The Magazine of the Fairford Classic Car Club WINTER EDITION January 2014 WHAT’S ON FAIRFORD CLASSIC CAR CLUB Member of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs A summary of motoring events with Club activities highlighted. Check the Club Website and Newsletters for details, changes and information. If you have a question about any Quarterly Magazine FC3 Winter 2014 event, please call the coordinator or Bunny Lees-Smith (01666) 577 275 REGULARS FCCC What’s On WHEN WHAT WHERE WHO Editor’s Welcome From the Chair Wednesday Classic Lunch Run Call Barry for morning Barry Cooper Page 3 12 February The Snowdrop coffee rendezvous 01285 851 821 CALL BY 5 FEBRUARY Quiz Corner Motoring Musings Fri-Sun Race Retro 2014 Stoneleigh www.raceretro.com 21-23 February Tappet Clatter For The Record Thursday Visit to Ashton Keynes Ashton Keynes, Malcolm Cutler 20 March Restorations Wiltshire 01285 712 173 Committee Notes PROPOSED FEATURES Welcome Wednesday Annual Skittles The Plough Inn Mike Cox FCCC Racers Inspired by our day at Castle Combe , we 26 March Competition Alvescot 01865 300 929 thought a few words about the heady 7:00 pm Automotive Art racing days of Club members would be an Our Beloved Tools Fri-Sat Practical Classics NEC www.necrestoration entertaining read. Six stalwarts sent in 12-13 April Restoration Show Birmingham show.com Traveler at 60 tales of glory plus one of us who is still British Motor Heritage going strong. A diverse and fascinating Wednesday Mary Rose & Dockyard Portsmouth Bunny Lees-Smith range to our Club yes? 16 April FCCC Coach Trip 01666 577275 Lunch Runs Christmas Blues Run While many classic cars huddle in their Wednesday St Georges Day Run All the information is Mike Scott 23 April Entry Form enclosed. on the Entry Form 01285 760 315 garage over winter, the Club remained active with runs, Christmas lunch and a Front Cover Saturday FCCC visit to Vulcan Wellesbourne Alistair Kinross visit to British Motor Heritage Ltd. It’s not 26 April XM655. Max 10 cars Mountford 01285 861989 Chris leads the way and a wise owl was too early to contemplate the upcoming PROPOSED and 20 people. Donate [email protected] once a motorcycle. Get your St George’s year so What’s On has a heads-up for £10 pp. Detail TBA. form in before the dragon lights it up. some big events - St George’s Day, the Sunday FHBVC Drive It Day Everywhere ! Churchill and Bristol Shows and the 27 April http://www.fbhvc.co.uk/heritage-culture-and- Fairford Steam Rally. All not to be missed. museums/drive-it-day/ Centrefold Chris Shipton wins at Silverstone in his Your contributions to our newsletter and And put these ones on your calendar. More info in later publications Gulf Mirage 40 magazine continue to roll-in. Beyond a clear indicator of our vibrancy, this also Churchill Vintage & Classic Car Show. - 8 June. Entry Form enclosed. Numbers are Back Cover illustrates the wide spread of interests limited so get your entry in early. Dave Chambers (01608 658 603) organises this one. across our membership. Welding a MGB wing at British Motor Heritage Ltd. The connectivity of Bristol Classic Car Show - 14-15 June. For the first time we have been given a display Planet Earth in the 21st area at the Show. Malcolm Cutler (01285 712 173) will get us organised. FC3 is published quarterly by the Fairford Century allowed me to Classic Car Club and is free to members. cobble the Winter FC3 Fairford Steam Rally - 16-17 August. We have only 16 places on both together this month days so book early to get in. The Club has chosen the SUNDAY for our main Web: www.fairfordclassiccarclub.org.uk while “flat out” in day. Ken Hinton (01285 712 522) puts this one together for us. Austraya. Owzat? http://www.flickr.com/photos/ Dave FC3 is printed by Busy Fingers, Cirencester. http://www.busyfingersprinting.com/ fairfordclassics/sets 2 3 1950’s. I guess he FROM THE CHAIR was driving for Alfa Miles & Judy Wigfield PAGE 3 Malcolm Cutler Romeo, but I do re- (It’s really page 5 but, well, you know …..) member him saying It was sad news we received over the holi- something to me in My TC is known as “Oscar”. I bought the car a year or two before MG TC days, that, following a long period of ill Spanish and my dad retirement seven years ago after making do for over 20 years health, Anne Payne had died. John and and other