The sale itself was to take place the following day and a fair proportion of the 109 cars offered were to find new
owners (71%). This included a 1958 AC Ace which went to a different home for over £200,000 and a Ferrari
Dino 246GT Spider for just shy of £375k, its lower estimate. But for the catalogue’s ‘Cover Car’ - a ‘4.3
short-chassis Alvis Vanden Plas Tourer’ - the bidding fell a little shy of the base estimate of £420k so, for
now, the car was retained by present owners, the Royal Automobile Club.
Grossing over four million pounds in total, there were many affordable, yet impressive, classics making up
that figure, but the sale was something of an overture for the bigger Bonhams event to be held at the Festival
of Speed in July. As such, they brought along a few showcase headliners. These included the most famous of
all Aston Martin Zagatos, “2 VEV”, the late John Surtees’ personal BMW 507 Roadster and the 1934 Alfa
Romeo P3, which won the Grand Prix at Donington in 1935.
However, a really eclectic array of vehicles was offered at this Members’ Meeting sale. From a gargantuan
Lincoln Continental Presidential limousine - a slightly younger brother of the one made infamous at the scene
of JFK’s assassination - yet similarly complete with foot plates and grab handles at the rear for attendant
bodyguards - to a pair of German Bubble Cars: One from BMW, being an Isetta, and the other a Heinkel
Trojan. In between, representations of most Lancia models produced between 1928 and 1992, including a
desirable Aurelia B24 convertible that went for £158k. See the annotated accompanying pictures for details,
and visuals, of a lot more, err, ‘Lots’.
Eventually I braved the elements and left the relative warmth of the auction venue to walk through the tunnel
and out into the centre of the Goodwood circuit. On each previous visit, whether it be the ‘Revival’ or a
Members Meeting, the Duke of Richmond and his team have always managed to bring together a new
collection of cars not seen in numbers before. The familiar GT40s and Jaguar E-types were present once
again, as they invariably provide impressive velocity, close contests and great entertainment, but this year, in
recognition of the 70th anniversary of Porsche, cars from their mid-60s era had been assembled for the first
time.
In addition to some 906 and 910 sports racing cars, contemporaries of the GT40s, there were no less than
eight slightly earlier Porsche 904s. These cars were particularly successful at racetracks in Europe and the
USA, but for just two years. However, I immediately thought (and it was confirmed later by my research) that
this many 904s had not been witnessed together in a single race since the Nurburgring ‘1000Kms’, in 1965.
Even at Le Mans, in both ’64 and ’65, there was one fewer on the grid.
Furthermore, for high-speed demonstration laps, about thirty V8 powered Formula 5000 single seaters had
been gathered, and a similar number of Group 5 sports and saloon cars from the mid to late 1970s. Among
these highly modified and immensely powerful production-based vehicles from forty years back, a large
proportion consisted of Porsche 935s and Ferrari 512 BB LMs. Again, perhaps, so many in one place had not
been seen on these shores since the original decade.
By now, practice and qualification for the various races was in full flow, once again, although I had heard from
a couple of drivers that in order for any racing to take place at all, it was essential for some salt to have been
laid down to ensure there was no ice on track. However, with some sadness, it had been decided that the
motorbikes, scheduled for the Hailwood Trophy could not take part. It would have been just too dangerous and
unpredictable for the riders concerned. Two wheeled competition was simply not possible.
That said, the spirit of the drivers present on four wheels and the spectators alike remained warm. The close
racing and skillful car control was starkly put into focus and, given the wintery conditions, more impressive
than ever. Standard two-litre, short wheelbase, Porsche 911s are notorious for their tendency to swing like
pendulums because their engines hang out beyond the back axle, but with narrow tyres and rasping ‘Flat-6s’
they provide brilliant entertainment when driven to the absolute limit. The crowds following them on the giant
video screens, would express audible appreciation instinctively as one voice, when it appeared the cars were,
in truth, still dancing on thin ice, salt or no salt. Within the fraternity, the ‘2.0L Cup’, a series of races solely
for these pre-1966 Porsches, has been organised for later this year, given the spectacle is so widely popular
and the drivers clearly enjoy themselves.
