MAC News 189 June 2013

MAC NEWS ÂŁ1.50 where sold

June 2013

No 189

Speed Into Spring Report Speed School Update, An Interview with ...

Breakfast Club Report

Editorial

By Mark Constanduros

The MIDLAND AUTOMOBILE CLUB (est. 1901) Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb Worcestershire WR6 6RP Telephone during office hours: 01886 812211 Fax No: 01886 812917 www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk

OFFICIALS 2013 President: J. W. Moody Vice Presidents: A.B. Griffiths, A.E. Gabriel, N.H. Harrison, I.A. Harper, M.D. Griffiths, F. Drasar, D.M. Nursey, J.J. Toulmin, D.S.Whitefoot Committee: I. Antony Harper (Chairman), M. Harrison (Vice Chairman), J.R. Wood, T.W.J. Moody, D.L. Ball, W.S. Durling, A.K. Harrison, Mrs M. Nightingale, J.S. Robinson, S.D. Fidoe, P.G. Nuthall, Dr C. Perks Treasurer: M Harrison Company Secretary & Commercial Manager: Mark Constanduros

So the first main event of the year has now been and gone and what a wonderful weekend it was. Finally the sun shone on us and by Sunday we had a large crowd on the hill watching some great motor sport. We also had a great display of Morris cars in the car park on the Sunday and they had a wonderful time on the hill with a timeline parade, all arranged by the Morris Register.

All the development work over the winter came together with some really positive comments coming in over the weekend and afterwards from all directions. Like everything when new, it takes time to iron out any niggles that may arise and everything has been looked at to see how it performed and where we can improve.

On Saturday 18th May the MAC and Shelsley Walsh exhibited in Worcester on the High Street; you can read more elsewhere in this edition, but what was amazing was the wide range of people who came up to us who hadn't been for a long time and those who had heard and had meant to come along.

Looking ahead, we have another two events which are building into something special. Classic Nostalgia and the Mini Cooper S, Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams will be in action and Sir Stirling Moss will also be in attendance, more news to follow. In August we have the Aston Martin Centenary and this is starting to build into a really special event. Again, watch this space for more exciting news on the cars and people who will be there.

Competitions Secretary: Roger Thomas Administration Assistant: Gill Dayson Archivist: David Moore Auditors: Bloomer Heaven and Co The views and statements expressed are not necessarily those of the MAC. Correspondence also is the opinion of the writer only. The Midland Automobile Club accepts no responsibility nor endorses the products or services offered by the advertisers.

Front Cover: The Nick Mann developed Morris Minor Photo: Geoff Robinson design and print: The Printed Word

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Midland Automobile Club Contacts Mark Constanduros Company Secretary & Commercial Manager for Sponsorship, Advertising, Corporate, PR, Marketing and MAC News

T: 01886 812211 ext 3 or M: 07891 544705 (office hours) E: mark@mac1901.co.uk

Roger Thomas Competitions Secretary for Competition enquiries

T: 01886 812211 ext 2 (Tuesday to Thursday) E: roger@mac1901.co.uk

Gill Dayson Event Co-ordinator and Administration Assistant for Event Enquiries, Membership, Tickets and Accounts

T: 01886 812211 ext 1 E: gill@mac1901.co.uk All our contact details are above to help you speak with the relevant person.

If we are unable to take your call, we are either on the phone or away from the office, so please do leave a message and your call will be returned.

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An Evening with Sir Stirling Moss

OBE

We still have some tickets available for the very special occasion on 27th July when members of the MAC and their guests will have an exclusive opportunity to spend An Evening With Sir Stirling Moss OBE at the Chateau Impney. The event will be hosted by Simon Taylor, the well respected motorsport journalist, who will chat with Sir Stirling and give those present the chance to ask him questions.

Tickets for this event are limited, costing ÂŁ55.00 per person, and they include a 3-course dinner with a welcome drink. There will also be a pay bar for further drinks. The dress code for the evening is lounge suits for the men and cocktail dresses for the ladies. A commemorative ticket will be produced as this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Chateau Impney has also offered 10% off the Bed and Breakfast room rate for those who wish to stay the night.

The evening would not have been possible if it were not for Peter James Insurance who will be bringing Sir Stirling to Shelsley Walsh on the Sunday where he will be available for autographs.

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE, please fill in the form included in this issue on page 31 and include the appropriate payment and return to the MAC office.

Worcester Motor Festival

by Tony Adams, Photo by Aspect Photography

The streets of Worcester were turned into an open air showroom at the weekend as the city hosted its 7th Motor Festival.

The Midland Automobile Club had a presence with a display featuring a classic Chevron B48 racing car, owned by local club member Keith Harris of Stockton-on-Teme, which he races on a regular basis at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb. Volunteer club members manned the display.

Zoe Wenham, who competes in the British GT championship in a Ginetta and lives locally, stopped by to discuss motor sport and was tempted to bring the Ginetta to Shelsley one day, having visited as a spectator years ago.

