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Bits & Pieces - August 2018

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THE BEAULIEU AUTOJUMBLERS’ NEWSLETTER Autumn 2018

Historic BRM V16 roars at Spring Autojumble Hundreds of Beaulieu Spring Autojumble event-goers crowded to watch the National Motor Museum Trust’s 1950 BRM V16 roar into life with the first start-up of its newly restored engine. As many as 15,132 visitors and 2,905 exhibitors enjoyed the scorching sunshine across the Spring Autojumble weekend in May. They were treated to the sights and sounds of the BRM’s supercharged 1.5-litre V16 engine as it was started up in public for the first time since its restoration.

In an emotional reunion, 77-year-old visitor Tony Draper travelled from his home in Yorkshire to see the BRM for the first time since his childhood. His father worked on the car as an engineer for BRM and Tony treasures a picture of himself taken with it nearly 70 years ago.

contemporary classics offered a colourful show. A birthday cake was cut by Beaulieu’s Managing Director Russell Bowman, who also presented commemorative glasses to club members.

Chief Engineer and National Motor Museum Manager Doug Hill took to the wheel of the iconic British Formula One racing car for the octane-fuelled spectacle.

Spring Autojumble silver anniversary To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Spring Autojumble in 2019, we are asking you to share your pictures, stories and memorabilia. Tell us about your greatest sales and best buys, favourite moments and unforgettable experiences of Spring Autojumble since it started in 1994. Many contributions from exhibitors and show-goers will become part of a special tribute. Please help us to make it special by emailing your memories to SAJ25@beaulieu.co.uk

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2018

Beaulieu Events Manager Judith Maddox said: “The sunshine was perfect for the startup of the BRM, which was certainly one of the highlights of the show, and visitors loved the sight and sound of this incredible racing car. Also very memorable was MoggyFest and Friends, with a great mix of cars, antiques and vintage fashions on display.” MoggyFest and Friends was a crowd-pleaser brought together by the Dorset Branch of the Morris Minor Owners’ Club to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Morris Minor. Around 300 Morris Minors and

At the heart of the display was a timeline representing each decade of Morris Minor’s production run from the 1940s to 1970s, featuring immaculate cars such as one of the oldest surviving ‘lowlight’ Minors from the first production year in 1948 and one of the last Morris Minor Royal Mail vans. Complementing the cars were periodperfect antiques, record players, toys, kitchen appliances and bicycles, while the owners dressed up in trilby hats with waistcoats or hippy outfits with wigs and bright coloured flares. The displays continued with a range of classic and prestige cars owned by members of the Wessex Car Club, while Morgan Sports Car Club showcased a great selection of the hand-built British sports cars. Continued overleaf...

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Continued from front page... As many as 1,143 stands were overflowing with automotive treasures, while Automart was the place to find a complete classic car for sale with vehicles including a Citroen 2CV project at £525 and Jaguar Mk1 3.4 at £22,950. Spring Autojumble media sponsor Practical Classics displayed a selection of classics including a stunning Citroen D-Special, Eastern-bloc Wartburg and the magazine’s Ford Model T rebuild project.

Royal occasion for best stand With the Royal wedding taking place on the Spring Autojumble Saturday, it was fitting that the winners of the Best Stand award had decorated their pitches to celebrate the occasion. The trophy, donated by Lolly Lee in memory of her father and autojumbler Terry Lee, was awarded to friends Fiona and Ian Shaw, and Adrian and Jacqueline Carter, who decorated their combined stand spaces with bunting, flags and pictures of the Royal family. The stand was selected by Practical Classics Editor Danny Hopkins for embodying the spirit of the event. They were presented with a trophy by Lolly and Beaulieu Commercial Director Stephen Munn. Fiona said: “It’s been a very emotional day and I can’t believe that we’ve won this award. We have been streaming the wedding to watch it live over the internet.” Selling British tool kits and parts for Jaguars and Minis, the couples were helped on the stand by Adrian’s and Jacqueline’s daughter Olivia. Jacqueline said: “We’ve been coming every year for over 25 years, ever since Olivia was just six-months-old.”

