Wolseley Special Club of Inc

Hornet Special Newsletter

Issue 14 Mystery Uncovered!!!!!! March 2003 Malcolm Smith’s Hornet - designed by John Sherwood John Sherwood was one of the leading figures in motor sport in Highlights the 1930s – and of course is known to all Horneteers as the Captain of the victorious Maroubra Hornet relay team of 1933. Sherwood sometimes served as a judge in The special heritage of motor sport and, among other things, drove his MG NE Magnette to victory in the an ACT Hornet Special 1939 150-mile race at Bathurst, the fore-runner of today’s Bathurst 1000...... 1 Sherwood kept an extensive photographic record of his career, usually providing Annual Meeting and handwritten notes explaining the significance of each photo. Thanks to Terry Dinner Oct 10-12, 2003 McGrath, of Terry McGrath Motoring Archives, we have been provided with three ...... 3 photos from this collection. The first Subs now due ...... 3 shows Noel A chock full weekend for Spark in 2002 AGM and Dinner action in 1935 ...... 4 in the factory WA News ...... 6 racing Hornet The Hancock’s 1933 later used by Hornet coupe ...... 6 Jim Gullan in the 1936 Qld News ...... 7 Australian Discovered: Grand Prix. It Qld Sanction 127 ...... 7 was Spark Vic Sanction 114 ...... 8 who competed in the speed trials in Canberra on May 12 1935 in this car, which came with a written guarantee that it would do 102 mph. Hornet revelations from Perth archives ...... 8 The photo discovered by Terry shows Spark in a park setting, almost certainly The Domain in Sydney, where we have another photo showing Spark with the Castrol Trophy he won that year for dominating speed events in the hornet. Spark is sporting his familiar basin cut, and naturally wearing a three piece double breasted WHS Club Contacts suit. Secretary The second photo shows the Maroubra team cars in Dalgety’s showroom in Bill Russell, Phillip Street Sydney (that is their old showroom prior to moving to the streamlined ph (03) 93622862 art deco showroom in Woolloomooloo later in the 30s.) In this photo the registration Qld Contact Howard Kenward, number of each car is clearly shown and, in Sherwood’s handwriting, the name of ph (07) 3267 6046 each driver is given. Editor Other photos we have of the team show them at the track and at the gatehouse John Clucas, of Government House in Sydney, but none of the other photos clearly give the ph (03) 9872 3330 registration numbers of the cars, or attribute them to the drivers. The winning Horneteers in the showroom of Dalgety’s in Phillip Street, Sydney.

John Sherwood was justifiably proud of his own design of bodywork.

The same car around 1963.

Page 2 Hornet Special Newsletter The Government House photo is famous as a ring in, as one of the cars shown is a vertical dynamo 1931 model. Or, is the showroom photo a ring in? At any rate, this new photo gives us a lot more to work on. In the background of the photo, an advertising placard can just be made out “Wolseley Wave of Success for 1933”. The third photo contains the most interesting new information. Underneath a photo of a side view of what is indisputably Malcolm Smith’s car in a park setting, Sherwood has written “Special Body designed by Self for 1933 Wolseley Hornet Special”. Another interesting aspect is that this photo shows the vehicle clearly with two scuttle humps. The photo taken at the track shows Sherwood’s car with only a single hump. Another interesting feature of the new photo is that it shows the WHS monogram painted on the hubcaps of the Magna wheels. Malcolm Smith has confirmed that the The car during George Cannock’s ownership. monograms are still visible on the hubcaps, in red paint. To bring the story up to date, later photos shows the car with NSW registration BWR 539 and then ETD 119 Malcolm Smith’s car today. when owned in the ‘60s by George Cannock. Other owners included Rob Simpson and David Kerr, before it passed to Malcolm Smith, along with David Kerr’s 1934 WHS roadster. Clearly visible in most photos is the unusual slot in the left wing, to accommodate the spare. A further photo of the vehicle, as currently owned by Malcolm, appears left. For the record, the 1933 team members and the registrations of their cars were: John Sherwood 250-712 J St Heaps 2888 G Dinsdale 254-173 R Althouse 250-430

2003 Dinner will be Subscriptions now due oth Australian and UK subscriptions are due on April in central west NSW B1. If you would like to contribute to the club by being s a result of the successful towing of vehicles a paid up member, the following are your options: interstate to the 2002 dinner, the AGM decided Option 1: Pay nothing we’ll still send you the newsletter. Ato hold the 2003 dinner in central west NSW at Let us know though if you don’t want to receive it. Dubbo, Parkes, Forbes or Wellington. It was felt that such Option 2: $10 †This will pretty much cover the cost of a location offered many points of interest, and was keeping this newsletter going (it does cost us a bit in equidistant from the four major cities where are postage and printing), so if you like receiving it then this owned, viz: Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. is a good option. The date for the event will be 10-12 October 2003, Option 3: $70 †This includes the $60 subscription to the and more details will be provided in the next newsletter UK Wolseley Hornet Special Club and their excellent as to exact locations. John Prentice, Bill Russell and John magazines and spares service, together with a contribution Clucas are taking on the planning. Mark the date in your to the Australian group to cover printing, postage and diary and get your Hornet ready. handling. Cheques should be made payable to WHSC, We expect to be able to strike an economical deal with not to any individual person, and should be sent to the a car friendly motel in the area. As usual, UK members treasurer: John Ireland, 20 Durak Courts, 51 Hampton have been invited to attend. St, Durak, Qld 4077.

