Last month was somewhat hectic as we first headed out to the Ardennes’ countryside in Belgium for the SPA Classic. Here we enjoyed an excellent weekend of classic car racing, dining and renewing friendships. First though the hero of the trip was Dave Melton who with his wife decided to go out a day early to take in some historical sights in the region. As they approached the tunnel check in, lo and behold oil sprang from their SP. Then followed a 9 hour piggy-back recovery to their home in Surrey where Dave set to and re-placed a split oil filter housing, then next day back to the tunnel and onto the hotel – such ventures create memories!
Meanwhile, I was the tail-end Charlie of a five SP contingent that had gone out via the tunnel on the Thursday and then drove on through the French and Belgium countryside, such a great sight to see four SPs in front of me as we wound down through a valley on our way to our hotel in Waimes. In that 5 car band-of-brothers was Richard Newman who just 2 days earlier had taken delivery of his newly body-off restored SP painted in his late uncle’s racing colours of Felday blue. What a way to bed down/run in your SP than a meander to SPA! Richard did have a slight issue in that one of the door latch pins snapped off, undeterred it was taken off the car and into the pits where the Jaguar race car mechanics TIG welded it – now that wouldn’t happen at Goodwood?
In all we had a 14 car SP display, plus a couple of other members’ cars within the Eau Rouge complex. The organisers thanked us for being fully supportive of this event. The Saturday evening saw many of us dine within the restaurant overlooking the track to take in the sights and sounds of late night racing as the cars descend in the far distance, headlamps blazing on this 4 plus mile circuit, in pre-war days it was over 10 miles in length. In fact when we go into the circuit we use part of the old track to gain our stand.
We are hoping that the new stand seen in the picture will be in situ for next year, then WE will have an exclusive grandstand view of the track as the cars head down to Eau Rouge before climbing the hill.
The official SPA video clip. https://youtu.be/L59gnAQa144 we watched live over three days, you can sit back and relax in 27 minutes, first section in French then in English. Look out for the SPs at 12.20 and then an overhead shot at 20.21 through the trees. As an aside I averaged 32 MPG for the return, hotel to home, 320 mile journey, not too shabby I thought.
Whilst we were at SPA it was announced that the great gifted Italian engineer Giotto Bizzarrini passed away on the Saturday at the age of 96, it was somewhat befitting epitaph that a car of his own make was racing that day. He was credited with the iconic 250 series of Ferraris of the 1960s and he was a guiding light at Lamborghini before embarking on crafting his own cars. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giotto_Bizzarrini .
Later in the month we met up with Chris & Veronica Ogle who were, visiting from Australia, overseeing the restoration on the 1962 Motor Show car that Chris’ father the late David Ogle designed, the SX250.
Later still in May, Carolyn and Alan Hunt, doyens of the Australian SP scene, also stopped by following a garden party at Buckingham Palace. So as not to be out done, we had our own garden party with SPs on Sunday 28th where a number of local members brought along their cars, one of which belonged to Paul & Sue Newman whose ex-Australian SP Alan will try and trace its early origins, Paul bought it out in Austria.
Dave Melton having climb Prescott will be exercising the Felday 2 on 22/23 July click the link:- Shelsley Walsh it would be great if we in our SPs were able to support his venture. I hope to book a club stand.
We have booked a club stand at:- https://www.helmingham.com/events/the-festival-of-classic-sports-cars/ on the 6thAugust. If you wish to come along please let me know by 1st July and I will arrange tickets etc usually a 1000 plus classics turn up.
Looking further ahead we have Kop Hill on the 16/17 September https://kophillclimb.org.uk/dates-for-2023-announced/ no doubt John & Pat Marr will host a Club stand. So if booking apply to go with the club.
Looking still further ahead we have the ‘Les Belles Anglaises on the 23/24 September. http://sablanim.com/ this is the classic car event when the French take over the resort in their English Sports Cars for a long weekend, and the easy way to do it is the leisurely ferry crossing Newhaven/Dieppe then on via Le Mans to the resort making a 5 day tour. Now if we can organise a group of at least half dozen SPs that would be a great effort……Anne Appleyard is up for it and will help with bookings etc.
A Fish called Wanda? No an SP………….for the last 3 months or so I have been highlighting the various upgrades that Bill Holland and Steve Sanett carry out at https://www.penta-motorsports.com/1962dainlersp250 on their racing SP, well it’s all brought together in this article :-
https://classicmotorsports.com/articles/daimler-sp250-race-car/ you can get under the car’s skin in this clip.
This has been brought to my attention by Keith Humphreys the editor of the NZ SP250 club’s DartTalk
We will be at the NEC Classic Car show 10/12 Nov in Hall 2 stand 750 and showcasing one of Robin Reads dragsters, a couple of SPs and a rolling chassis. No doubt we will have SP calendars on sale. You will need to ask me for the discounted ticket code.
And finally………..
I was having a dream then a nightmare that is what is in store for us!
Thought for the day
To some lawyers all facts are created equal!
