This 1948 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet prototype actually started life in Italy as a Fiat 1100S before being taken to France for use in the development of Simca’s new post war sports model. The coachwork was created in Italy by Stabilimenti Farina and differs from the later production version. The first private owner of the Simca was an American Army officer stationed at Friedberg in West Germany, which just happened to be the base where Elvis Presley served with the 3rd Armored Division. As he was also a friend of Elvis, the story goes that he deliberately chose a red cabriolet so as the red lipstick marks left by Elvis’s adoring fans would be less visible than they would have been on a white car!
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Another weekend, another country estate. This one actually a Palace, Hampton Court Palace, right on the Thames, and once the home of Cardinal Wolsey, an influential adviser to Henry VIII.
Whilst the main entrance to the Palace is from the Tudor period, the concours itself is held in the parkland in front of the Baroque part of the Palace built during the reign of William and Mary in the seventeenth century. It is a fantastic setting, not just because of the Baroque backdrop, but for the luxury of space to properly display the cars.
The Hampton Court Concours of Elegance is different from most other Concours, as the winners are chosen by the entrants themselves. The event is held over three days with the Concours cars on display throughout the period. On Saturday they are joined by 30 cars selected from leading UK owners clubs such as the Aston Martin Owners Club, Jaguar Drivers Club, Bentley Drivers Club and the like. An overall winner is then picked and that owner is then invited to display their winning car as an official Concours entrant the following year, but unlike the main event the Club Trophy cars are judged by a specialist team of expert judges.
Saturday is also the day when for the Levitt Concours which takes its name from Dorothy Levitt (1882-1922), the first Englishwomen to compete in motorsport. It is a dedicated platform for women and the cars they own. Twenty cars compete to win the trophy with the cars being judged by women.
On the Sunday of the event the Club Trophy cars are replaced by the ‘Thirty under Thirty’ cars in which 30 cars built between 1900 and 1999 but owned by enthusiasts under 30 years of age are judged, in the case again like the main event, by the owners themselves. Also taking place on Sunday is the Junior Concours, a Concours for children and their half and three quarter scale cars, some of which are pedal powered and some have a motor of some description.
With 70 cars entered into the main Concours I have just featured the cars that interested me, but unfortunately that was rather most of them. We present the cars in two parts, the first for French and Italian cars, and the second for British and Other Marques.
https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/the-story-of-hampton-court-palace/
https://concoursofelegance.co.uk/event/
French Classics
From a UK private collection, codenamed ‘Brick,’ the Voison C30 was introduced in 1937 and was powered by a 3.6 litre six cylinder Graham motor mated to a three speed and reverse gearbox with overdrive. This example was first registered on the 27th June 1939 as 7405 RM 6, which was then a Paris number and is understood to be one of only five C30s to still be in existence and the only example to wear this unique ‘aero’ bodywork.
C30 dash
Entered by Oldibox of Switzerland, the 1950/53 Peugeot 203 Barbier came about as a result of Paul Barbier, a Peugeot dealer in Vienne, Isere, who, having had much success in rallies and hillclimbs after the war in a modified Peugeot 203, decided to create a lighter more specialized sports car capable of challenging purpose built racing cars from Italy and Germany.
Paul commissioned coachbuilder Roger Tunesi to create an open two seater taking inspiration from the ‘Tank’ bodies associated with DB and Bugatti. Its first recorded competitive appearance came at the Val de Suzon Hillclimb in 1954 where it won its class.
Further appearances at the Planfoy, Serrieres-Annonay and Dijon Hillclimbs followed. In 1955 at the Bol d’Or at Montlhery, Barbier and Andre Chambas finished sixth overall and first in the 1500cc class. Paul was killed in April 1956 and the 203 passed to his friend Michel Blehaut, and later was acquired by Robert Rastit who entered it in the 1957 Millie Miglia as car 356 though the car retired from the event.
Thomas Hale’s 1926 Amilcar CGSS with Duval Paris Coachwork, This example was the official show car introduced at the New York Salon of that year. It was then sold in New York for $1850 complete with the distinctive Duval coachwork it still wears.