Issue 14 Page 3 The Brisbane Autokhana

Roger Banks can go backwards ...

but so can Bill ...

and Howard ...

and Chris.

Page 4 Hornet Special Newsletter Brisbane’s 2002 AGM and Dinner he Saturday’s visit to the garages of Brisbane A wonderful lunch accompanied that visit. members was a highlight of the weekend as it After lunch, a visit to the bowels of Howard Kenwards Tprovided the opportunity to see the various cars mother’s house revealed a variety of hornet restoration and projects. projects and parts amid the cobwebs and dust. Under David Monckton’s house he had his 1932 Chris Pike accompanied the tour in a strange (but Sanction 65 on show in many pieces. The Sanction 65 is magnificent) jalopy, but turned up in his Hornet for the unusual because it takes 19” wheels, and Bill Russell was Sunday’s motorkhana and cane toad squashing event. able to drop off a spare set of these brought up from Bill Russell and John Prentice arrived from Melbourne Melbourne for the purpose. and Canberra respectively with their Hornets. Bill had the pleasure of driving around Brisbane in his Hornet. John’s is very nearly complete and he should be able to do similarly very soon. The following office bearers were elected at the AGM: • President Howard Kenward • Vice President, NSW - John Summerfield • Vice President, ACT - John Prentice • Vice President, Vic - Richard Snedden • Vice President, WA - Peter Wells • Treasurer - John Ireland • Secretary - Bill Russell • Newsletter Editor - John Clucas The usual splendid hospitality was enjoyed by all, both at the clubrooms where the dinner was held and in the billeting and refreshment areas. Roger Banks represented the UK club, and John Prentice’s very tidy engine bay. traveled from Melbourne with Bill Russell. On the way, a particular highlight was a visit to Norman After inspections, David’s wife and their two girls Jones at Daysdale, where Roger had the opportunity of provided the gathered multitudes with an excellent conducting the Betty Corbin Hornet on a number of morning tea, with piano accompaniment. circuits of the woolshed until the car eventually expired At Henry Hancock’s place we examined his 1933 amid explosions. coupe (see story elsewhere) a remarkably intact car jammed sideways into the back of Henry’s garage. It Gerry Dunford riding in style. shouldn’t take too much work before it’s on the road again. We then visited Gerry Dunford and looked again at his magnificent Coachcraft aero coupe and the remains of other specials. At Lyle and Margaret Cooper’s place, Lyle’s 1933 Daytona was the next car for inspection.

Issue 14 Page 5 I have lowered the radiator bonnet line and fitted an WA News oil filter and brake booster, otherwise the car is standard mechanically. I have also opened out the ports on the from Peter Wells exhaust manifold to improve the breathing. Since the body is much lighter than the original saloon he Bob Grantham 1932 Hornet has now been I hope the performance will be reasonably brisk – I can’t completely rebuilt and licenced. It has a 4-seat see why these cars were considered lethargic since they Tsports tourer body similar in many respects to the are very similar ton the Fourteen Hornet Special, apart EW bodies of the period, but without the rounded rear from exhaust and inlet systems and they probably only panel. produced four or five extra BHP. I first saw the complete chassis of this car in a Perth backyard in the mid 1950s, along with a decrepit 1933 ********************* Hornet saloon, which unfortunately seems to have been A Wolseley Car Club has now been formed in WA but so dismantled, and most parts scattered to the four winds. far not much to show in the way of pre-war cars, mostly After moving from one owner to another, the 1932 BMC types but at least it is a step in the right direction. car finally ended up in the Grantham stable, having had ********************* various components worked on along the way, not It was great to find that the elusive West Australian necessarily correctly, or to a high standard. So Bob found Fourteen Hornet Special has at last surfaced after that he had to re-do much of the work done by others. many years out of circulation. It also means that my Bob has promised an article with photos of his rebuild, fruitless enquiries over just as many years can now so members can look forward to this. come to an end. ********************* Just to set the record straight. This car first appeared Peter Partridge is threatening to begin work on his 1934 on the streets of Perth in, if my memory is correct, 1951, ex-Brammer two seat Hornet Special, and work is still when I was terrorising pedestrians and motorists alike in proceeding on the 1933 Hornet Special owned by the my 1934 Hornet Special. Mackintosh Brothers. The 1935 car had been imported from England and was painted black not red as alleged in the last newsletter. ********************* It was repainted after the car changed hands perhaps a My 1935 Fourteen (originally Australian bodied saloon) year after arriving in Perth. is awaiting the final coats of paint, and then the hood and seats can be trimmed to virtually complete the job of ********************* building a two seat roadster body. A few more small jobs I now have more hope that both my 1934 and 1933 Hornet are needed to complete the mechanical restoration, and Specials will once more come to light – after all, when last then I should be able to present the car to the examiners seen they were both complete running cars in good order. for licensing. *********************