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Driving School, 25th June & 27th August The driving schools, of which we have two this year at Shelsley Walsh, are filling up nicely with 24th June having a few limited spaces still available.

The second date, 27th August, still has places available and of course if you do the schools the overall winning student gets the chance of competing at the Autumn Speed Finale in September in a works Radical SR3, pictured.

Sunbeam Talbot Darracq

On 15th June, the Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Register will be at Shelsley Walsh and those wishing to come and have a look are asked to park in the Orchard.

Food won‘t be available but they can purchase drinks.

Film Night Wednesday 26th June 7.30pm in the Stratstone Restaurant 1. 'Rendezvous' An early morning drive through Paris, 14 mins 2. 1938 'Grand Prix Racing', 10 mins 3. 1964 'The Time Between' The fortunes of Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Innes Ireland and Mike Hailwood between the French GP at Rouen and the British GP at Brands Hatch, 40 mins ~ Interval ~ 4. ‘Within the White Line' 1938 Austin promotional film, 3 mins 5. 1958 ‘The Alpine Rally', 27 mins 6. '2010 Northwest 200‘ The art of slipstreaming, 5 mins

£8.50 to include a 'Ploughmans' Full details from social@mac1901.co.uk or tel: 01299 266468 Proceeds to the restoration and conservation of Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb

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A social gathering of like minded enthusiasts

Open to everyone From 9 to 12 noon Hearty Breakfasts Available Walk the hill

2013 Dates February 10th March 10th April 7th May 12th June 16th July 14th August 11th September 8th October 13th Please register your attendance via our web site.

www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk

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Breakfast Club report - 12th May

By Tony Adams, Photos Mark Constanduros

New faces and latest cars at Shelsley Breakfast Club …

A Lola T70, 1930s MG and a Ferrari GTB were just three of around 100 assorted cars which turned up for the monthly Breakfast Club meeting at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, near Worcester, on Sunday.

First time visitor, Piers Reid from Solihull, was amazed at the wide variety of vehicles on show, after arriving in his own immaculate 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL coupe.

Piers said, “My father Malcolm used to race a Bugatti here in the late 1960s and 1970s and I came along to watch, but I now have a competition licence myself and intend to start competing in the CSL. This very sociable morning gives me a great opportunity to walk the hill and meet likeminded enthusiasts and officials to talk about getting started.”

MAC official Tony Harrison was on duty during the morning and added, “There must have been at least 200 people here today alongside several car clubs including TVR and Porsche, all of whom seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere and appreciating the varied machines on display which ranged from the latest Aston Martin and Ford Focus RS to classics such as a Hillman Imp, Minis and a Triumph Spitfire.

“We also had the restored water mill working at the back of the courtyard and 50 or so visitors had the chance to stroll around and see flour being milled on the day.”

The next Breakfast Club meeting takes place on Sunday 16th June and anyone considering attending is asked to register their interest on the club‘s website at www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk 7

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Competitions Secretary’s Report

by Roger Thomas

The first Shelsley event of the year on 4th-5th May saw reigning champion Trevor Willis take the leading position in the BMTR Tyres Top Ten Challenge, winning both run-offs. The sun shone on us and a respectable public attendance produced a better financial return than at the same meeting last year, when the weather was not so kind to us.

Our fortunes are inescapably linked to the weather with admission returns being lower by about two-thirds on a wet day, with the site preparation and meeting costs remaining the same, wet, or dry and sunny.

Our first Sprint of the year at MIRA on 25th May started with 113 cars out of an expected entry of 114; this must be a record. It was a good day’s sport with few incidents, just the rearranging of a few cones now and then. Best Time of Day was made by Gary Thomas in the Force PC with 43.35 seconds on his only competitive run. Best MAC Member went to Henry GranthamWright with a time of 51.18 secs. The Competitions Secretary caused a degree of amusement among the senior officials by taking the wrong route from the paddock and finding himself 500 yards down the MIRA high speed circuit, causing some excitement in the control tower.

Luckily he managed to reverse out without causing any further problems, but this did not prevent much mickey taking from the Clerks of Course etc.

We are preparing for the first visit of the British Hill Climb and Leaders championships, jointly supported by Avon Tyres and the TTC Group. Registrations for these championships is disappointingly low this year, with the resulting drop in entry levels. Class L, the traditional source of championship points scorers, is reduced to 12 cars this year, albeit some of the smaller capacity classes are now regularly producing top runners. Three years ago this class would have been over 25 cars. The reduction in numbers has been felt at other venues so far this year with events running with reduced entries.

Our second Sprint at Blyton Park on 15th June is solely for entrants in the Caterham Academy series, and will run 55 cars in a slightly shortened day’s sport, to be followed the next day by a normal event inviting groups of cars ranging from the Paul Matty Lotus Championship to one-make championships for Ferrari, Porsche, Morgan and TVR. Despite a reasonable level of support from these groups the rest of the field is disappointingly thin as I write.

This well arranged venue is exciting to drive with some very fast straights and complex corners, all with plenty of run-off in case of misjudgement. Drivers who attended our first event last year were full of praise for the venue and have returned in bigger numbers, however Blyton is an expensive venue to hire and we really need an additional 20 cars to fill the field.

