Geoff Toms’ 1935 1089cc Fiat 508S Balilla.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Hi Pete,
April 24, 2016. Spent a very enjoyable but wind swept and somewhat cold day at Silverstone yesterday. It is such a lovely atmosphere at the VSCC Spring Start. All the pit garages are open to all and there are cars literally all over the place. You never know what you will find in the next pit garage or parked in an easyup awning, or on a trailer behind a beaten-up tow car. The driver and mechanics are in the main very approachable and more than happy to answer questions or simply let you take a shot before returning to the preparation of the car.
The race grids are very eclectic and you often see the same car entered in various races throughout the day but this all adds to the fun. Even the spectator car parks and viewing banks contained a good cross section of old cars. My only concern is that most of the shots are from the same side. I didn’t have the time to go track tromping but I think what was done was good [Ed. I agree!].
In view of this I would like to be able to do something about the event for the issue of the 3rd May, assuming it is of some interest to you? [Of course!..Ed.]
Richard Wilson’s 1957 Maserati 250S finished a fine 6th behind cars with much larger capacity motors.
Another unusual entrant in the GP Itala and Lanchester Trophies was Steven Smith’s 1930 Hotchkiss AM80.
Nick Grewal’s 1958 Osca Formula Junior was a special invite to compete in the Patrick Lindsay Memorial & Amschel Rothschild trophy race for pre-1961 racing cars. Alas a non finisher.
Cyril Hancock’s Fiat new Ballila made two race appearances, race 4 for standard and modified prewar sports cars, and race 7, an all comers short handicap race for prewar cars.
Winner of race 8 was the 1959 Lister Knobbly of Mark Lewis shown here.
Avon Alvis special of Alan Harpley.
Fully equipped Bentley.
The winner of race 6, the FISCAR Tom Cole Trophy named after the Welsh-born Allard and Ferrari driver, was Darren McWhirter in his 1954 4500cc Lagonda V12.
1957 4200cc Kurtis Indy Roadster driven by SD Harper.
The barn find condition Vauxhall seems to garner more attention than the Fraser Nash BMW 328 of P. Mills and driven by Alistair Pugh.
Starting Julian Majzub’s Bugatti T35B.
Another unusual entrant in race 5, the GP Itala and Lanchester Trophy for Vintage race cars, was Peter Wilson’s 11500cc 1917 Brasier Voiture De Course.
Adrian VanDer Kroft’s Connaught Type A GP car.
Andrew Smith Cooper T43 and Eddy Perk, Heron F1.
Race two of the meeting was for pre and post war Fraser Nash and GN cars. In 1935 Fraser Nash became the sole agent for BMW in the UK and the vehicles were badged as Fraser Nash BMWs. These two FN BMW 328s were driven by Alistair Pugh, (105) and to confuse matters Alastair Pugh (137).
Borrani vs wobbly.
1925 1991cc AC GN Cognac of Tony Lees, alongside Ian Dalgish’s 1950 Fraser Nash Le Mans Replica.
Brian Arculus’s Alfa 1300 SVZ.
Bugatti and ERA.
You cannot have a vintage race meeting in England without at least one Bentley. For the first time the GP Itala race incorporated, in tribute, the new Stanley Mann cup for pre 1931 Bentleys. Here is Chris Guest’s 4.5 Le Mans.
Here is the very strange-looking Ford Model A of Torcuato Iriate, driven by Olaf Henriksen.
The Maserati 300S is listed as being 1954 and was driven by Tania Pilkington.
OSCA FJr at speed.
Tom Walker’s Amilcar-Hispano.
Sorting out the plugs.
To my mind one of the prettiest Formula One cars of the 1960s, Peter Mullin with his 1964 1.5 liter BRM 261, an entrant in the HGPCA race for pre 1966 Grand Prix Cars.
Roger Buxton in his 1930 1750 Zagato.
Ralf Emmerling in his 1928 1100cc Riley Brooklands and Miss Alex Pilkington in her Alfa 6C.
If you were looking the other way when Jonathan Turner’s 2.4 liter 1934 Triumph 8C came passed you would swear it was an Alfa 8C. Car 118 behind is the 1937 Ford V8 Spcial of Mark Brett.
Chris Hudson’s Bugatti T35B and company.