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GREATEST ALL BRITISH CAR SHOW, VANCOUVER 2013

It can be hard to measure greatness but by most standards Vancouver BC's ABFM (All British Field Meet) must be one of North America's finest British car shows. The number and variety of automobiles (more than 600 in 61 classes), the uniqueness and rarity of some of those cars, the commercial displays, the lovely setting of Van Dusen Botanical Gardens; all combine for a very special day. For 2013 that date is Saturday, May 18th and it's one not to be missed if you enjoy British cars and live in British Columbia or nearby Washington.

Like most great car shows, the ABFM has its own official poster. This year it's as unique as some of the cars featured in the show, for the poster features four new paintings by Vancouver artist Bill Richards: an Aston-Martin, a Morris Minor, an Austin Healey, and a Vincent motorcycle. Widely known for his automotive paintings and drawings, Richards uses a mixed-media technique combining ink and watercolour on paper to produce a luminous effect. Examples of his recent work will be on display at this year’s Vancouver ABFM vendors area.

Featured marque at the ABFM this year is Aston Martin plus "A Century of Morris Motors, 60 Years of Austin Healey, and 85 Years of Vincent Motorcycles." It should be fascinating to discover the cars and bikes that will appear in those categories and I suspect that among them will be vehicles you and I have never seen before nor even knew existed. Personally I'm looking forward to that magic moment when the best of British cars bloom amid the beauty of Van Deusen Gardens on May 18th.

IS THIS TAJIKISTAN'S ANSWER TO THE WOODWARD CRUISE?

For years we North Americans made fun of Russian cars, most of which failed to match our standards of styling and performance. Or so we thought. But the people who drove them often felt differently and now that those cars are getting old enough to be regarded as "vintage" or "collectibles" they're being maintained and restored with the same affection that we display for our Pontiacs and Plymouths.

It's all about memories, all about nostalgia, just as it is here. That's why you'll find personal collections in Russia, and interesting automobile museums, too. Of course there's nothing quite like our Woodward Cruise but the good folks of Tajikistan have their own version in the form of an old cars parade. For a Westerner it's quite fascinating to see so many makes and models that we only know by name, if that.

BBC World News covered the parade, which you can watch by clicking here. Obviously both car owners and spectators are having fun but wait... what's that MG doing in there? You've never seen anything like this before.

SMALL DRAWS SURPRISING BIG BUCKS AT MICROCAR AUCTION

I'm not sure whether I should smile or cry. As a student of post-war automobile history I've a natural affection for microcars, those mini-minis that for a few years were the first affordable vehicles for Europeans made destitute by the conflict. More fortunate North Americans driving cars wider than their own driveways may have laughed at these tiny machines but the rest of the world did not. That makes me smile.

What makes me cry is that, having created the world's finest and largest collection of rare microcars, the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum in Nashville, Mr. Weiner decided to retire. And in doing so, gave RM Auctions the opportunity to sell every one of his microcars at auction. Needless to say it was a huge success, generating more than $9.1 million with 100 percent of all lots sold. Top price went to a 1958 F.M.R. Tg 500 “Tiger”, the rarest Messerschmitt of all and the fastest microcar ever built with a top speed of 78 mph. It went for $322,000 – an all-time record for a microcar sold at auction (shown up top).

Indeed, the tandem seat Messerschmitt was a popular item among buyers. A 1955 Messerschmitt KR 200, formerly owned by American circus personality and entertainer Vic Hyde, went for a remarkable $115,000... a 1957 Messerschmitt KR 201 Roadster for a fantastic $103,500. These cars were very inexpensive when new yet faster than you might think. When I was racing modified sedans a competitor showed up with one, leading to a lot of laughs in the pits. He finished among the last five but was much quicker than anyone expected.

Small must surely be beautiful because the world’s smallest production car, a 1964 Peel P50, sold for an incredible $120,750 to applause from the crowd. Also breaking six-figures, a 1966 Peel Trident realized a remarkable $103,500 while a 1951 Reyonnah (a what?) drew $184,000.

So I'm happy for Bruce Weiner. I'm smiling for all those lucky buyers who put down big bucks for such small cars. Nevertheless I'm rather sad when such a rare and important collection is dispersed. Microcars were an important yet oft overlooked part of automobile history and I doubt we'll ever see another museum like this.

THE SHELL 4000 RALLY. TOUGH. LONG. GONE

It was Canada's unique contribution to world motorsport. It was the longest rally in the world. It was colorful, exciting, dramatic, and attracted drivers and manufacturers from several countries. And it died before the rally could grow into the lasting event it deserved to be. I'm talking about the Shell 4000, a potentially great national rally spoiled by a combination of commercial needs and indifferent media coverage.