I will still be taking entries for this event up until 12th June.

Many people perceive Blyton as being too far to go; it is 100 miles from Birmingham Airport on the M42 and 30 minutes drive from junction 2 on the M18 near to Doncaster. New venues are hard to find and Blyton is a real gem. Consider whether you could support the Club at this venue.

The Members Non-Competitive Day will take place on 6th September provisionally. As in previous years we can comfortably handle around 60 cars with each car managing to achieve 6 to 8 runs during the day. Please register your interest using the entry form in this magazine.

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MAC Sports & Classics - News and Events

by Tony Harrison

MAC Classic events are open to MAC Members only, unless otherwise noted.

Eligibility of cars - Vintage, classics and modern sports cars.

20th July 2013 Josselin Briefing Just a reminder to everyone involved in the late August trip to Josselin that there will be a briefing to be held in the Stratstone Restaurant at Shelsley on Saturday 20th July, commencing at 10am. Coffee and pastries will be available.

29th September 2013 “A Classic Cruise” The final Sports & Classics event of the year will start at Shelsley Walsh with a simple breakfast and finish at Stratford upon Avon with an Avon river cruise on board MAC member John Macartney-Filgate‘s boats.

Looking forward to next year, the major event in the calendar for classic and sports car aficionados will be: 27th April 2014 MAC Classic This will be another of our biennial fundraising events using a number of start venues around the Midlands. We are already busy booking these and they currently include The National Motor Cycle Museum, Cotswold Airport, Shelsley itself and Halfpenny Green Vineyard.

Open to all comers, we will be inviting other clubs and individual classic car owners to enter, so do tell anyone you know with a qualifying car about it. As well as the Tulip note guided route to follow there will be a chance to experience the famous Hill, plus music, food and drink, mill tours and so on. Entries will be opened in the summer.

DON’T FORGET YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER WWW.TWITTER.COM/SHELSLEYWALSH

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Sparkling Shelsey Victories For Willis

By Tony Adams, Photos Geoff Robinson

Reigning British Hill Climb Champion Trevor Willis put in a sparkling performance (pictured) to win both run-off rounds 3 and 4 of the Midland Championship ‘Speed into Spring‘ event held at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb.

In perfect conditions Willis, who now lives locally, drove his new OMS 28 Powertec racing car up the iconic hill in 24.31 and 24.21 seconds respectively, beating Deryk Young in a Gould in the morning session and Will Hall in a Force in the afternoon run-off.

Marsh Gibbon driver Rob Stevens put on a fine show for the crowds in his Purple supercharged Force SR4 to take fourth spot in both run-offs with Simon Moyse, of Bicester, also gaining points with the streamlined new bike-engined Gould GR59.

Ladies hill record holder Sue Young of Hereford, sharing the 4-litre Gould GR51 with husband Deryk, also took points with committed drives in both of the run-offs.

Current Midland Champion, Mike Turpin, of Hereford, made a positive start in defence of his title by winning the Modified Series Production Sports Cars Class in his Vauxhall VX220.

An extra ‘hot rod‘ spectacle for visitors was a special class for competitors in the SBD HSA Speed Championship for Period Defined Cars with side-valve engine blocks, which included a Batten Special, Ballamy Ford V8, Nota Arnold and a Ford V8 Pickup.

It was a ‘Star Wars‘ triumph in the fully supported 1100cc racing car class with Simon Fidoe taking top spot in his Empire, while Force drivers George Brown and Darren Gumbley took second and third, with the top two drivers also making the run-offs.

New for this year was the Cheltenham Porsche-sponsored Championship for road-going cars driven by ‘B‘ licence holders, which provided a wide variety of cars and the weekend also saw a round of the Paul Matty Sports Cars Lotus Championship.

The Morris Register had a large display of vehicles from over the years on show to celebrate 100 years of Morris and several paraded up the hill on Sunday lunchtime.

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MAC SOCIAL EVENTS 2013 JUNE 8th 20th 21st 26th 27th

SEPTEMBER 19th Third Thursday Group 26th The Bell, Trysull

Annual Picnic Third Thursday Group Midsummer Madness Treasure Hunt Film Night, Shelsley Walsh The Bell, Trysull

OCTOBER 17th Third Thursday Group 31st The Bell, Trysull

JULY 18th Third Thursday Group 25th The Bell, Trysull

NOVEMBER 21st Third Thursday Group 28th The Bell, Trysull

AUGUST 2nd Aussie Barbecue 15th Third Thursday Group 29th The Bell, Trysull

DECEMBER TBA Third Thursday Group

Contact Details: The Third Thursday Dining Group meets at various venues For information contact Drene Baker colin.epl@btconnect.com or 01299 250778 The Bell at Trysull meet on the last Thursday of the month at 7.30pm - 8.00pm For more information contact John North 01902 895276 For all social event enquiries please contact Pam Jarvie on social@mac1901.co.uk or 01299 266468

Outsourced sales and marketing resource – expert & practical Kevin Grainger 07746 639404 – K.grainger@prioryconsult.co.uk – www.prioryconsult.co.uk

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Our Correspondent Reports

By Eddie Walder with statistical contributions from Jerry Sturman & James Wills

The British Championship season has come a long way in a very short time and three times champion Scott Moran has been forging ahead in his quest for another title. Last Sunday (26th May) he achieved the lifetime milestone of 100 British run-off victories, imperiously winning both rounds at the Gurston Down which is a power hill as is Shelsley, but of a somewhat different kind.

