Vintage Metal

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Editor's Ramblings
If the photograph on the left looks familiar, it’s because I
used it in the March 2014 Vintage Metal to illustrate a story
about my Triumph Herald. It shows me punting the Herald
up a gravel hillclimb at Serpentine in 1966 with the
Continental Car Club.
Sticking with photographs, the shot of aircraft art on page
26 made me think of the Lonsdale Special described in the
April 2016 issue. That car was constructed in the Goldfields
by Colin Lonsdale using material from the wing of a Vultee
Vengeance. If the panels used had carried similar artwork to that applied to the Vultee at
Goodwood it would have attracted a lot of attention at TQ race meetings. It might also have
earned Colin a thick ear from Mrs Lonsdale. On the other hand, it might have attracted
sponsorship from one of the (in)famous establishments on Hay Street, Kalgoorlie.
Getting back to my Herald. When I had it, it was held to be a bit heavy because of its
separate chassis contruction. It was about the same weight as the more roomy Cortina 1200,
but by today’s standards it was a veritable featherweight at around 800 kg. I have driven new
cars in the UK when I hire them for my holidays and in the last few years I have driven
several Fords and, most recently, a Peugeot 208 and Citroën C3 that shared similar
mechanicals. However, the Citroën used them much better. Apart from a little more interior
space, the 208 was in most ways inferior to our 206. Apart from an odd engine noise as it
took off from a standstill that sounded as though the bottom end was collapsing, the Citroën
would have been a great replacement for the 206.
However, all of these cars, the “small” Fords and “light” French cars in modern parlance,
were heavier than the 206 (1001 kg on the licence papers) and much heavier than the
Herald. I can’t get on with the modern trend to ever heavier “small” cars with tiny,
turbocharged model aero engines. They are a real pain in the Scottish Highlands with little
torque going up the hills and damn-all engine braking on the way down. No matter how
good new car brakes are supposed to be, I object to having to rely solely on the brakes when
coming down the side of a mountain.
Some housekeeping stuff now. I promised an article from John Hurney about his European
trip, but a technical hitch and lack of space has meant that it has to be held over until next
year. I had planned to review Stirling Moss - The Definitive Biography Volume 1 1929-55 by
Philip Porter for this issue, but lack of space means that has also been held over until
February next year.
Len Kidd would like anyone who has photographs of the Coalfields 500, Goomalling Flyer
and 30th Anniversary social events, to let him have copies for the club archive.
Callum Sims of Callum Sims Photography supplied the photographs for the photo gallery
of Goomalling on pages 18-20. As with other photographs supplied by professionals, they
are on a one-off basis and if you want copies you must order them from Callum on mobile
0421 215 224 or email him at The gallery is only a
small sample of the photographs he took, so if you want a shot of your car give him a ring.
If you want a video of Goomalling, Barry and Dawn Attewell, telephone (08) 9562 0918,
were filming the event.
Don’t forget the December meeting is a 30th Anniversary Dinner at Burswood on Swan.
Bob Campbell