standing in with three VW Polos: the whim of a lifetime to replace a TC I ran at the age of nineteen, Anne had been stalwart supporters of FCCC awe (in their gabar- done up with bits of string. This one was probably restored/rebuilt about 20 years ago; the for many years and her death, following on dine rain coats!). history is scanty. Peter Edney, who sold it to me pointed out that "It goes where you point it so soon after John’s demise, is a terrible Another abiding and stops when you want it to!". blow to their family and friends. We all send memory is, when on In the seven years that I've driven their family our condolences and support. holiday with my par- it I've covered 8,000 miles, the One of my lasting memories of John and ents in Germany in 1961, of arriving at the last few hundred being driven Anne is at an event when the FCCC were Nürburgring when the Tour de France with far greater confidence hav- invited to show their cars in the Fairford (motoring event!) was there, and watching ing solved its tendency to peter Market Place outside the Bull Hotel. Jill and the 250SWB Ferrari’s et al. When the action out with a new, rust-free fuel I were walking past when Anne called us finished the track was quickly cleared and tank. I'm not much of a mechanic over to join them in their 1926 Sunbeam for a few Deuchmarks, paid to the man and seek other's help for all but 14/40 for a glass of champagne. I can’t standing on the start/finish line in front of straightforward problems; driving remember the reason for the celebration, the grandstands (!), my father and I, having it is the thing and is such fun. but sitting there in the sun, in a lovely car dumped mother, luggage and spare wheel in with good company - it just still sticks in my the car park, set off around the ‘Ring in his - Miles memory. Alfa. He was not amused that it took him Oscar Dave’s idea for this month’s theme, which twice as long to get around as the Ferrari’s! has encouraged FCCC members to recount A further memory was of another holiday in some of their motor sport experiences, start- Italy when we arrived at Monza, in 1963, in ed me recalling memories of other motor time for practice for the GP (I thought it was QUIZ CORNER racing events, which I have ‘stumbled on’ all a coincidence – as did my mother – but over the years. Many of these are some- my father probably had it all planned out!). what hazy, and I really should now get up On queuing for the car park we came to a 1. When and where was Britain’s first post-war race meeting at a permanent venue? into the attic and start looking out some of junction where an official, on looking at our 2. What do Johnny Douglas, Andrew Flintoff and Alistair Cook have in common? those old photographs etc! I’m told I was car (the Alfa again) with its UK number 3. What was the highest auction price paid for a classic car? first taken to Silverstone when I was less plate, directed us up a side track which went 4. What new record did the English side set in the recent Ashes Test? than 1yr old, which is probably why my hear- under the Monza banking and up into the 5. When and where was Nigel Mansell’s first F1 win? ing is going, I get excited when I smell paddock! As you can imagine I thought I 6. In which country is this F1 circuit? Castrol R and I have a stiff neck from watch- had gone to heaven and well remember the 7. What is the name of the ing too many cars race by! One event that I sounds of the V12 Ferraris (John Surtees kangaroo on Page 3? must look up and find the old b&w photos, is won the GP the next day) and of the new 8. In the song Dreadlock Holiday what is the first thing the singer of me meeting Manuel Fangio in the Silver- Honda V12 driven by the American, Ronnie loves rather than just likes? stone paddock Bucknam. 9. Where are the C Spanners in the statue on page 14? in the early - Malcolm Cutler one. this answering not ... Nope 9. cricket aries. 8. 8. aries. bound with good pretty is he Hear Sydney. in Zoo Taronga second. 6. Canada 7. He is real and his name is Bob. He lives at the the at lives He Bob. is name his and real is He 7. Canada 6. second. Since writing my piece above, long-time members of the FCCC was Senna Hatch. Brands Prix Grand European 1985 Oct 6 5. wickets. will be greatly saddened to hear that our friend and fellow 100 all Losing 4.