Vintage Sports Cars

[Cadwell]

Some images from the Vintage Sports Car Club's annual "driving tests day" held at what's left of the historic Brooklands race track. Brooklands is the oldest purpose built race track in the world but hasn't been used since before the second world war.

As many of you are aware, I am allergic to "tilt shots" therefore all these images were shot level. Any funny angles are due to the Brooklands banking which is very steep in places.

#1 I love Bugattis - just can't get enough of them
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2154.jpg

#2 Pretty little Austin
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2157.jpg

#3
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2181.jpg

#4 a bit smokey, this one.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2212.jpg

#5
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2230.jpg

#6 Just to break the run of Austins - an MG on the test hill
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2285.jpg

#7
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2315.jpg

#8 You're not supposed to knock the cones down...
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2337.jpg

#9 Another Bugatti :)
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ukmotorsportpics/vsccdt/LJ8J2371.jpg

mmm... seems to have turned into an Austin-fest... oh well, lots more to see here http://gallery.ukmotorsportpics.com/c829248_1.html including plenty of non-Austins!

The light was very poor so most of this was done at high-ish ISO / wide aperture. Mostly all with the EOS 1D Mark II and my favourite toy, the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 EX.

Thanks for looking!

[Dave_G]

some lovely old tin there Glenn, it's nice to see such old cars being used.

[Otta]

Glen ,

These are Brilliant . I am in need of a 300 2.8 but so many tell this lens is poor But I have just looked on your site at the large versions and they are so sharp ...cracking . Have these been processed .

Roy

[Otta]

Hi Glen, Just had a look at the images on my other computer to see if I could see where you focused ( in breeze browser but no details) and notice a Philips Profile in the exif does this make a difference to the 1D mk2 .

Thanks

Roy

[Cadwell]

Presumably the reference to "Philips" was inserted by Capture One Pro (my RAW convertor) as it was producing output targeted at my calibrated Philips monitor profile.

In general I will be focusing on some high contrast area on the front of the car. Usually with an off-centre focus point.

The images have been converted from RAW by Capture One Pro and output as medium quality JPEG sized for web display. C1 Pros default sharpening was used.

As far as "soft" goes, I don't think my 120-300mm knows how to do that... ;)

[Otta]

Thanks Glen

[Skip Souza]

Wonderful images Glenn. I just love to see old iron being used as intended. My favorite is #4, of course I am partial to red heads :lol:

[Idoitforfree]

what is #7?

[Cadwell]

what is #7?

I don't have a competitor list and it's often difficult to identify these early cars as they tend to have individual coachbuilt bodies. Very often no two are alike. I would say that it looks like an Austin Seven based "special" though, with a modified body to make it more suitable as a race car / hillclimb car.

[Maureen Souza]

Nice shots, Glenn. I never looked much at cars until you and Frank came along. :)

[musicmate]

some great shots there Glenn.

[boboy888]

Nice pictures there, I admire people who take their valuable toys and actual play with it.
Those cars shouldn't be in show rooms they should be out and enjoyed !

[joeseph]

Very nice Glenn, and interesting too - I must show my Dad who did his apprenticeship at Vickers (which used to be next to track)

[Idoitforfree]

I don't have a competitor list and it's often difficult to identify these early cars as they tend to have individual coachbuilt bodies. Very often no two are alike. I would say that it looks like an Austin Seven based "special" though, with a modified body to make it more suitable as a race car / hillclimb car.

I tried to search for it, but had no luck....Cool car good pics. The track looks like it does need a couple repairs.. :eek:

[Cadwell]

I tried to search for it, but had no luck....Cool car good pics. The track looks like it does need a couple repairs.. :eek:

Yes, the track has seen better days but they (the Brooklands Museum Trust) aren’t allowed to do very much about it other than try and prevent further deterioration. The site is covered by a number of preservation orders with parts of the track now a Scheduled Ancient Monument – the highest order of legal protection available to such a site.

It’s a remarkable place with its 30 foot high banking and 100 foot wide racing surface. The banking is so steep that it’s impossible to stand at the top of it. The lap record at Brooklands was set in 1935 at an average speed of 143.44mph by John Cobb in the 24litre W12 Napier Railton (http://cadwell.fotopic.net/p3162720.html). By comparison, the fastest outright lap record for a current (non-oval) UK circuit is 136.88mph set at Thruxton in an ex-Formula 1 car. It’s a nice touch but Thruxton circuit has a corner named John Cobb.

[Cadwell]

Very nice Glenn, and interesting too - I must show my Dad who did his apprenticeship at Vickers (which used to be next to track)

Thanks. The Brooklands Museum is very proud of the aviation side of its history with a fine collection of aircraft including a Wellington recovered from Lock Ness, a Viscount, a VC-10 and several other Vickers aircraft. Their latest addition is a Concorde which they are currently reassembling. Brooklands was heavily involved in the design and construction of Concorde and the museum is very proud to have one.