This feat has only been achieved by one other driver, Martin Groves, who is the Shelsley Walsh outright record holder on 104 victories. Once seemingly unbeatable, Moran now has the target in sight and has the chance to take another two at Shelsley only five days after I write this.

Both he and Groves reached the ton in a very few years, whereas the late Roy Lane took some 30 years to reach his achievement of 90 victories. For those who do not remember, from 1999 we moved to a pair of counting rounds per day, whereas before that there were two runoff shots at the end of the day with only the best time counting for a single set of points. Only 17 of Lane‘s victories came in the new two-round era. In fourth place behind Lane is our own Martyn Griffiths whose 67 victories were all taken in the old single-round era over 20 years, arguably an achievement that matches all the others.

To reinforce the short period over which he has amassed this number of victories, Scott‘s first win came at Harewood Hillclimb back in 2002, in a week which saw three very young drivers, who would go on to even bigger and better things in the sport, secure their own first ever runoff wins. In an eight-day period in May 2002 Scott, along with future double-champ Adam Fleetwood and 2012 star of the year Jos Goodyear all took their debut wins. Scott (Pilbeam MP88) and Adam (Gould GR55) scored their wins at Harewood whilst Jos (Pilbeam MP87) had to wait a week until Gurston Down.

Mentioning Jos Goodyear reminds me that he has had a torrid start to 2013 in the Raptor, effectively withdrawing before Barbon with a mysterious misfire that we all witnessed at our opening meeting, then missing Harewood and Gurston. However he was spotted testing the car at Curborough as I was at Gurston and went within a few tenths of the two-lap sprint record. Let‘s hope he is back with a clean running car and a few surprises at Shelsley.

As we are all aware, motor sport in the UK could not run without volunteers. This is the MSA‘s ‘Year of the Volunteer‘ and they have launched a scheme to attract more volunteer helpers with some help from a social media campaign on Twitter using a small orange-clad toy bear character called @ThanksMarshal who is travelling the country for photo opportunities. He was at Gurston Down last Sunday photographed red-flagging and in the commentary box courtesy of Incident Officer Kieron Salmons. I hope to persuade him to accompany me to Craigantlet for their centenary and also to come to Shelsley in August where he will meet all of the right people!

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MAC MONTHLY DRAW Be involved and have some fun The MAC archives are on site at Shelsley Walsh thanks to all the support we have had from club members joining the Monthly Draw. The money raised has enabled the club to renovate and secure part of the barns, to provide the MAC with a permanent site for its heritage, for our benefit and for the benefit of generations to come.

There is still a great deal of work to be done and we need to renovate other parts of the barns. To help us continue our development, please join the current members of our Monthly Draw for only £5.00 per month on standing order.

Cash prizes are drawn every month and the winners names are published in MAC News. The odds are approximately 20:1 of winning one of the prizes each month.

To join please contact Christine Perks to obtain an application form.

Christine Perks, The Midland Automobile Club Monthly Draw, 11 Pirie Avenue, Worcester, WR4 0NE. Telephone: 07814 792021. Email: christine.perks@hotmail.co.uk

MAC Monthly Draw April Winners ALL PROCEEDS TO SHELSLEY ARCHIVE 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

W Evans W Cuthbertson S Cartwright RH Jones A Griffiths E Shephard B Walker J Berry

£100 £50 £35 £30 £25 £20 £15 £10

You can enter at any time.

Print off an Entry Form from www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk or contact Christine Perks 07814 792021 christine.perks@hotmail.co.uk THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

