WESSEX VEHICLE PRESERVATION CLUB FOUNDED 1971

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‘WESSEX WAYS’ SEPTEMBER 2020

VEHICLE OF THE MONTH

JAGUAR MARK 2

The is a mid-sized luxury sports saloon built from late 1959 to 1967 by Jaguar in Coventry, England. The previous Jaguar 2.4 Litre and 3.4 Litre models made between 1955 and 1959 are identified as Mark 1 Jaguars.The Mark 2 was a fast and capable saloon in line with Sir 1950s advertising slogan: Grace . Space .. Pace, available with all three versions of the advanced Jaguar XK6 I6 engine, the 2.4, 3.4, and 3.8 litre. Production of the 3.8 ended in the (northern) autumn of 1967, with discounted sale of the 3.4 continuing on as the 340 until September 1968, and the 2.4 as the 240 until April 1969. There was no direct successor to the Mark 2 series. The 3.8 litre Jaguar S-type, an upscaled and refined version of the Mark 2, had already appeared in 1963, well before the first of the Mark 2 models was discontinued. The Jaguar 420, a more powerful and refined version of the S-Type, appeared in 1966. Both of those models remained in production until late 1968, when the Jaguar XJ6 appeared, ostensibly replacing and placed rather midway between them and the larger, more expensive produced since 1961. The Mark 2 came with a 120 bhp (89 kW; 122 PS) 2,483 cubic centimetres (152 cu in), 210 bhp (157 kW; 213 PS) 3,442 cubic centimetres (210 cu in) or 220 bhp (164 kW; 223 PS) 3,781 cubic centimetres (231 cu in) Jaguar XK engine The 3.8 is similar to the unit used in the 3.8 E-Type (called XKE in the USA), having the same block, crank, connecting rods and pistons but different inlet manifold and carburation (two SUs versus three on the E-Type in Europe) and therefore 30 bhp (22 kW) less. The head of the six-cylinder engine in the Mark 2 had curved ports compared to the straight ports of the E-Type configuration. The 3.4 Litre and 3.8 Litre cars were fitted with twin SU HD6 carburettors and the 2.4 Litre with twin Solex carburettors

The new car was re-engineered above the waistline, with vision dramatically improved by an 18% increase in cabin glass area. Slender front pillars allowed a wider windscreen, and the rear window almost wrapped around to the enlarged side windows, now with the familiar Jaguar D- shape above the back door and fully chromed frames for all the side windows. MATCHLESS

MATCHLESS G45 MATCHLESS G50 500cc

The first Matchless motorcycle was made in 1899, and production began in 1901. Matchless was the trading name of Collier & Sons, the father Henry Herbert Collier and his sons Charlie and Harry. The Matchless tank badge was a winged "M". Like many motorcycle manufacturers of the time, they had started as bicycle manufacturers.[3] They produced a JAP V-twin powered bike in 1905, with one of the earliest swing-arm rear suspensions, coupled with leading-link front forks. Charlie won the inaugural TT singles race in 1907 at an average speed of 38.21 mph in a time of 4 hours 8 minutes 8 seconds. Harry did not finish in 1907, but won in 1909, and Charlie won again in 1910, bringing Matchless motorcycles to the attention of the public. Matchless made mostly singles, but they also made V-twins from 496 cc to 998 cc. They made their own engines from 1912 on.

At the 1912 Olympia Motor Cycle and Cycle Car show Matchless showed a V-twin powered cycle car, with two wheels at the front and a single drive wheel at the rear.[4] Unusually the drive was by shaft and bevel gear. The frame was of pressed steel channel. It was priced at 100 guineas.

Matchless was not given a contract to make motorcycles for the army during the First World War. Peacetime production resumed in 1919, concentrating at first on V-twins for sidecar use, leaving singles until 1923. In 1926 Henry Collier died, and by 1928 Matchless was a limited company. In 1930 they launched a narrow-angle 400 cc V-twin called the Silver Arrow, designed by Charlie. The Silver Arrow, launched in 1929, was a side-valve v-twin with 54 x 86mm dimensions and 394 cc. The two cylinders were set at 18 degrees within a single casting under a single head. The result looked odd, rather like a single that was too long, and with the exhaust emerging from the manifold at its right corner and the carburettor in the middle of the block on the left, the odd appearance was accentuated,[5] and in 1930 they launched an (advanced for the time) 593 cc OHC V-four, the Silver Hawk.[6] About 60 out of the 500 made survive, The Hawk was designed by youngest brother Bert, who was now active in the company, and he was responsible for design right up to the war.[7]

In 1931 Matchless bought AJS from the Stevens brothers. Matchless bought Sunbeam in the late thirties, but Sunbeam was sold to BSA in 1943.

After that the only "true" AJS models, as far as AJS enthusiasts were concerned, were the racing 7Rs, Porcupines and the pre-war AJS Four. The shared models were considered by some AJS fans to be only badge-engineered Matchless models. In 1935 the Matchless/AJS hairpin valve springs made their first appearance. Matchless supplied engines for the V-twin versions of the Morgan three-wheeler from 1933 until Morgan production was halted by the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

CHAIRMANS CHATTER

Hi Everyone, It was nice to see you all again, well that's those of you who came on the fishy run. As many of you are aware we are bound by company law to hold an AGM, it has been decided that we should hold it at the Organford Classic Show, you will find details of the show elsewhere in the magazine, I would like to ask you if as many of you attend as possible, once again I thank you for your support. Doug

AGM and COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS

It is coming up to ‘that time of year’ again and your committee has been scratching their heads trying to work out how we could have an AGM. We are obliged to have a yearly AGM, but in the current climate are unable to hold it at Cobham Sports Club as we have in previous years. So the decision has been made to bring it forward by one month and hold the AGM at the Organford Classic Car Show on Saturday 10th October 2020. It will be held under the club gazebo at 2pm and we will keep it as short as possible so that you can get away and continue to enjoy the show. (Please see article regarding the show and application forms) Committee nomination forms are attached and it would be lovely to see a flood of enthusiastic volunteers to join your hard working committee! I am sorry for the short notice, but please could we have all nomination forms returned to me by 1st October, by email or post is fine. Thanks everyone, see you at the AGM. Janet.

FISH AND CHIP EVENING RUN ON SATURDAY 22 ND AUGUST A good turnout of members, 22 cars and 39 members all collected at the car park in West Moors. Route instructions duly handed out all participants set off by 17-50 as we were the last to leave. After approx 40 miles we all ended up back in West Moors at 7 pm for fish & chips, which we all admitted were excellent. Thanks to Doug & Mo for organising the event.