Sunday’s highlights included Land Rover Rummage, with a trading field dedicated to spares for the popular 4x4. Windscreens, wheels, transmissions, roof panels, body tubs and even a complete military Land Rover project were for up for grabs. The Solent and District Land Rover Club also put together a line-up of seven Land Rovers which had been modified for serious off-road terrain. Trunk Traders was another Sunday favourite with buyers and sellers alike, as bargains were offered for sale from car boots. At the close of the show was the Walkabout Auction, hosted by guest auctioneer Danny Hopkins. Bargain hunters bid over items as varied as pink steering wheel covers, a Reliant Robin bonnet and Triumph Herald rubber bumper caps.

Judith’s Jottings What’s new from the Events Manager We are pleased to report that digital editions of Bits & Pieces online have been a ONLINE success, reaching readers from across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, USA, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland and more. The Spring issue got off to a great start and was read over 5,000 times in its first few months, which equates to more than five days of solid reading! The autumn edition can be read online at internationalautojumble.co.uk and springautojumble.co.uk. Copies will also be available to pick up from the Information Caravan at International Autojumble.

Early entry Following its popularity last year, we are pleased to be able to offer early Thursday entry to International Autojumble. Exhibitor access to the event fields for set-up on Thursday afternoon has been well received by stallholders and is once again available on a limited basis.

Get in touch at events@beaulieu.co.uk if we are able to help you further. 1

New team members We are delighted to welcome Mark AggJones (pictured left) as the new Assistant Events Manager and Lewis Waugh as Events Co-ordinator to the events team. Both are passionate about cars and have helped to ensure that the 2018 season of rallies has run smoothly. Both will be pleased to help you at our events in the future.

Report misuse We always aim to offer a high standard of facilities but occasionally these are subjected to misuse. Please be on the lookout for anyone damaging or tampering with facilities and let us know at the Information Caravan, so that action can be taken quickly.

Here to help Please let us know while you are at the show if you need our help. If there is anything you wish to draw to our attention or if you would like to make changes to future bookings, please come and see us at the Information Caravan. It is often easier to sort any issues at the time, rather than after the event.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2018


BRM piston clocks

The National Motor Museum Trust is offering enthusiasts a unique opportunity to support the ongoing restoration of its chassis number one 1950 BRM V16 racing car with the chance to own one of 14 limited edition timepieces constructed from its original pistons. The historic pistons and their connecting rods originate from the BRM’s supercharged V16 engine, which made it famous during its heyday driven by motorsport aces Juan Manuel Fangio and Reg Parnell as one of the most advanced racing cars of its time. However, the 68-year-old pistons had to be replaced during a complete restoration of the engine, which was found to be necessary. To create the timepieces, a specially commissioned Christopher Ward Swiss-made clock is mounted to the ‘big end’ where the connecting rod was once secured to the crankshaft, with the typeface and colours of its clock face and hands faithfully replicating those of the BRM’s oil pressure gauge. Marking the incredible engineering that made the car legendary, the piston is set on a brass and polished hardwood base and fitted to its connecting rod by a speciallymade brass gudgeon pin to create the unique keepsake. Each connecting rod is numbered from its original manufacture. The funds from the sale of the clocks will be dedicated to the preservation of the BRM. The limited edition timepieces offer an unmissable opportunity for discerning collectors and motorsport enthusiasts to own part of motor racing history. To order one of the six initially released limited edition BRM timepieces on sale at £6,000 (inc.VAT) or for more information email BRMClock@beaulieu.co.uk National Motor Museum Trust Chief Executive Russell Bowman said: “It is highly appropriate that the history of our remarkable BRM V16 should be celebrated with the creation of such exquisite collectors’ items. Continuing to preserve and restore this historically important racing car is vital and the sale of the time pieces will help to fund this.” Made possible by generous donations to the BRM Preservation Appeal, the essential rebuild of the BRM’s engine was boosted when the National Motor Museum Trust became the 2014 Goodwood Revival Beneficiary Charity. Specialist Hall & Hall was the only choice to tackle the complicated and fastidious restoration of the engine. The car’s complex 1.5-litre engine has in the region of 2,300 moving parts and following its restoration has been tested at 8,400 rpm when it produced 485bhp. In the car’s heyday, it was capable of producing 606bhp at a staggering 12,000rpm, with even greater power outputs predicted. Now those same original components form the basis of the timepieces, with the unique distinction of having powered the BRM to fifth place in the 1951 British Grand Prix. The BRM is a favourite exhibit with Beaulieu visitors and is on display as part of a collection of more than 250 vehicles on show in the National Motor Museum.