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Photo: Dennis Wood

MAC EVENTS 2013 JANUARY

20th

CLEE HILL TRIALS

FEBRUARY

10th

BREAKFAST CLUB

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

10th

BREAKFAST CLUB

17th

PETER BLANKSTONE SPORTING TRIAL, SHELSLEY WALSH

7th

BREAKFAST CLUB

11th-12th

AN EVENING WITH BARRIE “WHIzzO” WILLIAMS

13th

WORK PARTY DAY

21st

CLASSIC RUN

4th & 5th

SPEED INTO SPRING

12th

BREAKFAST CLUB

25th

MIRA SPRINT MEET

1st & 2nd

BEST OF BRITISH

8th

ANNUAL PICNIC, SHELSLEY WALSH

16th

BREAKFAST CLUB

16th

BLYTON PARK SPRINT MEETING

21st

MIDSUMMER MADNESS TREASURE HUNT

25th

SHELSLEY WALSH SCHOOL

6th

REG PHILLIPS TROPHY MEETING

7th

VINTAGE AND POST VINTAGE THOROUGHBREDS

14th

BREAKFAST CLUB

27th & 28th

CLASSIC NOSTALGIA

2nd

AUSSIE BARBECUE, SHELSLEY WALSH

4th

MIRA SPRINT MEETING

11th

BREAKFAST CLUB

17th & 18th

CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE

27th

SHELSLEY WALSH SCHOOL

6th

MEMBERS NON-COMPETITIVE DAY

8th

BREAKFAST CLUB

21st & 22nd

AUTUMN SPEED FINALE

29th

CLASSIC RUN

13th

BREAKFAST CLUB

13th

CURBOROUGH SPRINT MEETING

Please see website or adverts elsewhere in the magazine for further details.

www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk 17

MAC Member Benefits The following companies offer benefits to members of the Midland Automobile Club.

When contacting these companies make sure you say you are a member of the MAC.

No.1 tyre specialist in the Midlands

Over 50,000 tyres in stock from all leading manufacturers. Our workshop has the very latest equipment and highly trained staff. Very special prices are available to MAC members, either fitted in Birmingham or delivered. Please e-mail enquiries to racedivision@bmtr.co.uk or contact 0121 331 1122 and ask for the race division.

Quote MAC membership number to claim preferential rates when selling your vehicle at:

www.brightwells.com

Discount for MAC members Motor Legal Expenses 24 Hr Breakdown Recovery Personal Accident (inc road rage, carjacking) Agreed Value, Limited Mileage and Multi-vehicle Options available

Use the code MACMEM2012 to claim a 15% discount on all products at www.bulletpolish.co.uk

Get three issues for £3.00 and save 15% off remaining issues.

See advert in this magazine.

Exclusive MAC discount on the Sunny Cam range of products.

See advert in this magazine.

• £120 Bed & Breakfast, based on double occupancy of a standard or classic room.

• Spa discount, 30% off any hour long treatments • 10% off treatments less than an hour • 10% Food & Beverage discount (exclusions apply) • Certain Conditions do apply check beforehand.

The Elms Hotel, Abberley, Worcestershire

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New Members Craig Bowkley, Worcester

George Hopkins, Bristol

Richard Brant and Vicki Humphrey, Solihull

Stephen Horsley, Solihull

Steve and Nicky Clark, Hartlebury

Ann McDonald, Ledbury

David Cliffe, Lichfield

Guy Palliser, Pembridge

Mark Coombs, Worcester

Nigel Perrins, Harvington

Ian Cullimore, Leominster

Richard Smith, Redditch

Dick Lambert, Bosbury

Samuel Dauncey, Stroud

Andy Taylor, Ledbury

Robert England, Worcester

Martin Taylor, Redmarley D‘Abitot

Bill Fellows, Stourport on Severn

Francis Trinham, Stourbridge

Roy Fuchco, Chaddesley Corbett

Alan Turquand, Dunstable

John and Ann Goulding, Hereford Howard Hill-Lines, Upton on Severn

Mr. and Karen Ward-Batty, Shelsley Beauchamp

John Holdom, Birmingham

James Wright, Chaddesley Corbett

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OLD MOTORING BOOKS REQUIRED The regalia shop at Shelsley Walsh would be grateful to receive donations of any old motoring book or motoring memorabilia for resale.

All money raised will go into the “Archive at Shelsley Fund” Contact Jeremy Nightingale 01527874565

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Brand Mechanical Engineering Co. 25 Wainwright Street Aston Birmingham B6 5TH Tel: 0121-327 6622 Email: brianbrand2002@yahoo.co.uk

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Henri Meeke Meets

By Bill Morris

This piece has been sent by Bill Morris, from the diary of his next door neighbour‘s father.

HENRI MEEKE MEETS ‘SWEETIE’ STOKES SOMETIME IN LATE 1931 This extract was taken from a diary which Henri wrote in his eighties – he died in 2007 at the age of 100. The couple were married in 1933.

“My brief was to make the old wireless sound a bit more robust and I wasn‘t doing very well.

The loudspeakers of the day were little more than telephone earpieces with a paper cone attached and sounded, as one wag put it, like a continuous rendering of the ‘Rustle of Spring‘ played by fairies in clogs with rubber heels!

She provided me with a lovely salad tea and we sat and talked about our various pursuits and ambitions until it was time to go, but before I departed I asked her if she would like to go to Shelsley Walsh motor hill climb near Worcester on the following Saturday with me and she said ‘Yes, she would love to‘, so the bargain was sealed with a peck on the cheek. I went up the lane once more, only this time it felt as though the car was floating on thin air. Perhaps it was the wire wheels that were singing, I shall never know.

Twenty minutes and ‘Linley‘ (where Henri lived with his parents) hove into view and I was tiptoeing upstairs like a naughty boy with Ma calling out, “Are you alright?” and I said, “Yes, all‘s well”, and under my breath, “With the world.” It seemed like that. Then sweet dreams.

