Suddenly we are less than a couple of months away from the 70th Anniversary Weekend at Wroxall Abbey Hotel. Plans are well underway for the event and the highlighting of Fourteens and TF21s, even the latter youngsters are now 50 years old. For those whose Fourteen cannot make it come and enjoy the weekend or just the Sunday. There will be lots of Fourteen interest and you might be able to sip some Fourteen Ale if you are not driving. Do bear in mind that after this year the event will be hosted by the Northern Section so Southern, Midland, South Western and some Welsh Owners will have further to travel until 2020 when we have the Centenary Celebrations. Yes the 75 Anniversary only seems like yesterday to some of us!

Some interesting Fourteens on the market at the moment for this seeking something a little different,

Chassis 20532 was delivered to Belgium and bodied by Pennock, a very rare beast! Subsequently believed to have been rebodied by Veth of Arnhem, this striking blue Drophead is now offered for sale, p.o.a. in The Netherlands. Pictures of the car are on The Gallery, the dealer is Joop Stolze Classic Cars of The Netherlands, website stolzeclassiccars.nl an interesting website for classic car enthusiasts. Also offered for sale by the same dealer is a Carbodies Drophead back from at least 40 years in The USA. The car is priced at €12500 and is a restoration project.

A rather sad case is chassis 22551, ENJ 153. She has been passed around as a restoration project and her current owner had intentions to make her into a Hot Rod. She is a Mulliners Saloon and ripe for restoration although she is missing her engine, gearbox and front seats. She failed to sell for £1500 on EBay in February so might be available at a very competitive price. Check EBAy or ring Brian on 07831 630399. Let’s hope someone will save her.

General observation now in that 2 months traveling in Florida, Nevada and California produced no sightings of car’s before 1950 other than a few at a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Our cars are spending more and more time tucked up at home.

For those looking at their cars and wondering how to enhance the value please do not take inspiration from the following!

Chassis 21251 in The Gallery shows the April Sports Car Market report of Bonhams’ sale in January in Scotsdale, Arizona, USA. The 1 off Aluminium bodied car by Richard Meade had been turned into a 1930s Special with a TA 21 engine from car 24773. Nothing too unusual until you get to the sale price of$214,500 plus buyer’s premium, the hoped for $250,000 was not achieved!

Permission has now been given for the mystery TB 14,  LXA 453 to be visited for an attempt to identify her chassis number and perhaps match it to one of the TB 14s we are searching for.

Hopefully we may have tracked ORB 244, chassis 23551 as mentioned in last month’s Post. In 2008 she was in Ireland so we are following the lead with cautious optimism.

Spring has finally sprung so all the best for polishing, fettling and emerging into the sunlight.