The Fairford Classic Car Club

Judging by the television programmes, websites etc it seems that there is increasing interest in researching our past to find out what our ancestors got up to. At the same time most of us have fond memories of objects from our youth and for many car enthusiasts, this means cars and motorcycles owned by our parents. I include myself in this group, so my visit this year to the Goodwood Revival Meeting, together with Mike Cox and Dave Apperley, was one of pure nostalgia as I watched my father’s Healey Silverstone race, some 40+ years since I last saw it. But first a few words about the Goodwood Festival.

This year celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Goodwood circuit, 10 years of the Revival Meeting and the 90th birthday of the RAF. Add to that the first sunny weekend for months, cars and racing to die for, Spitfires, Hurricanes and Mustangs seemingly constantly overhead and the majority of people in period dress and you had to pinch yourself that you hadn’t travelled back in time. In fact, on leaving the circuit on the Sunday night we had to make a real (unwelcome?) adjustment to the modern world.

Goodwood has something for most people and its not just the exotic Ferrari’s etc. The demonstration rides by the mods and rockers (fabulous bikes and sounds) brings back memories as does the sight of Austin A35s, A40s and A95s humbling the Jag Mk2s, although they never went that well in their day! Classic 1950 and 60’s F1 and Junior cars and races for everyday sports cars of the period, such as MGs, Triumphs and Healeys. And then you have to spend time walking around the pre ’66 car park as well as other static attractions (even, this year, a period Earl’s Court Motor Show) – there’s never enough time! Dave and I also decided to take a flight in a 1934 De Havilland Rapide which was quite an experience, not only for the views but also the sights taxing out between the Spitfires and Hurricanes.

Which brings me back to my father’s Healey. Amazingly it has hardly been touched since he owned it and still had some of the original stickers etc on it. The owner, Grahame Bull, has rightly taken the decision to keep it ‘as it was’, but is now planning to take out a few of the dents and race it more regularly next year. He is very interested in the car’s history and has quite a file on it including the original log. Rather movingly it is know in the Healey club as the Cutler Healey! Grahame can certainly drive and was 12th on the grid and moving up in the race. Unfortunately the valves then all closed up, but by this time he was on the tail of a XK120 and afterwards told me it is now the quickest Silverstone around Goodwood – not bad considering one used to be driven by a youthful Tony Brooks! He has even offered me a drive in the car – an offer I will certainly take up.

Anyone remotely interested in classic sports cars and racing MUST get to Goodwood one day. I mentioned earlier that it was not all Ferraris, but the main Tourist Trophy race did have a grid valued at around £85m and they weren’t there for show!

Finally we would all like to wish both Jim Loveday and Beryl Lees-Smith quick recoveries after their recent health scares and I know we will soon be seeing them “back on the road”.

Malcolm Cutler   Oct 2008