Wednesday evening I popped over to Sweetie to finalise our visit to Shelsley. Telephones were almost non-existent outside the commercial sphere. It was probably just as well because it gave me a good excuse to see her and half apologise for the fact that motor racing, especially Shelsley, was a male spectacle but she seemed enthusiastic so all was well for the great day.

Raymond Mays, Whitney Straight and John Bolster would all be there hopefully, not to mention Frazer Nash and his celebrated ‘Spider‘. The record stood at 46 seconds. It was probably the only form of motor sport where one could build a special and race it for about £100. This led to some enormous freaks like ‘Bloody Mary‘, John Bolster‘s pet, which had two Austin 7 engines side by side, and Frazer Nash‘s abortion which sported a twin engine with 6” pots.

The object of the exercise was to get up the hill which was just over a mile, with a twisting ‘S‘ bend and a gradient of 1 in 6, in less than 50 seconds without piling it up on the bends.

I had friends just a mile from the hill at Shelsley Beauchamp so we left the car there and walked to the venue where one could rub shoulders with most of the ‘greats‘ in the paddock – Segrave, Campbell, Mays, Von Stuck – all in it together in the great days of the early motor car.

I shall never know whether it was the all pervading smell of the Castrol R or the general atmosphere of the track, but it gave that indefinable aura that brought Sweetie and I just that much closer together, and that night it required just a little more than a peck on the cheek at parting.”

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For Sale

GN “MARTYR” INSTONE SPECIAL Nev Churcher is having to give up competition driving, so the GN 'MARTYR' INSTONE SPECIAL is regretfully for sale after 10 years back on The Hill.

Please contact Nev on 02392 527202 for full details.

MINI COOPER – £3,200 52 Plate,106900 miles Chilli Pack, 17 inch S-Spoke Alloys, Petrol engine, Manual gearbox, Radio Boost CD, Auto Air conditioning, Full BMW service history up to 106,742 miles, Good condition tyres, 1 owner from new, Originally purchased from BMW in Italy.

Contact Hugo Nightingale 07977 208647

MOTO - LITA STEERING WHEEL Mark 5 Leather rim, unique 3 spoke wheel with ‘Gubsmith’ designs worked into the spokes. Finished in Alloy, 14”dished, fitted with M.G. boss suitable for circa 1974 era MGB (other boss types can be fitted). Excellent unmarked condition. £80.

Tel: Keith 01299861218. Email keith.hilary111@btinternet.com

MALLOCK U2 MK 20/25 — £10,500 Successful, well known car, regularly campaigned at Shelsley by Keith Robinson and maintained regardless of cost. Previously owned by John Bailey, Nick Whale, Collin Pook and Piers Thynne. Connaught built Ford 1700cc Cross Flow with 48 DCOE Webers and DTA ECU Management (200 BHP). Three rail Quaife Bullitt gearbox.

MB Mag/Alloy Wheels with New Avon slicks + set of wets cut on new slicks. Carbon composite bodywork. Haggispeed Twin Plane front and rear wings.

Bonded alloy chassis stiffening and full ground effect enclosed floor, Ford/Tranx LSD with Quaife Half shafts. Spares include: Nose with Haggispeed wings, Diffs, Half shafts, Bodywork..

Quality re-paint and pre-season overhaul ready to race. Could possibly be eligible Historic racing? Super car, reluctant sale. Contact Keith Robinson 01298 24644, Mob 07989 042977.

No time wasters please.

TWIN AXLE BOX TRAILER with barn doors and clam shell roof. New heavy duty tow hitch fitted. Internal measurements 13’ x 6’ 2” by 5’ high. £1,200 ono. Call John on 01905 381161.

TWIN 40MM DCOE WEBER CARBURETTORS and Burton inlet manifold to fit Ford Kent engine. £250.00 Contact Neville Carr 01925 754599 26

FORCE PT—SUZUKI Fresh 1600cc Hayabusa. High spec car. FTDs at Mallory Park and Blyton Park. Some class records, several class wins, 5th in British Sprint in 2010. Frequent V8 beater driven by an OAP. What could you do? £19,000 jonathan@toulmin.info or 01789 731332.

MK 4, JEDI KNOWN AS CATPOL Powered by ZZR 1100 Kawasaki with high compression pistons, R2 cams, Flat slide carbs, Vance and Hines switchable ECU, Corrillo con rods, Bewley adjustable Diff casing, sequential gear shift lights. Two rear wings. Full nut and bolt strip down and chassis repaint for 2012 season, along with complete body repaint. £7,500.00 Can put a package together including spare engine with lots of other engine spares, and a twin axle trailer with elevating roof. All for £9.000.00 Contact Brian Sanders, 07884121427 or 01905 821763.