Victoria Dold’s 1926 Bugatti Type 35A, chassis 4755 is the sixth of 20 Type 35As imported into the UK. The factory sales register records it under the name of Sorrel, the London agent, on April 16 1926, just one day after it was invoiced for 36,960 Francs.
Ralph & Marion Sadler’s 1947 Delahaye 135MS Chapron Vedette Cabriolet chassis 800486 was displayed on the Delahaye stand at the 1947 Paris Motor Show. One of five examples built, of which only four are now believed to still exist, it was purchased directly from the show by Mr and Mrs Dandelot and was delivered after further personalisation work by Chapron on the 24th January 1948.
Italian Classics
Graham Stapleton’s 1963 Maserati 3500 GTi Spyder by Vignale is one of only eight examples built in right hand drive and the second from last example of only a few GTi models.
Eric Heerema’s 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, chassis 10413.
Peter Read’s 1967 Lamborghini 400 GT 2 + 2, SLF403F is one of just four 400 GT 2 + 2s built by the company in right hand drive. Its first recorded owner was a company within the EMI music group, then the Beatles record label, and the car has long been associated with Sir Paul McCartney. Interviewed by Mark Dixon for Octane Magazine in 2020, McCartney remembers driving a 400GT and he explained that cars used by members of the group were sometimes registered through associated companies for reasons of tax, or privacy. The 400GT was also captured during the filming of the band’s final performance on the roof of the Apple Corps offices on Savile Row. In one brief shot the 400GT is seen parked by the kerb with a security man standing beside the open driver’s door perhaps waiting for the band’s departure.
Gregg Newman’s 1960 Maserati 3500GT chassis AM101.740 was supplied through Colin Murray Ltd, Maserati’s concessionaire in Fleetwood. Registered as SRC900 by David Buxton Ltd of Derby, this example is believed to be one of only 12 Touring bodied 3500GT Coupes built by the factory in right hand drive.
Tony Owen’s 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC, chassis 10579 was completed in November 1967 and dispatched through Luigi Chinetti Motors to William F Harrah’s Modern Classic Motors and sold on the 22nd November to Harvey S Mudd II, a member of a prominent Los Angeles family.
Jonathan and Wendy Segal’s well known 1953 Siata 208 CS by Balbo. One of nine examples bodied by Balbo of Turin.
Nicholas and Shelley Schorsch of the Audrain Collection’s 1964 ATS 2500 GTS. One of only two examples constructed with alloy coachwork and a 3.0 litre V8 motor.
Tom Hartley Jr’s 1970 Lamborghini Miura P400 S chassis 4668, one of only 24 right hand drive P400 S models constructed. Invoiced to Lamborghini Concessionaires Ltd of London on the 25th August and reached the UK at the end of September, before appearing on the Bertone stand at the Earls Court Motor Show in October.
From a German based private collection, 1976 Lamborghini Countach LP400. This example was built for display at the Paris Motor Show and was also featured on the front cover of the catalogue. Its first owner was the US composer John Corigliano who registered it in New Jersey on the 12th August 1977 with the license plate ‘SPEEDY’ and retained the car for a further 20 years.
Michael Dacre and his ‘Labora’ Collection
Each year at the event, in addition to the fantastic selection of cars entered into the Concours itself, the events team also features a selection of cars from an individual collector’s collection. This year it was the turn of Michael Dacre and his ‘Labora’ Collection; you may already be familiar with his Rolls Royce ‘The Phantom of Love’ which won the overall best in show at the event last year, but his collection, which numbers about 39 cars, is very eclectic as can be seen from the following selection of vehicles brought to the event.
Last year’s best in show winner, the 1926 Rolls Royce Phantom 1, ‘The Phantom of Love,’ originally commissioned by Clarence Gasque as a gift for his wife.
1952 Jaguar C Type, ex-Frank Miller 12 Hours of Sebring.
1927 Bentley 3.0 litre Le Mans team car
Aston Martin DB4 GT
1914 Humber TT
1959 Roadless Land Rover, one of between nine and twenty examples built. as was developed in response to the Forestry Commission’s need for a vehicle that could tackle the roughest of terrain. Well, I did say the collection was eclectic.
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