Shell poster celebrates anniversary Artist Denise Harrison has won a commission to produce a poster of Beaulieu to celebrate 25 years of the Shell Heritage Art Collection at the National Motor Museum. The poster will portray Beaulieu as a great British destination in the style of the Everywhere you go, you can be sure of Shell campaign which ran in the 1930s and 1950s. The Wimbledon College of Art MA student was selected by a judging panel from Shell Brands International, the National Motor Museum and Lord Montagu. She will follow in the footsteps of artists Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland, Rex Whistler and Vanessa Bell whose work was featured on Shell posters. Denise, who is known for her vivid colour palette and sensitive but lively use of gestural paint, will be making sketches as explores the Beaulieu Estate and looks for ideas. Her final work will be put on display in the National Motor Museum in October and become part of one of the most important collections of 20th century British commercial art.

More wins for International Beaulieu’s landmark 50th International Autojumble has won a second top tourism award as the UK Heritage Awards’ Best Event/Exhibition. A panel of tourism industry experts picked the event for offering the best visitor experience and celebrating history. The awards were held by Visit Heritage, Hudson’s heritage guide and independent hotel guide Signpost and the trophy was presented to Beaulieu Events Manager Judith Maddox at a ceremony at Goldsmith’s Hall in London. International Autojumble also recently won the gold accolade in Tourism South East’s Beautiful South Awards as the region’s Tourism Event/Festival of the Year.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2018

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New exhibits The arrival of new exhibits is always exciting but two historic machines have caused quite a stir with motorcycle enthusiasts.

Lalique in The Luxury of Motoring A collection of 28 Lalique glass car mascots is the glittering centrepiece of new display The Luxury of Motoring in the National Motor Museum. The gallery showcases a selection of the most luxurious cars ever built and tells the story of their design, the people who owned them and the chauffeurs who drove them. Spanning the golden age of luxury motoring to today’s aspirational cars, perceptions of taste and class are themes that are explored through a range of fascinating objects, films and rarely seen images from the National Motor Museum Trust’s archives. At the heart of the display is the privately-owned Lalique collection, showcased for the first time. The perfect examples of Rene Lalique’s stunning car mascots, which graced the bonnets of the most stylish automobile marques of the day, includes majestic animals and human forms that bring art into everyday life. The collection is on loan courtesy of Dawson’s Auctioneers & Valuers at Maidenhead and ranges from the delicate wings of a dragonfly to the heartiest falcon mascot with its thick, tapered neck. The Luxury of Motoring brings its story to life with some of the most luxurious cars ever built. Beaulieu has an unparalleled collection of Rolls-Royces by virtue of the Montagu family connection with its founders and the display includes the 1909 Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost which was a favourite car of the late Edward, Lord Montagu, the imposing 1933 RollsRoyce 40/50 Phantom II which was bought by media tycoon Lord Beaverbrook, and the 1968 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow which is part of the Trust’s collection. Bringing the display up-todate is the 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge from the Rolls-Royce factory. Director of Collections Andrea Bishop said: “Led by our Curator of Objects Gail Stewart-Bye, the Collections Team has researched the museum’s wonderful treasures to find stories, objects, images and film which explore the concept of luxury. Visitors will enjoy the colourful, quirky and sometimes controversial things we have discovered.”

