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Veteran Car Rally

15th September, 2001  

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Finally hit the road for the OC Weekend in Sept. Bill Shields raised the idea four or five years ago and although we failed to get it set up as soon as maybe, we kept it in mind. Set it up for last year, but the fuel protest blew it away. Even had a pot ready and dated only to have the wrong date engraved!

Bill raised ten entrants including the family Rolls, sent out excellent entry forms which did a lot of the talking and had them on parade in front of the main building. Martin Cooke kindly agreed to help judge. We saw ten in addition to Bill 's: Peter Parsons squared the trick with a 1950 Mk VI Bentley. C Reynolds came from Spalding in his Lotus Elan of 1970. Same ownership and in daily use. (Hon. Sec. had a Lotus Europa twin cam for 22 years; sold 1994). Douglas Reed showed an MGB. (Hon. Sec. had one of these for 10 years pre Lotus). Lorrimer Burn put in a Daimler Dart of 1960 alongside a 1963 edition of the same, would you believe? Ian Penrose this time. John Harris left in 1940 and came back with an MG TB (Widely rallied in Europe). Ian Simcock carried the day with his Jaguar E. type 1965. The judges were able to crawl all over this. We saw meticulous attention to detail even where one could hardly be expected to look. Every gasket tight, too. Peter Cole entered a Morris Cowley Coupé which everybody fell for but no 'lovable car prize' this year. Next time round we should consider oldest car, oldest OC etc.etc. Bill Shields is ready to field a fresh set of entries and please could the judges get a look under the bonnet for the better piling on of marks?

Hon. Sec. took the Simcock Pot to the engravers for name, rank and number to be told that last year's date could be taken out and corrected. Eye lit on bronze medals and decided to send one to each entrant engraved time and place. Would do as a badge on the car or as a chunky item of neck jewellery on the owner!

Thanks to Bill Shields, Entrants and judges all. Stay tuned.