[Idoitforfree]

It’s a remarkable place with its 30 foot high banking and 100 foot wide racing surface. The banking is so steep that it’s impossible to stand at the top of it. The lap record at Brooklands was set in 1935 at an average speed of 143.44mph by John Cobb in the 24litre W12 Napier Railton (http://cadwell.fotopic.net/p3162720.html). By comparison, the fastest outright lap record for a current (non-oval) UK circuit is 136.88mph set at Thruxton in an ex-Formula 1 car. It’s a nice touch but Thruxton circuit has a corner named John Cobb.

Seems like a very scary bank....I've seen old pics from there, aren't there all sorts of bumps/jumps on it? That Napier is great!

[Cadwell]

Seems like a very scary bank....I've seen old pics from there, aren't there all sorts of bumps/jumps on it? That Napier is great!

Well the place is/was supposed to be a smooth circuit but you are talking about 1907 engineering so it was never going to be billiard table smooth like the modern circuits are.

[Simon Harrison]

Missed this Glenn.

Lovely set of shots of some beautiful old cars. Quite fitting that they're running at Brooklands.

Cheers,

Simon.

[CIbyLouis]

awesome cars, glad to see them out and about and not stored away under a blanket for eternity.

[Cadwell]

Thanks for the comments Louis and Simon. Yup, Brooklands is the ideal location for this sort of event :)

[LMP]

Great pics as always Glen, you got me thinking about this 'cheaper' way to 300mm 2.8 now !!!!

[Brands]

Lovely shots, especially #7 :cool:

Maybe next year I'll give the Birmingham borefest a miss and take a trip to Brooklands:)

[Doom1701e]

Nice pics. I'd like one of those cars but do they come with Satellite radio?

[Cadwell]

Great pics as always Glen, you got me thinking about this 'cheaper' way to 300mm 2.8 now !!!!

:lol: You can't say that... no straying from the "L" path of righteousness ;)

Brands... good idea. Autosport international isn't worth the trip or the money. I won't be there next year!

Doom1701e: I doubt it... they don't have the electics for it for a start.

[LMP]

:lol: You can't say that... no straying from the "L" path of righteousness ;)

Brands... good idea. Autosport international isn't worth the trip or the money. I won't be there next year!

Doom1701e: I doubt it... they don't have the electics for it for a start.


I'd love a 300 or 400mm 2.8 but it's just not gonna happen....not anytime soon at least. Is the Sigma really that good....I mean you could probably get a good shot from an old jam jar ;)

Should I go and investigate ?

[Cadwell]

I'd love a 300 or 400mm 2.8 but it's just not gonna happen....not anytime soon at least. Is the Sigma really that good....I mean you could probably get a good shot from an old jam jar ;)

Should I go and investigate ?

:lol: Thanks for that... as for the 120-300mm; it's the best lens I own.

[GSH]

Autosport international isn't worth the trip or the money. I won't be there next year!
.

Likewise, unless i can wangle something for one of the trade days ;)


Gorgeous shots as always. Nice to see a real MG rather than a Longbridge shopping trolley with a famous badge slapped on it.

How much of Brooklands is actually in a "usable" state these days? I'm surprised it's not buried under houses or a Tesco :rolleyes:

I'm another member of the 300 f2.8 via Sigma Zoom waiting list....need to clear the Visa bill first though :lol:

[Cadwell]

Likewise, unless i can wangle something for one of the trade days ;)


Gorgeous shots as always. Nice to see a real MG rather than a Longbridge shopping trolley with a famous badge slapped on it.

How much of Brooklands is actually in a "usable" state these days? I'm surprised it's not buried under houses or a Tesco :rolleyes:

I'm another member of the 300 f2.8 via Sigma Zoom waiting list....need to clear the Visa bill first though :lol:


thanks :)

A large part of the original site is buried under an industrial estate and (you guessed it) a Tesco store. What still remains is protected. There's about half a mile of the banked Outer Circuit - the "members banking", some small sections of the Campbell Circuit (part of which you drive along to get into the museum), the 1 in 4 test hill, the club house and various original buildings in the paddock area.

Much of the damage was done during the second world war when the place was an important centre for aircraft production; Avro, Vickers and Sopwith (later Hawker Siddeley) all had associations with the place. I guess people were a little too busy with other matters to worry about the race track. After the war it was considered too expensive to reconstitute the place and the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club (BARC) moved first to London and then to Thruxton Circuit becomming the British Automobile Racing Club in the process.