British Car Day, Gingin, 20 May 2007

by Andrew Marsden

The stunning new Roger Fry and Sons collapsible sedan body on "Gonzo the Ghost" 67AU made its debut at Gingin. Winner of the overall trophy at the Concours d'Elegance. It looks like a four-door sedan, with pillars and winding windows, but the entire top, door pillars and all, neatly folds away!

On Sunday, 20 May 2007, well over a 1000 Great British motor vehicles descended upon the small town of Gingin for the annual British Car Day. This popular event was blessed with a little rain, to add patina to the beautifully prepared and polished cars, buses and assorted British vehicles, but for the most part, the day was brilliantly sunny, with a cool wind cutting across the downs from time to time.

The RROC(WA) Branch had a splendid turn-out of some 38 PMC’s, and it was interesting to see a few Bentley cars outside the group, parked way down with assorted Daimler’s and the odd wayward Jaguar. This was also the Club Concours Day and so Mick Rust, and Lance Synnerdahl, with probable sage advice from an old hand at Concours, Honorary Life Member Matt Smith, carried out the Concours Inspections against a background of picnic tables, and general chit-chat, amongst the Club Members.

The Concours was as earnest as ever, with not too many cars, but great interest from participating members who had spent many hours a-polishing, spit polishing, and indeed, burnishing their pretty charges. There was much running of fingers in small pools of oil (allowable in some areas…but frowned upon in others…) and checking the alignment of screw heads, counting up the small spanners and feeling the quality of the carpets (never mind the width…)

It was a very special day for the Club with three Honorary Life Members attending. They were Tom Clarke, Matt Smith and Roger Fry. It was especially good to see Matt Smith, with his lovely R-R Wraith, which I understand was restored by Matt himself over the years. He used to have a self restored James Young MkVI Bentley, which was a prize winner over the years too.

Mick Rust with one of the original British Car Day organizers, Mr John Smith…a pair of Stalwarts…	New Member Steve Hobson, with his huge, elegant and stunning 1938 Phantom III Hooper Limousine 3CM169
The 1938 Hooper Phantom III Limousine, 3CM169	Michael Farby, with Wendy, David Jay, with Glenice and Annie, enjoy the Club Marquee at Gingin…

There was a one man film crew, interviewing various Club members, and introducing Clubs to John Smith, one of the very early organizers of the British Car Day. The Union Jack Top Hat has greeted incoming cars at the railway line junction for as long as I can remember, directing marques to their appointed spots.

Mick Rust and Glenice Matthews had got in early, and erected the Club marquee, and members were greeted with hot buttered toast, and Jam Cream and Scones, variously provided by Mick and Glenice, and Laurel Petty, as well as hot coffee and tea. Gingin is a very social gathering of the clans.