, who is a good supporter of Front Engined FJs at VSCC meetings and sorted out the arrangements for Front Engined race at VSCC Oulton Park on June 14th. With both the FJ UK “ Millers Oils” Championship and HGPCA at Spa that weekend, the race, which will be either TEN or TWELVE laps [NOT 5 as erroneously publicised] as well as one of the FJHRA front engined Series, will take the form of a Challenge race between Formula Junior, 2 litre Formula 2 [Cooper-Bristols, HWM, Aston-Butterworth etc]  and 1.5 Formula 2 [ Cooper-Climax, Smith F2 – and Jeremy Bouckley will be entering  - Lotus 12.. maybe Stuart Rolt will have the Laystall F2 ready ? ] in three classes. The meeting is dedicated to Mike Hawthorn, so it should be a great day, and a chance for front engined FJ’s to cement their position with the VSCC, and get a good bit of publicity.

Other stand holders included CSCC, and we confirmed that the ‘Junior Junior” series [but of course open to all FJ] first ever FJ race at Rockingham will be on the Sunday, to coincide with the main day for the Monoposto Club 50th anniversary celebrations. We saw Mono’s Brian Cox and (ex 500 Treasurer) Tony Cotton, but strangely their Club stand seemed to publicise nothing about their forthcoming anniversary. HSCC were opposite with CEO Graham White, Chairman Chris Sharples, and Office executives, Martin Attack, Alan Jones, and Emma all in attendance, but they were looking across rather wistfully towards our active stand… Next door was the Formula 2 stand, with a Brabham BT38 on display, and Tim Barrington in attendance early on... not nearly as active as the new 1000cc F3 Association stand headed by the enthusiastic Steve Wilkinson and  Keith Messer, who called on FJHRA a couple of times to look up details in the new draft of the Monoposto Formula statistical history [1959-1976] to find details of the Vesey F3 track appearances. The F3’s had a very good stand, with Steve’s BT 21 and a bare Chevron B9 Chassis frame. There were lots of visitors, and Steve had a book full of names and addresses, some wanting, some remembering, and others with cars in mothballs waiting for an opportunity; FJ have supported F3 for many years, and this year we look forward to seeing them with us, as usual,  at Mugello, Pau, Spa and the Gold Cup, [and joining them with 750MC for the “Junior Junior” race at Cadwell Park in early July] and we are pleased to see them take this leap forward, but with the ever increasing cost of buying a grid it will still be a long road to funding any of their own stand alone races.

HGPCA were there too, with Stella Jackson, VSCC President Martin Grant-Peterkin [shortly to retire after his three year stint] and Martin Eyre, just failing to get on to the committee, at the HGPCA elections, held at Show time, Sid Hoole and John Harper [voted back on] taking the two seats up for grabs, though Martin  E was co-opted back on anyway!! Although Martin G-P has been replaced on the FIA HMSC by rally man, Rod Parkin, who occasionally stewards for our Lurani races (on duty this weekend with John Symes in the MSA stand), Martin G-P remains on the Appendix K revision sub committee of HMSC.

Duncan Wiltshire and Motor Racing Legends always have the next door stand, and this year face a busy time with Le Mans classic, and having taken over the BRDC Sports car series after 1 year under HSCC care and control. Carol Spragg (nursing a broken arm from skiing) had plenty of copies of her latest issue of  “Historic Motor Racing News” with a full colour Formula Junior Golden Jubilee front cover and SIX full pages on Formula Junior inside, four historically from Alan Putt, and a report from the Antipodes from Ausper T2 driver, Dick Willis. In fact Formula Junior are really the highlight of historic racing journalism at the moment, with ANOTHER full page front cover, this time on the Paul Lawrence edited HSCC News latest issue, and the Deep Sanderson FJs featuring in Chris Lawrence’s autobiography, “Morgan Maverick” which was launched by Chris himself at the Show, signing copies, as did the lifetime legend Barry Williams with HIS autobiography, “Whizzo”, launched at the same time, while the Deep Sanderson “twinni” single-seater  DS 105 which Duncan has just passed back into Chris Lawrence’s ownership features in Charles Hubbard’s “Cars for the Connoisseur” who also had their stand. Ray Mallock was advertising the 50th anniversary of Mallock’s, and is looking for the Formula Junior U2s to appear at the all Mallock Anniversary race to be held at Silverstone on 23/24 August We missed the BRSCC stand, but found Mike Stripe, Bob Wimmer and John Staveley [Bulletin editor, who bought a copy of our 2 vol F1R Crystal Palace book], amongst the VSCC banners, one down on staff, as Rob Hubbard has recently defected to the Auction circuit, while H and H’s Simon Hope passed only afar, and we were not able to ask him about the disappointing auction sale of the Fafnir FJ; no news at the moment as to the eventual purchaser, whether end user, or dealer hoping for a quick turn. Young Adam Sykes is also at H and H, and he has brought back a Lotus 20 from USA, which is with Ed Cottam for work, whilst his Dad, John, sold HIS 20, from the boot of his car at the Show,  to Malcolm Cook, wife of Angela, who runs Duncan’s old DS 104, and who is hoping to be out before Brands. Martin Cowell [sharing a stand with our FJ period racer, Jeremy Bouckley, who drove his first FJ race at Easter after his 17th birthday!] in the really period North star  has committed to come to Brands Hatch, for his annual FJ outing.

