First & foremost during the forthcoming week we head to the NEC Classic Car Show 11 – 13 November, https://www.necclassicmotorshow.com/ we are in Hall 3 stand 595. It is our intention to showcase the Felday 2. This was the second in a series of Feldays develop by Peter Westbury, the 1963 Hill Climb champion, so he could attacked the Continental Hill Climb series, and for that it was configured as a ‘two seater’. This unique vehicle had for over 50 years been laid up in the care and custody of Barry Thorne until early this year when Dave Melton took on the task of its restoration. You must see the supercharger that sits atop the Turner V8 engine and which is served by twin SUs from, I think, an XK 120. Here is a link to a ‘sneak’ preview on offer at the NEC – https://joom.ag/MD1d
The Felday will be backed up by other SPs, including one being previously owned by Quentin Willson and restored from the ground up. (QW had four SPs in total) Another, a wreck and has been likewise completely restored, the owner wanted to save as much of the original car as possible, a feat that Robert Grinter and his team have undertaken with considerable skill and attention to detail. Dave Melton will also ‘put up’ his own SP which was similarly restored from a basket case, and has developed it considerably. Jim Davies will all so be present with his award winning SP. (Jim is not adverse to receiving tins of polish to keep it in its pristine condition)
Alan Mason will be on the stand with calendars for sale at £12 for the wall and £15 for the desk version or if you are unable to come along then please send Alan an email soaring.ace@btinternet.com to place an order.
There is a ‘new’ magazine on the block entitled Sports Car Legends this ‘new’ series is from the stable of the Haymarket group publications and is sponsored by their publication Classic & Sports Car. Alastair Clements, editor in chief of Classic & Sports Car opens its editorial thus: – “Over the years, certain cars have earned the right to be legends” and continues “we decided it was time we celebrated some of the most memorable machinery we have had the pleasure of sampling”. So there we have it in written word the SP is a legend. On pages 78 to 83 is a full account of the SP250. One eagle eyed reader spotted an error, it that it states Daimler bought Jaguar, Oh well, even professional journalists slip up! It seems this new magazine is somewhat elusive as it took a number of visits to various newsagents to obtain a copy.
A little further afield we are looking to go out to the SPA Classic again next year:- https://www.peterauto.fr/en/events/spa-classic/ and at present having booked the entire hotel, we have a couple of spacers available, from which the circuit is about a 15 minutes’ drive. We usually have an infield site overlooking Eau Rouge. You will need to allow at least a day out and back traveling time either side of the 3 day event. The cost of tickets for the entire weekend have cost about £30, excellent value for money.
All through the year updating pasSPort is a continuous task and as soon as one edition is put to bed so the next is being prepared. However, year-on-year costs increase and as the publication relies on contributions your help is needed to fund the next, so please help by sending donations to glynovery@talktalk.net thank you.
James and Annie Appleyard decided to take their SP over to the British car rally weekend at Les Sables d’Olonne where the Les Belles Anglaises is held. Jean-Yves Stockman (see And Finally) hosts this gathering for many including SPs. Where, as usual with the French as hosts, local wine tours are an order of the day. An interesting snippet is that Dave Seager-Thomas arrived with his ‘fully loaded’ red SP delivered at new to Curacao in the North West Indies, incidentally his SP is chassis number 101584 whilst Jean-Yves is 101583, delivered miles apart at new, across the Atlantic, but side by side in 2022 in a vineyard en-France!
As it’s an all British car events, there are many TRs, Morgans, Jaguars and Astons, during the tours the local police provide outriders so as to get through any traffic! Can’t see that happening over here? Annie & James have reconnoitre a subsequent trip for September next year. So if you fancy a trip over to France in your SP, coupled with food, wine and oysters then let’s see if we can get a ‘flight of Darts’ together.
For Sale
I have been tasked with help selling 3 SPs in the £8,900 to £9,500 bracket, all will need restoration, one of which has sat under blankets and old overcoats since 1972! I have a pair of recondition vertical links complete with stub axles at £750.
Wanted.
Any spare water pumps or rear brake caliper pads – will pay £25 a set for the pads, this helps saving new back blacks being made.
And finally……
Note the unique SP special, designed by Gustav Bigorie a French sculptor and artist on the last LHD chassis delivered into France in 1964. He fitted it with a high ratio back axle amongst the other upgrades carried out. Currently in the ownership of Jean-Yves Stockman who discovered the car in the late 1980s and subsequently restored it. (l to r: Alain Petit: Jean-Yves Stockman: Dave Seager-Thomas: James & Annie Appleyard
Thought for the day: “Aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines” ( Enzo Ferrari )
