Birkenshaw. The Ridge, Little Baddow. Essex CM3 4SA 01245 226337

Dear SP Owner 30th October 2016

The next meeting is Wednesday2nd November

Ann is arranging the traditional Christmas Dinner meeting on the 7th December at the The Anchor, Danbury. If you wish to attend and haven’t booked in, do speak with Ann and she will make the necessary arrangements.

The magazine, Jaguar World for their November edition has an excellent article on Jaguar V8s and especially an article on the Daimler SP250. A most well written piece, considering that their normal focus is Jaguar. This magazine is available from major newsagents and large super markets, such as Sainsbury.

Every cloud has a silver lining, none more so than this happy couple on their wedding day. The restoration of Oliver Thorne’s SP was completed the day before and as you see that big black cloud didn’t dampen Oliver & Helen’s spirits – although they did get a little wet.

You may remember that I waxed lyrical in early August of going to Prescott for a VSCC meeting and whilst there purchased a book on R4D the famous ERA. I then had it autographed by its writer and former owner – Mac Hulbert. Well on Saturday the 22nd of this month Ann and I drove down to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu to listen to a lecture given by Mac Hulbert on his ownership and success and failures of its ownership. It was a most enjoyable evening, first with a private tour of the museum itself and later ‘Mac’s’ most entertaining talk as to how he was able to buy R4D and through its ownership the entrée to many other ‘drives’ in historical racing cars. It seems that on the basis if he could handle such a machine then other owners would entrust him with their own cars. The 2 ½ hour drive back home was the icing on the cake with no hold ups, especially as we came around the M25.

Dudley Sessford came upon this most interesting article: - http://revivaler.com/daimler-sp250-dart-project/ - for him more so as his SP is depicted, I think it was photographed at a Goodwood.Revival meeting. Again a most balanced write-up on the SP – it would appear with so much positive press of late, the SP has turned from an ugly duckling into a majestic Swan.

We have as usual a stand at this years’ NEC Birmingham Classic Car Show, 11th to 13th November inclusive. We are ‘putting up’ four cars so as to give plenty of free movement. Do come along and say hello. We are stand 750 in Hall 2

Alan Mason has produced again the SP250 calendars both desk and wall versions. These will be available to purchase off the stand at the NEC (see above) or by sending Alan an email to all profits are donated to the publication pasSPort

Michael Bamford an SP restorer down on the Panhandle in Florida has designed a steering box protector for those that run a standard worn & peg system. This will prevent damage to the box at its most vulnerability. It encases the wires that protrude from the box and the lower box itself.

And finally………….Spotted by Peter Altman at the Suzuka F1 pre-race parade on the 8th October is the SP250 in the background (over the Mercedes Benz driver! )

Now how on earth do we to identify this vehicle, well by chance we , Barry Thorne and myself, received a cry for help about a week ago (an email in reality) asking for a new CW&P. This then lead to an exchange of emails to establish which series of axle was fitted. We guessed a first series by looking at photographs of the axle casing but a later email gave details of bearing numbers which identifies the axle more accurately. The bonus is that the owner filled out a pasSPort form and knows of three other SPs in Japan, he will try and get forms filled out. So we now it is chassis no: 101008. Now the big question as to why a new CW&P, did he tried to mix it with the F1 boys!

Kind Regards

Laurence & Ann