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Generously donated to our collection is a 1967 Honda C77 Dream, while a 1954 Matchless G3/LS Auxiliary Fire Service motorcycle has arrived on loan from its proud owner. Originality links these two first-class motorcycles, which are both in remarkable condition. The Matchless, which was originally supplied to the government-run Auxiliary Fire Service, has covered less than 10,000 miles over the past 64 years. The Honda has received even less use, with 5,600 miles on its odometer. A superb example of this successful model, the Honda was used by its original owner for just eight years before being taken off the road and carefully stored.

Workshop blog Our Workshop blog is the place to catch up on news about what’s happening behind the scenes and can be read online at beaulieu.co.uk/news. In the latest issue is the return of an old treasure, the 1937 Ford V8 Utility, which was recently checked over after being tucked away for some time. With its wooden-framed station wagon bodywork and streamlined grille and headlamps, the Ford is an attractive ‘woodie’. Despite its transatlantic looks, it was constructed in England at Ford’s Dagenham works, at a time when British buyers could choose anglicised right-hand drive versions of American V8-powered Fords. What makes this Ford unusual is its originality – once owned by Princess Arthur of Connaught, it was then used for taking grouse parties into the hills at Braemar in Scotland. By the time its working life had come to an end, it had covered just 38,000 miles. Joining the National Motor Museum collection in 1982, it has been stored and its next steps will be decided by the outcome of the engineers’ assessment.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2018


The Great Beaulieu Bake Off

The Art of Kustom

Beaulieu has launched its brand new summer exhibition The Art of Kustom featuring incredible creations from the imagination of car customiser Andy Saunders. Visitors can catch a glimpse of Andy’s latest project Metropolis in a showcase of his most famous jaw-dropping creations which will be on show in the National Motor Museum until 16th September. One of the best-known customised car builders this side of the Atlantic, Andy is described as an artist using cars as his canvas. A riot of outrageous styling cues, awesome colour schemes and off-the-wall ideas, The Art of Kustom has been gathered from private collections across Europe. It includes the 1930s splendour of Andy’s immaculate Cord, a Citroen that looks like a spaceship, Reliant Rialto race car, road-going speedboat and the world’s shortest Mini, which is one of Andy’s most famous cars from his 40-year career. To launch The Art of Kustom, Andy drove Metropolis out of a car transporter for the big reveal at Beaulieu’s Hot Rod & Custom Drive-In Day, to cheers and applause from custom car fans. The art deco-style 1939 Peugeot 202 pick-up was discovered as a rusty wreck in a field in France and its transformation was completed with just hours to spare before its public debut. Andy has worked his magic on the ruined bodywork, transforming it into a sleek retro delivery vehicle. The cab roof has been chopped to lower its level and the rain gutters brought down even further. The back of the cab and whole rear end have been formed by hand, while the pick-up sides have been restored, lengthened and deepened. The body was subtly widened by four inches to lower it over replacement underpinnings. The windscreen has become a split screen and the front wings are from a 1937 SS Jaguar bought at Beaulieu’s autojumble. Andy is well known with visitors to International Autojumble, where he won a Guiness World Record for building the lowest vehicle in the world – a Fiat 126 at only 21 ¼ inches tall, which he built in just three days at the event.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2018

Beaulieu has been recreated in cake to raise money for the Great Beaulieu Bake Off raising more than £1,000 for Cancer Research. Staff from Beaulieu and sister attraction Buckler’s Hard tested their culinary skills to make scrumptious creations competing for top prizes. National Motor Museum Trust volunteer Kelly Harris won the Show Stopper prize with her recreation of some of Beaulieu’s most iconic vehicles, including the Veteran Bus, LEGO caravan, Outspan Orange Mini and ‘Gumdrop’ veteran car which is used by school groups. Second place went to Alice Reid from marketing for A Piece of Jumble, an impressive assortment of automotive signs in honour of Beaulieu’s autojumble events. A special mention went to the IT support team’s joint effort in recognition of their boss, Financial Director Phil Johnson who was immortalised in cake with their It’s Phil! entry. Raising life-saving dough with The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off, slices from these tasty treats were sold after winners had been chosen by an expert panel of judges. The competition was masterminded by Buckler’s Hard Manager Jane Mills, who also organised a raffle to raise further funds for Cancer Research UK.