The event was initially known as the Trans Canada Rally but everyone called it the Shell 4000 because it was sponsored by Shell Oil and the route was, more or less, 4000 miles from start to finish. The original choice of "Trans Canada" was to create the impression that the rally ran from coast to coast when, in fact, it started in Vancouver and ended in Montreal (or the reverse in alternate years). The Shell 4000 was the only FIA sanctioned rally in North America.

A promotor and sports car enthusiast named Jim Gunn was the man who conceived the Shell 4000 and remained its chief organiser throughout the brief period of its existence. It was the indefagitable Gunn, aided by Peter Bone, who encouraged Shell to sponsor the event and never stopped working to make the rally a success, but in the long run he was defeated by the same apathy that Canadian media had shown to all forms of motorsport.

I should explain that the Shell 4000 had little in common with modern world championship rallies, now better known as "rally races." Nor was it identical to famous European events like the Monte Carlo and Tulip rallies, themselves like racing on snow or ice but still demanding navigation between sections with points lost for being early or late. Canadian speed laws were too low for fast highway driving, while local authorities seemed unwilling to temporarily close a few miles of road. Tenacious police, particularly in the prairies, looked upon the rally as a harvest for radar traps. (I should add that a few special speed stages were added from 1965.)

Yet that didn't mean the rally was a long-distance cruise. It attracted several well-known international competitors plus a modicum of manufacturer support. Ford, Studebaker, Rootes, Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Chevrolet participated, directly or through dealers.

It was tough and it was hard on cars and drivers. Stirling Moss' sister Pat was an experienced European rally champion, as was her co-driver Ann Wisdom. They gave it their best, driving factory-sponsored cars, but never won. NASCAR stock car racer David Pearson surprised everyone with his entry but ended up frustrated and defeated. One of his competitors was Belgium's Olivier Gendebien, multiple LeMans 24-hours winner and South African Rally champion (he did finish fourth in Canada). After years of trying, American rally ace Scott Harvey, a Chrysler engineer, finally won the last running of the event. The great Alpine rallyist Henry Taylor finished second in 1965, the same year that F1 ace Pedro Rodriguez participated, saying the rally was tougher than any race he'd ever driven.

The country's vast size plus its topography and weather meant that every leg was different from the last. British Columbia and Alberta offered twisting mountain roads with nasty drop-offs. With the event being held in early May many prairie roads were often deep in gumbo (mud). Ontario and Quebec provided a variety of weather and driving conditions. And everywhere there continued a relentless push to maintain times while getting little rest during the brief hours alloted for sleep. Fatigue was often a deciding factor. Little wonder that even the big names lost multiple points or went off the road.

The Shell 4000 lasted from 1961 to 1968, when Shell opted out, and with no major sponsor willing to take over, Canada's first and only international rally came to an end. Shell Oil never saw the press coverage it needed to cover the cost of its participation and the conventional Canadian media (enthusiast publications aside), already prejudiced against motorsport, was reluctant to treat the rally as much more than a novelty.

I believe the Shell 4000 needn't have died. What it lacked was a budget large enough to hire a major public relations firm, rather than leaving the job to the organisers. The pr people would undoubtedly have found ways to get the press involved while at the same time developing community events along the way where locals could participate, meet the competitors, and safely watch the cars in roped-off spectator areas. Could it be revived? I doubt it. Too expensive to meet modern standards. But a retro rally for vintage cars, running from Halifax to Vancouver, would not be impossible. All we need is a modern day Jim Gunn and an imaginative sponsor. Try the Tar Sands operators. They could use some positive publicity.

PS:
The above photo was taken by Nigel Matthews at the 2012 Birmingham classic car show. It was one of six built for rallying by Triumph's competition department. Three cars, identical to this, were shipped to Canada for the Shell 4000. All the black & white photos originally appeared in Canada Track & Traffic magazine.

I covered the rally for CT&T in 1965 under my former pen name "Phil Murray." You can read that vintage article by clicking here.

HOW AN EVENING AT WATKINS GLEN CHANGED A LIFETIME

It was a beautiful summer's evening in the upper New York State town of Watkins Glen. The year was somewhere in the late 1950s. I was there for my first look at professional road racing, accompanied by my ex-wife. Ours was not a happy marriage but getting away from the tedium of everyday home life helped us forget our differences, at least for a few days.

