Vauxhall's Griffin
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www.motoringclassics.co.uk www.bmh-ltd.com AUTUMN 2019 POSITIVELY ELECTRIFYING PHOTON – THE ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE WITH A CLASSIC TWIST HALF-LITRE HINDSIGHT A NOSTALGIC REMINDER OF THE ORIGINAL FORMULA 3 RACERS VAUXHALL’SSTILL ROARING AFTER 116GRIFFIN YEARS Classic Character 3 Vauxhall’s Griffin – 4-7 Still Roaring After 116 Years Missing Moniker 8 BMH News 9 Positively Electrifying – 10-13 Above: a rare Peel Viking Sport GT, only two examples of which were built by EMC’s Photon Peel Engineering before the rights were sold to Bill Last of Viking Performance Classic Motorsport 14-15 Half-Litre Hindsight 16-19 Car manufacture has long since become the ‘30s, and Cooper itself had largely 2 a global business and we’ve learnt to dominated the motorcycle-engined F3 reproduction Motoring Classics cherish what marques are produced formula of the ‘40s/’50s by placing the in whole or any part of any text, on our shores, as opposed to which engine behind the driver. We decided to photograph or illustration without of their companies are British-owned. recall these tiny cigar-shaped projectiles written permission of the publisher Small wonder when you consider that that arguably spawned the format of is strictly prohibited. The publish- the Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mini brands virtually all of today’s monoposto racing er makes every effort to ensure are now all in German hands, Jaguar formulae, and unearthed the talents the magazine’s contents are correct and Land Rover belong to the Indians, of such legends as Stirling Moss and Lotus and MG to the Chinese, Morgan to Graham Hill. but can accept no responsibility the Italians, and Vauxhall to the French. for any effects from errors There remains much to say about This edition’s Classic Character is the or omissions. them all, however and, as the oldest Hon. Mrs Victor Bruce, who set multiple surviving of all the makes founded in the records in both cars and powerboats NB Motoring Classics is the printed UK, we decided to put Vauxhall and its before not only embarking on a round- and online publication of British Motor splendid Heritage Collection under the the-world flight only weeks after going Heritage and its retail trading arm. microscope for this issue. solo for the first time, but surviving to tell the tale. Our Missing Moniker on Publisher: Royal Enfield is another once proud British brand that manufactured this occasion is the diminutive Peel, British Motor Heritage Limited, motorcycles and (very briefly) cars recognised by the 2010 Guinness Book Range Road, Cotswold Business and is nowadays booming under Indian of Records as the smallest production Park, Witney OX29 OYB, UK control. Its most famous product was car ever made. Add the latest news Tel: +44 (0)1993 707200 the Bullet, the current Chennai-made about British Motor Heritage itself, plus Email: [email protected] versions of which remain remarkably the exploits of its fleet of classic racing similar to those produced in Redditch 60 cars, and there’s hopefully something of Editorial: years ago. So, when offered the chance to test an exciting prototype electric interest for you all. Gordon Bruce Associates motorbike, we couldn’t resist pairing it Email: [email protected] with a modern petrol-powered Bullet, the Web: www.gordonbruce.com model on which it’s based. The Cooper Car Company’s T43 of Design and production: 1957 was the first F1 car to have a Lead Designer: Emma Green mid-mounted engine. However, the idea Flipside Group was far from new, as Auto Union had Gordon Bruce www.flipsidegroup.com produced such Grand Prix cars back in Editor Follow us on: …….by the way, @MotoringClassic For those that didn’t make it to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, I couldn’t resist including Motoring Classics this photo of the Case IH Magnum this splendid 1904 6hp Vauxhall is a favourite amongst the company’s Heritage is a favourite amongst the company’s this splendid 1904 6hp Vauxhall autonomous tractor, which can operate day and night without human supervision. Its size can be judged by comparison with the man sitting inside its rear wheel. Scary or what?! Cover Photo: P4-7 feature, contained in our related Collection of c.75 vehicles, details many which are www.motoringclassics.co.uk www.bmh-ltd.com Classic Character THE HON. MRS VICTOR BRUCE (1895-1990) Record-breaking, racing and rally driver, powerboat racer, pioneering aviatrix and successful business woman, the diminutive Mrs Bruce (née Mildred Mary Petre) was a female way ahead of her time. At the tender age of 15, Mildred was and soon became involved in racing, single-handed world tour after