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This page: Original black and white photographs showing a Standard 10, and other interesting cars, competing in autotests.

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Club motorsport using a Standard 10.

Standard 10s are no stranger to oldclassiccar - for example the beige Standard Super Ten I owned a few years ago, a smart two tone example of a 10 belonging to Doug in Australia, and a period shot of a 10 living a quiet life in suburbia here. The Standard on this page lead a much more active life. All five photographs feature the same 4 door Standard saloon, registration number WPB 417, on at least two different competitive outings. Firstly, two views, taken from the relative safety of the sidelines, shows the Standard negotiating a slalom, with a crowd of motorsport enthusiasts looking on.

948cc Standard saloon negotiates an autotest

The scene looks like any 'clubbie' motorsport event of the 1950s, a type of event that is still popular today, one of the few levels of motorsport where Joe Public can, with minimal car preparation and outlay, can put his or her car up against other drivers and the clock. The second photo shows the 10 on full righthand lock, desperately trying to loop around marker point 'X'. Perhaps the handbrake was a little low on efficiency? a well-timed handbrake turn would have got the dinky little car around that marker in no time.

The background scenery is also of interest - the livery on the old lorries parked under the tin sheeting suggest that this particular autotest stage was held in the yard of H. Kay Ltd, of Horsham. Does anybody recall this company, or know what they did? Also in the background are a number of steam traction engines sheeted up that belong to this company. Only one, the roller face on, can be identified. The registration is PX 5192, a Burrell steam roller of 1926, which still exists in preservation, and amazingly can be still seen resplendant in the colours of H. Kay Limited even to this day (a recent photo of this roller can be seen on the Steam Scenes site).

The Standard 10 rounds the end point in the autotest

The Standard 10 at rest!

The final three photographs again show Standard WPB 417. Whereas in the photographs above, it was entrant number 25, in the following pictures it is #20. The Standard is in fine company. To the left of the first photograph is a Jowett Jupiter, registration HKU 607, and to the right an MG TC, registration MML 260.

The Standard parked with some other competition cars

And in the following photo, the same cars, parked in a different order and no longer wearing their entry numbers. The drivers are with their cars in this shot, as are a few more vehicles over to the left, including a Morris Minor, a TR2 (RPX 654), and a 100E Prefect, complete with sun visor. The final photo in this set shows the same line-up, minus drivers this time.

Does anyone recognise this event, any of the drivers, the cars, or the motor club that was taking part in this autotest? all information gratefully received! The fact that the lorry yard appears to be in Horsham, West Sussex, may give a clue as to the organising club. The photographs all show cars of the 1950s, so I think that would rule out the Central Sussex Motor Club, as that came into being in 1966. Also still in existence in this area is the Bognor Regis Motor Club - that West Sussex motor club has been in existence since 1950, so would fit with the period that these photographs were taken, but this is just a guess at this stage!

Update September 2008. Edmund dropped me an email, with some information about the Jowett Jupiter shown in the above photos, and it's sad demise. He also has some suggestions as to where the event might have been held:

"I can shed some light as I know about one of the cars. The car registered HKU 607 is the Jowett Jupiter of Jack Bates. He was the second owner of this car and he entered it in the following events in the Horsham area:
27/3/1955 Horsham & District Motor Club Spring Rally (1st in Class), also Team Award
1955 Godstone Auto Club August Rally (2nd in Class)
18/3/1956 Horsham & District Motor Club Spring Rally (2nd in Class)
1957 Cranleigh & DMC Versatility Trial (1st in Class)
The photos could be at any of those events, as driving tests were a normal part of local rallies. Jack Bates sold his Jupiter in 1960 and it was written off by the next owner in 1961 (someone drove into the Jupiter). Best regards."

Return to Old Vehicle Photos Page 6.

A child's toy version of the Standard Ten can be found on this page, in the classic toy car section at oldclassiccar. A period photo of the 803cc but otherwise very similar "8" model, may be found here.

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