I'll never forget that evening. I was captivated by everything curbside as we strolled along the Glen's main street, for there were many exotic sports cars parked there, cars I'd only seen in magazine photographs. Imagine my excitement, for example, when I came upon two magnificent Cunninghams, limited-production sports-racers from the California works of wealthy yachtsman Briggs Cunningham! Or the thrill of spotting a Facel-Vega, then a Maserati, then a Porsche 356 Speedster.

We crossed the street, attracted by a crowd standing by the open doors of a large service garage. The interior seemed brighter than daylight, thanks to a bevy of powerful lamps placed so the mechanics of major race teams could work on their vehicles. Two Ferraris and a D-Type Jaguar if I recall correctly. A rope had been drawn across the opening to keep the crowds out but aside from that the teams didn't seem to mind spectators watching them work. The engine sounds of those cars were loud enough to awaken a hibernating bear. Music to our ears, though.

Aside from the exotics the streets and parking lots were filled with MGs, Healeys, Jaguars, Triumphs, Fiats, Lancias and all sorts of imported sedans, from Austins to Hillmans to Rolls-Royce to Volkswagens. Including the humble Morris Minor we'd driven from Toronto. And plenty of Detroit's best, though we paid them scant attention. All the shops and restaurants were open, the motels and hotels enjoyed a full house and the sidewalks were filled with racing enthusiasts. It was a car lover's street party.

That weekend at Watkins Glen convinced me that road racing was the greatest sport in the world and I wanted the world to know about it. I did my part in a small way by becoming a race and rally specialist on radio and television. Canada's first, if you'll forgive a lack of modesty. Work that involved me in the sport, then launched entirely new careers in public relations and in advertising. Funny how one enchanting weekend can alter the rest a lifetime.

[Photo: Cunningham C-3 at Collier Museum, identical to what we saw at the Glen]

500,000 SPECTATORS WATCH JAGUAR F-TYPE LAUNCH

The English have a wonderful way of introducing new models, especially when replacing a much-loved icon. And so the all-new Jaguar F-Type made its first public appearance outside an auto show in front of a crowd of more than 500.000 people. The event happened at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show in London on November 10th, accompanied by two Heritage E-Types. The F-Type is seen as a modern equivalent to the E-Type.

E-Type 1600RW was the fourth E-Type to leave the production line and the first to be sold, in April, 1961. The buyer was none other than Jaguar’s own racing team manager, Frank ‘Lofty’ England. After sitting in a garage for 25 years, the car was bought and restored by CMC (Classic Motor Cars). The second was chassis No. 24 or the “Daily Mail” E-Type, which was one of two examples  the newspaper gave away in a competition it ran in 1961 to win "the most wanted car in the world". The car also underwent a full restoration carried out by CMC and is now in excellent condition.

The new F-Type was, appropriately, driven in the show by Olympian and Jaguar Academy of Sports Ambassador Jessica Ennis.

Oh, and did I say the English have a way with new car introductions? As part of the preparations for the Show, E-Type 1600 RW remained one week on display at the Grange St. Paul’s Hotel, where  a special cocktail, ‘The E-Type’, was created in its honour. In case you'd like to try drinking an E-Type, here are the ingredients for ‘The E-Type’ cocktail prepared by Grange St. Paul’s:

Vodka – 15ml
Blue Curacao – 5ml
Lemon juice – a dash
Grenadine – a dash
Prosecco – topped up (approx 100 ml)

[Photo: Alister Thorpe]

NEVER HEARD OF VAUXHALL? HISTORIC BRAND CELEBRATES ITS 110TH!

Most of us who live in North America tend to forget the Vauxhall brand, understandable in the US as the brand was never sold there, less so in Canada where Vauxhalls were marketed in the 50s and 60s. With the company owned by GM, the cars often looked like scaled-down Detroit products. No longer the case though Vauxhall is now a subsidiary of Opel, which itself is owned by GM.

But as more and more car manufacturers mark their centeneries it's worth noting that Vauxhall is 110 years old, making it the oldest surviving car brand in the UK. Next week’s Footman James Classic Motor Show, Nov 15-16-17 in Birmingham, will bring together more than a century of innovation and sporting excellence, as the company prepares to celebrate both the 110th and the centenary of the 30-98 model in 2013. The vintage stars, all of which are taken from Vauxhall’s 60-car-strong Heritage Centre, include a 1904 6hp model, fresh from its appearance in the London to Brighton run.

The iconic 30-98 OE-type from 1926 will be there along with Vauxhall’s own 1926 Velox-bodied OE-type Tourer, which is regularly used in hillclimbs and rallies, and last year was driven across the French Alps from Cannes to Geneva. Rounding off the heritage display will be two iconic Astras: the GTE Mk 1 and Mk 2, both of which took their hot-hatch classes by storm when launched in 1983 and 1985 respectively.