only 40 left in charge of her elder brother’s rallying and record-breaking herself. hours flying experience, during which much-prized Matchless motorcycle For example, she finished 6th overall she was assaulted by armed brigands in combination, with orders ‘to keep it and winner of the Coupes des Dames the Gulf of Oman (the leader of whom 3 well polished’. Exercising it came more in the 1927 Monte, having driven 1,700 bizarrely insisted on donning her evening naturally, however, and, having roared miles in 72 hours without a wink of frock), crash-landed twice, and became it round the family tennis court with her sleep. The following year, the Bruces the first woman to fly solo across the pet Collie ‘Laddie’ in the sidecar, she was travelled from England through Europe Yellow Sea and from the UK to Japan. soon witnessed (sans silencer) hitting and Scandinavia, ultimately planting a She was later instrumental in the UK’s speeds of upto 60mph on the nearby Union Jack 250 miles above the Arctic first air-to-air refuelling contracts and roads of Hounslow, for which she was Circle – far further north than anybody played a key role in pre-war commercial duly summoned, fined six shillings, and had previously driven, and a record aviation. At the age of 78 she touched banned from the public highways. that remained unbroken until recently. 110mph round Thruxton in a Ford Capri Together they set 17 endurance records and at 81 performed a loop in a De The rest of her life was to be equally at Montlhéry in an AC, while she later Havilland Chipmunk. Her myriad death- unconventional, and by the age of 24 averaged 89mph round the same circuit defying exploits are enticingly chronicled she’d set up home with her mother’s for 24 hours in a supercharged 4½ litre in ‘A Passion For Speed’ by Paul Smiddy. married landlord, 21 years her senior, Bentley, capturing the record for single- by whom she produced a son. This handed driving. Above: Mildred did much for the AC brand. would have clipped the wings of lesser Below: she also set an endurance record at women, but not Mildred, who in 1926 In 1929 Mildred set powerboat records Montlhéry in this works 4½ Litre Bentley, and met and married the Honourable Victor for both crossing The Channel and the a number of others in ‘Bluebird’, the Blackburn Austin Bruce, a works AC driver who’d distance travelled in 24 hours. She Bluebird IV she first saw while shopping for a recently won the Monte Carlo Rally, then headed skywards, embarking on a dress in Burlington Gardens, London www.motoringclassics.co.uk www.bmh-ltd.com VAUXHALL GRIFFINSTILL ROARING AFTER 116 YEARS They say the world only remembers winners, and as Britain’s second-largest-selling car marque for over two decades, Vauxhall’s ongoing success has certainly been somewhat overshadowed by Ford’s long-term dominance of the market. But, unlike Ford, it is a British-born brand and, unlike Ford, is still manufacturing vehicles in England. We decided to reflect on the Griffin’s rich history and its splendid 75-strong Heritage Collection, which comprises vehicles from 1903 to the present day, and is open to the public once a year. Let’s cut to the chase, Vauxhall is production dating as far back as 1857. lion’s body, reflects the coat of arms of Britain’s longest surviving car marque, The derivation of both the company’s one Fulk Le Breant, a Gascon mercenary pipping Rolls-Royce to the manufacturing logo and name are interesting. The who was granted the manor of Luton by start line by a year and Morgan by seven, Griffin, a mythical creature comprising King John in the 13th century. His wife with roots in marine engine and pump the head and wings of an eagle atop of a had a splendid Thames-side residence in 4 www.motoringclassics.co.uk www.bmh-ltd.com Above and below, left and right: this range of images taken at this year’s Heritage Collection open day gives an indication of the broad range of vehicles and related automobilia that have been amassed by Vauxhall over the years Lambeth that, following their marriage, entire resource was dedicated to the war ‘70s, and subsequent Nova, Astra and became known as Fulk’s Hall – a name office, for whom D-Type models were Corsa – all excellent cars and major that was progressively corrupted to produced as staff cars, in one of which sellers in a competitive market. And who Vauxhall, which ultimately became an King George V visited the battlefields can forget the thundering Lotus Carlton or 5 area of London in its own right. It was of Vimy Ridge in 1917, while another the VXR8, not to mention the company’s here that the first Vauxhall car was made carried General Allenby on his victor’s many years of success on race circuits in 1903 by the appropriately-named entry into Jerusalem.