Motorfilms Quarterly Volume 18

David Weguelin is poised to release MFQ Vol 18 very shortly. This edition follows the usual 90-minute(ish) format and features:

1 - fantastic-quality 80-plus year old coverage of the 1924 French GP at Lyons-Givors, shot for Ettore Bugatti and covering the debut of his soon-to-become-legendary Type 35 design

2 - in car colour footage of one of the most outstanding special stages of the now ten-year old Classic Adelaide Rally in Australia - for which I apologise, but the 15-odd miles of Paris Creek road are a rhythmic driving delight. (OK it's self-indulgent but it's a bit of old-fart-speed fun which I hope the drivers amongst our audience will appreciate).

3 - a wonderfully spectacular colour movie covering the V8-engined Triumph TR of Tony Pond/Fred Gallagher in the 1978 Ypres and Manx tarmac rallies (Fred, are you listening?). This really shows the stark contrast between Corinthian amateurs 2006 in South Australia and the pros in a works car back in 1978.

4 - Objective Monte Carlo - one of the whackiest contemporary motor sporting movies we have ever found - join Lady Newcastle and her fellow passengers in the AEC coach 'Gay Consort' as they drain the bar dry in cahoots with the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally...this one had us rolling on the floor...

5 - Honestly, you have just GOT to see this one - stupendous quality Kodachrome colour movie coverage of the 1947 Jersey International Road Race - the first big international event to be run on British soil postwar. The names are there - Prince Bira, Chiron, Sommer, Parnell, Mays, Johnson, Walker, Bolster - but the conditions and the cars are almost entirely pre-war. I found this an almost eery colour insight into the motor racing manners and habits of the 1930s...shot in the 1940s.

We hope those who subscribe will enjoy it as much as we have had compiling it...we think it is one of our best so far.

DCN

Originally posted by Doug Nye
2 - in car colour footage of one of the most outstanding special stages of the now ten-year old Classic Adelaide Rally in Australia - for which I apologise, but the 15-odd miles of Paris Creek road are a rhythmic driving delight. (OK it's self-indulgent but it's a bit of old-fart-speed fun which I hope the drivers amongst our audience will appreciate).

Oh Lordy, not from within the banana coloured E-Type! :

Tony was the only (and I mean only) driver to get the best out of the TR7. His speed on those two events was incredible.

We practised for about a week in Ypres and the atmosphere was fantastic. The roads were open but there were spectators everywhere so there was little traffic. I remember on a couple of stages we didn't match our recce times on the rally.............

Last week I was reunited with many boxes of transperancies taken from the mid-seventies to the early nineties. Once I have found a way to scan slides I'll share some of them.

Fred

I saw a sneak preview from Weg of the 1947 film just the other day. It is STUNNING. Unbelievable quality. You have to see this!

Originally posted by Fed Gallagher

Last week I was reunited with many boxes of transperancies taken from the mid-seventies to the early nineties. Once I have found a way to scan slides I'll share some of them.

Slightly OT - sorry Doug (looking forward to issue no 18, nonetheless) - I'm sure there is an audience ready and waiting for these, Fred, when you have mastered the technology.

Originally posted by Fred Gallagher
Last week I was reunited with many boxes of transperancies taken from the mid-seventies to the early nineties. Once I have found a way to scan slides I'll share some of them.

Fred

I don't mean to "plug" a particular item, but the Epson Perfection V100 can scan negatives and 35mm slides and can be bought for £60 on Amazon. My grandad has one (and I'm currently using a much older model of the Epson scanner, but with the same features.)

http://www.amazon.co...76133185&sr=8-2

Originally posted by Vanwall
Oh Lordy, not from within the banana coloured E-Type! :

Oh yes, 'fraid so ... Dave 'The Duck' Edwards's V12 'Custard Crusader' itself. Sadly earlier footage of the great Paris Creek stage shot from the Ferrari California and the '66 Le Mans GT-winning GTB/C were on the FIA-mutilated section. My great regret is that we had no camera the GTO year.

The run covered is on the full 15-mile blast...from which we have edited a useable 40% approx on grounds of seeking to avoid terminal boredom for the unwitting viewer...

Oh dear - what a salesman...

DCN

Originally posted by Fred Gallagher
Tony was the only (and I mean only) driver to get the best out of the TR7. His speed on those two events was incredible.

We practised for about a week in Ypres and the atmosphere was fantastic. The roads were open but there were spectators everywhere so there was little traffic. I remember on a couple of stages we didn't match our recce times on the rally.............

Last week I was reunited with many boxes of transperancies taken from the mid-seventies to the early nineties. Once I have found a way to scan slides I'll share some of them.

Fred

Fred - glad you have picked up on this - you star in the footage - much of which is very spectacular indeed. Impressed by your tactical thinking as expressed as well - i.e. willing to sacrifice time in the later stages to drive for the finish.

I too would love to see the transparencies you mention.

DCN

Just received MFQ 18.

In particular, the footage of Jersey 1947 is STUNNING!

Great thanks are due to Doug and David Weguelin for bringing such gems to a wider audience.

I just got back from Rally Argentina to find MFQ 18 in the post (thanks Doug).

