As time goes by adding miles to my car and years to myself, Christmas always brings the question of where to go for a good long drive. We pass this way but once and there is no guarantee that behind the pearly gates there lies equal opportunity as on earth below to enjoy a good thunder with the top down. Therefore, do it now. Put rubber to the road before it is too late and go for it as the actress said to the racing driver. Thus, with such good self-advise ringing in my ears, for the Christmas of 1984 in the era of Orwell and newspeak, I once again pointed the SP’s nose in the general direction of the South Island and on the morning of the 17th let fly. Some 2800 miles later in early January of 1985 I returned to Auckland and now recount some impressions of the experience. Initial reaction is one of deflation, of ecstasy achieved and lost, a sustained moment of glory now faded and gone into feeling. For three weeks I was moving at continuous high speed with adrenalin levels pumped up high. Then early January all this forward motion ceased, with nothing to do but go back to the grind as before of earning a living. And waiting for the next time….’
So wrote the late Kevin Convery, some 40 years ago, in the opening paragraph to his article that appeared in Dart Talk, the magazine of the NZ SP Owners’ Club. Kevin, without doubt one of New Zealand’s greatest wordsmiths comparable, if not greater in my view, than Eric Arthur Blair. I am pleased that another English wordsmith is alive and writing his erudite wit and wisdom, and a Daimler fanatic to boot, from his hideaway in Siam.
Therefore, with Kevin’s words of encouragement ringing in my ears, we put rubber to the road and top down as we headed for the Spa classic weekend in Belgium at some unearthly hour. Alas, on the train (Le Chunnel) we paid attention to wise counsel and put the top up, for when we exited the train storms welcomed us to continental motoring. Leading from the front I made a cardinal error, missed a turning in the appalling rain so took an alternative route! I was forgiven by those following when we arrived at the hotel and were first into the bar!
Although it was a very much a mixed bag of weather over the next few days we did see a great deal of racing with the Sun breaking up the clouds over the weekend, so that on our homeward leg it was top down all the way – thank you Kevin for the inspiration.
The Lydden Hill Classic is fast knocking on the door in about a fortnight’s time 23 June, the link for booking:- https://lyddenhill.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/historics_on_the_hill excellent value at £7.06 for driver, do remember any passenger needs a ticket also. The club discount code is SP250.
Last month I posted the following clip by Bill Cole and posed the question who was driving Lydden Hill back in 1972 or 73 https://www.dloc.org.uk/lyddenhill72 . Well Ian Slade came to my rescue, “it was 73’ and me” – see ‘and finally…’.
Bring your SP and join us in Norfolk, based at the https://www.parkfarm-hotel.co.uk/ Enjoy runs through Nelson’s county. It’s the 3-5th July. For further details do please get in touch with me.
The new edition of pasSPort, the global directory of owners, should shortly be dropping through the letter box
Overseas members will need to wait a little longer whilst the courier companies ‘strut their stuff’.
The Jaguar Enthusiast Club magazine (March 2024 # 471) has an interesting article concerning the Turner V8 engines. Wherein Peter Wilson who worked in the completion department of Jaguars writes to discuss the installation of Turner’s 2½ engine in a MK 1 Jaguar. He writes it was better balanced that the XK unit and then installed a 4 ½ litre unit into a Mark 10 where it blew the pants off the William Heynes ‘lorry’ engine. Vanity played a major part with the Daimler V8s as Heynes would not accept, under any circumstances his beloved XK engine being shown up by Turner’s Daimler V8 units. Daimler had to wait until the late 1990s where the V8 was to prove its worth beyond doubt.
Andy Smith, a volunteer with the Coast Guard Watch, is doing a charity fund raising event in his SP. For the full story and if you wish join him andy@tregennis.co.uk in your SP or make a donation:- https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andrew-smith-NCI45
The following couple of clips doing the rounds, are great publicity for the SP, just a couple of slight errors, none- the-less excellent profile. It was mostly shot at last years’ NEC Classic Car show when we had the mint chassis on display. https://youtu.be/ouHieoSA6aQ?si=iYQlOLzQ8ZvPitS1
…and this is where the American’s realise they are not the only ones with Hemi heads! https://youtu.be/o0sRP196NgA?si=768-1KSh0Y-DYCJA
The Lavenham Classics is being held this year on the Bank Holiday Sunday 25th August. Clive Burton (Suffolk) who himself lives in this ancient wool town is organising a Daimler stand, his contact details are in pasSPort . See https://www.lovelavenham.co.uk/ and wander amongst its ancient buildings, oh, by the way the Driving Member magazine gets printed at the Lavenham Press.
The Goodwood Revival 6-8 September https://www.goodwood.com/grr/event-coverage/goodwood-revival/2024-goodwood-revival-race-list/
Kop Hill have their weekend 14-15 September https://kophillclimb.org.uk/ there is usually a Daimler Club stand.
Castle Coombe has its Autumn Classic weekend on the 21- 22 September see:- https://castlecombecircuit.co.uk/autumn-classic-historical-racing-festival/
We will be at the NEC as usual this year 8-10 Nov we are in Hall 2 stand 760 the discounted ticket code is CCCNOVC323 ticket information link:- http://www.necclassicmotorshow.com/ticket-information
We will have the 2025 SP250 Calendars on sale – pre-book with Alan Mason soaring.ace@btinternet.com
I need to keep a reference to the John Abel SP250 racing library web site. If you can help John to expand this archive on SP racers he would appreciate it. https://www.racing-sp250.co.uk/SP250-Racers.html do get in touch with john_abel289@hotmail.com
And finally…………. at Lydden Hill in ‘73
SPs queuing up, with Chris Rose in WRC 941 now owned by Geoff Douglas in Scotland
Ian Slade taking the chequered flag
Thought for the day:
Not every woman in old slippers can manage to look like Cinderella