SKON An opportunity to buy this unique hill climb and sprint car built by Nutsan Racing. It is a total one off probably never to be repeated. Powered by Suzuki TL1000R engine, with Power Commander ECU set up by HML, cross pin diff with unique adjustment for chain tension. All new suspension and modified front wish bones, lightweight brake calipers, detachable steering wheel. Three sets of wheels, slicks, wets and another set, two front wings and two rear wings, spare chassis and the fibre glass mould for the body, a one off. This mould alone has been valued at £1,000.00. All this for £9,500.00 Contact Brian Sanders 07884121427 or Phil Nuthall 07720040093.

HEDEC OPEN FACE HELMET Size M. Snell 2005 spec and RAC MS Sticker so OK for current competition use. Perfect condition, little use. Selling due to new car requiring full face helmet. £25.00 SPARCO OPEN FACE HELMET But BS 6658 type A so not current motor sports spec (not fire proof). OK for track days. £10.00 Please contact Graham on 01584 781137.

1967 ALFA ROMEO GIULIA SPRINT GTV Originally a Rhoddy Harvey Bailey development car, totally rebuilt in the late 90s. Acquired by me in 2009. Since then the car has had a full engine rebuild by Alfaholics in 2010 and has had very limited track day and hill climb use since. For more in depth details please contact Ian on the number below. Current MOT and free road fund licence. Price £34,500.

Telephone Ian on 07831 820648 or email ian.stringer@gva.co.uk.

BITS FOR SALE Pair of Continental Sport Contact 2 N2 rated tyres. One 205/50/17 and one 255/40/17 with approximately 5 mm tread. Ideal for Porsche 911 or similar. Both in excellent condition. £100 the pair.

Front anti roll bar (1 inch dia) and set of springs (230 lb front 100 lb rear) and adjustable AVO dampers, suitable for Westfield or similar. £60 the lot.

Contact Peter Herbert on petergherbert@btinternet.com or telephone 03000 261391 (Wk) or 01325 377125 (H).

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BARRIE LINES’ SUPERB 1980 HILL CLIMB ARGO JM8 V8 CLASSIC HILL CLIMB CAR Since purchased in 2007, it has been virtually totally overhauled and is presented in first class order. Powered by low hours 360 bhp NCK Rover engine, carillo rods, cosworth pistons, big valve gas flowed heads, quad 48 Dellortos. Unique 8 into 1 exhaust.

Twin radiator conversion by Concept Racing. Complete new oil system. Brakes and shock absorbers rebuilt. Electric high volume water pump. New clutch.

FG Gearbox with 10/31 diff, spare ratios. Recent new Avon slicks – good soft wets. Wet up

by Ian Dayson. Price £22,000. Will consider serious offers or part exchange race or road car.

Can be viewed in Herefordshire. Please phone 01531 670732 (home) or 07812 146220 (mobile).

CLASSIC AND THOROUGHBRED CAR MAGAZINES Full set from 1973 to date all in excellent condition -£250 the lot. All poceeds to the Shelsley restoration fund.

CASTROL HYPOY LS 90 GEAR OIL Limited slip diff oil (Castrol Axle Z) 2 x 5 litre cans - £30 per can Contact David Haggerty on 01684 575425 (Malvern)

Wanted CIDER PRESS Cider press and apple crusher required for the Shelsley Dibnahs, to make use of the replanted orchard. Anything in any condition considered. Payment in cider, flour or cash! Can collect – distance no object. Please contact the MAC Office.

BRABHAM BT21 OR SIMILAR RACE CAR Any condition considered. Contact Mike Broome on 0208 337 1572 or 0743 215 1316.

Email: mike.broome@hotmail.co.uk SINGLE SEAT 1100CC CLASS MEGAPIN, JEDI, OMS Contact Keith Robinson 01298 24644 Mob 07989 042977.

The Shelsley Picnic Please join us for the annual 'Shelsley Picnic'.

Bring your friends and picnic hampers and enjoy a summer evening in the courtyard

Saturday 8th June - 5.30pm onwards 28

An Evening with Sir Stirling Moss obe

SATURDAY 27 th JULY chateau impney, droitwich In conversation with Simon Taylor 7.00 p.m. for Welcome Drink, 7.30 p.m. Dinner Tickets £55.00 – Dress Code is Lounge Suit and Cocktail Dress If you would like to be seated with other people please indicate on this form.

Please note that tables are for eight people.

Name .....................................................................................................................................

Address .................................................................................................................................

Email ............................................................. Phone .............................................................

Number of tickets ......................................... @ £55.00 pp Total £ ......................................

If possible, I would like to be seated with .............................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................

Tickets will be sent out nearer to the event. Please also note that there will be a pay bar.

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Midland Automobile Club Sports & Classics ‘A Classic Cruise’ Sunday, 29th September 2013 Shelsley Walsh to Stratford-upon-Avon (This is a Club event only open to MAC) Meet in the Bar at Shelsley Walsh for coffee/pastries and finish at Stratford-upon-Avon for a one hour cruise on the River Avon.

Driver ................................................................................................................................

Passenger .........................................................................................................................

Address ............................................................................................................................ .................................................................... Telephone No. ............................................

Email address ...................................................................................................................

Car: Make .................................................. Model .........................................................

Year ............................................................ Colour ........................................................