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Speed and history in lectures Get beneath the skin of a Formula One racing car, uncover the history of Aston Martin and hear motorcycle racers and motorsport engineers in conversation as part of the autumn programme of National Motor Museum lectures.

Supersize Simply rallies

2018 has been the best year yet for Beaulieu’s Simply rallies with record numbers of cars and show-goers. Simply Aston Martin got the season off to a strong start with a wide selection of sleek Aston Martins in the grounds of the National Motor Museum in April. Hot on its heels was the promising debut of Simply Audi, a new addition to the calendar of nine Simply rallies and held at the request of owners and enthusiasts’ groups. Always a huge event, Simply Ford saw its biggest turnout to date, with 1,787 Fords parking up in the event fields as 3,080 participants compared each other’s prized machines and talked about all-things Ford. Simply Porsche enjoyed a remarkable 62 per cent upturn, as Porsches of all ages cruised into the event, up from 1,003 cars at last year’s rally. Another success was Simply VW, a popular start to the retro-themed Father’s Day weekend that also included the Hot Rod & Custom Drive-In Day with a Vintage Village, retro fashions, live music and dancing. For the first time, the biggest-yet Simply Land Rover added a new feature of Simply Rummage, a one-stop shop for every Land Rover enthusiast where spare parts and accessories were bought, sold and swapped. The summer heatwave ensured that Simply Jaguar was also a scorcher, yet the heat couldn’t dampen the bumper participant numbers, while Simply Japanese offered an impressive display of every car marque from the land of the rising sun. Simply Smart will be concluding the 2018 Simply rally season on Sunday 11th November, with a colourful line-up of these cheerful city cars. To buy advance tickets online or for more details, see beaulieu.co.uk/events

Citroen spies trail Visitors to Beaulieu during the May half-term had an unusual automotive surprise, with a trail of seven Citroen 2CV parts around the attraction in the gardeners’ greenhouse, the Secret Staircase in Palace House and next to the figure of a monk in Beaulieu Abbey. During WWII, Beaulieu was home to the Special Operations Executive ‘finishing school’ for secret agents training for covert missions in enemy territory. So we took Beaulieu back to 1941 and recreated the story of prototypes of the Citroen 2CV being broken up and hidden to keep them from falling into enemy hands. Young visitors became secret agents following the trail and collected clues to de-code at Mission HQ, as part of their Beaulieu day out.

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At F1 Cars: An Engineering Challenge on Saturday 15th September join Steve Fenwick, head of FullSize Car CFD at Renault Sport Racing, as he unveils the world of Formula One that isn’t seen by TV cameras, with the highly-skilled work that takes place 24 hours a day to keep these racers on the track. Hear about the history of one of Britain’s most famous and best-loved sports car marques with Aston Martin: A History on Friday 12th October. Steve Waddington, the company historian for Aston Martin Lagonda and a member of the factory tour team, will be joined by Maitland Cook who worked with former Aston Martin racing team manager John Wyer and was privy to many of his career recollections. They’ll be discussing the past, present and future of the legendary company and its remarkable cars. On Saturday 17th November motorcycle road racer Peter Williams will be looking back over 11 years of racing, in conversation with motorcycle writer and commentator Jim Reynolds. A talented engineer who enjoyed great success in competition, Peter developed his ideas throughout the 1960s with various designs, before creating the legendary 1973 John Player Norton Monocoque. If I had known then what I know now is the title of the fascinating audience with historic Jaguar guru Chris Keith Lucas on Saturday 8th December. Managing Director of Jaguar specialists Lynx for 25 years, Chris left to found CKL Developments Ltd in 1999. In Chris’ own words: “There have been some very interesting people... some hairy moments, some funny moments, cars, boats, aeroplanes and hot air balloons!” Evening sessions start at 7.30pm in the Lecture Theatre of the National Motor Museum’s Collections Centre. Tickets at £10 (or £7.50 for Friends of the National Motor Museum Trust) are available from Theresa Browning at friends@beaulieu.co.uk or 01590 614792. For more information about the Friends see nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/the_friends.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2018