The Triumph film is great, although I find the co-driver really irritating!

Fred

Could I make a plea to the MotorFilms back office. I have been expecting my next volume to drop through the door and it has not come. when I dig out the time I paid the last subscription I find it was over a year ago and so it must have run out.

If they could just pack a slip in the last DVD packet saying this is the last film on you current sub if you would like to renew return this form then we would keep up to date and MFQ are less likely to lose customers.

It is in all our interest that sales of such a niche product are as high as possible , so that they keep going, so that they have more to spend on film,development, equipment new material etc etc and if sales are higher our subscriptions could become lower viably in order to attract more subscribers.

The idea of a substantial discount for paying for 4 volumes in advance is a very good one for customers, for continuity, funding etc and I would like to see that extended.

As I have said before they are great compilations of historic motor sport films delivered every three months . Do please keep us informed when our subs have run out. It is in our interests that you keep your sales up and increasing.

Having just looked at the Motorfilms website www.motorfilms.com I see that distribution has moved to Hereford. You can still subscribe to the next 4 DVD issues in advance at a discount ( basically they all then come post free )

However as part of the move they are selling off MFQ volumes 1 to 13 (apparently there is only 1 copy of vol 5 left) in the old VHS cassette form at just £4.99 each ( instead of £19.99 each in DVD )

Now this is a terrific bargain each tape is an hour and a half long and as we have said all along they really are good.

Also they have a lot of other motoring , historic motorsport and marque VHS PAL tapes at £4.99 some for the US market are also still available on NTSC

This shows what is available

http://www.motorfilms.com/index.php

Best to ring 01885400380 for latest stock position many are down to the last 20 copies and at these prices will go fast.

Finally got my vol 18 . Actually the new chap in charge of MFQ distribution in Hereford ( Bromyard, and he knows Barry 'Whizzo' Williams well) was most helpful and efficient , he is keen on motor sport and films and seems this aspect is now on the right lines.

So if you have got lost in the system it is well worth giving them a ring on 01 885 400 380 and get re- subscribed.

The two highlights of this latest compilation the 1924 French GP a version with emphasis on Bugatti is truly amazing the B&W picture quality for 83 years ago defies belief truly wonderful with lots of paddock stuff etc.

The 1947 Jersey race is in colour and again wonderful picture clarity , so unusual to see colour motor racing film 60 years old and it tell us more about the times and is something of a social document of the period as well, tremendous.

The TR7 V8 Rally film demonstrates just how superior the spectacle was in the 2 wheel drive rear wheel drive era of 30 years ago despite the technical advances modern rallying is nowhere in terms in terms of visual thrills in comparison. Tony Pond was also some driver !

Clearly the roads of south Australia have surface quality about a thousand times better that the disgraceful crumbled ruins of south east England in 2007. But then the government only takes in excess of £40BN every year directly off the motorist in taxes, in return spends just 1 % on road repairs.

Also from this film you can see (and I know this from my own first hand experience as well ) that it is nigh ( or is that Nye !) on impossible to film from a competition car in full cry with a hand held video camera .

Then an extraordinary film of the 1954 Monte Carlo rally from the perspective of a coach party of spectators who made the road trip out there in a single decker called a 'Gay Consort '

Another great collection of films and a must have .

I see there is a copy on e-bay.. Is this allowed?
Just thought i'd make you guys aware

Of course it's allowed! Someone bought a copy & now wants to sell it. Or do you think that it's so good that no-one in their right mind would want to sell??? lol

Actually Gary, i was more concerned that being a recent edition, someone maybe trying to make copies and sell them on, making money off the back of other people. Not that it has anything to do with me really, or that i have even placed an order myself.

Anyone received MFQ 19 yet, must be due by now ?

Richard, the website says it's due out on October 1st, and will contain :
1958 Monte Carlo Rally
1960 Meet Jack Brabham
1907 Grand Prix del'ACF, Dieppe
1965 Le Mans 24 Hours
1956 BRSCC Club Racing Review (Part One)

Thanks fellers - MFQ Vol 19 has just been cleared for release this lunchtime, in The Bluebell pub at Batt's Corner, a Hawthorn favourite in the 1950s...so it should be with subscribers quite soon. As always, any feedback/criticisms highly valued... 'Meet Jack Brabham' is the name of a 1960 Mintex documentary featuring the BRDC International Trophy race and in which John Cooper stitches up Jack by getting him to speak to camera advertising Mintex brake linings - self-evidently without any preparation whatsoever. While Jack is stumbling over his lines John is glancing innocently around the Surbiton works, ghost of a smile playing around his face, plainly thinking to himself "Ah hah - I've really dropped 'im in it this time". UK company promo budgets of the period were so tiny that any length of exposed and processed film would be used in the finished reel, however dodgy it had proved to be. This modest classic is no exception. It all contributes to recalling the tenor of those uncomplicated times...

DCN

Mmmm.....The Bluebell pub, eh..........do they have special facilities there for this kind of work ?;)

Trade films are always a joy , not least for the air of unease of the participants. And seeing tins of ordinary grade road going motor oil constantly (apparently) being poured in to racing engines .