Registration No. .........................................

MAC Membership No ................................

(Entry restricted to Vintage/Classic Cars or Modern Sports Cars. Please make every effort to use the car as entered above.)

Entry fee: £30 per car for driver and one passenger.

Places are restricted and will be on a ‘first come, first served basis’. Closing date for entries 25th August. Final instructions will be sent out after entries have closed, just prior to the event. We regret that no refunds will be issued after the closing date.

Please forward entry form, and cheque payable to the Midland Automobile Club to: Gail Harrison, 14 Mill Close, Blakedown, Worcestershire, DY10 3NQ. Tel. 01562 700612.

E-mail: classics@shelsley-walsh.co.uk.

If no e-mail address, please forward an A5 stamped, addressed, envelope for receipt of final instructions.

MSA waiver

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J. H. Berry & Company Goldsmiths English Hop Jewellery Gemstone Cufflinks Pearl Importers Registered Valuers and much much more at: 51 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire WR15 8AE enquiries@jhberry.co.uk Tel: +44(0) 1584 811444 Fax: +44(0) 1584 811234

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MAC MEMBERS NON – COMPETITIVE DAY ENTRY FORM Shelsley Walsh 6th September 2013 NAME

ADDRESS

EMAIL

TELEPHONE NO

CAR MAKE

CAPACITY CC ENTRY FEE

£

NUMBER OF BREAKFASTS REQUIRED

@ £6.50

£

NUMBER OF LUNCHES REQUIRED

@ £12.50

£

NUMBER OF TEAS REQUIRED

@ £3.00

£

ALL 3 MEALS

@ £20.00

£

TOTAL PAYMENT PAYMENT (DELETE TWO)

CHEQUE

CREDIT CARD

70.00

£ DEBIT CARD

CARD NUMBER START DATE

EXPIRY DATE

ISSUE NUMBER (IF PRESENT ON DEBIT CARD)

33

SECURITY NO

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An Interview With ... Dave Ball

By Tony Adams

Although Dave Ball is in the background at most Shelsley Walsh events, he can boast a proud motor sport pedigree having completed no less than four Monte Carlo Rallies!

Dave is a main committee member but, more importantly, is chairman of the Hill Maintenance Committee, working closely with Mark Constanduros to ensure the buildings, track and the 55 acres of land are maintained to a high standard.

Married to Denise for over 40 years, Dave, aged 67, lives at nearby Sapey Common, has a son Julian, and formerly ran a successful garage business in Stourport for many years.

Dave said, “My first thoughts of motor sport were watching television presenter Raymond Baxter on ‘Tomorrow‘s World‘ when he was preparing a car for the famous Monte Carlo Rally and I was fascinated by watching film of the event.

“Aged 17 my mother bought me an Austin A30 which I used to attend events as a marshal on club rallies and then to compete in sprints and hill climbs.

“Many years later I got involved at Shelsley Walsh and met MAC stalwarts Reg and Peggy Phillips, who were personal friends of Raymond Baxter and had competed in trials and of course the Monte.

“Ex-hill climbers Martyn Griffiths and Max Harvey invited me to take part in the Monte Carlo Rally with them in a Riley Pathfinder and we had such a great time that I later bought an Austin A40, mainly because I was impressed by Stirling‘s sister Pat Moss, who did so very well in one.

“Over the next few years we prepared and competed together in the Austin and a Volvo PV, making trips to Monte Carlo a regular event, so I feel that from watching as a teenager to actually competing so many times made me a very lucky lad indeed.”

In the early 1990s Dave teamed up with fellow club member Richard Warner, of Bridgnorth, and between 35

them built a space-frame Sports Libre car called a ‘Ballfry‘ which was fitted with a 1700cc engine, and they jointly competed on the Midland hills.

When time and the opportunity arises Dave has also got a 1969 Mini Cooper and an MG Costello V8 of his own to choose from and makes an occasional appearance on the track at Shelsley Walsh events.

Dave confesses to having a true affinity with Shelsley saying, “I believe it to be the best hill climb venue in the country bar none and that is down to the club and members alike who put on such a good show.

“The maintenance committee work as a team and we take great pains to ensure that the place looks as it should for visitors, and when the barn, bar and other buildings are fully renovated the place will look even better.

“Work is currently underway on the fences and entrance areas and we have improvements planned for the car parks, toilets and other facilities, which in turn we hope will continue to establish Shelsley Walsh as one of the UK‘s premier motor sport venues.”

MIDSUMMER MADNESS TREASURE HUNT! With fun and games in the Courtyard - Friday 21st June

Open to all members and cars, both young and old.

Starting: 6.00pm at The Hundred House, Great Witley.

The route will finish at Shelsley.

Strictly limited to 12 cars, £20 per car The Courtyard will be available for anyone to picnic while awaiting the hunters’ return.

Put together by one of our 'Nutty' members, this event promises to make the most of the longest day of the year.

Full details from social@mac1901.co.uk or tel: 01299 266468 Proceeds to the restoration and conservation of the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb

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