We are in the final rundown to the Spa Classic towards the end of the month, I do hope that by moving the meeting a week later sunshine will prevail all the while. Alan Mason has been able to secure what is becoming ‘our’ weekend home – the infield slot inside the track at the fabled ‘Eau Rouge’ corner. Each year we say more than before, well we have some 30 participants in 18 SPs and a couple of assorted cars such as Jaguars, a Porsche and a TVR. It’s not too late to grab a spare seat in an SP if you wish to join us.
And to give you a tour of the circuit itself, let Herman take you around for a nostalgic trip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhWUaOByGGI
We, to, gain access to our stand at Radillon/Eau Rouge do indeed drive part of the old circuit from Stavelot to Blanchimont (as seen in the clip) where we turn right by the Blanchimout gates to our club stand under and around the circuit internally to Radillion.
The SPring 2025 Bumper edition of Classics World – issue no: 357 has a most comprehensive 5 page review on the SP250, covering all its aspects in searching for a good one. There is a detailed focus on the various features of its weakness and strengths such as, chassis, engine and transmission, suspension, steering & brakes. It then gives a guide price breakdown: projects £8/- to £10/-; £20/- to £25/- usable, then on the £28/- to £32/- for ‘show worthy’ and £40/- and above for the best..
The problem I face nowadays with motor magazines is that many newsagents no longer stock a variety, not even the faithful WH Smith. It seems that most magazines are now on a subscription basis and I cannot take them all, therefore I do rely on my readers to keep me informed as to when articles appear, thank you. So I now contact the back copy departments to gain the required issue.
However, I do know that there are in the forthcoming pipeline two articles on SPs, Classic & Sports Car are doing V8 comparison with an SP and a Majestic Major. Jim Davies and Peter Bristow respectively flying the Daimler flag. Whilst, The Automobile is to write up on the lost SP – The Hooper bodied 4 seater saloon that was show cased at the 1959 Motor Show. It was subsequently broken up on the orders of William Lyons as “the most ugly car I have seen”. However, it was stripped and its heart, the chassis, used by RR ‘George’ Fabel, a Daimler engineer to build a conventional SP and later registered 563 VC . George besides being an engineer was an accomplished rally driver and one of the drivers that took the 1959 New York Show Car on its American coast-to-coast epic drive as soon as the show shut its doors.
This article has caused me to focus on the number of chassis made as we have usually stated the number as 2654 whereas it essence it is 2653. The prototype chassis number 100000 – known as the Red Car that was badly damaged on the MIRA test track was strip of its steel body and donated to Hooper to create the 4 seater saloon in record time and then given the allocated chassis number 100571 therefore, the essential part of 100000 lives on as 100571.
The latest edition of pasSPort, the global SP owners’ handbook’ is at the printing stage and will be sent out hopefully during the month.
Over the last weekend it was Drive-it-Day here in the UK, this is held each year on a Sunday in April, and it is the day when historic vehicle enthusiasts and the public at large have the opportunity to celebrate the ‘One Thousand Mile Trial’. Many join in with events all over the country with monies being raised for local or national charities. Here in Essex 5 SPs joined John Parry’s Rotary Club Charity fund raising actions for worthwhile causes and at the same time navigating the byways of our countryside using a prepared tulip route book, a most enjoyable run in blissful sunshine. Mind you John’s SP is in the dock having a new engine fitted so hopefully its next year for John himself.
If it is your intention to go out to the Le Mans Classic on the 3rd to 6th June, SP owner Neil Horton is competing in his Peerless so do stop by the pits and say hello. Neil is also racing the Peerles over here at the Snetterton Classic on Saturday and Sunday 28/29 June. We have taken a club stand and hopefully Neil will pop by for a chat – do come around as it’s free to enter.
We have a couple of spaces on the Norfolk/ Suffolk rally. It’s 2 night 3 day event staying overnight at an hotel near Bury St. Edmunds 1st – 2nd July returning midafternoon the 3rd July contact me for further details – so far we have 28 participants with 14 SPs
Do please persevere with your booking at https://bromyardspeedfestival.co.uk/ for SP250 day We are assured that all SPs will be admitted on the 27th July.
Wanted and for sale:
Needed urgently a ‘B’ spec bonnet in good condition to replace an ‘up and over’.
I have taken delivery of another batch of SP peaked caps either in dark blue or white £10 each also came across a few SP250 grille badges from the 2009 production run, these are £20 a time – monies to pasSPort.
Tim Leckenby who has been the custodian of this SP for the past 30 years taking it from New York on his travels via Panama to Ukraine . He spent some time getting it out of the Odessa customs facility, then a little light fettling. He was able to drive it on a modest basis in Ukraine before a Russian drone took it out. Luckily Tim wasn’t in the car – so a mixture of bombs and a tank of petrol have laid low this SP – below just prior to the drone attack.
Sadly not to be replaced
What an untimely ending..
Requiescat in pace
1961 – 2025
Gone but not forgotten
Thought for the day:
The man we call a specialist today was formerly called a man with a one-tracked mind!