Few foreign stands this time, but Patrick Quiniou and GPAO were present with Sana and other team members. It is a pity that, with the Brands Hatch date clash , we shall miss Age d’Or this year, but with two full Lurani’s at October Dijon and Paul Ricard,  as well as Pau, we shall still see plenty of Patrick. Finally, of course, Masters were in full presence, with Christopher Tate and Rachel, and a hobbling Ron Madden, after a scheduled knee op, there on Friday. With so many new series, and the general increase in grid and travel costs,  one can’t help thinking that they will be looking hard for entries, especially for Mugello, but there was much show about the joint Masters/HGPCA meeting at Donington Park. Silverstone Classic, run by Roger Etcells’  “Motion Works” had a big stand, and he was joined by their new investors, Toby Ward [new RAC representative on the FIA CHI] and brother Daniel, and Ken Pritchard-Jones ...Strange? No, after all, Motion Works are the VERY successful organisers of the RAC London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, and one cannot help being seriously impressed with the preparation of this years Classic @ Silverstone, where we are so pleased to have the first British round of the FIA Lurani Trophy.
With no Show Dinner this Year, [so FJHRA remain the winner of the last “Best Series of the Year” award, and HSCC, the best Club] Roger put on an exclusive and extremely pleasant informal dinner on Saturday night at the Hilton, Warwick, for those who are involved with the Silverstone Classic grids. Duncan, together with Grant and Penny Wilson attended, as did Grahame White. For the rest of the evenings, your standholders ate out in Kenilworth, firstly at their favourite Indian, and then at the local Italian, where they were joined for a jolly evening by Francisco Santos, and his Brazilian  wife Jo, Tony Steele, and Keith and Stuart Roach who had decided not to have their own stand this year, Stuart also being busy with his Classic Trials, and inline for a Gold again this year, so will sadly be missing Thruxton in favour of the Lands End Trial; We are already  planning the FJ race at Porto next year, and other news is that with increased housing, the days of the Estoril circuit look numbered, but a splendid new facility is being built in the Algarve . As for Villa Real, local races have taken place, and our other enthusiastic Portuguese friend, Alexandre Guimaraes, was telling us much about it, as he was competing in his ex-Tony Thompson Lotus Elan, for which he has received MUCH coverage in local Portuguese Classic Car magazines. By the way, we WILL not be returning to this Restaurant… Tasteless rice in water is poor substitute for a good risotto!!

Francisco left us with 6 copies of ‘Racing in Boavista 2007’, a hardback publication for sale (£25). Each competing car is pictured as well as many beautiful large-scale colour photos of Porto and the racing.

So, of the many other visitors, these included rather different long hair styles from John Truslove, and Andrew Taylor, suffering from lack of sleep following the birth of his and Elizabeth’s lovely new daughter, [with father in law, Peter Green, who will race the Britannia @ Brands Hatch, while Andrew will pedal the Envoy Mk 1] Denis Welch has had his shorn !! John Greenwood is making good progress with the Diggory Gwyniad FJ restoration. We have made a little progress to finding the whereabouts of the second car, but the trail is cold again… Mike Peck is back from his NZ holiday, now beaten to get a Tojeiro onto the FJ grid by Peter Hughes, while Kevin Musson has been busy editing the new Formula Junior Technical Regulations. Phil and Barbara Venables looked tired after their long Australian trip to both family and Phillip island, while Goodwood’s Jarrah was up too on Saturday, for a brief preview chat on Goodwood plans for FJs and 500s.