Similarly, where cars had more power than any four quantities of cold rubber could grip (however wide)
dramatic slides, followed by ‘fraction of a second from disaster’ catches, were routinely provided by a pair of
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe continuation cars, in particular. Netherlands based teenager, Olivier Hart,
showed he possesses great talent and absolutely zero fear in the way he drove during the Gurney Cup event.
Comparisons could be made to his countryman Max Verstappen who recently took the world of Formula One
by storm. His father David may have won the race in his newly acquired Shell Oil liveried GT40 (chassis
P/1079), with aplomb, but Hart the younger worked harder to achieve his deserved third place.
The great American engineer driver Dan Gurney would have been proud of them both, for it was he who won
the 1967 Le Mans 24hrs in a Mk IV version of the Ford GT, but he also came third at the wheel of a Shelby
Cobra Daytona Coupe (one of the six originals) in the 1964 Tourist Trophy…And where had that taken place?
It was Goodwood, of course!
As each epic dual concluded, viewers of all ages would turn infield to seek out the various fire circles,
thoughtfully and uniquely provided by the Goodwood staff. Great cauldrons full of crackling logs and orange
glowing embers, surrounded by tree stumps and impromptu log benches, were welcome open air refuges for
everyone to thaw out fingers and faces. Children munched hot-dogs while mugs of hot chocolate and tea were
clasped by the adults. At every fireside complete strangers happily conversed with each other, all with smiles
even if some additionally displayed chattering teeth. A common spirit of fun pervaded from both the
excitement of the racing and the huddling together against the cold. I guessed it was the human equivalent of
Penguins in the Antarctic, continuously chirping while facing inwards for communal warmth in blizzard like
conditions. Conversational subjects included the diversity and quality of cars, the welcome access to all
areas - especially the inner paddocks - and the fact that so many visitors had decided to turn up in sub-zero
temperatures.
“Hey, have you seen the quality of workmanship on those monster Mercedes 710 SSKs?”
“Yes, amazing, and isn’t it great to see all those Delahayes and Delages in French blue?” commented a
knowledgeable young lady. Another person added,
“And what about that exquisite Alfa 6C 2300 Spider? You must take a look. It’s a concours car shown at
Pebble Beach, yet the French chap that owns it also says he races at Le Mans and takes it on the Mille
Miglia.”
“My favourites are the ‘60s saloons,” said a man in a flat cap. “Nice to see a few Lotus Cortinas not painted in
white with a green stripe, for a change.”
“I suppose some owners now admit they can’t all be ex-Jim Clark!” quipped his friend.
“I want the big Galaxies to win, Daddy,” exclaimed a youngster.
But it was indeed the nimbler, smaller, Fords from Dagenham that filled the first four places in the Sears
Trophy, though Gentleman Jack himself drove both Cortinas and his faithful Galaxie to win the British Saloon
Car Championship for a second time, in 1963.
Suitably warmed and informed, I headed back to the enclosed paddock to view some more cars. This time
hovering around the earliest ones at the meeting. Assembled for the inaugural Bolster Cup were a
miscellaneous bunch of ‘Specials’. Built or modified in barns and gardens sheds by talented amateurs, some
as far back as World War One days, where almost anything to hand was tested to improve outright speed, if
not always handling. Long before the concept of aerodynamics, per se, but sometimes a surplus aero engine,
or two from a pair of motorbikes, were bolted onto a rudimentary chassis frame. Power was transferred to a
back axle through a robust, but basic, series of chains, and the spindly thin wheels took the brave
participants off the starting lines at hillclimbs and race circuits like scalded cats in a cacophony of bangs,
pops and clatters.