Hornet coupes abound ustralian Hornet coupes have Afeatured prominently in our recent newsletters, so why change a good thing. Our national get together in Brisbane last November gave many of us an opportunity to inspect Henry Hancock’s very complete and original 1933 Hornet coupe. Henry’s uncle gave him the car in 1984 and, with three children still at school, Henry says “... the reality is that it may be some time before I start serious work on it”. In the meantime the Hornet gets higher priority in the garage than other, lesser machines. Doesn’t it Henry. The Hancock’s coupe in 1969.

Page 6 Hornet Special Newsletter Qld News arly in January, Howard Kenward visited Jim Croul of EEagleby (near Beenleigh, south of Brisbane) to check out his Sanction 156 – 1935 14hp saloon. The car was bought by Jim’s father and used extensively until 1968 in the north island of New Zealand. Jim inherited the car and brought it to Australia in 1976. At that stage it was drivable, but in need of total restoration. In 1980 Jim wrote to the Wolseley club in the UK; the letter was referred to the WHSC and Jim Croul’s Sanction 156 saloon after arrival in Australia Roger Banks replied. Over recent years Jim has restored most of the mounted subframe and the gearbox is the familiar free mechanicals – brakes and some other minor issues still wheel unit common to the 1934 models. The car has most to resolve – and has started work on the body, which really of its original equipment and is virtually complete. doesn’t have any major problems. Jim works as a plant operator on construction of the This car appears to be the only example of a Sanction Alice Springs to Darwin railway, which is programmed 156 in Australia; all 1935 14hp saloons sold here new for completion in April 2003. After that, some serious were Sanction 170. The engine and gearbox sit in a rubber work is planned for the car.

oward Kenward reports that: “The radiator on my Casino 127 Hblack 1934 WHS has given up, in a big way. After almost 70 years of fairly constant service I think it is out he remains of a 1934 Sanction 127 WHS have come of warranty. Of course the old girl had the good grace Tto light in Casino, northern NSW. It was last registered and breeding to do this at home where the problem can in 1969, in Sydney, and at that stage was fitted with a be addressed without too much trauma.” Riley 9hp motor and gearbox. The Wolseley components were not with the car. When seen in Casino recently, the car had been totally stripped, with all the chassis and car identification numbers lost. Features of the car are as follows: • chassis extensively rusted - rear section falling off. Front section extensively modified to mount the Riley motor. • firewall rusted and hacked about to fit a battery. • four seater Flood body needing re-timbering. One guard rusted. Windscreen good. Some hood bows. • front and rear axles and steering box in good external condition in oxide primer. • badge bar, headlamps, sidelamps, radiator and surround in good condition. Speedo is the only original Howard’s offending Sanction 127 instrument. • set of 18” centre spoke wheels. ohn Ireland is waiting for Robin Moore to locate an The car is for sale - inquiries through Howard Jinput shaft which will allow him to couple a 1932/33 Kenward, ph (07) 3267 6046. four speed ‘box to his early, vertical generator model.

Issue 14 Page 7 Whatever happened to ’s .....

Old Hornet photos just keep turning up. These three photos have recently been extracted from Terry McGrath’s archives in Perth. Apparently Terry came by them all from the same source, so perhaps the Sanction 78 coupe registered 30- 005 became the roadster. Considering the rarity of Sanction 78 machines in Perth, a Sanction 78 rear axle now in the possession of Peter Partridge may well have come from this car. Hornet trophy from Another Special 1934 still exists discovered in Vic The CEO of the Australian Sporting Car Club has written The remains of a 1934 Sanction 114 WHS have turned to advise that his club is still in possession of “The up in the northeast corner of country . John Clucas Telegraph” Wheels and Wings Trophy that SW Higginson has been ratting through a huge shed full of bits and pieces won at Maroubra Speedway in November 1934 driving a accumulated over many years by an older enthuisast. So Wolseley Hornet Special. The ASCC wishes to return the far the archeological work has revealed the radiator and trophy to its original owner, so correspondence would be grille, a freewheel gearbox (destined for John’s Sanction welcomed from anyone who can assist in this regard. 163), a tacho, inlet manifold, carburettors and front and rear axles. It is hoped that further excavation may even uncover a chassis. Close shave for Hornet in bushfires The Canberra bushfires nearly put an end to John Prentice’s marathon and nearly complete restoration of Rare Startix for sale his Sanction 114. John’s back and side fences were lost, and at one stage his main shed was also alight. However, Contact Ed Nantes ph (03) 9859 3159 he managed to put it out with a garden hose.

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