Abbot’s Mews falconry exhibition Lord Montagu has rekindled Beaulieu’s ancient association with the art of falconry by appointing the first official falconer in three centuries. The history of falconry at Beaulieu can be traced as far back as the 11th century and Paul Manning is believed to be the first falconer endorsed by the Montagu family for over 300 years.

Christmas comes alive The grounds and gardens of Palace House will be transformed with a magical after-dark illuminated Christmas at Beaulieu light trail. The experience is being created by Raymond Gubbay Ltd who have installed similar festive trails at Kew Gardens and Blenheim Palace. Tree-tops and buildings will shimmer with seasonal sparkle. Key features include flickering flames in a scented Fire Garden in the Abbey Cloister, 100,000 twinkling pea-lights in the Tunnel of Light and a Christmas Wishing Tree in the formal gardens, a light show to music on the front of Palace House, larger-than-life gleaming shards in an Icicle Walk, Meadow of Light with thousands of fibre optic lights swaying in unison and a Singing Tree finale close to the National Motor Museum.

Paul is now based in Abbot’s Mews in the grounds of 13th century Beaulieu Abbey. The former ticket kiosk at the old gateway to Beaulieu has become a classroom for falconry tuition and activities, as well as an exhibition for attraction visitors to learn more about kings, queens and noblemen who practiced falconry. Paul said: “It is a real honour to be Lord Montagu’s falconer, particularly with Beaulieu’s rich history of falconry. The wonderful thing about falconry is that it is truly living history, as what I do is exactly the same as 700 years ago. Nothing has changed, from the birds to the skills or equipment.”

A vintage fairground ride and festive food and drink – with spiced cider, mulled wine, hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts and marshmallows from a fire pit – will accompany the one-mile trail. Event-goers can also catch a glimpse of Father Christmas and his elves on the roof of Beaulieu’s Veteran Bus! Tickets are already on sale for Christmas at Beaulieu on selected evenings from 23rd November–30th December, from 4.45–10pm. For tickets and more information see beaulieu.co.uk/christmas or call 0844 995 1364.

Visitors to Abbot’s Mews can discover the full story of falconry at Beaulieu and its royal patronage, which has been researched by Paul. He has been delighting visitors with the sight of his magnificent birds of prey in flight as part of Beaulieu’s living history for 10 years. Paul also offers introductions to falconry, corporate events and photography days on a bespoke basis. See www.amews.com for details. The new Abbot’s Mews exhibition is included in a general admission ticket to Beaulieu, for details see beaulieu.co.uk.

Supercar Weekend Beaulieu’s Supercar Weekend in August was the place to see the evolution of the supercar, as high performance machines of the past and present were pitted against each other in a new feature at the A-Plan insurance sponsored event.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2018

As many as 750 dream machines gathered for a two-day motoring spectacular in the grounds of the National Motor Museum.

while the sportiest cars in the supercar sound-off competed to see which had the best sounding engine.

A hit with visitors were the action-packed demonstration runs, which saw cars of the road and track put through their paces,

The Beaulieu Supercar Weekend will return for 2019. For the latest details see beaulieu.co.uk/events.

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| beaulieu.co.uk BITS & PIECES Autumn 2018 a Produced by the PR Department | John Montagu Building | Beaulieu | Hampshire | SO42 7ZN | 01590 614603 | pr@beaulieu.co.uk


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