A particularly celebrated pioneer of such fundamental motorsport was commentator, journalist and engineer
John Bolster, together with his RAF pilot brother, Richard. “Heath Robinson-esque” examples of cars still
regularly competing, including here at the 76MM, were the GN Thunderbug, powered by 2 cylinders (together
4.3 litres) from an original 9 cylinder radial engine, the GN JAP GP Special with its 5.1 litre V8 aero-engine
shoehorned in to a lightweight cycle-car frame and the GN Curtiss, with 8.3 litre OX5 Curtiss V8 power. “GN”,
incidentally, combines the initials of GN cycle-car company founders, H.R.Godfrey and Archibald
Frazer-Nash, whose manufacturing operation traded between 1910 and 1925. The more widely known
W.O.Bentley marque was also represented, and current owners have carried on the same theme by installing
huge torque Bentley 8-litre power-plants into modest 3-litre frames. Tim Llewellyn drove a version he’s raced
for 40 years, from fifteenth to first on lap one, then on to victory, averaging 83 mph throughout. He said,
afterwards, that ‘Penny’ had been seen smoking, as her engine was still bedding in, and so not working quite
as well as she should.
Only when I got home did I realise this was the same car in which I’d seen a much younger Tim Llewellyn win
at Silverstone when I was a small boy, while accompanying a school friend and his father (in one of the family
road-going classics), to the annual summer Bentley Drivers Club meetings. What made the occasions more
remarkable was that my friend’s Dad also commentated and officiated, though his day job was a senior
position in the House of God, for he was a serving Anglican Bishop. (More stories there!)
A slightly more modern triumvirate of British cars were the three (the only 3) streamlined Morgan Plus 4
SLRs, parked together. No slouches themselves as the green one (chassis SLR3) came second between the
fastest Porsche 904 (chassis 904-079) and a beautiful alloy bodied blue Ferrari 275 GTB/C (chassis 09057) in
the ‘Ronnie Hoare Trophy’ race. But wait, there was a fourth! I went over to the owner of the red one (SLR2),
whom I knew, to ask about it.
“Actually,” he advised, “it’s not a Morgan at all, but a Triumph TR4.”
With a similar low drag, curvaceous body, it was in fact the original car, as designed by John Sprinzel and
Chris Lawrence. Christened ‘SLR’ (Sprinzel LawrenceTune Racing), the sleek Triumph was unveiled in
January 1964 at London Olympia’s Racing Car Show. Then, further examples followed, built on three Morgan
chassis, each complying with the contemporary period Group 3, ‘Appendix J’ category.
“It’s the very first time all four have competed in the same race,” my delighted informant explained, “so a really
historic occasion for the quartet being together.”
Some more photos and then a wander into a large refreshment hanger, furnished - with much attention to
detail - as an English Public School’s great dining hall, complete with huge suspended heraldry shields,
representing the four competing ‘School Houses’. The house captains being retired international racing drivers
such as Emanuele Pirro and Jochen Mass. Order was kept by school masters dressed in traditional black
gowns and their formal ‘mortar board’ hats. Everyone who ventured inside was certainly on their best
behaviour. And, so much so that while departing through a double door, both myself, and those coming in,
held one side open for the other to pass through first.
“After you,” I beckoned. “No, please, after you,” said the two gentlemen in front of me, making way. The
compromise was that we all stood aside for a group of ladies behind me who were also exiting. Then I
followed, raising my hat and nodding in thanks. Where else does that sort of thing happen instinctively, these
days?
Following several more hours of enjoyment and automotive education on the Sunday, in similarly cold
conditions, I headed back, thankfully in Wellington boots, across a vast saturated field, still packed with
visitor cars, to find my own. The routes towards the exits were already becoming quagmires and several large,
powerful, tractors, their amber lights flashing, were crisscrossing the expanse, rescuing and towing out
stranded vehicles. Near to my indistinctive hatchback, I had to take a final few shots of a most unlikely choice
of transport for that day, especially given the predicted inclement weather.
But this was Goodwood so why on earth, if you owned one, wouldn’t you travel to the 76MM in your 1921
Primrose yellow, 6.6 litre, Hispano-Suiza HB6 convertible? A bit of snow and slush in a muddy car-park never
hurt anybody, did it? In conclusion, therefore, absolutely no plausible reasonable to leave it at home!
Report & Photos: Classique Car Conduits
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