The newest sports model is the 280PS Astra VXR, with adaptive damping, a mechanical limited slip differential and a 0-60mph acceleration time of just 5.9 seconds. Which goes to show that the venerable company is not standing still. Vauxhalls may be scarce on this side of the ocean but you might keep an eye for one in the 2013 concours year.

THE AMERICAN REVIVAL: GOODWOOD COMES TO US

For those who enjoy vintage automobiles and vintage racing there is nothing in the world to compare with England's Goodwood Revival. The one big problem for those of us who live in North America, however, is that Goodwood is from six to nine flying hours from home. So wouldn't it be great if there was an American version? Raise your glasses, then, to Amelia Island Concours founder Bill Warner who, with the guidance of Goodwood patriarch Lord March, is hoping to bring the Revival concept to the sandy shores of northeast Florida.

The Goodwood Revival recreates the atmosphere of postwar competition. Spectators are encouraged to dress in period-correct clothing, for they're surrounded by everything from fairgrounds to race garages to aircraft from the 1940s. The latter put on a flying display that has to be seen to be appreciated and even offers rides in vintage passenger aircraft. To stroll through the grounds and see nearly everyone wearing outfits from WW2 to 1960 is such that with an open mind you can really believe you've turned back the clock. And that's without the three days of sensational vintage competition! Pick your period, pick your car and you'll see wheel-to-wheel racing as it once was. Not for the faint of heart, my friends.

The American Revival, if it happens, will take place in Fernandina Beach, a few miles north of Jacksonville on Amelia Island. Autominded.com says "the northern Florida beach town seems like an ideal area to hold the race event as the lightly used municipal airport has multiple runways where a racecourse can be mapped out while still leaving one runway open to vintage aircraft. Also, this facility meets another requirement as its close proximity to luxury resorts can accommodate the well-heeled participants. Even with this much going for the area, there are rumors that other Florida venues such as Daytona or Palm Beach have not been ruled out."

If it happens the American Revival will most likely take place next autumn, after the European racing season has ended. Much is to be done before then, however. The FAA needs to give this its standard proctological exam before approval and of course the town needs to provide its support. It certainly has mine. Having attended the Goodwood Revival in 2010 I know what a magical affair it has become and there's no reason why North America can't create it's own version. I'm ready to book my room the moment it becomes official.

[Photo of 50 year Cortina: Ford]

ROLLS-ROYCE HOLDS A PARTY, REVIVES OLD MEMORIES

You'll forgive me, I hope, for admitting there are certain events in the car world that I wish I'd been invited to attend. I'm not exactly sulking for being left off the list but the opening of Rolls-Royce Motor Car's newly refurbished London showroom in Berkeley Square this week was just such an affair.

Now you might wonder why I'd want to suffer a nine-hour flight from Vancouver to London just to show up at a showroom party but this one was special. During the four years I spent in London (early 70s, and yes it was a long time ago but at my age everything happened yesterday) I was working in Berkeley Square as creative director of the European Accounts Group for the J. Walter Thompson ad agency. Our offices looked directly across the Square at the Jack Barclay showroom, then the number one Rolls-Royce outlet in the world. Occasionally, during lunch hour, my art director David Barker and I would wander over there, admiring the cars and wishing we were wealthy.

Our primary assignment was to create ads for Ford of Europe but David drove a Morgan and I drove a BMW 2002 and obviously our car owning loyalties weren't with Ford (though we did our utmost to produce great advertising). A short stroll to the Rolls-Royce emporium gave us our enthusiast "fix" whenever we tired of mundane Cortinas and Escorts. So you can appreciate that memories of Jack Barclay's Rolls-Royce dealership come with a bowl full of nostalgia.

Things changed with Rolls-Royce over the years and eventually the company took over the showroom. Obviously it must have become a bit too shabby for a luxury car and the time arrived for a complete makeover, enough that the company refers to it as its "new" London showroom. The exclusive event, attended by customers and VIPs, was hosted by Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Rolls-Royce Chief Executive, who reminded visitors that the showroom has ranked as one of the top five global dealers since the launch of the Phantom in 2003. The Berkeley Square location is also steeped in Rolls-Royce heritage – Charles Stewart Rolls was born on Hill Street just to the west and he opened his first dealership on Conduit Street, two minute’s walk to the east.

During the evening the Phantom Coupé Aviator was unveiled – the first time the car has been seen in public in the UK. Hand-built at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood it hints strongly at the Company’s past. Inspired by Charles Stewart Rolls and the legend of the Schneider Trophy-winning Supermarine S6B (powered by a Rolls-Royce R Type engine) of the early 1930s, the car includes an aluminum transmission tunnel, mahogany veneer and a Thommen aviation-grade clock. Just 35 examples of the Phantom Coupé Aviator will be produced.