Only a very few other 500 faces this year, with Rodney Cummings and son Martin looking at their now pristine, old Martin. The CFS may no longer be for sale, which is a pity. Charlie Banyard-Smith looks cheerful these days. He once thought he was retired, but the renewed popularity of the FIA spec Norton engines, and a string of 500 restorations will keep him forever occupied in the farm outbuildings. He is currently working on Nigel Ashman’s ex Jack Mayes Cooper; the Parker Kieft and Bond fwd will hopefully come next, while Reg, next door, is progressing well with the second Martin, and has his eye on a third, while for FJ, he has the loan back of the Truslove BT6 for some tidying up and a few races. David Lecoq will be out again in the Petty, and friend David Whiteside is looking forward to getting his beautifully restored Cooper onto the track at last. Martyn Bayliss has only wheels problems to solve on the EGS before we can hope to see this interesting car out again.From France came Patrick Morin, bemoaning the French racers 500, and not least, Henri Julien, and the impossible task of pinning him down on the sale of either of the Volpini 500s, or getting some more copies of the 500 ”bible” which Henri wrote, which has now been tidied up and a few errors corrected for its second printing. Duncan was urging Patrick to produce definitive contact details for all his members, so they can be added to the central FJ and 500 circulation lists. Yvonne Gisclard plans to join the FJs at Dijon, but we hope he will also make the 500 only race at Croix-en-Ternois, for which there is much interest from the Swedes, although it is a long way from the South West of France to the North East !! Geoff Gartside was collecting a rebuilt engine from Andy Savage for his Mk 8 Cooper, ready for Snetterton, while Dennis Williams brought his draft FIA papers for the Arnott, and looks forward to a contest with the other Arnott, John Chisholm’s, at Snetterton, while John and Kitty were there to collect their new longstroke BMC from Tony Steele for the MkII Gemini.  Ewen Cameron had his own stand, with Tim Cameron also there, and interested in Project XR3. In the meantime their Mk 4 Cooper 500 / 1100 is for sale, while past customer of one of their Mk 2s , Tony Hodson, reports that he will be out again this year.

Both Peter and James Denty made appearances, with Duncan sending Peter off again to try to extract the Nike Mk 1 FJ, now that he has found racing pictures of this very attractive front engined car, and also to rethink the identity of the ex Oskar Christen, Irvine Laidlaw “ BT 6” now that the antipodean experts have pronounced it as a BT2! We hear from Phil Stainton that Irvine has not been well, while in South Africa, but is on the road to recovery, no doubt boyed by the news that the Torys will now be opposing the Government Bill that would take away the right to sit in the House of Lords from those peers not Resident and Domiciled in UK, although Irvine currently has, we believe, “leave of Absence”.  Robin Lackford still has his Elva 100 in bits, but Ian Robinson’s Autosud should be readier and faster for a good season, under his wings.
Others passing by included Crispian Besley, to whom we can attribute the real “spirit” of post race FJ parties, Alex and Louise Morton, Paul Davis, Brendan Roberts (and young son) and ex Alexis and Project X driver Philip Hancock who was interested to see Project XR3 (alias Alexis HF 801) for sale in the ‘cow sheds’ alongside the Pallister F.Atlantic, also ex Terry Ogilvy Hardy, which Peter Denty had recently restored.  Not least we had  chats with “The Automobile” editor Michael Bowles on the failure of FIA HC applicants to supply much or sometimes any proper documentary evidence to support their applications, Ian Titchmarsh who sadly looks to miss many of the FJ feature events with his BTCC commentating commitments and of course Marcus Pye who has helped so much with FJ snippets in ‘Autosport’ and in smoothing the way with HTP applications needed in a hurry, as does Robert Ellis who remains with MSA now Marcus has been retired to Poole.
Gordon Wright, now with 12” wheels on his Stanguellini and reporting on his visit to Delio Galassi’s emporium in Italy with Taraschi and Stanguellini FJ’s and FIAT parts as far as the eye can see. Tony Pierson has also been well served by Delio, and his Bandini is nearly ready for its HTP; while Mike Gregory hopes to have his De Tomaso FJ ex USA reading for Brands Hatch, and has been chasing another ISIS in USA, now sold ahead of him. Still no sign of 007 that was in UK twenty or so years ago.

Doug Martin and Robin Longdon (with Susan) both had their separate stands. “Championship Plaques” and “Millers Oils” respectively and we sent Doug off with an order for all 18 Mugello Trophies: everyone is a winner in FJ!!  1969 British Sports Car Champion Trevor Twaites has just been to Houts Bay on the Cape and had a fascinating visit to Dickon Daggitt’s workshops, while George Duncan, former “Leedspeed” and Lotus 22 owner was planning a return to Monaco where he took all the FJHRA photos in 2006.
We also saw Cooperists Anthony Binnington and Steve Smith.

So now to Thruxton on Easter Sunday and Monday for R2 of the Millers Oils UK Championship…..

DCPR