Period photos

[Geoff Harrison]

I'm sure you're right, Alan - I couldn't recall the right set of initials! In which case, the photo is probably just pre-war, as CAPA turned into the 500cc formula pretty soon after the war.

Just retrieved a book from the loft - ' 500cc  Motor Racing Year Book 1952 '
An article by Dick Caesar of Freikaiserwagen fame ' 500cc Racing - How it all began ' mentions CAPA racing 
which started in the Bristol area in 1936 - the aim was to provide the essentials of motor racing at a much 
lower cost. Films of CAPA racing were shown at the inaugural 500cc committee meetings in late 1945 , early 1946 .

[austin]

There's a little bit about it here

[Mike Costigan]

Some more grotty pics, these were taken in the late 1940s on a Derbyshire trial:


  001.jpg (Size: 94.13 KB / Downloads: 584)


  002.jpg (Size: 92.11 KB / Downloads: 585)


  003.jpg (Size: 111.56 KB / Downloads: 584)

[Gordon Puzey]

I found this photograph in an antique shop and could not resist buying it. The photograph was taken by Terry Hunt a very well known photographer based in Basingstoke in the 1920/30s. I guess it was therefore taken locally and does not seem to be at Brooklands. Does anyone know who the driver is?

The full car reg is OU 5753 and I have found many photographs of it competing at Brooklands. I have also seen one of it later with the tail cut off being used for trials.

   

[austin]

Lovely photo, always good to see period ones like this at high quality to help with details.

I would say about 1931, car still looks quite new and has the right headlights etc.

A few ohotos of it here.

1931 Easter weekend at Brooklands

Also raced at Donnington and did trials, a well used car.

[James Anderson]

Austin,

Apologies if I have used one of your photos - the images I have posted are a miscellany of old prints and digital images I have found in obscure parts of the internet. I have intentionally not saved any of the LAT images since your website is so accessible and easy to use. I cannot recall where I found the first image, but it was not directly searchable by 'Austin', which was why I saved it - if you want me to remove it, I'll not be offended.

As for VE 4492, the details I have indicated the driver (owner?) in 1935 was T B Raban.

Sorry for my belated reply, I'm just back from doing some work on a small cottage in France and there's little or no internet cover in the middle of Brittany where we were. Yes, the then owner was Tam Raban and strictly speaking he was the previous owner of the car an incredible 84 years ago for reasons I've already mentioned in another post in the old forum. I think the 'SO' on the sticker on the nearside headlight denotes the Scarborough Trial in 1933, as Tam won a cup in this event in 1933. I only managed to make this conclusion thanks to members of the Forum informing me about cups that had been purchased by an antique dealer who wanted to find the owner of the car they related to and that subsequently I managed to purchase. 

In reply to the point about the car appearing other than at Brooklands, in addition to the Trial this photo relates to, I've got ones of it at the Lewes Speed Trial with VL Seyd driving (its first owner who purchased the car from a dealership in 1931).

[Mike Costigan]

As Austin has pointed out, OU 5753 competed at Brookland through the 1930s. Certainly up to 1936  it was still sporting the same  pair of club badges on the radiator (and also the overflow pipe), so it seems likely that it was still in the same original ownership. If so, the driver in the 1936 Speed Trials is quoted as G N Goodson, so he is probably the owner in this photo. The car was a supercharged model.

[James Anderson]

Sorry for my belated reply, I'm just back from France and there's little or no internet cover in the middle of Brittany where we were. In reply to questions about photos relating to s/c Ulster VE4492, the then owner was Tam Raban and strictly speaking he was the previous owner of the car an incredible 84 years ago for reasons I've already mentioned in another post in the old forum. I think the 'SO' on the sticker on the nearside headlight denotes the Scarborough Trial in 1933, as Tam won a cup in this event in 1933. I only managed to make this conclusion thanks to members of the Forum informing me about cups that had been purchased by an antique dealer who wanted to find the owner of the car they related to and that subsequently I managed to purchase. 

Obviously this covers the point about the car appearing at events other than at Brooklands, in addition to which the car also partook in the Lewes Speed Trial with VL Seyd driving in 1931 (its first owner who purchased the car from a dealership in 1931). Incidentally, I replied to these questions 2-3 days ago but the reply seems to have got lost in one of Mike's which underlines the fact that I am still finding problems with using the new format Forum. I'm not that keen on the 'big brother is watching you' aspect of the Forum having the ability to broadcast your every movements regarding being on it let alone what you're looking at but this outweighs its many advantages.

[Mike Costigan]

These two make an interesting pair, both from 1931:


  1931 BMW 3-15 DA4.jpg (Size: 56.8 KB / Downloads: 304)

A BMW 3-15 DA4 model, and an Austin RM from the same period:


  1931 RM saloon.jpeg (Size: 91.11 KB / Downloads: 299)

[Mike Costigan]

... and just for completeness, here are the other saloons available in 1931:

the Rosengart LR2, here seen on the Monte Carlo Rally

   

and the American Austin Club Coupe


  1931 American Austin Cabin Coupe.jpg (Size: 85 KB / Downloads: 201)