Speed limits and Austin 7s

[Tony Griffiths]

Do you ever get the same feeling?

[Paul Cooper]

I remember my wife, Christine, driving her Chummy through Oxford in a 30 area some years ago, we came upon a Police Radar speed check/trap. This was in the days when the radar devices were hand held and looked like a hair dryer. I think she was pushing on a bit but the police officer on seeing the Chummy lowered his radar gun and he and his accomplice stood at the roadside laughing and waving.
There must be a message in this somewhere..........
P.S. Do you happen to be the same Tony Griffiths that we remember driving his 1930 tourer in a VSCC Driving Test and putting it on its side in his enthusiasm? Just after a rebuild, but went on to win the Lycett Memorial Trophy, the VSCCs premier award.

[Bob Culver]

Decades ago, with a Wellington sourherly following, and the drum speedo rolling wildly as it did above about 55, a cop pulled me over and asked if I realised I was dong 60mph. Sadly i do not think quickly, esp under stress, and did not insist on a ticket.

[Steve kay]

Looking at the wheels, it looks more like laughing at a Trojan. Can't be though, no cloud of two stroke smoke.

[Mike Costigan]

I remember my wife, Christine, driving her Chummy through Oxford in a 30 area some years ago, we came upon a Police Radar speed check/trap. This was in the days when the radar devices were hand held and looked like a hair dryer. I think she was pushing on a bit but the police officer on seeing the Chummy lowered his radar gun and he and his accomplice stood at the roadside laughing and waving.
There must be a message in this somewhere..........

The message never got though to the Warrington police - my only speeding ticket was for doing 52mph in my A7 van... err, in a 30 limit 

[Tony Griffiths]

I remember my wife, Christine, driving her Chummy through Oxford in a 30 area some years ago, we came upon a Police Radar speed check/trap. This was in the days when the radar devices were hand held and looked like a hair dryer. I think she was pushing on a bit but the police officer on seeing the Chummy lowered his radar gun and he and his accomplice stood at the roadside laughing and waving.
There must be a message in this somewhere..........
P.S. Do you happen to be the same Tony Griffiths that we remember driving his 1930 tourer in a VSCC Driving Test and putting it on its side in his enthusiasm? Just after a rebuild, but went on to win the Lycett Memorial Trophy, the VSCCs premier award.

Yes, that me. Fortunately, I only put the car on its side once, at the Madresfield driving tests, while going backwards. The car had recently been rebuilt but, happily, was not damaged. Later on I'll admit, there were a few close calls on two-wheels - the over-enthusiasm of youth I suppose... and I did go on to win the VSCC Lycette Memorial. The next three-plus years were devoted exclusively to every possible VSCC activity and, even though the car was in daily use as No.1 transport - and was only a rather prosaic, late-vintage Chummy in standard trim - assisted by my good friends Mike Costigan and David Wortley, some successes were achieved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6AylpIWnuc

[Jacob Fowkes]

Wow good film. Shows we’ve got a good age range in this Hobby as that was filmed before my parents where born

[Paul Cooper]

Tony, wonderful to see the film of your incident at Madresfield, we were in the group of spectators adjacent to the test. I seem to remember some of the VSCC traditionalists being somewhat surprised when a Chummy won the Lycett, pleased that attitudes are more enlightened these days.

[Steve Parkin]

In the mid 1960s my first car was a Seven special based on a 1936 Ruby but with 1932 radiator cut down to make it look more sporty. I bought it in bits from a pal and had to rebuild the the engine. I learned a lot of mechanic skills from the process of putting it back together again. It had various modifications including a single SU carb, Bowden brake cables and twin front shock absorbers. 

Being young and enthusiastic (or should that be foolish?) I drove it down the hill at Wooton Wawen towards Stratford-upon-Avon and I saw around 53 mph on the speedo shortly before a big bang! A con-rod came out through the engine casing and the three-bearing crank split into two! The shock also spilt the manifold. I took a trip to a scrap yard found another similar engine (for little money) and about a month later I was on the road again. Made me a bit wary of trying my luck down hill again.

The other year I manged to get the 30 mph warning sign in Silverstone village flash at me in our RN - two-up. It's a bit different from the old special with 35 mph a bit of a treat! Definitely underpowered although still a delight to drive.

[Tony Griffiths]

Tony, wonderful to see the film of your incident at Madresfield, we were in the group of spectators adjacent to the test. I seem to remember some of the VSCC traditionalists being somewhat surprised when a Chummy won the Lycett, pleased that attitudes are more enlightened these days.

Yes, it did "surprise" a few - especially as the car went on to win it three times in succession... In truth, it showed just how well thought out the rules were, with touring cars able to compete on level terms with spots and modified sports cars; one could have relatively low-cost fun with almost anything. But, to show the real sporting attitude of fellow competitors, after that first, win Tony Rippon, who came second if I remember, was generous enough to offer me a couple of races in his Bugatti Type 35B. As the fastest thing I'd ever driven before getting into it at Silverstone was a Morris 1000, the experience was somewhat overwhelming. To say the least.....