Yes, I'd have happily flown across the ocean to admire the new showoom, look back across Berkeley Square at my old office, and spend a few minutes stoking my imagination in the Aviator's cockpit. Maybe next time Rolls-Royce holds a party in London I'll get invited. Or... maybe not.

THE BIGGEST JAGUAR SHOW IN THE WEST AND STILL THE BEST

I'll confess, with very little prompting, that my favorite marque is Jaguar, a love affair that goes way, way back to my early days as an enthusiast, when imports from Britain were just arriving in Canada and I saw my first sports car, a Jaguar XK-120 roadster owned by an RCMP officer who took me for a ride over country roads at speeds that only a Mountie can get away with. Well, not today but times were different then.

Eventually I came to realise that all Jaguars are beautiful (though some more than others), a design tradition begun by founder Sir William Lyons. So when the Jaguars in the Park show made its annual appearance in Victoria, BC, I found the temptation to attend irresistable. No minor league event, this is the largest authorised Jaguar show on the west coast (from Mexico to Alaska).

In this year's show, organised by the Jaguar Car Club of Victoria, the featured model was the Jaguar XJ-S. It's an accolade long overdue. The XJ-S was not well liked when launched in 1974, for it was successor to the E-Type, arguably the most beautiful mass production car of all time, capable of supercar performance. The XJ-S was a long distance runner, built more for comfort than flat-out speed. But Jaguar had been forced to meet US safety and environmental regulations that the E-Type couldn't possibly meet.

During its 14-year run the XJ-S altered its appearance, including a much-modified coupe roofline, a Targa top, and a very desireable convertible. It was originally available with Jaguar's silky-smooth V-12 but in 1983 an AJ6 with a 5-speed manual was added to the lineup. The car was re-engineered in 1991 and renamed XJS. Those among you who see the XJ's as boulevard cruisers should, however, recall the championship-winning Bob Tullius team in the USA and Tom Walkinshaw's team in the UK. If it's a Jaguar, it's bound to be quick.

Oddly, one of the most attractive XJ-S's in the show was not a pure Jaguar. However we can't scold the owner for the engine swap when we consider what he started with. It was a derelict with no running gear, about to go to the crusher. It was bought with the premise of "making it what the XJ-S might have looked like without the Federal regulations: a vintage elegant look with chrome, and traditional wood inside." The owner says there wasn't one straight panel on the car but at least it was rust free.

It has a custom hood made by combining an XJ-S and Series 1 XJ6 hoods, factory air, all Jaguar amenities, a Les Leston wood-rim steering wheel, 7" Prime wheels with American Racing center hubs, Mustang II side mirrors, a fuel filler from an XJ6, custom grille and bumpers, and a 1977 Ford 300 c.i. six mated to a Ford C4 automatic transmission.

Even without the Jaguar's twin-overhead cams that Ford engine looks quite impressive and at least it's a six instead of an inappropriate Chevy V-8, as some engine swappers have done. Purists might get upset over this hybrid but I think it's a clever and worthwhile way to keep a once-beautiful car from going to the crusher.

Another less-favoured Jaguar was the E-Type 2+2 coupe. Stretched to accommodate a rear seat for two children, the 2+2's extended roof had to be raised for headroom and the result was more like a whale than a porpoise. Still, it meant that families who really wanted an E-Type and couldn't afford two cars had a viable solution.

While I seem to be featuring the less popular Jags in this review I can't resist inserting a photo of the 3.8 liter Mark 2 sedan, one of my all-time favorites. The design was perfect from any angle, the powertrain was based on that powerful twin-cam six, the leather-and-wood interior was pure English, it drove well and could be raced successfully. Looks great in yellow, too. Oh... and I once owned one.

With over 100 cars on display it's impossible to do justice to this show so, just for fun, I'll conclude with what was probably the most unpopular Jaguar of all time, the X-Type. Meant to be a BMW 3-Series competitor, it was derided for having been based on a Ford Mondeo platform, although the Mondeo was a decent car and in this guise included all-wheel-drive. It did, however, have one claim to fame. The X-Type was available as a Sportwagon, the only station wagon Jaguar ever made. Such wagons are rare, yet there were two at the show.

I tested an X-Type back when I was the new cars Guide with About.com and had to reluctantly admit it was the only Jaguar I didn't like. Perhaps I should have driven the Sportwagon.

[Photos: Philip Powell]